Like them or love them you have to love Aerosmith. Aerosmith have been around forever and always keep churning out new stuff that stays top quality. Steven Tyler began his recording career in 1966 when England were winning the world cup (had to drop that in there). He was doing vocals for a band called Chain Reaction. He moved on after that and got together with guitar players Joe Perry and Brad Whitford (who replaced Ray Tabano), bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer. They formed Aerosmith and became many people's definition of Rock and Roll in the seventies. They nearly killed themselves with drug and alcohol abuse but recovered and still play to sold out arenas world wide and continue to have great success nearly 30 years after they started out.

"We weren't too ambitious when we started out. We just wanted to be the biggest thing that ever walked the planet, the greatest rock band that ever was. We just wanted everything."- Steven Tyler.

The 1990's have been good to Aerosmith but they had their beginnings in the 1970's. Their first album was released in 1973. It featured some timeless songs including Make It, Mama Kin and Steven Tyler's song Dream On. Steven wrote the song as a sonnet that he played on the piano when he was a teenager. He kept playing it over and over again until he got what he wanted. The band didn't achieve immediate success early critics compared them to the Rolling Stones although they were more in the vein of Led Zeppelin. Must have been Steven Tyler's mouth which is rather reminiscent of Mick Jagger’s.

Many artists claim Aerosmith were the reason they began playing music. Slash of Guns n Roses is one of them. Many others were fans including R.E.M. who covered Aerosmith song "Toys In The Attic". Aerosmith's second album was "Get Your Wings". This release featured Same Old Song And Dance, Lord Of The Thighs (Steven Tyler says he is the lord of the thighs) and a cover of the Yardbird's Train Kept A Rollin. They played it as a live song and it went down well with the crowd. "the train that kept a rollin all night long of rock and roll you cannot kill, it will live forever, it’s here again".

Their third record was a breakthrough piece of work. Coming in April 1975 meaning that they had managed an album every year since appearing on the scene. Toys In The Attic was a quality piece of musical entertainment right from track one through, Uncle Salty, Adam's Apple (the bands take on the garden of Eden incident), the much played Walk This Way, the brilliant Sweet Emotion and the ballad You See Me Crying. Aerosmith had established themselves as recognised, original and talented artists.

"If I could have half the talent, originality, influence and longevity of Aerosmith, I could die a happy man" – Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)

Toys In The Attic went platinum. After the huge success of this record they went on to record Rocks in 1976. By this time Aerosmith (particularly Joe Perry and Steven Tyler) were heavily using drugs. Rocks was however one of their greatest pieces of work. Beginning with the storming Back In The Saddle, progressing through the flawless Last Child and a solid album and once again finishing on the traditional Aerosmith ballad Home Tonight. Aerosmith were here to stay.

By now they all owned fast cars, big houses and serious drug problems. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry spent most of the recording sessions for Draw The Line doing cocaine and having blackouts. But still they produced an excellent album. Some say not as quality as their previous 2 records but I think it still stands strong. Kings and Queens in particular. Joe Perry also took to the microphone for the first time on Bright Light Fright which he also wrote solo. But people knew something was wrong with America’s band.

They still continued to make records and tour and even make appearances in film. They were the evil futuristic band in the Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band movie. Their rendition of Come Together was possibly saving grace for a terrible film. They put out their first live album in 1979. Live Bootleg and also added a new album Night In The Ruts. Considering how screwed up Aerosmith were Night In The Ruts is absolutely superb. From No Suprize, Chiquita all the way through to Think About It and closing ballad Mia (named not as Missing In Action but after Steven's daughter Mia). The album had a much heavier feel. Much more rock than rock and roll. They also managed to cover the Shangi-La’s Remember (Walking in the Sand). My personal favourite from this album was Bone To Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy). Which Steven Tyler explained;

However the band was self destructing. Joe Perry left to form the Joe Perry Project (which was commercially a failure but artistically a success). Jimmy Crespo replaced him on lead guitar. The tour was cut short by Steven Tyler first collapsing on stage then even worse injuring himself in a motorcycle crash (he tore his heal off). He was out of action for the best part of a year. Columbia records chose this moment to release a Greatest Hits album. They thought Aerosmith were done for.

Brad Whitford decided to leave the band after a collaboration with Derek St Holmes (of Ted Nugent fame). Joe Perry was totally out of it. He found out about the Greatest Hits record when a fan asked him to autograph it. Rick Dufay replaced Whitford in the band and Jimmy Crespo continued. Aerosmith finally got another record out in 1982. With the exception of Jailbait and Lightning Strikes this is appalling. Although Cry Me A River was particularly heartfelt if not badly put together. The respectability of Aerosmith went out the window. This Is Spinal Tap came out about the same time and the Stonehenge cover of Rock In A Hard Place was made to look foolish. Steven Tyler took Spinal Tap personally. It was in many ways aimed at Aerosmith.

Aerosmith were out of Columbia records. Joe Perry was out of money. Steven Tyler had moved into a Hotel to be nearer his heroin dealer in Manhatten.

"We had it all and we pissed it all away" – Joe Perry

Aerosmith had risen and fallen. But they weren’t done yet. With a considerable fan base world wide they fought back. Regrouped and with a new deal at Geffen they worked their way back into the recording studio. 1985 saw the release of the comeback album. Done With Mirrors came out on Geffen. From the noise laiden opening track Let The Music Do The Talking (a message to people about what the band was all about) to a fine ballad Darkness which is the saddest song I’ve heard is some time.

Aerosmith had made a humble comeback now they wanted to take over the world again. Columbia were making the most of the return throwing out Classics Live and Classics Live 2 before the release in 1987 of Permanent Vacation. With the huge hit single Dude (Looks Like A Lady) and the strong support of Rag Doll, Angel, St John and Girl Keeps Coming Apart Aerosmith had returned in a big way. Furthermore this was a new Aerosmith. One solidified by a desire to keep on going and keep being a great band. This time around they had cleaned up their act and kicked the booze and the drugs after a period in re-hab.

Columbia continued to milk Aerosmith’s new found popularity with the release of first Gems in 1988 and then of an anthology type recording Pandora’s Box featuring rare previously unreleased tracks.

In 1989 Aerosmith’s desire to be the biggest thing in rock came to fruition. That’s when Love In An Elevator was released. The album that followed; Pump was massive. Young Lust, FINE, Love In An Elevator, the much played Janie’s Got a Gun and the perfect ballad What It Takes made this record a fine example of rock and roll. Aerosmith were more than back. They were back on top.

But it wouldn’t stop there. The now ageing rockers made a big splash in the 1990’s. First came 1993’s Get A Grip which produced a long string of well known hits. Eat The Rich, Livin’ On The Edge, Cryin’, Crazy and Amazing which chronicled Steven Tyler’s history of drug abuse. "With a blink of an eye you’ll finally see the light". It’s the most personal song that Aerosmith have ever recorded (in my opinion). It almost brings a tear to the eye. Joe Perry even returned to the microphone on this record on Walk On Down. In all you can’t really see flaws here it was back in the big time.

They took their time over another album which came finally in 1997 with Columbia again after leaving Geffen in a huge money deal. Nine Lives was released with the single Falling In Love (is hard on the knees) which sounded like a reference to some sort of oral sex. Followed up by Hole In My Soul and the famed Pink. "Pink it’s my favourite crayon". As you can tell Aerosmith have always had dirty lyrics loaded with sexual innuendo. That’s why they’re so popular. Full Circle was described by Steven Tyler as being the best drinking song he ever written which was strange as he’d been sober for over ten years. "Raise your drinking glass here’s to yesterday".

They won’t stop there though. Aerosmith released a live album recently entitled A Little South Of Sanity (1998). It’s the finest live record they’ve ever done. They have definitely improved with age. Add to that their biggest UK single of all time released in 1998. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing from the Armageddon soundtrack. In the summer 1999 Aerosmith played Wembley Stadium and I was there to see them in action. I have to say I was not disappointed they are the greatest live act in the world. I had only one regret afterwards and that was they didn't play Mama Kin. Maybe next time.

Aerosmith are;

Steven Tyler – vocals, harmonica, percussion.

Joe Perry – guitars, lap steel and vocals.

Tom Hamilton – Bass guitar.

Brad Whitford – Guitars.

Joey Kramer – Drums.

Aerosmith fan club;

Aero Force One, Dept A1, P.O. Box 882494, San Francisco, CA 94188. Tel – (415) 5756699 UK number (I think) 0171 580 3303

www.aeroforceone.com (fan zone)

www.aerosmith.com (far more here than I could deal with)

Anyone feel the urge to email me about Aerosmith or any Aerosmith type experiences and I’ll post them up. Anything at all can be sent to kreeseg@freeuk.com or you can ICQ me on 12228336.

If any of the band ever get to read this, I love you guys, you made music what it is to me. Opened my eyes and my mind to music. After I heard Aerosmith there was no turning back I’ve been a music fan ever since. So Steven, Joe, Brad, Tom and Joey keep up the good work they’ll never be another Aerosmith. Thanks guys. PS the Wembley gig was great I look forward to the next visit to the UK of Aerosmith.