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Cape Town – So, I just spoke to Steven Tyler... no seriously, I did. Really, I am not lying.
MOST. SURREAL. MOMENT. OF. MY. LIFE.
So, for those of you who don’t know yet, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is heading to South Africa together with other rock gods such as Gilby Clarke and Duff McKagan next week for the Kings of Chaos tour. And we at Channel24 had the opportunity to chat to him ahead of his visit to our lovely country.
So, this is what went down...
My heart is pounding as I dial the number to chat to Steven freaking Tyler! Calm down, breathe...
Steven answers the phone: "Yes, Jean-Marie! Hey baby how are you doing?"
"I’m fine and you?!" I ask.
"I’m so good!" says Steven.
Then we had some technical issues, I just had to speak up a bit, you know, being on speakerphone and all... continue conversation.
"Will this be your first visit to South Africa and will you be doing any sightseeing?" I ask.
"Yes I am, I’m actually going to the waterfalls in Zambia and Zimbabwe, and maybe I'll jump out of an aeroplane and into the cold ocean over there in South Africa.
"This will be my first visit to South Africa (...) I’m so excited!" says Steven. "If we had more time I would love to go on Safari."
"We are just as excited, and even more so for your show! Have you been rehearsing a lot?" I ask.
"Well we spent about 4 hours rehearsing (...) and we’ll probably spend one more day rehearsing before the show and then we’re just going to rock out."
I have to ask: "Steven, after years of touring, how do you still do it, I mean it seems like you just keep doing more the older you get!? It’s amazing, what's your secret?"
“You know, rocking out is what I do, and I just feel much better when I’m playing in front of 20 to 30 000 people. You know it’s just the greatest feeling there is, going back stage being in the cloakrooms, I’m in heaven."
"What do you do to keep fit?" I ask.
"I go to the gym. I’ve got my own little regiment. But you know, when I’m on tour, I’m on stage for two hours when performing, I lose like a pound every night!," he laughs. "And I think that more than anything keeps me fit."
"Do you have any rituals before you go on stage?" I ask.
"No not really to be honest. You know, I warm up my voice and just chill backstage. I like to eat Salmon and broccoli before I go on, you know, it's pretty simple," he says.
"Steven, what would you say is the recipe for writing a good song?" I ask.
"Write things down, so you have little snippets of words and so forth. For me it’s just putting one foot in front of the other and going at it with a bunch of people, and it happens naturally. It’s so much fun for me to sit in a room and throw down ideas and chords. You know, it is what it is, just put one foot in front of the other."
"Do you have any advice for up and coming musos?" I ask.
"I would just say play as much as you can, in a room...don't pick it, it will bleed," he chuckles. "I think the secret nowadays is just to play and play and play, and in front of a live audience if you can so you can go through feelings of rejection, because that’s how you sharpen."
"Well, this is amazing," I say. "This is so surreal I can’t actually believe that I am speaking to you and I just want to say thanks so much, I think our time is up..." (I literally want to cry...)
And then Steven said this: "Well. If you’re coming to any of the shows, come backstage and say hi."
Then I said what I was thinking out loud: "Ag, I would literally die! I would love that!" Cue shy school girl giggle...
"Thanks so much Steven!" I say again.
"Bye Jean-Marie, I’ll chat to you later!"
"Bye! Have a safe trip!" I say.
"Thanks bye bye!" says Steven.
And, breathe...
*Catch Kings of Chaos live at Sun City Superbowl on Saturday 29 November 2014 and Sunday 30 November, and in Cape Town, Grand Arena on Wednesday 3 December 2014. Click here to book your ticket.
