It’s been almost two years since their last tour and more than eight years since their last all-original studio album, but Aerosmith won’t keep fans waiting much longer. Guitarist Joe Perry revealed in a recent interview with Billboard that the band will hit the road this summer with Southern rockers ZZ Top.
The trek is scheduled to begin in June and has about 40 concerts booked across North America. An official itinerary is expected soon, with possible tour legs in Europe and other international destinations also under consideration.
The outing will follow ZZ Top’s recently announced 14-city European tour, which launches May 26 in Prague, Czech Republic, and continues through a June 14 festival performance in Leicestershire, England.
However, the wait for a new studio album will stretch a bit longer. Though Aerosmith has returned to the studio to work on their first record since 2004’s “Honkin’ on Bobo” and their first all-original studio effort since 2001’s “Just Push Play,” health concerns have delayed the recording process.
Lead singer Steven Tyler was recently sidelined by a bout with pneumonia, according to Perry. Meanwhile, the guitarist was also off his feet for a while, after undergoing emergency surgery to remove an infection that surfaced after Perry’s March 2008 knee replacement. Perry’s recovery caused the cancellation of a February 1 Aerosmith concert in Venezuela.
Perry did note that he’s found time to return to the studio on his own. The musician is recording his solo follow-up to his self-titled 2005 effort, which peaked at No. 110 on the Billboard 200.
“I have a big chunk of time before the tour, so I’m gonna try to get the solo record done as soon as I can,” Perry told Billboard. “Chances are you’re gonna be hearing that before you hear an Aerosmith record…’cause I expect the Aerosmith tour, God willing, to continue through the fall.”