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Steven Tyler's NBC interview reveals regrets, hopes and future plans

By April MacIntyre Apr 27, 2011, 17:44 GMT

03/03/2011 - Steven Tyler - 2011 "American Idol" Finalist Party - Arrivals - Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA, USA © Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Steven Tyler has a new book to sell, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?: A Rock 'n' Roll Memoir.

This has been a triumphant year for the Aerosmith frontman, as Tyler candidly talks to Lauer about overcoming drug addiction, his family, and what it’s like to be a judge on “American Idol.”

He also reveals to Matt Lauer that he is currently feuding with his band members; his attempts to reconcile and get back to work on a new Aerosmith record.

His long anticipated autobiography, Does The Noise In My Head Bother You? is set for release on May 3, 2011 and his first US solo single, “It Feels So Good” is out on May 10.  So far he has graced the cover of People, Rolling Stone and made numerous stops to promite the tome.

Tyler's interview will air Sunday, May 1 on “Dateline” at 7pm ET/6pm Central and Monday, May 2 on “Today.”

Fans can also catch clips from the interview on “Weekend Today” on Sunday, May 1 and “MSNBC.” There will also be outtakes and clips on dateline.msnbc.com and Today.com; an exclusive clip on Tyler’s Absolwedly app will be available via iTunes.

TYLER ON AEROSMITH AND JOE PERRY:

MATT LAUER:
Is it fair to say that you two [Joe Perry] have spent as much time fighting over the course of your time together as lovin' each other?

STEVEN TYLER:
Well, you see, he plays guitar -- and he plays it in such a way where I'm addicted to it. There is no one like him. He's my own Keith. He's my own Clapton. He is that. He is Aerosmith…you know, we've been to places where it's, you know, "F**k you, you're fired, and I'm leaving." And that's when he left in 1983-- '80-- '81 or something.

MATT LAUER:
'79.

STEVEN TYLER:
'79, okay.

MATT LAUER:
'79. You actually set the record straight in this book for real Aerosmith fans who know about this breakup, this fight in 1979 where apparently it was always reported that he said, "I may just leave," and you said, "Well, then go ahead," and say in the book you basically fired him from the band.

STEVEN TYLER:
It was on the steps of a trailer, you know. And it's one thing about gettin' sober, "Look out, because the memory comes back."

MATT LAUER:
But are you sure it's the right memory?

STEVEN TYLER:
Oh, yeah.

MATT LAUER:
Yeah?

STEVEN TYLER:
Oh, yeah. Well you know, I must admit, of all the things I ever lost, I miss my mind the most. But, when it comes back, it comes back strong, Matt…But it was big enough, 'cause we were all using at the time. We'd come off stage, do a nice blast of blow and that's where it kinda happened. And it was, like, "Enough. The show was good. And now we're fightin' back here. We fight on stage." I got really pissed and we got into an argument with Joe. And I said, "You know what, you're f*****n' fired."

Those words were said, "Oh, I'm leaving." But, it's not about ego, who said what. You know, it's not about that. It's a story I'm telling, whether it's true or not, it doesn't matter. It's how I see it. It's what I remember. I remember rumor was he was playing with Alice Cooper. And I went, "What? This is Aerosmith. You're not playin' with Alice Cooper." And I called up his people and I got a number and I called him up. And I said, "Are you playin' with Alice Cooper?" He goes, "Yeah." I went, "Enough. Let's get back together." And we did. And that's the truth. It's not my take. It's just the truth. And I'll tell you what, for better or worse, this band wouldn't be what it was without him. We're fighting right now. And I just sent the band a letter.

MATT LAUER:
What are you fighting about now?

STEVEN TYLER:
You know what, it's about internal issues that since I left the last management, it's four now against one. So there's -- there's little things. Remember, being in a band this big, it's a very heavy marriage.

MATT LAUER:
Well, for this long, too.

STEVEN TYLER:
So I simply sent a letter that said, "Dude, you're the best drummer there is. Let's get better and play. Brad, you're the best rhythm guitar -- he's the MVP for every tour. And Joe, you know, we wouldn't have a band if it wasn't for you and I. And Tom, come on, get back in here. So it's just that, again. You know, maybe it's everyone's too rich and --

MATT LAUER:
And as you get older, isn't that a lotta wasted energy? I mean, don't you just want to say, "Let's stop fighting?"

STEVEN TYLER:
And that's what I just said. Leave the managers, the lawyers behind. Let's get together… This band is gonna do the best album it ever did, Matt. And it will be. The fighting's kind of frivolous. What bothers me the most is there's certain managers that let it happen, and allow it to happen, you know, and don't facilitate it to come back together. So, hence, I just sent a letter saying, "We're meeting at X and such and such a place…and let's just stop foolin' around, get back together and do this album."

TYLER ON DRUGS AND ADDICTION:

STEVEN TYLER:
There's three things that happen to you when you're addicted to drugs after they take hold, is death, jail and insanity. And I can't preach that enough. The only reason I wind up in rehab is because I used to the point of falling down. My kids tell me, "Daddy, I don't know who you are anymore." Wives leave, bands break up, and it's really a one-way street. I still liked the ride, but it's a one-way street

MATT LAUER:
But when you look back, and there were times you're writing in the book here, where basically, you guys would put in your contracts, as you were touring, there had to be a place onstage, a little cubby, where you guys could go during the concert, go in and snort coke, and come back out, and you would write it in the budget. I mean, you actually budgeted for cocaine. I think you called it, what, 24 track tape, or something like that?

STEVEN TYLER:
Yeah

MATT LAUER:
I mean, was there no one around who raised their hand at that point, and said, "Guys, this is gonna come back to haunt us, at some point"?

STEVEN TYLER:
Absolutely not. Number one, it was the thing to do in the '70s…And by the way, bands like Aerosmith, if you looked at the '70s, how many albums we did, how many songs and how many territories, you know, we conquered, you know, we were troubadours going from town to town, state to state. We had no MTV or anything. We would play for Mahavishnu Orchestra. Anybody to open up and get our songs heard. And in doing so, in playing three shows in a row, I needed blow. I needed that cocaine. I needed that -- I needed it. When I just look back at what we did, I thought, how did we do that without Peruvian marching powder? How did we get through? It's a little funny now, but if you look back at history, managers didn't care. They were glad we were makin' 'em all money. And they may get angry at that, but it was also a thing to do, I can give it up at that.

TYLER ON HIS CHILDREN:

MATT LAUER:
Rate yourself as a dad to your older children. Mia and Liv. That was tough. You have a complicated relationship there.

STEVEN TYLER:
Very complicated…And for many years, the whole band was sober. And I stayed sober for 12 years. And in that time, I got to see, really, you know, how I wasn't there for Mia. And wasn't there for Liv. And it broke my heart. I cried like a baby. They were still very young. You know, but I made amends to my ex-wives. Deep, deep amends, cried with 'em. And it was some years later where I said to Liv, I said, "I'm so sorry for not being there when you were a baby."

And she was the first one to say, "Daddy, it's so all right, you're here now. And now I know I got a Daddy." And, you know, those were the moments in my life that I'll -- I will never forget. That moment meant more than the shame I can dump in self loathing, I can put on myself, for not being there.

MATT LAUER:
You write about this in the book, when Mia was on The Today Show, back in 2008, writing about addiction, and the fact that she had begun cutting herself. She was going through a very tough time. You watched, and you wrote, "I began crying because I realized I'd gotten sober, but I hadn't done it for my kids, or even my own health. I hadn't thought of them when I was using, so why would I have gotten sober for them either? Drugs robbed me of my spirituality and compassion, only later to find out I'd lost Liv and Mia, as well. I cried when they forgave me for my past behaviors, but I'll be working on it for the rest of my life."

STEVEN TYLER:
That's what drugs did. That's what it did. On one hand, it can put you in a place you've never been, so you can use that experience, and on the other hand, for me, I rode it like a gypsy rode a horse. And it took my children away, it took my life away, it took my band away, took my marriages away, and I was on my knees.

TYLER ON IDOL:

MATT LAUER:
These kids who go on from American Idol to win or place second or third or whatever, they are not going to have to do what you did in those club bands in New York City and getting the gigs and trying to make a name for yourself. They're going to become uber-famous in 16 weeks. Do you worry about them?

STEVEN TYLER:
No, it’s like saying that you know, once your kid has a job you don't worry about him getting one. They wanted to be an idol and they're gonna be, you know, people are looking at them soon as they're the top 12 wanting to manage and take percentage of their publishing and get 'em on tour. I guess I am worried. I'm worried that they didn't come up in the clubs.

I mean, it starts here with me. For the 12 weeks that we do, you know, or six weeks that we do the initial auditions, I'm looking at these 15-year-old kids, I got three daughters, so I can't sit there and say, you can't sing, what did you come here for?… I don't want to be Steven Tyler, the one they all look up to and tell them they can't sing and for whatever reason that girl leaves there and doesn't sing to her child because I told her she can't sing. That kills me inside... Spot it, you got it.

Along with maybe some character, oh, you know? It's not a show about who can sing best. I mean, I told the producers, that's not it. That can't be it for me. Because, there are so many stars out there right now, but they're not the best singers. But they sure got character. And I like to say that, you know, as this was established early on, it's what I love about J-Lo and Randy. It's the whole package.