Brad Whitford

During the early '80s, Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford and Ted Nugent singer Derek St. Holmes found themselves at loose ends with their day jobs — and put that extra free time to good use, uniting for 1981's Whitford/St. Holmes LP.

If you listened to Aerosmith's 'Music From Another Dimension!' album and thought, "These guys could have done better," it sounds like at least one of the band members agrees with you.

While Aerosmith fans settle in and wait for their next album of new material, they can pass the time with 'Rock for the Rising Sun,' a just-released live DVD that, as guitarist Brad Whitford sees it, offers the culmination of a long love affair between the band and its Japanese fans.

Aerosmith is blessed with two gifted guitarists, but there's no question it's Joe Perry, and not Brad Whitford, who gets the lion's share of the attention. During his weekend appearance on 'That Metal Show,' Whitford insisted that the disparity didn't bother him. Well, O.K., maybe one time....

How close did the other members of Aerosmith actually come to replacing Steven Tyler (under a new band name) when they found out the singer was going to be spending part of his time judging 'American Idol?' Close enough to call Sammy Hagar, apparently.