Help Aerosmith Find A New Frontman!
The hard rock was world was saddened, though not surprised, as the news got out this weekend that Steven Tyler, longtime lead singer for Aerosmith, has left the band after 40 years, one previous break-up, a comeback, and more sex and drugs than all the collective readers of this blog can ever freakin’ dream of. In tribute, Michael Butler did an emotional episode of his Rock And Roll Geek Show, talking about his longtime love for the group and playing his favorite songs.
All is not lost, however, as guitarist Joe Perry hinted in the above-linked article at the idea of the band continuing on with a different lead singer. While it may be unthinkable to imagine a different person fronting the legendary band, there are a handful of people who could do a decent job.
Carly Simon: Yeah, I know. That’s why I led off with the laziest and obvious crack about their lips.
Axl Rose: Guns N’ Roses were the logical successor to Aerosmith, so why not make it official? It’s not like he has anything better to do.
Peter Wolf: Great frontman, similar background (born in the Bronx, moved to Boston, changed last name) and musical influences. But Perry would probably kick his ass onstage for overdoing the song intros.
Steve Perry: He’s got the pipes, and it’s time he got back to work. Besides, wouldn’t it be awesome revenge for him to have the Arnel Pineda-led Journey opened up for Aerosmith on a summer shed tour?
Gary Cherone: Because this entire joke wouldn’t work without a reference to Van Halen III.
Joseph “Run” Simmons: He already had a huge hit with a genre-bending cover of Walk This Way, but how would the ordained minister/family man feel about singing Back In The Saddle?
Art Garfunkel: He finally showed he had a sense of humor when he appeared on Flight Of The Conchords earlier this year, so why not shatter every notion of who we thought he was? And who better to sing their 90s power ballads than the voice of Bridge Over Troubled Water?
If you can think of any others, put them and the reasons why, in the comments below.
If you’re going with one liners, how can you forget –
Todd Rundgren: he replaced Tyler as a father to his kid — why not replace him as frontman to his band?
And in the never-in-a-million-years category, how about –
Gwen Stefani: She’d breathe new life into those ancient songs that mostly haven’t stood the test of time. Also, she’d be a front person that people would actually want to see. Most people think of Aerosmith and Steven Tyler as one and the same — without him, you better have someone with charisma to draw sales if you don’t want to be a Vegas Lounge show.
Good call on Rundgren. And remember, he has fill-in experience as the lead singer of the New Cars.
joe is nuts
this is 2009
enough already, guys – with or without tyler
do you guys want to be jefferson starship or something?
I agree with Noebie but I’d like to see Bo Bice on tour with the band. He has the vocal chops, the looks to draw the ladies, charismatic as all get out and has a fan base that would kill for tickets and fill all the seats. IMHO.
-unc.
Gary Cherone is the frontman for Extreme again, they reformed in 2007 and released “Saudades de Rock” in 2008. He would be the best fit for a replacement for Steven Tyler, he is a Boston, MA native, however he is not available as he is active in Extreme with Nuno Bettencourt. I liked VH3, it had some good songs on it.
I vote for Tim “Ripper” Owens.
Thanks, Ed. I couldn’t remember his name and was too lazy to look it up.
Jack Jones, produced by Rick Rubin. Wrong thread?
Paul thats laugh out loud funny
I thought about this quite a bit and I really think that P!nk could be the perfect candidate. She has the range and over the top flair to fill the handkerchief festooned mic stand the Tyler is leaving behind.
I can imagine Joe saying, “As long as she doesn’t like scarves, she’s in.”
Paul, you’re hysterical.
I heard Allen Iverson might be leaving the Grizzlies and I think he’d be perfect for … oh, wait … wrong team. Sorry.
Doesn’t David Lee Roth need a job?