Aerosmith itching to finish new album

By Gary Graff

DETROIT (Billboard) - After spending most of 2008 dealing with health issues, the members of Aerosmith hope to return to the studio next year to finish their first album of original material since 2001.

"We're sitting on a bunch of music we've already recorded for a new album," guitarist Brad Whitford told Billboard.com. "We haven't gone back into the studio to put the final touches on it and get it done, and still don't know when we're gonna do that. Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later."

The album will be Aerosmith's first of all-original material since 2001's "Just Push Play." The 2004 release, "Honkin' on Bobo," was comprised primarily of blues covers.

Most of Aerosmith's headlines this year were away from the recording studio and concert stage. Guitarist Joe Perry had knee reconstruction surgery in March.

Frontman Steven Tyler, meanwhile, spent time in a California rehabilitation clinic during the spring to recover from his own leg injuries in a drug-controlled environment; he did re-emerge on July 18 to sing "Walk This Way" with Billy Joel and his band at New York's Shea Stadium.

In 2006, bass player Tom Hamilton underwent radiation treatment for throat cancer.

"You'd think it was a football team or something," Whitford said with a laugh. But he added that health issues should not raise concerns about Aerosmith's mortality.

"You have more than average concerns about it, I guess," Whitford said, "but you can't do anything about it. Like a lot of other things in life, you don't get to call the shots on these things, do you? We're just ... getting older."

Reuters/Billboard