• Rocks

  • My Life in and out of Aerosmith
  • By: Joe Perry, David Ritz
  • Narrated by: Joe Perry
  • Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (946 ratings)

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Rocks  By  cover art

Rocks

By: Joe Perry,David Ritz
Narrated by: Joe Perry
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Publisher's summary

In the tradition of the megabestseller Life by Keith Richards, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry opens up for the first time about the wild inside story of his life in the legendary band he cofounded in 1970 - which is still going strong today.

In Rocks, Joe Perry exposes his unrepentant, unbridled life as the lead guitarist of Aerosmith. He delves deep into his volatile, profound, and enduring relationship with singer Steve Tyler and reveals the real people behind the larger-than-life rock gods onstage. The nearly five-decade saga of Aerosmith is epic, at once a study in brotherhood and solitude that plays out on the killing fields of rock and roll.

With record-making hits and colossal album sales, Aerosmith has earned their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But theirs is ultimately a story of endurance, and it starts almost half a century ago, with young Perry, the rebel whose loving parents wanted him to assimilate but who quit school because he didn't want to cut his hair. He met Tyler in a restaurant in New Hampshire and swayed him from pop music to rock and roll, and it didn't take long for the "Toxic Twins" to skyrocket into a world of fame and utter excess.

From the megasuccessful song and music video with Run DMC, "Walk This Way", to the realization that he couldn’t pay his room service bill, Perry takes a personal look into the human stories behind Aerosmith, the people who enabled them, the ones who controlled them, and the ones who changed them. In his own words, Rocks is the whole story: "the loner’s story, the band’s story, the recovery story, the cult story, the love story, the success story, the failure story, the rebirth story, the redestruction story, the postdestructive rebirth story".

©2014 Joe Perry and David Ritz (P)2014 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about Rocks

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Discover Your Passion and Love With A Full Heart

What made the experience of listening to Rocks the most enjoyable?

This book is so much more than a "Rock 'N Roll" memoir - it is a story of Joe Perry's passion and his deep, intense love for those closest to him. It is about the music - the creativity, the performance, the passion, the drive. It's about the love - the love he has for his family, for his wife, for his children, for his bandmates.

What does Joe Perry bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think I enjoyed the audio version of this book much more because of hearing Joe's inflection and emotion when he read the book. That inflection and deeper meaning derived from it really brought the book to life and allowed me, the listener, an "inside look".

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were 2 moments in the book that were very moving for me - I was almost in tears when I listened to Joe describe his father's battles with cancer, his death, and the deep love and respect he had for his father. The second moment was really a series of moments throughout the book as he described his deep and abiding love for his wife, Billie, and his children. I could viscerally "feel" the intense love and deep respect he has for them and how he nurtures and protects his relationships with them.

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book for anyone who truly wants to understand what it means to follow your passion completely and unapologetically and with deep passion and drive.

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17 people found this helpful

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the other side

I read the book that was written by Steven Tyler and his side of his career in relationship with Joe Perry my belief is that Joe Perry told with the way it really was

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Fascinating glimpse into the man and the band

What did you like best about this story?

I loved how this story was narrated by Joe himself and covered his childhood in Massachusetts to his worldwide travels. I felt there was much learned by Joe throughout the years and that he shared his values and growth as a person. Most of all I liked that I got a glimpse into Aerosmith's challenges throughout their career and some insights into the personalities of the entire band.

What about Joe Perry’s performance did you like?

He seemed very earnest and warm - like you were sitting having a beer with a friend.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I listened in my car and was never bored. In fact I found myself making excuses so I could spend more time in the car listening. While I'm not sure I could listen in one entire sitting, I sure looked forward to hearing more every day and never wanted it to end.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommended.

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The Scomo Review

Part rags to riches to rags to riches success story, part Music Business 101, part lesson in drug addiction, part lesson in love and marriage, part intelligent loner rocker taking a philosophical look back his band and his life, and yes, part rant at unscrupulous managers and at frontman Tyler with whom Perry obviously has a classic love/hate relationship. At the end of the book you feel like you've spent the day with that quirky neighbor who can get on people's nerves but about whom you say, "I just love that guy."

Interesting moments:
Joe Perry came from an upper middle class family, quit prep school rather than cut his hair, then took a job a manual labor job while he pursued his music career. That determination, drive, and stubbornness never left him.
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Later in their careers the band was listening to a song which Tyler suggested they cover. Didn't happen, "That's our song", he was told. Shades of Spinal Tap here and when Perry describes attending Aerosmith concert after he quit the band.

Surprising how many times this Toxic Twin talks about wanting his dad's love and approval.

Overall great read.

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8 people found this helpful

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Kick Back As Joe PerryTells His Life Story

Loved it!! Joe Perry leaves nothing out of his life story including the promise of more to come.

Has me going back through their music catalog with renewed interest.

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Interesting story

Good story. I like Joe's poetic view on life.

Edition of the audio could be better... You could noticeably hear the cuts between takes

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Honest and Open

Would you listen to Rocks again? Why?

I am a big Joe Perry fan with that being said, I was in awe to hear his story narrated by Joe himself. That was a treat - wow! The book was very honest and must have been difficult to revisit some of the struggles and dark times in his life. He always struck me as a shy and private person so to put his life out there spoke volumes. I personally would listen to it again because I enjoy some of the history of the group and who he became.

What did you like best about this story?

What I liked best was hearing what it important to him in the end. It wasn't fame or fortune.

Which character – as performed by Joe Perry – was your favorite?

Himself.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

What moved me was hearing his battles and his admissions.

Any additional comments?

I have this book in autographed hardcover also which is a prized possession. But hearing his voice tell the story was like listening to him face to face which is very cool. I feel I know the person Joe Perry a little bit better.

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A must read and listen for the hardcore music fan

I am an even bigger Joe Perry Fan after hearing this. Joe Perry tells about the highs and lows of his life, his relationship with his Aerosmith Brothers and what inspired him to not accept no as an answer when it came to what he wanted to do with his life. The story he tells keeps you captivated and you will not want to press pause or stop. Joe tells it like it is and does not leave out any parts, whether they be good or bad. Great book Joe!!!

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Couldn’t finish

Listening to this was like listening to a 12 year old semi-literate reading from an essay. The content is as expected. Joe Perry’s point of view but this would’ve been much better had he hired an actual story teller to read it with some emotion.
Listen to the sample before buying and if you still decide to buy, I offer my condolences

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I'm disgusted.

The first quarter of this book is poetic, compelling and full of funny, sweet, difficult and interesting memories. The other three-quarters is a self-serving, name-dropping, Steven Tyler did this; Steven Tyler did that; bore of a narrative. I was going to listen to Tyler's book next, but I'm not going to bother. It will probably be more of the same. And worst of all is Perry's repeated down-playing of his addictions to prescription drugs. He says, "Well I never returned to hard drugs or alcohol. These were prescribed drugs in which I indulged." Omigod, if he thinks the rest of us are buying that, maybe he should start reading newspapers. The whole COUNTRY is strung out on prescription drugs and ODing on prescription drugs.. He never says the word "addict." Never once. Not worth a listen, a read and certainly not worth your money. I'm a huge Aerosmith fan and have been since their earliest days. I'll stick to the music. So often artistry comes from assholes …

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