Aerosmith's lead guitarist, Joe Perry, has confirmed recent speculation over the future of the band, telling the Las Vegas Sun: "Steven quit as far as I can tell."
Last week, rumours emerged that Aerosmithwere considering replacing their long-time frontman, after he said his new focus would be on "Brand Tyler". Perry's response to this sounds like the barbs of a jilted lover. "Hasn't called me in months. A bit cold," he wrote on Twitter. "What about fans? The people that also love him and put him where he is. After 40 years? ... Last time I phoned him he hung up on me."
Perry emphasised his incomprehension to the Las Vegas Sun. "He has had no contact with me or the other band members ... I got off the plane two nights ago. I saw online that Steven said that he was going to leave the band. I don't know for how long, indefinitely or whatever."
While Tyler has not said anything more definitive than his plan to "work on the brand of myself", Perry said Aerosmith have expected the singer's departure for ages. "Obviously, he hasn't been giving 100% for a long time," he said. "Frankly, the last few months I've been wanting not to rock the boat. I don't want him cancelling any more gigs. We really wanted to do these last four. We didn't want to call him out or get him pissed off, for whatever reason. So we just let things lie."
Perry complained: "To disregard his brothers to the point where we have to find out about [his plans] on the internet – it's like, 'See you later, Bud'. I still care for him as a person, or at least the person I used to know. But things change."
Even without Tyler, Perry is confident that Aerosmith will continue. "We'll probably find somebody else and then we'll be able to move Aerosmith up a notch."
Aerosmith will celebrate their 40th anniversary next year. Guardian.co.uk/music contacted Aerosmith's label, Geffen Records, but they were not available for comment.
