Born to infantryman, Mickey Kramer and his wife, Army nurse, Doris (Schwartz) Kramer in the Bronx, New York on June 21, 1950, Joey was the first of four children. The other three are sisters, Amy, Annabelle, and Suzy. The Kramer family moved to Yonkers when their son was only four and remained there. Joey pretty much grew up an average kid up until the sixth grade. His father proved to be a strict disciplinarian and wasn’t afraid to hit his only son every once in awhile. Joey found that he needed something to hit back and surely it wasn’t going to be his dad. Instead he found consolation on playing the drums. He quickly became a fan of the Beatles and moved on to liking other British imported bands that came through the North American border. He still was at odds with his parents who didn’t like the idea of him becoming a full-time musician. The rebelling carried on into Kramer’s junior high school years at Walt Whitman Junior High and started to take effect immediately afterwards. Getting into fights due to his Jewish roots while most of his classmates were Italian didn’t help matters any better. He eventually bought his own three piece drum kit and got a job working at a music store to pay for other parts of his growing kit or upgraded it. It would take another hobby of Joey’s to make his parents realize that maybe getting into music wasn’t a bad idea after all. Kramer was heavily into cars and motorbikes and with one accident, Mickey and Doris decided no longer to fight against their son’s growing passion for drumming and allowed him certain times that he could practice in the house. Joey started to play by ear with some of the records he would get by the Beatles, Dave Clark Five, The Kinks, and so on.

He joined his first band in the sixth grade called the Dynamics who were interested in playing The Ventures. In 1964, Joey joined a second group named The Medallions who focused on Surf music (Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys, etc.) As he went through junior high school, he joined The King Bees who specialized in the British Invasion, (the Beatles, Kinks, Dave Clark Five.) In the meantime there was another band around specializing in the same kind of music only they were into The Rolling Stones. There name was The Dantes. They were a group a little older than the King Bees and had a drummer too, his name was......Steven Tallarico (later changed to the stage name “Tyler.” Joey went through other bands such as the trio, Strawberry Ripple where the drummer suggested the name “Aerosmith” but that got passed up. The name itself was something that stuck in Kramer’s mind for a long time until it was realized some six or seven years down the road. His idea was born out of writing the name constantly all over his school books with an old girlfriend in Roosevelt High. Aerosmith would have nothing to do with the Sinclair Lewis novel, “Arrowsmith.” It was simply a cool name in his mind that he one day hoped to share with a band.

The Kramers moved to Eastchester N.Y. and sent their son who was now in the tenth grade to a nearby high school in that town where once again the troubles of not being Italian never ceased. His parents then sent him to a private school called, New Rochelle Academy where they felt Joey would be better off. He finally graduated in 1969 at the Thornton Donovan School in New Rochelle.

Soon after high school, Joey would travel with friends to their hometown of Boston which he quickly fell in love with. Trips during the year included going to the famed Woodstock Festival where again he would meet up again with Yonkers native, Steven Tallarico. Along the way Joey would be introduced to even more music as he went to see various shows at the Fillmore East along with some shows up at the Boston clubs. Joey then decided to make a move to Boston and took his drum kit to Chamberlain Junior College. There to support himself he took a job at the Prudential Insurance Company where he met up with a singer who happened to be in a band called The Unique Four and within time asked the drummer to join the backing band behind him called the Turnpikes (later they became the disco era band Tavares). Drumming for a soul band, Joey started to get hooked on soul music and with that his style of drumming started to take effect. Now, he was checking out the likes of James Brown and Kool and the Gang at places like the Apollo in Harlem. His schooling of soul lasted him enough though it was cut short when he came down with hepatitis and had to be nursed back to health on his nineteenth birthday. Once he was better he made the decision to no longer stay at Chamberlain but to move onto Berklee College of Music. His stint in Berklee didn’t last long as he quickly tried out for a new Boston based band with a bassist named, Tom Hamilton, and his friend and bandmate, guitarist, Joe Perry. They told him that a friend of theirs was going to be filling in the spot as their drummer, who turned out to be Steven Tallarico.

Once Tallarico came aboard he informed the other two that he didn’t want to play drums for the band but work on his singing instead. This left an open spot in the drumming position and Joey Kramer was only too happy to fill it. Once they became established with Tallarico’s longtime buddy, Ray Tabano, the band needed a name and the few that came up turned out to be not very good ideas. Kramer then offered up the name that he had dreamed about in high school, “Aerosmith” and although skeptical, they used it. It seemed better than “Spike Jones.”

“Aerosmith” climbed it’s way to fame within a very short time. Tabano left the band and a young guitarist by the name of Brad Whitford stepped in and made the quintet complete. Their first album simply titled, “Aerosmith” was released in 1973, quickly followed by “Get Your Wings” ;1974, and “Toys In The Attic”; 1975. Each album was followed or preceded by a lengthy tour. They would become widely known for how much time they spent on the road. In 1976, they released their next album which was recorded at the Wherehouse, near Boston. The name was simply called, “Rocks.” Asked at one point why such a title, Perry offered up, “Because it does.” “Rocks” provided to show Joey’s ever growing style in the percussion department and with the raucous, “Nobody’s Fault,” fully cemented his style and peoples eardrums. With three years of having Henry Smith as his roadie (also Smith was John Bonham’s roadie for two years before taking on Kramer) paid off in a big way.

With much of their success given to “Rocks,” Aerosmith tried to pull off the same magic at an old church in Armonk, New York, called The Cenacle. Only good sessions were hard to pull off at best with the band members’ insatiable need for drugs and alcohol, which hindered their creativity. The next release, “Draw The Line” from 1977 was released with disappointing sales. Aerosmith’s next appearance on the charts came in the form of a cover of the Beatles, “Come Together” from the Robert Stigwood film, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The five played in the movie as the “bad” band while the Bee Gees were to fight them off. The movie was panned by critics and fans alike. One good thing did happen while filming went on though. Joey, who was the only bachelor of the five finely found a long term mate with Aerosmith producer’s, Jack Douglas’ new secretary, April. The two eventually got married the following year.

1979 provided the next album called, “Night In The Ruts.” This title was proven as the band started to split up from too much ego and way too much drugs. Joe Perry eventually left the band and new recruit, Jimmy Crespo was to fill in. Perry soon after came up with his own band, The Joe Perry Project. With even more infighting, Whitford followed suit and left the band. Rick Dufay replaced him. Now, there were only three original members left. Steven, Tom, and Joey forged ahead trying to recapture the success they had earlier but couldn’t live up to the same expectations with both of their guitarists gone. In 1981, as the band tried to make their next project, Tyler got into a motorcycle accident, leaving the rest of the band to relax with their families. During then, Joey & April’s only son, Jesse Sky was born, adding to the family (they had been raising April’s daughter, Asia beforehand).

Once Tyler was healed and back on the road, the rest of the band members noticed that a good amount of times their lead singer was in no shape to perform. Still they continued ahead, even when efforts made by the rest of the band to put on a good show became to look very dim. Tom and Joey at one point had just about had enough and were ready to leave and form their own band. They were to become, “Renegade” and had a deal already set for a contract but pulled out and instead stuck it through with Aerosmith. “A Rock And a Hard Place” came out in 1982 too little fanfare. Aerosmith was sinking as one of the great rock bands. Everybody could tell that things would get even worse if something didn’t happen to them soon. Brad who had went on and tried to have success with the Whitford/St. Holmes Band had little success on his own. Joe, who had already made two solo efforts wasn’t too happy with the direction he was in either. Soon, Crespo and Dufay were out, and Perry and Whitford came back into the fold.

By 1984, with all five original members, they got a chance to join Geffen Records. A&R manager, John Kalodner gave the band support which they needed. In 1985, their comeback album, “Done With Mirrors” showed they still had what it takes to rock but they needed direction and they needed to get away from the drugs. They hired Perry’s former manager, Tim Collins, who made the attempt to getting Aerosmith clean and sober once and for all. All five entered rehab at different times in between ‘86-’87. With a renewed sense of accomplishment and sobriety, the band set forth in releasing, “Permanent Vacation.” This time with Vancouver native, Bruce Fairburn at the helm as producer, he gave the band their much needed guidance. “Permanent Vacation” made its way up the charts, with three chart-topping tracks. Again, Aerosmith promoted for another lengthy tour and soon found themselves recording a follow-up album that would either make them or break them. That album became, “Pump.” As for the studio work they did, Kramer put it best with, “We really busted our nuts to make this record.” Again, they used Fairburn, and recorded in Vancouver. Much of the recording process can be seen in the video documentary, “The Making Of Pump.” This went on to prove Joey’s statement as months of brainstorming, arguing, recording, and so forth were put into it. With all of their efforts, “Pump” did send Aerosmith to the top of their game once again and showing why they were ‘America’s Greatest Rock’n’ Roll Band.’

Aerosmith went on tour in support of, “Pump,” then proceeded with some in between work during ‘91-’92. They were one of the first big acts to perform on “Unplugged,” got animated on “The Simpsons,” became Rock spokesmen for the Rock The Vote Campaign in ‘92...all before heading back to the studio to make, “Get A Grip.” A very good album and some chart-toppers but still not as highly acclaimed as “Pump.” Another worldwide tour, a small but noticeable appearance in the film, “Wayne’s World 2,” and a performance at Woodstock II, twenty-five years after the original festival Steven and Joey had attended. During this time, Mickey Kramer had passed away and Joey had still continued to find the band to preoccupy any sense of great loss. Once the band had gotten off the road, it was already time to go back to the studio for pre-production for a new album.

By the time 1996 had rolled around, touring was done with and much time wondering what was going on, Joey finally had to come face to face with the reality that he was in a rather deep depression which later earned its name as the “Big Blue Funk.” His father’s passing whom he had since made his peace with caught up to the drummer in a very big way that rendered him not knowing what to do, why he was feeling that way, miserable, sad, and no mood to record. He stepped down from his role as Aerosmith’s drummer to join a rehabilitation center in California which dealt with depression. Aerosmith was urged to carry on, not knowing how long Joey would be gone for or if he would ever come back. In Kramer’s place, British born drummer, Steve Ferrone was to take his place for the recording. Much turmoil took place with this recording. A&R and longtime friend of Aerosmith’s, John Kalodner was removed from his duties, it was being said that Aerosmith was breaking up yet again, rumors were flying in due part to Tyler’s exuberance with the new album, manager Tim Collins was being let go, and the record company had a hard time digesting the new album as an Aerosmith project. Kalodner has said that if he was included in on the making of what would later become, “Nine Lives,” he would have never let Aerosmith back in the studio without Joey Kramer as their drummer. Ferrone did a commendable job, but the band simply wasn’t the same. Producer, Glen Ballard was taken off his duties and replaced by Kevin Shirley. Ferrone was out and after several months of time away and getting through his depression, Joey came back. The band was finally back to normal and “Nine Lives” was released. All through out the rest of ‘97 the band did a world tour until more obstacles took place. 1998 proved a time like all others where Aerosmith continued their touring schedule until Tyler wound up with an injury to his leg onstage, leaving the band to postpone several shows while he got better. Then to add to the list of injuries, Joey was involved in a blaze when his Ferrari caught fire at a Scituate gas station. Joey sustained burns to his finger tips to his elbow and legs when escaping the flames. Two months of rehabbing scrapped more shows. Joey vowed he would return and within eight weeks, things were back to normal with both the drummer and the lead singer returning in excellent form.

1999 proved another whole year’s worth of touring, starting out the new year in Japan. Since then they had a #1 hit with the ballad, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” In the year, 2000, Aerosmith went back to the studio again, deciding this time they would produce the album themselves seeing as though “Nine Lives” went through many difficulties and the production just wasn’t right. This time, most of the recording was done in Joe Perry’s basement of his house. The sessions became what now is the album, “Just Push Play.” It was released in March of 2001. Along with a new album, Aerosmith was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame where they performed two exciting renditions of their earlier hits, “Sweet Emotion,” and “Train Kept A Rollin’.” Aerosmith are now back in the saddle again with yet another tour currently.