In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Aerosmith found themselves in a delicate period and were seeking alternative solutions. At the time, lead singer Steven Tyler was recovering from a serious fall from a stage and decided to focus both on his solo project and on his participation as a judge on the reality show American Idol .
In an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, guitarist Joe Perry defended the right of each band member to pursue their own projects at any given time, but also said that he thought of Aerosmith as a whole. “The band wasn’t very solid. There were some conversations and a lot of people were involved – lawyers, different managers… I thought Steven might want to take a four-year break, do what he wanted to do,” he said.
According to Perry, some names considered to replace Steven Tyler were Chris Cornell, Billy Idol, Lenny Kravitz and Paul Rogers, but the one that came closest was Sammy Hagar. "I'm not sure how the word got around, but I know Sam as a cheerful, easy-going guy. And he definitely had a good voice, so I understand why the idea circulated."
Previously, Sammy Hagar himself had already spoken about the story to Ultimate Classic Rock. "I probably would have messed it up because I'm not a toxic guy," he joked. "When fights start, I get out of there. I can't stand being in a bad situation."
READ ALSO: Sammy Hagar apologizes for the way he spoke about Eddie Van Halen in his autobiography
