JOE PERRY Says He Is Not Leaving AEROSMITH

Most of the members of AEROSMITH spent a few days last week working on songs for a new album with co-writer Marti Frederiksen at a studio in Los Angeles. The only man missing was guitarist Joe Perry, who was unable to join his bandmates for the sessions due to what Billboard.com described as an "unspecified commitment."

In a series of Twitter messages, Perry explained his absence, saying, "I had previous plans could not get out of.

"I am in AEROSMITH. I am not going anywhere.

"The band isn't writing anymore. It was only for eight days.

"AEROSMITH and I will be writing in the spring. The guys only got together for eight days.

"There's nothing to make up. We are brothers we have been texting back and forth since the tour ended. It's a bunch of B.S.

"It was only an eight-day writing session that got blown outta proportion.

"We are looking forward to the next CD

"[Singer] Steven [Tyler] and I text all of the time. He's my brother in arms, just like Brad [Whitford, guitar], Joey [Kramer, drums] and [bassist] Tom [Hamilton are]. Everything else is a rumor.

"Don't worry bout a thing. AEROSMITH lives on [and] I am in it. It's my band. Tom and I formed it in 1969. It's the five of us."

Frederiksen told Billboard.com that the band and he have been "playing songs, putting together riffs, having fun, laughing and working from noon to 11 (p.m.) We're just digging in, man."

Although a recent New York Post article indicated that AEROSMITH was "unable to work" due to Tyler's "American Idol" gig, Tyler's attorney Dina LaPolt responded, "Mr. Tyler's 'American Idol' contract was specifically negotiated to work around his AEROSMITH touring and recording schedule."

The new album will be AEROSMITH's first studio effort since 2004's "Honkin' On Bobo" covers set and first collection of all-new tunes since 2001's "Just Push Play".