Playing backup: Joe Perry gets behind

It's summer, and the Aerosmith hive is buzzing with activity. In the midst of gearing up for a new tour that will hit the Tweeter Center in September with Motley Crue, guitarist Joe Perry is taking a little time to support some fellow musicians.

After seeing ``The Refugee Allstars: A Documentary Film," Perry offered to sponsor an appearance by the Sierra Leonean band tonight at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Woodstock, Vt., near his home . The group -- which creates a buoyant mix of African, reggae, blues, and pop sounds on its debut, ``Living Like a Refugee" -- is composed of six musicians all forced from their homes by the bloody, decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone. The award-winning film documents how they came together to form a band in desperate circumstances.

Of course, Perry is also getting his tux pressed for his and bandmate Steven Tyler's appearance with the Boston Pops on July Fourth and is hard at work on Aerosmith's 15th studio album.

We checked in to chat about the many Joe Perry projects going on.

Since it hasn't been in wide release, how did you happen to see ``The Refugee Allstars: A Documentary Film"?

In Woodstock. It's just a really energetic town when it comes to the arts. The film was shown over the winter and when (my wife) Billie and I saw it we were just amazed at the energy and the hope and the dreams that these musicians had to be able to cut a record in spite of what was going on all around them -- just trying to keep body and soul together. It was just very moving. And on top of that, they're really a good band.

What prompted the sponsorship? When the filmmakers (Zach Niles and Banker White ) did their question- and- answer period afterward, they talked about possibly being able to bring the band over to the States. And when there were some dates available for them to play up in Woodstock, we jumped at the chance. They asked us for a contribution and we just said, ``Send us the bill." It just feels good to be able to help in their greater scheme of how they're making ends meet and bring the message. Because it's really an astounding thing that they've done. There are a lot of places in Africa that need help and this case brings the spotlight over to Sierra Leone.

Will you go to the show and maybe sit in for a number?

Oh , definitely. Sitting in is another story. That's always up to the guys that own the stage at that hour. All I care about is the fact that they're going to get to play in our neck of the woods.

You'll perform with the Pops on Tuesday. Do you know what you and Steven Tyler will be playing yet? I know we're going to do ``I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and ``Dream On" and the third song we're still not sure yet because it's more of a rocker and we're working with (Pops conductor) Keith (Lockhart) on that as far as what's going to work the best for both so it carries across.

You've been in major television situations before like the Super Bowl , so is this July Fourth show a big deal for you? It is for a lot of reasons. One, it's celebrating the Fourth of July in the heart of where you celebrate the Fourth of July. This is the seat of rebellion, this is the seat of freedom. And to celebrate the Fourth of July here is the ultimate, and then to be part of it and to work with Keith Lockhart and the Pops is, on a lot of different levels, an exciting thing.

Do you normally watch the Pops show? When we can. Very often we're working on the Fourth. I remember one year we had done a late afternoon gig and we were flying in on a private plane and we flew in low over the fireworks and so we saw it from a very unique perspective that night.

How's the new album coming? We have probably 15 songs in different states of readiness. We had originally thought we could get it done before the tour started, but with various things getting thrown in during the summer it just isn't possible. But we will have a pretty good head start on it when we start working in January. We're definitely going to look at it for a late spring, early summer release.

The Refugee Allstars play the Unitarian Universalist Church in Woodstock, Vt., tonight. Call 802-457-2557 for more information. Joe Perry and Steven Tyler appear on ‘‘The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular’’ on July Fourth on CBS at 10.