INTERVIEW: Aerosmith join ‘American Pickers’ for reveal of restored original tour van
Photo: The cast members of American Pickers display the original tour van of Aerosmith with members of the band. Photo courtesy of Zack Whitford / Provided by The History Channel with permission.
American Pickers, the reality show featuring Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, captures the adventures of these two “pickers” as they travel around the United States looking for nostalgic (and lucrative) finds in basements, garages and old barns. They are all about Americana and learning the sometimes odd history of the country and its collectibles.
On a special episode during Car Week on The History Channel, the guys head into the world of rock ‘n’ roll, in particular the world of Aerosmith. Wolfe and Fritz searched for and found the original tour van of the legendary rock band, and they decided to put the artifact through the restoration process. Aerosmith, in turn, paid a visit to the reality series to reminisce about their time in the van.
American Pickers’ special episode airs Monday, July 8 at 8 p.m. on the network. Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Michael Swanhaus, executive producer of Cineflix’s subsidiary American Pickers 10 Productions Inc. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can fans expect on this special American Pickers episode featuring Aerosmith?
It has been a two-year journey since the original Aerosmith tour van was discovered in the woods in New England. In this episode, Mike and Frank bring the preserved van to Aerosmith’s concert residency in Vegas where they witness the band reconnecting with a piece of their rock ‘n’ roll history.
Was Aerosmith instantly into the idea of revisiting their old van?
Yes. They were very excited about the idea from the beginning, and it was their idea that the van becomes a prominent feature in their current concert residency at MGM in Vegas.
How do the guys find these hidden treasures? Do they have a lot of contacts, or is it just pure luck?
Mike and Frank have been in this business long before the show started, so they have a huge network of resources that, combined with the success of the show, gives them a great jumpstart on researching where they want to travel to next.
What do you like most about American Pickers?
This is one of those shows the family can enjoy together, and the format is a great combination of telling the stories of the people we meet combined with the curiosity of what treasure they will find next.
What’s the future hold for American Pickers? More adventures on the road?
More road trips across the back roads of America looking for interesting people and items. Mike Wolfe also recently partnered with Mike Medford, his go-to mechanic, in Columbia, Tennessee, where they get anything on wheels back on the road.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
American Pickers will air its special Aerosmith-themed episode Monday, July 8 at 8 p.m. on The History Channel. Click here for more information.
