Aerosmith Members Claim Steve Is On Board

AEROSMITH guitarist Brad Whitford told The Boston Globe that singer Steven Tyler's new gig as one of the judges on the next season of "American Idol" won't interfere with the band's plans to make a new album. "We might actually get more work done because we haven't always been so disciplined when it comes to schedules," Whitford said. "When Steven's filming, it'll only be two days a week, so it's our intention to do some new recording on his days off." When asked if Tyler's "on board with that plan," Whitford said, "Yeah, he's excited."

AEROSMITH bassist Tom Hamilton recently told the Boston Herald that Tyler believes he has the time and energy to continue fronting the band while also being a judge on the new season of "American Idol". Hamilton explained, "Steven's been very emphatic in saying that the way his time is arranged on the show leaves room to work on a record. He's been taking great pains to remind everybody of that, so hopefully that's the way it will come out."
Yet Hamilton also admitted that things could change, saying, "There's a lot of not knowing what's going to happen, but that's how it's always been for us . . . Steven is an incredible I-can-do-anything kind of guy. But he's taken a big bite, and I'm looking forward to seeing him chew it."

AEROSMITH completed a North American tour last month in Canada and the rest of the band members are now back home, waiting for their vocalist to carve out time to return to the studio and make the group's first album since 2001.

Hamilton says he's never watched "American Idol" and that the band found out about Tyler's involvement from its management. Guitarist Joe Perry voiced his displeasure in public, calling the program "one step above ('Teenage Mutant') 'Ninja Turtles'." Tyler and the rest of AEROSMITH butted heads last year, after his fall from a stage on South Dakota led to a canceled tour, a trip for Tyler to rehab and threats by the singer to embark on a solo career. Things were smoothed over for this past summer's trek, but tensions have been raised again by Tyler's "Idol" involvement.