I thought I was going to get fired. I really thought Steven Tyler would be mad at me and cost me my job. But he got me. And he got me.

I’m so disappointed to hear that Aerosmith had to end their tour. I was really looking forward to seeing the band again, but I’m glad I got to see them live a few times. But I like to tell this Steven Tyler story because it shows that even the biggest rock stars can have a sense of humor.

Long before my time here at KKLZ, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I worked for a rock radio station in Boston. I loved meeting rock stars. One morning I got a confidential message that Steven Tyler would be stopping by our radio station after studio hours. Only those who needed to know he was coming stayed that night. The rest of the staff was gone by 5:01 p.m. as usual. I wondered if Steven was one of those “please don’t look at me” celebrities and didn’t want anything to do with fans. It would be a shame, because I’ve always been a pretty big Aerosmith fan.

Steven Tyler is coming

When the building was quiet, the wait for Steven to arrive began. I wasn’t going to interview Steven. I wasn’t on the air at the time. I was busy with the website and social media, so my job was just to capture some fun moments on video and snap some pictures to put on the internet. So I wasn’t planning on actually talking to Steven. When a big artist like that comes into the studio, he’s usually out the door within minutes. It’s all business.

When Steven arrived, the empty, quiet building suddenly turned into a wild zoo with his entourage and our DJs doing their thing. I sat back and watched, taking a few photos as Steven was introduced on air and started answering questions about Aerosmith. I tried to get as much footage as possible because I figured time was limited. Artists rarely stay together for more than a song or two.

Instead, Steven Tyler stayed even during the commercial breaks. He had a blast choosing songs and telling stories. He didn’t have to be anywhere and just had fun chilling. He was exactly the Steven Tyler I was hoping for – just a cool, down-to-earth guy.

After Steven drank a few bottles of water to keep his voice clear, he had to use the men’s room during a commercial break. I showed him the way and waited outside to walk him back to the studio. While I waited, I had my phone in my pocket. Should I do it? Should I try to take a photo with him when he comes out? I know I’d be pretty annoyed if someone asked me for a photo after I just came out of the bathroom. But when will I ever get the chance to take a photo with Steven Tyler from Aerosmith again?

Could all second attempts work?

This actually wasn’t the first time I’d been able to ask Steven for a photo. A few years earlier, when I worked for one of those bubblegum pop music radio stations. Our station was broadcasting live from an NSync concert near Boston. I was far from the biggest NSync fan, but the record company offered us pretty incredible seats. The seats were so good, who was sitting a few rows BEHIND me? Of course. Steven Tyler. He was holding his daughter and I didn’t want to disturb her, so I just snapped this photo below.

Ten years after that night, this was my chance to finally get that photo with Steven Tyler. When Steven came out of the bathroom, I did it. I nervously muttered to him, “Hey, I hate to ask, but would you mind taking a quick photo?” Steven stopped on the way back to the studio and just stared at me with a stony expression. He paused. And paused. The look in his eyes made me panic. I made him angry. I shouldn’t have done it. That was a huge mistake. Highly unprofessional. What if he says something and makes a scene? Will the boss be mad? Is my job in jeopardy? All of these questions raced through my mind. It felt like hours, but it was probably only three seconds, when his expression did a 180-degree turn, he giggled, and said, “Absolutely!”

Steven put on his glasses, smiled broadly, and I got the picture you see here.

I’m sure he’s done this before with nervous fans, but to this day it’s still one of my favorite celebrity or musician encounter stories.

After we took the photo, Steven went back to the studio and told stories for about an hour. My heart rate finally returned to normal after I thought I was going to lose my job.

Listen to Geno on the radio weekday afternoons. Geno’s passions include Fat Guy Food, concerts, sports, traveling to Europe and South America. He loves music from the 80s and 90s, from MTV hairbands to old school freestyle, from alternative rock to TRL-era jams. Geno’s radio career began in his hometown of Portland, Maine. Since then, he has been heard on the radio coast to coast from Boston to Las Vegas, Tampa to California.