Steven Tyler insists he is not quitting Aerosmith

(AFP PHOTO/Dibyangshu SARKAR)

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler made a surprise appearance at a New York concert on Tuesday night to reassure fans and deny reports that he was quitting his band.

The 61-year-old took the stage at a concert by his bandmate Joe Perry and performed a twist on Aerosmith's classic "Walk This Way."

"I just want New York to know I'm not leaving Aerosmith and Joe Perry, you are a man of many colors, but I... am a rainbow!" he shouted to the thrilled audience.

The future of Aerosmith, formed almost 40 years ago in Boston, seemed to be in doubt earlier this week after comments Tyler made in an interview with British music magazine Classic Rock.

"I don't know what I'm doing yet," he said. "But it's definitely going to be something Steven Tyler: working on the brand of myself - Brand Tyler."

Perry, Aerosmith's guitarist, fueled the rumors after telling the Las Vegas Sun newspaper in an interview that the frontman had left the band after a recent concert in Abu Dhabi.

"Steven quit as far as I can tell," Perry told paper. "I don't know anymore than you do about it."

Tyler is one of the founding members of Aerosmith, one of the world's most prolific bands and responsible for hits including "Walk This Way," "Sweet Emotion" and "Back in the Saddle."