Aerosmith Drama Takes Another Turn

It’s beginning to look more and more like Steven Tyler is a man with a lot of turmoil in his life. In the latest development, Tyler has dumped his manager and friend Jason Flom of Union Entertainment Group. Flom and partner John Greenberg were the ones that Tyler hired after splitting with the management that handled Aerosmith as a whole.

Road manager Henry Smith is saying that Tyler hasn’t been free of substance abuse problems for the last 18 years. It is also being reported that Tyler is enduring a lot of pain due to shoulder and foot problems. Tyler injured his shoulder badly during a fall from the stage while performing at the Sturgis motorcycle rally in back in August.

Since then, the future of the group is uncertain at best. With conflicting statements coming from various sources about whether Tyler is taking a couple of years off from Aerosmith to work on some solo projects, or is just taking a little time off to work on his autobiography.

Since leaving UEG, Tyler has hired Allen Kovac of 10th Street Entertainment, who represents some other well-known classic rockers such as Motley Crue and Debbie Harry, formerly of Blondie.

If reports of the “tremendous pain” that is plaguing Tyler is true, it’s not too hard to imagine that someone with his background could easily become dependent on pain killers and lead him back down the path to abusing other drugs, if he’s not been doing so already.

There’s no arguing with the fact that Steven Tyler’s behavior has been a bit bizarre. Accounts from his Aerosmith band members have painted a picture of a man who has moved further away from the band and deeper into isolation; refusing to return phone calls, showing up suddenly at a Joe Perry gig to announce that he does not plan to leave Aerosmith, and disappearing just as quickly. He has also reported to have been keeping himself separate from the rest of the band – with the exception of stage time – during the group’s most recent performances.

Legal questions are also beginning to surface in light of all this uncertainty. If the remaining members of Aerosmith replace Tyler and continue as a group, can they use the name Aerosmith without Tyler?

Whatever it is that’s happening with Steven Tyler, we are surely not hearing the whole story. I suspect his band mates and fans just wish he would get whatever kind of help he needs to overcome the problems he is struggling with.

See Showbiz 411 for more.