On January 19, 2018 Joe Perry released his latest solo album. Curiously entitled Sweetzerland Manifesto, the record is a hard rocking release featuring the once-coveted Terry Reid, who is best known for his “almost” moment making musical history as the front man of Led Zeppelin. He turned it down due to other commitments, but suggested Page use a vocalist by the name of Robert Plant. Reid’s collaborations read like a who’s who of some of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest artists and once Joe Perry knew he was living nearby, he called him up to come sing on the record. Other vocals on the album include Gary Cherone (Extreme), David Johansen (New York Dolls) and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick).
It’s easily Joe Perry’s best solo album, even though it features two instrumentals out of ten altogether, which – let’s admit it – we usually tend to skip over in exchange for fiery, harder rocking tunes, or vocally powerful ballads. And it’s hard to say that, knowing that this was supposed to be an instrumental album. That said, the album has received critical praise from a number of publications. This may be Perry’s proudest moment of his life, partly because he worked on this album with two of his sons, Roman and Tony, but also because he has a new Hollywood Vampires in the works, one that features Alice Cooper on vocals. He will be touring again with the Hollywood Vampires from May 24 to July 25, 2018.
As if that wasn’t enough, he’s doing only three shows with “Joe Perry and Friends,” presumably to support the new album, first at the House of Blues in Boston on Wednesday, then coming to the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom on Thursday and wrapping up in Altantic City on Friday. To say that he couldn’t be busier would be an understatement. But there is a sort of excitement – exhilaration even – in his voice. We talked with him this week in advance of the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom show and here’s what he had to say.
Alright, what’s the story behind the title of your latest solo album, “Sweetzerland Manifesto?” Continue reading Joe Perry talks about performing with his friends, the Hollywood Vampires, and his solo album ‘Sweetzerland Mainfesto’
