More Quotable Quotes From Steven Tyler’s ‘RS’ Interview

Earlier today, the Associated Press zeroed in on Tyler telling Rolling Stone that he had done drugs with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry in 2008 while working on an album that was never completed. Although tales of drug use are common anecdotes in rock ‘n’ roll interviews, Tyler’s remarks came as somewhat of a surprise if only because he’s been talking about being clean and sober for more than 20 years.

But other remarks made during the interview are equally surprising.

Regarding his new job judging wannabe stars on “American Idol,” Tyler said he joined the popular TV show so that he could send a message to his Aerosmith bandmates.

“Did I take this job to show the band,” Tyler said during the interview. “Fuck, yeah. Not to show them, but that I can’t be held hostage anymore. I will be my own hostage. The band can’t throw me out.”

Tyler also commented about 2008 reports about him working on a project with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.

“I decided, ‘Well, I know that I’m mad at those [Aerosmith] guys, but I’m not that mad,’” Tyler said. “So I called Jimmy up after I left, two weeks later, and said, ‘You’re in a classic band, and so is mine, and I just can’t do that to my guys, and I can’t do it to Robert [Plant],’ and I couldn’t see finding a year to really put myself into it. So for whatever the band thought, never in a million years was I going to quit Aerosmith to start Zeppelin.”

Tyler’s Rolling Stone interview arrives on newstands and in the digital world April 29. Meanwhile, you can read excerpts posted on Jann Wenner’s publishing monolith. Just click here.