Joe Perry Sounds Off on Gene Simmons’ ‘Rock is Dead’ Comments

Joe Perry has become the latest rock icon to weigh in on Gene Simmons' infamous hot take/claim that "Rock is Dead."

Perry was asked his opinion on whether or not he thought "rock is dead" in a new interview with VW Music, and the guitar icon gave a lengthy and interesting answer saying, "No, not at all...There are some great rock ‘n’ roll bands carrying the flag too, and one example is Brad [Whitford’s] son Graham, who plays with Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown. I think they’re like kicking ass, and the thing is, there’s a lot of guys who want to get out there and play rock ‘n’ roll guitar and play that kind of music."

He continues, "The issue is that there aren’t enough fans to hear it, so it’s only going to go so far, but there are still people there for them to build a following. These new bands, they still headline places, they open up for other bands, and it’s the same thing. It’s not like they’re at the top of the Billboard charts or like the top of the pop charts, but that’s kind of how it was in the late '60s too. All the rock ‘n’ roll that I liked, they didn’t even have a place at the Grammys for it, and there was nothing overly commercial about it. I mean, I saw The Who in a small club playing 'Tommy.' It was only a club, but the place was packed, and it was still about the fans there who wanted to hear it."

Perry concluded, "It’s the same now, those fans are still there, and that’s what’s really keeping it alive. I mean, if it wasn’t 'classic music,' it wouldn’t be 'classic rock,' and it wouldn’t be as big as it is. I still see it, people are out there buying artists’ rock catalogs, and paying stupid amounts of money because they know that it’s going to keep getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger. So that tells me rock ‘n’ roll is not dead."

Aerosmith: Whether you refer to them as "The Bad Boys from Boston," "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" or both, we can all agree that the rock genre wouldn't be the same without them.

Their catalog is loaded with hits and timeless classics and their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career is one that bands only dream of.

Sadly, Aerosmith was forced to cancel their farewell tour and retire from touring due to Steven Tyler being unable to fully recover from a vocal injury that initially postponed the farewell tour.

The band issued a statement that reads as follows:

"It was 1970 when a spark of inspiration became Aerosmith. Thanks to you, our Blue Army, that spark caught flame and has been burning for over five decades. Some of you have been with us since the beginning and all of you are the reason we made rock ‘n’ roll history. 

It has been the honor of our lives to have our music become part of yours.  In every club, on every massive tour and at moments grand and private you have given us a place in the soundtrack of your lives. 

We’ve always wanted to blow your mind when performing.  As you know, Steven’s voice is an instrument like no other.  He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury.  We’ve seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side. Sadly, it is clear, that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible. We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision - as a band of brothers - to retire from the touring stage.

We are grateful beyond words for everyone who was pumped to get on the road with us one last time. Grateful to our expert crew, our incredible team and the thousands of talented people who’ve made our historic runs possible. A final thank you to you - the best fans on planet Earth.  Play our music loud, now and always.  Dream On. You’ve made our dreams come true."

To celebrate the wonder that is Aerosmith, here are their top 50 greatest songs.