Steven Tyler - a bad ad for drugs

Monday, June 18, 2007

Steven Tyler says he is a bad advertisement for the dangers of drugs. The Aerosmith rocker, who is in good health despite his drug and alcohol-fuelled past, says the secret to his youthfulness is good genes. He told Britain's Independent newspaper: "People always look at us and think, 'OK, they got away with it - why shouldn't I? The truth is it's all in the genes. My Italian grandfather on my mother's side had a full head of hair in his old age, and my paternal grandfather was this wiry Portuguese sailor."

Tyler - who was persuaded to check into rehab by his bandmates and manager Tim Collins in 1981 - admits drug use almost ruined his career. He said: "Of course I did way too many drugs. I sunk to my knees and lost everything, but I'm part Italian and my good old-fashioned guilt came up and
I had to check in to rehab. The only way out is through."

Unlike some performers whose vocal cords are destroyed through drug use, Tyler can still belt out notes in his upper ranges and says rehab saved his voice. He said: "When I was doing heroin it gave me a gravely voice and I just couldn't hit the notes, but I'm clean now of course. I take great pride in
not chickening out on the big notes." Aerosmith are headlining Hyde Park Calling, their first full-length UK tour in eight years this weekend.

Meanwhile his daughter Liv Tyler wants cosmetic surgery. The beautiful 'Lord of the Rings' star says she will definitely go under the surgeon's knife because she doesn't feel comfortable with her body since having two-year-old son Milo. Liv told Allure magazine: "I'm definitely going to have some, I'm sure. Especially when you see what happens to your body after you have a baby."

Liv - daughter of Aerosmith star Steve Tyler and former Playboy Playmate Bebe Buell - says she worked extremely hard to regain her pre-pregnancy figure after Milo was born in December 2004. She revealed: "I was trying to get back into shape, so I went to the gym every day, sometimes twice a day."

Despite her figure changing, Liv says becoming a mother was something she was ready to do because she's always been wise beyond her years. She claims growing up with such "cool" parents gave her no reason to rebel and just made her even more responsible.

Liv - who is married to rocker Royston Langdon - said: "I never had that much to rebel against because my parents were always so cool. I mean, what could I do? Run away and smoke a joint and go to rock concerts for the weekend? I mean, that's all they ever did. I've always been super-responsible and hard-working and kind of a worrier."

Aerosmith made a list of outrageous demands for their London festival appearance - including three roast chickens for each member. The legendary rockers, who headline Hard Rock's Hyde Park Calling on Sunday, have requested five separate dressing rooms, 60kg of ice to keep them cool and several US soft drinks, including Diet Ice tea and Summer Berry Gatorade. Surprisingly, there is no mention of any alcohol.

A source said: "Each member wants two roast chickens before the show and one for after. But there's no alcohol at all on their rider. They're the only act on the bill not to ask for it." The band have also want hip-hop act Run DMC to be flown in from the US to join them for their hit collaboration 'Walk This Way'.

Other bands set to perform at the two-day event include The Feeling and Jet, with Oasis, Geri Halliwell, Neve Campbell and Alicia Silverstone all expected to grace the VIP area. Hyde Park Calling is the first stop on the Hard Rock' Ambassador of Rock tour. After London, it moves onto Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires and Dubai.