Brian May is bidding an emotional farewell to Aerosmith, the rock band that announced Friday, Aug. 2, that it will retire from touring due to lead singer Steven Tyler’s permanent vocal damage.
On the same day, the 77-year-old Queen musician shared an emotional Instagram post, saying that the announcement “brought tears to my eyes”, as the aforementioned band has been a huge part of his and millions of other rock fans’ lives. “Steve Tyler is one of the greatest frontmen of all time – and it’s heartbreaking that his extraordinary voice has suffered such a loss,” May added in the caption of his post about the loss of his contemporary, which featured an image of Aerosmith’s official retirement announcement.
Speaking about his fellow rockers, May said the direction of their careers is “literally always worth celebrating” and that when everything passes, one thing that will remain forever is the inspiring work of the group, which began its endeavors in Boston in 1970. Aerosmith is “one of the greatest bands to ever take the stage,” May said before ending his message.
The I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing group announced their departure from the stage last week, nearly a year after Tyler, 76, fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show. In their farewell message, the band informed their fans that despite Tyler having the best medical team in the world around him and working in recent months to get his voice back to what it was before his injury, the group had to swallow the hard pill that their lead singer’s voice would never return to its original form.
Aerosmith were on the road for their farewell tour, Peace Out, but had to pause shows in September and ultimately cancel them on August 2.
The group expressed their gratitude to their fans for their endless support throughout their five-decade career, saying that it is an honour for them that their music has become a part of their fans’ lives. “Play our music loud now and always. Dream. You have made our dreams come true,” the band said before ending their lengthy announcement message.
As for Tyler, he’s been on the mend since September. He himself commented on his recovery while hosting his 5th Annual Grammy Viewing Party on February 4, saying, “My throat is sore, but it’s getting better.”
His daughter Mia Tyler also told People the same day that her father was “much better,” but added that he keeps talking despite doctors’ advice to stop. She joked, “You can’t shut him up — he can’t shut his mouth.” She added, “He’s very healthy.”
Fans with tickets to Aerosmith’s shows are entitled to a refund, the group said in its retirement statement.
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