In 1986, Tim Collins held a meeting with all band members.  The plan was to pressure Steven into a drug rehab program.  The years of heroin addiction had taken a hard grasp of Aerosmith’s lead singer, but he finally agreed to get clean, and soon after that meeting, Steven Tyler entered a rehab center where he successfully completed the program.  The rest of the band members individually checked themselves into rehab clinics during the mid to late 80’s where they too  successfully completed their programs.

Years later, while giving an interview in his hotel suite, Steven Tyler recalled the days of heavy drug addiction.

“Of course I did way too many drugs”, says Tyler. “I spent a lost week in a hotel room with Roger Taylor from Queen, and he wasn’t the only guy. The highs were incredible but the lows made you feel like someone was sucking the blood from your jugular with a straw. I sunk to my knees and lost everything, but I’m part Italian and my good old-fashioned guilt came up and I had to check in to rehab.

When I was doing heroin it gave me a gravelly voice and I just couldn’t hit the notes, but I’m clean now of course. I take great pride in not chickening out of the big notes.”

Steven Tyler was finally free from the clutches of drug addiction.  This new found freedom would set the stage for what would become a rejuvenation of Aerosmith, and their acceptance by mainstream, non hard rock fans.

Aerosmith’s next studio album in 1987 would be a rebirth into super- stardom for the band.  “Permanent Vacation” was released in the fall of 1987, and it would be a major success for Aerosmith.

Permanent Vacation was Aerosmith’s best selling album in over ten years.  It quickly went platinum, and produced such hits as “Dude, Looks Like A Lady”, Rag Doll and Angel”.

The album’s success sprouted a new found fame for Aerosmith, only this time around, the band was sober to really enjoy the fruits of their labor.