In August 2024, Aerosmith announced that it had made the difficult decision to retire from touring after frontman Steven Tyler suffered a serious vocal injury the previous year. Since then, the band has been quiet about whether it may return in some form, although bassist Tom Hamilton has started playing with a new group called Close Enemies.
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In a new interview with Boston public radio station WBUR-FM, Hamilton talked about the status of Tyler’s health. He also left open the possibility, albeit slim, of Aerosmith performing again.
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“Steven’s healing process is going really, really well, but it goes at its own pace,” Tom told the radio station. “Maybe Aerosmith will do something in the future, but it’s a big if and the last thing I want to be doing is to try and push Steven in that direction. If we do anything in the future, it would come from him.”
As previously reported, Aerosmith was just three shows into its Peace Out farewell tour in September 2023 when the band had to postpone the trek because Tyler had injured his vocal cords.
After initially canceling and then rescheduling a series of dates for the trek, Aerosmith announced in an August 2, 2024, statement that all shows were officially canceled for good.
The statement explained that Tyler had struggled to bounce back from his vocal injury, but noted that “a full recovery … is not possible.”
More About Close Enemies
Hamilton’s current band Close Enemies recent launched its first-ever tour. The group has played three shows of the eight-date U.S. trek, with the next concert scheduled for January 14 in Manchester, New Hampshire. The outing also will visit Pawling, New York, on January 23; Nashville on January 25; Chicago on January 28; and St. Louis on January 29.
Close Enemies will release its debut single, “Sound of a Train,” digitally on Friday, January 17. Hamilton revealed in a post on his Instagram page that the song will get its radio premiere this Wednesday, January 15, on Ozzy Osbourne’s SiriusXM show Ozzy’s Boneyard.
Describing Close Enemies’ sound, Hamilton told WBUR, “We fit into the hard rock category.”
Tom also noted that he hopes the band will get some attention for its music by touring, and shared that he’s really enjoying his time with the new group.
“Playing live is what will probably get out music out there,” he maintained. “It’s the hard way but also the most exciting way. Camaraderie is big for me and I love to hang with the guys.”
As previously reported, Close Enemies also features guitarists Trace Foster and Tony Stroud, lead singer Chasen Hampton, and drummer Tony Brock.
Foster is Hamilton’s longtime bass tech. Stroud has played with Sheryl Crow for 25 years. Hampton is an actor and singer who was a Mickey Mouse Club cast member and co-host. He later was a member of a band called The Party, and also established a solo career. Brock is a founding member of The Babys, and also toured and recorded with Rod Stewart for many years.
Close Enemies’ sets feature mostly original songs, along with a couple of tunes by Aerosmith and The Babys.
Hamilton Also Discussed His Own Health Challenges
Also during the WBUR interview, Hamilton talked about his own health battle with cancer.
Tom first was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 2006, when doctors discovered a tumor “as large as a walnut.” Hamilton underwent radiation treatments, and then struggled with a dependency on painkillers, but eventually was declared free of cancer.
Three years later, doctors found more cancer. Hamilton then underwent a successful laser procedure by Dr. Steven Zeitels, who also had treated Tyler, Adele, and The Who’s Roger Daltrey.
“When I woke up [from surgery] two hours later and made a sound with my voice,” Hamilton recalled. “You can imagine what I relief it was. I feel like I dodged a bullet on that one.”
Hamilton also revealed that the radiation treatments damaged nerves in his throat and has adversely affected his speech. In addition, he experienced intermittent numbness and pain in his left arm and left hand, which he uses to fret his bass.
Tom shared that he continues to work hard to overcome some of the effects of his surgeries and treatments.
“[I]f you want to do something really bad, your brain figures out a way to get around it,” he maintained. “Sometimes, you can almost feel your brain working on new ways to do things I have some challenges there, but so far, the good Lord has let me keep playing on the level I need to in order to play on the level required. I can only hope that keeps up.”
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