Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler shared his experiences as a drug addict and alcoholic last week as he addressed graduates of a Maui, Hawaii drug court program.
“I'm nervous here because I'm telling you all my truth," began Tyler, reports The Maui News. "I am also a drug addict and alcoholic and fighting it every day."
As a guest speaker at the 49th Maui/Moloka'i Drug Court program graduation, Tyler encouraged graduates to continue in their recovery, in part by attending Alcoholics Anonymous and other support group meetings, as he does.
"If you stop going to AA meetings, you're going to wind up using again," he said. "They're all over the island and they're all over the world. I express my joy all because of AA."
The Drug Court marked a milestone Thursday with the 500th graduate of the program that began on Maui in August 2000.
The singer said he began "getting high" in 1964. "By 1984, I was 126 pounds, shooting cocaine," when he first went into a rehabilitation center. "They weren't rehabs. 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."
Tyler said he regularly attends AA meetings. "On tour wherever I am - Instanbul or Beirut or New York City - I just look it up, find out where the closest meeting to the hotel is. I walk in and say, 'I'm home.'"
Tyler recently signed with new management is preparing to work on his debut solo album in 2015.
See also:
Aerosmith drummer talks about recent health scare
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler signs with new management
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler updates solo album plans
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry to appear on The Tonight Show
Search Aerosmith at hennemusic
