Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media, Inc.
Aerosmith’s current fill-in drummer, John Douglas, shared his experience of being called upon to replace Joey Kramer during the band’s 2019 Las Vegas residency. Douglas, who is currently filling in for Kramer on Aerosmith’s “Peace Out” farewell tour, admitted that he was not fully prepared for the unexpected gig.
Kramer had suffered an injury, leaving him unable to perform, and Douglas was asked to step in without much notice. Douglas explained that he hadn’t intentionally learned the show’s material in advance, as he didn’t anticipate taking over the drums. However, he had observed the band’s performances as a drummer and had absorbed the songs through osmosis.
Despite the lack of a formal soundcheck and only a few hours to familiarize himself with the songs, Douglas managed to successfully fill in for Kramer during the 2019 residency. He acknowledged the challenge of playing live with a band like Aerosmith and noted that it’s a different experience than simply playing along to recorded music.
Douglas mentioned that things went well during his fill-in performance, and the band had a good laugh about it afterward. Joe Perry even joked about who was crazier for putting him in that position with such short notice.
Since then, Kramer has faced periods of being unable to perform, with Douglas stepping in to help out. Earlier this year, when Aerosmith announced their “Peace Out” farewell tour, Douglas was asked to take over drums again as Kramer would not be participating. However, Douglas emphasized that Joey Kramer is still the drummer for Aerosmith and always has been.
He explained that he respects the iconic drum parts that Kramer wrote and played in the band’s songs. While he injects some of his own style, he is careful not to change critical elements in classic Aerosmith songs, as he believes fans want to hear those iconic fills that Kramer originally played.