True story--1988. Aerosmith on tour and playing at the Izod Center (called the Byrne Arena back then).
My GFs and I got tickets last minute for what were called "obstructed seats," released weeks after all the other tickets were sold out. These seats were all the way to the far side of the stage, and we wound up in the third row from the stage.
It was pretty cool except that during "Dude Looks Like a Lady," Tyler took a big swig of champagne out of a bottle and sprayed it into the audience. I got shot right in the face.
I like Steve Tyler and all, but that skeeved me out. My GFs laughed their heads off at my reaction though.
He's looked like death warmed over for a long time.
I was at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco and was waiting with him for an elevator. I didn't know who he was. He was skinny, skinny and in ragged jeans - but you could just tell that he was not a street person. He was "staged" to look scruffy.
I kept running into him in China town a little later in the day. I still had no clue who he was until a real homeless person told me. At that time (about 1993) he was clean and sober and was a vegetarian. He kept trying to find a vegetarian Chinese place in China town.
But he looked really, really bad. Long-time druggies can lose a lot of muscle and end up very emaciated looking. He was still in his 40s back then but looked about 80.
Whether it's ego, substances, health issues, or just "time to move on", this may be the end. They made it so much longer than almost any band, that is to be acknowledged. About 20 years ago Tyler told me that bands that stayed together for long periods were supposed to get better with time. The other side of that coin is that if you aren't gettin better, might as well hang it up.
DD and I got to see him at the TSO concert last December at the Izod center. He was their special guest and was fantastic. He had the entire arena singing along to Dream On. It was great! Sorry to hear he is leaving Aerosmith.
Come on people, Tyler pulls this stuff every time he wants a little attention. Anyone who knows Aerosmith, knows he likes to be the center of attention. He will be 65 and doing a big come back tour, back flips and all. Needless to say, I do love them,,,just hate the drama....
I have seen them about 20 times and not one show was bad...I did have tix this year again..like many of you, the show was cancelled. I have been a fan for almost as long as they have been around. It' kinda like seeing your parents divorce