Brian May of Queen says goodbye to Aerosmith with heartfelt emotion: ‘One of the greatest bands to ever grace a stage’
Brian May is bidding an emotional farewell to Aerosmith, the rock band that announced their retirement from touring due to lead vocalist Steven Tyler’s permanent vocal damage on Friday, August 2.
The same day, the Queen musician, 77, shared a heartfelt Instagram post, saying the announcement “brought tears to my eyes,” as the said band has been a huge part of his life and for millions of other rock fans. “Steve Tyler stands as one of the greatest frontmen of all time — and it’s heartbreaking that his extraordinary voice has been so damaged,” May added of his contemporary’s loss in the caption of his post, which featured an image of Aerosmith’s official retirement announcement.
Of his fellow rockers, May noted that their career trajectory is “truly something to celebrate forever” and that, when all things pass, one thing that will live on is the inspiring work of the group, which began its endeavors in 1970 in Boston. Aerosmith is “one of the most awesome bands to ever hit a stage,” May expressed before concluding his message.
The I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing group announced their departure from the stage last week, nearly one year after Tyler, 76, fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show. In their farewell message, the band informed their admirers that despite Tyler having the best medical team in the world and working on getting his voice back to how it was before his injury in recent months, the group had to swallow the hard pill that their lead singer’s voice would never go back to its original form.
Aerosmith was on the road for their farewell tour, Peace Out, before they had to halt the shows in September and eventually cancel them on August 2.
The group shared their gratitude to their fans for their endless support throughout their five-decade-long careers by saying it had been their honor to have their music become a part of their fans’ lives. “Play our music loud now and always. Dream on. You’ve made our dreams come true,” the band noted before concluding their lengthy announcement message.
Tyler, for his part, has been on the mend since September. He commented on his recovery himself while hosting his 5th annual Grammys viewing party on February 4, saying, “My throat’s been better, but it is on the mend.”
His daughter, Mia Tyler, also told People the same day that her father is “much better,” but added that he keeps talking despite doctors advising him otherwise. “You can’t shut him up—he can’t close that mouth,” she joked, adding, “He’s very healthy.”
Fans with tickets to Aerosmith’s shows are eligible for a refund, the group said in their retirement statement.
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