Queen’s Brian May is among the rockers who is upset about Aerosmith’s decision to retire from touring.
The guitarist took to Instagram to share his thoughts about the recently announced retirement decision due to Steven Tyler’s ongoing health problems. May wrote, saying it left him in tears:
“This has brought a tear to my eye. Aerosmith have been a huge part of my life, as they have been for millions of other rock fans. Steve Tyler stands as one the greatest vocalists and frontmen of all time – and it’s heartbreaking that his extraordinary voice has been so damaged. We all send our love and prayers for your recovery, Steve.”
He ended his statement by praising the band:
“It’s also typical of the pure class of the band that they have made and broadcast this bold decision in such style. The career of Aerosmith is truly something to celebrate forever. All things must pass – but the inspiring work of Aerosmith will live on along with the memories of truly one of the most awesome bands to ever hit a stage.”
How The Decision Was Made
On August 2, the band posted on social media that Tyler’s voice hadn’t fully recovered, and they had to make the ‘heartbreaking’ choice to stop performing. The full statement read:
“It was 1970 when a spark of inspiration became Aerosmith. Thanks to you, our Blue Army, that spark caught flame and has been burning for over five decades. Some of you have been with us since the beginning and all of you are the reason we made rock ‘n’ roll history. It has been the honor of our lives to have our music become part of yours. In every club, on every massive tour and at moments grand and private you have given us a place in the soundtrack of your lives.”
The band also addressed the state of Tyler’s health:
“We’ve always wanted to blow your mind when performing. As you know, Steven’s voice is an instrument like no other. He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury. We’ve seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side. Sadly, it is clear, that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible. We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision – as a band of brothers – to retire from the touring stage.”
The statement ended with a big thank you to the crew and the fans:
“We are grateful beyond words for everyone who was pumped to get on the road with us one last time. Grateful to our expert crew, our incredible team and the thousands of talented people who’ve made our historic runs possible. A final thank you to you – the best fans on planet Earth. Play our music loud, now and always. Dream On. You’ve made our dreams come true.”
Tyler’s Ongoing Vocal Problems
Tyler hurt his voice during a concert last September and initially said he would be out for 30 days. But Aerosmith later had to pause the tour because the injury was worse than they first thought.
The band was set to restart their farewell tour on September 20 in Pittsburgh. They had shows planned in Philadelphia, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, and New York. They also had a ‘hometown show’ at Boston’s TD Garden for New Year’s Eve, but it was canceled because of Tyler’s injury.
Now with the decision to retire, it looks like their most recent concert was their last one ever.
