AEROSMITH bassist Tom Hamilton is sitting out the first part of the band's "The Route of All Evil" tour after completing a seven-week course of radiation treatment for throat cancer. Filling in for Hamilton is David Hull, a longtime friend of the band who played in the JOE PERRY PROJECT.

Hamilton has issued the following statement regarding the matter:

"Last spring I was diagnosed with throat cancer and told I would have to go through seven weeks of radiation and chemo. The doctors asked me what my schedule would be and when I told them I was going out on tour in September they all looked at each other with their eyebrows down. They told me I wouldn't be ready by that time. The tour had been in the planning stages for far too long to postpone so I realized I would miss at least the beginning of it. They explained my treatment and what I had to deal with and I realized that there would be no decisions to agonize about. At least that was easy. The only things I agonize about in life are decisions. In this case there were none to make.

"So that became my summer project. I had radiation five days a week and chemo one day a week. The first two weeks were a piece of cake but the rest has been a piece of something else. I'll tell you about it someday.

"I'm just getting to the point where the side effects of the treatment are getting better but I still have a way to go just like the doctors predicted in the beginning.

"I'll be getting out there as soon as possible, believe me. [Tueday night, September 5] is the first gig and it feels really weird not being there. As a matter of fact, this is going to ruin my perfect attendance record. A good friend of ours, David Hull, is going to fill in for me 'til i get back. He's a killer musician and a guy we've known since the 1325 days. He played with Joe during some of the JOE PERRY PROJECT days and I've had the pleasure of hangin' and jammin' with him at some charity gigs over the last few months. So treat him right!

"I'll see you out there in a few weeks."