Aerosmith announce Joey Kramer is taking a “temporary leave of absence” from band

nme.com:

Aerosmith have announced that longtime drummer Joey Kramer is taking a “temporary leave of absence” from band.The rock veterans are gearing up to return to the stage after a two-year hiatus when their Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas residency resumes in June for a run of 24 shows.However, they will be without drummer Kramer who is stepping away temporality so that he can “focus his full attention on his family during these uncertain times”.“[Kramer] regrettably made the decision to sit out the band’s concerts in 2022 so he can focus his full attention on his family during these uncertain times,” Aerosmith said in a statement shared with USA Today. “He and the band look forward to his future performances with Aerosmith.”The band said the situation with Kramer is a “temporary leave of absence”, and announced that drum technician Jack Douglas will once again pick up the sticks while Kramer is away.It’s not the first time Kramer has stepped away from Aerosmith.

In April 2019, he was forced to sit out of the band after suffering a shoulder injury. He asked to rejoin his bandmates for their Grammy Week MusiCares tribute show, but the band didn’t allow him to.“Joey Kramer is our brother; his well-being is of paramount importance to us,” the band said in a statement at the time. “However, he has not been emotionally and physically able to perform with the band, by his own admission, for the last six months.

We have missed him and have encouraged him to rejoin us to play many times but apparently he has not felt ready to do so.”This led to Kramer, a founding member of the group 50 years ago, filing a lawsuit against the band, during which time security prevented him from entering Aerosmith’s Grammy rehearsal facility.In video footage.