Thoughts on *Does the Noise in My Head Bother You* by Steven Tyler

• Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? A Rock ‘n Roll Memoir written by Steven Tyler, read by Jeremy Davidson
• Audio CD (15 hours on 13 CDs)
• Publisher: HarperAudio; Unabridged edition (May 3, 2011)
• ISBN-13: 978-0061841972

Back-of-the-box blurb: Born Steven Victor Tallarico on March 26, 1948, in Yonkers, New York, Steven Tyler is the iconic songwriter, composer, and voice of Aerosmith—America’s greatest rock ’n’ roll band.

After coming together in Sunapee, New Hampshire, in the late sixties, five musicians moved to Boston and became the band we know today as Aerosmith: Tyler as frontman, guitarist Joe Perry, bassist Tom Hamilton, guitarist Ray Tabano, later replaced by Brad Whitford, and drummer Joey Kramer. The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and won multiple Grammys, American Music awards, Billboard awards, MTV awards, and an Oscar^®—and was inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. The band has memorably appeared in Wayne’s World, The Simpsons, at Superbowl XXXV and was immortalized in their own version of Guitar Hero.

Tyler is considered one of rock’s most recognizable and dynamic frontmen. Rolling Stone has cited Tyler as one of the greatest singers of all time. In December 2010, he performed for President Obama and the First Lady in a special tribute to Sir Paul McCartney at the Kennedy Center Honors, and in January 2011, Tyler joined Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson, and host Ryan Seacrest as a judge on the Fox TV phenomenon American Idol.

She Is Too Fond of Books’ thoughts: The blurb on the back of the CD box makes this sound like a tame biography – born 63 years ago (yikes!?  Steven

Photo credit: Bill's Antique Radio Collection radiotimeline.com

Tyler is 63?!), with a list of accomplishments which include his starring role as the lead of Aerosmith, “America’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band.”  I’m not arguing with that – I’ve loved the music of Aerosmith since I first listened to it on a local AM station, riding around my neighborhood with my blue Toot-a-Loop radio wrapped around the handle of my bike.

Don’t judge me.  I *loved* this memoir – sure, it’s full of sex, and drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, but it also overflows with passion and memories.  Tyler shares his highs (in every sense of the word) and his lows.  His love for his family (especially his daughters) is evident, and is his never-ending struggle to tame his addictive personality.

I can’t decide if Steven Tyler is really, really smart and a little bit crazy … or, really, really crazy. He definitely has a way with words; you can hear it in the lyrics to the songs he has written, as well as in this memoir. He’s a punster, a wordsmith, showing off rhythm and alliteration as he plays with his story.

I was taken by surprise a handful of times when Tyler refers to a thing of great beauty – whether it’s one of his daughters or a striking sunset – and tells us that he cried.  Not that he got tears in his eyes, but that he had an all-out sobbing fit because he was so overcome with emotion provoked by such a sight.  These interludes jarred me a bit, as they were sandwiched in between tales of “snorting blow” from any surface that didn’t walk away.  I guess that’s the artist in him!

It’s a long audiobook (15 hours), with extensive details on the above-mentioned escapades involving sex and drugs (and music!).  There’s quite a bit of “blue” language, including profanity and explicit/crass descriptions.  I’d share this audiobook with my best friend, but not with my mother!

The audiobook is read by Jeremy Davidson, who nails the tone of Tyler’s writing, giving expression and emphasis as appropriate.  Truly, it is such a good fit that it feels as if Tyler himself is narrating the audiobook.

Steven Tyler on stage at BEA 2009 (early promo for this book)

Flying my fan flag at the BEA event

Aerosmith Rock-n-Roller Coaster at Disney Studios Orlando