Aerosmith
The name Aerosmith, by the way, means nothing in particular; it simply was the only name that no one in the band hated. During the first decade of its career, Aerosmith was one of the most popular hard-rock bands in America, striking a flamboyant middle ground between the cool, bluesy swagger of the Rolling Stones and the more campy, glam-metal approach of the New York Dolls and Mott the Hoople. Later, after a period of drug- and alcohol-induced decline, they made a triumphant return to form in the late '80s and early '90s, winning back their fans and the heart — and checkbook — of Columbia Records, the label where the story of Aerosmith began. Actually, the band's tale starts a few years before signing to Columbia, when drummer Steven Tyler met guitarist Joe Perry at the Anchorage, a Sunapee, N.H., ice cream parlor where Perry worked in 1970. They formed a power trio with Tom Hamilton on bass, and before long, they'd added drummer Joey Kramer and guitarist Brad Whitford, leaving Tyler to fulfill the role he was born for: lead singer. With 1975's Toys in the Attic, considered by most to be Aerosmith's best album, the group achieved a new level of success, both artistically and commercially. The first single, "Sweet Emotion," was a terrific pop-hard rock crossover that led the album up to No. 11 on the Billboard charts (it eventually sold 6 million copies). As a result of this newfound success, "Dream On" was re-released, becoming a Top 40 hit the second time around. The super-funky "Walk This Way" followed it up the charts early in 1976. Operating with two replacement guitarists, Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay, the band released its least successful album ever, Rock in a Hard Place, in 1982. Meanwhile, Perry's and Whitford's solo projects weren't exactly lighting up the charts. Something had to be done. On Valentine's Day of 1984, Perry and Whitford visited their old bandmates backstage after a show at Boston's Orpheum Theatre. Now reconciled, they reunited for the Back in the Saddle tour, and in 1985, having signed to Geffen Records, they put out Done With Mirrors. Though it didn't sell well, it showed that the band was on the comeback trail. After its release, Tyler and Perry completed a drug-rehabilitation program, and then, in an extremely smart publicity move, they joined old-school rappers Run-DMC in the video for their cover of "Walk This Way." In 1987, with producer Bruce Fairbairn at the helm, they recorded the album that would put them back on top, Permanent Vacation. Aerosmith's best and biggest-selling non-greatest hits album since Rocks featured the hits "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Rag Doll," and "Angel," and ultimately sold 5 million copies. Pump, released in 1989, did it one better, selling 6 million, driven by the Top 10 hits "Love in an Elevator" and "Janie's Got a Gun."
Critical Mass (Released 1977)
Arriving in boats
Black hooded coats
Tormentors climbed into my room
I crawled under my bed
Covered my head
But they're flushin' me out with a broom
The leades, she's small
Pinned my ass to the wall
For my seeds or she'd be losin' her past
Time after time
She'd be readin' my mind
Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate it
This is critcal mass
So far, so good
I heard the other say
So good, so far
They're takin' me away
I drink to you, your mind, her ass
We'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebrake it
This is critical mass
Now the tallest of two
With a brush full of blue
Paints surrealist scenes on the wall
So i tell her for fun
That it's really well done
But she just ain't listenin' at all
She points to my heart
Tellin' me if i'm smart
I'll practise and phase
Out and admit, when the shoe doesn't fit
And i went screamin' out down the hall
Need it
Need your love
Just then i heard a poundin' on the wall
We're all there, sang the voice of twenty more
I drink to your alas
We'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
We are the critical mass
Time and space is takin' me away
Time erase, don't know the time of day
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