Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer says he feels better than ever after undergoing heart surgery in August.
The 64-year-old was forced to sit out two Aerosmith gigs – with his son Jesse filling in – as he recovered from a procedure to remove a blockage.
Kramer tells the Eddie Trunk Podcast: “I used to come off stage fairly winded. Not to say that what I do is easy, but now, I come off stage, and because of all the working out that I do and the time that I spend in the gym, it’s really to my benefit, because now I’m flowing 100% , whereas I had some blockage before — they fixed that — and it’s better than it ever was.”
Kramer went to his doctor complaining of persistent heartburn, only for a scan to reveal a more serious problem.
He adds: “I thought that I had what they call acid reflux, and I kept getting this burning sensation in my chest, and that’s what I thought it was. So I kept taking antacids. And, finally, my GP said to me, ‘Just to make sure and rule out that it’s anything cardiac related, go and take a stress test.’
“He said that my cardiovascular system looked like that of a 50-year-old, and I’m 64. And then I got on the treadmill and it started to bother me a little bit. And so he said he wanted me to go do what they call imaging, and that’s what showed the blockage. And then I had an angioplasty done, and they put two stents in my heart. And now I feel better than ever.”
The two gigs in which Jesse took his place allowed Kramer Sr to watch the band live – an experience he says he found strange but also enlightening.
He says: “I was out in the audience and watched Aerosmith live. I’m the only member of the band that’s ever gotten to do that. It was pretty strange. But it sounded great, and I was thoroughly impressed with the lights and the sound and everybody’s playing.
“And it just made me proud to have a son that could do that, and it made me proud to know that I was a part of what was happening on stage and that that was my spot. It really brought me to realise what my place is in life, and that’s where I’m meant to be, and that’s where I’m supposed to be, and that’s my seat, and nothing will ever change that.”
