Joe Perry Shares Why He Quit Aerosmith

In a recent chat with Guitar World, Aerosmith’s guitarist Joe Perry opened up about a pivotal moment in his career when he decided to leave the band. It was a time filled with tension, and the reasons behind his departure might surprise you.

Joe Perry’s Quitting Moment

“One day, I just quit,” Perry recalled. He described a backstage incident that escalated into a big fight, which he deemed a “bullshit fight.” But it wasn’t just that altercation that pushed him away; it was the overall atmosphere within the band. He said:

“I also wasn’t happy with what was going on behind the scenes.
“It felt like we were being told where to go and when to go. Nobody seemed to be looking out for us as far as caring or burning out, and I was trying to get some kind of handle on that.”

Feeling frustrated, Perry took matters into his own hands. “So I got my own lawyer and said, ‘If they don’t wanna do it, I’m gonna do it myself. How much did we make last year, and blah, blah, blah?’” He was determined to figure things out, but his bandmates weren’t on the same page.

“I finally told my lawyer, ‘Call them up; tell them I’m not coming back,’ and I didn’t. I felt like a huge weight was off my shoulders. I thought, ‘I’m just gonna put a band together, do a record, go out, tour, and have fun.’”

A Breather for the Band

Perry left Aerosmith in the middle of recording their 1979 album Night in the Ruts. He was dealing with personal issues and felt the band needed to be more open to new ideas as they headed into the 80s. His absence allowed for some necessary breathing room. Bassist Tom Hamilton reflected on this time, saying:

“I think we’d just played Cleveland Stadium to a huge crowd. We gathered in a dressing room trailer, and everything exploded. I knew there was no point in trying to talk it out. I just wanted to be free of all the conflict.”

Hamilton admitted he was glad Perry stepped away.

“Joe went off and did solo projects, and then we found Jimmy Crespo, who was an excellent guitarist and writer. We all set up shop in New York and started working on an album. We got work done—but just barely.”

In other news, it seems like Aerosmith might have some new material on the horizon. Perry revealed that Steven Tyler has “got some stuff in his back pocket,” while they’re also planning to remix some of their classic tracks. It’s been a while since their last release, the 2012 album Music From Another Dimension!, so fans will be eager to see what’s next.