Steven Tyler American Idol: Celebrating 1 Year Clean

Steven Tyler: Clean, sober and thrilled to be an American Idol judge!

Steven  Tyler (don’t call him ‘Steve’, J. Lo!) is loving American Idol, and fans/contestants are loving him right back.

Much unlike the crass and pompous Simon Cowell, Steven Tyler has compassion and is encouraging. Steven Tyler loves music for many different reasons than Simon and is more genuine and passionate about it. He IS music.

Steven says that he tries not to crush the dreams of American Idol hopefuls, but says some young artists DO need to understand that it takes hard work. “I’m not into flambéing, but I didn’t fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian,” he says.

People magazine recently had readers send in questions for Steven Tyler and they were great. Check ‘em out:

• Reports in the media have said you had some health issues this past year. How are you feeling?

– B. Tharp from Lebanon, Ohio

Steven Tyler: “I’m on fire. I finished my book, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?, I’m doing Idol and I just celebrated a year sober. Life is good.

• I am sure contestants will be covering Aerosmith songs. What are your thoughts on that?

– Karen Thomas from Cranberry Twp., Pa.

Steven Tyler: ”It’s a bad idea. I could find a little room to stretch in any song, but when they do your own you get to be a bit more critical. You’re not going to sway me doing one of my songs.”

• Your father [Vic Tallarico] taught me music at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx. How does he feel about you on Idol?

– Sabrina Repetti-Oliva from New Providence, N.J.

Steven Tyler: ”I’ll tell my dad you say hello. He’s 94 and he loves it. And my kids [Liv, 33; Mia, 32; Chelsea, 21; and Taj, 19] are really proud. They love just about everything I do. They know that no matter what it is, I’m going to have so much fun with it that it’s gonna come out great.”

• Ever thought what your life would be like if you weren’t famous?

– Lexy T. Aztec, N.M.

Steven Tyler: ”I’d be a piano tuner or a landscaper, or in one of those lookout posts in the woods with Smokey the Bear. I wanted to be a conservationist.”

• Where do you buy your signature scarves that you wrap around your microphone?

– Kylie Cooper Odinville, Ala.

Steven Tyler: ”A designer makes my stage clothes, so when they get some fabric, I usually take that. The scarves on my mic stand in the early ’70s were my ragged clothes. If my judge’s mic had a longer neck, I’d tie a scarf to it.”