Artists are notorious for losing sight of their objectives and going off the rails in the music industry, particularly in the rock and roll scene, after experiencing success and wealth. Even though drugs and alcohol are frequently present in such circumstances, they can occasionally worsen into mental health disorders. This can manifest as anxiety, depression, or panic attacks, but in Steven Tyler’s case, it manifested as kleptomania.
Tyler, like many others before him, has experienced numerous highs and some shallow times in his time with Aerosmith. He was also known as “the Spider” and was well-known for his severe drug addiction. He was renowned for crawling about the floor looking for any cocaine that could have spilled. His addiction had a significant negative influence on not only his physical and emotional well-being but also Aerosmith’s concerts as he once passed out on stage.
Many people are unaware of the lead singer’s history of kleptomania, which was prominent at one time in his life, despite the fact that he is an artist whose use of drugs and alcohol has been linked to his career. Joe Perry, an Aerosmith bandmate, revealed specifics regarding Tyler’s kleptomaniac inclinations in his 2014 autobiography, “Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith.”
In his autobiography, the Toxic Twins’ other half said that back when the band first formed, Steven, showed signs of kleptomania. It once reached the point where they missed a concert as a result of him picking up a slide projector. Separately, armed men charged Tyler with stealing $2,000 from luggage. When they threatened Tyler, the situation became more serious, but with Gary Cabozzi’s assistance—almost like a scene from a movie—he stormed in brandishing a sword to threaten them back, and the group was able to come to an amicable agreement.
Gary Cabozzi discovered after 20 years that Tyler had actually taken the money even though they had survived the incident that day. On that particular day, the rocker was at fault, but they were successful thanks to their friend, so Steven Tyler didn’t have to take responsibility for what he did.
Tyler probably had a lot more instances when he couldn’t consistently resist the urge to steal things he usually didn’t need. Tyler’s drug addiction and kleptomania both caused Aerosmith to struggle, which in turn hurt the band’s image and prevented Tyler from giving his best performances.
Despite Aerosmith’s lengthy history, that aspect of his also cost them performances and damaged their reputation in the eyes of fans and reviewers. The musician appears to have overcome his kleptomania, much as he did after going to rehab and fighting his drug addiction.