They’re back together! No, wait, they’re not—no, wait, they are! This week, it looks like Aerosmith is alive and kicking, with both a new tour and an album on the horizon—at least according to guitarist Brad Whitford. Whitford says that though it’s going to have to be worked around Steven Tyler’s American Idol schedule, the band is talking about making it work. Much of the anticipated album—Aerosmith’s first since 2004—will likely be recorded in Los Angeles, where Tyler works on the television show. The tour may occur in 2011.

He also says that the whole American Idol thing might be good for Aerosmith, but this blogger’s not so sure about that. I remember the first time I heard “Dream On” on a car commercial and felt like my heart was ripped in two. This song should never be associated with something so damn commercial and common, I thought. It was like muting the rock genre, putting plaid pants and a polo shirt on Tyler and playing his song on K-Mart airwaves alongside Barry Manilow. I remember thinking that was the moment that American industry made rock and roll its bitch. And it was true; after that moment, all we’ve seen are our favorite rock ballads turned into slop.

But I digress. More in Aerosmith news this week:

• Joe Perry teamed up with musician/actress Juliette Lewis (of Natural Born Killers and Whip It! fame) to perform before the Miami Dolphins game on November 18. He’s also scheduled to perform during this year’s CMT Artists of the Year Special.  
• Simon Cowell is apparently cool with Tyler’s new role on American Idol. He says “I always said it had to be someone who wasn’t better looking than me, and they achieved it.” I don’t know about that, but it’s still a modern marvel to see Simon happy.
• Kid Rock, however, isn’t so pleased with Tyler’s latest gig; Rock says it’s the stupidest thing that Tyler has ever done (which has got to be debatable, at the very least), that Tyler needs professional help because of the decision, and that “he’s a sacred American institution of rock ‘n’ roll, and he just threw it all out the window. Just stomped on it and set it on fire.” I never thought I’d say that Kid Rock summed up how I felt, but that’s kind of it for me, too. I wouldn’t say that Tyler has thrown his whole career out the window, but I would definitely say that this is pretty far away from the “sacred American institution” that Tyler’s become. But it’s his life; he can do with it as he pleases.