It’s simple to see how resentment may fester in a band with such a turbulent historical past and as many mercurial personalities as Aerosmith. But in a brand new interview with Guitar World, bassist Tom Hamilton detailed how cooler heads prevailed through the making of one in all the group’s greatest and most unusual hits.

Hamilton mirrored on cowriting “Janie’s Got a Gun,” the evocative homicide ballad off 1989’s Pump that originated along with his nimble bass line. “I brought in a demo of a song idea that had an intro that combined harmonics with a climbing riff on the E string,” he mentioned. “I drove home that day feeling pissed that nobody took notice of it! About a month later, Steven [Tyler] came to the studio one day with ‘Janie’s Got a Gun.’ He sat down at a keyboard and played and sang the whole song – finished.”

Hamilton continued: “We were all blown away, but I was a little perplexed; his chord progression sounded awfully familiar. It included the bass riff from the thing I had brought in a few weeks before. I fought with my emotions, trying to decide if I should make an issue of it. I decided to be a good soldier and keep my mouth shut. It was a Steven Tyler song, even if it included that piece of my song in the intro.”

The good soldier was finally rewarded for his loyalty. “A couple of months later, I was back in Boston and Steven and Joe [Perry] were still in Vancouver mixing,” Hamilton mentioned. “One day, Steven called me out of the blue and said, ‘Hey, I’m putting your name on “Janie’s Got a Gun.”‘ I was so relieved because I was still sitting on some anger about it! Sometimes things work out nicely.”

Watch Aerosmith’s ‘Janie’s Got a Gun’ Video

For their toil and cooperation, Aerosmith was rewarded with a No. 4 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, one of many highest peaks of their profession — and one of the enduring songs of their discography. “I’m really proud of all three of those albums,” Hamilton mentioned — referring to their trilogy of Bruce Fairbairn-produced information: Permanent Vacation, Pump and Get a Grip — “but especially Pump. We took some big chances but still stuck to making rock records we were proud of.”

READ MORE: Top 15 ’80s Aerosmith Songs

Tom Hamilton ‘Surprised however Not Shocked’ About Aerosmith’s Retirement From Touring

Unfortunately, not all issues work out so properly within the Aerosmith camp — such because the band’s unceremonious retirement from the stage attributable to Steven Tyler’s insurmountable vocal wire harm, which Hamilton continues to be processing.

“I was surprised but not shocked when I got the news,” the bassist mentioned. “When Steven fell [at the final show], he hit his larynx on a railing and fractured it. I still can’t believe he finished the show. It’s not the first time he’s had an injury during a show and powered through it. I know how hard he worked on healing and working on getting ready to go on the road again – but it just wasn’t possible.”

Hamilton admitted “it was a punch in the gut finding our touring days are over,” however he hasn’t given up on Aerosmith or his music profession at massive. “Maybe someday we can do something again, but it won’t be a tour,” he mentioned. “I’ve been keeping busy playing in a band we’re calling Close Enemies. We’ve recorded a bunch of killer songs and we’re getting closer to deciding how we’re going to put it out. Can’t wait!”