Toxic Twins

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The Toxic Twins performing together in concert.
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The Toxic Twins performing together in concert.

The Toxic Twins is a nickname given to lead singer Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry of American hard rock band Aerosmith. They were given that name in the 1970s, due to their rampant use of drugs & alcohol both on and off stage, which was a "toxic" combination that almost ended their lives and their careers.

To this day, they are still commonly referred to by this nickname, despite coming clean and maintaining sobriety for the past 20 years. The two have a chemistry both in the studio and onstage that is nearly unmatched in rock and roll. Despite Steven Tyler being a workaholic and more expressive and Joe Perry being more relaxed and more dedicated to his family life, their differences have proven to be vital to the success of the band. This can be reflected very well in the band's video The Making of Pump.

The two are longtime friends and in the early 1980s Steven Tyler came close to crying in a television interview when discussing the pain he felt since Joe Perry left the band. Both Tyler and Perry team up for the majority of Aerosmith's songwriting (they share songwriting credits on over 80 songs) and leadership responsibilities, and are the most recognized members of the band. Because of this, the three remaining members of Aerosmith, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer are known jokingly within the band as the "LI3" or "Less interesting three".

Contents

[edit] Collaborations

[edit] Musical

Often times, the Toxic Twins will appear for special performances, appearances, and collaborations, without the other members of Aerosmith. Notable times when this has happened, include:

Additionally, Steven and Joe are part of the "Boneyard Boys", a group which formed circa late 1990s to include Steven, Joe, and friends Marti Frederiksen and Mark Hudson, among others, who help spearhead the songwriting, production, and much of the creative process in Aerosmith.

[edit] Business

The two also co-owned a restaurant in Norwell, MA called Mount Blue, of which they have since sold their share.

[edit] Personal

  • In the mid-1990s, between the albums Get a Grip and Nine Lives, Steven and Joe and their families vacationed together in Florida.
  • The Toxic Twins were also notably featured in Ted Nugent's book God, Guns, and Rock 'n' Roll, in which Ted praises the duo for coming clean and talks about how they came to his ranch in the 1990s to shoot firearms and spend time with him and his family.

[edit] Similar Musical Duos

The name "Toxic Twins" may have been inspired by the "Glimmer Twins", the nickname for Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who they have often been compared to musically. Additionally, it may have inspired other musical nicknames, like the "Terror Twins" of Def Leppard.

Aerosmith
Steven Tyler | Joe Perry | Brad Whitford | Tom Hamilton | Joey Kramer
Ray Tabano | Jimmy Crespo | Rick Dufay
Discography
Studio albums: Aerosmith | Get Your Wings | Toys in the Attic | Rocks | Draw the Line | Night in the Ruts | Rock in a Hard Place | Done with Mirrors
Permanent Vacation | Pump | Get a Grip | Nine Lives | Just Push Play | Honkin' on Bobo
Live albums: Live! Bootleg | Classics Live I and II | A Little South of Sanity | Rockin' the Joint
Compilations: Aerosmith's Greatest Hits | Gems | Pandora's Box | Big Ones | Box of Fire | Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology
O, Yeah! The Ultimate Aerosmith Hits | Devil's Got a New Disguise - The Very Best of Aerosmith
Singles: "Mama Kin" | "Dream On" | "Same Old Song and Dance" | "Train Kept A-Rollin'" | "Sweet Emotion" | "Last Child" | "Home Tonight" | "Walk This Way"
"Back in the Saddle" | "Draw the Line" | "Kings and Queens" | "Come Together" | "Chip Away the Stone" | "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" | "Lightning Strikes"
"Let the Music Do the Talking" | "Shela" | "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" | "Hangman Jury" | "Angel" | "Rag Doll" | "Love in an Elevator" | "Janie's Got a Gun"
"What it Takes" | "The Other Side" | "F.I.N.E." | "Monkey on My Back" | "Eat the Rich" | "Livin' on the Edge" | "Fever" | "Cryin'" | "Amazing" | "Shut Up and Dance"
"Deuces are Wild" | "Crazy" | "Blind Man" | "Walk on Water" | "Nine Lives" | "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" | "Hole in My Soul" | "Pink" | "Taste of India"
"Full Circle" | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" | "What Kind of Love Are You On" | "Angel's Eye" | "Jaded" | "Fly Away from Here" | "Sunshine" | "Just Push Play"
"Girls Of Summer" | "Baby, Please Don't Go" | "Devil's Got a New Disguise"
Videography
Videos: Live Texxas Jam '78 | 3 x 5 | Aerosmith Scrapbook | Things That Go Pump in the Night | The Making of Pump | Big Ones You Can Look At | You Gotta Move
Concert tours
Early Days | Toys in the Attic Tour | Rocks Tour | Draw the Line Tour | Night in the Ruts Tour | Rock in a Hard Place Tour | Back in the Saddle Tour
Permanent Vacation Tour | Pump Tour | Get a Grip Tour | Nine Lives Tour | Just Push Play Tour | Girls of Summer Tour | Rocksimus Maximus Tour
Honkin' on Bobo Tour | Rockin' the Joint Tour | Route of All Evil Tour
Related content
Achievements and Awards | Contributions to Pop Culture | Outtakes | Toxic Twins | The Joe Perry Project
Jack Douglas | Bruce Fairbairn | Desmond Child | John Kalodner | Mark Hudson | Jim Vallance | Richie Supa | Tim Collins | Marti Frederiksen
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster | Flaming Moe's | Quest for Fame | Revolution X
Category:Aerosmith songs | Category:Aerosmith albums | Category:Aerosmith tours