Perry, known as the Toxic Twins because they would do any drug put in front of them, had an intense love-hate relationship; it was a kindred-spirit, brotherly thing one minute and an ego-trip personality clash the next. For years the band did whatever it took to put on a good show for the fans, but the fighting between Tyler and Perry eventually found its way on stage at the sacrifice of great per- formances. After the release of Night in the Ruts in November 1979, Joe Perry officially left Aerosmith and formed the Joe Perry Project. By mid- December the band was selling out smaller venues and getting rave reviews from the media. About the time the Joe Perry Project had been declared hot, Aerosmith was declared not, and its Nights in the Rut arena tour was cancelled. For a few years, Perry worked on his band, and Whitford even backed him up on occasion. Aerosmith continued, filling the gaps in the band with other talented musicians. But neither the Project nor a e ro s m i th : r e i n v en t i ng a roc k-a nd - ro l l b a nd |     Aerosmith had the power, dazzle, or impact that the five bad boys from Boston had when they were together. The power came from their union-that magical something that happens when bodies, souls, minds, and energies meld to form an entity that is much stronger than the mere sum of its parts. Rising from the ashes of burned bridges, bruised egos, and thou- sands of shared joints came the new Aerosmith, one that would expe- rience more success-both financial and personal-than the original band. Getting clean and sober was key in restructuring the band, especially since all of the original members were back on board. Today, as the band approaches 15 years of sobriety, each member is quick to say that life is more rewarding and focused than ever before.       Not the Same Old Song and Dance: Reintroducing the Aeros mith Br and   Reentering the rock arena meant reintroducing the Aerosmith brand to a market that had changed during its absence. Hard rock had given way to the hair bands* and new-wave punk sounds of the 1980s, and music had taken on a new visual dimension with the invasion of MTV. To complicate things further, Aerosmith hadnt left the music scene with a good reputation because the bands performances had suffered fiercely due to the members abuse of drugs. Many labeled them washed-up has-beens-victims of the excesses of success.     Reinvention with Brand Discipline   Formulating Aerosmiths comeback was challenging at best. What would be the right combination of newness that would make the band relevant in the music scene and familiarity that would enhance the