Tag: Joey Kramer

Aerosmith – “Pink” (1997) – CD Single (The Aerosmith Collection Series)

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The album, ‘Nine Lives’ saw the light of day on March 18, 1997. Aerosmith released 5 singles off the album, it went all the way to #1, they won a Grammy and the album sold over 2 million copies. It is not quite as good as their last album did, but I would say it is still pretty damn good. The third single off the ‘Nine Lives’ album was for the song “Pink” and was released on November 18, 1997. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Glen Ballard and Richard Supa. It went all the to #1 on the Mainstream Rock Charts and it made the Top 40 hitting #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single went Gold selling over 500,000 copies. A time when rock wasn’t at the top of it’s game, Aerosmith was still going strong.

The song itself is a very suggestive and dirty. The word “Pink” is referencing a certain part of the girls anatomy. Every line in the song starts with the word “Pink” as well and if you listen you quickly understand what they are talking about. The music video for this song was just as suggestive and pushed things to where they were eventually censored if they wanted the video shown. This song definitely hits the “Sex” part of “Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll”.

There are two versions of “Pink” on this single. The first is a non-album version called “The South Beach Mix” which was produced and mixed by Glen Ballard along with help on the mix by Christopher Fogel. This mix still opens with Tyler on harmonica, but it feels less bluesy then the original. They’ve taken it a brightened it up giving it a more pop feel to it. It isn’t a bad version, but I prefer the original album version.

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Aerosmith – ‘Made in America E.P.’ (1997) – Album Review (The Aerosmith Collection Series)

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I haven’t added anything new to my Aerosmith collection in a long time. The last post was over 19 months ago, but thankfully that bleak emptiness of a streak has come to an end. While I was out looking for music, I found this E.P. from Aerosmith that I did not have in the collection. It is the E.P. ‘Made in America’ which was released by the label on March 18, 1997. Which is the same day as the release of their album ‘Nine Lives’. This E.P. was exclusive to Wal-Marts across the U.S. and Canada and was purposely released to coincide with the new album.

The E.P. contains 6 tracks, 5 of which are basically studio album tracks. The song on here to get is the final track which is “One Way Street” (Live) as it hasn’t ever been released any where else. At least I don’t think it has. So, let us walk our way through the tracks and see what we have.

The album kicks off with the song that kicks off the album ‘Rocks’ and that song is “Back in the Saddle”. The song has a slow build with the drums and guitar and includes a wicked bass line from Mr. Hamilton and then explodes into a heavy rocker. The song includes a whip sound and some clanking spurs that were fastened to Tyler’s boots with the help of New York Dolls frontman David Johansen. If you were expecting the Gene Autry song, “Back in the Saddle Again” you’d be disappointed, but otherwise you love this song that kicks start the album and includes so many double entendres and even a quick yodel. What a way to kick off the album.

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My Sunday Song – “Subway” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #385, we are going with Tim’s next selection which is “Subway” by Aerosmith. This one is unusual as it is simply an instrumental. The song was written by Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer. Yep, no Joe Perry to Steven Tyler on this one. The song was never released on a studio album, but finally was released as a B-Side to “Sweet Emotions” when it was re-released sometime in 1991 for the “Pandora’s Box’ box set. It was also on the Aerosmith ‘Box of Fire’ release on a bonus disc.

The song was recorded during the ‘Draw the Line’ sessions and this was back when Joe Perry and Steven Tyler were so messed up that they wouldn’t show up for days. Meanwhile, Brad, Tom and Joey needed to keep busy so they would write their own stuff and this was a result. This would’ve been during the 1977 ‘Cenacle’ sessions I believe. The band rented an old estate known as the Cenacle, a 300-room former convent near Armonk, NY., where they would be isolated without drugs around so they could focus on writing new songs. However, the drug dealers and the drugs found them!!

The song is an instrumental, as I said above. It sounds like the guys are just jamming away and it is the basic blueprint for a song that is missing vocals and a guitar solo. It is very repetitive repeating that same riff and rhythm throughout. It is a little bluesy and there is a familiarity to it that I can’t place. Maybe that is because it sounds like Aerosmith from the 70’s. Despite no Tyler on vocals or Perry on guitar, this sounds like Aerosmith because the backbone of the band is here and all their glory. I dig when bands finally release this kind of stuff that shows more insight in to the band. Things that they worked on that didn’t get fully developed are precious treats for me.

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My Sunday Song – “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #310 and the final in the 10 Song Aerosmith set, we will discuss my all time favorite track, “Sweet Emotion”. The song is another off ‘Toys in the Attic’ and was the first single off the album. It kicks off side two of the album and actually went all the way to #36 just cracking the Billboard Top 40 song chart.

The song is supposedly about Joe Perry’s ex-wife and the riff she caused in the band. I guess she was the Yoko of the band as they did eventually part ways briefly with Joe Perry (he came back after his marriage ended). Steven blasts her for “Talking about things that nobody cares/ wearing things that nobody wears”. And how she was on the side of the stage just shaking her ass for Joe and he was soon eating form her hand. No, no tensions there! The song also is about the infighting in the band as not only were the wives getting in the way, but so were the drugs and egos.

Another Tom Hamilton and Steven Tyler penned track which explains that killer bass opening to the song. Damn Tom is on fire with this one. That bass line is so hauntingly cool and then throw in Perry on the Talk Box and you have a memorable, killer opening. And that vibraslap you hear in the opening, actually broke on their third take from what I’ve read. Tyler’s vocals are pristine and no one can deliver a lyric like him. Perry’s guitar playing is on fire just like the pants in the lyrics. Kramer lays down a great rat-tat-tat right before Perry’s solo and his fills throughout are over the top as he is playing on the twos and fours rather than than ones and threes of the beats which totally blew producer Jack Douglas away. The band shows a more sophisticated side to their writing and they deliver one of my all time favorite Aerosmith tracks. It is a freaking masterpiece.

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My Sunday Song – “Toys in the Attic” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #309, we are working through “Toys in the Attic” by Aerosmith which is off their 1975 album of the same name. It is the lead off track, but was not a single. Instead it was the B-Side to the single “You See Me Crying”. The album was their third studio album and is one of their biggest selling albums with over 9 million sold as it chock full of Classic Aerosmith tracks including this one.

The song was written by Joe Perry & Steven Tyler and the phrase “Toys in the Attic” is a euphemism for insanity and that is what the song is all about. It talks of a guy that is hearing voices and seeing things yet nothing is real. He is losing his mind and we get to watch it happen in all its glory.

“Toys In the Attic” is rich with the guitar riffs of Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton’s bass groove will get the juices flowing. It is fast-paced, a bluesy and gritty rocker that is almost punk, but so not at the same time. It is a fun-filled pack of goodness and the band just explodes. Steven Tyler’s vocals are on edge, tilting towards the edge of insanity and fits with the them of the song perfectly. You have to listen to the bass as it is front & center and some of Tom’s best work. Really brilliant!!

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My Sunday Song – “Mama Kin” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #308, we are going back to the beginning with “Mama Kin” off Aerosmith’s debut album simply called ‘Aerosmith’. The song was not a single, but it was the B-Side of “Dream On”. “Mama Kin” is a staple in their live shows and one of the early so called “classic” Aerosmith songs. It is a song that Steven Tyler thought would make them rich and he believed it so much he had the title tattooed on his arm. That is confidence.

The song is about staying in touch with what drives you. According to Tyler, it is the “spiritual force that drives creativity and pleasure.”. Never loose sight of that and let it push you to accomplish everything you dreamed of doing. You could also read it in to it that it is telling you to keep in touch with your roots, where you came from and the family that supported you. Always reach out and drop them a line. Either way is great.

“Mama Kin” has a long intro into the song by Joe Perry with a killer riff and some solid bass lines by Hamilton. There is also a saxophone played throughout the song by David Woodford that really gives it more texture and flavor. The rhythm section on this one is the backbone, but those Perry riffs are also pretty killer. Tyler’s vocals are soulful and yet feel a little sleazy too and full of energy. It is a blast of a song.

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My Sunday Song – “Seasons of Wither” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #307, we are discussing the song “Seasons of Wither” by Aerosmith. The song is off their 1974 album ‘Get Your Wings’ and though not a single, was one of the great deep cuts. The album only went to #74 on the U.S. Charts but has since sold over 3,000,000 copies in the U.S. alone.

The song was written solely by Steven Tyler who was in a really bad place at the time. You see, he was doing his taxes and he owed a boatload of cash and that but him in a bad mood. He went down in to the basement of the building they were in, grabbed some drugs and Joey Kramer’s dumpster find of a guitar, lit some incense and wrote this song. No, it actually isn’t about taxes. It is about the winter season and the Massachusetts’ landscape which has that melancholy vibe which fit his mood at the time.

The band goes back to a much darker vibe with “Seasons of Wither” and opens with a blowing wind and an acoustic guitar and both sound so ominous and eerie. Not only does Tyler take on the vocals, he also handles the acoustic guitar duties and equally impressive is the bass groove set by Tom Hamilton who doesn’t get enough credit. I love the pacing and deliver of every note and Tyler might be giving his finest performance on the whole album. And Whitford’s solo is something to talk about as well as that last note goes on forever adding to the dark tone of the song. Totally brilliant track!

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My Sunday Song – “Nobody’s Fault” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #306, we discuss “Nobody’s Fault” by Aerosmith which is off their 1976 album ‘Rocks”. The album came out on May 14, 1976, but this song was not a single, but it was a B-Side to “Back in the Saddle”. And it did help drive sales of the album which went to #3 on the U.S. Charts and sold over 4,000,000 copies. The song was written by Brad Whitford along with Steven Tyler. “Nobody’s Fault” is one of the band’s favorite songs and might be the heaviest track they’ve ever done.

The idea behind the song came from the band’s fear of earthquakes. I mean this was mid 70’s and there were some huge earthquakes as well as a Charlton Heston movie called ‘Earthquake’. And there was even rumors of a fault line that ran through New Jersey that ran through a nuclear power plant. So, the “Fault” in the title refers to both an earthquake fault line as well as that people & governments need to prepare for earthquakes and it is their fault if they don’t.

The apocalyptic song borders on metal as it starts with an ominous sounding keyboard before a menacing riff comes in an almost Sabbathy way. Tyler’s vocals are hard and fierce with an evil undertone. Also, listen to Kramer’s drumming on this one as it is quite stellar as his fills are perfect. The doom and gloom turn out to be a beautiful track and one of the best deep cuts the band has. It sounds like nothing else on the album and yet totally amazing.

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My Sunday Song – “Eat the Rich” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #305, we are discussing the opening track “Eat the Rich” off the 1993 Aerosmith album ‘Get a Grip’. “Eat the Rich” was the second single released on April 17, 1993. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the great Jim Vallance who has written for so many, most notably Bryan Adams. I don’t think the song did much as a single, but the album did go on to sell well over 9,000,000 copies worldwide.

The song was written as a dig against wealthy people who look down upon others with a disdain as if their wealth makes them so much better than everyone else. Funny thing is Aerosmith was quite wealthy at this time, but they didn’t come from money. They had very poor and humble beginnings as they were practically homeless at times. They knew where their money came from and were grateful.

The album kicks off with an “Intro” that should’ve been merged with the first track “Eat the Rich”.  The “Intro” sees Steven Tyler rapping some rhymes along a some cool drumming. And then ends with a riff of “Walk This Way” before going straight in to “Eat the Rich” with some killer tribal drumming by Kramer with a ton of people doing log drumming. There were 6 people credited as log drummers…insane. The song is full of witty lyrics and Tyler just rips through them with ease. It is catchy as hell and the bass groove on this one is sensational along with Perry who slays it on the riffs and the solo. It is a brilliant opening track that gets the juices flowing. So take that Grey Poupon and shove it up your ass. Oh yeah, the song ends with a massive burp. Only fitting!

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My Sunday Song – “Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #304, we are talking about “Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man” by Aerosmith off their highly successful 1989 album ‘Pump’. The song was written by Steven Tyler and Brad Whitford who does not generally get a lot of writing credits which is a shame. The song was not a single, but it is a personal favorite on the album and I am sure helped it sell over 7 million copies.

The song seems to be about the abuse modern civilization is doing to each other and to Mother Earth. It is like we are all under the spell of a voodoo medicine man as we masturbate with a noose, believe all the corruption and the lies of our politicians. There is an anger in the lyrics and an anger in Steven’s vocals as he sings.

“Hoodoo” is a musical interlude (with Tyler rambling on softly about something) and opens with a khean performed by Randy Raine-Reusch who has handled all the weird instruments used on this album. It is very tribal sounding. A Khean is a mouth organ whose pipes, which are usually made of bamboo, are connected with a small, hollowed-out hardwood reservoir into which air is blown. You learned something new today if you didn’t already know.

After this little interlude, “Voodoo Medicine Man” kicks in and seems to be going for dramatic and epic like “Janie’s Got a Gun” and I think they succeed. Kramers drum barrage is awesome, Hamilton’s bass groove is killer and Tyler’s vocal deliver of the chorus all just gels and totally kicks some ass. Brad gets lead guitar duty and doesn’t let you forget how talented he really is. A full out rocker.

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