While there were little to no problems during the South American and European legs of the tour, tension within the band grew during the North American leg. The tension began when rumors began to circulate in late July and early August that
Steven Tyler would replace
Simon Cowell as judge on the television series
American Idol.
Joe Perry criticized Tyler for not consulting the rest of the band, saying that he "found out on the internet, like the rest of the world" and that nobody else in the band knew anything about it. On August 18, many news outlets began to report that Tyler had indeed signed with
Fox. At the band's August 12 show at
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in
Wantagh, New York, Tyler accidentally hit Joe Perry in the head with his microphone stand during the end of "
Sweet Emotion", not realizing that Perry had approached the drum riser that Tyler was standing on. In the ensuing incident, the injured Perry threw down his guitar in anger while Tyler was checking to see if he was OK and stormed off the stage, but returned to finish the concert. At the band's August 17 show at the
Air Canada Centre in
Toronto, Tyler playfully bumped Perry while both were performing the second song "
Love in an Elevator" on the catwalk. In retaliation, Perry playfully bumped Tyler back, but the bump caught Tyler off guard and Tyler tumbled off-stage into the audience. Tyler was previously injured in a fall off-stage in August 2009 which caused the rest of the band's
Guitar Hero Aerosmith Tour to be canceled. Tyler was caught by members of the audience and crew and was helped back on-stage by Perry. In retaliation, Tyler spun Perry around and said "It ain't gonna happen again baby", then stated to Perry "You will pay for that, my brother". Later during the same concert, Tyler changed the lyrics of "
Livin' on the Edge" to "We're seeing things in a different way/And Joe knows it ain't his". == References ==