There isn’t anyone more surprised than Tom Hamilton that it’s taken Aerosmith more than a decade to make a new album. With “Music From Another Dimension” recorded and slated for release this fall, it seems that there’s no one more excited than the band’s bassist, either.
“It’s a moment I’ve visualized in my head for a long time. Right now, we’re at that point where it’s being mastered. I wish it was out today. It’s torture,” says Hamilton with a laugh. “Of course, we’ve had compilations and the blues album ‘Honkin’ On Bobo’ in 2004. But, yeah, this is the first album of new material we’ve put out in 10 years. It’s unbelievable that it took that long.”
It’s not like Aerosmith needs any more great songs. After 42 years of notching up crowd-pleasers, the band can tour without a new record.
“Some of us have the desire to prove ourselves and not be part of that club, that club that says, ‘I don’t want to face the demon of making a new record,'” Hamilton says. “A lot of people say, ‘Let’s just go out on the road and not put ourselves through the demands and pressures of making an album.’
Because when you make an album, you start with nothing — and no matter how many great songs you have before, you have to prove yourself again: Prove that you still have the hunger and the skills to do it. Some of us just wanted to prove that, so here we go.”
‘Idol’ hands
What with illness, accidents and singer Steven Tyler’s two years spent as an “American Idol” judge (he left the show last week), Hamilton admits even he had doubts that Aerosmith would ever make another record.
“I wanted it so bad that it didn’t get to be anything I believed in. But, yeah, there definitely was [doubt]. After 10 years and some false starts, that question was in the air, sure. But some of us really wanted this to happen and, finally, on this try it happened.”
