Steven Tyler

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Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler at NFL Kickoff Live 2003
Background information
Birth name	Steven Victor Tallarico
Born	March 26, 1948 (1948-03-26) (age 61) Yonkers, New York, US
Genre(s)	Hard rock, Blues-rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, Musician
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Piano, Harmonica, Percussion, Drums, Guitar, Bass, Mandolin, Violin, Flute, Mellotron, Hammered dulcimer, Saxophone, Trumpet
Voice type(s)	Low Tenor (E♭2-G♯5,[1] up to E6 in falsetto)[2]
Years active	1964 - present
Label(s)	Columbia Records
Website	www.aerosmith.com

Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948 in Yonkers, New York),^[3] better known as Steven Tyler, is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as the lead singer and primary lyricist of Boston-based rock band Aerosmith.

Tyler is known for his raw, sharp-edged vocals^{[original research?]} and is musically versatile, playing a wide range of instruments, including the harmonica, keyboards, and several percussion instruments. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Tyler was also known for his heavy drug and alcohol abuse, though he completed drug rehabilitation in 1986 and has since maintained sobriety for over 20 years. During his high-energy stage performances, he usually dresses in bright colorful outfits with his trademark scarves hanging from his microphone stand. He was recently named 99th on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers.^[4] He is also ranked 3rd on Hit Parader's Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time.^[5]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Formation and success of Aerosmith 2.2 Reuniting and getting clean 2.3 Comeback and superstardom 2.4 Recent events 3 Discography 3.1 With Aerosmith 3.2 Collaborative work 4 Filmography 5 Dirico Motorcycles (formerly Red Wing Motorcycles) 6 Personal life 6.1 Relationships 6.2 Throat surgery 6.3 Battle with Hepatitis C 7 Trivia 8 Quotes 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

[edit] Early life

Steven Tyler was born Steven Victor Tallarico: on the paternal side of his family, he is of Italian (his grandfather Giovanni Tallarico was born in Cotronei, Calabria)^[6] and German descent. His maternal background is Cherokee and Ukrainian.^{[citation needed]}

Tyler was born in New York, NY on March 26, 1948. He was the second of two children and had one older sister, Lynda. His family later moved to Yonkers, NY, where he attended Roosevelt High School. He was expelled from Roosevelt for drug use and later graduated from Leonard Quintano's School for Young Professionals.^{[citation needed]} Before working as a professional musician, Tyler says he worked several odd jobs, including a stint at a bakery.^[7]

Music has always played a large role in Tyler's life as he was the son of a classical musician who helmed the Vic Tallarico Orchestra. His father taught music at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx for many years.^{[citation needed]} Steven Tyler also took a liking to blues and in the 1960s, he was a drummer and singer in a variety of local rock and roll bands including The Strangeurs then changed to Chain Reaction, The Chain, and William Proud. Tyler spent time in the summers of his youth at the New Hampshire lakes region's Lake Sunapee, where he met his future bandmates. He has residences in Marshfield, MA, Sunapee, NH, Cape Cod, New York City, and Los Angeles.

[edit] Career

[edit] Formation and success of Aerosmith

In 1969, Tyler attended a local rock show in Sunapee, New Hampshire where he first saw future bandmates Joe Perry (guitars) and Tom Hamilton (Bass). Tyler later stated he was struck by their raw power and mean attitude. Around 1970, the band moved to Boston, Massachusetts and shared a small apartment on Commonwealth Avenue in Brighton. A former mate of Tyler's from New York, Joey Kramer, was recruited to play drums and later, they added a second guitarist, Brad Whitford who replaced Tyler's boyhood friend Ray Tabano.

After spending time on the Boston club circuit, under the tutelage of their first manager, Frank Connelly, the band began working with New York managers Steve Leber and David Krebs. They subsequently signed a record deal in 1971 and released their eponymous debut album in 1973. It was followed by Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic, Rocks, and Draw the Line, which catapulted Aerosmith to international fame and recognition. These albums produced legendary hits like "Dream On", "Walk This Way", and "Sweet Emotion". Aerosmith's first five albums have also all gone multi-platinum, and all five are considered to be among the greatest hard rock albums of all time. However, as the decade wore on, the fast-paced life of touring, recording, living together, and using drugs began to take its toll on the band.

Tyler and Perry were often called the Toxic Twins, for their legendary intake of stimulants and heroin. Their relationship is well documented in many of Aerosmith's video releases as well as in the Aerosmith Behind the Music.

[edit] Reuniting and getting clean

On the 14th of February, 1984, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, who left the band in 1979 and 1981 respectively, showed up to an Aerosmith show. According to the band's Behind the Music special on VH1, Tyler alleges he made the first phone call to Joe Perry encouraging them to meet up again. Backstage, they all met and Perry and Whitford agreed to join the band once again.

Aerosmith embarked on a reunion tour called, "The Back in the Saddle Tour," and proceeded to record once again. One problem was still remaining, however, and that was the drug addictions of the band members, especially Tyler, who had collapsed onstage during several performances in the early 1980s and had long suffered a heroin addiction. Aerosmith's new manager Tim Collins and the rest of the reunited band knew that they wouldn't get anywhere with their leader Steven Tyler still under the heavy influence of drugs. In 1986, they held a meeting in which they pressured Tyler into entering a strict drug rehabilitation program.

After Tyler had completed drug rehab, every other member of Aerosmith eventually went into rehab and all had successfully exited their respective programs at various times in the mid-late 1980s. Since then, all members have refrained from using drugs and alcohol, and even legendarily went so far as to forbid tourmates Guns N' Roses from using any drugs or alcohol in front of Aerosmith members, with the threat of being instantly dismissed from the tour.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Comeback and superstardom

In 1985, Aerosmith released their comeback album Done With Mirrors, which produced generally lackluster results for the band. In 1986, however, Tyler and Perry collaborated with Run-D.M.C. for a remake of Aerosmith's 1975 hit "Walk This Way", which hit #4 on the charts and was recently in Rolling Stone Magazine as song #27 for top 100 songs that changed the world. "Walk This Way" introduced both rap music and Aerosmith to a new generation, as well as helping sow the seeds for a major comeback. Aerosmith came back big in 1987 with Permanent Vacation, which charted three Top 20 singles and sold five million copies. The band followed up in 1989 with Pump and once again in 1993 with Get a Grip, both of which sold seven million copies apiece and launched the band into global superstardom, well eclipsing their success in the 1970s. The three albums won critical acclaim for their innovative musical styles, featured a dozen Top 40 singles, produced theatrical music videos, and won the band dozens of awards. Aerosmith's subsequent touring and appearance on television and in film turned the band into one of the biggest pop culture icons. Steven Tyler, as the frontman for the group, became a symbol for the band, a pop icon, and a household name in his own right.

The band took a healthy break in 1995 to spend time with their families, in the wake of their grueling lifestyle of the previous ten years, under the helm of manager Tim Collins, who helped orchestrate much of the band's comeback and sustained success. However, Aerosmith almost came to a screeching halt as Collins pressured the exhausted band members and spread rumors that the band was breaking up and that Steven Tyler was being unfaithful to his wife and using drugs again, all of which were lies. He was subsequently fired. This, along with a producer change, delayed the recording process for Nine Lives, which was finally released in 1997. While not coming close to the sales figures of Get a Grip, it still went double platinum, and the band managed to stay on top and toured for over two years in support of the album.

In 1997, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were featured in a commercial for the GAP, performing a bluesy number with Tyler on harmonica. This was part of an ad campaign by Gap featuring a variety of music artists.

In 1998, while on tour in support of the album Nine Lives, Steven Tyler suffered a ligament injury when his mic stand came crashing into his knee. Tyler and the band finished the show, but they had to cancel several dates and Tyler had to wear a leg cast while filming the video for "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", which hit #1 on the charts that year. Surprisingly enough, that has been their only #1 hit to date.

[edit] Recent events

The beginning of the 21st century saw Aerosmith spotlight at the Super Bowl XXXV Halftime Show, be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and release another platinum album.

Since 2001, Aerosmith has launched a successful tour every year and has maintained an active role in the music industry, recording the albums Just Push Play (2001) and Honkin' on Bobo (2004). In addition to this, Steven Tyler has kept busy with a variety of side projects and guest appearances.

On 27 May, 2001, at the 85^th Indianapolis 500, Steven Tyler sang the national anthem of the USA. He came under criticism when he replaced "home of the brave'" with "home of the Indianapolis 500." He immediately apologized and reaffirmed his patriotism after the incident.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the band performed at the benefit concert "United We Stand" in Washington, D.C. Tyler donned a full-length jacket featuring the American flag and the band performed a brief set including the moving numbers "Livin' on the Edge" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", which seemed to take on new meaning in wake of the attacks. The band flew back to Indianapolis to perform a show that same night.

In December 2002, Steven Tyler played Santa on a holiday episode of the children's television show Lizzie McGuire. He also performed the song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town."

In 2003, Tyler received an honorary degree from Berklee College of Music, and, in 2005, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Boston. In 2003, Tyler also inducted AC/DC into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, after he and his band were inducted two years earlier. Tyler sang with AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson for a performance of "You Shook Me All Night Long."

In 2004, Tyler appeared in a television commercial for Sony digital cameras. "The Grind", from Aerosmith's Honkin' on Bobo, is also featured. He also sang the National Anthem to kick off the famed 2004 World Series at Fenway Park, in which the Boston Red Sox finally won a world Series for the first time since 1918.

The 2004 Christmas movie The Polar Express featured Steven Tyler singing the lyrics to a rocking number entitled "Rockin' on Top of the World" as well as a group of computer-animated elves resembling Aerosmith performing the song.

While Joe Perry kept busy in 2005 with his self-titled solo album, Steven Tyler kept busy with a variety of projects. That year, he sang lead vocals on Santana's hit single "Just Feel Better". Tyler also made a cameo appearance in the film Be Cool which stars John Travolta and Uma Thurman. In the film, Steven Tyler does a duo of "Cryin'" with upcoming singer Linda Moon (played by Christina Milian).

In 2006, after healing from throat surgery and the grueling Rockin' the Joint Tour, Steven Tyler made a noteworthy return. One noteworthy event was when he performed with Joe Perry and the Boston Pops Orchestra for the orchestra's annual Fourth of July spectacular, his first major public appearance since the surgery. During the concert, which was broadcast nationally on CBS, Tyler, Perry, and the orchestra performed a medley of "Walk This Way", "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and "Dream On".

Tyler also recorded a duet with country music artist Keith Anderson, titled "Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll". The song, a remixed version of a song found on Anderson's debut album, was released as a single on the U.S. Hot Country Songs charts.

Later that year, in addition to working with Aerosmith by touring and recording a new album, Tyler made several more public appearances. He made a cameo appearance on the sitcom Two and a Half Men, playing himself as a noisy, obnoxious neighbor. On October 14, 2006 Tyler sang "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch at Game #3 of the National League Championship Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. On November 24, Steven volunteered by serving Thanksgiving dinner to the needy at a restaurant in West Palm Beach, Florida before an Aerosmith show there.

In 2007, Tyler kept active in Aerosmith with the band's world tour which saw them perform in 19 countries.

On May 21, 2008, it was reported that lead singer Steven Tyler had checked into Las Encinas Hospital rehabilitation clinic, in Pasadena, California, in order to peacefully recover from multiple leg surgeries. He made a public statement saying that "The 'foot repair' pain was intense, greater than I'd anticipated. The months of rehabilitative care and the painful strain of physical therapy were traumatic. I really needed a safe environment to recuperate where I could shut off my phone and get back on my feet." ^[8]

On 14 July 2008, Tyler's mother, Susan Ray Tallarico, died aged 84.^[9]

On July 18, 2008, Steven Tyler appeared with Billy Joel at the last concert to be played at Shea Stadium. Backed by Joel's band, he sang lead vocals on "Walk This Way".

In August 2008, HarperCollins has won an auction to publish the autobiography of Steven Tyler.^[10]

In December 2008, he made a surprise appearance at the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concerts at Nassau Coliseum (12/12/2008) and the Izod Center (12/13/2008). He was the "surprise finale." At the Izod Center, he collaborated with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion".^[11]

[edit] Discography

[edit] With Aerosmith

[edit] Collaborative work

Year	Song	Artist	Album
1986	"Walk This Way"	Run-D.M.C. featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry	Raising Hell
1988	"Wild Thing"	Sam Kinison; guest performers include Steven Tyler	Have You Seen Me Lately?
1989	Various tracks	Alice Cooper; guest performers include Steven Tyler	Trash
1989	"Slice of Your Pie"	Mötley Crüe; guest performers include Steven Tyler	Dr. Feelgood
1989	"Sticky Sweet"	Mötley Crüe; guest performers include Steven Tyler	Dr. Feelgood
2001	"Misery"	Pink featuring Steven Tyler and Richie Sambora	Missundaztood
2002	"Sing for the Moment"	Eminem featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry	The Eminem Show
2004	"I'm a King Bee"	Steven Tyler and Joe Perry	Lightning in a Bottle Soundtrack
2005	"Just Feel Better"	Santana featuring Steven Tyler	All That I Am
2006	"Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll"	Keith Anderson featuring Steven Tyler	Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll
2006	"Roots, Rock Raggae"	Bob Marley featuring Steven Tyler	Chant down Babylon
2009	"Cryin'" and "Smile"	Chris Botti featuring Steven Tyler	Chris Botti in Boston

[edit] Filmography

Year	Title	Role
1978	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	Member of the Future Villain Band
1990	Saturday Night Live: Musical guest; "Wayne's World" sketch	Himself
1991	The Simpsons: "Flaming Moe's" episode	Himself (voice)
1993	Wayne's World 2	Himself
1993	Saturday Night Live: Musical guest; "Bad Dancer" sketch	Himself
1997	Saturday Night Live: Musical guest; "Mary Katherine Gallagher" sketch	Himself
1999	Clubland	David Foster
2001	Saturday Night Live: Musical guest	Himself
2003	Lizzie McGuire	Father Christmas/Himself
2004	The Polar Express	Himself (voice)
2004	Goodnight Joseph Parker	Sammy
2005	Be Cool	Himself
2006	Two and a Half Men: two episodes	Himself
2009	Chris Botti in Boston	Himself

[edit] Dirico Motorcycles (formerly Red Wing Motorcycles)

On September 15, 2007 at New Hampshire International Speedway, Steven announced the launch of Dirico Motorcycles (formerly Red Wing Motorcycles). Dirico's bikes are designed by Steven Tyler, engineered by Mark Dirico, and built by AC Custom Motorcycles in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Steven has been a long time motorcycle fan and riding enthusiast.^[12] About the new Dirico Motorcycles Tyler said, “You get on one of these bikes and you can ride for days. These bikes are slick, rugged, and just damn cool. And they’re amazing to look at.”

Steven Tyler also participates in a variety of charity auctions involving motorcycles, including the Ride for Children charity.^[13][14]

[edit] Personal life

[edit] Relationships

Steven had a brief relationship with fashion model Bebe Buell, during which he fathered actress Liv Tyler^[7] (Buell initially claimed that the father was Todd Rundgren to protect Liv from Steven's then drug addiction). In 1978, he married Cyrinda Foxe ^[7] an ex-Warhol model, and the former wife of New York Dolls' lead singer David Johansen, and fathered plus-sized model Mia Tyler. He and Foxe divorced in 1987; in 1997, she published Dream On: Livin' on the Edge With Steven Tyler and Aerosmith, a memoir of her life with Tyler. Cyrinda Foxe died from brain cancer in 2002. He has one grandson, Milo William Langdon (born December 14, 2004 in New York City),^[15] from daughter Liv's marriage to British musician Royston Langdon.

In 1988, he married clothing designer Teresa Barrick.^[7] He fathered two children: a daughter, Chelsea Tallarico (March 6, 1989), and a son, Taj Monroe Tallarico (January 30, 1992).^[16] In February 2005, the couple announced that they were separating due to personal problems. In January 2006 the divorce was official. Tyler is currently dating Erin Brady.^[17][18] This "rocky two-year relationship" is believed to be behind Tyler's recent stay in rehab, due to his current girlfriend's "penchant" for overindulging and bar brawling. ^[19]

[edit] Throat surgery

On March 22, 2006, the Washington Post reported that Tyler would undergo surgery for an "undisclosed medical condition." A statement from Tyler's publicist read in part, "Despite Aerosmith's desire to keep the tour going as long as possible, [Tyler's] doctors advised him not to continue performing to give his voice time to recover." Aerosmith's remaining North American tour dates in 2006 on the Rockin' the Joint Tour were subsequently cancelled as a result.

The surgery, to correct a popped blood vessel in his throat, was a success. In the words of Tyler: "He just took a laser and zapped the blood vessel." After a few weeks of rest, Steven Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith entered the studio on May 20, 2006 to begin work on their new album.

On July 3 and 4th, 2006, Tyler and Joe Perry hit the stage on the Boston Waterfront with the Boston Pops Orchestra and sang the songs "Dream On", "Walk This Way", and "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" as part of the Boston 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. The concert was notable as Tyler's first public performance since the surgery. A tour launched later in fall 2006 with Mötley Crüe, titled the Route of All Evil Tour.

Steven Tyler's throat surgery was featured in 2007 on an episode of the National Geographic Channel series, Incredible Human Machine.

[edit] Battle with Hepatitis C

In a September 2006 interview with Access Hollywood, Steven Tyler revealed that he had been suffering from Hepatitis C for the past 10 years. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2003 and had undergone extensive treatment from 2003-2006, including 11 months of interferon therapy, which he said was "agony". ^[20]

[edit] Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (October 2008)

• Steven co-owned, along with Aerosmith band member Joe Perry and other partners, Mount Blue, a restaurant in Norwell, Massachusetts. Tyler and Perry sold their interest in Mount Blue in September 2006.
• His cousin, Tommy Tallarico,^[21] is a prolific composer of video game music, and co-host of the Canadian video game review show, Reviews on the Run, also known as Judgement Day.
• In Ted Nugent's book God, Guns, and Rock and Roll, Nugent claimed that Steven Tyler and Joe Perry are good friends of his. He also mentioned that the two, especially Steven, enjoyed shooting high-powered firearms and eating home-cooked meals with him during tour stop-offs in Michigan.
• While being interviewed at the 2007 BRIT Awards by BBC's Chris Moyles he revealed he has a 27-inch waist.
• He was ranked #3 on Hit Parader's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists".
• He is the Oldest Member of Aerosmith

[edit] Quotes

This article contains too many quotations for an encyclopedic entry. Please help improve the article by removing excessive quotations or transferring them to Wikiquote. Help is available. (October 2008)

• "I have always said I would rather grow up wrong than be right in someone else's eyes."
• "Here lies the demon of screamin,' who never woke up from the dream he was dreamin'. Until one day he took a magic potion and all that remained was Sweet Emotion." (When asked what he wanted on his tombstone)
• "Hey, man I got one thing to say to you". (Tyler screams)
• "Fake it till you make it."
• "Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll... take out the drugs and you've got more time for the other two."
• "We believed that anything worth doing was worth overdoing."
• "Once I'd tapped into the insanity, the song wrote itself."
• "The things that come to those who wait may be the things left by those that got there first."
• "We'd like to help you out. Which way did you come in?" (to Megadeth singer Dave Mustaine after he said the Get a Grip Tour was Aerosmith's last.)
• "Song writing's a bitch, and then it has puppies."

[edit] See also

• Aerosmith
• Toxic Twins
• Liv Tyler

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Steven singing a gospel song
• Steven Tyler at the Internet Movie Database
• Steven Tyler discography at MusicBrainz
• Steven Tyler at Last.fm
• Steven Tyler - Fan-site
• Dirico Motorcycles

v • d • e Aerosmith Steven Tyler · Joe Perry · Brad Whitford · Tom Hamilton · Joey Kramer Ray Tabano · Jimmy Crespo · Rick Dufay Studio albums Aerosmith · Get Your Wings · Toys in the Attic · Rocks · Draw the Line · Night in the Ruts · Rock in a Hard Place · Done with Mirrors · Permanent Vacation · Pump · Get a Grip · Nine Lives · Just Push Play · Honkin' on Bobo · Aerosmith's fifteenth studio album Live albums Live! Bootleg · Classics Live I and II · A Little South of Sanity · Rockin' the Joint Compilations Greatest Hits · Gems · Pandora's Box · Big Ones · Box of Fire · Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology · O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits · Devil's Got a New Disguise - The Very Best of Aerosmith Videos and DVDs Video Scrapbook · Permanent Vacation 3x5 · Live Texxas Jam '78 · Things That Go Pump in the Night · The Making of Pump · Big Ones You Can Look At · You Gotta Move Concert tours Early Years · Aerosmith Tour · Get Your Wings Tour · Toys in the Attic Tour · Rocks Tour · Aerosmith Express Tour · Live! Bootleg Tour · Night in the Ruts Tour · Rock in a Hard Place Tour · Back in the Saddle Tour · Done with Mirrors Tour · Permanent Vacation Tour · Pump Tour · Get a Grip Tour · Nine Lives Tour · Roar of the Dragon Tour · Just Push Play Tour · Girls of Summer Tour · Rocksimus Maximus Tour · Honkin' on Bobo Tour · Rockin' the Joint Tour · Route of All Evil Tour · World Tour 2007 · Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour Personnel Jack Douglas · Bruce Fairbairn · Desmond Child · John Kalodner · Mark Hudson · Jim Vallance · Richie Supa · Tim Collins · Marti Frederiksen · Taylor Rhodes · Glen Ballard · Kevin Shirley · Brendan O'Brien · Steve Leber · David Krebs Related articles Discography · Singles discography · Videography · Band members · Concert tours · Awards · Outtakes · Toxic Twins · The Strangeurs/Chain Reaction · Whitford/St. Holmes · The Joe Perry Project · Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith · Wherehouse · Aero Force One · Blue Army · Rock 'n' Roller Coaster · Flaming Moe's · Quest for Fame · Revolution X · Guitar Hero: Aerosmith · Toxic Twin Towers Ball Categories Portal · Aerosmith · Members · Personnel · Albums · Songs · Videos · Concert tours