Aerosmith was preparing for a point where they'd have to retire from touring. Mid-tour, the band made an announcement that the rest of the shows would be postponed while frontman Steven Tyler recovered from damage to his vocal cords and larynx. Optimistically, the band rescheduled the shows for dates that would lead up to New Year's Eve at Boston's TD Garden. To celebrate r0ck bl0gster's growth, I ordered a ticket to ring in the new year with this iconic Boston band. In the summer of 2024, we got word that the tour was cancelled and Aerosmith was going on a hiatus. I did hear some new material from Tyler, but it was exclusively as a harmonica player for Slash's new blues album. 2024 continued on, and I saw great musicians young, old, and in between. It was in attending some December shows at City Winery Boston that I learned of a "Close Enemies" mini tour.
Close Enemies is a new project for Aerosmith's bassist Tom Hamilton. Trace Foster is Hamilton's tech on the road but also a guitarist in his own right. Foster put together band with Hamilton, Peter Stroud (a guitarist from Sheryl Crow's band), Tony Brock (Rod Stewart's drummer), and a relatively young singer who had been a Mouseketeer alongside Keri Russell and JC Chasez. Yes, I know that other big actors and singers would join the Mickey Mouse Club in later seasons, but the OG cast had already moved on to further their careers. Chase Hampton got some post-Disney acting jobs like playing a particularly rude fast food drive thru customer in an X-Files cannibalism episode. Hampton found more of a career as a recording artist with some albums with a couple of bands in addition to solo albums. As Chase would tell us at the City Winery this past January, the death of his father (as the band was taking shape) solidified the Close Enemies' bonds as these old rockers embraced Hampton as a chosen family.
The new bandmates started to work together on songs, and of those songs, an album. To this date, the Close Enemies' debut album hasn't been released, but three singles are out. Not sure exactly of what the band sounded like, I prepared myself with deep dives into the heavier bands of the early 70's. Early Aerosmith albums, Fanny, Zeppelin, Sabbath. It's like the Halestorm lyrics mentioning the pedal to the metal, needle (on a dial) into the red, and your hand throwing metal horns to the sky. Like a pre-concert pep rally, I extended the vibe into my Queeraoke selection. I can't reach Steven's high notes, so "Train Kept A-Rollin'" makes for a fun work around. I researched the 1974 Aerosmith hit, and the version released by the Yardbirds in the 60's, and the 50's releases by Johnny Burnette and the songwriter himself Tiny Bradshaw. Aerosmith made Bradshaw's song a little more provocative in the areas of gender presentation (and it could be the experiences of non-binary frontman Steven Tyler). All of the "handsome" and "pretty" androgyny in the attraction between the POV character and a New Yorker he met celebrates a sense of personal expression that people could get arrested for in '51.
When I arrived at City Winery, I felt one with the Boston music community. A gentleman across the table from me seemed to be part of the industry. Looking and carrying himself like he could have been the late Ric Ocasek (of the Cars). There was a coolness, that reminded me of when I saw Peter Wolf out in public an a friend asked "That guy's someone famous, right?". I never found out who he was, but I did get the sense of having stepped into a hidden gem of Boston's entertainment calendar.
A peculiar angle in writing about Close Enemies is that the only album isn't out yet. Aside from three singles, the rest of their known songs are only available through recordings from their live shows. The material is that fresh. If I was to compare their sound to better known bands, I've obviously got to start with Aerosmith (it's literally in the career DNA of the band), Some of the songs have the messy, bluesy heft of 70's rock inspiration, while others have melodies that I'd compare to 2001's "Jaded". In fact, the whole "Just Push Play" album would be a strong example of the Aerosmith comparison. Track by track, the album's stylistically a tossed salad. A ballad here, a 90's-ish pop rock single, some heavy rock tracks. Even a song where the singing seemed inspired by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. All of the songs are solid tracks showing the Aerosmith songsmith pedigree. While disjointed, the album's enjoyable. The second band that I'd bring into the conversation is the Black Crowes. These two groups fit so closely (like a hand in glove) that the brothers Robinson were going to open for Aerosmith's 2024 tour after wrapping up the Black Crowes' "Happiness Bastards" tour. Despite regional differences that give the Crowes' music more of a Southern Rock twang (which can be present in some Close Enemies songs), the frontmen have a similar delivery and stage presence. Lithe and dramatic, Steven Tyler and Chris Robinson give bluesy rock some extra punch. The third group is one that not everyone would expect. The Scorpions. Specifically, their ballads. If you listen to "Still Loving You", "Lady Starlight", or "I was Made to Touch Your Feelings", there are some recurring elements in the feel. In the negative space of the recording, there is a dramatic ambience, lending itself to Klaus Meine's singing carefully worded lyrics with so much passion. The lyrics may come together (I theorize) through the Scorpions coming up central Europe when English wasn't considered that universal of a language. The Scorps started in the 60's. When the Beatles were first starting in Hamburg, they sang "Sie Liebt Dich" so that German audiences would know that "She loves you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.". I digress. Two songs from the setlist stood out for feeling like Scorpions ballads (minus Klaus's Hanover accent).
Of the three singles that have been fully unsealed and released, I'm first going to talk up "Inside Out". There is that sound pulled from that turn of the millennium "Nine Lives" / "Just Push Play" era of Aerosmith. The lyrics of love pains are more about the chaos and hurt in a toxic relationship. Subject wise, It seems akin to "Falling in Love (is So Hard on the Knees)", but it doesn't match lyrical grand slams like "My libido is blowing a transistor". "Sweet Baby Jesus" is a gem of the album. It's got lyrical strength, and attitude, Imagine Aerosmith covering the Black Crowes' "Twice as Hard". "Sound of a Train" (their first single) is the median between Aerosmith and Black Crowes in style. I find it to be a much stronger song than "Inside Out". Not to discredit one single as a song, I think that the selection of singles could be better rounded out with one of the more Scorpionic songs. I'm just going to drop that single that should've been here. "More Than I Could Ever Be".
Two songs from the set were Aerosmith covers. A particular celebration of the band's achievements was when Close Enemies played "Sweet Emotion" (which Steven Tyler had written with Tom Hamilton). I have never gotten the chance to see Aerosmith live, but Hamilton and his crew playing this song in such an intimate Boston setting was surreal. This side of the 80's, I don't think that the full Aerosmith team would play a venue the size of City Winery. Experiencing the band and audience get so into the performance (a shared moment led by Hamilton's baseline) reminded me of when Denny Laine played the venue and led the room in performing a sing-along of "Band on the Run".
After a drum piece (Is it a "solo" when the audience joins in a game of call & answer?) we started filing out. The Ric Ocasek-y man had already stepped out. I stopped by the merch table particularly drawn to to the posters. These limited edition prints that I find tend to be of a much higher grade than what someone may pull out of a Circus magazine issue in 1998. Or a copy of the scandalous dancing cat advertisement for "Nine Lives" that appeared on some Marvel comic books. As I purchased my poster and tee shirt, I spied Sharpie markers. That is a big indication. Huge. I stand beside the staircase down to the basement (and maybe a wine cellar). A woman stood behind me and asked if the band was coming out to give autographs, and I told her that my seeing Sharpies is a very good sign. We started discussing concerts, and I showed some of my art for r0ck bl0gster. Apparently, this woman was a music writer for a prominent newspaper. We geeked out about shows like Slash's Serpent Festival, and Gail Ann Dorsey's December show as the Close Enemies made their way to the table. The line was practically forming behind us! I got to meet each member. Even Hamilton (who was swamped by people trying to get him to sign Aerosmith albums bought off site). I let the newspaper writer meet the bassist before me as her assistant looked on. She turns back (partly to geek out with her coworker (I think she'd agree that "geek out" is an accurate description. Then, Hamilton started gesturing for her, trying to get her attention in his whisper of a voice (from a cancer battle). I turned, said said her name (we found ourselves on first name basis), and explained that "Tom Hamilton wants to speak with you." The bassist looks me in the eyes and mouths "Thank you." Quietly, I tell him with a humble smile "You're so welcome." He proceeded to sign my poster. Walking back to North Station's Orange Line platform, I was so giddy that I may have skipped for a moment. Not only did I get to see a great concert and talk shop with a more established music journalist, but for that moment, I was the voice for the bassist of fuckin' Aerosmith!!! It's so unique, and so cool of an experience. I'm going to see Peter Stroud perform again next weekend when he plays Boston Calling with Sheryl Crow. Later taters!
Comments
Post a Comment