From left, Steven Tyler, Jaden Rogers, Joby Rogers and Joe Perry.
Face the Music: Aerosmith/Slash Jones Beach Theater Long Island, N.Y. July 10, 2014
MIDDLETOWN - I had the honor of participating in a Q & A session with Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford before the opening night of the North American leg of their â€"Let Rock Rule Tour” at Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, N.Y.

      

       What advice would you give your 20-year-old self about getting into the music business?

      

       Kramer: ‘Sighs’ hmmm… I don’t know if I would totally do it or not. I have no regrets, but I don’t know if I was 20 years old if I’d want to go through that again. But from the time I was 20 ‘til now, it was a hell of a time and one hell of a ride. It’s still in the mist, but I don’t regret a single day of it.

      

       What was the first song you ever played in public?

      

       Kramer: I think it was probably the instrumental â€"Wipe Out” from 1963 by the Surfaris.

      

       How did you finally overcome your substance addictions?

      

       Kramer: I compare being sober to eating cookies. You know in your heart that you can’t eat just one, so you just don’t open the box.

      

       What was the first song you ever learned to play?

      

       Whitford: Well, I guess it was page one in the Mel Bay guitar book, probably â€"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or something like that. I was learning a lot of Stones stuff in the early days-- â€"Louie Louie” or some other easy three-chord rock songs.

      

       What was the first album you ever bought?

      

       Whitford: The first one I ever bought was The Mamas and the Papas’ If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears--the one where they were all sitting in the bathtub on the cover. No one remembers that. I must be the oldest guy in the room. They were really big at that point and I fell in love with â€"California Dreamin’” and â€"Monday, Monday.” I sent away for it because back in those days a lot of people bought their records that way for about three bucks. Now you can download it for free.

      

       Now… on with the show…

       Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the boys started it all with their debut self-titled LP in 1973 and they have been America’s number one rock band ever since. The coveted number one spot on the Billboard charts eluded them until 1998’s â€"Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” from the Armageddon soundtrack exulted them to the top with their first and only number one single to date. Aerosmith did not rest on those laurels during their two-hour-plus 18-song set at the Jones. They opened up with a hard-hitting â€"Back In the Saddle” and â€"Eat the Rich,” with Joey Kramer not missing a single beat and Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford playing in perfect sync with the embattled drummer. If you were expecting a night of nothing but Classic Rock radio staples, you were in for a surprise. The band dove into the depths of their catalog, skipping the more popular cuts like â€"Pink” and â€"Janie's Got a Gun” and instead incorporated rarely live-played gems like â€"Kings and Queens” and â€"Rats in the Cellar,” ending with Tyler proudly yelling, â€"That’s what this band is all about!”

       Tyler was once quoted, â€"If you want to get the fruit, you got to climb out on the limbs,” and his timeless allure was in full swing tonight. Tyler knows how to work a crowd better than anyone in the business. During â€"Living on the Edge,” he drifted off stage right and was seen on the massive video wall sharing the mic with his daughter Liv Tyler to the crowds added delight. The Baby Grand was rolled out to the end of the runway at the center of the floor seats for an ethereal take on â€"Dream On,” with Joe Perry playing from atop the piano while Steven worked the keys below. The brotherhood these two share shows best on the killing floor. If there was any historic lingering animosity between the two, it was not played out on the stage, as they shared the mic often. With nearly 45 years on the stage, Aerosmith has nothing left to prove and can truly have a good time as they sweep you into the river with them. Watching the mojo from the fifth row gave me the feeling that I was in the right place and the right time.

       Opening act Slash with his band The Conspirators featuring Myles Kennedy proved to be a perfect fitting with Aerosmith. Though they started playing while it was still daylight to a half-filled arena, by the time they blasted into â€"Paradise City” the place was packed. Slash played two other Guns N’ Roses classics, â€"Nightrain” and â€"Sweet Child O’ Mine,” with the opening guitar riff of the latter bringing the entire crowd to their feet. Perhaps as the tour rolls on, the two hall of famers will join forces on stage.

      

       Set List

       1. Back in the Saddle

       2. Eat the Rich (with snippet of â€"Whole Lotta Love”)

       3. Love in an Elevator

       4. Cryin’

       5. Livin’ on the Edge

       6. Kings and Queens

       7. Toys in the Attic

       8. Rag Doll

       9. Freedom Fighter (Joe Perry on vocals)

       10. Same Old Song and Dance

       11. Rats in the Cellar

       12. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing

       13. No More No More

       14. Chip Away the Stone

       15. Dude (Looks Like a Lady)

       16. Walk This Way

       17. Encore:

       18. Dream On

       19. Sweet Emotion
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