Aerosmith Guitarist Joe Perry Says Van Halen’s Debut Album Is Part of the Reason He Left the Band in 1979

Aerosmith was one of the biggest rock bands in the world in the ‘70s. However, things weren’t all sunshine and rainbows behind the scenes. Guitarist Joe Perry and frontman Steven Tyler clashed so often that their bandmates called them the “Toxic Twins.” Additionally, substance abuse was rampant in the band and Perry was dealing with some personal issues. Those things were almost enough to make him walk away from the band he helped start. Then, he heard the future of rock ‘n’ roll and knew it was time to step down.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Perry revealed that several things led to his leaving the band in the middle of recording the 1979 album Night in the Ruts. Among those was his realization that Aerosmith wasn’t ready to deal with the rapidly changing musical landscape.

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“I just had to take care of myself. My personal life wasn’t all that great, and I had to deal with that,” Perry recalled. “I had to come to terms with that and knew it was time to leave. But I also felt we needed to be more open to new ideas,” he added.

“We were rolling into the ‘80s, and I still remember hearing the first Van Halen record and fucking loving it. I mean, what a great fucking record,” Perry said. More than anything, Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing made him realize that the musical world was changing. About that, he said, “Eddie’s guitar playing was just so incredible. He turned the guitar on its fucking ear and was doing stuff that I’d never heard before. I knew it was time for a break because new ideas were needed.”

After hearing Van Halen’s debut record, Perry realized that Aerosmith wasn’t ready for the ‘80s rock scene. “It was just a vibe or feeling I had,” he recalled.

After leaving Aerosmith, the guitarist started a solo career with The Joe Perry Project. However, it didn’t take long for Perry to reconsider. In 1982 he rejoined the band. As a result, they saw a resurgence in popularity in the late ’80s that continued until the early 2000s.

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