Papa Roach Frontman Admits Aerosmith Cover 'Just Wasn’t Good'

Jacoby Shaddix, frontman of Papa Roach, has admitted that his band "hacked [their] way" through a televised cover of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion"

The performance was part of a 2002 MTV special honoring the Boston rock legends.

“MTV, back in the day, asked us to come do this thing to honor Aerosmith,” Shaddix recalled during an appearance on Baltimore radio station 98 Rock. “And what was the song? 'Sweet Emotion.' They were, like, ‘We want you guys to do ‘Sweet Emotion’.’ And I’m just, like, ‘Let’s go.’ But that’s big shoes to fill.”

The special, titled mtvICON: Aerosmith, featured an array of performers, including Sum 41, Pink, Shakira, Kid Rock and Train. Papa Roach, then at the height of their fame thanks to hit single “Last Resort,” was given a prime spot in the lineup – the final performance before honorees Aerosmith took the stage. Unfortunately, their rendition of “Sweet Emotion” did not go well.

“We just hacked our way,” Shaddix admitted. “It was bad. It was not good.”

Watch Papa Roach's Performance of 'Sweet Emotion'

How Did Aerosmith React to Papa Roach’s Cover?

According to Shaddix, Aerosmith was notably unimpressed with Papa Roach’s performance.

“I could tell that they were just kind of, like, ‘Hmm, that was loud,’” the singer recalled. “We were young numbskulls playing nu metal. We weren’t ‘classic rocker’ vibe, you know? And so we did our best, but it just wasn’t good enough. It just wasn’t good.”

In a strange coincidence, Papa Roach and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler later crossed paths in a completely different way. Mia Tyler, one of Steven’s daughters, married Dave Buckner, Papa Roach’s drummer at the time, in 2002. The couple divorced three years later.

Is Aerosmith Touring?

Aerosmith’s highly anticipated Peace Out farewell tour kicked off Sept. 2 in Philadelphia. The group had dates lined up through February 2024, but Tyler suffered vocal cord damage just three shows into the tour, forcing the band to postpone its plans.

“I’m heartbroken to say I have received strict doctor’s orders not to sing for the next thirty days," Tyler announced on the band's X (formerly Twitter) page. "I sustained vocal cord damage during Saturday’s show that led to subsequent bleeding. We’ll need to postpone a few dates so that we can come back and give you the performance you deserve.”

Aerosmith is set to resume touring on Oct. 11 in Tampa.