Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith

by Joe Perry, David Ritz (With)

Joe Perry’s New York Times bestselling memoir of life in the rock-and-roll band “An insightful and harrowing roller coaster ride through the career of one of rock and roll’s greatest guitarists. Strap yourself in” (Slash).

Before the platinum records or the Super Bowl half-time show or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Joe Perry was a boy growing up in small-town Massachusetts. He idolized Jacques Cousteau and built his own diving rig that he used to explore a local lake. He dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. But Perry’s neighbors had teenage sons, and those sons had electric guitars, and the noise he heard when they started playing would change his life.

The guitar became his passion, an object of lust, an outlet for his restlessness and his rebellious soul. That passion quickly blossomed into an obsession, and he got a band together. One night after a performance he met a brash young musician named Steven Tyler; before long, Aerosmith was born. What happened over the next forty-five years has become the stuff of the knockdown, drag-out, band-splintering fights; the drugs, the booze, the rehab; the packed arenas and timeless hits; the reconciliations and the comebacks.

Rocks is an unusually searching memoir of a life that spans from the top of the world to the bottom of the barrel—several times. It is a study of endurance and brotherhood, with Perry providing remarkable candor about Tyler, as well as new insights into their powerful but troubled relationship. It is an insider’s portrait of the rock and roll family, featuring everyone from Jimmy Page to Alice Cooper, Bette Midler to Chuck Berry, John Belushi to Al Hirschfeld. It takes us behind the scenes at unbelievable moments such as Joe and Steven’s appearance in the movie of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (they act out the murders of Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees).

Full of humor, insight, and brutal honesty about life in and out of one of the biggest bands in the world, Rocks is “well-paced, well-plotted…a mini-masterpiece” ( The Boston Globe ).

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Rock N Roll

432 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2014

About the author

As co-founding member, principal songwriter, electrifying lead guitarist and co-producer of Aerosmith–America’s Greatest Rock & Roll Band–JOE PERRY has achieved permanent iconic stature in the pantheon of rock. He has helped to drive his band, over the course of three decades, to sales of more than 150 million albums, critical acclaim, four Grammy Awards (one of which includes the guitar-based instrumental “Boogie Man”) and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. JOE PERRY’s work with Aerosmith has resulted in an unending array of accolades and honors. Beyond their Grammy Awards and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, other key milestones over the past 35 years include: 12 MTV Video Awards; two People’s Choice Awards; six Billboard Music Awards; eight American Music Awards; 23 Boston Music Awards; and an Academy Award nomination for Best Song, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” (from the soundtrack to Armageddon).

Reviews

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always really enjoyed rock autobiographies and this one was no different! Aerosmith is one of my favourite bands and getting a behind the scenes glimpse at how the band came to be was an absolute treat. I’ve read Steven Tyler’s book as well but I really enjoyed getting to see the perspective of another band member, especially one as fascinating as Joe Perry! I absolutely adored the pictures as well, they were such a great addition to the book and I kept flipping back to look at them at feast my eyes on Aerosmith in their glory days.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I really enjoyed this one, it was great to read all the back stories on how the band was formed and how he stayed successful whether in the band or on his own. Sometimes the book seemed a little long but still kept me interested.




*ARC provided by Netgalley

[Juniper · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG! i just wrote a giant open letter to joe perry and it did not save. GRRRRRRR!!!

will attempt to recreate it later.

so annoyed right now.

gist:

1) bland and boring;
2) cowriter issue? bad choice? felt/sounded unauthentic - for example:
" It was a magical time when the chaos of the noisy world was becalmed by a blanket of freshly fallen snow."
seriously? how do i reconcile that sentence coming out of joe perry's mouth?
3) the ladies -- 'servicing the groupies' mentality of objectification, or opposed to 'misogynistic' attitudes? confusing!
4) punch steven tyler in the face, already! jaysus;
5) nothing new here;
6) wasn't looking for dirty little secrets or shenanigans...but was expecting something more soulful (and not 'magical time' in the snow blechness');
7) no spark, no life in this book -- which is probably the total opposite to how things were.

[Auntee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of Aerosmith, but I am familiar with their work (and enjoy some of their hit songs) and was a bit curious about what dirt lead guitarist/founder Joe Perry had to dish up (including his sometimes dysfunctional/yet brotherly relationship with Steven Tyler). So this memoir (while not super juicy) was a welcome break from all the romances I've overdosed on lately.

And I also have to admit I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I actually started the book at about its halfway point, reading chapters about the band once they were already famous. Then I realized I needed to get the full story and see just how Joe, who idolized Jacques Cousteau as a youth (and wanted to be a marine biologist!) became an American rock god. Sheer determination and an intense desire and love for rock 'n roll was the way for Joe.

young Joe...


"Toxic Twins" Joe and Steven...


The book details Joe's mostly idyllic middle class upbringing, his drive for success, how he met all the members of the band and how it was formed, his struggle with addiction, his first marriage and how it nearly destroyed the band, his solo period that lasted several years, the second marriage to his soul-mate Billie that turned his life around, and his love/(almost) hate relationship with bandmate Steven Tyler. Perry holds nothing back, even when it makes him look bad. And he even does some name dropping...some of them you'd never expect to connect to Joe Perry, including Ricardo Montalban(!), Tom Jones, a comment from Bette Midler that made him blush, and a relationship with an "older" woman Laugh-In's Judy Carne that had me blinking and shaking my head in wonder...:)

Joe's devotion to wife Billie...her picture is on his guitar

So, if you're a fan of Aerosmith, this is a no-brainer--you'll want to read this book. If you're not a fan, but enjoy reading about people in the entertainment world, you might want to give this a try. It's well-written, often insightful, and Mr. Perry is surprisingly deeper than I thought he'd be, and has interests in things that I would never have guessed. The book was never boring; I had intended to just pick and choose the chapters I was interested in, but then found myself wanting to read the chapters I had skipped over--and those were the best ones! A solid 4 star memoir.

*ARC provided by Netgalley

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Joe defines cool. Joe is the rock star of the band." ~ Tom Hamilton
Readers will not need to be an Aerosmith fans to enjoy this exceptionally well written memoir: "Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith" authored by lead guitarist Joe Perry (JP).

By the time JP connected with Steven Tyler (ST) he was a musician with a life long obsession and love for guitars, he and Tyler had connections to the resort of Sunapee, N.H. The first professional manager of Aerosmith, creative/brilliant Frank Connelly recognized the mega-success of the band would hinge on the creative partnership between JP and ST, they learned the difference between artistic and commercial ambition. While JP liked the Stones, he preferred Fleetwood Mac, his musical interest in guitar/jazz. ST was into pop music, giving the band their high energy/edge. The apartment building 1325 where Aerosmith began would become a Boston landmark. The Aerosmith fans were known as the "Blue Army" for their support at concerts worldwide.

JP discusses his complex relationship with ST throughout the book. As songwriters he felt their partnership lacked the element of trust experienced by Jagger/Richards. The history of the band, concerts, behind the scenes were detailed and fascinating! JP, while interested in ingesting the chemicals, was not into the women, and groupies that went hand and hand with the life of most rock stars. JP spoke of his love of guitars- his 59 Gibson, his black Stratocaster, his Les Paul was stolen from a recording studio and later returned to him by Slash (lead guitarist of Guns and Roses). "Loosing a guitar is like loosing a friend." JP explained.

JP details his relationship with his first wife Elyssa Jarret, married August 5, 1975 at the Ritz Hotel. Elyssa never bonded with his family, or attended his father's funeral after he succumbed to cancer. ST viewed Elyssa as a problem, especially with her extreme high drama associated with his relationship with Cyrinda Foxe. Elyssa felt used by Foxe to gain access to ST. Elyssa would eventually move to California after their contentious divorce 6.5 years later, taking JP's son with her. This was a very low point for JP, although he enjoyed commercial success with his independent Perry Music Project. After leaving Aerosmith, he was replaced by Jimmy Crespo. He highlighted recording deals that failed to protect the interests of musicians.

The turning point for JP was his marriage to his second wife of "Black Velvet Pants" Billie P. Montgomery. (m.1985-) JP discusses his return to Aerosmith encouraged by Billie. The twisted psychodrama, "emotional tyranny" of Aerosmith's over controlling manager Tim Collins, were recalled. Collins, insisted on rehab for band members, even when it wasn't necessary. JP couldn't have been happier with his marriage, sobriety, and two sons born to him and Billie. This was the joy, inspiration, and celebration of his life. JP played at Muhammad Ali's 70th Birthday party. Aerosmith was featured on 60 minutes, showing the "true dynamic" of the band. In 2013 he and ST were indicted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York.

In the introduction of this book by Johnny Depp, ST is described as a "High Octane Cat" and indeed, Tyler's memoir: "Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?" (2011) details ST highly energized, edgy, point of view with Aerosmith: it jumps, twists, and silently screams (hence, the screamin' demon). Perry's memoir, on the other hand, is cool and smooth, in a laid back sort of way. It is the best rock memoir I have read to date.

[Read InAGarden · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Rocks, the world finally gets to peer inside the world of Aerosmith via the eyes of lead guitarist Joe Perry. It's a warts and all look without the interruptions of front-man Steven Tyler. Perry walks readers through his early scholastic struggles and his yearning to lead a musical life. Then Rocks shifts focus to the infancy of Perry's musical career - as he played wherever, whenever and with whoever he could. When Perry moves to Boston the Aerosmith line-up isn't complete but it is close and readers watch the journey of the band as it begins. At the start, the Perry/Tyler dynamic is already there and Perry is insightful as to both the good and the bad of this relationship. Perry also speaks to his love and hate relationship with both drugs and liquor. As Perry details the Aerosmith's meteoric rise of the 70's, decline of the 80's, rebirth in the 90's and then the decline/rebirth cycle they started revolving through after that - readers learn that communication was the key and when it didn't happen (for a variety of reasons) the band would fall apart. But when the communication was there, the band flew like the logo their name inspired. Readers also learn about three close treasures in Perry's life - his wife of many years, Billie (who helped hold him accountable when he wanted to slip back into drugs), his sons (who he took on the road with him for many years), and The Joe Perry Project (much more than a side solo band - but a creative outlet for Perry).

This is a great book for fans of Aerosmith, fans of rock, fans of blues, fans of music and musicians just starting out. It makes one wonder about the lead singer/lead guitarist dynamic in all bands. It makes one wonder about the music industry and what it does to people.

This reader wishes that the book had been a bit longer. The chapters including the 60's, 70's and 80's and early 90's (through Get a Grip) were much more detailed than the later chapters. If material was edited out of these later chapters, it really should be put back in to give the book balance. Fans won't mind 50 more pages.

[Sebastian Bach · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest rock and roll books ever written. Paints the picture of one of the most interesting lives in Rock thank you Joe Perry

[Mauoijenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this hardback copy from the publishers Simon & Schuster as a give away here on Goodreads for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book very much. Perry talks in detail about how he grew up, desperately wanting a guitar ever christmas to how the boys of Aerosmith got together, fell apart then got back together and everything inbetween. His second marriage is still going strong almost 30 years. Quite an accomplishment in the rock-n-roll life.

This book is packed with pictures from his childhood, friends, family, famous friends, at gigs, concerts and many candid ones.

I very much enjoyed reading this as a fan of Perry's and Aerosmith. May he keep rock'n on!!!

[♥Trish♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love? Joe Perry,told by Joe with a forward by Johnny Depp

[Judeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Steven's antics, my arrogance, all the stuff that went on with the other guys - it all pales against the knowledge that long ago this band became something bigger than all of us." - Joe Perry


And so it is that one of the greatest rock guitarists of his generation understands his place in this world, among the hearts of his fans, and in the grand scheme of rock and roll's progression through America's culture and that of the world. But, Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith is a refreshingly frank examination of the band's trek from mischievous and somewhat troubled teens to their roles as husbands, fathers, legends and statesmen of the highly commercial art form of rock and roll, as much as it is Perry's reflection on his personal history and those of his relationships with his three primary loves - Billie Montgomery Perry, Steven Tyler, and Aerosmith, seemingly in that order.

While many of us embrace others as "brothers from another mother" or "sisters from another mister", Perry examines and shares his relationship with Tyler with heartbreaking honesty. As a lifelong fan, I eagerly anticipated this memoir and, though it lacked in revelations of Perry's personal thought process as a performer, his candor, regarding the progression of the band and their interrelationships, is not only eye opening but also something deserving of respect and awe.

Perry is often economic with his words during interviews but Rocks will certainly be a great feast for fans who may have long craved more from the guitarist. This memoir is true to Perry's public persona while baring a great deal of what has, until now, been mostly private pride, frustrations, heartaches, joys, and, above all else, private thoughts.

Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith is a must read for not only Aerosmith fans, guitarists of all levels, but for anyone curious about living a dream, accepting the pitfalls of that dream, the struggles of bonded, lifelong friendships, the angst created by those same friendships, and how to embrace the life we create for what it is as a whole and as the sum of its parts.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - I adore a good rock memoir and this did not disappoint. I've always liked Aerosmith, and while I've followed Steven Tyler's career, haven't paid much attention to the rest of the band except for noting that lead guitarist Joe Perry always seemed to be the brooding side man, often with a sneer gracing his face. However, after reading this searing and frank memoir, I found him to be a likable fellow, and while he partied with the best of them and admits he could be quite arrogant, he came across as honest to his friends and band mates, and true to Billie, his wife since 1985. What was most fascinating was his relationship with Tyler. Many times Perry stressed that while he loved Tyler like a brother, they had their ups and downs and Tyler could be a gigantic diva and sometimes rather cruel. Quite frankly, Tyler comes across as a total ass and while I haven't read Tyler's memoir, DOES THE NOISE IN MY HEAD BOTHER YOU?, it might be interesting to get his side of the story.

Read this if know Aerosmith's music and personalities and if you have enjoyed memoirs by Pete Townshend and Keith Richards (although Joe seemed to have a better ghost writer and/or editor).

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-galley.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing!! As a life-long Aerosmith fan, I was shocked by how many things I learned by reading this. This is a must read for all Aerosmith fans and non-Aerosmith fans alike since it is a wonderful, crazy, overwhelming, emotional and rocking story. It is written so well and it is the best book that has ever been published about Aerosmith. I have a new appreciation for Joe F***ing Perry and I am so grateful that he told his story! I loved Steven Tyler's book, too, but I feel this book fills out the Aerosmith story better and gives us a clearer picture on what really happened. Joe Perry has painted himself as a mysterious rocker who we never know much about, and it was beyond interesting to finally see inside his head and read about who he is!

[Richard Cosgrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to classic rock bands, there are the usual suspects that jump to everybody's lips - Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, KISS - but there's one that in the general public's consciousness often seems to get overlooked and not given the acknowledgement, respect and credit for their achievements. That band is Aerosmith.

Though singer Steven Tyler is the one usually grabbing headlines, whether falling off stages or appearing on American Idol, the real hero of Aerosmith, and a genuine guitar hero who has inspired most of the top rock guitarists around today, has been Joe Perry and he's finally decided to tell his story.

The most striking thing about Perry's autobiography is its brutal honesty. Perry isn't afraid of telling it how it is, and was, and if that means showing either himself or his bandmates in a somewhat unflattering light then so be it. Having read Tyler's book, it's very interesting getting Perry's take on some of the events that have happened over the many years that Aerosmith have been around, and which at times are very different.

Perry is understandably proud of Aerosmith and what they have achieved over the last four decades and change, and given that against all odds it's still the original five members who are still headlining arenas and festivals around the world he should be. It's bittersweet, though, to note that while he speaks of Perry as his brother and clearly has great love for him, the relationship has frequently been strained and derailed by Tyler himself.

Having only become a fan of Aerosmith in the 80s, when Permanent Vacation came out, I'd subsequently heard tales of the first Aerosmith era but to hear Perry talk about the early years and the subsequent implosion of the band that led to him leaving, I couldn't help but wonder whether some of the tales had inspired This Is Spinal Tap, a case of art imitating life.

The second rise, fall and rise again of Aerosmith is fascinating as well, because I must admit I kind of lost interest after the early 90s and I feel I've been able to catch up with the boys.

I've read a lot of rock autobiographies in my time, but Perry's ranks as one of the best, up there with Slash's and Paul Stanley's and is one that I'd highly recommend to anybody interested in the realities of the rock and roll lifestyle.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book more than I had expected. I have read several books by rock stars and they’re all basically the same: sex, drugs, and rock & roll. But this book was different. It was very well-written, that was one of the first things I noticed and I was surprised by it. Like many others, Joe Perry and the rest of Aerosmith battle with addiction. I was impressed by the way he talked so openly and in detail about it and didn’t appear to hold back. He was very clear about how passionate he was about music. Most of his life seems to revolve around the music. I found these parts hard to read sometimes because he went into so much detail about making each album, and while I’m a fan of music, I didn’t find the process very interesting. I like that Joe Perry discusses his love of reading classic novels and nature, it was nice to see that there was more to him that just his music and the rock star stereotype.

However, I never knew how much trouble there was within the band. Aerosmith seemed to always be on the verge of collapse. And most of it seems to be because of Steven Tyler. Now, the way the book is written, it will be viewed in one of two ways: either (a) Joe Perry wanted to make Steven Tyler look bad or (b) Steven Tyler really is that bad. After watching Steven Tyler on American Idol, I liked him. But after reading this book, I’m going to assume Joe Perry was telling the truth and Steven Tyler really is that bad and annoying. I don’t know how they could work with him. He sounds too controlling and unreliable. This book made me lose a lot of respect for Steven Tyler. I want to think Joe Perry was just jealous and trying to make Steven Tyler look bad, but I feel like he has the rest of the band to back him up, so why would he lie? This is the main thing I take away from the book: Steven Tyler is a jerk.

[Leslie Prétot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you to Joe Perry for this incredible book. Born the same year as Joe, I have been a fan since the beginning. But as fans, there is so much that we didn't know or understand about the phenomenon that is Aerosmith, or the personalities involved.
Joe tells the story with an honesty that is often brutal, but at the same time he tells it with love, compassion, respect, and fairness.
After reading "Rocks," I have a much clearer understanding of not only the band, but of who Joe Perry is as a musician and a man. And I must say, I'm impressed, delighted, and proud to call myself a fan.
Not only have I learned so much from this wonderful book, but smiled, laughed, and shed a few tears from the memories invoked while reading it.
Last week I was excited to meet Joe Perry at one of his book signings in San Francisco, and have my copy personally signed. He also took the time to take pictures with each and every fan in attendance.
A terrific book, and a terrific man. I wish the book didn't end. But then, I guess it really hasn't....

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happened to be a huge fan o f Aerosmith in the day and have seen them live probably half a dozen or so times. This is Joe Perry's account of his life, both in the band and with his family, his struggles with sobriety and other issues and his life in general.

It is one of the better musician written books out there. I found it easy to read, poignant and quite human. If you are an Aeromith fan you do not want to miss this one.

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Perry seems to be a genuine down to earth good guy. The love he has for his music, his wife and kids really comes through - all through the book.

[Tony Farinella · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a diehard GNR fan, I’m well-aware of the influence Aerosmith has had on GNR. They are one of the most influential blues-based hard rock bands of all time, and Joe Perry is a guitar god. With that out of the way, I loved 75 percent of Joe’s book, as he’s not afraid to get into band drama, his musical influences, and the many and I do mean many ups and downs that came with Aerosmith, especially his complicated relationship with Steven Tyler.

If you are looking for insight into their relationship (Steven Tyler’s huge ego and manic personality), you will not be disappointed. If you are looking for tidbits on Aerosmith touring and the issues that came up when recording albums (Steven being late or not showing up at all), you are in for a treat with this book.

Joe Perry is brutally honest about Aerosmith’s troubled history of self-destruction and their complicated relationship with manager Tim Collins. He’s also not afraid to share his opinions on other bands they toured with (Skid Row, Guns N’Roses, and KISS) during their long and storied career. They released their first album in the early 70s and their last album of new material in 2012, so Joe has seen a lot and experienced a lot when it comes to the music industry.

I desperately wanted to give the book 5 stars, but I settled on 4 stars for a few reasons: I didn’t feel like Joe Perry reflected enough on his own life or shortcomings, and I felt like he blamed a lot of his problems on his first wife, management, Steven Tyler, or the record labels. While I’m sure they were all guilty parties, I don’t recall too many times in the book where Joe was willing to look himself in the mirror and accept responsibility. Also, I wanted to know more about his relationship with the other band members outside of Steven Tyler. The book also gets a little too repetitive near the end and drags a bit.

This is a really good book that just missed being great.

4.5 Stars

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting look at one of the bad boys from Boston. I've listened to Aerosmith through the years but never dove that deeply into their history. As a native New Englander, the Aerosmith story is part of our rock and roll lore. Joe's memoir travels throughout the region even before the group hit worldwide star status. Even as I type this I'm just a few towns away from Joe's boyhood home of Hopedale.

Joe comes off as a dark brooding introvert whose main outlet is his electric guitar. He spends much of the early parts of the book pestering his parents for one. Then come the years since in small bands in Boston and the surrounding area. Eventually, the members of Aerosmith finally find each other and they ride the road to success. Along that road, they pick up drug habits, divorces, band breaking-up, falling off stages, addictions, therapists, success, non-stop touring, micromanaging manager, and all the while bitching about lead singer Steve Tyler. For as much as he whines about Steve, and he's no angel, they still stick together. They are the Boston version of Mick & Keith. Guess what Joe, if Steve hasn't changed by now he's not going to. No wonder they're all in therapy.

It's an entertaining book if you want to know more of Aerosmith's history there is no shortage of drama to go along with it.

[Judy Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many years people have wanted the true story of Joe Perry and Aerosmith. You will get it in this no-holds barred book. From the beginning, Joe has laid his soul bare. You get the truth behind the rumors. This book is well written and an easy read. I'm very glad I bought it. As a long term fan of both Joe Perry and Aerosmith, I found this book to be very informative.

[Steve · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like many who have come to this book via a long-standing appreciation of Aerosmith, I was curious to see what Perry had to say. So much of the Aerosmith story is old news, and having been a gigantic teenage fan during the glory years of the 70s, I used to devour every piece of information I could uncover on them. Had this been written then, my review would’ve been a rabid five star endorsement, probably before I cracked the cover.

Unfortunately, time often erodes our teenage beliefs. Sadder still, this is a surprisingly dull and matter-of-fact cataloging of events that are couched in repetitive themes of Joe’s love of making music, love of his children, love/hate/brotherly relationship with Steven Tyler, and, mostly, love and devotion for his current wife Billie. He thanks her twice in the acknowledgements alone, as well as dedicating the book to her, too. Add the cheesy guitar with her portrait on it, and you've got what I consider borderline creepy devotion. As one reviewer noted (and Perry notes in the book that his former manager did, as well), Perry seems co-dependent on others, from Tyler and Billie to his blind devotion to that same one-time manager Tim Collins, a man who turned out to be a psycho. Perry rarely comes across as an introspective or forward thinking guy.

I recently read Viv Albertine’s wonderful autobiography, and it underscores the shortcomings of Perry’s tepid effort. Where she has gone through similar ups and downs as Perry, she personalizes her tale with a humility and self-effacing style that is as inspiring as it is humanizing. Joe’s autobiography is woefully short on the humanity and large on clichés and superficiality. Time after time, seemingly fascinating anecdotes are covered with a sentence or two, rarely developed into the tales they could've been. Either Joe's memory isn't too strong or he lacks the capacity to infuse his story with a sense of depth. It adds up to me questioning why he wrote this book at all because it's a total flat line of a tale. Given the renowned debauchery of Aerosmith, that's almost unfathomable. It's not that I came to this book to read yet another rocker's chronicling of their sordid halcyon period of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, but I was expecting some insight into the man. What I came away with is that he must be a fairly dull fellow.

Just the same, my fifteen-year-old self had to read this to verify what I’ve been reminded of over and over since the return of Aerosmith in the 80s; the revitalized Aerosmith is not the same group I worshipped a long time ago, the one that crashed and burned over a glass of milk at the close of the 70s. They’re a very long way from the band that led the Blue Jean Army and spoke to millions of disenfranchised and angst-ridden teens. When I was 13 in 1976, I wasn’t listening to The Sex Pistols; I was funneling my anger and anti-socialism through Aerosmith. Sadly now, they’re corporate rockers; old men getting richer and richer off of songs written forty or so years ago. That's what this book (and his line of hot sauce products, etc. et al) is about: marketing the brand instead of the band. My advice is to skip the book and listen to Get Your Wings instead.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about rock memoirs are the moments when you get to look back in time to see how everybody met, and how unlikely it was that they would ever become legends. The first chunk of Joe's memoir is devoted to such stories, and it's a joy to read. When Joe Perry first meets "Steven Tallarico" you realize immediately how the encounter will become a metaphor for the entire history of Aerosmith. The story of the band's formation and ascent is a ton of fun.

What I remember about Aerosmith in the 80's & 90's is their masterful use of music videos, tailor-made to appeal to my teenage brain. I liked some songs more than others, but from the RUN DMC "Walk This Way" video on, Aerosmith never failed to be larger than life and hyper-sexual. That kind of thing is never lost on young dudes. The back story to those 20 years of ongoing and apparently easy success is so tumultuous that it's a miracle any of it ever happened...

The final section of the book drags a little. Interestingly, it's only because the guys get older and the stories become more tame. Nonetheless, it puts the fitting punctuation on the end of an epic rock and roll career span. 40 years. That's two full "traditional" career terms in a business everybody knows chews people up and spits them out...

Joe's public persona is quiet, so his memoir reveals a ton of things you didn't know about a really fascinating guy. For the guitar geeks, there's a fantastic appendix, in which all of Joe's guitar techs share photos and info about the axes and back line rigs he played from the first tour on. They detail many of the custom "rat rods" that they built for him over the years, including all the technical specs and the parts they used. The only thing I craved more was color photos of his collection, but that would be a coffee table book in itself.

[Brad McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Perry is as messed up as you'd expect from a grizzled old rocker. However, he comes across as a saint compared to his toxic twin. I read this as a follow up to Steven Tyler's autobiography and like it so much better. Mr. Perry is the brooding quiet rockstar to Tyler's bombastic star. One thing I was surprised to learn is that Perry has been married to his wife for 30 years. That's a feat when you're in a band a big as Aerosmith.

Some of the drama that Joe comes off as innocent is, of course, to be taken with a grain of salt. That said, he seems to be a surprisingly down-to-earth rockstar. He cares more about the music than he does about the drugs and sex. It was great reading his side of the story, he came across as honest, not sugar coating his own flaws, which is in sharp contrast to Tyler's trying to blame others.

One last note: the book has an appendix where Perry lets his guitar techs speak. His current one interviewed the past ones and they lay out how they set up all of Perry's guitars and which models he uses. For those of you that are guitar players this might be a great bonus.

[Mika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I even had finished the first chapter I was prepared to High-Five this book. The art of writing is a class above itself when it comes to rock-autobiographies. The language and the way he portrays the emotional journey is an art in itself. Perhaps poetical (I just wrote the last sentence to sound smart).

The way Joe Perry describes his childhood is just amazing, the pursuit of identity to the first encounters with music and acceptance from his father. Throughout the book there is a great expression of Perry´s philosophical approach to life and its participants.

When it comes to the following content my big High Five drops a level unfortunately. It´s partly like reading a biography of Steven Tyler simultaneously. Everything that have happened from the start to present day seem to reflect on Steven Tyler. It gets a bit one-sided. But I guess it´s understandable, the book is actually titled Aerosmith regardless what I think.

Definitely worth the read but it’s a slow one.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first part of this book his younger years and how he got into playing the guitar. I thought he was very honest about his problems in school which was a learning disorder and how he overcame that. Also impressed with his homemade driving gear and his sense of adventure in exploring the depths of the lake during his childhood. The rest of the book was okay not great but good. How he started different bands and then how he meet Tyler and started writing and then the crazy Aerosmith stuff. Overall not a bad book. I got this book from net galley. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The lead guitarist of Aerosmith gives his take on his life with and without the band. Perhaps a bit long but overall pretty good. My favorite part was the look at his younger years, his family life and how he came to love music.

[Danilo · Rating 2 out of 5]

A historinha bem parcial de como Joe Perry, sempre um bom menino, fiel a suas mulheres, e na maior parte das vezes avesso ao uso de entorpecentes, manteve o Aerosmith unido por quatro décadas, apesar do monstro manipulador toxicômano chamado Steven Tyler.
Bom para ter uma ideia (bem) geral de como foi a coisa toda e só. A tradução para o português é boa [Versão Kindle Editora Benvira], dá a impressão de que melhorou o texto original tanto quanto foi possível: "...no período de transição entre o Aerosmith e o Project, nunca estive mais consciente de meu ímpeto avassalador para compor música em qualquer circunstância".

[Sarah Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books by rock stars all sex, drugs, and rock & roll. But this book was different. It was very well-written, that was one of the first things I noticed and I was surprised by it. You also notice the love this guy has for his family. definetley worth a read if you're an Aerosmith

[Joe Colorado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with an inside view of Joe's story and the many conflicts with Steven, as well as battles with drugs. Very candid about his personal life.
I wish he would have talked more about his relationships with his other band members.

[Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into the man and the band. Coherent and engaging. Kudos to the ghostwriter