GEEKS MAKE LISTS
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Jack Douglas and Aerosmith.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton.
Released by Columbia Records.
Aerosmith had finally gained widespread attention with their third album, Toys in the Attic, and the hit singles Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion, but it would be their next record that would prove to be their crowning achievement. Dirty and raw, Rocks was a mixture of hard rock and blues and would feature the singles Back in the Saddle and Last Child.
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance, Desmond Child and Tom Hamilton.
Released by Geffen Records.
After the success of 1987's Permanent Vacation, Aerosmith returned two years later with another commercial success. Once again teaming up with Canadian producer Bruce Fairbairn, Pump would boast the smash hits Janie's Got a Gun, What It Takes, The Other Side and lead single Love in an Elevator, whose solo would be used as the opening theme for the British metal show Raw Power.
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Jack Douglas.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford, Fred Weismantel and Darren Solomon.
Released by Columbia Records.
Jack Douglas had made an impression on the band when he co-produced their second album, Get Your Wings, and over the next few years he would help to define the sound of Aerosmith. His first solo effort with the group would be Toys in the Attic, a collection of nine classic tunes that would include their seminal hit Walk This Way.
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Desmond Child, Jim Vallance, Holly Knight, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer.
Released by Geffen Records.
Having signed with Geffen Records in the mid-1980s, their first album on the label, Done with Mirrors had been intended to be the band's big comeback, but a lack of commercial appeal and the mental state of the five musicians, who were slowly entering rehab to kick their drug addictions, left a sour taste in the mouths of both fans and critics. At the insistence of Geffen, the band were partnered with a variety of professional songwriters in an attempt to return the band to the top of the charts, a ploy that would produce the hits Dude (Looks Like a Lady, Angel and Rag Doll.
Performed by Aeromsith.
Produced by Adrian Barber.
Written by Steven Tyler.
Released by Columbia Records.
Often overlooked in favour of their Jack Douglas-produced albums, Aerosmith's eponymous debut was a rough-around-the-edges record that captured the sound that the band had developed on the road, mixing the attitude of the Rolling Stones with a touch of glam and blues. The ballad Dream On would be the first track to give the group some exposure, while the song Mama Kin was later covered by Guns N' Roses over a decade later.
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Gary Lyons and Aerosmith.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Shadow Morton, Joe Bennett, Jazz Gillum, Lester Melrose, Keith Relf, Jimmy Page and Jim McCarty.
Released by Columbia Records.
1979's Night in the Ruts was the sound of a band on the verge of imploding, with drug addictions and egos out of control, resulting in guitarist Joe Perry quiting midway through the recording. Despite being replaced by the inferior Jimmy Crespo, the album, the first since their debut to not be produced by Jack Douglas, featured several classic cuts, including opener No Surprize and a cover of The Shangri-Las' Remember (Walking in the Sand).
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Ted Templeman.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer.
Released by Geffen Records.
It failed to be the comeback that all had hoped for, with Geffen having recently signed the band to the label and guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford having returned after pursuing other projects, yet the end result would prove a commercial disappointment. It was, however, arguably the best album they had recorded in several years and would be the last to feature their trademark hard blues sound, before professional songwriters would exert an outside influence.
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance, Mark Hudson, Desmond Child, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw, Taylor Rhodes and Lenny Kravitz.
Released by Geffen Records.
Even as the hair metal scene of the 1980s had been drowned out in the early years of the following decade by grunge, Aerosmith continued to enjoy commercial success by moving with the times. Their third and final album with Bruce Fairbairn, recorded once again at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, 1993's Get a Grip provided the band with yet another multi-platinum album, along with the singles Livin' on the Edge, Cryin' and Crazy.
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Ray Colcord and Jack Douglas.
Written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Darren Solomon, Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay and Lois Mann.
Released by Columbia Records.
While Aerosmith's debut had sold reasonably well, if the band were to continue they would need to develop their sound, both as musicians and songwriters. Frontman Steven Tyler had written the first record by himself, but for their sophomore effort he would seek the assistance of his bandmates, resulting in the single Sam Old Song and Dance, as well as a cover of the Tiny Bradshaw classic Train Kept A-Rolli'.
Performed by Aerosmith.
Produced by Producer by Mark Hudson, Marti Frederiksen, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry.
Released by Columbia Records.
Having returned to Columbia Records with 1997's Nine Lives, Aerosmith teamed up with producers Mark Hudson and Marti Frederiksen for their thirteenth studio album, Just Push Play. Far-removed from the blues rock sound of their earlier records, the album was ostensibly a pop rock release, although it did feature such catchy tunes as Jaded and the title track.
