The Joe Perry Project

The Joe Perry Project
Origin United States
Genres Hard rock, blues rock
Years active 1979–1984
2009–2010 (hiatus)
Labels Roman Records, Columbia Records, MCA Records
Associated acts Aerosmith, BUX, Savoy Brown, Angel
Website www.joeperrymusic.com
Members Joe Perry
David Hull
Hagen Grohe
Paul Santo
Marty Richards
Past members Ronnie Stewart
Ralph Morman
Joey Mala
Charlie Farren
Cowboy Mach Bell
Danny Hargrove
Joe Pet
Brad Whitford

The Joe Perry Project is an American rock band formed by Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry. Perry started working on forming the band shortly before his departure from Aerosmith in 1979. The Joe Perry Project signed a record deal almost immediately after Perry's exit from the band with Aerosmith's label, Columbia Records, who were disappointed with the chaos in the Aerosmith camp and hoping to maneuver Perry back into Aerosmith.

History

The original band line-up consisted of Perry, singer Ralph Morman, bassist David Hull and drummer Ronnie Stewart. This line-up recorded The Project's 1980 debut album, Let the Music Do the Talking, which was produced by long-time Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas. The album was fairly well received and sold a respectable 250,000 copies in America within its first six months of release.

During the tour in support of the album, Morman's behavior became very erratic due to alcohol-related issues, and he was dismissed from the band in June 1980. He was temporarily replaced by singer Joey Mala, of the New York-based act Revolver, in order for Perry to fulfill concert obligations until a permanent vocalist could be brought in. Morman would go on to become lead singer for Savoy Brown a few weeks after being fired from the Perry organization. A permanent replacement for Morman was found in singer and rhythm guitarist Charlie Farren. Perry, Farren, Stewart, and Hull recorded one album, I've Got the Rock'n'Rolls Again, which proved to be less successful than the group's debut effort. Columbia's reluctance to promote the album combined with Perry's continuing drug and financial problems led to the entire band quitting in 1982.

Equipped with a new record label (MCA Records) and three new band members in singer Cowboy Mach Bell, bassist Danny Hargrove and drummer Joe Pet, the band released Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker in 1983. The album met the same fate as its predecessor, selling less than 50,000 copies. Despite the poor sales, The Project went out on a final tour in support of the album, adding then-former Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford to the line-up.

A compilation album, The Music Still Does the Talking: The Best of the Joe Perry Project, was released by an Australian Indie Record label in 1999.

Reformation

On October 6, 2009 Joe Perry released a solo album Have Guitar, Will Travel. The first single was called "We've Got a Long Way to Go."[1] Although the record was released as a Perry solo album, the touring band included original bassist David Hull and was billed as The Joe Perry Project. Also participating were guitarist/keyboardist Paul Santo, drummer Marty Richards and German vocalist Hagen Grohe, who was discovered by Perry's wife on YouTube. The new Joe Perry Project also backed Joe on his latest album, making it a de facto JPP album.

On September 20, 2009, the new Joe Perry Project played the first public concert of the Have Guitar, Will Travel Tour at Memorial Hall in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The show was announced just days before the event. Fans who attended were the first to hear some of the new songs from the upcoming album, as well as a handful of classic Aerosmith songs including: "Let the Music Do the Talking" (original JPP version), "Walkin' The Dog," "Dream On," "Combination" and "Walk This Way." The final song of the night was a cover of Neil Young's "Keep On Rockin' in the Free World."

During the 2009–2010 tour, the Joe Perry Project opened for Bad Company [2] and Mötley Crüe.[3]

Band members

Discography

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bienstock, Richard (September 16, 2011). Aerosmith: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Boston Bad Boys. Voyageur Press. p. 65. ISBN 9781610597692.
  2. ↑ "Bad Company News". Badcompany.com. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
  3. ↑ "Motley Crue | Official Website for Mötley Crüe". Motley.com. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
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