How Van Halen Led To Joe Perry Quitting Aerosmith

In 1979, Joe Perry abruptly walked out on Aerosmith, citing “tensions” among he and his bandmates. But now, 34 years after the temporary split, Perry has revealed his other reason for quitting: Van Halen. “We were rolling into the ’80s, and I still remember hearing the first Van Halen record and loving it,” the guitarist says. “Eddie’s guitar playing was just so incredible; he turned guitar on its ear and was doing stuff that I’d never heard before. I knew it was time for a break because new ideas were needed. I remember saying, ‘We’re not ready for the ’80s.’” Of course, Perry ended up returning to the group, which scored its biggest hits in the latter half of the 1980s and 1990s. More recently, Aerosmith had embarked on their “Peace Out: The Farewell Tour” until Steven Tyler’s vocal issues forced the band to postpone all of this year’s performances until 2024.