Steven Tyler, recognized for his dynamic and energetic stage presence, initially entered the music scene through the blues, thanks in part to the British Invasion. However, he later achieved widespread fame as one of the world’s most prominent frontman while collaborating closely with Joe Perry in Aerosmith. Despite carving out a unique and enduring place in the annals of rock history, Tyler held the opinion that some of his contemporaries didn’t truly deserve the title of rock stars.
However, Tyler did receive his fair share of criticism during Aerosmith’s early days. Every music critic that the Boston band encountered during the recording of their first few albums treated them with contempt. They believed that their sound was too similar to that of The Rolling Stones.
But after listening to them again, Aerosmith added the force of Led Zeppelin to the foundation of what The Rolling Stones had done. Albums like “Rocks” marked a pivotal moment for the band. They reintroduced a distinctive bluesy boogie into their sound. This also played a significant role in shaping the contemporary music scene. This approach also resonated with fans of bands such as Metallica and Guns N’ Roses.
Kiss was gaining popularity on the stage at the same moment that Tyler was executing his signature moves. Despite never being excellent musicians, the group covered themselves in terrifying makeup to produce one of the world’s largest stage productions. They elevated rock & roll to the status of a circus act.
Things got heated when Kiss and Aerosmith first booked bills together, even though they would soon cross paths. One of the members of Aerosmith’s crew was threatened with a knife by a Kiss employee during a renowned performance. This happened because they were not complying with the demands made by the shock rockers.
However, Tyler noted that KISS was not at all what rock and roll was meant to be. When talking about the differences in the styles of each band, he recalled, “It’s different”. Joe Perry and Kiss are two entirely different worlds. Depending on the time of day, I can occasionally take offense. “It’s okay, but are they really serious?” I ask. “What’s the deal with this?”
Steven Tyler preferred to let the music speak for itself whenever the band performed live. Even though Kiss used their stage show to entice their audience to watch them play rock and roll. Attending an Aerosmith concert means that Tyler is electrifying from the minute he takes the stage, emerging as one of the most captivating frontman ever. And belting out songs that would test the physical stamina of most vocalists.
Even though he was harsh in his remarks at the time, the feud wouldn’t last long. Perry took an extraordinary step by performing with Kiss. He shared the stage with them, a rare occurrence, where he sang the song “Strutter”. During this performance, he even donned an oversized pair of Gene Simmons’s dragon boots, despite their bitter jabs at eachother. Tyler was more interested in the music than theatricality, regardless of where the hard rock icons ended up in their careers.
