11 Of The Most Insane and Crazy Stories From Aerosmith’s Career

Aerosmith’s rock-and-roll lifestyle was legendary for its wild, over-the-top excess, especially when it came to sex and drugs. Frontman Steven Tyler himself estimates he spent $20 million on drugs. His partnership with guitarist Joe Perry earned them the nickname “The Toxic Twins,” thanks to their notorious habits. During the ’70s and ’80s, Aerosmith was at their hedonistic peak, with Tyler and Perry swapping drugs and women, even hiring a roadie to sneak cocaine to them during concerts. Though Tyler has since turned things around with a 12-step program, their wild past still leaves plenty of unbelievable stories to tell.

Tyler Recalls Sharing Women (and STIs) with Perry

Aerosmith was known for their wild rock-and-roll lifestyle, especially when it came to groupies. Despite plenty of women to go around, sometimes bandmates Steven Tyler and Joe Perry decided to share. Unfortunately, that didn’t always end well. After one memorable night, they woke up in the same bed with two women, only to later discover that they had all contracted an STD. As Tyler humorously recalled in his memoir Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?, “I remember one night on the road when Joe and I were sharing a bed with two girls and woke up in the morning with a seafood blue plate special… Crabs for everybody!”

Perry and Tyler Reveal They Had a Roadie Who Only Handed Them Cocaine

Aerosmith’s rockstar lifestyle was all about living on the edge. Joe Perry and Steven Tyler were so dedicated to their party habits that they even had a roadie whose only job was to supply them with cocaine during their live shows. Tyler recalled in his memoir Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?:

“Joe [Perry] had vials of coke with straws in them at the back of the stage. When the lights went out, he’d check something onstage, and the roadie would slip the straw in his nose for a quick hit.”

Perry confirmed the story to NME, saying, “Yep. We’ve done everything… stuff happens, man, and we’ve managed to survive. We’re lucky.”

Aerosmith’s Close Call with Jail Time: How They Ducked Trouble by Discarding Drugs in the Police Station

Aerosmith’s wild rock-and-roll lifestyle often put them in trouble with the law, and one of their most heart-stopping run-ins happened on the New Jersey Turnpike. The band was driving in a rented van, each member with some drugs in their pockets, when they got pulled over. After a search, an officer found a marijuana seed, and suddenly, the band was in handcuffs and heading to jail.

Bassist Tom Hamilton recalled the tense situation: “Brad actually had two bags of pot.” The band members were handcuffed to a railing in their jail cell, separated to avoid any funny business. But they weren’t done yet. As Hamilton explained, Steven Tyler had a quick idea: “There was an empty room right next to us with the lights off. Steven said, ‘Gimme the pot, Gimme the pot,’ and he just chucked two bags of pot into this room.”

They waited, hoping their plan would work. Soon enough, a detective came down, turned on the lights, and said it was time to fingerprint them. One by one, the band went to get fingerprinted, and though the officers could see the drugs, they didn’t notice where they were hidden. With a little luck and a lot of quick thinking, Aerosmith narrowly avoided serious jail time.

Furious Crew Members Used Aerosmith’s Catering as Toilet Paper

Aerosmith’s wild lifestyle often left their crew frustrated and, according to Steven Tyler, they sometimes took their anger out in a pretty gross way. Tyler recalls learning years later that when the crew was upset with the band, they would wipe their butts with the bologna on the catering tray, then put it back as if nothing happened. As Tyler wrote in his memoir, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?, “I found out years later (through a crew member confessional) that when the techs would get pissed off at the band, they’d wipe their ass with the bologna and put it back on the deli tray.” Needless to say, the band’s catering was not always as appetizing as it seemed!

Tyler Opens Up About the Time He Got Too High to Perform

During Aerosmith’s wild years in the ’70s and ’80s, Steven Tyler’s drug use became so extreme that he often found himself unable to finish a show. He remembers one embarrassing moment when he got too high to perform. “I can remember one time I fell down and my foot kept going like this [shakes foot wildly],” Tyler recalled. “This guy carried me off, and I went ‘I just drank too much.’ I was embarrassed. I literally couldn’t finish the show.” Reflecting on those days, Tyler admitted, “We just got caught up in it. We were too rich, too young, too dumb. That’s all. I just got caught up in it, I loved it. I went too far with it.”

Steven Tyler Hid His Drugs in a Drum On Stage

Aerosmith’s wild rock-and-roll lifestyle went beyond just having a roadie for their constant cocaine supply. Steven Tyler had a more creative way of keeping his stash close by during performances. “I kept my medicine cabinet on stage, in a 14-inch drum head,” Tyler recalled in his memoir, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? “The bottom of which contained… one Dixie cup with a straw and blow in it and the other with Coca-Cola and Jack Daniels in it.” It was a routine that kept him going during shows, but it also added to the chaos of the band’s infamous party days.

Aerosmith’s Rule to Avoid Getting Caught Cheating on Tour

For Aerosmith, the main concern about cheating wasn’t morality—it was getting caught. To avoid issues when they went home to their wives, the band had a rule: no sex for 10 days before the end of a tour. This gave them time to “refuel their reserves.” Steven Tyler explained it simply: “You didn’t have sex for 10 days at the end of tour, but that was so you’d be sure to go home with a full cup of chowder. If you didn’t, you were definitely suspect.” It was just one of many rock-and-roll rituals to keep the peace.

Steven Tyler’s Close Call After Falling Off Stage

In 2009, 61-year-old Steven Tyler had a terrifying fall off stage during a show in Rapid City, South Dakota. After snorting the sleep aid Lunesta, he lost his balance and took a tumble. Tyler was airlifted to a hospital, where doctors gave him 20 stitches in his head and discovered his shoulder was shattered.

“I was doing the Tyler shuffle and then I zigged when I should have zagged… AND I slipped, and as I live on the edge… I fell off the edge,” Tyler explained.

Despite the fall, Tyler finished the song like a pro. Unfortunately, the band had to cancel the rest of their tour. Tyler, who already had a titanium knee from a past accident, was “grateful” that he didn’t break his neck and later admitted he was high during the incident.

Joe Perry Contributed Guitar to Serge Gainsbourg’s Controversial Song

Aerosmith may have sung about some pretty bold themes, but nothing compares to the unsettling nature of “Lemon Incest” by French pop legend Serge Gainsbourg. The song, a duet between Gainsbourg and his young daughter, carries a controversial and uncomfortable tone, especially with its intimate lyrics. The music video only adds to the discomfort, showing Gainsbourg shirtless in bed with his daughter. Surprisingly, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry played guitar on this track, lending his talents to one of the most bizarre collaborations in music history.

Joe Perry Recalls Steven Tyler Trying to Get Involved in His Relationship

When Joe Perry was 21, he had an affair with actress Judy Carne, who was 11 years older than him. Judy introduced him to a wild world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, keeping a doctor’s bag full of substances, including prescribed cocaine. This lifestyle, of course, caught the attention of Steven Tyler. According to Perry, Tyler was keen on getting his hands on Judy’s stash, but that wasn’t all—he even tried to get invited into a threesome.

Perry recalled in his memoir Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith, “I now sensed that Steven wanted to get into her doctor’s bag—and maybe get into something else. I never invited him over.” At the time, Judy was bed-ridden from an injury, preferring to be left alone. “She didn’t want company. I had no interest in a threesome and neither did she. We just wanted to be alone.” Despite Tyler’s repeated calls, Perry wasn’t having it, and he kept his distance from his bandmate’s advances.

Steven Tyler Surprised His Bandmates by Joining ‘American Idol,’ and They Were Not Happy

Steven Tyler’s decision to join American Idol didn’t sit well with his Aerosmith bandmates, especially since he didn’t even tell them about it. At the time, Tyler had just recovered from surgery after falling off the stage, and none of his bandmates bothered to visit him during his recovery, which really hurt him. So, when he made the American Idol announcement, it came as a shock to Joe Perry and the rest of the band. Perry learned about it from the internet, “like the rest of the world.”

The band wasn’t pleased that Tyler had taken the gig without consulting them, and they even threatened to replace him. Perry didn’t hold back, telling the Boston Herald, “It’s his business, but I don’t want Aerosmith’s name involved with [American Idol]. We have nothing to do with it.” He added, “It’s a reality show designed to get people to watch that station and sell advertising… it’s one step above Ninja Turtles.” To Perry, Aerosmith’s success wasn’t about TV shows—it was about the band itself.