In 1979, Joe Perry abruptly walked out on Aerosmith, citing “tensions” among him and his bandmates. But now, 34 years after the temporary split, Perry has revealed his other reason for quitting: Van Halen.

“We were rolling into the ’80s, and I still remember hearing the first Van Halen record and loving it,” Perry says. “Eddie’s guitar playing was just so incredible; he turned guitar on its ear and was doing stuff that I’d never heard before. I knew it was time for a break because new ideas were needed. But we also needed to readjust our sights and learn to get along again. I remember saying, ‘We’re not ready for the ’80s.’ I don’t know why I said that; it was just a vibe or a feeling I had.”

Of course, Perry ended up returning to the group, which scored its biggest hits in the latter half of the 1980s and 1990s.

More recently, Aerosmith had embarked on their “Peace Out: The Farewell Tour” until Steven Tyler’s vocal issues forced the band to postpone all of this year’s performances until 2024.