Aero Force One
Encyclopedia
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
.
Background
The origins of the fan club were rooted in the mid 1970s, when the band first broke through with their album Toys in the AtticToys in the Attic (album)
For his review of Toys in the Attic for Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album's style a mix of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones riffs and was filled with songs about sex with a different style than there ever was before. Greg Kot called the album a landmark of hard rock...
. The band became a popular act with a loyal following of fans, often referred to as the "Blue Army
Blue Army (Aerosmith)
Blue Army is a term that refers to American hard rock band Aerosmith's loyal fanbase.-Overview:The term was originally coined by the band. According to Aerosmith's autobiography Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith, the term first came into fruition around 1975...
". Former Aerosmith guitarist and band friend Ray Tabano
Ray Tabano
Ray Tabano is a musician and former Aerosmith guitarist. Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford in 1971....
got the idea of printing simple t-shirts with the classic Aerosmith "wings" logo. 100 of these t-shirts were printed and sold out within a matter of minutes at an Aerosmith concert. As a result, the band decided to form an official fan club with member dues. Its main source of revenue was t-shirt sales, and Ray Tabano would also write up newsletters and send them to members. The fan club was run by Tabano out of the band's headquarters, the Wherehouse
Wherehouse
The Wherehouse, officially titled A. Wherehouse, is a warehouse located at 55 Pond Street in Waltham, Massachusetts. It was rented out by the rock band Aerosmith, starting in 1975 and continuing for the remainder of the decade, and into the 1980s as well...
, in Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, was an early center for the labor movement, and major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, the city was a prototype for 19th century industrial city planning,...
.
As the band's popularity grew and things within the band began to change, Tabano was fired by band managers Steve Leber and David Krebs with little severance. When the band resurrected in the mid-late 1980s and band management changed, the fan club adopted a more professional look and its headquarters was moved out to San Francisco.
Sometime in the late 1990s, the fan club moved back to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and has since been operated by a variety of outside agencies. The fan club is currently operated by PAID in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
.
Functions
Aero Force One is a significant part of Aerosmith. Being over 25 years old, some fan club members have seniority of 10 years or more. The associated website, AeroForceOne.com, is the primary source of news, information, and media relating to the band, and is the most frequently updated of the band's three official websites. The fan club is also the point-of-purchase for official Aerosmith merchandise. The band's merchandise collection, which offers new items all the time, includes everything from t-shirts and sweatshirts, to coffee mugs and hats, to doormats and blankets, as well as jewelry designed by a fan and worn by Steven TylerSteven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
. The fan club offers premium concert ticket seating and a variety of special packages to members, based on seniority and the price levels members are willing to pay. The club's Premium tickets are the same price as public onsale tickets and include a collectible tour pin. The Aero Force One VIP packages cost as much as $1300 each; these typically include a seat in the first five rows, gift bag, pre-show party, and meet and greet with Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
and Joe Perry
Joe Perry (musician)
Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
.
The new 2009 membership package consists of an Aerosmith t-shirt; a membership pin; an official membership card; membership letter; all access Hard Rock Cafe card; set of five signature series guitar picks; set of two vintage band 8 x 10 photos; discounts on items in the store; and ticket presales. The price of All-Access Membership is $39.99. There is also a plan called Get Your Wings that just gets you on the e-mail mailing list, but you don't get to participate in ticket presales.