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JD: I’ve been telling them we should go in and do some straight ahead recording – like we used to. Everybody in the band has some great little riffs and stuff. Steven says it sounds like a good idea. But so far it hasn’t happened. I’m still working on it though.

TR: Since you are good friends, do you ever tell Steven the truth about how you feel about what the band is doing now? That a song sucks for example? If so, how does he usually respond?

JD: Oh yeah, I tell him. His main response is that it all has to be commercial – that the record company has to like it.

TR: As long as they’re with SONY, do you think things will remain the same?

JD: I don’t know. There’s an outside possibility we might go in and do just what I told you while I'm doing the 5.1 mixes.

TR: Describe the 5.1 mixing process you will be doing for them.

JD: 5.1 means surround sound. It’s 5 speakers and a subwoofer. Jay Messina and I are going to do each album individually. We’re going to make them sound just like the original mixes only it’s gonna be in surround sound. It’s gonna be wacky and crazy. You’ll get them on an audio-only DVD.

TR: Why do you think the band changed direction yet again to release another Columbia Greatest Hits package instead of a live DVD and/or blues album? To get even with Geffen?

JD: That one I can’t figure out. Geffen put out that one and that kind of torpedoed this whole thing I guess.

TR: Do you think it’s the label and/or management behind it?

JD: I think it’s both. I think there are certain pressures. Steven felt like he would not be able to come up with a whole album by summer. They felt this was a shortcut I guess.

TR: How about the blues album – do you think it will see the light of day while they are with SONY?

JD: I don’t know, I don’t think so the way things keep going now.

TR: If you were in the studio with Steven and he came to you with ‘Girls of Summer’ for example and wanted to do it with you, what would you say to him?

JD: I would have to tell Steven he’s got to tell the truth. All of those early albums came from places he was comfortable with. I would say, “Steven, does this really mean something to you? Tell me honestly, is this something you’re really feeling?”

TR: And musically you would hope it got the other band members off right? The guitarists look bored when they play some of these “hits”.

JD: Well yeah, he wants to do that. He does, but he doesn’t. He’s got ideas for it but he really needs Joe.

JD: He didn’t really say anything but he played me a bunch of really good stuff of his own (laughs).

TR: If he comes up with a really great sounding lick, does it get watered down in the process these days?

JD: I don’t know what happens as I haven’t been in that process in a long time.

TR: But you’re willing to, right? If they would do it as a band like you used to?

JD: Yeah, put the whole band in a room. Get a band sound and a band album. The input of the whole band is what makes it cool.

JD: I would think so. I don’t understand why he lets them push him around so much.

TR: He must think ‘Girls of Summer’ is a really great song though right?

JD: I can’t imagine that. I don’t understand it if he does (laughs).

TR: Commercially, they don’t seem to be attracting any one audience segment too much these days anymore. I would think that might be a concern to the label.

JD: The label won’t tell them that though. The label just takes the crap and tells them, “That’s great! Keep writing with Marti”.

TR: If they have to use an outside writer (you and I both agree they don’t), who would you think would be best?

JD: You know I really don’t think they need an outside writer AT ALL. I mean, to be clever and commercial, yeah I guess they need outside writers. But to be Aerosmith, to be good and have truth and to listen to a song that really affects you and that you can identify with…you don’t need any of that.

TR: How close are we then to you locking them in a room and doing what needs to be done?

JD: I’m working on it. The label would hate it. So they (Steven) would have to stand up to them. The label really doesn’t like me you know.

TR: You know what you could do Jack? You could do a studio session and have someone leak it out on the internet as an MP3 and have everyone write to SONY what they thought about it (hint hint).

JD: That might do it. Click on the link below to go to Page 3 of this Q&A with Jack.