In an exclusive new interview with Classic Rock, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry looks back on his eventful 50-year friendship with Steven Tyler.

In the extensive new interview in this month’s Classic Rock magazine, Perry has thrown light on the two men’s sometimes fractious relationship, shooting down rumours that they don’t get on.

“This is no bullshit, man, he’s probably my best friend through all of it,’ Perry tells Classic Rock. “We just know we’re different people. Even through the 70s, we were the ones that would go off on a scuba diving trip together.

“In the 80s and 90s, [Perry’s wife] Billie and I bought a bus so we could go out and have our kids and bring a dog with us. I remember, we went out to the desert in Las Vegas with Steven. They had this truck on the big, flat desert with a parachute thing, and we all took turns going up in this thing.”

In the same interview, Perry recalls encountering Tyler for the first time, months before they became bandmates.

“The first time I met him, I didn’t really meet him, so to speak,” says the guitarist. “I was working in a hamburger joint in the lake area, and I did everything from cooking the French fries to sweeping the floor and taking out the trash.

“His family had a place up there, a bed and breakfast kind of thing, and every summer he’d come up from New York with one of his bands. I remember them rolling in and basically behaving like what they thought rock stars should do, which was throw food at each other. So they left and I had to clean up after them.”

Read more at Classic Rock.

Aerosmith recently announced "Peace Out" with special guest The Black Crowes. Fans will see Aerosmith, one of the most significant American rock bands in history, one last time during this not-to-be-missed final tour.

Every night will celebrate the five decades of Aerosmith’s groundbreaking hits as they celebrate 50 years as America’s greatest rock band. In addition, THX will bring their THX Certified Live! high-fidelity experience on the road, calibrating each arena with leading-edge technology so fans don’t miss a beat of Aerosmith’s classic rock tunes in quality audio.

In a joint statement, Aerosmith shared, “It’s not goodbye it’s PEACE OUT! Get ready and walk this way, you’re going to get the best show of our lives.” Watch an announcement video below:

Produced by Live Nation, the monumental 40-date North American tour will kick off in Philadelphia, PA, on September 2, with stops in iconic arenas across the US and Canada, including Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, New York’s Madison Square Garden, Austin’s Moody Center, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, Chicago’s United Center, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, and more before wrapping in Montreal, QC at Bell Centre on January 26. A highlight of the tour will be a stop in Boston for a special hometown show on New Year’s Eve 2023.

Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include a premium reserved ticket, a personal photo opportunity with band members, limited edition merchandise and more. For more information, visit aerosmith.com/vip.

The band also shared news of Joey Kramer’s absence from this touring run. ‘“While Joey Kramer remains a beloved founding member of Aerosmith, he has regrettably made the decision to sit out the currently scheduled touring dates to focus his full attention on his family and health. Joey’s unmistakable and legendary presence behind the drum kit will be sorely missed.”

Tour dates:

September
2 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
6 - Pittsburgh, PA - PPG Paints Arena
9 - Belmont Park, NY - UBS Arena        
12 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena     
15 - Chicago, IL - United Center
18 - Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena
21 - Cleveland, OH - Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
24 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena
27 - Washington, DC - Capital One Arena

October
11 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena
14 - Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena
17 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center
20 - Sunrise, FL - FLA Live Arena
23 - Austin, TX - Moody Center
26 - St Louis, MO - Enterprise Center
29 - Indianapolis, IN - Gainbridge Fieldhouse

November
1 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Arena
4 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
7 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
10 - Omaha, NE - CHI Health Center
13 - St Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center  
16 - Kansas City, MO - T-Mobile Center
19 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena     
22 - Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Arena
25 - Portland, OR - Moda Center             
28 - Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena

December
1 - San Francisco, CA - Chase Center    
4 - San Jose, CA - SAP Center             
7 - Los Angeles, CA - The Kia Forum  
10 - Phoenix, AZ - Footprint Center
28 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
31 - Boston, MA - TD Garden    

January
4 - Cincinnati, OH - Heritage Bank Arena           
7 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center    
10 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
13 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boling Arena
16 - Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center
19 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
23 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center
26 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre