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Aerosmith, America's Greatest Rock N Roll Band.

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Main Info

Aerosmith is a prominent American hard rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their unique style, rooted in blues-based hard rock, has also come to incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, glam, and R&B, which has inspired legions of rock artists that came after them. They are the bestselling American hard rock band of all time, having sold 150 million albums worldwide, including 66.5 million albums in the United States alone. They also hold the record for the most gold and multi-platinum albums by an American group. The band has scored 21 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine #1 Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy awards, and ten Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

The band was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. Guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton, originally in a band together called the Jam Band, met up with singer Steven Tyler, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarist Ray Tabano, and formed Aerosmith. By 1971, Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford, and the band began developing a following in Boston. They were signed to Columbia Records in 1972 and released a string of multi-platinum albums, beginning with their 1973 eponymous debut album. In 1975, the band broke into the mainstream with the album Toys in the Attic, and their 1976 follow-up Rocks cemented their status as hard rock superstars. By the end of the 1970s, they were among the most popular hard rock bands in the world and developed a loyal following of fans, often referred to as the "Blue Army". However, drug addiction and internal conflict took its toll on the band, which resulted in the departures of Perry and Whitford, in 1979 and 1981 respectively. They were replaced by Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay. The band did not fare well between 1980 and 1984, releasing a lone album, Rock in a Hard Place, which was a critical and commercial flop. Although Perry and Whitford returned in 1984 and the band signed a new deal with Geffen Records, it wasn't until the band sobered up and released 1987's Permanent Vacation that they regained the level of popularity they had experienced in the 1970s. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, the band scored several hits and won numerous awards for music from the multi-platinum albums Pump (1989), Get a Grip (1993), and Nine Lives (1997). After 37 years of performing, Aerosmith continues to maintain a high level of popularity and success and continues to tour and record music to this day.

Band Members
Steven Tyler - lead vocals, keyboards, piano, harmonica, percussion (1970 – present)
Joe Perry - lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals (1970 – 1979; 1984 – present)
Brad Whitford - rhythm & lead guitars (1971 – 1981; 1984 – present)
Tom Hamilton - bass, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1970 – present)
Joey Kramer - drums, percussion, backing vocals (1970 – present)

Edited January 1, 200817 yr by pink_princess01

Right were do i start

History

 

Formation

The formation of Aerosmith began in the late 1960s in Sunapee, New Hampshire. Steven Tyler was a drummer/vocalist originally from Yonkers, New York who had been in a series of relatively unsuccessful bands in the mid-late 1960s such as the Vic Tallarico Orchestra, the Strangeurs/Chain Reaction, The Chain, Fox Chase, and William Proud. In 1969, while vacationing in Sunapee, New Hampshire, Tyler met Joe Perry, who was at the time playing in a band called the Jam Band with bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer David "Pudge" Scott, while Perry was washing dishes at the Anchorage in Sunapee Harbor, New Hampshire. This meeting would eventually lead to the formation of Aerosmith.

 

Hamilton and Perry moved to Boston, Massachusetts in September 1970. There they met Joey Kramer, a drummer from Yonkers, New York who had also known Steven Tyler, with whom he had always hoped to perform in a band. Kramer, a Berklee College of Music student, decided to quit school to join the band. In October 1970, they met up once again with Steven Tyler, who was originally a drummer and backup singer, but adamantly refused to play drums in this band, insisting he would only be in the band if he could be the frontman and lead vocalist. The band agreed and thus Aerosmith was born. The band added Ray Tabano, a childhood friend of Tyler, as rhythm guitarist and began playing local shows. In 1971, Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford, who also attended the Berklee School of Music and was formerly of the band Earth Inc. Other than a period from July 1979 to April 1984, the line-up of Tyler, Perry, Hamilton, Kramer, and Whitford has stayed the same

 

 

1970's

After forming the band and finalizing the lineup in 1971, the band started to garner some local success doing live shows. Originally booked through The Ed Malhoit Agency of Claremont NH, Aerosmith signed with Columbia Records in 1972 and issued their debut album, Aerosmith, in 1973. The album was straightforward rock and roll with well-defined blues influences, laying the groundwork for Aerosmith's signature blues-rock sound. Although the highest charting single from the album was "Dream On" at #59, several tracks (such as "Mama Kin" and "Walkin' the Dog") would become staples of the band's live shows and receive heavy rotation on rock radio. The album reached gold status initially, but eventually went on to sell two million copies and was certified double platinum after the band reached mainstream success over a decade later. After constant touring, the band released their second album Get Your Wings in 1974, the first of a string of multi-platinum albums produced by Jack Douglas. This did better in the charts and produced the rock radio hits "Same Old Song and Dance" and "Train Kept A-Rollin'", a cover done previously by The Yardbirds. The album also produced several fan favorites including "Lord of the Thighs", "Seasons of Wither", and "S.O.S. (Too Bad)", darker songs which have become staples in the band's live shows. To date, Get Your Wings has sold three million copies

 

It was 1975's Toys in the Attic, however, that established Aerosmith as international stars competing with the likes of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. Originally derided as Rolling Stones knockoffs, Toys in the Attic showed that Aerosmith was a talented band in their own right. Toys in the Attic was an immediate success, starting with the single "Sweet Emotion", which became the band's first Top 40 hit. This was followed by a successful re-release of "Dream On" which hit #6, becoming their best charting single of the 1970s. The 2nd single from the album, "Walk This Way", reached the Top 10 in early 1977.

 

"Toys in the Attic" and "Big Ten Inch Record" (a song originally recorded by Bull Moose Jackson) were also rock radio staples. As a result of this success, both of the band's previous albums re-charted. Toys in the Attic has gone on to become the band's bestselling studio album in the States, with certified U.S. sales of eight million copies. The band toured in support of Toys in the Attic, where they started to get more recognition. Also around this time, the band established their home base as "The Wherehouse" in Waltham, Massachusetts, where they would record and rehearse music, as well as conduct business.

 

Aerosmith's next album was 1976's Rocks, which "captured Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking". It went platinum swiftly and featured two FM hits, "Last Child" and "Back in the Saddle", as well as the ballad "Home Tonight". Rocks has sold four million copies to date. Both Toys in the Attic and Rocks are highly regarded, especially in the hard rock genre, and appear on such lists as Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums, and are cited by members of Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Mötley Crüe as having large influences on their music. Soon after Rocks was released, the band continued to tour heavily, this time headlining their own shows and playing to several large stadiums and rock festivals.

 

The next album, 1977's Draw the Line, was not as successful or as critically acclaimed as their two previous efforts, although the title track proved to be a minor hit (and is still a live staple), and "Kings and Queens" also experienced some success. The album went on to sell 2 million copies. While continuing to tour and record into the late 1970s, Aerosmith acted in the movie version of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Their cover of the Beatles hit "Come Together" was included in the album's soundtrack and would be the band's last Top 40 hit for nearly 10 years. The live release Live! Bootleg, originally released as a double album, was put out in 1978 and captured the band's rawness during the heyday of the Draw the Line tour; however, as the 1970s came to a close, the band's popularity waned and drug abuse and the fast-paced life of touring and recording began affecting their output. Lead singer Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry became known as "The Toxic Twins" due to their notorious abuse of drugs on and off the stage. Just after the recording of their sixth studio album, 1979's Night in the Ruts, Joe Perry left the band, citing differences with Steven Tyler, and formed The Joe Perry Project. Perry was replaced first by longtime band friend and songwriter Richie Supa and then by guitarist Jimmy Crespo (formerly of the band Flame). Night in the Ruts quickly fell off the charts, its only single being the cover of The Shangri-Las' "Remember (Walking in the Sand)", which topped out at #67.

 

 

 

1980's

Aerosmith released its mammoth-selling Greatest Hits album in 1980 and in 1981 the band suffered another loss with the departure of Brad Whitford. After recording guitar parts for the song "Lightning Strikes", Whitford was replaced by Rick Dufay and the band recorded their seventh album Rock in a Hard Place in 1982. The album was considered a commercial failure, only going gold, and failing to produce a major hit single. On the tour for Rock in a Hard Place, Tyler collapsed during an onstage performance in November 1982.

 

On Valentine's Day 1984, Perry and Whitford saw Aerosmith perform. They were officially re-inducted into the ranks of Aerosmith once more in April of that year. Steven Tyler recalls, "You should have felt the buzz the moment all five of us got together in the same room for the first time again. We all started laughin'—it was like the five years had never passed. We knew we'd made the right move."

 

Aerosmith embarked on a reunion tour entitled "Back in the Saddle" in 1984, which produced the live album Classics Live II. Their problems still not behind them, the group was signed to Geffen Records and began working on a comeback.

 

Despite the band signing on to a new record company, Columbia continued to reap the benefits of Aerosmith's comeback, releasing the live companion albums Classics Live I and II and the collection Gems throughout the 1980s.

 

1985 saw the release of Done with Mirrors, their first studio album with Geffen and their first album since the much-publicized reunion. While the album did receive some positive reviews, it only went gold and failed to produce a hit single, or generate much buzz outside the immediate confines of rock radio. The album's most notable track, "Let the Music Do the Talking," was in fact a cover of a song originally recorded by The Joe Perry Project and released on that band's album of the same name. Nevertheless, the band became a popular concert attraction once again, touring in support of Done With Mirrors, well into 1986. In 1986, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry appeared on Run D.M.C.'s cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way", a track blending rock and roll and hip hop that not only cemented rap into the mainstream of American popular music, but also began Aerosmith's true comeback. The song reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and its associated video helped introduce Aerosmith to a new generation.

 

Still standing in the way, however, were the drug problems of the band members. In 1986, lead singer Steven Tyler completed a successful drug rehabilitation program, at the discretion of the band and manager Tim Collins, knowing that the band's future would not be bright if Tyler did not get treated. The rest of the band members completed drug rehab programs over the course of the next couple years. According to the band's tell-all autobiography, Collins pledged he could make the band the biggest band in the world by 1990 if they all completed drug rehab. Their next album was make-it-or-break-it due to the commercial disappointment of Done With Mirrors, and as the band members became clean, they worked hard to make their comeback album.

 

Permanent Vacation was released in August of 1987. Permanent Vacation was a major hit for the band, becoming their bestselling album in over a decade (selling 5 million copies in the U.S.), and having all three singles ("Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", "Rag Doll", and "Angel") reach the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. The group went on a subsequent tour with labelmates Guns N' Roses (who have cited Aerosmith as a major influence), which was intense at times due to Aerosmith's new struggle to stay clean amidst GN'Rs well-publicized, rampant drug use.

 

Their next album was received even better. Pump, released in October 1989, featured three Top Ten singles: "Janie's Got a Gun", "What It Takes", and "Love in an Elevator", as well as "The Other Side", re-establishing Aerosmith as a serious musical force. Pump was a critical and commercial success, eventually selling 7 million copies, achieving 4-star ratings by major music magazines, and earning the band their first Grammy win ever in the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category, for "Janie's Got a Gun". The recording process for Pump was documented in the video the The Making of Pump, which has since been re-released as a DVD. The music videos for the singles on the album were featured on the release Things That Go Pump in the Night, which quickly went platinum.

 

1990's

The band finished up the Pump tour in 1990. On February 21, 1990, the band appeared in a "Wayne's World" sketch on Saturday Night Live, debating the fall of communism and the Soviet Union, and performed their recent hits "Janie's Got a Gun" and "Monkey On My Back". On September 18, 1990, the band's performance on MTV's Unplugged aired. That same year, the band was also inducted to the Hollywood Rock Walk. In 1991, the band appeared on The Simpsons episode "Flaming Moe's" and released a box set titled Pandora's Box. In 1992, Tyler and Perry appeared live as guests of Guns N' Roses during their 1992 world-wide pay-per-view in Paris performing a medley of "Mama Kin" (which GN'R covered in 1986) and "Train Kept-A Rollin".

 

The band took a brief break and began recording their follow-up to Pump in 1992. Despite significant shifts in mainstream music at the beginning of the 1990s, the band's 1993 follow-up to Pump, Get a Grip, was just as successful commercially, becoming their first album to debut at #1 and racking up sales of 7 million copies in a two-and-a-half-year timespan. The first singles were the hard rocking "Livin' on the Edge" and "Eat the Rich". Though many critics were unimpressed by the focus on the subsequent interchangeable power-ballads in promoting the album, all three ("Cryin'", "Crazy" and "Amazing") proved to be huge successes on radio and MTV. The music videos featured then up-and-coming actress Alicia Silverstone; her provocative performances earned her the title of "the Aerosmith chick" for the first half of the decade. Steven Tyler's daughter Liv Tyler was also featured in the "Crazy" video. Get a Grip would go on to sell more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone with over 20 million copies worldwide. The band won two Grammy Awards for songs from this album in the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category: for "Livin' on the Edge" in 1994 and "Crazy" in 1995.

 

During the making of Get a Grip, the management and record company brought in a variety of professional songwriting collaborators to come in and help make nearly all the songs on the album have a more commercial appeal, a trend which would continue until the early 2000s. However, this led to constant accusations of selling out that would continue throughout the 90s. In addition to Aerosmith's grueling 18 month world tour in support of Get a Grip, the band also did a number of things to help promote themselves and their album and appeal to youth culture, including the appearance of the band in the movie Wayne's World 2 where they performed two songs, the appearance of the band and their music in the arcade game and video game Revolution X, performing at Woodstock '94, using their song "Deuces Are Wild" in The Beavis & Butt-Head Experience, and opening their own club, The Mama Kin Music Hall, in Boston, MA in 1994.

 

1994 also saw the release of the band's compilation for Geffen Records, entitled Big Ones featuring all of their biggest hits from Permanent Vacation, Pump, and Get a Grip, as well as three new songs, "Deuces Are Wild", "Blind Man", and "Walk on Water", all of which experienced great success on the rock charts.

 

Aerosmith signed to Columbia Records again in the mid-1990s, but they still had to complete two contractual albums for Geffen before recording for the new label...this was later achieved by the label releasing numerous compilations. The band took time off with their families before working on their next album, Nine Lives, which was plagued with personnel problems, including the firing of manager Tim Collins, who according to band members nearly caused the band to break up. The producer of the album was also changed from Glen Ballard to Kevin Shirley. Nine Lives was released in March of 1997. Reviews were generally mixed, and Nine Lives initially fell down the charts, although it had a long chart life and sold double platinum in the United States alone, fueled by the singles, "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)", the ballad "Hole in My Soul", and the crossover-pop smash "Pink" (which won the band their fourth Grammy Award in 1999 in the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category). It was followed by the 2+ year-long Nine Lives Tour, which was plagued by problems including lead singer Steven Tyler injuring his leg at a concert, and Joey Kramer suffering second degree burns when his car caught fire at a gas station. However, the band also released their only #1 single to date: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", the love theme from the 1998 film Armageddon, in which Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred. The song stayed on top of the charts for four weeks and was nominated for an Academy Award. The song helped open Aerosmith up to a new generation and forever solidifed the band's song as a slow-dance staple. 1998 also saw the release of the double-live album, A Little South of Sanity, which was culled from performances on the Get a Grip and Nine Lives tours. The album went platinum shortly after its release. The band continued with their seemingly-neverending world tours promoting Nine Lives and the "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" single well into 1999.

 

In 1999, they were featured in the Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World (and later in 2001 at Euro Disney in the Walt Disney Studios Park) ride, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, providing the soundtrack and theme of the ride. On September 9, 1999, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry reunited with Run-D.M.C. and were also joined by Kid Rock for a collaborative live performance of "Walk This Way" at the MTV Video Music Awards, a precursor to the Girls of Summer Tour. The band celebrated the new millennium with a brief tour of Japan in 2000, and also contributed the song "Angel's Eye" to the film Charlie's Angels.

 

 

2000's

The band entered their next decade by performing at the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXV, in January 2001, along with pop stars 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly. All of the stars collaborated with Aerosmith at the end for a performance of the group's legendary song "Walk This Way".

 

In March of 2001, the band released their 13th studio album Just Push Play. The album quickly went platinum, fueled by the Top 10 single "Jaded" and the appearance of the title track in Dodge commercials. They were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame soon after their album was released, in late March of 2001, after having been nominated in 2000 without getting in. Aerosmith is the only band to be inducted to the Hall of Fame with a hit song on the radio ("Jaded"). Later that year, the band performed as part of the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert in Washington D.C. for 9/11 victims and their families. The band flew back to Indianapolis for a show the same night, as part of their Just Push Play Tour.

 

The band started 2002 by ending the Just Push Play tour, and simultaneously recording segments for their Behind the Music special on VH1, which not only chronicled the band's history but also the band's current activities and touring. The special was one of the only Behind the Musics to run two hours in length. In July 2002, Aerosmith released the 2-disc career-spanning compilation O, Yeah! The Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, which featured the new single "Girls of Summer", and embarked on the Girls of Summer Tour with Kid Rock and Run-D.M.C. opening. That same year, the band were inducted as MTV Icons, the 2nd act overall to receive the honor.

 

In 2003, Aerosmith co-headlined with Kiss on the Rocksimus Maximus Tour, in preparation for release of their blues album.

 

Their long-promised[14] blues album Honkin' on Bobo was released in 2004. The album was a return to roots for the band, including recording the album in live sessions, working with former producer Jack Douglas, and laying down their blues-rock grit. It was followed by a live DVD, You Gotta Move in December 2004, culled from the first performance on the Honkin' on Bobo Tour. "Dream On" was also featured in an advertising campaign for Buick in 2004, targeting that marque's audience which is now composed largely of people who were teenagers when the song first charted.

 

2005 saw Steven Tyler appear in the film Be Cool. Joe Perry released his self-titled solo album that same year. At the 2006 Grammy Awards, he was nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for the track "Mercy", but lost to Les Paul. In October 2005, Aerosmith released a CD/DVD Rockin' the Joint. The band hit the road for the Rockin' the Joint Tour on October 30 with Lenny Kravitz for a fall/winter tour hitting arenas in the largest U.S. markets. The band planned to tour with Cheap Trick in the spring, hitting secondary markets in the U.S. Rumors of a tour started when Cheap Trick frontman Robin Zander joined the band onstage for "Come Together" during a concert in Tampa, Florida a week before the announcement. Almost all of this leg of the tour was canceled, however, due to "an illness of a member of the band". On March 22, 2006, it was publicly announced that lead singer Steven Tyler needed throat surgery, and the remaining dates on the tour were subsequently canceled.

 

Aerosmith commenced recording a new album on Armed Forces Day 2006. Tyler and Perry performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra for their annual July 4 concert on the Esplanade in 2006, a milestone as it was the first major event or performance since Steven Tyler's throat surgery. Around this time, the band also announced that they would embark on the Route of All Evil Tour with Mötley Crüe in late 2006.

 

On August 24, 2006 it was announced that Tom Hamilton was undergoing treatment for throat cancer. In order to make a full recovery, he sat out much of the Route of All Evil Tour until he was well again. Former Joe Perry Project bassist David Hull substituted for Hamilton until his return.

 

On September 5, 2006, Aerosmith kicked off the Route of All Evil Tour with Mötley Crüe in Columbus, Ohio. The co-headlining tour took both bands to amphitheaters across North America through November 24. After that, a select few arena dates were added, some of which were with Mötley Crüe. Tom Hamilton returned to the band officially on December 1. The tour ended December 17.

 

On October 17, 2006, the compilation album Devil's Got a New Disguise - The Very Best of Aerosmith was released. The album contained previously released hits with the addition of 2 new songs, "Devil's Got a New Disguise" and "Sedona Sunrise", which were older outtakes re-recorded for the album. "Devil's Got a New Disguise" peaked at #15 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The album was intended to fulfill Aerosmith's contract with Sony and tide fans over until the band's new studio album is released.

 

In early 2007, the band announced their 2007 World Tour, their first tour that included dates outside North America or Japan in nearly a decade. The band performed at London's Hard Rock Cafe in February of 2007 to promote their European tour which included a night in Hyde Park as part of the Hyde Park Calling festival sponsored by Hard Rock Cafe. In the spring, the band toured Latin America to sold-out stadium crowds. In the summer, the band toured Europe, performing at several major rock festivals and visiting some countries they had never played before. Additionally, the band played Asian countries such as the United Arab Emirates and India for the first time ever. The band also played a few select dates in California and Canada in late July. In September, the band performed eight dates in major markets in Northeastern North America. These shows were opened by Joan Jett. The band also played a private gig in Hawaii. A public show in Hawaii was canceled due to logistical reasons, a move which spurred a class action lawsuit against the band. On November 1, the band began work on the final studio album of their current contract with Sony. It is believed that the album will be a mix of re-recorded tracks left off previous albums as well as brand new material. In an interview, guitarist Joe Perry revealed that in addition to creating a new album, the band was working closely with the makers of the Guitar Hero series for development of Guitar Hero IV which will be dedicated solely to the music of Aerosmith.

Studio Albums

 

Date of Release ~ Title ~ Label ~ Billboard peak ~ RIAA cert.

 

January 13, 1973 ~ Aerosmith ~ Columbia ~ #21 ~ 2x Platinum

March, 1974 ~ Get Your Wings ~ Columbia ~ #74 ~ 3x Platinum

April 8, 1975 ~ Toys in the Attic ~ Columbia ~ #11 ~ 8x Platinum

May 3, 1976 ~ Rocks ~ Columbia ~ #3 ~ 4x Platinum

December, 1977 ~ Draw the Line ~ Columbia ~ #11 ~ 2x Platinum

November, 1979 ~ Night in the Ruts ~ Columbia ~ #14 ~ Platinum

October 1, 1982 ~ Rock in a Hard Place ~ Columbia ~ #32 ~ Gold

November, 1985 ~ Done with Mirrors ~ Geffen ~ #36 ~ Gold

August 18, 1987 ~ Permanent Vacation ~ Geffen ~ #11 ~ 5x Platinum

September 12, 1989 ~ Pump ~ Geffen ~ #5 ~ 7x Platinum

April 20, 1993 ~ Get a Grip ~ Geffen ~ #1 ~ 7x Platinum

March 18, 1997 ~ Nine Lives ~ Columbia ~ #1 ~ 2x Platinum

March 6, 2001 ~ Just Push Play ~ Columbia ~ #2 ~ Platinum

March 30, 2004 ~ Honkin' on Bobo ~ Columbia ~ #5 ~ Gold

Edited January 1, 200817 yr by pink_princess01

Singles

 

Aerosmith currently has had twenty-one singles reach the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100:

 

1975 "Sweet Emotion" #36

1976 "Dream On" (re-issue) #6

1976 "Last Child" #21

1977 "Walk This Way" #10

1977 "Back in the Saddle" #38

1978 "Come Together" #23

1987 "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" #14

1988 "Angel" #3

1988 "Rag Doll" #17

1989 "Love in an Elevator" #5

1990 "Janie's Got a Gun" #4

1990 "What It Takes" #9

1990 "The Other Side" #22

1993 "Livin' on the Edge" #18

1993 "Cryin'" #12

1994 "Amazing" #24

1994 "Crazy" #17

1997 "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" #35

1998 "Pink" #27

1998 "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" #1

2001 "Jaded" #7

 

Tours

 

1970-1972 Early Days - On November 6, 1970, Aerosmith performed their first concert at Nipmuc Regional High School in Mendon, Massachusetts

 

1973 Aerosmith Tour - Began October 25, 1973.

 

1974 Get Your Wings Tour - Began March 9, 1974.

 

1975 Toys in the Attic Tour - Began March 25, 1975; the band toured North America.

 

1976-77 Rocks Tour - Beginning April 17, 1976, it was the band's first major headlining tour. In the fall of 1976, Aerosmith toured Europe for the first time. In February of 1977, the band toured Japan for the first time.

 

1977-78 "Aerosmith Express Tour" (Draw the Line Tour) - Beginning June 21, 1977, it was a very successful and grueling tour for the band. Opening acts included AC/DC and Ted Nugent. Most of the recordings on Live! Bootleg were culled from this tour. Aerosmith headlined the Texas Jam '78 Festival on July 4, 1978, which was later released on video in 1989.

 

1978 Live! Bootleg Tour - The band bailed out 53 fans arrested for smoking pot at a show in Fort Wayne, Indiana on October 3, 1978.

 

1979-80 Night in the Ruts Tour - Beginning April 8, 1979, this tour was the first Aerosmith tour to feature Jimmy Crespo on guitars, after Joe Perry left the band in July, during the middle of the tour.

 

1982 Rock in a Hard Place Tour - This tour featured Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay on guitars, after Brad Whitford left the band.

 

1984 "Back in the Saddle" Tour - The band's reunion tour, after Joe Perry and Brad Whitford rejoined the band. Tour began June 22, 1984.

 

1985-86 Done with Mirrors Tour - The tour began August 23, 1985 in support of the original lineup's first album in six years.

 

1987-88 Permanent Vacation Tour - Began October 16, 1987, lasting well into 1988. The band's first tour since completing drug rehabilitation. Guns N' Roses opened much of the tour.

 

1989-90 Pump Tour - Began October 18, 1989. A major world tour for the band, it saw them tour Australia for the first time.

 

1993-94 Get a Grip Tour - A world tour beginning June 2, 1993 and spanning 18 months, it saw the band go to South America for the first time in 1994. The band closed the tour with a live radio broadcast performance at their club, the Mama Kin Music Hall in Boston, MA.

 

1997-99 Nine Lives Tour - The band's longest tour in its history, it saw them perform in North America, Japan, and Europe on several legs. It was delayed numerous times due to injuries to Steven Tyler and Joey Kramer. The tour was also significantly extended well into 1999, due to the success of "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and the live compilation A Little South of Sanity.

 

1999-2000 Roar of the Dragon Tour - Beginning December 29, 1999, the band toured Japan extensively.

 

2001-02 Just Push Play Tour - Began June 6, 2001 in Hartford, Connecticut, to a live TV audience on VH1. The tour saw the band tour amphitheaters and arenas until January 2002. The events of September 11, 2001 caused several dates to be canceled. Rockin' the Joint was culled from a performance in Las Vegas. The band's Behind the Music also featured footage from this tour.

 

2002 Girls of Summer Tour - Named after the band's new single "Girls of Summer", this was a short North American tour in support of O, Yeah! The Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, it saw the band play about 50 dates, mostly amphitheaters. Kid Rock and Run-DMC opened. Last major performances for Jam Master Jay, who was murdered shortly after Run-DMC completed their opening duties.

 

2003 Rocksimus Maximus Tour - A brief North American tour, it saw the band co-headline with Kiss for a brief tour of predominantly amphitheaters. The band debuted new material from their then-upcoming album Honkin' on Bobo.

 

2004 Honkin' on Bobo Tour - A brief tour starting March 11, 2004, the band played U.S. and Japanese arenas, many in smaller markets. The You Gotta Move DVD was culled from performances at the start of this tour. Cheap Trick opened.

 

2005-06 Rockin' the Joint Tour - The band played arenas in major North American markets, from October 30, 2005 to March 2, 2006. Lenny Kravitz opened. The band was supposed to do a spring leg of smaller markets with Cheap Trick opening, but it was canceled when Steven Tyler required throat surgery.

 

2006 Route of All Evil Tour - The band co-headlined with Mötley Crüe for a tour in Fall 2006 that sent the band to about 50 major North American venues from September 5 to December 17, 2006. David Hull filled in for bassist Tom Hamilton, who was undergoing treatment for throat cancer.

 

2007 2007 World Tour - The band's first tour of Latin America in 14 years and first tour of Europe in 8 years. Also the first time Aerosmith played in India and the United Arab Emirates. The band performed select dates in North America as well

 

Steven Tyler

 

Stephen Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948 in Yonkers, New York), better known as Steven Tyler (and often nicknamed The Demon of Screamin') is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith.

 

Tyler is known for his raw, sharp-edged vocals, and is musically versatile, playing a wide range of instruments, including the harmonica, keyboards, and several percussion instruments. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Tyler was also known for his heavy drug and alcohol abuse, but has since maintained sobriety for over 20 years. Tyler is a prolific frontman, rock icon, and sex symbol, and during his high-energy stage performances, he usually dresses in bright colorful outfits with his trademark scarves hanging from his mic stand.

 

Early Life

Steven Tyler is of Italian and German descent on his father's side and of Native American (Cherokee) and Ukrainian descent on his mother's side.

 

Tyler was born in New York, NY on March 26, 1948. He was the second of two children, the older child being his sister Lynda. His family later moved to Yonkers, NY, where he attended Roosevelt High School. He was expelled from Roosevelt for drug use and later graduated from Jose Quintano's School for Young Professionals. Before working as a musician, when he was a teen, he did things such as working on a bakery.

 

Music has always played a large role in Tyler's life as he was the son of a classical musician who helmed the Vic Tallarico Orchestra. His father taught music at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx for many years. Steven Tyler also took a liking to blues and in the 1960s, he was a drummer and singer in a variety of local rock and roll bands including The Strangeurs/Chain Reaction, The Chain, and William Proud.

 

Career

Formation and success of Aerosmith

In 1969, Tyler met up with a guitarist named Joe Perry in Sunapee, New Hampshire. In 1970, they met up again in Boston and formed Aerosmith with bassist Tom Hamilton. Later, they added a second guitarist, Tyler's childhood friend Ray Tabano (who was quickly replaced by Brad Whitford), and drummer Joey Kramer.

After spending time on the Boston club circuit, under the tutelage of their first manager, Frank Connelly, they secured New York management in the form of Steve Leber and David Krebs, a record deal and released their self-titled debut album. It was followed up with the classics Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic, Rocks, and Draw the Line, which catapulted Aerosmith to international fame and recognition. These albums produced legendary hits like "Dream On, "Walk This Way", and "Sweet Emotion". Aerosmith's first five albums have also all gone multi-platinum, and Toys in the Attic and Rocks are considered to be among the greatest hard rock albums of all time. However, as the decade wore on, the fast-paced life of touring, recording, living together, and using drugs began to take its toll on the band.

Tyler and Perry were often called the Toxic Twins, for their legendary intake of stimulants and heroin. Their relationship is well documented in many of Aerosmith's video releases as well as in the Aerosmith Behind the Music. Tyler, apparently much more dedicated to the band, seemed to resent Perry's passive attitude and envied Perry's prioritization of the women in his life. The tense dynamic between Tyler, Perry, and their once-friendly girlfriends was apparently a leading factor in the gradual decay of Aerosmith circa 1980. Additionally, the constant touring and recording, the major drug abuse, and long-harbored differences between band members helped lead to Aerosmith's near collapse at the end of the 1970s, just after completion of 1979's Night in the Ruts.

 

Reuniting and getting clean

On the 14th of February, 1984, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, who left the band in 1979 and 1981 respectively, showed up to an Aerosmith show. According to the band's Behind the Music special on VH1, Tyler alleges he made the first phone call to Joe Perry encouraging them to meet up again. Backstage, they all met and Perry and Whitford agreed to join the band once again.

Aerosmith embarked on a reunion tour called The Back in the Saddle Tour and proceeded to record once again. One problem was still remaining, however, and that was the drug addictions of the band members, especially Tyler, who had collapsed onstage during a performance in 1980 and had long suffered a heroin addiction. Aerosmith's new manager Tim Collins and the rest of the reunited band knew that they wouldn't get anywhere with their leader Steven Tyler still under the heavy influence of drugs. In 1986, they held a meeting in which they pressured Tyler into entering a strict drug rehabilitation program.

After Tyler had completed drug rehab, every other member of Aerosmith eventually went into rehab and all had successfully exited their respective programs at various times in the mid-late 1980s. Since then, all members have refrained from using drugs and alcohol, and even have gone so far as to try and prevent any member of the band's road crew from using drugs or alcohol in their presence

 

Comeback and superstardom

In 1985, Aerosmith released their comeback album Done With Mirrors, which produced generally lackluster results for the band. In 1986, however, Tyler and Perry collaborated with Run-D.M.C. for a remake of Aerosmith's 1976 hit "Walk This Way", which hit #4 on the charts and was recently in Rolling Stone Magazine as song #27 for top 100 songs that changed the world. Walk This Way introduced both rap music and Aerosmith to a new generation, as well as helping sow the seeds for a major comeback. Aerosmith came back big in 1987 with Permanent Vacation which charted three Top 20 singles and sold five million copies. The band followed up in 1989 with Pump and once again in 1993 with Get a Grip, both of which sold seven million copies apiece and launched the band into global superstardom, well eclipsing their success in the 1970s. The three albums won critical acclaim for their innovative musical styles, featured a dozen Top 40 singles, produced theatrical music videos, and won the band dozens of awards. Aerosmith's subsequent touring and appearance on television and in film turned the band into one of the biggest pop culture icons. Steven Tyler, as the frontman for the group, became a symbol for the band, a pop icon, and a household name in his own right.

The band took a healthy break in 1995 to spend time with their families, in wake of their grueling lifestyle the previous ten years, under the helm of manager Tim Collins, who helped orchestrate much of the band's comeback and sustained success. However, Aerosmith almost came to a screeching halt as Collins pressured the exhausted band members and spread rumors that the band was breaking up and that Steven Tyler was being unfaithful to his wife and using drugs again, all of which were lies. He was subsequently fired. This, along with a producer change, delayed the recording process for Nine Lives, which was finally released in 1997. While not coming close to the sales figures of Get a Grip, it still went double platinum, and the band managed to stay on top and toured for over two years in support of the album.

In 1997, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were featured in a commercial for the GAP, performing a bluesy number with Tyler on harmonica. This was part of an ad campaign by Gap featuring a variety of music artists.

In 1998, while on tour in support of the album Nine Lives, Steven Tyler suffered a ligament injury when his mic stand came crashing into his knee. Tyler and the band finished the show, but they had to cancel several dates and Tyler still had trouble walking for the filming of the video for "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", which hit #1 on the charts that year. Suprisingly enough, that has been their only #1 hit to date.

 

Recent events

The beginning of the 21st century saw Aerosmith spotlight at the Super Bowl XXXV Halftime Show, be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and release another platinum album.

Since 2001, Aerosmith has launched a successful tour every year and has maintained an active role in the music industry, recording the albums Just Push Play (2001) and Honkin' on Bobo (2004). In addition to this, Steven Tyler has kept busy with a variety of side projects and guest appearances.

On 27 May, 2001, at the 85th Indianapolis 500, Steven Tyler sang the national anthem of the USA. He came under criticism when he replaced "home of the brave'" with "home of the Indianapolis 500." He immediately apologized and reaffirmed his patriotism after the incident.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the band performed at the benefit concert "United We Stand" in Washington, D.C. Tyler donned a full-length jacket featuring the American flag and the band performed a brief set including the moving numbers "Livin' on the Edge" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", which seemed to take on new meaning in wake of the attacks. Amazingly, the band flew back to Indianapolis to perform a show that same night.

In December 2002, Steven Tyler played Santa on a holiday episode of the children's television show Lizzie McGuire. He also performed the song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." This was also the last episode of Lizzie McGuire that was shot.

In 2003, Tyler received an honorary degree from Berklee College of Music, and, in 2005, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Boston. In 2003, Tyler also inducted AC/DC into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, after he and his band were inducted two years earlier. Tyler sang with AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson for a performance of "You Shook Me All Night Long."

In 2004, Tyler appeared in a television commercial for Sony digital cameras. "The Grind", from Aerosmith's Honkin' on Bobo, is also featured.

The 2004 Christmas movie The Polar Express featured Steven Tyler singing the lyrics to a rocking number entitled "Rockin' on Top of the World" as well as a group of computer-animated elves resembling Aerosmith performing the song.

While Joe Perry kept busy in 2005 with his self-titled solo album, Steven Tyler kept busy with a variety of projects. That year, he sang lead vocals on Santana's hit single "Just Feel Better". Tyler also cameoed in the film Be Cool which stars John Travolta and Uma Thurman. In the film, Steven Tyler does a duo of "Cryin'" with upcoming singer Linda Moon (played by Christina Milian).

In 2006, after healing from throat surgery and the grueling Rockin' the Joint Tour, Steven Tyler came back better than ever. One noteworthy event was when he performed with Joe Perry and the Boston Pops Orchestra for the orchestra's annual Fourth of July spectacular, his first major public appearance since the surgery. During the concert, which was broadcast nationally on CBS, Tyler, Perry, and the orchestra performed a medley of "Walk This Way", "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and "Dream On".

Tyler also recorded a duet with country music artist Keith Anderson, titled "Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll". The song, a remixed version of a song found on Anderson's debut album, was released as a single on the U.S. Hot Country Songs charts.

Later that year, in addition to working with Aerosmith by touring and recording a new album, Tyler made several more public appearances. He made a cameo appearance on the sitcom Two and a Half Men, playing himself as a noisy, obnoxious neighbor. On October 14, 2006 Tyler sang "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch at Game #3 of the National League Championship Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. On November 24, Steven volunteered by serving Thanksgiving dinner to the needy at a restaurant in West Palm Beach, Florida before an Aerosmith show there.

In 2007, Tyler kept active in Aerosmith with the band's world tour which saw them perform in 19 countries. Tyler's main focus currently is working on material for Aerosmith's 15th studio album, currently slated for release sometime in the second quarter of 2008.

 

 

Musical Style

Steven Tyler is known for his sharp-edged, raw vocals, and has several signature screams, the most notable of which can be found in the song "Dream On". Steven Tyler also consistently employs the falsetto and is known for his scat singing, in which he sings unintelligeble words that mimic the sound of the music, particularly the guitar.

Tyler is also known for his usage of the microphone stand as a significant part of his performances. He almost always uses the microphone stand in concert, except in rare instances, usually when guest performing at another artist's concert. Tyler dresses his microphone stand with colorful scarves. In the 1970s, when he was using drugs, he would often hide tuinals and other illegal substances in the scarves for his use onstage. He is extremely defensive of his microphone stand, and will often get angry at fans who try and grab at the scarves. Tyler will often use the mic as a prop for mimicing sexual acts and will often swing his microphone stand in the air, and has even hit members of the band with it before, most frequently during intoxicated performances in the 1970s.

Throughout much of his career, Tyler has also been noted for playing the piano or keyboards onstage, particularly during songs such as "Dream On" and "Darkness". However, he has rarely done this since the 1980s, except during special performances, since the band employs a touring keyboardist, and the piano playing would take away from Tyler's raw performances as frontman. Nevertheless, his piano and keyboard playing continues to be an integral part of the band in the studio, as Tyler will often write songs this way.

Steven Tyler is also known for his musical interplay with the other members of Aerosmith, particularly with guitarist Joe Perry. In the 1970s, the two were known as the "Toxic Twins", so-called for their legendary substance abuse. They are still referred to collectively as that name, despite being drug-free for over 20 years. The two will often perform very close together side-by-side, particularly when Perry sings backup or adds vocal harmony, or during sit-down acoustic performances.

Tyler is also a notable harmonica player, employing the instrument in a number of Aerosmith songs including "One Way Street", "Write Me", "Rats in the Cellar", "The Hop", "Hangman Jury", "Permanent Vacation", "Don't Get Mad, Get Even", "Young Lust", "Cryin'", "Fever" "Can't Stop Messin'", "Walk on Water", "Something's Gotta Give", "Pink", "Under My Skin", and on songs they are notable for covering including "Big Ten Inch Record", "Milk Cow Blues", "I Ain't Got You", "Reefer Head Woman", "Love Me Two Times", "Baby, Please Don't Go", "Shame Shame Shame", "Eyesight to the Blind", "Back Back Train", "You Gotta Move", "I'm Ready", "Temperature", "Stop Messin' Round", and "Rattlesnake Shake". Tyler is also notable for quick vocal interludes while playing harmonica. During his guest appearance on the television show Two and Half Men, Tyler remarks, "A lot of people pay to see me play harmonica" during which point Charlie Sheen responds, "They pay to hear you sing; they tolerate the harmonica."

 

 

Red Wing Motorcycles

On September 15, 2007 at New Hampshire International Speedway, Steven announced the launch of Red Wing Motorcycles. Red Wing's bikes are designed by Steven Tyler, engineered by Mark Dirico, and built by AC Custom Motorcycles in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Steven has been a long time motorcycle fan and riding enthusiast. About the new Red Wing Motorcycles Tyler said, “You get on one of these bikes and you can ride for days. These bikes are sick, rugged, and just damn cool. And they’re amazing to look at.”

Steven Tyler also participates in a variety of charity auctions involving motorcycles, including the Ride for Children charity

 

Relationships

Relationships

 

Steven Tyler greets military servicemen aboard the USS Nimitz on May 30, 2007, prior to an Aerosmith concert in Dubai.In 1976, he had a relationship with fashion model Bebe Buell, during which he fathered actress Liv Tyler (Buell initially claimed that the father was Todd Rundgren to protect Liv from Steven's then drug addiction). In 1978, he married Cyrinda Foxe, an ex-Warhol model, and the former wife of New York Dolls' lead singer David Johansen, and fathered plus-sized model Mia Tyler. He and Foxe divorced in 1987; in 1997, she published Dream On: Livin' on the Edge With Steven Tyler and Aerosmith, a memoir of her life as well with Tyler. Cyrinda Foxe died from brain cancer in 2002. In 1988, he married clothing designer Teresa Barrick. He fathered two children: a daughter, Chelsea Anna Tallarico (March 6, 1989), and a son, Taj Monroe Tallarico (January 31, 1991). In February 2005, the couple announced that they were separating due to personal problems. In January 2006 the divorce was official

 

Throat surgery

On March 22, 2006, the Washington Post reported that Tyler would undergo surgery for an "undisclosed medical condition." A statement from Tyler's publicist read in part, "Despite Aerosmith's desire to keep the tour going as long as possible, [Tyler's] doctors advised him not to continue performing to give his voice time to recover." Aerosmith's remaining North American tour dates in 2006 on the Rockin' the Joint Tour were cancelled as a result.

The surgery, to correct a popped blood vessel in his throat, was a success. After a few weeks of rest, Steven Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith entered the studio on May 20, 2006 to begin work on their new album. A tour launched later in fall 2006 with Mötley Crüe, titled the Route of All Evil Tour.

On July 3rd and 4th, 2006, Tyler and Joe Perry hit the stage on the Boston Waterfront with the Boston Pops and sang the songs "Dream On", "Walk This Way", and "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" as part of the Boston 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular.

Steven Tyler's throat surgery was featured in 2007 on an episode of the National Geographic Channel series, Incredible Human Machine

 

Battle with Hepatitis C

In a September 2006 interview with Access Hollywood, Steven Tyler revealed that he had been suffering from Hepatitis C for the past 10 years. He was first diagnosed with the disease in 2003 and had undergone extensive treatment from 2003-2006, including 11 months of interferon therapy, which he said was "agony". He states that he is now Hepatitis-free

 

Miscellaneous

Co-owned, along with Aerosmith band member Joe Perry and other partners, Mount Blue, a restaurant in Norwell, Massachusetts. Tyler and Perry sold their interest in Mount Blue in September 2006.

His cousin, Tommy Tallarico, is a prolific composer of video game music, and co-host of the Canadian video game review show, Reviews on the Run, also known as Judgement Day.

Steven Tyler was born in 1948, the same year as a number of other legendary rock singers including Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, Ted Nugent, and Alice Cooper.

In Ted Nugent's book God, Guns, and Rock and Roll, Nugent claimed that Steven Tyler and Joe Perry are good friends of his. He also mentioned that the two, especially Steven, enjoyed shooting high-powered firearms and eating home-cooked meals with him during tour stop-offs in Michigan.

Tyler is known for his often outrageous technique of intimate dancing with the microphone stand. In a performance which scandalized the Swedish media, popstar Lena Philipsson mirrored this move in her performance at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest.

While being interviewed at the 2007 BRIT Awards by BBC's Chris Moyles he revealed he has a 27-inch waist.

He was ranked #3 on Hit Parader's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists".

 

Quotes

"Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll... take out the drugs and you've got more time for the other two."

"We believed that anything worth doing was worth overdoing."

"Once I'd tapped into the insanity, the song wrote itself."

"$h!t, we only gettin' started!"

"Was it as good for you as it was for me?"

"The things that come to those who wait may be the things left by those that got there first."

"I have always said I would rather grow up wrong than being right in someone else's eyes."

"We'd like to help you out. Which way did you come in?" (to Megadeth singer Dave Mustaine after he said the "Get a Grip" tour was Aerosmith's last.)

"Here lies the demon of screamin,' who never woke up from the dream he was dreamin'. Until one day he took a magic potion and all that remained was Sweet Emotion." (When asked what he wanted on his tombstone)

Joe Perry

 

Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry (Born September 10, 1950 in Lawrence, Massachusetts), is the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith.

 

Early life

The paternal side of Perry's family are Portuguese, originally from Madeira. His grandfather changed the family's name from Pereira to Perry upon arriving in the United States of America. His maternal side is Italian, more specifically Neapolitan.

Perry and his younger sister, Ann-Marie, grew up in the small town of Hopedale, Massachusetts. There, his father was an accountant and his mother a high school gym teacher and later an aerobics instructor. She later retired to Arizona while Perry's father died in 1975.

 

Early career

During Joe Perry's early years he formed a band with Tom Hamilton called The Jam Band. After meeting with Steven Tyler, Joe & Tom would go on to form Aerosmith with him. While initially dismissed as Rolling Stones knock-offs, the band came into its own during the mid-1970s with a string of hit records. Chief among these successes were Toys in the Attic (1975) and Rocks (1976), thanks largely to the prevalence of free-form, album-oriented FM radio. The group also managed hit singles on the AM dial with songs like "Dream On," "Same Old Song and Dance," "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way."

During this time, Perry and vocalist Steven Tyler became known as the "Toxic Twins" for their notorious hard-partying and drug use. Hard core drug dealers made a cash grab following Aerosmith around the country knowing there would be an unlimited supply of customers. Aerosmith's crowd in these days earned the nickname "The Blue Army". So called by the band after the seemingly endless amount of teenagers in the audience wearing blue denim jackets and blue jeans. The audience was abundantly male with extremely long hair, one of the loudest of its day.

Following Rocks, the group began to stumble - drug use escalated and the creative process became hampered by strained relationships within the band. They managed another hit record in 1977 with Draw the Line, on which Perry sang lead vocals on the track "Bright Light Fright," considered by some to be one of the album's highlights. A fall of '77 tour was scheduled, but as the crowds got more dangerous, violence followed. An m-80 was thrown onstage in Philadelphia at The Spectrum in October 1977, injuring both Perry and Tyler.

Summer of 1979 saw the band headline over Van Halen, Ted Nugent, AC/DC and Foreigner during the world music festival concerts. An argument backstage in Cleveland resulted in Joe Perry's wife throwing a glass of milk at Tom Hamilton's wife. This would prove to be the turning point that saw Perry quit Aerosmith, taking a collection of unrecorded material with him, which would later become the basis of his Let the Music Do the Talking album.

 

The Project

By the end of the year, Perry had formed his own band - The Joe Perry Project. Their debut record, Let the Music Do the Talking, reached #47 on the Billboard album charts, selling 250,000 copies domestically. While sales and reviews were respectable, the group mainly thrived as a live act. It managed to do so even after its second album, I've Got the Rock'n'Rolls Again, went largely ignored.

In the end, the Project never solidified a lineup; all three studio releases would feature a different lead vocalist and the entire roster was replaced before their final effort (1983's Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker.) Even a brief stint with fellow Aerosmith exile, rhythm guitarist Brad Whitford, failed to ignite things again and the group found themselves with minimal label support by 1984.

 

Return to the spotlight

In 1984, manager Tim Collins worked to get Perry back in contact with his former band mates in Aerosmith. He was eventually invited to rejoin the group, which he did - along with the also-estranged Brad Whitford. This restored the band's classic lineup and resulted in a lucrative reunion tour.

In 1986, Perry and Tyler collaborated with Run-DMC in a remake of their 1975 hit "Walk This Way," which brought their band renewed mainstream attention.

After completing drug rehabilitation, Aerosmith went on to collaborate with various big-name songwriters and producers to launch their true comeback. Another string of successful albums (most notably the triple-platinum Pump in 1989) and many hit singles followed. Perry and Tyler resumed their tight friendship, again co-writing songs and performing very close together on stage.

In 1998, Perry helped conceive the group's first number one single, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," with pop songwriter Diane Warren. It appeared on the soundtrack to the hit film Armageddon.

From 2001 to present, Aerosmith has been heavily active in the music scene, and has toured every year.

In 2006, Perry performed alongside Steven Tyler for a three-song medley ("Dream On", "Walk This Way", "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing") with the Boston Pops Orchestra as part of a nationally-televised event to celebrate the Fourth of July in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

Solo album

He released his first bona fide solo record, the self-titled Joe Perry, in May 2005. Recorded at his home studio (The Boneyard) in suburban Boston, with every instrument but the drums played by Perry himself, the album was greeted with enthusiasm by fans who felt that his classic rock "edge" had been stifled on recent Aerosmith releases. Critics also responded favorably; Rolling Stone magazine crowned it with three-and-a-half (out of five) stars, declaring "A Joe Perry solo joint? about time!" He was also nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental" at the 2006 Grammys for the track "Mercy" but lost to legend Les Paul.

 

Family life

Perry was married to Elyssa Jerret from 1975-1985, a union that gave him a son, Adrian. The couple had a turbulent relationship, and she once bit him in the face during an altercation. Perry is now married to Billie Paullete Montgomery Perry; they have two children together, Tony and Roman, and she has a son from a previous relationship, Aaron. They married in 1985 after meeting on the set of his "Black Velvet Pants" video in 1983. Billie appears on one of Joe's guitars, which is dubbed "The Billie Perry Guitar." Tony and Adrian Perry are both founding members of the band Tab. Perry's first grandchild, Austin, was fathered by his stepson Aaron, who is also the CEO for the Joe Perry's Rock Your World hot sauce brand.

Joe's sister in law is Diana Minor, a well-known pool player. Perry is one of her sponsors.

Perry is also known to bring his entire family with him on several of Aerosmith's concert tours in the recent past.

 

Equipment

The main guitar associated with Joe Perry is the Gibson Les Paul. He has used many different types of Les Pauls since the 70s, including Les Paul Juniors, Les Paul Standards, and Les Paul Customs. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Gibson issued a Joe Perry signature Les Paul guitar; this guitar was customized with an active mid-boost control, black chrome hardware, and a translucent black finish. However, in 2004, this model was replaced by another Joe Perry signature Les Paul, the Joe Perry Boneyard Les Paul. This guitar is characterized by Perry's custom "Boneyard" logo on the headstock and a figured maple top with a green tiger finish, and is available with either a stopbar tailpiece or a Bigsby tailpiece; Perry typically uses a Bigsby-equipped Boneyard model in Aerosmith and solo live shows. The Gibson Joe Perry was a present from his wife Billie and then he was allowed to maufacture it. Perry has also endorsed an affordable replica version of the Boneyard guitar made by Epiphone that carries the same USA made Burstbucker pickups as the Gibson model.

Perry also uses other Gibson models. Another model he uses frequently is a customized Gibson B.B. King "Lucille" guitar; however, instead of the black finish and "Lucille" signature on the headstock, Perry's guitar features a white finish, a "Billie Perry" signature on headstock and an image of Billie Perry on the front of the guitar. He has also used Gibson SGs, Firebirds, ES-175s, and ES-350s at various points in his career.

Perry has been known to play guitars of other luthiers and manufacturers. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Perry frequently used various Fender Stratocasters; many of these guitars were left-handed Strats turned upside-down and appropriately restrung. One of these "upside-down" models is still played occasionally by Perry onstage, usually for "Sweet Emotion". Perry also uses Fender Telecasters, some modified with neck humbuckers. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Perry (along with fellow Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford) endorsed B.C. Rich guitars, and frequently used the Mockingbird (such as in the performance of "Come Together" in the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band film) and 10-string B.C. Rich models. He has also been photographed playing what looks like, judging by the headstock logo, a custom built Spector guitar during the 80s.

The six-string bass guitar is a trademark of Perry's guitar sound; instead of playing it like an ordinary bass guitar, he uses it like a regular guitar, playing riffs, chords, and solos. The six-string bass helped to create the characteristic growl of Aerosmith's "Back in the Saddle", "Combination", and "Draw the Line". In the past, Perry used Fender Bass VI and Danelectro six-string basses; he also used a Gibson EB-6 for the bass solo on "King of the Kings" on the Joe Perry Project's "Once a Rocker Always a Rocker" album (as indicated by the album's liner notes). Perry currently uses an Ernie Ball MusicMan six-string bass onstage.

For amps, Perry uses vintage 200 watt Marshall Major amps on stage. In the studio he uses various vintage low wattage tube amps.

For slide work, Perry typically uses a Dan Armstrong Lucite guitar, such as for "Draw the Line".

Joe has also been known to use a Pro Co RAT Distortion Pedal, a Klon Centaur overdrive, a talkbox, a Crybaby wah and a Digitech Whammy pedal

 

Chef Perry

Joe Perry has spearheaded the creation of an entire line of hot sauces entitled Joe Perry's Rock Your World Hot Sauces, which are featured widely in the marketplace. A quesadilla featuring a flavor of the namesake hot sauce is available as an appetizer at Hard Rock Cafe. Additionally, Perry was featured in a television episode of Inside Dish with Rachael Ray on a recent stop on Aerosmith's tour, in which he prepared a meal, displayed his passion for knives, discussed his hot sauce brand and cooking, and gave insight into what goes into meal preparation on Aerosmith tours.

Perry, along with Aerosmith band member Steven Tyler and other partners, until recently co-owned Mount Blue, a restaurant in Norwell, Massachusetts.

 

Guest appearances

Played on the 1978 solo album by Gene Simmons.

Played on two tracks of the 1978 debut solo album by David Johansen.

Perry is one of the few non-Kiss members to guest on stage with the masked band, as he wore a pair of Paul Stanley's boots and jammed in the song "Strutter" during a date of a Aerosmith/Kiss tour. Pictures can be viewed here.

Perry played on the guitar super-ensemble cd Merry Axemas Volume 1 with his own track Blue Christmas, the album also features Rush's Alex Lifeson, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck and others.

He played the guitar solo in Eminem's Sing For The Moment,Joe Perry liked the use of sample and said once "It's great. The song lives again in another form."

He also appeared in the Nelly video "#1"

He performed a duet of "You Really Got Me" with Sanjaya Malakar on American Idol 6.[2]

He played with Tom Jones and later in a duet of Tom Jones and Joss Stone in the Concert for Diana on July 1, 2007.

He was part of an all-star lineup--including Little Richard and Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen-- that recorded the 2006 version of the Monday Night Football theme song with Hank Williams, Jr.

 

Miscellaneous

He is left-handed, but plays the guitar right-handed.

He sings lead vocals on the Aerosmith songs "Bright Light Fright" (Draw the Line - 1977), "Walk On Down" (Get a Grip - 1993),"Falling Off" (Nine Lives - 1997) "Drop Dead Gorgeous" (Just Push Play - 2001), "Stop Messin' Around" (Honkin' On Bobo - 2004), and "Back Back Train" (Honkin' On Bobo - 2004), and a lead duet with Steven Tyler on "Combination" (Rocks - 1976)

Steven Tyler often drops Joe Perry's name in song lyrics, including in the songs "Shame on You" (1985) and "F.I.N.E." (1989), as well as a live version of "Movin' Out" (from 1987's Classics Live II). In concert, Tyler often sings "'Perry' was all over the floor" in the song "Draw the Line. Tyler also adds Perry's name in the live versions of "Hangman Jury", where he sings "If I could I surely would, stand on the rock 'Joe Perry' done stood."

Before reuniting with Aerosmith in 1984, Perry was planning on joining forces with Alice Cooper.

An achievement in the Xbox 360 version of the game Guitar Hero II, is titled the "Joe and Steven Award" in tribute to Joe and fellow Aerosmith member Steven Tyler. It is awarded to two players who can get a 500 note streak in cooperative mode.

Perry is often referred to (especially onstage by Steven Tyler) as "Joe F***ing Perry."

Brad Whitford

 

Brad Whitford (born Bradley Ernest Whitford, 23 February 1952, in Winchester, Massachusetts,) is a musician and guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith

 

Career

After attending the Berklee College of Music, Whitford joined Aerosmith in 1971, replacing original guitarist Ray Tabano. Aerosmith would go on to be one of the most successful bands of the 1970s. However, following a string of less successful albums in the late 1970s, Whitford left the band in 1981 to work on his own project with singer Derek St. Holmes, simply called Whitford/St. Holmes. The project was soon dissolved, following the disappointing sales of their first (and last), eponymous album.

Whitford briefly toured with The Joe Perry Project, featuring former Aerosmith band mate Joe Perry, before both Perry and Whitford rejoined Aerosmith in 1984. In the mid-late 1980s, all band members completed drug rehabilitation, including Whitford, who completed programs to combat his alcohol abuse. Whitford remains sober to this day and continues to be an active force in Aerosmith.

Whitford also served as a producer for a well-known Boston band, The Neighborhoods, who were led by a rabid Aerosmith fan, David Minehan. When, in 1994, Whitford was forced to leave unexpectedly in the middle of an Asian tour due to family illness, Minehan was flown to Japan where he performed in Whitford's place for several days until Whitford returned.

 

Musical contributions and style

While Joe Perry is Aerosmith's more popular guitarist and more prolific songwriter, Whitford has made significant contributions to the band's repertoire over the years. This includes writing (and playing lead guitar on) Aerosmith's hit "Last Child" as well as some of Aerosmith's heaviest tracks: "Nobody's Fault" and "Round and Round", and playing lead guitar on "Back in the Saddle" (on which Perry plays six string bass) and on the ballads "You See Me Crying" and "Home Tonight". When Aerosmith made their big comeback in the late 1980s, Whitford continued to co-write tracks such as "Permanent Vacation" and "Voodoo Medicine Man", and still plays lead guitar on some songs to this day.

Brad's soloing is the smoother and more refined counterpart to Joe Perry's hard-edged raunch; for example Brad relies heavily on versatile Floyd Rose guitars, while Perry loyally sports the hard rock trademark Gibson Les Paul. Whitford's heavy compositions, playing style and characteristic smooth and nasal guitar sound have also been a big influence on Guns N' Roses guitar hero Slash among others.

Said Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler of the two, "Joe is self-taught and his playing comes from raw emotion. Not that Brad's doesn't, but his style is more schooled."

 

Equipment

At current performances, Brad can be seen playing a huge array of solid-body guitars, including Floyd Roses, Gretsches, and notably a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and a gold-painted Stratocaster. Meanwhile, Aerosmith's original heyday in the late 1970's saw both Whitford and co-guitarist Joe Perry arm themselves with aggressive-looking guitars from BC Rich (Whitford favored an unpainted Eagle, while Perry often played an alien-looking red Bich.

 

 

Tom Hamilton

 

Thomas William Hamilton (born December 31, 1951, in Colorado Springs, Colorado) is an American musician, best known as the bassist of the band Aerosmith. He began playing guitar at the age of twelve, then switched to bass because the only local band needed a bassist. He co-wrote three of Aerosmith's hits, "Sweet Emotion" (perhaps most noted for the bass line), "Janie's Got a Gun and "Jaded." He plays rhythm guitar on another song he co-wrote, "Sick as a Dog" and also co-wrote "Uncle Salty" from Toys in the Attic.

According to Aerosmith.com, Hamilton's favorite song by the band is "The Farm" (from the 1997 album Nine Lives). He married Terry Cohen in 1975 and they have two children. Hamilton was the last member of the band to come clean of his drug addictions and smoked marijuana up to the recording of Permanent Vacation.

In August 2006, he announced that he was diagnosed with throat cancer and completed a seven-week course of radiation and chemotherapy. He was forced to miss Aerosmith's Route of All Evil Tour. David Hull (who has played in The Joe Perry Project) filled in for Hamilton. Hamilton had never previously missed an Aerosmith show. He joined the band for the performance of "Sweet Emotion" at their Boston show in September 2006, and at the private show at the Beacon Theatre in New York, on December 3, 2006, where he reclaimed his place with the band for the entire performance.

Hamilton is the tallest member of the band at 6'1". He is also the "funny one" of Aerosmith, always looking for chances to make jokes in interviews and also being one of the bigger talkers at interviews.

 

Family

Family

Hamilton was born to George and Betty Hamilton, in the town of Wayland, MA. He has an older brother named Scott, an older sister named Perry, and a younger sister named Cecily. His father was in the Air Force and his mother was a housewife.

Tom first learned to play guitar from his brother, who got his first guitar when Tom was four years old.

 

Pre-Aerosmith/Making of Aerosmith

Hamilton first started playing guitar when he was 12 and switched to bass when he was 14 to join a local band. Hamilton was in a band with soon-to-be Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry. The band was simply called "The Jam Band". The band was broken up but Hamilton and Perry both moved to Boston to start another band and met Steven Tyler and a local club called "The Barn" Tyler's band also broke up and the three joined together. The three became a power trio with Hamilton on bass, Perry on guitar, and Tyler on drums and vocals. Then Ray Tabano joined and eventually Joey Kramer joined in replacing Tyler on drums so he could focus on vocals. Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford and Aerosmith was born.

 

Acting

Hamilton was accepted into two acting schools.

 

Aerosmith 1970-present day

On December 20, 2006, Tom reported on AeroForceOne.com that he is cancer-free after a recent PET scan.

 

Role in the Band

Hamilton occasionally plays guitar and sings backing vocals.

 

Songs Written

"Uncle Salty" from Toys In The Attic

"Sweet Emotion" from Toys In The Attic

"Sick as a Dog" from Rocks

"Critical Mass" from Draw the Line

"Kings and Queens" from Draw the Line

"The Hand that Feeds" from Draw the Line

"The Reason a Dog" from Done With Mirrors

"The Hop" from Done With Mirrors

"The Movie" from Permanent Vacation

"Janie's Got a Gun" from Pump

Joey Kramer

 

Joseph Michael "Joey" Kramer (born June 21, 1950 in The Bronx, New York City, United States) is the drummer for the Hard rock band Aerosmith. It was Kramer who named the band in 1973. Kramer briefly attended the Thornton Donovan School. According to the band's autobiography, Walk This Way, Kramer was frequently the one collecting money owed to the group.

His first writing credit with the band was "Pandora's Box" on their second album, Get Your Wings. Of all the members of the band, Kramer has written the fewest songs.

Kramer's son's Jessey also plays drums. He filled in for Joey in 2005 at several Aerosmith shows while Joey was recovering from strained muscles.

Kramer and his wife April live in Marshfield, Massachusetts. They have a second home in South Florida which has been damaged by storms and rebuilt. Kramer also collects foreign sports cars.

During the formation of Aerosmith, it was Joey Kramer who suggested the name "Aerosmith" for the group of young musicians.

 

Trivia

One of Kramer's ex-girlfriends is the mother of Rob Bourdon, the drummer of the nu metal band Linkin Park. Bourdon took inspiration from Kramer, as he got to see the backstage production behind the scenes when he went to an Aerosmith concert at the age of ten. Kramer gave Rob a kick pedal.

Kramer owns part of a car dealership in Plymouth, MA.

As of June 27th, 2007, Kramer has listed a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 on eBay

Phew! FINALLY got round to posting this :P

 

Enjoy :cheer:

 

(And if you want to add anything then please do :D )

Aerosmith have all got very interesting lives