Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has entered a treatment program following a relapse, prompting the band to halt their upcoming Las Vegas residency, PEOPLE reports.
On Tuesday, the band said via a statement shared on Instagram that Tyler recently underwent foot surgery as he prepared to return to the stage. However, the rocker’s use of medication to manage his pain following the procedure inadvertently unearthed old demons.
“As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has worked on his sobriety for many years,” the statement read. “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.”
The band has canceled the June and July dates of the Deuces Are Wild residency, which was set to begin at Dolby Live at Park MGM on June 17th.
“We are truly sorry to inform our fans and friends that we must cancel our first set of Las Vegas Residency dates this June and July while he focuses on his well-being,” Aerosmith said. “We will continue our 2022 dates starting in September, and we’ll let you know any further updates as soon as we can. We are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows.”
“Thank you for your understanding and for your support for Steven during this time,” they concluded.
Tyler has long been open about his battle with substance abuse. He once revealed that in 1988, his bandmates staged an intervention out of desperation to help their friend.
“There was a moment in ’88 where management and the band pulled an intervention on me,” he told Haute Living in 2019. “They thought, ‘Get the lead singer sober, and all our problems would be over.’ So I got sober and, you know, it took me many years to get over the anger of them sending me to rehab while they went on vacation.”
He added: “But today, because of that moment … I am grateful and owe a thanks to them for my sobriety.”
Aerosmith announced the return of Deuces Are Wild in March, and were scheduled to play 24 shows through December.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
