By Kevin Coffey
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
America’s greatest rock band is ready to dole out some sweet emotion.
Aerosmith rolls into town Thursday to perform at Qwest Center Omaha on the heels of a jaunt through South America and Europe.
Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton will play their string of hits — from “Sweet Emotion” to “Shut Up And Dance” to “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” when the boys from Boston come to town.
Just before heading on tour, drummer Kramer called to talk about the band, its music, recent troubles in the group and his book about struggling with addiction.
Q. How much have you been rehearsing for the tour?
A. I think you’d be surprised at how much rehearsal goes in. We want to go out there and really nail it. We’ve always prided ourselves on being a live band.
We went in and rehearsed for three weeks. It’s paying off. The band is playing great. It’s really as good as it’s ever been — maybe even a little better.
Q. Will you play the hits or some deep album cuts or what?
A. We’re doing both. It’s hard to keep all the people happy all the time. It’s a very difficult thing to write up the set list.
We’re digging up some old stuff that people have said they want to hear — the likes of “Chip Away The Stone,” “Lord of the Thighs,” and a couple of nights we did “Kings and Queens.” Stuff that people continue to request all the time, we’ll eventually give in and break down and play it.
Q. I heard rumors that the band has started on a new album. Is that true?
A. No, not really. We are going to go in and do a new record sometime after the tour is over. I don’t know if it will be before the end of the year.
We’ll worry about it for a later date. The main focus is getting through this tour.
Q. Earlier this year, there was talk of Steven Tyler doing a solo project and Aerosmith going on with a new singer. What happened?
A. That was basically some interior family stuff that needed to get dealt with. Now it has been dealt with. Everything is pretty much as good as it can be at the moment.
Q. You wrote a book, “Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top,” about dealing with addiction while being in the band. Tell me about that.
A. It took me about four years to write it. It’s a very honest take on a lot of honest life stuff. A lot of folks have actively identified with it and relate to it. I mean, you don’t have to be a rock and roll star to crash and burn. The pain we feel is all the same. That’s what the book is about. It’s about getting through it and making it through to the other side — being a warrior and winning the battle.
There’s a lot of information in there pertinent to what goes on in terms of addiction and alcoholism and anxiety and depression.
Q. Were the guys in the band skeptical of you telling everything in book?
A. No, they weren’t because it’s honest. That was one of the things that Joe said to me after reading it: “I know it’s right because I was there.”
Q. In the foreword to the book, Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue said it’s important “because it’s not bull.” What did you think of his words?
A. That was a compliment. Nikki’s a good buddy.
