The Aerosmith axeman recounts how he ripped the blazing lead on the Rocks hit, dishing some critical history along the way.
Behind Steven Tyler’s unhinged howls, Aerosmith’s twin-guitar attack with Joe Perry and Brad Whitford cemented them as one of the greatest hard-rock bands of the ’70s. “Last Child,” the street-strutting, hard-blues hit off their breakout 1976 record Rocks, is one of the greatest demonstrations of this dangerous duo’s interplay. While Perry holds down the funky rhythmic chord stabs, Whitford burns through a volcanic, first-take solo. Did any pedals help snare that screaming tone? Nope. Just a ’57 goldtop Les Paul and a 100-watt Marshall.
That combo just “makes you play real good,” Whitford says with a grin on this week’s episode. Whitford gives Shifty the background story on how Rocks came together between the band’s Massachusetts rehearsal space and the Record Plant in New York. They dig deep on Aerosmith’s influences and the guitar players that shaped Whitford’s lead style, including the shredders that knew when to pause. “Whatever you play, you’re still replicating the human voice for the most part, and you have to take a breath,” Whitford notes.
Later on, Brad’s son Graham—an established player in his own right—joins the episode to talk about raiding his dad’s guitar and amp vault, and Brad muses on a big question: Will Aerosmith’s upcoming tour be their last?
Aerosmith - Last Child (Live From The Office Depot Center, Sunrise, FL, April 3, 2004)
Credits
Producer: Jason Shadrick
Executive Producers: Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan for Double Elvis
Engineering Support by Matt Tahaney and Matt Beaudion
Video Editors: Dan Destefano and Addison Sauvan
Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.
His touring band features Brad Whitford and Gary Cherone of Extreme.
Los Angeles, CA (November 9, 2018) -- Joe Perry--legendary guitarist, co-founding member, principal songwriter and co-producer of Aerosmith--has just announced a new single, video and tour dates with his Aerosmith bandmate Brad Whitford and Gary Cherone of Extreme.
"Quake" featuring Cherone is being released today. The hard-charging track with Perry's killer riffs and Cherone's gutsy vocals is from soon-to-be-released vinyl-only version of Perry's Sweetzerland Manifesto (Roman Records) and was debuted live earlier this year (January 16) when Cherone joined Perry at the latter's two-hour plus set at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. The "Quake"video features Perry--the essence of cool--alone with his guitar and amp, firing up the song alongside the lyrics and a super-hip dancing couple who embody the tune's freewheeling rock & roll spirit. It was directed by Joe's son Roman Perry. Watch the video here.
Perry and his band will perform the song live on his upcoming headlining dates which kick off November 30 in Iowa and include stops in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia and more before wrapping up with three Los Angeles-area shows. These performances follow gigs this past April where Perry debuted his new touring band featuring Whitford and with Cherone of Extreme taking on the lead vocals.
Along with choice cuts from his catalog of solo records, Joe will perform rarely played Aerosmith classics from the band's early records including "Toys In The Attic," "Get Your Wings" and "Rocks," among others. Sweetzerland Manifesto marks Joe's sixth solo album and is comprised of 10 new tracks all written or co-written by Joe (many with the album's guest vocalists), except for a cover of "Eve Of Destruction" with Joe on lead vocals and Johnny Depp on drums. The album features guest appearances from a long list of Joe's friends, colleagues and rock and roll icons. Highlights include "Aye, Aye, Aye," which Joe co-wrote with the track's vocalist Robin Zander,and three collaborations with David Johansen, who sings "I Wanna Roll," "Haberdasher Blues," and "I'm Going Crazy," plus as many co-writes with Terry Reid whose lead vocals light up "I'll Do Happiness" (with Zak Starkey on drums), "Sick & Tired" and "Won't Let Me Go."
Fri 11/30 Sioux City, IA Anthem at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sat 12/1 West Dundee, IL RocHaus
Sun 12/2 Detroit, MI Crowfoot Ballroom
Tue 12/4 New York, NY PlayStation Theater
Wed 12/5 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Fri 12/7 Cherokee, NC Harrah's Cherokee Casino
Tue 12/11 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
Thu 12/13 Pasadena, CA The Rose
Sat 12/15 Beverly Hills, CA Saban Theatre
Sun 12/16 Agoura Hills, CA The Canyon
Watch the video:
For more information:
Joe Perry
