Steven Tyler to sue to keep his job?

It appears Steven Tyler won't hand over the mic without a fight.

Lawyers for the Aerosmith frontman have fired off a letter to the band's manager, Howard Kaufman, demanding that the band work with Tyler, not against him.

First reported by Billboard, the letter from Skip Miller requests Aerosmith's management "immediately cease and desist from engaging in acts and conduct to the harm and detriment of your own client, Aerosmith, and our client who is one of its members." Miller has also called a meeting of Aerosmith's "shareholders" on Feb. 9 to talk about the band's future, including recording new music and touring Europe and South America.

"We reserve all of our legal rights and remedies in this matter, including, without limitation, pursuing legal action for damages and other appropriate relief," Miller wrote, "Steven Tyler does not want lawsuits. We do not want to go in that direction. The direction we want is Aerosmith, with Steven Tyler, touring in Europe, touring Latin America, releasing a new album...This is the direction it's all intended to go. It's just amazing to me current management would be taking any other position."

Aerosmith's management declined comment.

Asked what will happen if Aerosmith decides to carry on without Tyler, Miller told Billboard, "we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. I hope we don't. I don't think we will."

We'll see about that.

Aerosmith has been casting a wide net as it looks for a singer to replace its wayward frontman. In recent days, there have been reports that Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer have already approached Billy Idol, former Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers, and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell about filling in for Tyler. (According to Classic Rock magazine, Cornell responded: ‘[Expletive], can you imagine how ridiculous that would be?’)

Closer to home, what about Gary Cherone? We spied the Extreme singer - who succeeded Sammy Hagar in Van Halen - with Kramer at Saturday’s sold-out Cheap Trick show. Hmm. (Eagle bassist Timothy B. Schmit was also backstage.)

Tyler, meanwhile, is supposed to be rehabbing in Los Angeles, but continues to be out and about. On Jan. 19, he jumped on the PA system at a Home Depot and sang a few Aerosmith songs for startled shoppers. His manager Eric Sherman told People.com that Tyler has completed the first 30 days of a 90-day program, and is in fine shape. “[Steven’s] a performer 24/7 - whether he’s onstage, at the Home Depot, or singing karaoke.’’