A decrepit tour van used by ’70s rockers Aerosmith was featured on a recent episode of US television program American Pickers after being discovered in the woods in a small town in Massachusetts.
Hosts Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe stumbled upon the 1964 International Harvester Metro van while searching for antiques for a recent episode of their History Channel reality show. The van, which has the band’s name painted on its side, had spent decades abandoned on a property in the woods in rural Massachusetts, about 100 miles out of Boston.
Wolfe and Fritz were told the vehicle was already on the property when the current owner took possession. It is believed the previous owner was somehow affiliated with Aerosmith, but as of yet, no one is quite sure how.
To prove the legitimacy of the van, Wolfe made contact with his friend Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, who then passed on the information to Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry. Perry contacted co-founding guitarist Ray Tabano, who was replaced in 1971 but remained in close contact with the band. Tabano, who lives nearby, came to the property and confirmed it was the real deal – even bringing a photo of himself seated inside.
Tabano described the van as Aerosmith’s “rolling hotel” in their early days.
“I’m afraid to say how long it is, but it’s been like 40 years since we’ve been in this thing…We’d drive from Boston up to New Hampshire for $125 [show fee]. Then after the gas, the tolls, and the food and back, we’d make like $3 apiece. … It just reminded me of the humble beginnings and I look at where (the band has) gone today — it’s just amazing.”
American Pickers hosts paid the property owner $25,000 (US) for the van, with Wolfe calling it “one of the biggest and most iconic pieces of rock and roll history”.
You can catch the episode on History.com
Via CBS News.
