It’s been a crazy couple of weeks for Aerosmith. First, according to Joe Perry, the members of the band find out via the Internet that frontman Steven Tyler is quitting. Then, Perry made public overtures of replacing the iconic singer, only to have Tyler show up unexpectedly at Perry’s gig, sing one song, declare himself still in the band and leave without another word. As if that wasn’t enough drama, Tyler later stated via his Twitter account that he was taking two years off from the band to focus on his own projects, “definitely ‘Brand Tyler.'” So, what the heck in going on?

As Steven Tyler’s bandmates ponder the future now that he has decided to take a two-year break from Aerosmith, they are also expressing concerns about the singer’s well-being.

“I think that he needs help and that attention needs to be put to his health,” drummer Joey Kramer tells PEOPLE.

And Kramer says he isn’t referring to the broken shoulder Tyler sustained when he fell off the stage during a concert in August.

Asked if he thinks there is something else going on with Tyler, he says, “I do.”

Recent reports in the Boston Herald and online suggest Tyler, who battled drug addiction in the ’70s and ’80s and checked into a rehab center last year to detox from painkillers, may be partying again.

Though Kramer would not say whether he has seen Tyler use drugs recently, he says he is concerned because the singer has “isolated himself.”

Says Kramer, “He’s got some bad influences in his life right now and he’s making poor choices.”

Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford tells PEOPLE, “His behavior is spinning out of control.”

Tyler’s bandmates say they haven’t spoken to him in weeks, but last Tuesday, he unexpectedly showed up at a concert given by Joe Perry. Tyler performed one song with Perry, then took off without saying goodbye.

“I don’t know where he is and what he’s doing,” says Whitford, who admits he, too, is “concerned about [Tyler’s] well-being and his health.”

Cancellations Galore
Though the band had been touring earlier this year, Whitford says that Tyler’s behavior has been “erratic” and “unpredictable.” He notes, “It wasn’t an overnight change. It’s been progressively getting out of hand.”

The result? “Loads of cancellations, canceled tours, and canceled dates,” says Whitford.

For his part, the singer has said he wants to focus on his own brand and possibly record a solo album; he is also working on a memoir. In an August interview with Rolling Stone, he maintained he was not on drugs and said he was “as sober as can be” when he fell off the stage.

On Monday night, he was spotted at The Pump Energy Food in New York City, where he ordered a fresh-squeezed juice made of carrots, beets and ginger. The following night, he attended a John Mayer concert with girlfriend Erin Brady. “Steven was having fun, getting into John’s music, and loving the attention from his fans,” says a source.

A rep for Tyler says, “He’s concentrating on his book right now while his shoulder heals.”

Meanwhile, Kramer, Whitford and bandmates Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton are considering looking for a new lead singer.

“It’s hard for me to imagine getting on stage without Steven,” says Kramer, who hopes that Tyler will rejoin them in the future. “He needs to take care of his health first and get help in order for there to be a future for an Aerosmith that includes him.”

[From People]

Earlier this year, Tyler’s daughter Liv hinted that her dad was in a bad place. “In the past few years we haven’t been very close,” she said. “He has been going through a lot of things on his own and he has not been the… he hasn’t been around that much for us. So that’s been hard.” For a former addict, pushing away friends and family can often be a sign that they’re in trouble. Steven may be able to hide it from the public, but his bandmates and family know him best- if they’re saying they’re concerned, it’s most likely with good reason. My opinion? Aerosmith without Tyler isn’t Aerosmith. Period. If he doesn’t want to be in the band anymore, or needs time off, so be it. Replacing him with a substitute front man is a lousy idea.

Steven Tyler is shown at the Glamour Woman of the Year Awards on 11/9/09. Credit: WENN.com