Aerosmith Guitarist Joe Perry Reports that Steve Tyler Has Broken His Shoulder

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry has announced that singer Steve Tyler has suffered a broken shoulder and has taken stitches in his head after falling offstage during a concert in Sturgis, SD. Tyler has been flown back to Boston to meet with his physician and the group will be talking about what this means for the tour's future. Perry made the statement in an AP interview after finishing a Chicago radio show.

Perry said, "The band's in shock."

Originally, the promoters said Steve was only shaken up and just needed a few stitches.

Tyler, still on the mend from a recent leg muscle injury, tumbled backwards while dancing on the stage catwalk and fell into the crowd. Tyler had been entertaining the crowd at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally awaiting the repair of a technical glitch during the performance of "Love in an Elevator."

Festival security pushed through the record crowd and assisted the shaken singer back to the stage. He was helped backstage and the remainder of the show was cancelled.

According to witnesses, Tyler was joking with the doctor and in good fairly good spirits as he was being airlifted to hospital. An early announcement Thursday (08/06) stated that the tour would go on as planned.

The band was scheduled to play a number of Canadian dates starting with the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, MB Friday (08/07) with ZZ Top. But the Winnipeg concert was officially postponed later that day.

Perry said he did not know what would happen with the remaining 18 dates of the tour.

The band is scheduled to continue their Canadian leg of the tour at Mosaic Stadium - Taylor Field in Regina, SK Sun, 08/09, Edmonton, AB Tue, 08/11, Calgary, AB Thu, 08/13, Vancouver, BC Sat, 08/15/09 and at Air Canada Centre. Toronto, ON Thu, 09/03.

Perry said that the band had to cancel out only a few concerts during its first 25 years but has had terrible luck in the past few years. The 61-year-old Tyler pulled a leg muscle at a concert in Uncasville, Conn back in June, and the band was forced to postpone several shows in July. Tyler also fought with pneumonia before the tour began in June while Perry suffered a knee infection.

Guitarist Brad Whitford, and most recently bassist Tom Hamilton have both been sidelined from the current tour due to health issues and injuries.

Stayed tuned for further reports.

Rob Rheubottom