From:

[aeroforceone.com]

12-Oct-06
Joe Perry On why Aerosmith doesn’t sound like the Stones, choosing the guitar, and the beauty of bei

Joe Perry:

On why Aerosmith doesn’t sound like the Stones, choosing the guitar, and the beauty of being classic

Something happened to pop music after the 1960s: It got bigger, weirder, scattering into new genres as diverse as punk, prog, glam, disco, and the earliest signs of hip-hop. But the big blues-based sound and flamboyance of what would become generally known as “classic rock” overshadowed much of the ’70s, beginning with the Rolling Stones openly calling themselves “the world’s greatest rock and roll band.” That may have been true even then, but there was plenty of new competition to consider, from the cross-cultural blues bombast of Led Zeppelin to a younger band of Bostonians called Aerosmith.

Aerosmith was initially dismissed as a band of Stones wannabes, with singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry aping the sound and moves of Mick & Keef, all big lips and heavy riffs. But the band soon made its own mark with a series of big rock records and radio hits (“Walk this Way,” “Back in the Saddle,” etc.) that would fuel the rock dreams of suburban teens and the future members of Guns ’N Roses, among others. Perry’s sleezy riffs were at the center of that sound and success.

Perry left Aerosmith after a period of drugs and disarray within the band, but returned in time for an unlikely rebirth in the late-’80s, not only as a touring act playing the old songs for the old fans, but engaged enough with the present to score regular hits on the pop airwaves and MTV – an improbable winning streak that the Stones themselves would envy. Some of the band’s later power-ballads have had longtime fans alarmed, but Aerosmith has never fully abandoned its blues foundation, as demonstrated on 2004’s rumbling Honkin’ on Bobo. And last year, Perry released a self-titled solo album as raw as the early days.

–Steve Appleford

CityBeat: What do the words “classic rock” mean to you?

Joe Perry: For a while there, it had an onerous ring to it, but it’s starting to find a style of music that people appreciate – not because it’s old, and not because it’s uncool. To me, “classic rock” can even apply to a brand new band, depending on the style of music they play.

The Who’s Pete Townshend has complained that the category and “classic rock” radio boils his entire career down to three or four songs.

That’s definitely one reality. Those are the songs that bubble up – like Bad Company’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love.” Does that define their whole career? Maybe on a couple of playlists it does, but if you’re a fan of that era and that kind of music, you know it’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s the same with the Who. I defy you to find someone who goes to see them play live now who would say those four songs is it to them.

Aerosmith began in the classic rock era, but you have also found popularity in more recent years. Do those audiences mix easily?

Not too many fistfights. Clearly, drinking is one of the things they have in common. There is a commonality all through it. We noticed this a lot in the ’90s, but back then it wasn’t hip to like bands like ours that were big in the ’80s. When alternative came in, it was hip to not like those MTV bands, and that gave them a place to move away from. That happens every two or three years: out with the old, in with the new.

The blues seemed to be at the core of the classic rock generation.

There is the famous quote from Muddy Waters: “The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll.” The birthing was right around the ’50s, with Chuck Berry and Little Richard. The list is pretty long, but those few people just played blues faster, and the vernacular just expanded from there. All of the pop music that we hear now has its roots in the blues – it’s just farther from the birth, that’s all. Even hip-hop is an absolute direct descendent of the blues. It’s urban street-corner, tell-it-like-it-is, “I’m a man” kind of music. And it’s danceable. That’s what blues was.

You can still hear it pretty strongly in new bands like the White Stripes.

Jack [White] has really embraced it and he did his homework. You can really tell when you listen to these bands, the ones that have the depth. I get the feeling they’re going to be around for a while.

Aside from the music itself, classic rock continues to influence the fashion and attitude of a lot of contemporary musicians.

People get into rock and roll for different reasons. There are some bands that just like the trappings of being in a rock band. And those are the ones that come and go, because they don’t have real depth. For me, the big part of it was playing music. I just love the way it makes me feel. On top of that, there is the camaraderie of having a band around you, guys you can rely on. It’s your small gang. Our primary cause was to make music as well as we could, but also we wanted some adventure. So along with that is being able to dress how you want and emulate some of the people that have gone before us and then gather your own thing. It’s all part of that rock and roll tradition to make yourself stand out a little bit.

People used compare Aerosmith a lot to the Rolling Stones. Was that fair?

It used to annoy us because we really didn’t sound much like the Stones. We certainly admired and were inspired by the Stones, no doubt about it. After that, I felt it was a shallow comparison because that whole guitar player/lead singer stereotype was really starting to form. But I was prouder when people said we reminded them of the Yardbirds. Their music was lot more like where we were coming from.

Do you get the same satisfaction doing the power ballads as you do rock and blues?

There’s a ballad on my solo record. There’s a place for that. Twenty years ago I didn’t always want to go along with that. But I’ve broadened my horizons a little bit and realize there is a lot more opportunity to play different guitar styles. I like all of that.

Is there anything special about playing the Hollywood Bowl?

It’s like playing Madison Square Garden or Boston Garden – it’s got so much history. Those places have really strong union costs – you really don’t go in thinking you’re going to make money there. It’s one of those gigs you play for the prestige, and because you know all your friends will show up. They sure as hell aren’t going to show up at Blockbuster [now called Hyundai Pavilion]. If you’re playing those places you’re doing OK.

Why the guitar?

It just felt really good when I picked it up, and I loved the way it sounds. Not just the way I play it. When I first heard guitar sounds I just loved it. I play a lot of different instruments. When I was a kid, I played band instruments. I played clarinet for about a month. I played piano. I’m fine sitting in the back of the car with a guitar and a fake book. I spent many, many hours doing that as a kid.

Was Jimi Hendrix much of an influence on you?

Huge. Everything he did. Playing within the narrow confines of that blues rock thing, he expanded it beyond what anybody had done before or since. His whole persona was the instrument, everything from his spaced-out lyrics to his blues playing. He was unique, an amazing figure. It was a miracle that he grew up in a time when electric guitar was in its formative stages. He just took it right to the end. H

Aerosmith, with Mötley Crüe, performs November 7 at the Hollywood Bowl.

Second best rock band of all time!

saw Aerosmith Sat nite.
Have to say while Steve Tyler may not hit the notes like he used too,
the band was tight and sounded great.
I have seen them 17 times now and this year is one of the best

The last listenable Aerosmith album was "Night In the Ruts" a mere 26 years ago........

Number One - No rhythm.

Number Two - American

Number Three - They learned the leaves and not the roots.

So where exactly does it say *why* they don't sound like the Stones?

Oh get over it guys. Aerosmith's a great band. Doesn't mean the Stones are any less of a band.

jumpinjackgreg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh get over it guys. Aerosmith's a great band.
> Doesn't mean the Stones are any less of a band.


nope. just means that you are less of a music fan

you can't catch me!

aerosmith's not even in my top 10!

Well, if you know Aerosmith it's quite clear they don't sound at all like the Stones.
The attitude might be similar but the sound is completely different.

humanriff77 Wrote:
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> The last listenable Aerosmith album was "Night In
> the Ruts" a mere 26 years ago........


I would go back a little further to (ROCKS)

virgil Wrote:
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> I would go back a little further to (ROCKS)
I would say Draw the Line then silence until Permanent Vacation, very last good record.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-10-23 20:00 by dunhill.

Lots of Jealous and Angry people here, last i checked



According to the RIAA;

Aerosmith since 1973 Has Sold 65.5 Million albums in the USA

Rolling Stones Since 1964! Has 65.5 Million Albums...the stones had a good 8 years and more albums.....



Like some said above Get over it and dont be so angry...lol..

Ill be there at the hollywood bowl, can't wait!

MicknSteven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lots of Jealous and Angry people here, last i
> checked
>
>
>
> According to the RIAA;
>
> Aerosmith since 1973 Has Sold 65.5 Million albums
> in the USA
>
> Rolling Stones Since 1964! Has 65.5 Million
> Albums...the stones had a good 8 years and more
> albums.....
>
>
>
> Like some said above Get over it and dont be so
> angry...lol..

This is the only area (total record sales) that Aerosmith can compete with the Stones. Compare them to the Stones in every other category (billboard hits, gold/platinum records, tours, album reviews etc.) and it would be an old fashioned whooping.

But I do think they are a great/underrated band and I even like "Nine Lives" from 1997.

Good band (especially the 70's output), but no Rolling Stones.

I like some of their songs but I cannot go on listening to them for too long, I still cannot put my finger on what exactly is that bothers me. Sometimes I think there´s too many smiles and "feel good" stuff and not much anger and darkness to them like other bands that I like have and like The Stones certainly have. I think I acosiate them with pop metal, which I despise, and like all other pop metal bands they at times seem to be a bit too cheesy and fake. But honestly they do have some good stuff that I can enjoy. And some songs do sound like Stones, like Chip Away The Stone, which is a great song.

The one topic that comes up on this board that I get sick of more than any other is the comparison of Aerosmith and the Stones, as well as U2 and the Stones. They are all different bands with their own qualities, sounds and uniqueness. They are all great and have made a definitive impact on popular music. Let it be guys.

Aren't the "Let it be guys" called the Beatles.

orange cow Wrote:
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> Have to say while Steve Tyler may not hit the
> notes like he used too,
>

From what I've heard he can hit them just fine

He doesn't hit a bong like he used to.

Comparing Aerosmith to the Rolling Stones is like comparing a Ford Shelby Mustang with a Ferrari Testarossa. They're both cars. Both are fast. Both are great to drive. But they are not to be spoken of in the same breath. They're not in the same class.

Aerosmith is a good rock band. They had some fine records back in the mid-1970's. They disintegrated. They came back. They sold oodles of records to the pre-digital-download MTV generation of the 1990's with innocuous power ballads. They made overblown albums with overblown videos. They made lots of money. They can still rock when they want to. They are fine musicians.

The Rolling Stones are the finest Rock And Roll band God ever put on this earth. They have made great Blues, Soul, Rock, Pop, Disco, Country, even psychedelic music...they can do anything and make it sound their own. They are icons. Legends. A miracle. The best ever.

End of discussion.

How many times do we have to read bullshit like this below, look Dirty Dancing probably sold more albums than both bands together its still shit!

Good music does not mean commercial success

Do you think Keith checks up Hank Williams sales statistics to prove he's good?

Stones - Giants
Aerosmith - Midgets

End of story......................


"According to the RIAA;

Aerosmith since 1973 Has Sold 65.5 Million albums in the USA

Rolling Stones Since 1964! Has 65.5 Million Albums...the stones had a good 8 years and more albums..... "

Never been much of an Aero fan, agree with Turd's post above. But methinks:

1) Joe Perry seems like an upright OK dude. He's always sounded pretty intelligent and doesn't try to come-off with a bunch of attitude like Tyler. Joe could probably kick some arse if he had to.

2) The riff from Draw the Line is a killer. Everytime I think of that song I start humming that riff - for hours on end. That was a good 'un boys!!

humanriff77 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The last listenable Aerosmith album was "Night In
> the Ruts" a mere 26 years ago........


Hmmm..."Permanent Vacation" is way up there!!

deuce Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> orange cow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Have to say while Steve Tyler may not hit the
> > notes like he used too,
> >
>
> From what I've heard he can hit them just fine



well he wasn't hitting them on Sat nite. He even commented on it.
But i didn't expect him to sound like he used to anyway

everyone keeps saying : they (aerosmith) are no rolling stones
.... but who is?
of course only the stones...
is there anyone else that anyone would consider to be another rolling stones?

i love aerosmith's older material and even up to get a grip in 93. i also love the stones older and some newer stuff, but liking the stones doesnt mean i dislike aerosmith.

Q: Why Aerosmith doesn´t sound like the Stones

A: Because they're pricks.

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

MicknSteven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lots of Jealous and Angry people here, last i
> checked
>
>
>
> According to the RIAA;
>
> Aerosmith since 1973 Has Sold 65.5 Million albums
> in the USA
>
> Rolling Stones Since 1964! Has 65.5 Million
> Albums...the stones had a good 8 years and more
> albums.....
>
>
>
> Like some said above Get over it and dont be so
> angry...lol..


Aerosmith's catalog: Certified up to date.
Stones' catalog: At least 8-10 million missing from the total.

Carnaby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Number Two - American
>
>
>


Something wrong with that?