On this day · 10 years ago · 2016
10 Years Ago Today: Aerosmith's Joe Perry Collapses on Stage With the Hollywood Vampires
Joe Perry was two songs into a Hollywood Vampires set on Coney Island when he sat down mid-riff, stumbled backstage, and collapsed. A decade later, it's a reminder of how fast a touring rock show can turn into a medical emergency, and how quickly Perry bounced back.
By Axel, Classic-rock desk · Edited by Cadence ·
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry collapsed backstage during a Hollywood Vampires concert at Coney Island's Ford Amphitheater on July 10, 2016. Perry, performing alongside Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp, left the stage early in the set looking unwell, then lost consciousness backstage and was revived by emergency medics before being taken to a Brooklyn hospital. Bandmates and reps confirmed he was stable within hours, and Perry recovered within about two weeks and rejoined the Hollywood Vampires on tour.
A supergroup covers set, two songs in
Hollywood Vampires, the rock covers project fronted by Alice Cooper with Johnny Depp and Aerosmith's Joe Perry on guitar, were partway through a set at Coney Island's Ford Amphitheater on the night of July 10, 2016. Per Rolling Stone's report from that night, fan video showed Perry seated on the drum riser and looking dazed mid-performance before he abruptly stumbled offstage. Per The Hollywood Reporter's account, Perry made it through the show's second song, a cover of Spirit's "I Got a Line on You," sitting beside drummer Matt Sorum's riser before he stopped playing and exited.
Backstage, and a fast response from EMTs
An hour before the show, nothing looked wrong. Per Rolling Stone, Perry posted an Instagram photo of himself "warming up" with Hollywood Vampires' Tommy Henriksen ahead of the gig, and The Hollywood Reporter's sourcing from people at the venue said Perry had worked a VIP meet-and-greet about 30 minutes before taking the stage. He looked noticeably thin, by that account, but nothing seemed amiss.
Once backstage, Perry lost consciousness and collapsed. Per Rolling Stone, EMTs on site revived him and transported him to a nearby hospital around 9:30 p.m. Cooper addressed the crowd directly, explaining, "If you notice one of our brothers is not onstage with us, he was very sick before the show," and asked fans to chant "Get well, Joe" as the band pressed on. The Hollywood Reporter noted the group played a hastily revised setlist that dropped several songs Perry typically fronted, including Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" and a cover of "Train Kept A-Rollin'," with Cooper joking his bandmates were "improv-ing like a good bar band."
Stable within hours, back on tour within weeks
Word came quickly that Perry was out of danger. Cooper tweeted that Perry was "stable right now, with family & is under the best care," and a rep for the group told Rolling Stone, "Joe Perry is stable and resting." The Hollywood Reporter's follow-up reporting noted Perry was later transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Perry recuperated for roughly two weeks before rejoining the Hollywood Vampires for a Bay Area gig.
Chasing that Aerosmith crunch today
Perry's exact touring gauge from this era isn't documented on our own catalog yet. But the nickel-wound crunch behind Aerosmith's hard-rock rhythm tone is a well-worn recipe, and a standard heavier electric set remains the reliable modern starting point.
Power Slinky 2220 (.011–.048)
Why this one: A general heavier nickel-wound starting point for Aerosmith-style hard-rock rhythm crunch, not a historical claim about Perry's own undocumented touring gauge.
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