Trouble Brewing In The Aerosmith Camp?

If you have been paying attention this Aerosmith tour reads more like an Aerosmith Ambulance run than a  rock and rock tour. First Brad Whit ford then Tom Hamilton. The drummer has had problems recently. Joe Perry had knee replacement surcery and just recently Steven Tyler fell backwards off the stage and was injured. I know the guys are getting up there in their age but they still do rock out when everything is hitting on all cylinders… But then recently Joe Perry releases the following statement. Read into what you will but I hear problems in the Aerosmith camp…

Here is an exceprt…I have underlined things that stuck out in my mind…

**Regarding the rumors that AEROSMITH was breaking up following the cancellation of the group’s U.S. tour with ZZ TOP, Perry stated, “The band is on hiatus. I think that for the last couple of tours, Steven‘s [Tyler, vocals] been through a bunch of different physical things. He’s always felt like we’ve gone out a little bit too early every time and that kind of thing… I really don’t know for sure. We just want him to get completely healthy — from head to toe, whatever ailment it is — and then we’ll talk about getting back together. So the band is by no means breaking up; we are just taking some time off. And we’re gonna take a good bit of time off so that everybody can re-evaluate our original mandate, which was to go out there and entertain the fans, put the fans [at] number one — which I always do, and I constantly will, with the [JOE PERRY] PROJECT — but with AEROSMITH, we’re all there on that. And make a great studio record and go out and get on the road and tour until we’re finished.”**

I guess I could have or should underlined the whole statement…?

After that statement from Joe Perry, Steven Tyler released his own. Once again, read into it what you will..

**Tyler also addressed reports, like the one posted last week at BostonHerald.com, that suggest that his alleged return to drinking and drugs is causing dissent in AEROSMITH. Tyler says, “Someone is leaking stuff, pretending to know, and you know, I don’t even care. Has the band done things to me where I’ve wanted to quit? Positively. But I’ve stuck in there for the sake of a few sounds we got. I respect the power this band has in and of itself regardless of who says what.”**

Back to me, I loved the younger Aerosmith. You couldn’t beat “Toys in the Attic”, “Big Ten Inch Record”, “Kings and Queens” and many more… those are great clasic songs. They kinda lost me when they got drug free and started hiring writers to write hits for them. Obvisously it didn’t hurt their career but I tend to lean toward the older stuff more than the new stuff…

Hopefully the guys will heal up and mend any riffs between them and head back out on the road soon…

Do I Hear Another Paul VS. Gene Disagreement Here?

KISS recently held a contest to have “their fans” book the new concert tour. The City with the most votes gets KISS in concert first, and so on and so on down the line. Well, a City in Canada, namely, Oshawa was the winner. Well, apparently do to some snafu’s they were not listed in the published tour schedule  and the fine KISS fans of Oshawa got pissed and the media picked up on it and reported it. We didn’t report it because, well I don’t give a fuck about Oshawa Canada (no disrespect meant though) and when I saw that the tour schedule didn’t have Evansville on it this time around I thought screw them. Funny how KISS has stopped off in Evansville probably no less than ten times in their career but this time they’re not . WTF? Maybe it’s on the second leg of the tour but just for rants sake, it’s not listed now. So back to my story. Gene issued a statement saying that the news media has ruined KISS’s surprise for the fans in Oshawa. Here is an excerpt of what Gene said…

“I’m really pissed off at the media for creating this nonsense,” Simmons told The Canadian Press in an interview. But Simmons says the media stoked the flames of the angry fan backlash and ruined what was supposed to be a surprise.

Simmons says the band had planned all along to launch its new album, Sonic Boom, in the city, but was forced by the media to make the announcement early.

“You know, here’s the history of the way we do things: you treat everything and everybody special, and because of who and what Oshawa is, which is near and dear to our hearts, because (they) won the No. 1 spot above and beyond New York, L.A., Toronto, Vancouver, we wanted to do a huge campaign.”

“(The media) never gave us a chance to treat Oshawa special.”

Gene went on to slighty insult KISS fans in the same article.

“Respectfully, the fans aren’t qualified to understand how things are done … (they) don’t know how things work,” Simmons said.

So back to me.That sounds fair enough, right? But then Paul, who has has a history of at least telling the truth while Gene spins yards of PR bullshit released this statement after Gene’s and is also found in the same article. Hear is an excerpt…

“You may hear a slightly different story from Gene, but so be it,” Stanley said. Stanley said a “comedy of errors” led to Oshawa being left off the tour when an incomplete schedule was announced.

“The media was carrying the dissent and upset feeling of the fans. They weren’t creating anything, they were reporting it. Don’t blame the messenger.”

So there you have it for the folks out there that care. Another example of the inter working of a huge band with two leaders. One has a huge inflated ego and is a spin doctor and one who sets the record straight.

You can find the entire article here…

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/687162

chuck gee

In Memory of Senator Ted Kennedy, A Tender Dedication

Meeting Your Heroes… Up First, Big Nick from 41 South

My name is Nick Valceanu ,I live in Evansville,Indiana.   I was talking to Chuck Gee the other day and he asked me if I would share a story about LYNYRD SKYNYRD,And I said that would be great ,this is a once in a life time thing that happened,I was living in Augusta ,Georgia with my sister at the time this all happened.   the first night we all went out. Me ,my sister and her friend she took me to a bar that was called Bonnie and Clyde’s ,this place was all disco with a DJ,Not what I was looking for I was hoping for some kinda rock music but this stuff they were playing just about made me sick,I can’t stand disco music ,as you can tell, Anyway the next week-end rolls around and my sister said they were going to take me to see some southern rock tonight ,I said now your talking ,last week-end was not my thing,So we go to this place downtown in Augusta ,Ga. called the Whippin Post ,yes the place everyone used to play at,   Lynyrd Skynyrd ,Allman bros,and a bunch more .   Well we start to go down town and its raining real hard .So we get to the front door of this place all soaked and my sister tells me just give them a few bucks at the door and just keep on walking in the door ,well I do this and when I get in the door there’s a stage to the left as you come in the door and I was just standing there for a moment checking the place out ,then my sister comes and grabs my arm and said hurry up there’s seats up front. ,   Now I still can’t believe it ,but we got the seats that were right in front of where the singer was going to be singing ,I’m sitting straight in front of the microphone stand and my sisters to my left and her friends to my right and there’s this small table for three,well Were just joking around laughing about something funny then my sister said to me.   Hey you know who’s playing here tonight ,It’s LYNYRD SKYNYRD, I laughed and said yeah right , Then started laughing and I said the singers taller than that.AS I WAS LOOKING AT Ronnie van Zant.    Well at the time I was saying this Ronnie Van Zant was doing something to his microphone stand ,then he said to me with a funny look on his face,You don’t think were LYNYRD SKYNYRD?   And I laughed as I said this ,I said No,The singers taller than you are. Well Ronnie gets this funny look on his face as he goes over to Billy and Gary Rossington and he said something to the them, he comes back over to our table and said .We don’t usually do this but what song can we do to prove who we are. I said that smell,You have a lead guitarist by the name of Steve Gains who’s awesome on guitar and by the second verse I will know if its you, Well then he asked where I was from ,and I said Evansville,Indiana ,then he said they would do it ,   Then he turns around and said something to Billy and Gary and then as I look to my left I see other musicians getting up on stage and then he said this in the microphone, He said were going to do a song to prove who we are …There’s a non believer in the crowd tonight amongst us….”WHO ARE WE” , Then the crowd yells loud “LYNYRD SKYNYRD”. I was still in doubt ,Then as they started the song he’s looking right at me with his mic stand in his hand no shoes and that southern rock bad boy look.I tried to sink down in my chair as far as I could ,well there wasn’t much more to do when the center leg of the table stops right at my crotch, Then I lean over to my sister and said hey ,do me a favor, buy me a few jack and cokes and let me act like a stupid drunk instead of a sober fool .   Well she did and AND THE jacks feeling pretty good now then as they went on break I went to the bathroom and got stopped by Artimus Pile, THEIR DRUMMER big beard,long brown hair ,tee shirt and shorts and long tube socks , He said the lines back there ,as he pointed to a few guys back in the line, So then I wait my turn.   So after that I stumble to the stage ,the jack and cokes working fine by then and I go up by the stage and Ronnie’s still up there as well as Billy and Gary and I said TO Ronnie ,as I reached out my hand and said sorry about what I said , You sure proved who you are, and let me take this foot out of my mouth ,and say I’m sorry once again.   Well They all laugh ,and Ronnie said that’s cool .and then Billy and Gary said this from the back of the stage ,he hears that lots of times and they keep laughing and messing with Ronnie ,hell, hes laughing too ,saying yeah I get that from time to time ,Then I show them just who we are .then he takes a big drink of whiskey and said as he looked at me ,A believer now? I said , hell yes ,and thanks for doing such a great show ,He said we love this bar its one of our spots we like to come play at when ever we can . I got to say a few other things to him that night and before I left, I told him I would always remember this night and meeting Ronnie,Billy and Gary . I seen everyone else but there the only ones I got to talk to , and yes Steve Gains was awesome on guitar that night ,or should I say smoking on his guitars well as ALLEN COLLINS.   Like I said it was a once in a life time thing that happened at the “WHippin Post” in Augusta ,GA in 1977.   It wasn’t very long after that, when I heard about the plane crash. I was sick for days it seemed ,I just couldn’t believe it ,I didn’t want to believe it , But it was all true, Me and many other fans of this band will always remember how this band rocked and loved all there fans ,And I’m very thankful that I got the chance to see LYNYRD SKYNYRD play right in front of my table all that night and I got to meet a legend, Ronnie Van Zant. I have told a few people about this and when Chuck Gee heard this story he asked me if I would write it and send my picture with it and I said yes ,   I’m honored to have the chance to share this story with everyone who loves the LYNYRD SKYNYRD BAND.I have been playing rhythm guitar and writing my own songs as well as being a lead vocalist for my band 41SOUTH, We’re from Evansville,Indiana .Our music is a mix between Early LYNYRD SKYNYRD,BLACKFOOT, AND SOME HENDRIX HERE AND THERE ,I don’t try to be any of these bands because they are all in a class of there own,   My band plays more originals than covers because I love to write a song out and tell a story at the same time.One of the songs we will be doing is “That Smell”.by LYNYRD SKYNYRD Then I will play a song called nineteen seventy seven …guess what that ones about,Well if you read this story you will see why I wrote this song ,   My favorite song by LYNYRD SKYNYRD is “SIMPLE MAN” BECAUSE I THINK THAT SONG MEANS A LOT TO MY LIFE STYLE .and SOUTHERN ROCK MUSIC has took me through the good and bad times of my life ,its a good thing when you listen to a song and it just takes you away for a moment …sometimes that’s all we need is that moment, as a sigh of relief is let off one more time ,I truly think music is a magical cure for our souls and I know for a fact its helped me through the tough times in my life and I truly hope others feel the same way about this as I do . To all you SOUTHERN ROCKERS OUT THERE “ROCK ON MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS , SOUTHERN ROCK IS VERY VERY MUCH ALIVE AND WILL ALWAYS BE A BIG PART OF MY LIFE AND HOPEFULLY YOURS TOO.love life everyday you live ,and live life to the fullest.For me, that means playing my guitar for many more years to come and having a blast doing just that,and meeting some awesome people as I put my bands music out in the public.   I just hope the people who hear our band, see we are true artists, that feel freedom out of sharing parts of our lives with the fans of our music and in the stories we tell in the songs we write . I think that’s awesome .Big Nick/41SOUTH.(Evansville,Indiana)   Thank you “Chuck Gee”and Kickacts.com for giving me a chance to tell my once in a lifetime story.

1SOUTHERNROCKER@insightbb.com

There you have it folks … Most bands have no idea how important it is to inspire and to meet your fans. Apparently Lynyrd Skynyrd knew it was important and changed Big Nick’s life forever. Enough for him to break out the all “CAPS” button … Do you have a story to tell also? We are waiting on you… Send it to

chuck@kickacts.com