AEROSMITH drummer Joey Kramer spoke with Chad Berndtson from Tauntongazette.com this past week about his new book, Hit Hard: A Story Of Hitting Rock Bottom At The Top and the band's recent show cancellations. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

Tauntongazette.com: Aerosmith’s on tour at the moment, and I know you guys are about to get Brad back. (Guitarist Brad Whitford was sidelined for the first leg of the tour recovering from surgery following a head injury.

Kramer: "Yes, tonight (July 15) is his first night back. You really miss your brothers when they’re gone."

Tauntongazette.com: But you’re about to lose (bassist) Tom (Hamilton), also recovering from surgery. Does it make it tougher on you guys to keep up a road schedule with so many injuries? Do these things tell you that maybe it’s time to hang it up?

Kramer: "No. I think after all these years, it’s just amazing to me the juice we do have left. I don’t see anything happening to change that short of one of us dying or being killed. I don’t see any real end in sight no matter what’s happened."

Tauntongazette.com: What do you like about revisiting ancient Aerosmith material, as you’ve been doing this tour with full-album readings of Toys In The Attic?

Kramer: "It’s a lot of fun for us, and I think I’m still trying to get a read on whether it’s fun for the audience. After a while we’ll change it up. We keep changing it up."

Tauntongazette.com: Joe (Perry) gave us an update on the new Aerosmith album a few weeks ago. Anything to add to that?

Kramer: "My take on it is it’ll be around by the end of this year or early next year."

Read the entire interview here.