Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has checked himself into rehab to help overcome an addiction to painkillers, the singer announced in a statement.
The 61-year-old developed the dependency after taking medication to cope with 10 years of performance injuries which have left him with severe chronic pain and needing surgery on his knees and feet.
Earlier this year, the band were forced to cancel a summer tour after Tyler fell off the edge of the stage during a performance, resulting in a broken shoulder.
Announcing the stay in a rehabilitation facility, the singer said he was still committed to the band.
''I love Aerosmith; I love performing as the lead singer in Aerosmith. I am grateful for all of the support and love I am receiving and am committed to getting things taken care of,'' he said.
In a statement to Rolling Stone magazine, he added: ''With the help of my family and team of medical professionals, I am taking responsibility for the management of my pain and am eager to be back on the stage and in the recording studio with my bandmates Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford.''
Tyler was a hard-living rock star during the band's early years, gaining a reputation for his heavy drink and drug abuse in the 1970s.
But he cleaned up his act in the mid-1980s after which the band enjoyed a successful revival.