Steven Tyler, of Aerosmith, known back in the day for some crazy drug use as well as the rockin' music that Aerosmith made, appeared as a guest speaker before the Maui/Moloka'i Drug Court program graduation and encouraged the graduates as well as speaking about his own struggle.
Tyler attributed a lot of his success with sobriety to attending AA meetings. This was probably a good message for the graduates to hear...no one can do it all themself and a lot of people need the support and structure to get them back to a drug-free life.
He said he began "getting high" in 1964. "By 1984, I was 126 pounds, shooting cocaine," when he first went into a rehabilitation center, Tyler said.
"They weren't rehabs," he said. "They were mental institutions where people that sat next to me had dribble bibs."
Later, he relapsed. "I had it all. I didn't care," he said. "And I hurt my family and my children and my friends. If it wasn't for the program of AA, I would have nothing.
"I'm a better drug addict and alcoholic than I am a musician. I got to keep it in check."
You can read the full story from Billboard magazine here.
It's great that Steven Tyler took time out to attend this program and give this talk to people who could surely use his inspiration. It probably helped them to know that even one of rock and roll's great vocal Gods faced the same struggles that they did. Statistically I'm sure some of these people will relapse again, but if he could help a few of them that is a great service. This is the sort of thing that makes him seem like more of a "Nice Guy of Boston" than one of the "Bad Boys of Boston." Tyler is truly an inspiration and a down to Earth guy.
Tyler attributed a lot of his success with sobriety to attending AA meetings. This was probably a good message for the graduates to hear...no one can do it all themself and a lot of people need the support and structure to get them back to a drug-free life.
He said he began "getting high" in 1964. "By 1984, I was 126 pounds, shooting cocaine," when he first went into a rehabilitation center, Tyler said.
"They weren't rehabs," he said. "They were mental institutions where people that sat next to me had dribble bibs."
Later, he relapsed. "I had it all. I didn't care," he said. "And I hurt my family and my children and my friends. If it wasn't for the program of AA, I would have nothing.
"I'm a better drug addict and alcoholic than I am a musician. I got to keep it in check."
You can read the full story from Billboard magazine here.
It's great that Steven Tyler took time out to attend this program and give this talk to people who could surely use his inspiration. It probably helped them to know that even one of rock and roll's great vocal Gods faced the same struggles that they did. Statistically I'm sure some of these people will relapse again, but if he could help a few of them that is a great service. This is the sort of thing that makes him seem like more of a "Nice Guy of Boston" than one of the "Bad Boys of Boston." Tyler is truly an inspiration and a down to Earth guy.
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