Get Your Wings is my ultimate favorite album. Can't ever get enough of "Spaced" and "Seasons of Wither" especially. Those are my top 2 Aerosmith songs ever !
It’s crazy (pun not intended, I hate that song) that you had your first experience with GYW as a “mystery artist” … interesting that on a blind listen you didn’t notice it was the same band to Toys though. There were some shifts in style for sure, but I’d have thought the similarities came through nonetheless. Anyways, nice story.
I'm old school but do quad reels and 8-tracks LOL and have the 3 quad mixes that way, along with Get Your Wings on quad lp. I don't know of any legit outlet for the quad mixes but there is a surround sacd of Toys.
Aerosmith is tied with the Stones for me in terms of bands who I just feel way cooler when I'm listening to them than when I'm not. I got into Aerosmith when Pump was coming out. 11 years old at the time, and those videos were being played all over MTV. While I did get Pump at the time, I also got a lot of their 70s output because those tapes were always in the $5 racks at the store. The s/t was the first album I bought, but it was at a yard sale. It was a blast to me. I was already familiar with "Mama Kin" from GNR, so that added extra cool, and it was just a fun album. It still ranks very high for me in their catalog and in rock n' roll albums in general. I can skip past "Dream On" at this point, but the rest of the album, which is short and sweet--which is perfect--are keepers to me, for sure. Get Your Wings was the second or third album I got from them. I bought it and Rocks around the same time. Wings is basically perfect too. I'm gonna have a tough time saying anything bad about an Aerosmith album for quite a while in this thread. They really had such a solid career, even albums that were not considered great at the time--I wasn't there early on, so I can only view some of these albums in retrospect.
Mark Prado’s ‘Tapes From The Cellar’ is another great read. ‘Dream On’ definitely took its time obtaining legendary status, among the band members at least. There were plenty of tours where it wasn’t even played.
Thx for the mention https://www.amazon.com/Aerosmith-Tapes-Cellar-1970-1986/dp/B08GFSYKGM. There was definitely friction over "Dream On" when the band began to fray. Perry and his wife mocked the tune and there is an instance were Joe started to play the intro the went into another tune; it felt like a slap at Tyler. Then, the tune disappeared from the setlist entirely, as Gus noted.
Are you Mark Prado? That was a really enjoyable read, totally captures the feel and dynamics within the band touring in the 70’s/80’s - and I absolutely loved the ‘Rock In A Hard Place’ section (looking forward to getting to that album on this thread).
Hard to believe Joe and his wife would mock an actual classic rock ballad, but then years later he would play dreck like "Angel," "Crying," and especially the hideous, god-awful "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" night after night without apparent shame! At least "Dream On" was written without the help of cheesy goo-producers like Desmond Child and Dianne Warren...
I got them on vinyl. eBay or Discogs. Really cool mixes. The clip clop of horses on Back in the Saddle are in your face lol. But I’m jumping ahead. If you are a fan of these records the quad mixes are worth seeking out
I took from your book that Steven Tyler’s quips, comments, stage banter, ad-libs and changing up the words on some songs are very funny. Hell of a frontman!
So, Get Your Wings. This is probably my favorite Aerosmith album. Big step up from the debut, and not just because Hunter/Wagner are handling some of the guitar solos, although that does help. What Wings has, in my opinion, is some real atmosphere and character. It's a bit spooky. It's a bit dangerous and hallucinatory in places. The songs, again, are deceptively great. At the time, they were thought by some to be just bog-standard rock'n'roll, but in retrospect they really stand up. I had to grin when I read the Aerosmith official biography and learned that the manager who first supported them and led them to Leber-Krebs and Columbia was mob-connected. Many of the track, especially the first two, have that sort of gangster vibe. I always thought it was a pose, but it seems it was less so than I imagined. SAME OLD SONG AND DANCE: This opening riff just KILLS me. And the swinging drums. And Tyler's vocal. This sets the tone for an entire album of steely riff-rock with a swinging groove. It sounds dirty. You can practically smell it. LORD OF THE THIGHS: I admit it, I've always kinda groaned at the title with its apparent bad-taste literary pun. But the music is just so compelling, it transcends. The pace is remarkably relaxed and unhurried, lending a cinematic sense of drama to this Clockwork Orange tale of the pimp. The closing section sounds very soundtrack - I could see a car chase going on during it. SPACED: This is a great song, dunno why people don't like it. I love the little guitar/piano groove in the middle. Tyler sounds like a confused kid, it's a persona that he doesn't inhabit very often. WOMAN OF THE WORLD: This isn't my favorite song, but I can't explain why, because it's really got a lot to recommend it. The mesh of acoustic and electric guitars on this track is fantastic, and sounds very sophisticated for such a young band. Then there's two interlocking electric guitars producing a sort of updated Rolling Stone vibe. The middle part ("I tried with an open hand and a heart of sorrow...") is just brilliant. These songs are just so full! S.O.S. (TOO BAD): Yes, I remember being about ten or eleven years old (and well before I really got into rock music) and thinking this was the most bad-ass thing I'd ever heard. That friggin' riff, actually THOSE friggin' riffs, because there's several, they're breathtaking. The descending arpeggios in the chorus, culminating in a truly SAVAGE riff! "I'm a bad lonely schoolboy, and I'm a rat!" Is this the same band that did "Cryin'"? I don't believe it! Where's the "Paul Is Dead" crowd to explain to me what happened to Aerosmith? TRAIN 'KEPT A' ROLLIN': This is an old, old song, and everybody's done it. NO ONE ever did it better. Anyway they did it, it would have been a scorcher, but the slow/fast split makes it EPIC. Just listen to those guitars, chugging out the riff in the slow part! Is that gangster or what? Talk about a guitar army. And during the fast part, that guitar solo - well, it's one for the ages. This one track has literally some of the best lead guitar playing of the entire decade, Dick Wagner R.I.P. I'm not even bothered that it's not Perry or Whitford, I'm just glad to be able to hear it. The production is fantastic on this one, I always pictured the band playing half the song and then opening the curtain to a huge audience. Tyler's vocal on the "live" part does sound very "live." SEASONS OF WITHER: This is the song that convinced Joe Perry there was such a thing as a good ballad, and then they never did anything quite like it again. This is just a beautiful, beautiful song, and any band would have been proud to own it. There's lots of subtle mood changes in the song, it goes from mystery to mellifluous to full-blown power rock. PANDORA'S BOX: Well, it just ain't an Aerosmith album without a coupla dirty jokes, is it? The cool thing though is that this is another chugging Stonesy rocker with a relaxed groove and a stomping chorus, accented by a good horn arrangement. Shame about the lyric. So what about this album? I would suggest that it can't be their best exactly, because there was some pretty obvious help in the guitar department, and the band went on to produce other albums which were at least as good without such outside aid. Nevertheless there is something very special about this brief spring season between the debut and the explosive success of the next album, which made them stars. It's gritty and dirty and gangster, and all the more so because it wasn't long previously that the band were shoplifting steaks at the local A&P to survive. I think the songwriting, which is overall pretty creative, rich, and playful, reflects a time where the band were working on music as a band all day every day, and before they could afford enough blow for it to become a problem. They did go on to equal and to better this album, but it remains a personal favorite.
Fabulous review, what a great read. For me, they didn’t actually better this (and I’ll explain why I personally think so when we hit the twin peaks of Toys and Rocks, fully aware my view is contrary to consensus or posterity).
Thank you! Yeah, they probably didn't better it, the next two are arguably a little more authentic because the leads are all Perry/Whitford, but there's something really special about the songwriting on GYW. There's at least three really good melodies or riffs in each song.
Seasons of Wither is a major standout on a very good record. It's possibly my favorite Aerosmith song. The only song they ever did that is somewhat similar is the fantastic "Kings and Queens" on the Draw the Line album. I always think of these two songs together for some reason, and they are probably my favorite two.
Hi all, late to the party and playing catch up. I was beginning my own musical journey in the early 80's and Aerosmith was my foray into Rock N Roll. I first heard Sweet Emotion on the radio and the next day took the bus downtown to the local head shop to buy the cassette. From there I quickly worked my way backwards to the first two albums. While the best is yet to come, these first two albums (and the band) remain a sentimental favorite to this day. I wouldn't change a thing on either album.
Toys in the Attic (album) - Wikipedia Track listing Side one No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Toys in the Attic" Steven Tyler, Joe Perry 3:05 2. "Uncle Salty" Tyler, Tom Hamilton 4:10 3. "Adam's Apple" Tyler 4:34 4. "Walk This Way" Tyler, Perry 3:40 5. "Big Ten Inch Record" Fred Weismantel 2:16 Side two No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Sweet Emotion" Tyler, Hamilton 4:34 2. "No More No More" Tyler, Perry 4:34 3. "Round and Round" Tyler, Brad Whitford 5:03 4. "You See Me Crying" Tyler, Don Solomon 5:12 Personnel Aerosmith Steven Tyler – vocals, keyboards, harmonica, percussion Joe Perry – lead guitar (except track 8, second solo on track 9), rhythm guitar on track 8, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals, percussion Brad Whitford – rhythm guitar (except tracks 8–9), lead guitar (track 8, first and coda solo on track 9) Tom Hamilton – bass guitar, rhythm guitar (track 2) Joey Kramer – drums, percussion Additional musicians Scott Cushnie – piano on "Big Ten Inch Record", and "No More No More" Jay Messina – bass marimba on "Sweet Emotion" Mike Mainieri - orchestra conductor on "You See Me Crying" Uncredited - horn section on "Big Ten Inch Record" Production Jack Douglas – producer Jay Messina – engineer Rod O'Brien, Corky Stasiak, Dave Thoener – assistant engineers Doug Sax – mastering Bob Belott – original photography Pacific Eye & Ear – album design Ingrid Haenke – illustration Jimmy Lenner, Jr. – still life photography Leslie Lambert – still life collage design David Krebs, Steve Leber – management Lisa Sparagano – 1993 package design Ken Fredette – 1993 package design Vic Anesini – remastering engineer
Toys In the Attic Toys in the Attic Backward cymbals open the song. Power chords galore a la The Who with a touch of Led Zeppelin. Subtle funky flourishes. The first lyric section drops to A Major. We later learn it is the song’s bridge. A new section follows that sounds more like a verse section and it goes back to the guitar friendly key of E. The bridge section follows and the chorus as well. In retrospect, cool use of the bridge to open the lyrics…adds to the moodiness of the song and adds tension. The chorus is a killer. The bridge follows the chorus and I expected to hear the second verse but instead Joe plows out a great solo in the shifted key of C. The bridge comes back, and that riff sounds slinky and ominous. The chorus returns and Tom really sends it into the ether. Steven lays down one of his trademark demon howls and it gives me the chills. The song gradually fades. 9/10 Uncle Salty A quick drum cadence and dreamy chords follow with open strings chiming out. An insistent A note acts as a drone. Smooooooth. A little vocal tick and the verse kicks in with sliding legato chords. Steven sounds to me like a hard rock Louis Armstrong with his bluesy vocal. The turnaround has a grimy sounding sliding riff in response. At 1:19 the turnaround shifts gears and leads us to the chorus with a sunny day outside our window. But there is a hint of depression. Another formidable repeated guitar riff anchors the chorus. The break has a masterful Perry solo. The verse returns and gets more rhythmically emphatic thanks to Joey. The chorus outros the song. Amazingly, the chorus is given a canon style with the lyric playing tag with itself. Unbelievably well done. 10/10 Adam’s Apple I will indulge myself with a detailed review of this fantastic song. 10/10 Walk This Way Plows open with a funky riff that reminds me of Jeff Beck (New Ways) with a little Page as well. The verse riff is a hard rock James Brown swinger that shifts to the bluesy minor third. Spit fire vocals with loaded lyrics. The chorus which follows the second verse is given a heavier hard rock treatment. Joe’s solo hits the mark. The verse returns and the rhythm section is really cooking. I like the doubling of the chorus with Joe’s talk box. The main riff is treated to a slight variation and is used to outro the song. Joe adds in great melodic guitar fills. 9/10 Big Ten Inch Record Cool cover of the R and B jokester tune. Double entendre loaded and that makes sense…..a lot of their songs are loaded with great double entendres. Joe plays a great solo and Steven grooves on the harmonica. Excellent vocal from Steven. I would like to know who does the horns, but they were not credited. 8/10 Sweet Emotion An groovy bass line from Tom opens the song. Joe adds eerie sounding talk boxed guitar. The verse riff is Humble Pie/Stones inspired. Joey really makes the song groove with his counter accents to Tom’s bass. The turnaround is another fine pull-off riff. The verse repeats and the turnaround is repeated before the chorus returns. I like how Steven layers the vocals. The final verse has humorous lyrics but in today’s world they might be frowned upon. The final turnaround leads to a big sounding coda with Joe cranking out another great solo. The song gradually fades. 9/10 No More No More I will do a detailed review of this amazing song. 10/10 Round and Round A Tyler vocalization leads to this heavy heavy riffed tune. Zeppelin influenced. The turnaround is a rise out and adds the refrain of Round and Round at the tail. Brad kicks in leads in the break that remind me of Johnny Thunders. At 2:33 the chorus morphs into a bridge like section. A longer guitar break follows with Brad playing big bluesy bends. Not as melodic as Joe would play but his style fits the song better IMO. The outro keeps going up up up and gradually fades. 9/10 You See Me Crying Steven on piano sounds great and it is a relief of sorts that dissipates the amazing heaviness of the previous song. The chorus has extended jazzy chords in different inversions. A testament to Steven’s song writing talent. The third verse at 2:12 uses brilliant variation in the chord progression that prolongs the tension. The break is loaded with a fine solo from Brad and an equally great one from Joe. The strings sound exactly right in the final verse. The coda gets filled up at first and then original piano intro is used to finish the song bringing it full circle. A brilliant closer. 9/10 This is one of my favorite albums of all time. An album that is in the top ten of albums that I have played the most in my lifetime. It is my favorite Aerosmith album as well. Amazing lyrics on the dark side by Tyler and the rhythm section really starts to show how skilled they are. Tom Hamilton emerges as a song writing force and Brad gets to show how heavy he can be.
