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. One of the album's overlooked highlights was Hangman Jury, co-written with frequent Bryan Adams collaborator Jim Vallance and allowing Tyler to open with a harmonica solo.
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', although the album's standout moments were Seasons of Wither and Lord of the Thighs, both penned by Tyler.
While Aerosmith had dominated the rock scene during the mid-1970s, by the end of the decade they had begun to struggle to match their former glories. Shortly before Perry quit the group, they released the double album Live! Bootleg, once again produced by Jack Douglas and boasting many of their most known hits, such as Sweet Emotion, Dream On and Back in the Saddle, recorded at different venues around America. Among the tracks was Chip Away the Stone, penned by Richard Supa, who would contribute guitars to two tracks on their next studio album, Night in the Ruts. While the version on Live! Bootleg was recorded at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, a studio cut of the song, previously released as a single, was later included on the 1988 compilation Gems.
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. Later included on both Gems and the 1991 box-set Pandora's Box, Adam's Apple is a song that Aerosmith had never seemed to hold in high regard, yet it remains one of the most under-appreciated songs in their body of work.
