Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith

See the most humble and loyal man in RocknRoll say it as it is. Well written.

Excelente livro!!!

In questi libro c'è tutta la vita di Perry! La droga, il sesso, il suo enorme p...e di 35cm, l'eccesso del rock e la vita da star mondiale. Perry è il numero uno e in questo libro c'è tutta la sua vita!

I collect rock biographies and autobiographies and Joe Perry's story makes for an excellent read! It's an honest, truthful account of the musician and his life. He tells his story unpretentiously with no effort to gloss over the rough stuff - it's all laid out raw for the reader. Joe Perry is a tremendous musician and he's pretty decent writer as well. Rocks is a good read

Ein sehr interessantes, umfassendes Buch für Fans mit vielen Farb- und Schwarzweißfotos. In Englisch geschrieben.

I had no doubt that I would get around to read Joe Perry’s autobiography; Perry’s outro solo on “No More, No More” is what inspired me to pick up a guitar almost 40 years ago. While fame/infamy seems to go hand-in-hand with the rock-n-roll memoirs being cranked out these days, surprisingly few include anything of substance and most seem to rely on shock value over a worthy story. Arguably, ROCKS proves several things: 1. in some cases, an individual member’s perspective of a band is necessary, honest and believable, 2. the experience of surviving 40+ years in the unforgiving world of rock-n-roll and remaining on top is a tale worth hearing about, 3. Joe Perry is a pretty damn good storyteller.Aerosmith, one of rock’s preeminent American bands, has certainly provided a cautious template for every band that followed it. That template includes the band’s hard-scrabble beginning, rise to fame, exploitation, fall from grace and resurrection. Joe Perry, as a founding member and half of the “Toxic Twins” (the name given to the drug-fueled, but prolific songwriting partnership he shares with Steven Tyler), arguably has the best perspective (and best demeanor) to honestly divulge the band’s dirt. While ROCKS is NOT a flame-throwing, bomb-dropping shocker, Perry certainly delivers the hard truths about Aerosmith’s tumultuous history, his tempestuous relationship with Tyler, the women, the drugs and the resilience needed to bring life back to a band that he left for dead.What impressed me about ROCKS more than anything was Perry’s open and even-handed approach to the book and the band. Ever since I first got into Aerosmith (mid-to-late 70s), I was not only intrigued by their bluesy, edgy, hard-driving sound, but also the band’s general PO’d appearance (check out the cover of their first album) … they looked as edgy and hard-driving as they sounded. While we all are aware that Steven Tyler as the screaming, screeching mouthpiece of Aerosmith (on and off stage), Perry always came across as the silent, brooding union-shop leader representing the blue-collar team comprised of the other band members (Brad Whitford, Joey Kramer and Tom Hamilton). With ROCKS, Perry sheds that quiet persona and truly opens up by sharing vivid details of his life in and outside of Aerosmith. While the crux of the book certainly centers on his band, we also get an interesting and somewhat un-stereotypical image of his personal life and family. Sure, drugs and alcohol share a sizeable chunk of the books pages, but his devotion to family is an underlying theme from beginning to end. Perry reveals that behind the thunder of his Marshall stacks, the clouds of coke-dust and mobs of screaming fans is a surprisingly grounded, savvy man who admits he’s always been the type of guy devoted to the woman he’s with (somewhat astonishing considering the band’s first apex occurred during the golden era of groupies). I found the manner in which Perry discusses his life to be quite engaging … he has a knack of generating a vivid picture of events without being verbose or getting off track (unlike many memoirs I’ve read). Perry actually comes across as quite humble and respectful … even when discussing the trials and tribulations involving his relationship with Tyler and his ex-wife Elyssa.So, what makes ROCKS rock? To put it simply, the journey. Readers don’t have to be a fan of Aerosmith to enjoy the front-car view of the 40+ year rollercoaster ride that is Perry’s life. It details the hedonism we expect from a rock icon, without the bombast. And, while he delivers the goods on his relationship with Tyler, he does more to debunk the myths associated with their relationship than pour gasoline on a simmering fire. For example, I distinctly remember (as a kid) going to a pizza joint with my baseball team after a game and hearing someone tell us than the Aerosmith concert was cancelled because Tyler and Perry got into a fistfight on stage the previous night … well, that never happened (Perry states the brotherly animosity between he and Tyler has never come to blows). Sure, there are a few barbs thrown at his “toxic twin”, but overall, regardless of what the media may depict, there has always been a brotherly bond amongst all members of the band … even when things fell apart in the early 80s. Despite the lack of overt drama and “gotcha” moments, the book delivers a steady rolling account of minor and significant events that keeps you interested the whole way through. Surprisingly, it’s not solely a Perry/Tyler affair, the book provides a nice overview of the band that sheds light on the other member’s contributions. Additionally, we get some insight on the business side of rock music (including a cult-like manager whose control creeped into the bands' personal lives) and the interaction amongst fellow rock icons (the pages are filled with such contacts) … Perry paints himself quite humbly throughout. While I’ve always been a fan of Perry and Aerosmith; reading his story makes me appreciate the band even more as it is evident their success is hard earned. I loved getting the details on how Aerosmith became the villains (and the only segment worth watching) in the “Sgt. Pepper” movie with Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees. Or, how they re-worked “Walk this Way” with RunDMC; vaulting them into the realm of MTV and generating more fame and wealth than ever. Through it all, Perry has remained grounded and focused (on his music and family). I guess I was expecting a controversial expose (like so many other rock memoirs), but found myself immersed in a more believable story that proved to be just as interesting.ROCKS is a worthy read because it is entertaining, informative and more importantly, well-written. A must read for fans of Aerosmith and rock music alike.