Aerosmith Cancel Remaining Tour Dates, Retire – We Reflect On This Great American Band

Vaunted American rock n roll band Aerosmith has called it quits…time to lower the rock n roll flag to half mast. They had already announced their retirement and like Elton John, were going to go out after an extensive tour. But on September 9th of last year lead singer Steven Tyler apparently injured his vocal cords and apparently his voice isn’t coming back so just like that, it’s over for this venerable band. I don’t think this is one of those Ozzy or Motley Crue type of retirements where we’ll see these guys come back in a year or two. And since it’s probably over for good, I thought it time to reflect and say farewell to Steven Tyler, Joe Perry (lead guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass) and Joey Kramer (drums). And while Aerosmith had largely faded for me in recent years, it’s hard to tell you how much this band meant to all of us rock n rollers “back in the day.”

When Aerosmith’s self titled debut album dropped they were quickly labeled “a poor man’s Rolling Stones.” I think that might have been because of a mild resemblance lead singer Steven Tyler had to a young Mick Jagger. They were harder edged, blues rock (bloozy?) and we ate that up. I’ve posted before about the peak of Aerosmith, Toys In The Attic and Rocks, two of the greatest rock albums ever. When I started listening to rock n roll music in say, 1978, the drugs were driving Aerosmith into a bit of a decline with Draw The Line, but they were still all over our local radio station. I guess you could say I was a member of the “Blue Army,” the dudes in denim rocking out to Aerosmith’s music. Steven Tyler once said “The only chicks at an Aerosmith concert are the ones we bring with us.” We all loved Aerosmith – they were up there with Zeppelin, Rush and Van Halen for us rock heads out there.

I think my first Aerosmith album purchase was their fabulous Live Bootleg that came out in 1978. I was at the home of one of the many Steve’s I hung out with and heard the live version of “Dream On” and had to have it. I vaguely remember when A Night In The Ruts came out when I was in middle school. They played the heck out of “Remember (Walking In The Sand).” I also sadly remember that Aerosmith foolishly took part in that Bee Gee’s/Peter Frampton movie based the Beatles music, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band. Aerosmith played the “villains.” At least we got a good cover of “Come Together” out of the deal. Since we were all just a little young for that prime, early Aerosmith, their 1980 single album greatest hits package – with the red and white cover – was a must have. It gave you a brief gist of their career up to that point. None of us had enough money to buy all the back Aerosmith albums so everybody had that Greatest Hits album. When I met the Rock Chick she had that album on CD…

The early 80s were a rough time for the Aerosmith fan base. Both Joe Perry and Brad Whitford split the band. I remember a room mate of mine always asking, “When is Aerosmith going to do something new?” Finally, after a three year absence (a lifetime in those days), in late 1982 they released Rock In A Hard Place with two replacement guitarists. Tyler was bottoming out on heroin. The album was, to say the least, a disappointment. Although I remember the video for “When The Lightning Strikes,” the only great song on the album. I actually saw Aerosmith at the Starlight Theater in 1984 right after Perry and Whitford had rejoined and that classic chemistry was clicking. It was an absolutely great rock show, only marred partially by one of my buddies passing out and my other two friends leaving me to manage the idiot. Aerosmith opened with “Back In The Saddle,” (and yes they were that night) and ended with “Train Kept A’Rollin’.” It was a perfect Aerosmith show. They even did a Hendrix cover, “Red House.”

The late 80s saw Aerosmith engineer one of the greatest comebacks in rock history. Sadly, Done With Mirrors didn’t hit – it was as close to old, classic, 70s Aerosmith we were to ever get again – but 1987’s Permanent Vacation was a smash hit. Aerosmith sort of rebranded a little in that hair metal vibe that was popular at the time, and suddenly they were back. I remember buying that album on vinyl at the record store in Ft. Smith and being really happy with it. Some of the deeper tracks are songs I still love by those guys like “Heart’s Done Time” and “St. John.” “Hangman Jury” was bluesy fun as well.

Pump, while no Rocks, was probably the best Aerosmith album of the 80s/90s. But after that it was real hit and miss. I think egos started to get in the way. Tyler, in a serious case of “Lead Singers Disease,” wanted to create his “own brand.”  Maybe these guys all needed to be on drugs to get along. I thought Get A Grip was a real disappointment. They bounced back a bit with Nine Lives but after that the music began to fade into the background. A few songs would hit my radar – like butt dials from an old friend who never calls – and it was nice to know they were still out there, even if they were disappointing me. I took the Rock Chick to see them early in the 2000’s. She’d seen them on the tour in the late 80s where the Black Crowes opened for them which is a bit legendary. She caught some cool shows…but I digress. It was a great concert that night but nothing was going to touch that 1984 show for me.

And now, one of those bands who have literally been around my entire rock n roll existence is no more. I was sad to see this once powerhouse of band go out with a bit of a whimper than a scream. As Pete Townshend once sang, “I can’t pretend that growing older never hurts.” I wish the members of Aerosmith all the best in retirement – I know drummer Joey Kramer had already left the band – and I’m glad we’ve got this great catalog of music from the 70s, and the 80s to remember these guys by.

If you haven’t done so in a while, you might want to mute the Olympics and crank up Toys In The Attic… I defy you to not be up on your feet for “Walk This Way” or “Sweet Emotion.” Or if you’re a little younger, even putting on Pump at loud volume would be a nice way to honor the lads in Aerosmith.

Farewell, Aerosmith! Cheers!