Joey Kramer

For the actor, see Joey Cramer.

Joey Kramer
Kramer performing in 2013
Kramer performing in 2013
Background information
Birth nameJoseph Michael Kramer
Also known asKramedog
Born (1950-06-21) June 21, 1950 (age 74)
OriginThe Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, businessman
InstrumentDrums
Years active1968–present
LabelsColumbia, Geffen
Spouses
  • April Kramer
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1979; div. 2007)​
  • Linda Kramer
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2009; died 2022)​
Websitejoeykramer.com

Joseph Michael Kramer (born June 21, 1950) is an American musician best known as the drummer of the hard rock band Aerosmith, which was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Personal life

Kramer was born in the Bronx, New York City, the son of Doris and Mickey Kramer, a businessman.[1] He is Jewish and received a bar mitzvah.[2][3]

Kramer's second wife, Linda, died on June 22, 2022, at age 55.[4]

Career

In the early 1970s, Kramer was a member of The Institution,[5] a seminal New Jersey garage band founded by Philip Rubin, J. Howard Duff,[6] Richie Lester, and Marv Coopersmith. On November 25, 1970, the early Bruce Springsteen band, Steel Mill, opened for The Institution at Newark State College.[7]

Aerosmith

Main article: Aerosmith

Kramer wrote that he idly conceived the name Aerosmith while listening to Harry Nilsson's album Aerial Ballet in 1968, two years before the band was formed. He insists that there is no connection between the name and Sinclair Lewis's novel Arrowsmith. Shortly before joining Aerosmith, Kramer moved to Boston, where he attended Berklee College of Music[8] and worked with Chubby & the Turnpikes (later renamed Tavares) alongside Bernie Worrell.

Kramer's memoir, Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top, was released on June 30, 2009.[9]

Kramer made two guest appearances on The Simpsons, with Aerosmith in the episode "Flaming Moe's" (1991) and by himself in the episode "The Ned-Liest Catch" (2011). In 2015, NECA released a Simpsons themed action figure of the members of Aerosmith.

In 2013, Kramer launched Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee, a whole bean organic brand. In 2015, he announced a business partnership with Les Otten,[10] the former vice chairman of the Boston Red Sox, to open two Joey Kramer's Rockin' & Roastin' Café and Restaurant locations which since closed.[11][12]

Equipment

Kramer currently endorses Pearl drums, Zildjian cymbals and sticks (including his own signature model), plus Remo heads. He has also used many other brands of drums including Ludwig with whom he was closely associated with for much of his career up until switching to Pearl. In the past he has also used sets by Fibes, Tama and DW.[13]

Pearl Crystal Beat series drums:

  • 24"x18" bass drum
  • 13"x10" mounted tom
  • 16"x16" floor tom
  • 18"x16" floor tom
  • 14"x6.5" UltraCast snare

Avedis Zildjian cymbals:

  • 15" A Custom rezo hi-hats
  • 19" A Custom projection crash
  • 20" A crash/ride
  • 21" A mega bell bell ride
  • 14" A Custom mastersound hi-hats
  • 19" K Custom hybrid china

Zildjian Joey Kramer signature sticks in green dip

See also

References

  1. ^ "The latest Boston, local and national news". Boston.com. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  2. ^ Paltrowitz, Darren (February 23, 2021). "Aerosmith's Joey Kramer on whether he was bar mitzvahed, his Feb. 17 Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp Masterclass & more". Jewish Journal. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  3. ^ Rogovoy, Seth (November 13, 2013). "The Secret Jewish History of Aerosmith". The Forward. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Linda Gail Kramer 1967 - 2022 Obituary". Boston Herald. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  5. ^ "The Institution". theinstitution.rocks. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  6. ^ "J. Howard Duff". www.jhowardduff.com. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  7. ^ "The Institution: Flyers and Posters". theinstitution.rocks. November 25, 1970. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  8. ^ Images, Getty (September 10, 2019). "The Secret Jewish History of Aerosmith". The Forward. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  9. ^ Graff, Gary (June 30, 2009). "Aerosmith Drummer Pens Hard-Hitting Book". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  10. ^ "Joey Kramer's "Rockin' & Roastin' Café & Restaurant – at the Mountain" at Sunday River | Joey Kramer's Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee". Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  11. ^ "Rocker turned coffee mogul opens the doors to coffeehouse in N. Attleborough, MA". Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  12. ^ "Rockin' & Roastin' no more: Joey Kramer's North Attleboro coffee shop closed for good". August 2, 2017.
  13. ^ "Pearl Welcomes Joey Kramer". Pearl Drums. April 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
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