# Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer suing bandmates



## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

'THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY'

_Aerosmith star Joey Kramer has confirmed reports he’s suing his bandmates for freezing him out of the group following a disability.

The drummer claims he has been forced to audition for his role in the band after a shoulder injury forced him to pull out of a string of shows in 2019, and nixed from the line-up for important gigs like the Grammy Awards and the MusiCares Person of the Year gala this weekend.

Kramer, who has been an Aerosmith member for 50 years, now insists he’s not suing Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and company to make a quick buck – he just wants to regain his place in the group and replace his own drum technician, John Douglas.

“Ever since I was 14 years old, I had a set of drumsticks in my hand and a passion to create music,” he says in a statement. “Being prohibited from playing with a band that I have given 50 years of my life to supporting, is beyond devastating.

“This is not about money. I am being deprived of the opportunity to be recognized along with my peers, for our collective, lifetime contributions to the music industry. Neither the MusiCares’ Person of the Year Award nor the Grammys’ Lifetime Achievement honours can ever be repeated.

“The fact that I would be asked to audition for my own job, demonstrate that I can play at ‘an appropriate level’ and play better than my temporary fill-in with a moving target of made-up standards is both insulting and upsetting. Other band members and their lawyers will likely attempt to disparage my playing and claim that I am unable to play the drums right now. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

He adds, “In AEROSMITH’s 50-year history, no other band member has ever been subjected to this scrutiny let alone be (sic) asked to audition for his own job! I hope our fans can understand that all I’m trying to do is get back to playing with the band that they love – and that’s AEROSMITH with all five original members.”_


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Money sure brings out the best in all of us.

Toto is also basically mired down by law suits. They had to bail in the middle of the most successful tour in their history due to a law suit between somebody in the Porcaro family and rest of the band.

Steve Lukather says 'this version of Toto is dead' on 20th October


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## CathodeRay (Jan 12, 2018)

laristotle said:


> _...both insulting and upsetting. Other band members and their lawyers will likely attempt to disparage my playing and claim that I am unable to play the drums right now. I’m trying to do is get back to playing with the band that they love – ”_


Imagine the vibe at the reunion.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Seems like it would be a shitty environment to play in if he wins. Who would want to be in a band where everyone thought you didn't have the right stuff?


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

knight_yyz said:


> Seems like it would be a shitty environment to play in if he wins. Who would want to be in a band where everyone thought you didn't have the right stuff?


And that's where it becomes about the money.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

So he's going to sue the band and then plans to rejoin? Jesus man, take a hint!

"_Kramer, who has been an Aerosmith member for 50 years, now insists he’s not suing Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and company to make a quick buck – he just wants to regain his place in the group and replace his own drum technician, John Douglas."_


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

laristotle said:


> claims he has been forced to audition for his role in the band


If he still has it, he should have no problem passing the audition.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

While he's at it, he should sue Gibson for using his last name on a guitar line.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

He belongs there for the lifetime achievement awards. After that, it's just business.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Lots of battling in that band over the years. Joe Perry and Brad Whitford were out in the past . Joey Kramers turn now. Tom Hamilton will be next.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

cboutilier said:


> He belongs there for the lifetime achievement awards. After that, it's just business.


He is invited to the awards. Just not to play.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If I was replaced by my tech after 50 years in a band, I'd be pissed off too.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

1SweetRide said:


> He is invited to the awards. Just not to play.


did something similar happen with Kiss as well?


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

and Sabbath.
Ozzy; _'Bill had to have sticky notes all over the place so he could remember the changes in 'War Pigs'' is not something you can just brush off'_.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

GnR?

drummers...


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

What do you call a guy surrounded by a bunch musicians? A drummer.


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

laristotle said:


> and Sabbath.
> Ozzy; _'Bill had to have sticky notes all over the place so he could remember the changes in 'War Pigs'' is not something you can just brush off'_.


Cheap Trick as well..


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

vadsy said:


> did something similar happen with Kiss as well?


With Ace? Now that you mention it, I think so.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

When I’m traveling through BNA (Nashville airport) I often hear announcements recorded by Steven Tyler.

I get that Nashville would like to diversify their image, but what the fuck?

It’s all about money, always has been.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Milkman said:


> When I’m traveling through BNA (Nashville airport) I often hear announcements recorded by Steven Tyler.
> 
> I get that Nashville would like to diversify their image, but what the fuck?
> 
> It’s all about money, always has been.


When you're asking about getting a refund on your cancelled flight do they play "Dream On"?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

1SweetRide said:


> When you're asking about getting a refund on your cancelled flight do they play "Dream On"?


LOL, don’t fly Southwest.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Queensryche is going through this, too. Singer and the rest of the band are fighting over the use of the name. 

Meanwhile in suburbia, I just wished I was ever in a band that was popular enough to be worth fighting, or suing, over. LOL We just walked away from all those 20's because no one will suffer asshats for that kinda money.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

vadsy said:


> GnR?
> 
> drummers...


Axl was banging the drummers girlfriend. Might have had something to do with the rift.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Distortion said:


> Axl was banging the drummers girlfriend. Might have had something to do with the rift.


Steve was too high to play, might have had something to do with it.


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## nbs2005 (Mar 21, 2018)

Just as a different take, if he was injured/disabled the band may be required to make reasonable accommodation which could include slightly modifying the sound/drum parts. Curious as to what jurisdiction they are legally bound to.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

nbs2005 said:


> Just as a different take, if he was injured/disabled the band may be required to make reasonable accommodation which could include slightly modifying the sound/drum parts. Curious as to what jurisdiction they are legally bound to.


Ya know, if a band has to be forced to help accommodate an injured member, there's a more fundamental issue at play.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

nbs2005 said:


> Just as a different take, if he was injured/disabled the band may be required to make reasonable accommodation which could include slightly modifying the sound/drum parts. Curious as to what jurisdiction they are legally bound to.


I would imagine that legally he is self-employed. So if he couldn't show up for work, he's out of luck.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

If he can't do it, why not just have a different drummer mic'd up offstage, and let Joey mime his parts? It's not like it hasn't been done before. 

Or use drum backing tracks. We all know that gets done a lot.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

butterknucket said:


> Or use drum backing tracks. We all know that gets done a lot.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Def Leppard kept their drummer in the band and used sequenced drums on Hysteria while their drummer had a _slight_ arm injury. 

Of course, it's also common knowledge at this point that they used sequenced drums on Pyromania as well, but I'm just saying.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

I was a bit to young to have caught it but wasn't it forbidden to sing or play live on Top of the Pops? Everything was mimed.


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## TheYanChamp (Mar 6, 2009)

laristotle said:


> If he still has it, he should have no problem passing the audition.


Except he can't play to a click, which the band has to do in able to fit to modern audio/video. 

Sent from my H3223 using Tapatalk


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

TheYanChamp said:


> Except he can't play to a click, which the band has to do in able to fit to modern audio/video.
> 
> Sent from my H3223 using Tapatalk


I've seen live footage of the band from the 70's where the rest of the band couldn't play in time with drums.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Aerosmith would be better to hang it up after the ceremonies, Kramer isn’t having it, Perry is dying,,, others have better things going.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

laristotle said:


> View attachment 290882


The internet is a cruel place.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

tuned to the Grammys for a minute and it just happened to be Aerosmith without Kramer but with RunDMC and I don’t wanna be mean


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

I'll just keep 1 of the bands that was an influence on me in the glory years in my mind. Denial is a choice you know.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

When a drummer gets to a certain age there needs to be a mandatory test, the same as the driver's license dept does. Fail and they take away your drum sticks.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

player99 said:


> When a drummer gets to a certain age there needs to be a mandatory test, the same as the driver's license dept does. Fail and they take away your drum sticks.



More like “fail and they hand you an extra set of sticks and a handicapped parking permit”.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

and a metronome


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

TheYanChamp said:


> Except he can't play to a click, which the band has to do in able to fit to modern audio/video.
> 
> Sent from my H3223 using Tapatalk


His stance is that some of the older material doesn’t work to a click track. It naturally speeds up and slows down to groove, and sounds weird if its artificially locked to a click. Perhaps it’s not that he *can’t* play to a click but that he doesn’t want to robotically lock the music for the sake of having some video play on the side of the stage.

I mean this with all due respect, but this is Aerosmith music. It’s not highly technically challenging, or composed of a series of rapid, drastic, juxtapositions. It’s basic rock that any drummer could do.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

They sounded bad last night. I wonder if they forgot to process Steven Tyler’s vocals or something.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

laristotle said:


> View attachment 291172


Respect to Joey. Let those 2 off the hook. Classy.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)




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## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

Given that Kramer stuck with the band and accomodated the shit show that was the Toxin Twins for decades, including relapses and periods of commercial failure only to be tossed away when he needed help and compassion, Tyler and Perry can suck bag of dicks.

Aerosmith hasn't written their own product in decades anyway.

Another sad chapter in rock music.

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

and their Grammy performance really sucked


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

SG-Rocker said:


> Given that Kramer stuck with the band and accomodated the shit show that was the Toxin Twins for decades, including relapses and periods of commercial failure only to be tossed away when he needed help and compassion, Tyler and Perry can suck bag of dicks.
> 
> Aerosmith hasn't written their own product in decades anyway.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately I have to agree with you here. Aerosmith has basically just done what I've fought against and hated about a specific niche in the music scene as a Rocker. It's a pretty sad day in my Rock world right now. I expected more from a band that was a key to my beginnings in playing.

It's called selling out.


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## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

Dorian2 said:


> Unfortunately I have to agree with you here. Aerosmith has basically just done what I've fought against and hated about a specific niche in the music scene as a Rocker. It's a pretty sad day in my Rock world right now. I expected more from a band that was a key to my beginnings in playing.
> 
> It's called selling out.


You don't live that far away, let's start a band and show 'em how it's done.

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1221818169775415297


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

thats alright, a minute later Joe starts a solo in the wrong key


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Karma's a bitch, isn't it.


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