Paul Rodgers affirms that he was approached by Aerosmith's guitarist Joe Perry to replace Steven Tyler, who temporary quits the band, but decided to decline the offer.
- February 17, 2010
AceShowbiz - Bad Company and Free rocker Paul Rodgers has confirmed he was considered as a replacement for Steven Tyler after the frontman exited Aerosmith in 2009 - but chose to tour the U.K. with band guitarist Joe Perry's side project instead.
Rodgers explains he spoke with Perry shortly after Tyler announced plans to take a two-year hiatus in November 2009 and the Aerosmith star offered him the job of stepping in for the departing singer. The "All Right Now" singer, who previously fronted Queen for a world tour, declined the offer.
He says, "I've never really joined a band other than joining forces with Queen, during which we were playing my songs and their songs. I did speak to Joe in London. He discussed some of the problems and we talked about music. The upshot is that he's gonna be bringing his solo band in support of the Bad Company tour in the U.K."
Rodgers admits he's glad to hear that Tyler, who is currently undergoing treatment for a painkiller addiction in a California rehab, could be back behind the microphone for Aerosmith as early as in summer, when the group co-headlines Britain's Download festival.
He adds, "I have enormous respect for all those guys and I really hope that they iron out their problems and Aerosmith sticks together because they're such a great band." Meanwhile, Rodgers might not be hooking up with Aerosmith, but he does have other supergroup plans.
He tells TheRockRadio.com, "I was just down in Maui and I had a jam session with Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. We just did whatever came to mind, a lot of blues, actually. I remember watching Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac at the Marquee and clubs all over London way back in the old days... and we did exactly that thing. We just played and jammed. Maybe it is on the cards to do something very stripped down and basic (with them)."
