Aerosmith

Aerosmith is one of those bands whose very name is synonymous with hard rock music.  They’ve been in the game for over half a century, having originated in Boston back in 1970. Even more amazingly is that as of the year 2020, the band’s lineup still consists of four of its original members. And they are as follows:

• Steven Tyler (frontman)
• Tom Hamilton (Bass)
• Joe Perry (guitar)
• Joey Kramer (drums)

And the fifth, Brad Whitford (guitar), has for the most part been down since 1971.

For a moment, particularly during the early 1980s, it seemed as if Aerosmith would fall off. The group was having retention as well as drug-abuse issues. But in 1986 they participated in the Run DMC cover of a classic the rockers originally dropped in 1975 entitled “Walk This Way“. Some readers may recognize this track as not only a major crossover hit but also the song which initiated rap music’s process of becoming a mainstream genre. But more importantly for Aerosmith, it significantly revitalized their career.

And subsequently the band has collected quite a few American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, MTV VMAs, Grammys Awards, etc., most of which were won during the 1990s.

Whenever the hard rock genre is mentioned, one of the most notable bands that come to mind is Boston’s pride, American rock band, Aerosmith. With a name derived from a casual thought that popped up in the head of band member, Joey Kramer, Aerosmith has been fully embraced by fans and rock music lovers worldwide.

History of Aerosmith

Before Aerosmith was formed in 1970, some of the band members had their own separate bands and were living in separate states.

Hamilton and Perry had founded a blues and freestyled group named Jam Band outside Boston, while Tyler formed his band Chain Reaction, first named Strangeurs in 1964.

Hamilton and Perry relocated to Boston with their band in September of 1969 where they met another member of the band, Kramer (drummer) from New York.

Kramer had interest in working with Tyler’s band so he left school (Berklee College of Music) to join Tyler.

Chain Reaction and Jam Band coincidentally both played at a show in 1970 and Tyler found an interest in Jam Band’s sound, later proposing that they merge both bands.

Later that year in October, the bands considered the suggestion and came to an agreement after rearranging their line-up with Tyler now as lead vocalist and Ray Tabano popularly known as Crazy Raymond as a guitarist.

Like many other bands before and after them, Aerosmith swept through a couple of band names including The Hookers, Spike Jones before finally settling on their current name. Ray Tabano left the band and in 1971, he was replaced by Brad Whitford.

By 1971, they had started garnering attention for playing live shows and soon signed their premiere promotion deal and a management deal with David Krebs and Steven Leber in 1972.

Their first album, “Aerosmith” was released on January 5, 1973 by Columbia records, after signing a record deal with them for $125, 000 in benefit.

Their second album, “Get Your Wings”, was released in March 1974 by American Record producer, Jack Douglas spawning hit singles like Same Old Song and Dance.

Their third album, “Toys in the Attic”, released in April 1975 with the hit single “Sweet Emotions” earned the band their huge break, reaching the Top 40 charts in the US.

The band continued working on their next album “Night in the Ruts” while touring during a recess in their recording schedule.

During this time the band experienced a fall out that led to Joe Perry, one of the “Toxin Twins” leaving the band in 1979 and beginning a solo project of his own, The Joe Perry Project.

The November 1979 album took off selling, soon landing gold and platinum certifications. A terrible incident occurred in 1980 as Steven Tyler got involved in a major motor accident rendering him immovable till 1981.

The band and the Toxic Twins reunited in Worcester, Massachusetts on February 4, 1984 at a homecoming arena before Tyler collapsed on stage during the band’s live performance. 

Aerosmith continued releasing albums and singles from 1984 through to 2018.

Interesting Facts about Aerosmith

The “Bad Boys from Boston” have earned themselves well deserved rankings and awards in their music career, having sold over 150 million albums worldwide and 70.2 million in the United States.

They have been regarded as the best-selling American hard rock band of all-time.

The group holds the title of the most album certifications by an American band with 25 gold, 12 multi-platinum and 18 platinum albums as of 2021.

They landed their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2001 and were honored with an MTV Icon Award in 2002.

The band was honored with the MusiCares Person of the Year Award in 2020.

The band’s musical influence has been felt and cited by a number of popular rock and heavy metal bands including the Black Crowes, Guns N Roses, Ratt, Inglorious, the Quireboys, Skid Row, Tesla, among many others.

A day was declared “Aerosmith Day” in the state of Massachusetts in April 1993 by the then-Governor.

Aerosmith became one of the famous bands known for their substance abuse just as much as they were renowned for their music.

The band made a promise to their manager to get clean from drugs and they fulfilled their promise in 1980.

Steven Tyler had to undergo a throat surgery in 2006, causing the band to back out of their 2005-2006 tour with Lenny Kravitz.

In 1977, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry survived a plane crash that killed several others including band members of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Brief Conclusion

As one of the few bands still rocking after several decades of being made icons and Hall of famers, music lovers can still look forward to more music coming from the ‘Bad Boys from Boston’ or shall we now call them ‘The Old Men from Boston’?

Either way, Aerosmith stands tall and keeps soaring higher in the rock music industry.

Top Aerosmith Songs

• “Amazing”
• “Angel”
• “Angel’s Eye”
• “Baby, Please Don’t Go”
• “Back in the Saddle”
• “Bi–h’s Brew”
• “Blind Man”
• “Can’t Stop Lovin’ You” (featuring Carrie Underwood)
• “Chip Away the Stone”
• “Come Together”
• “Crazy”
• “Cryin'”
• “Deuces Are Wild”
• “Devil’s Got a New Disguise”
• “Draw the Line”
• “Dream On“
• “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)”
• “Eat the Rich”
• “F.I.N.E.*”
• “Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)”
• “Fever”
• “Fly Away from Here”
• “Full Circle”
• “Get It Up”
• “Girls of Summer”
• “Hangman Jury”
• “Helter Skelter”
• “Hole in My Soul”
• “Home Tonight”
• “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing“
• “Jaded”
• “Janie’s Got a Gun”
• “Just Push Play”
• “Kings and Queens”
• “Last Child”
• “Legendary Child”
• “Let the Music Do the Talking”
• “Lightning Strikes”
• “Livin’ on the Edge”
• “Love in an Elevator”
• “Love Me Two Times”
• “Lover Alot”
• “Magic Touch”
• “Monkey on My Back”
• “My Fist Your Face”
• “Nine Lives”
• “Pink”
• “Rag Doll”
• “Remember (Walking in the Sand)”
• “Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”
• “S.O.S. (Too Bad)”
• “Same Old Song and Dance”
• “Shela” “Darkness”
• “Shut Up and Dance”
• “Sunshine”
• “Sweet Emotion”
• “Taste of India”
• “The Other Side”
• “Train Kept A Rollin'”
• “Walk on Water”
• “Walk This Way“
• “What Could Have Been Love”
• “What It Takes”
• “What Kind of Love Are You On”
• “You See Me Crying”