On a brisk December morning in 2025, the world of rock and roll found itself reflecting on both its storied past and its ever-evolving present. Kat Walters of I-100 Iconic Rock took to the airwaves, delving into the legacies of The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash—three bands whose influence continues to ripple through generations. But as Walters recounted tales of classic riffs and legendary tours, another chapter in rock history was quietly unfolding on the other side of the country.
Just weeks prior, on November 8, 2025, the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles buzzed with anticipation for the annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Among the luminaries taking the stage was Joe Perry, the indomitable guitarist whose name is synonymous with Aerosmith. For many, Perry’s presence was a poignant reminder of Aerosmith’s official farewell in 2024. But as it turns out, retirement is a relative term in the world of rock.
According to Guitar World, Perry has hardly slowed down. Instead, he’s been channeling his energy into a whirlwind of projects: keeping the Aerosmith spirit alive behind the scenes, touring with the Joe Perry Project, and—perhaps most intriguingly—teaming up with longtime bandmate Steven Tyler and British alt-rocker Yungblud (real name Dom Harrison) for an unexpected five-track EP titled One More Time.
“It’s been three months of insanity,” Perry told Guitar World. “It was something we really hadn’t planned on. Then after it was done we had promotion, photoshoots and rehearsals morning to night.” The collaboration, born from a casual introduction orchestrated by their managers, quickly blossomed into something more. “The songs are inspired by him working with us, and us being inspired by working with him. There’s a lot of great guitar players and bands out there, but Yungblud really has the stuff, so we thought we’d throw our lot in.”
The creative process was anything but conventional. The trio bounced between studios in Florida and Los Angeles, piecing together tracks whenever their schedules aligned. “Dom went off on the road and I told Steven, ‘It would be great if we got together with him.’ We went in a bunch of different studios—two down here in Florida and three in LA. We were all bouncing around, depending on who was doing what. When we got three songs done we were like, ‘Holy shit, we’re really locking into something!’” Perry recalled.
As the record company pushed for a full EP, Perry and company found themselves under the gun to produce two more songs just six days before rehearsals for Perry’s own band were set to begin. Inspiration—sometimes the mother of invention—came from an unexpected source: Perry’s wife, Billie. “Why don’t you cover an Aerosmith song?” she suggested. The lightbulb went off, and the trio tackled “Back in the Saddle,” breathing new life into a classic. “We’re gonna do a dance mix of it and all that,” Perry laughed.
Gearheads and fans alike might be curious about the tools behind the sound. Perry, ever the sonic craftsman, detailed his setup for Guitar World: “The couple of stacks that I have are the ones I was gonna use on the last Aerosmith tour. I’ve got gear in LA, Vegas and Boston, and this stuff was stashed in one place. They’re the ones with the old script lettering on them. I had a Fender Vibroverb which was custom-made for me way back. I love those amps. For the studio I had a stack of three Vibroverbs, and two Marshall stacks, and a 5150 Iconic. Another thing I used was the Terror Stamp by Orange. It’s a solid-state power amp the size of a big pedal; you can put it through a 10- or 12-inch speaker. I’ve been using it in my studio to practice, and I get all kinds of great sounds out of it.”
That same restless spirit carried Perry, Tyler, and Yungblud to the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, where they performed a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at New York’s UBS Arena. The performance was a testament to the genre’s cross-generational appeal, blending the old guard with fresh talent and honoring one of metal’s most enduring icons.
But perhaps the most emotional moment for Perry came during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony itself. Tasked with playing the role of the late Mick Ralphs for a Bad Company tribute, Perry found himself both humbled and saddened by the responsibility. “It was kind of sad because Mick passed away recently. I’d always thought how much fun it would be to play with Bad Company – but I didn’t wanna do it that way, you know? I did everything I could do to honor him,” Perry said. With Paul Rodgers sidelined by health issues, Chris Robinson stepped in as vocalist, and Bryan Adams joined the ensemble, ensuring the show went on in true rock fashion.
For the tribute, Perry dusted off his vintage Gibson Black Beauty—a nod to Ralphs’ signature style. “Mick’s style was basic yet really soulful. He was a Les Paul guy, so I pulled out my ’58 Black Beauty, and I fell back in love with it, you know? I’ll be using it again a lot more. As much as I love the Strat, it was great playing that,” Perry reflected. He also experimented with a Les Paul Junior for one song, marveling at the contrast between the high-end classic and the so-called “beginner’s guitar.” “But I’ll tell you it was tough to say which sounded better, because those P-90s, man, with the dog ears, they’re just phenomenal-sounding.”
The question on every fan’s mind remains: is this truly the end for Aerosmith, or just another pause before the next encore? Perry, for his part, remains noncommittal but optimistic. “If this is the last thing that we do, it’s great. But I’m not retired yet. Steven doesn’t think he’s retired. Who knows? We’ve still got some juice left!” he mused. There’s even talk of one final show, perhaps tied to a documentary chronicling the band’s storied career. “There’s stuff flying around; you know, ideas. The latest thing is that we’ve been talking about doing at least one show, somehow, some way, in conjunction with a documentary that tells the band’s story. We’re still talking. Steven’s bouncing back and forth from New England to LA; I’m in Florida; and Yungblud’s on the road in Europe. So, it’s been a lot of Zoom calls!”
As Kat Walters reminded listeners on I-100 Iconic Rock, the legends of rock are never really gone—they simply find new ways to reinvent themselves, inspire others, and keep the spirit alive. With EPs, tributes, and the promise of more to come, the story of rock and roll continues to unfold, one riff at a time.
