The Updated Steven Tyler

I was pleased to read Jon Caramanica's piece in the New York times (online), last Wednesday.
Steven Tyler Escapes From Idolatry.
Pleased because the author highlighted something that stood out for me as we watched one of the recent audition episodes. The incident involved one of Idol's often annoyingly manipulative "sob stories".

"The moment when Mr. Tyler, one of this season’s new judges, claimed the show as his own came during the third night of auditions. Chris Medina tried out with a muscular version of The Script’s “Breakeven” after telling the story of how his fiancée, Juliana Ramos, suffered a brain injury that left her in a wheelchair, able to move her left arm and little more.

After he sang, he brought Ms. Ramos in to the audition room at the judges’ behest. By any measure it was difficult to watch, testing the viewer’s urge to turn away, to wish for a speedy change of scene.

Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez introduced themselves to Ms. Ramos, but Mr. Tyler took charge. “Hi, girl,” he said, shaking her hand. “I just heard your fiancé sing, and he’s so good.” At this point, as she teetered back and forth, he was gripping her shoulder and staring at her comfortingly: a rock, a confidant, a seducer. “You know, because he sings to you all the time,” he said, leaning in to her, stroking her hair, kissing her warmly — all with tenderness — then whispering in her ear, “That’s why he sings so good, because he sings to you.”



It was a stellar embrace, the sort of practiced sincerity that’s one of the wages of extreme celebrity. Except that, over time, it can shake free of its dishonesty, as was the case here. In that moment Mr. Tyler was both deeply practiced and deeply humane. It made for a stunning display of kindness unusual not just for “Idol,” but for all of popular culture in matters of dealing with the severely disabled."

As I see it Mr Tyler's action sprang directly from an innate kindness, an Aries/Leo-ness. The impulsive warmth, kindliness and sense of fun have shone from him from his first appearance. Okay - if someone wants to describe his pointed stares at an auditioning gal, a quarter his age, as "leering" that's in the mind of the beholder. I look at it like this: any gal (or guy) aiming for a career in the spotlight has to be willing audiences, whether judges or the public, to stare at them - so they'd best get used to it. In any case, I see no overtly lascivious leers - only encouragement, approval, interest, or perhaps a weighing up of how the gal might have dressed herself more stylishly - or less vampishly.

Another look at Steven Tyler's chart (my earlier posts are HERE and HERE)




Lots of emphasis on Fire signs, being more pronounced because Jupiter is at home in its rulership Sagittarius and Sun and Mars are in what astrologers term "mutual recption" - which means that they are in each other's rulerships, Sun is in Aries ruled by Mars, Mars in Leo ruled by Sun....a series of celestial underlinings.

I wish we had Steven's birth time - anybody know it?

That opposition Uranus/Jupiter (the unexpected/exaggertion) is no doubt a reflection of his quirky style and signature outlandish antics on stage.

The "Yod" (Finger of Fate) is interesting too. It links Netune (creativity) and Pluto (sexy and powerful) by helpful sextile (no pun intended) to Mercury, planet of communication, by two quincunx aspects (150*). The characteristics of the to sextiled planets are said to be chanelled through the planet at the configuration's apex - Mercury (communication) in this case. Works for me!

The linked article mentions that Mr Tyler is "scheduled to release a memoir — “Does the Noise In My Head Bother You?” — this year..." More communicative skills surfacing!

I'll stick my neck out - again - and predict that there are changes in the pipeline for Steven Tyler, later this year and into 2012 as Uranus transits his Aries Sun, backtracks then transits again. Perhaps his stellar performance on American Idol will lead along previously unthought of career paths for him.



It's looking increasingly likely that Steven Tyler will be my only reason for continuing to watch Season 10. Already, at this early stage the emphasis and re-gurgitation of a set of five or six "sob stories", and "pimping" of producers' favourites is becoming wearing. Even with Nigel Lythgoe in charge, audience manipulation continues apace.

This week's episodes, aired tonight and tomorrow, feature the travesty known as "group rounds" where the remaining contestants are split into groups of 3 or 4 and left to arrange a performance, singing together. Where many young teens and twenties are gathered together, competing egos and levels of excellence rapidly oppose one another. All manner of unpleasantness often ensues. Men are separated from boys, and the gals - well, they'd better rope in their inner divas, at least for this round.