When KISS bassist Gene Simmons heard what he thought was a rather unfamiliar sound on the radio in the early 60s, he became obsessed with the strangeness of it. It was something he’d never listened to before, and unlike all the popular tracks that made up the music scene, what the young Simmons heard play on the radio was pretty simplistic.
The track had very simple lyrics, and it featured no extravagant instruments. The sound consisted of some catchy guitar riffs, easing basslines, and soft drumming… And that was it. The harmonic vocals carried the rest of the show, and that marked the first time Gene witnessed how a band with a simple structure successfully produced some of the most iconic hits of all time.
The 13-year-old Simmons, unbeknownst to him, had heard the Beatles for the first time on radio airplay as the sound grabbed him firmly, and he didn’t need to be a grown-up or a prestigious music critic to understand how the band would be a major commercial success. After all, Beatlemania would sweep all around the country throughout the 60s.
However, Gene wasn’t the only rocker who witnessed the British icons receiving radio airplay or showing up for a brief TV gig early in their career. The then-16-year-old Steven Tallorico also shared the disbelief the KISS icon had upon seeing the Fab Four on stage in Ed Sullivan Show in the early 60s, and he possibly couldn’t believe how brilliant they were.
So, although by the time he made a last name change and formed his own band, the Beatles had already broken up, it was apparent that the act had held a special place in the depths of Steven’s mind, so when an opportunity came down for him to take the stage with one of his teenagehood heroes, he didn’t think twice.
Aerosmith frontman performed alongside Paul McCartney in 2010 for the Beatles’ Kennedy Center Honors, as he got to duet with the British singer for the last four songs of ‘Abbey Road.’ Tyler recalled how mesmerizing the performance was for him while chatting with Rolling Stone India in 2011, totally fanboying over McCartney.
It was apparent that the rocker considered the performance among the defining moments of his career, as he recollected every second with joy. He then had a laugh when mentioning how he came eye to eye with Nancy Pelosi during the show while tears of joy streamed all over his face. Tyler also encountered President Barack Obama the next day as the president couldn’t believe his eyes to see the Aerosmith rocker there.
Steven on how teaming up with Paul and singing the Beatles tracks left him with tears:
“It was crazy [the performance]! I was 16 when I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, and now I’m being asked to sing the last four songs off ‘Abbey Road’ with Sir Paul f*cking McCartney?
During the show, I had tears streaming down my face, and I was looking right at Nancy Pelosi in the crowd! The next day, there was a ceremony at the White House. I go up to the president, and he says, ‘Steven Tyler, what are you doing here?'”
So, although they say ‘never meet your heroes,’ it seems that Paul didn’t disappoint Tyler as the singer had a very pleasing collaboration with the Beatles icon on stage while all the officials of the U.S. government watched the duo perform. So, no wonder he had tears in his eyes throughout the show.
