Joe Perry says his upcoming solo album reached a “turning point” when Iggy Pop dropped into the studio and laid down vocals on one of the tracks.
The as-yet-untitled album was originally meant to be an instrumental record, but Pop’s involvement took it in a different direction.
British singer Terry Reid – who turned down a job with Led Zeppelin and recommended Robert Plant instead – and New York Dolls frontman David Johansen also lent their voices to the songs.
Aerosmith guitarist Perry tells Rolling Stone: “One night, Iggy Pop stopped by the studio after he’d done a show here and listened to a couple of tunes.
Within a couple hours, he had finished recording everything and that was really the turning point for the record. It was really, really good to go that way. And then Terry Reid sang on at least four songs, and David Johansen came in.
“I hadn’t had a chance to work with David since the 70s, since we were spending a lot of time together. We’ve been friends for such a long time, but we’ve never really had a chance to get in the studio and get in a solid situation. We got three or four tunes.”
One of Perry’s solo tracks, I’ll Do Happiness, was released earlier this month. It features Reid on vocals and Zak Starkey on drums. Perry as a list of other singers he wants to contribute to the release and has based himself in California to make the most of the talent available.
He adds: “That’s one of the main reasons we’re out here in California. Boston’s a great city and there are some really talented cats, but out here there is always somebody passing through or they live out here.
“It’s just been a wider spread of friends and neighbours I can ask if they want to come in and have a go.”
Perry’s supergroup Hollywood Vampires play a string of European and US dates in May, June and July.
Hollywood Vampires 2016 tour dates
May 27: Lisbon Rock In Rio, Portugal
May 30: Stockholm Grona Lund, Sweden
Jun 01: Horsens The Prison, Denmark
Jun 06: Bucharest Romexpo Parc C, Romania
Jul 02: Mashantucket Foxwoods Resort Casino, CT
Jul 03: Atlantic City Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, NJ
Jul 05: Milwaukee Summerfect, WI
Jul 12: Kettering Fraze Pavilion, OH
Jul 13: Mount Pleasant Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, MI
Jul 14: Cadott RockFest, WI
Jul 25: Paso Robles California Mid-State Fair, CA
Exclusive First Listen! I’ll Do Happiness by Joe Perry featuring Terry Reid
