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'I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I'm back' Steven Tyler has decided to leave his role as a judge on American Idol after just two years, the Aerosmith frontman said today. "After some long, hard thoughts, I've decided it's time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit," Tyler said in a statement. "I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I'm back - but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I got two fists in the air and I'm kicking the door open with my band. The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass - the ultimate in auditory takeover. "Idol was over the top fun, and I loved every minute of it," Tyler added. "Now it's time to bring rock back." Tyler's decision comes in the middle of Aerosmith's current Global Warming Tour with openers Cheap Trick. The North American trek finds them gearing up for the planned November 6th release of Music From Another Dimension, the band's first studio album since 2004. The group debuted the record's first single, "Legendary Child," during Idol's season finale this year. "He's been a terrific judge, a true friend and great mentor to everyone involved with the show, and we know he'll continue to be a huge inspiration to Idol hopefuls for years to come," said Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment at Fox. "We are very sad that Steven has chosen to focus more on his music, but we always knew when we hired a rock & roll legend, he would go back to the music." Added Simon Fuller, the show's co-creator and executive producer, "Steven Tyler is a real 'Idol,' a rock legend. If you had told me 10 years ago he would be a judge on American Idol, I would have thought it impossible. The fact that this became a reality and we had the pleasure of him gracing our stage for two seasons makes me very proud. I completely understand his desire to get back to his life as the singer in America's greatest-ever rock band." Tyler's announcement

Aerosmith frontman praises Hugh Hefner, talks new album Steven Tyler poses with Playboy Bunnies at the 15th anniversary of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp at The Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills Steven Tyler walked up the driveway to the entrance of the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles like it was a second home. Surrounded by a large entourage as he was led to the red carpet, Tyler stopped to bare a Cheshire Cat's grin as he looked at the four lovely Playboy Bunnies waiting to pose for pictures with him. The rock star and the equally iconic home that has hosted thousands of parties seemed made for each other, but this was Tyler's first visit ever to the Holmby Hills grounds. How was that possible that in all the years of Aerosmith's success, the frontman had never been to one of the famous Halloween parties or a Midsummer Night's Dream? "I was too busy in someone's bathroom getting high," Tyler told Rolling Stone. "I was too busy on tour, I was too busy writing songs. We were just busy." While he had never been to the house that Hef built, Tyler has crossed paths with the famed Lothario, Hugh Hefner. And Tyler is a big fan. "I love people that are committed to their crimes of passion and he is the gentleman of all time," Tyler told us. "He's been on every man's mind around the world at least a hundred times in their lifetime for what he did. So he signifies the joys of womanhood and not the degradation . . . and even women love Playboy." What finally brought Tyler to the mansion after more than 40 years in the spotlight was Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, a program that allows people to live out their rock & roll dreams and spend four intense days training with counselors to play with Tyler or other superstars, such as Kiss' Gene Simmons, who will be the headliner at an upcoming event in Las Vegas from October 10th through 14th. Tyler got involved with the camp last year through Mark Hudson, a counselor in the program who co-wrote Aerosmith's "Livin' On The Edg