Aerosmith cancels summer tour after Tyler's fall
Photo credit: AP | FILE- In this June 10, 2009 file photo, vocalist Steven Tyler, of the rock band Aerosmith, performs at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Maryland Heights, Mo. Tyler is thanking the Sturgis Police Department and others who helped him after he fell off the stage during a performance at the city's famous motorcycle rally earlier this month. Tyler says in a lengthy statement issued Thursday that he broke his left shoulder and needed 20 stitches in his head after the Aug. 5 accident in Sturgis, S.D. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
LOS ANGELES -- Aerosmith has canceled the remainder of its
summer tour.
In a statement issued late Thursday, the band’s publicist MSO
said “it is with great regret” that the band is canceling the
rest of its tour because of injuries that frontman Steven Tyler
suffered when he fell off the stage during an Aug. 5 performance in
South Dakota.
Tyler broke his left shoulder and needed 20 stitches in his
head.
The statement said doctors have advised Tyler to take the time
to properly recuperate from his injuries.
“Words can’t express the sadness I feel for having to cancel
this tour,” guitarist Joe Perry said in the statement.
Perry said he wanted to thank the band’s loyal fans for sticking
by them, adding that the band hopes “we can get the Aerosmith
machine up and running again as soon as possible.”
The statement said ticket refunds for the remaining tour dates
will be available at the place of purchase.
Earlier Thursday, Tyler released a lengthy statement thanking
the Sturgis, S.D., police department and others who helped him
after the fall. The 61-year-old also thanked the band’s crew, the
helicopter that evacuated him “for getting me outta there before I
bled to death” and the doctors and nurses who treated him.
Tyler said thunderstorms delayed the band’s set by an hour, then
fuses blew and the audio systems failed shortly after the concert
began.
“Well, I wasn’t gonna go hide under the big top and play ’ROCK
STAR’ and wait for everything to be fixed,” Tyler said. “I wanted
to go out to the crowd to continue the show.”
He said he was doing “the Tyler shuffle” when he slipped and
fell off the edge of the stage.
“I just want to say that I’ m plain grateful that I didn’t
break my neck,” he said. “In truth, after thousands of live
shows, falling off the edge four times ain’t too bad.”
