Tom Hamilton On Why He Was Glad That Joe Perry Left Aerosmith

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton recalled the time Joe Perry left the band nearly 50 years ago.

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“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,” the bassist explained.

However, Hamilton was glad that Perry left Aerosmith. “I was actually glad that it happened. Joe went off and did solo projects, and the we found Jimmy Crespo, who was an excellent guitarist and writer. We all set up shop in New York and started work on an album. We got work done – but just barely,” he added.

Perry’s side of the story is a little different. Perry left Aerosmith midway through the recording of their 1979 album ‘Night in the Ruts’ because he was dealing with personal issues and needed to focus on himself. But he also felt that ‘we needed to be more open to new ideas.’

“We were rolling into the ’80s, and I still remember hearing the first Van Halen record and f*cking loving it,” Perry shares. “Eddie’s guitar playing was just so incredible; he turned guitar on its f*cking ear and was doing stuff that I’d never heard before. I knew it was time for a break because new ideas were needed.”

“But we also needed to re-adjust our sights and learn to get along again. I remember saying, ‘We’re not ready for the ’80s.’ I don’t know why I said that; it was just a vibe or a feeling I had,” he added.

‘Night in the Ruts’ was eventually released, and Perry was still part of it, even though he had left.