Steven Tyler's daughter has opened up about the rock star's wild past, including the reason why he wraps scarves around his microphone.
The Aerosmith frontman, 77, has never been shy about his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, but now, his daughter Mia Tyler is lifting the veil on just how wild things really got back in the day.
And yes, it includes a pretty jaw-dropping reason behind his signature mic stand look.
Steven’s battle with substance abuse is no secret. In May 2022, Aerosmith confirmed that the rocker had relapsed after more than a decade of sobriety.
The relapse reportedly happened after foot surgery required pain management, leading Steven to voluntarily check himself into rehab, according to the New York Post.
Mia, 46, who shares the spotlight with her half-sister Liv Tyler, 47, opened up about their legendary dad’s rockstar antics on Monday’s episode of the Sibling Revelry podcast.
“The story of why he has scarves on his microphone is because he liked to hide his pills and whatnot,” Mia alleged during the episode. “So he could do them live on stage.”
According to Mia, those colorful, flowing scarves weren’t just for flair—they were functional.
She went even further, claiming the scarf trick wasn’t Steven’s only onstage stash spot.
“He would have little pockets sewn so he could be on stage and just take whatever it was that he was [ingesting],” she added.
“As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has worked on his sobriety for many years,” the band said in a statement that included members Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, and Brad Whitford.
“After foot surgery to prepare for the stage and the necessity of pain management during the process, he has recently relapsed and voluntarily entered a treatment program to concentrate on his health and recovery.”
That same relapse forced Aerosmith to cancel the first leg of their Las Vegas residency in June and July 2022—a move that left fans both heartbroken and concerned.
Steven himself has spoken candidly about his relationship with drugs. In a 2019 interview with Haute Living, he admitted: “All the magic that you thought worked when you were high comes out when you get sober.”
He added: “You realize it was always there, and your fear goes away.” But he also acknowledged that substance use gave him “a certain rawness,” though it also held him back from achieving his full potential.
As if that weren’t enough, Steven suffered a major setback in September 2023 when he damaged his vocal cords during a show in New York—an injury that led to internal bleeding and ultimately derailed Aerosmith’s long-anticipated Peace Out: The Farewell Tour.
At the time, the band assured fans they were hopeful for a recovery. But by August 2024, it became clear that the damage was permanent.
“We’ve always wanted to blow your mind when performing. As you know, Steven’s voice is an instrument like no other. He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury. We’ve seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side,” the band said in an emotional statement.
“Sadly, it is clear, that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible. We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision – as a band of brothers – to retire from the touring stage.”
It marked the end of an era, closing the curtain on one of rock’s most iconic live acts.