1970-Steven TylerVocals1970-
Joe PerryGuitar1970-1979, 1984-
Brad WhitfordGuitar1970-1980, 1984-
Tom HamiltonBass1970-
Joey KramerDrums1970-
Jim CrespoGuitar1979-1984
Rick DufayGuitar1980-1984
Steven Tyler once said, "I must have snorted all of Peru." Perry and Tyler were known as "The Toxic Twins" because of their drug habits in the '70s. Among the tales of their indulgent revelry: chainsaws brought to hotel rooms to facilitate their destruction, extension cords so they could see the TVs explode when they threw them into swimming pools, cases of vintage wine finished off on a regular basis. Their performances suffered as well. As
Joe Perry explained: "A lot of times we really sucked, but we'd stopped giving a s--t."
Tyler's real name is Steven Tallarico. His first band was called The Strangeurs, but they had to change their name because of a band called The Strangers. They became Chain Reaction, and Tallarico became Steven Tally. After Chain Reaction split up, he formed Aerosmith and became Steven Tyler. His first choice of stage name was Tyler Britt, but their manager talked him out of it and suggested Steven Tyler.
There is an Aerosmithsonian in the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston. It consists of Tyler's microphone stand appropriately draped with scarves, one of his stage outfits made by Teresa Tyler, as well as boots that Joe Perry wore, denim jacket and pants (embellished by Teresa Tyler) worn by Tom Hamilton, Joe Perry's guitar, and Joey Kramer's drum head.
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Maddie - Chicago, IL
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Their Greatest Hits Album is a diamond record, meaning it has sold over 10 million copies.
In their early years, they could have made a lot more money as a cover band, as club owners preferred acts that played recognizable hits. They were determined to play their own material, however, and took lots of high school dances and other low paying gigs while they built an audience and developed their repertoire. They were very tight for cash in these days.
They inspired the "Rock And Rollercoaster" at Disney's MGM Studios. Speakers in the headrests pump Aerosmith songs as the ride goes.
The entire band entered rehab in 1986. They made a very successful comeback when they got out.
Tyler's daughter, Liv, is a popular actress. She was born in 1977 to Bebe Buell, a legendary groupie who also had affairs with Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Elvis Costello, and Todd Rundgren. She told Liv that Rundgren was her father, and Liv didn't find out the truth until she was 11.
Aerosmith is the 5th best selling band of all time. They passed AC/DC in 2002.
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Frank - Brandon, Canada
Jennifer Anniston thinks Tyler is hot. When she was with Brad Pitt, she said that Tyler was the only guy she would leave him for.
Tyler was originally the band's drummer. He left for a short time, and then returned as the frontman.
In the 1970's, Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia called the band the druggiest people he'd ever seen.
Aerosmith appear in the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as the FVB (Future Villain Band). It is considered one of the worst movies ever, but they got to kill the Bee Gees.
Other occupations Tyler considered include gigolo, gourmet chef, and park ranger.
They were the first big Rock band to appear on
The Simpsons as themselves. They were in the Flaming Moe episode in season 3. As part of the deal, Aerosmith's manager had to be drawn in as well, which he was.
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Laurence Crook - Cirencester, England
Joe Perry got his first guitar when he was 6; it was a ukulele that his uncle made for him.
Tom Hamilton collects WWII paraphernalia.
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Tom - Trowbridge, England, for above 2
Arrowsmith is the name of a 1925 novel by Sinclair Lewis, but it has nothing to do with the band name. Joey Kramer came up with "Aerosmith," which was rejected by one of his previous bands.
William Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts, officially declared April 13 to be "Aerosmith Day" in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The first Aerosmith Day was observed in 1993.
Aerosmith pays for admission-free Thursdays at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art.
The members of Aerosmith are originally from the south shore of Boston: Medfield, Medway, Millis, Holliston, Westwood, basically anywhere along Route 109.
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Tim - Dallas, TX
The members of Aerosmith have the doors to their dressing rooms decorated including a sign on Joe Perry's door that says "The Admiral is on Board."
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Kevin - Grand Forks, ND
Steven Tyler has a daughter named Mia, who is a well known plus sized model. She is half sister to Liv.
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Heidi - Niagara Falls, Canada
Rick Dufay, who replaced Brad Whitford, was thanked by Joe Perry at Aerosmith's 2001 induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for "Committing career suicide." Dufay made the suggestion to Steven Tyler that he reunite the original band for the sake of Aerosmith and especially Tyler.
Ray Tabano, who was a member of the original Aerosmith lineup before being replaced by Brad Whitford, designed the band's logo, which can be seen on the covers of Aerosmith's early albums, and the current Aerosmith wings logo.
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Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2
In
Rolling Stone magazine April 21, 2005, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash said: "Guns n' Roses were asked to open for Aerosmith on their
Permanent Vacation tour. We went to their manager's hotel room, and while he was in the bathroom we ordered $1,500 worth of room service and trashed the place. But they must have liked us a lot, because they put us on the bill anyway, and I've known them ever since."
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Bertrand - Paris, France
Their backstage demands can be a bit decadent. One of the requirements on most of their tours is a V.I.P. Guest Room decorated in Eastern Indian style.
In 2002, Tyler found out he had hepatitis C. He was also dealing with a condition called Morton's neuroma, which crippled his toes. This led to a relapse, as he became addicted to pain medication and began doing cocaine again. An attempt at recording an album in 2008 with producer Brendan O'Brien failed, as both Tyler and Joe Perry were back on drugs.
The legendary music executive Clive Davis signed the band to Columbia Records in July, 1972, paying them a $125,000 advance. Aerosmith was the last act he signed to Columbia, as he soon moved on to Arista Records.
In the mid-'70s, Steven Tyler lived with a 16-year-old girl named Julia Holcomb, whose mother signed guardianship over to Tyler so he could move her to Boston. Tyler got her pregnant, and while he was on tour, their apartment caught fire. She escaped, but when she was being treated at the hospital, she says Tyler convinced her to get an abortion, which she did.
Steven Tyler was a member of the judging panel for American Idol during the program's tenth and eleventh seasons. Asked by Howard Stern why he took the gig, Tyler replied: "I took it because I was pissed off at the band. I fell offstage and nobody called me and I was also on drugs, so I held the grudge. You know, those guys suck, but I love 'em to fu--ing death."
Aerosmith played their first ever concert at Miscoe Hill School's gymnasium (it was then known as Nipmuc Regional High School), in Mendon, Massachusetts on November 6, 1970. They got the gig through Joe Perry's mother, who worked at a nearby school. She knew someone at Miscoe Hill and helped set it up.
In 2008, the group released Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, becoming the first outfit to have its band-centered Guitar Hero title. It is likely the best-selling band-centric video game - Aerosmith made more money from it than from any one of their albums.