By David Glessner, Austin360.com
Joey Kramer wasn’t born in Texas, but he got here sooner than never. A native New Yorker and longtime Bostonian, the 62-year-old drummer for legendary rockers Aerosmith today resides in Georgetown (who knew?). “I’ve been here for two years,” he said. “I love the peace and quiet. I love the area. It’s great.”
Prior to last week’s release of Aerosmith’s 15th studio album, “Music From Another Dimension,” Kramer phoned to discuss four decades of classic hard rock, toxic excess, hard-won sobriety and that prickly issue of singer Steven Tyler’s two-year stint on “America Idol.” Oh, we also tossed in some Skynyrd trivia to give you an edge at happy hour. You’re welcome!
Austin360: What brought you to Georgetown?
Joey Kramer: My wife, Linda, is from Houston. She came to live with me (in Boston) and didn’t really care for it. I’d always heard Austin was really nice, and I fell in love with the Hill Country. Next thing I knew, we were buying a house.
Jack Douglas returned to produce ‘Music From Another Dimension’ after famously helming your classic ’70s albums. Any anxiety about the new album being measured against your past?
I don’t know that there’s anxiety, because this time we were measuring (the songs) against (fan feedback). Everybody really likes the older records, so basically this album is all new material, but with the old Aerosmith spirit applied to it. I don’t even think we anticipated being as pleased with it as we are — at the moment, anyway.
Is ‘American Idol’ still a sore subject?
The thing everybody (in Aerosmith) was annoyed about most was how we found out. I found out during the course of an interview, because the interviewer asked me, ‘What do you think of Steven’s new gig on ‘American Idol?’ I was totally at a loss. At the same time, it brought us new fans and it all worked out for the best. It was something I think Steven needed to get out of his system as far as doing extracurricular activities.
You’ve been sober for 25 years following decades of notorious partying. What epiphany steered you straight?
One night, I’d come from a friend’s house after doing a bunch of drugs and I was in my parents’ basement drinking vodka. I was on the floor crashing from the cocaine and booze, and I called my wife downstairs and said, “Listen, I can’t do this anymore. I need help.” And off I went (to treatment). To my chagrin, in ’95, I had a nervous breakdown and didn’t understand where that was coming from, because I was clean and sober for eight or nine years. I went through treatment to get over it, through it, around it. I learned a lot about myself. I’m grateful to be alive, grateful for the band, grateful for the woman I’m married to. I have no complaints.