Aero Force One Flies No More
August 6, 2024 3:39 PM Subscribe
The once high flying staple of macho swaggering Dad Rock, Aerosmith has called it quits on touring. Last year during a September show on their "Peace Out Farewell Tour", Steven Tyler (75 at the time) damaged his vocal cords to the point of bleeding. He has been unable to recover to the point of performing.
Founded in Boston in 1970, Aerosmith scored multiple platinum records throughout the decade with songs like "Sweet Emotion", "Dream On" and "Walk This Way". Drug addiction and a life of Rock & Roll excess (and some very, very ick behavior, twice over) led to the band collapsing in the early 80's.
It was a highly unexpected collaboration with Run D.M.C. on a cover of "Walk This Way" in 1986 that relaunched Aerosmith's career with a series of high charting albums - Permanent Vacation, Pump, and Get a Grip and a run of hits that cemented their legend as America's best selling hard-rock band - "Dude Looks Like A Lady", "Rag Doll", "Love in an Elevator", "Janie's Got a Gun", "Livin' on the Edge", "Cryin", "Amazing, "Crazy" and the soundtrack song that everyone can make fun of - "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing". (The trio of videos - Cryin', Amazing and Crazy featuring Alicia Silverstone, while Liv Tyler featured in "Crazy" and "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing")
Younger readers may well know Aerosmith best for their appearances in the Guitar Hero video game franchise.
Founded in Boston in 1970, Aerosmith scored multiple platinum records throughout the decade with songs like "Sweet Emotion", "Dream On" and "Walk This Way". Drug addiction and a life of Rock & Roll excess (and some very, very ick behavior, twice over) led to the band collapsing in the early 80's.
It was a highly unexpected collaboration with Run D.M.C. on a cover of "Walk This Way" in 1986 that relaunched Aerosmith's career with a series of high charting albums - Permanent Vacation, Pump, and Get a Grip and a run of hits that cemented their legend as America's best selling hard-rock band - "Dude Looks Like A Lady", "Rag Doll", "Love in an Elevator", "Janie's Got a Gun", "Livin' on the Edge", "Cryin", "Amazing, "Crazy" and the soundtrack song that everyone can make fun of - "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing". (The trio of videos - Cryin', Amazing and Crazy featuring Alicia Silverstone, while Liv Tyler featured in "Crazy" and "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing")
Younger readers may well know Aerosmith best for their appearances in the Guitar Hero video game franchise.
I feel like my vocal cords are bleeding every time I try to sing along with "Dream On," so god bless Tyler for doing it for fifty years.
posted by escabeche at 3:54 PM on August 6 [12 favorites]
posted by escabeche at 3:54 PM on August 6 [12 favorites]
I was friends with someone who was a huge Aerosmith fan. She travelled to see them and I think even got to meet them. I'm sure she'll be sad that she won't get the chance to see them play again.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:08 PM on August 6
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:08 PM on August 6
I owe them a huge debt of gratitude. As a kid, I was learning Aerosmith songs as soon as I picked up a bass. As a Cover Artist™ I must have played Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion hundreds of times each.
One of my bands did both Back In The Saddle and Sick as a Dog off of Rocks, which will always be my favorite album of theirs. I suppose I’ve played half of the 70’s catalog in one band or anther.
Getting old kinda sucks and I’m sorry they’re going out this way instead of on their own terms.
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:01 PM on August 6 [4 favorites]
One of my bands did both Back In The Saddle and Sick as a Dog off of Rocks, which will always be my favorite album of theirs. I suppose I’ve played half of the 70’s catalog in one band or anther.
Getting old kinda sucks and I’m sorry they’re going out this way instead of on their own terms.
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:01 PM on August 6 [4 favorites]
Flags are flying at half mast across the Commonwealth.
posted by pxe2000 at 5:09 PM on August 6 [6 favorites]
posted by pxe2000 at 5:09 PM on August 6 [6 favorites]
Aerosmith was my first concert.
Steven Tyler is also likely a gross human being.
The world is complex and I often don't know how to feel about it, but I'm pretty sure that's OK.
posted by neuracnu at 5:21 PM on August 6
Steven Tyler is also likely a gross human being.
The world is complex and I often don't know how to feel about it, but I'm pretty sure that's OK.
posted by neuracnu at 5:21 PM on August 6
In which Elizabeth, a trained opera singer, of YouTube channel The Charismatic Voice, tries to figure out whether Steven Tyler is doing permanent damage to his voice.
posted by vverse23 at 5:28 PM on August 6 [3 favorites]
posted by vverse23 at 5:28 PM on August 6 [3 favorites]
Better late than never I guess.
posted by pattern juggler at 5:31 PM on August 6
posted by pattern juggler at 5:31 PM on August 6
There are multiple generations that know Aerosmith solely as the creepy, aged gatekeepers of the Rock N Roller Coaster.
posted by phooky at 5:32 PM on August 6 [9 favorites]
posted by phooky at 5:32 PM on August 6 [9 favorites]
Still holding a grudge from that time they tried to kill Peter Frampton*
*OK, it was in a movie.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 6:02 PM on August 6 [2 favorites]
*OK, it was in a movie.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 6:02 PM on August 6 [2 favorites]
By "ick behavior" you mean "(allegedly) sexually assaulting a teenager."
Sorry to be such a downer, but in a just world this guy would've done significant time.
posted by praemunire at 6:25 PM on August 6 [9 favorites]
Sorry to be such a downer, but in a just world this guy would've done significant time.
posted by praemunire at 6:25 PM on August 6 [9 favorites]
In which Elizabeth, a trained opera singer, of YouTube channel The Charismatic Voice, tries to figure out whether Steven Tyler is doing permanent damage to his voice.
A fellow CV fan! Hello!
Even back in the 70s, it sure seemed like there was no way in hell Tyler wasn’t shredding his vocal cords. I mean, there are ways to “scream” without doing damage, and it always sounded like Tyler just wasn’t doing anything to protect his instrument.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:41 PM on August 6 [1 favorite]
A fellow CV fan! Hello!
Even back in the 70s, it sure seemed like there was no way in hell Tyler wasn’t shredding his vocal cords. I mean, there are ways to “scream” without doing damage, and it always sounded like Tyler just wasn’t doing anything to protect his instrument.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:41 PM on August 6 [1 favorite]
It's very clear that Steven Tyler was definitely a not good person during his 70's wild rock era and there's absolutely no excuse for it. That's why I included those links because I can't think you can talk about Aerosmith without those two - known - events.
And I like watching The Charismatic Voice because of her joyful analysis and reactions.
posted by drewbage1847 at 6:57 PM on August 6 [2 favorites]
And I like watching The Charismatic Voice because of her joyful analysis and reactions.
posted by drewbage1847 at 6:57 PM on August 6 [2 favorites]
Aerosmith was my first concert.
Mine too. At the Orpheum around 1976. With my brother.
posted by carmicha at 7:45 PM on August 6 [3 favorites]
Mine too. At the Orpheum around 1976. With my brother.
posted by carmicha at 7:45 PM on August 6 [3 favorites]
Me and my loser friends, you know, we gotta go get Aerosmith tickets.
Top priority of the summer.
posted by chillmost at 1:51 AM on August 7 [5 favorites]
Top priority of the summer.
posted by chillmost at 1:51 AM on August 7 [5 favorites]
There's an Irish band I like, the Saw Doctors, and their lead singer also blew out his voice a while back. They didn't tour for years -- close to ten?
But somehow he recovered and they're back on the road again: I saw them in Boston last month and a year ago July, too.
His range is decreased and I can hear how he changes the way he sings some lines -- but he still lets it rip. Under a shock of white hair, with lines on his face, he looks the way a lot of his fans look. :7) But it's really joyful to see them onstage again/still.
posted by wenestvedt at 3:39 AM on August 7 [3 favorites]
But somehow he recovered and they're back on the road again: I saw them in Boston last month and a year ago July, too.
His range is decreased and I can hear how he changes the way he sings some lines -- but he still lets it rip. Under a shock of white hair, with lines on his face, he looks the way a lot of his fans look. :7) But it's really joyful to see them onstage again/still.
posted by wenestvedt at 3:39 AM on August 7 [3 favorites]
'Walk This Way' (WaPo, 2019, MTV Vault, 1986, People, 2020)
posted by box at 5:54 AM on August 7 [1 favorite]
posted by box at 5:54 AM on August 7 [1 favorite]
We'll always have the memories...of Revolution X the Aerosmith branded rail shooter from the 90s.
posted by LostInUbe at 6:15 AM on August 7 [4 favorites]
posted by LostInUbe at 6:15 AM on August 7 [4 favorites]
My first concert, in 1989 at the Richmond Coliseum. They were touring in support of Pump, and Skid Row was the opener. Considering what we paid to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden last month, it's mindboggling that the Aerosmith tickets were sub-$20.
posted by emelenjr at 6:37 AM on August 7
posted by emelenjr at 6:37 AM on August 7
There are multiple generations that know Aerosmith solely as the creepy, aged gatekeepers of the Rock N Roller Coaster
Ok thank you for saying this, because the first time I went to Disney was in high school in the early 2000s, which was when “the shocker” was the joke of my age group. Steven Tyler, in the video recording at the beginning of the ride, looks out over the crowd and then flashes the shocker. We must have ridden it 15 times, dying laughing over that moment again and again.
posted by knownassociate at 6:51 AM on August 7
Ok thank you for saying this, because the first time I went to Disney was in high school in the early 2000s, which was when “the shocker” was the joke of my age group. Steven Tyler, in the video recording at the beginning of the ride, looks out over the crowd and then flashes the shocker. We must have ridden it 15 times, dying laughing over that moment again and again.
posted by knownassociate at 6:51 AM on August 7
LostInUbe: I actually won Aerosmith tickets by playing that game on the air at the WMMR studios back in high school. Aerosmith was my second ever concert.
posted by SansPoint at 6:58 AM on August 7 [3 favorites]
posted by SansPoint at 6:58 AM on August 7 [3 favorites]
It'd be kinda funny if they brought in the guy who wrote most of Aerosmith's '90s songs as guest singer, Desmond Child and Dianne Warren.
Given the number of hits he also wrote for Bon Jovi and other '80s rock artists, it's like a 5 for 1 deal!
Also I guess '70s Aerosmith may have been a band collaborating, but '80s on Aerosmith was Steven Tyler at 11, occasional horns at 9, and the rest of the band at a 3, except maybe Joe Perry got a solo every now and then.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:25 AM on August 7 [1 favorite]
Given the number of hits he also wrote for Bon Jovi and other '80s rock artists, it's like a 5 for 1 deal!
Also I guess '70s Aerosmith may have been a band collaborating, but '80s on Aerosmith was Steven Tyler at 11, occasional horns at 9, and the rest of the band at a 3, except maybe Joe Perry got a solo every now and then.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:25 AM on August 7 [1 favorite]
I have an Aerosmith story.
I'm friends with the Grifters (90's Memphis indie rock heroes, check 'em out). Scott from that band had a band later called The Porch Ghouls. Sort of a scuzzy, vaguely jugband-like White Stripes. The frontman Mick was a tour guide at Graceland and was once tasked with giving Joe Perry a private tour. He kept it together, did what he was supposed to, then at the end, shot his shot, "Mr. Perry, here's my demo" etc. "Sure kid, thanks." Seemed over. He told the guys in the band but figured nothing would come of it. The guys teased him for his hubris.
A few weeks later, Mick gets a call.
"Hey, Mick, it's Joe Perry."
Mick is all, "Fuck you guys, not funny." Hangs up.
Phone rings again.
"Seriously, it's Joe Perry. We met at Graceland?"
"Oh shit, sorry Mr. Perry!"
"Call me Joe. Anyway, me and Steve are taking the jet down to Memphis this weekend. Where are you guys playing on Saturday night?"
Fun fact: they had NO gig for Saturday.
[thinking fast] "Um, we'll be at [bar/club whose owner is a friend]!"
"Cool. See you there." [Click]
Mick then calls up the club owner, frantically gets them added to the Saturday night lineup and the two dudes from Aerosmith indeed show up, buy people drinks, say nice things about the band, pose for pictures.
"You know, I may be able to help your band out," Joe says.
[Sputtering] "That would be great Mr. P--uh, Joe."
Months go by. One evening they're taking a break from band practice, having a few beers. MTV is on.
"After decades at Columbia Records, Aerosmith's Joe Perry has been given his own imprint. The first band is already lined up!"
Wouldn't that be cool, the band thinks.
Hours later, Mick's phone rings.
"It's Joe. Don't hang up! Hey remember how I said I might be able to help your band?"
"Yeah. We saw on MTV you have a label now and a first band and--"
"Yeah. It's you. Wanna be on my label?"
They signed, recorded a record and were immediately put into place as the openers for the Kiss/Aerosmith tour.
Now here's where I take a little of the fun out of the story. The Porch Ghouls didn't go anywhere, even with this. They played while everyone was finding their seats, in line for beers, getting merch. And a scuzzy sub-White Stripes band wasn't a great fit for dudes in black T-shirts there to hear "I Want to Rock N' Roll All Night."
But my friend Scott and his bandmates got to play arenas and shit for a year, eating on per diem, sleeping in their own hotel rooms. So that was cool.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:45 AM on August 7 [27 favorites]
I'm friends with the Grifters (90's Memphis indie rock heroes, check 'em out). Scott from that band had a band later called The Porch Ghouls. Sort of a scuzzy, vaguely jugband-like White Stripes. The frontman Mick was a tour guide at Graceland and was once tasked with giving Joe Perry a private tour. He kept it together, did what he was supposed to, then at the end, shot his shot, "Mr. Perry, here's my demo" etc. "Sure kid, thanks." Seemed over. He told the guys in the band but figured nothing would come of it. The guys teased him for his hubris.
A few weeks later, Mick gets a call.
"Hey, Mick, it's Joe Perry."
Mick is all, "Fuck you guys, not funny." Hangs up.
Phone rings again.
"Seriously, it's Joe Perry. We met at Graceland?"
"Oh shit, sorry Mr. Perry!"
"Call me Joe. Anyway, me and Steve are taking the jet down to Memphis this weekend. Where are you guys playing on Saturday night?"
Fun fact: they had NO gig for Saturday.
[thinking fast] "Um, we'll be at [bar/club whose owner is a friend]!"
"Cool. See you there." [Click]
Mick then calls up the club owner, frantically gets them added to the Saturday night lineup and the two dudes from Aerosmith indeed show up, buy people drinks, say nice things about the band, pose for pictures.
"You know, I may be able to help your band out," Joe says.
[Sputtering] "That would be great Mr. P--uh, Joe."
Months go by. One evening they're taking a break from band practice, having a few beers. MTV is on.
"After decades at Columbia Records, Aerosmith's Joe Perry has been given his own imprint. The first band is already lined up!"
Wouldn't that be cool, the band thinks.
Hours later, Mick's phone rings.
"It's Joe. Don't hang up! Hey remember how I said I might be able to help your band?"
"Yeah. We saw on MTV you have a label now and a first band and--"
"Yeah. It's you. Wanna be on my label?"
They signed, recorded a record and were immediately put into place as the openers for the Kiss/Aerosmith tour.
Now here's where I take a little of the fun out of the story. The Porch Ghouls didn't go anywhere, even with this. They played while everyone was finding their seats, in line for beers, getting merch. And a scuzzy sub-White Stripes band wasn't a great fit for dudes in black T-shirts there to hear "I Want to Rock N' Roll All Night."
But my friend Scott and his bandmates got to play arenas and shit for a year, eating on per diem, sleeping in their own hotel rooms. So that was cool.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:45 AM on August 7 [27 favorites]
We'll always have the memories...of Revolution X the Aerosmith branded rail shooter from the 90s.
If you're in Monterey CA you can play Revolution X at High Scores Arcade
NB they rotate through their games, so not every game they have listed is out
posted by Gorgik at 9:03 AM on August 7
If you're in Monterey CA you can play Revolution X at High Scores Arcade
NB they rotate through their games, so not every game they have listed is out
posted by Gorgik at 9:03 AM on August 7
Live! Bootleg remains one of the best double live albums ever.
posted by whuppy at 9:42 AM on August 7
posted by whuppy at 9:42 AM on August 7
It took me until today to release that somehow the version of Dream On I know the best came from "Live! Bootleg" - ironically on a cheap gas station cassette tape knockoff that wasn't "Live! Bootleg"
posted by drewbage1847 at 9:53 AM on August 7
posted by drewbage1847 at 9:53 AM on August 7
I will say, though, that Rock 'n' Rollercoaster is a genuinely fun ride.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:06 AM on August 7
posted by Thorzdad at 11:06 AM on August 7
Aerosmith was my first concert, in 1997. I was 10. My dad took me, and we had lawn seats at a big open-air amphitheatre. Almost everyone around us was smoking weed, and I remember my dad moving us around a few times so I wouldn't catch a contact high. I was a huge fan from about 9 to 16 and got to see them at least 3 or 4 more times, including once in the 4th row. They put on a hell of a show for each one, and I'm glad I got to see them with my dad for all of those times.
It's a shame that Steven Tyler turned out to be a perpetrator and I'm glad that rock stars are getting called out and not given a pass for abuse and assault, or written off for it 'being a different time' if it occurred in the past.
posted by rachaelfaith at 12:06 PM on August 7 [1 favorite]
It's a shame that Steven Tyler turned out to be a perpetrator and I'm glad that rock stars are getting called out and not given a pass for abuse and assault, or written off for it 'being a different time' if it occurred in the past.
posted by rachaelfaith at 12:06 PM on August 7 [1 favorite]
I saw them in 1987 or 1988, in Massachusetts, and the opening act was Guns N' Roses. They pretty much played their greatest hits album, and it rocked.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:44 PM on August 7
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:44 PM on August 7
My older brother went to see Aerosmith a bunch of times. He took my little brother twice or so, and my sister. Somehow it never occurred to him to ever ask if I wanted to go. He’s kind of a dick that way.
posted by caution live frogs at 3:06 PM on August 7
posted by caution live frogs at 3:06 PM on August 7
Dude looks like a geezer.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 10:54 PM on August 7 [2 favorites]
posted by ActingTheGoat at 10:54 PM on August 7 [2 favorites]
Sometime in the 70s, a very earnest tween informed me that Aerosmith had the most important influence on the Beatles. I just only managed to not guffaw. Yeah, right kid.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 7:53 AM on August 8
posted by a humble nudibranch at 7:53 AM on August 8
« Older Fancy talk casserole | from "ASAP" to "betimes" Newer »
posted by wittgenstein at 3:46 PM on August 6 [7 favorites]