| Corinne Heller 3. Juli 2015 – 11:13
Steven Tyler?!
The Aerosmith frontman has gone country, or rather, hippie-country, for his new solo single “Love Is Your Name,” whose music video was released on Friday.
In the clip, which was filmed near Nashville, Tyler sports a mustache and his usual long brown hair, accentuated by blond highlights. He wears a flowing white shirt opened halfway to show off his chest and array of necklaces, paired with tight, tan pants.
Also featured is a blonde model, sporting a white boho dress and a few super long, colorful sashes trailing behind her—a nod to Tyler’s trademark stage rocker look.
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“Love Is Your Name” is featured on Tyler’s upcoming debut solo album, which will also be his first country record. He released the single back in May and performed it on the season 14 finale of American Idol that month. He had served as a judge on the FOX singing competition series in 2011 and 2012.
“Country, to me, has always been oversimplified, by an accent, a truck, cowboy boots, a dirt road, a back porch,” Tyler told USA Today in May. “But I think it’s more about freedom and pride and hard work and the girl. And knowing everybody’s first name in town, you know? There were 1,200 people in my town when I grew up. That, to me, is country.”
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But don’t be cryin’, Aerosmith fans. Tyler is not giving up on rock. He is currently touring with the band, through August.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, published in June, the rocker said he’s “sure” his Aerosmith band mates are “not happy” about his county solo effort.
“But Joe [Perry] has done five solo albums. I just thought, ‘Hey, it’s my turn in the barrel,'” he said. “This is a side project, which has now turned into a love of life. I think we got something here that the radio would love to play. Look, that’s why I’m in it. I love to take the f–king power to wow to the 100th degree. It’s just what I do.”
This week, Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton responded to Tyler’s comments, telling Digital Journal, “It’s funny; sometimes he’ll talk about how he’s been persecuted by the band over the years, but whatever…If it causes drama, let’s show that!”
“He wanted to do this creative exercise of going and making an album, and I can’t blame him for wanting to do it,” he continued. “Joe’s done it before, I’d love to do it someday. Why be angry about it?”
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