Rocks by Joe Perry

Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith by Joe Perry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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.

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