Aerosmith members Steven Tyler and Joe Perry met President Obama in Orlando, FL on October 28 during a chance encounter at the city’s airport.
“We were stacked up over Lakeland, while his plane landed,” Perry tells Vanyaland. “We were trying to get in before him but we missed. Then, while we’re sittin’ on the runway, we’re lookin’ at Air Force One and we got out, took some pictures and the next thing you know, we’re on the plane being given a tour. Then Obama heard we were there on the plane and he said, ‘If you wait ’til I get there, we’ll do a little meet and greet.’ So we ended up talking with him for a couple minutes, getting some pictures…”
The Aerosmith duo were returning to the States following the end of the Boston band’s month-long tour of South America.
“We only talked to him for, like, three minutes,” Perry continues. “I had a bunch of questions I wanted to ask him, but as it was, he was coming back from a long day of stumping for…the Democrats. He’s pretty amazing, you know? Being a Republican, I still have a lot of respect for the office, you know? Sitting there with the Commander-in-Chief and leader of the free world… it was really cool.”
For a group whose fan club is known as Aero Force One, the experience was a first for Perry, but not for his bandmate.
“Steven met him one other time, the Kennedy Center Honors years ago (2010 when Paul McCartney was honored), and he got a chance to talk to him for a second,” adds Perry. “But this was the first time I’ve ever met a president, a seated president; it was pretty flipped out — and it was definitely worth the wait.
“It was one of those things where if we planned, something would’ve screwed up. But after a month in South America? Something like that? Hey — you know? The ‘Bad Boys from Boston’ you know? Steven and I have had some pretty cool adventures, but this one is right up there.”
Aerosmith shared a photo of the pair with the President on Twitter, but it was soon removed after drummer Joey Kramer tweeted: “This is not representative of Aerosmith!”
The picture was reposted on social media by Tyler and Perry via their individual accounts.
As fans questioned Kramer’s motives for tweeting such a strong reaction to the image and having it removed from the band’s account, the drummer attempted to defend his postion, replying “I'm not saying who I support! I don't support anyone speaking for me!”
When a fan suggested the drummer’s best response should have been none at all, Kramer failed to see the irony in his efforts, writing “Exactly! This is why I had a problem w the pic on @Aerosmith. I don't want to be included in political banter.”
See also:
Aerosmith: Joe Perry to receive Les Paul Award
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry updates solo album plans
VIDEO: Aerosmith bassist joins Pearl Jam in Boston
VIDEO: Pearl Jam cover Aerosmith classic at Fenway Park in Boston
Search Aerosmith at hennemusic
