"Rocks" by Joe Perry with David Ritz

416 pages; Published by Simon & Schuster ©2014

Anyone who knows guitars knows Joe Perry. The slender, string-bending virtuoso who was born and raised in Massachusetts has stories to tell from his life on the road, in the studio and all the places in between. It's a safe bet to say the number of stories equals the number of songs written in and out of Aerosmith, his best known sample of work.

Perry teamed up with writer David Ritz to write "Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith". Perry's effort gives him a chance to tell his side of things alone, unlike 1997's "Walk this Way" which told of the band's history with input from all of the band's original members.

The book's title takes its name from Aerosmith's fourth studio release, considered by many to be one of the best offerings from their catalogue, if not the best. Perry begins his tale in New Hampshire where a story takes the reader into the water. It's an episode he barely survives, the first of many brushes with death or serious injury chronicled in the book. The incidents include, but are not limited to, drug overdoses, motorcycle accidents, fires, and run-ins with local mafia thugs.

From Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire, Perry recounts time growing up in Hopedale, Massachusetts and moving to Boston with four other young men with the dream of starting a band and making it big. From their humble apartment in Boston to their first gig in Hopkinton, the troupe known as "Aerosmith" survives run-ins with the law and arguments between the vocalist and lead guitar player over how loud is too loud as they crisscross New England and build a following with each performance.

Perry details the internal strife concerning the band and his failed first marriage and how he struggled on his own after departing Aerosmith in the late 1970's. He appears to have found a savior in Tim Collins, a Boston-based manager who sees the string-bender through the last chapter of his solo career and eventual reunion with vocalist Steven Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith. Ironically, working with Collins proves to be more than Perry and Co. bargained for, and Joe Perry finds himself facing difficult decisions with his bandmates concerning everyone's future.

"Rocks" is a compelling, engaging page-turner from start to finish. Aerosmith fans will enjoy learning of the origins of songs and the anecdotes behind naming the albums. It is also an inspiring story of kicking substance habits and exorcising personal demons. More than anything, it reminds the reader that no one is perfect, but that shouldn't stop anyone from chasing their dreams or trying to accomplish something.