'American Idol's tenth season something new, Steven Tyler promises

American Idol viewers will see something they've never seen before when Steven Tyler joins Jennifer Lopez and sole returning judge Randy Jackson on the show's tenth-season judging panel, the Aerosmith singer believes.


"I think it's funny. I think there's love up there that you've never seen. Certainly, there's camaraderie that you haven't seen in 10 years. About that, I'm really happy that I get along with Randy so well -- J-Lo is a fox -- she's also got a good big heart," Tyler told reporters during a Tuesday conference call. 

While he barely knew Randy and J-Lo before Idol brought them together, Tyler told reporters he had an instant connection with Randy and gained interest in working with J-Lo after seeing her movie The Back-up Plan.

"I met Randy first and Randy was the s**t. I love Randy. He and I got [along] within the first five minutes. It was like we were separated at birth, and we had so many similarities and music curriculum and program -- whatever he's been through -- I've been through. And we mentioned names and we knew everybody and how we had met before was beyond me," he said.

"And yeah, on the way from England to America I saw J-Lo's movie The Back-up Plan and I fell in love with her, and I was watching going, 'Oh my God, it's Jennifer Lopez!...' The way she plays that to a guy that was just falling in love with her -- the way she played her part -- I could so relate to her. And I thought, 'Anybody that could be this open and honest -- even acting, she had to go for it -- all I can tell you is that when I met her, she was exactly all that and I'm grateful that she got the part."


Although he's a rock star, Tyler believes he will bring some well-rounded skills to the American Idol judging table.  

"Will that bring a rock element? Yeah. My personality -- but I'm also very -- I got a good ear for all music, and that's why I thought I would take this. It's not a one-thing type judging," Tyler said.

"I'm good for all different musics and listening to voicing and the spirit of and the imperfections of someone's voice, because not all singer make great rockstars. Some of the voices that aren't the best -- they make the best rockstars -- I mean to say. So, it's been fun."

Tyler said he can pick out the best in many of American Idol's auditioners and also acknowledge the worst. However he admitted he made a couple comments he later regretted when Idol's tenth-season auditions began and it took him time to get comfortable in his new judging role.  

"I made some harsh comments first week, and they snap back and say, 'What do you mean!?' I only did two of those. There were only two of those because I didn't want that to happen again. I couldn't say that you were 'no good' without substantiating why, and the couple times that I said, 'You know, you just don't have it,' they did ask me why," Tyler explained.


"And I couldn't tell them why. I just heard -- it's just that I'm looking for that certain something -- while I heard that certain something in a negative way. I didn't see a star. I didn't see this, and I didn't have the goods to tell him that. I hadn't ever really watched the show and I wasn't really versed in that type of judging. I got three daughters, so it was hard for me. Those few times after that, I was ready to go and I jumped right back in both feet."

Tyler wouldn't get into specifics about how long the American Idol judging contract he signed last summer is for, but he did confirm it would cover more than one year.

"I have more than a one-year contract, but it's -- as you know -- things are what they are. But I have more than one-year contract. I'll give you that one. Can I elaborate? No, I can't," Tyler confirmed.

In addition, Tyler joked that American Idol might be just the beginning of a new television career for him.

"I'm always ready to take it up a notch. I'm not sure if it's -- it used to be my frivolity, but now it's -- I'm addicted to adrenaline, I still like a good challenge... someday I'll have my own show called -- different type of Survivor -- I don't know what. They'll put me in a barrel and throw me into the ocean, so it'll be called Message in a Bottle. They'll put me in a giant bottle and see what shore I land. Then I'll marry the person and we'll see what our kids look like," Tyler joked.


"But I don't know, I'm ready for anything. I'm ready for anything, and nothing has been more convincing that I'm ready for anything than this last year with Aerosmith. Yes, we're getting ready to launch a tour in November/December. It's already booked. The songwriting starts next week. So, everything you hear is a lot of hearsay and a lot of muck that's been thrown around and there's no validity to it. I'm here to tell you that."






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski