Definitely not prog news, but worth a thread for those that remember the days when they were a tough rock n' roll outfit. Apparently Tyler blew out his voice at a show a while back and there's not going to be a recovery that will allow him to tour ever again.
https://www.aerosmith.com/news?n_id=2725
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
I saw Aerosmith once, and it was a good show. Almost didn't go. My brother and some friends were going. Me and my friends didn't even have tickets. But that wasn't a problem in the summer of 1975. We just went to the arena and got tickets at the box office right before the show started. Once we got in, we even somehow found my brother and his friends in the huge crowd. Status Quo and Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush opened, then Aerosmith came out and did their best to outdo those great bands. Can't believe we almost skipped it. And tickets were only $4.50! A solid evening's entertainment. Very sorry to hear about Steven Tyler's voice problems and the end of their touring.
Frog in boiling water
Kind of sad to see them go out this way, unable to complete the farewell tour, but in many ways, Tyler is lucky he got away with singing the way he did for so long. I saw the band a few times around the period of Pump, an album I personally love, and I thought they were unbelievably great. They always gave fantastic and energetic shows. I know that contrasts with some of their late 70s BS, but they really got their act together. I'm sorry I was never in Vegas (on business) when they did their residence. I'd have gone for sure. I saw some video for those shows, and they were killer.
The band had an incredible career, but if feels like after Pump and Get a Grip, they sort of lost the plot and could never quite get it back. For me, they've been gone a long time already, so it's not as sad as it might have been had they been releasing great records for the past 10-15 years. I still rank them among the very best US rock bands.
Bill
Growing up in the Midwest, Aerosmith were absolutely huge when I was in High School. They were all over the radio, you heard their music at parties, in cars and they came through the area live on a regular basis. Kind of like the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, they were so overexposed that I kind of blew them off at the time. I liked a song here and there, but never explored any albums. In late 1979 I started working at a radio station. Aerosmith had just released the “Night In The Ruts” album and we were giving the single “Walking In The Sand” significant airplay. I decided to borrow the album from the station library, took it home and gave it a good listen and found that I really liked it. In fact, to this day, I think it is one of their most underrated albums. I explored “Toys In The Attic” next and again found that I really dug the music. Unfortunately, that was also right about the time that the band was imploding. Perry & Whiteford would leave and the band would flounder for several years.
My first live experience with Aerosmith was the “Done With Mirrors” tour in 1985. They were newly back together and I remember the show being good, but it didn’t blow me away as they still seemed to be finding their way. 3 years later in 1987 I caught them again (with an incredibly young Black Crowes opening) on the “Permanent Vacation” tour and this time they were at the top of their game. The show was fantastic. I caught them live two more times over the years and actually had tickets to see the farewell tour in January. I am disappointed that the tour is not happening, but give them props for going out when they know they cannot live up to their live show. We all know bands / artists still out there touring that probably should not be. The end of Aerosmith is an end of an era in many ways. Father time gets us all in the end.
Last edited by SteveSly; 08-07-2024 at 10:22 AM.
I agree. Both "Pump" and "Get A Grip" are really good albums, but they fell off pretty quickly after that. "9 Lives", "Just Push Play" and "Songs From Another Dimension" all have some good individual songs, but as a whole they are a pretty big step down from what had come before. The blues album "Honkin On Bobo" could have been great IMO, but they played it way too safe and it ended up being just a middle of the road blues covers album that should have been better.Originally Posted by Sputnik
Steven Tyler should've followed Geddy Lee and Ian Gillan's example. They stopped abusing their voice so they wouldn't lose it altogether.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
I totally agree with this, especially about Bobo, which could and should have been awesome, but wound up being really mediocre.
Bill
My first concert ever was them on the Rocks tour in November '76 at Boston Garden with Rick Derringer opening. Walk This Way was getting a lot of airplay, even on AM top 40 stations.
Three years prior, before I was all that much interested in music, they played a show at my high school in the auditorium. I was in junior high at the time. One of my high school teachers was the advisor for the student committee whose idea it was to bring them to the school, and he told us that they wrote into their contract that they were to be provided with a bunch of alcohol backstage, which he crossed out. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/236439049170753032/
Farewell.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
I was really looking forward to it when I heard they were going to do a blues album, but it was really dull. I am not sure why they made some of the choices to cover that they did.
I have Bobo. Bought new for around 3 dollars. I really only liked the one original track. The covers were meh.
I agree, the original song is the best track on the album.
Yeah, Bobo was a real disappointment. I was expecting some kick and fire, like "Milk Cow Blues" on Draw the Line. Everything was just tepid and tame.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
I saw them in 1977 at the absolute height of their unfortunate druggy phase. Not as bad as it was made out at the time but AC/DC with Bon Scott opening blew them off the stage.
Still, kudos for them for knowing when to stop unlike many other bands these days. And how many bands started 54 years ago and stopped with all 5 original members?
And will l wait forever beside the silent mirror and fish for bitter minnows amongst the weeds and slimy water?
Saw Golden Earring destroy them in the late 70s. I have always loved their first 4 albums though.
They had hits after that, but the last thing I remember hearing around much was 'Jaded' in the early 2000s. The last 'new' album came and went without much fanfare. I remember seeing it around cheap pretty quickly.
Myself, I only really like the 70s stuff TBH.
Yeah I gather they had a somewhat erratic live reputation.
In the Kansas Miracles out of Nowhere documentary, Kerry Livgren recounted how they outsmarted Steven Tyler. In Tyler's common practice of unplugging the opening act's equipment, when they played too long.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
I was just gonna mention Aerosmith's history of sabotaging their opening acts if they were too good. I couldn't remember for sure if Kansas was one but yeah, Livgren told the story about tricking him with dummy power cords. I believe Geddy Lee talks about Aerosmith treating them like shit also.
There is a great story in Joe Perry's book about them being completely upstaged by "hard drinking Irishman" Rory Gallagher. He said 30 minutes into Aerosmith's set the crowd was still chanting "Rory! Rory!". Joe said, "That night Rory was just too good to stop." I guess Tyler couldn't find his power mains.
And will l wait forever beside the silent mirror and fish for bitter minnows amongst the weeds and slimy water?
I remain a fan of the first four albums. After that they jumped the shark. This latest move is probably overdue. Tyler's voice has been shot for awhile now and he and Joe Perry don't really get along anymore. Let it go.
Both Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer have dealt with major health issues as well. It is probably right to call it a day.
Yeah, i also saw them around that time (possibly 78) and Draw The Line tour, and TBH, it was rather disappointing.
Weird thing is that the Live Bootleg album shows them in excellent shape.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
By this point, the Toxic Twins were running on nothing but chemicals and it showed. I would have to check, I think the cuts on Live Bootleg were cherry-picked from a number of concerts (just looked, they're from all over on that tour). My friends and I thought the song selection was spotty back in the day, lots of classic tunes left off.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
That was the case for most (if not all) of these late-70's double live hard rock albums anyways
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
You beat me to it. I have read autobiographies from Perry, Tyler, & Kramer and they all talk about how “Draw The Line” was when the drug abuse totally kicked into high gear and the whole band was a complete mess. With the exception of the title track and “Kings & Queens” it is mostly a bunch of filler to my ears.
As you say, the live album was cherry picked from multiple shows to get the best of what they could salvage. In addition, some of the tracks were recorded as far back as 1973, so it was not all current material of the time. On the other hand, there were no overdubs done, so what you hear is what they played which can’t be said of most other live albums from that era.
It was true of Yessongs, and even the Allman Brothers Fillmore East album, admittedly culled from just a couple of shows, but still edited to just present the best of what was performed. Countless others did the same thing throughout the 70s. One can't really fault Aerosmith for doing what literally almost every band did, and kudos to them for no overdubs.That was the case for most (if not all) of these late-70's double live hard rock albums anyways
Personally, I like all the Aerosmith albums from the debut through Rock in a Hard Place. Yeah, Draw the Line is probably the weakest, but I still like the album and think it's actually a touch underrated. It's way better to my ears than most 70s hard rock that I've heard, it just doesn't catch the magic that those other early Aerosmith albums had.
Oddly, I don't own Live Bootleg. I've heard it many times. My cousins had it on vinyl and played the hell out of it when I visited. Maybe I should track down a cheap copy.
Bill
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks