The song that made Aerosmith come back in the 1980s

The early 1980s were not an easy period for Aerosmith. In three years, between 1979 and 1982, the band lost its two guitarists and released one of its most contested albums: Rock in a Hard Place (1982). The exit of Joe Perryin particular, caused the group to lose much of its firepower in terms of composition, due to the end of the authorial partnership with the vocalist Steve Tyler.

Perry came out after the conclusion of the tour for the previous album, Night in the Ruts (1979). However, the guitarist’s relationship with the band was already strained before.

Tyler and the others were uncomfortable with the constant presence of Elyssathe musician’s first wife, in the group’s activities. Joein turn, cites the difficulty in making the 1979 album real as the main reason for the breakup.

In 1980, already outside the Aerosmith, Perry told the magazine Sounds (via Ultimate Classic Rock):

It was taking so long to Aerosmith release that album and I was so tired of it, because in the meantime during the summer, we played these shows and we couldn’t play any of the new material because it wasn’t ready. Instead, we had to go back and play the same old songs.”

As the group struggled to complete Night in the Ruts, Perry began working on what would be the band’s first album. Joe Perry Project, Let the Music from the Talking (1980). The guitarist stated that this discouraged him even more regarding the situation of the Aerosmith:

They said, ‘Why don’t you go there and help Steve with that?’ and I said: ‘I’ve already done my part, I’ve already written the songs, it’s there on the tape. You know, what more do you want from me?’. So it got to the point where I called Tom Hamilton (bassist) and said: ‘That’s it, I don’t think I’ll be able to be on the road with you this time. I’m going to stick with my solo stuff, I can’t do it anymore’. Those were the last official words I said to the group.”

Joe Perry and Aerosmith: nobody got along

In addition to the first album of Joe Perry Projectthe guitarist also released I’ve Got the Rock’n’Rolls Again (1981) and Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker (1983). The results were positive, but it was clear that the material did not have the same power as the partnership with Steve Tyler.

On the other hand, the Aerosmithwho also lost Brad Whitford in 1981, he recorded only the criticized Rock in a Hard Place (1982). Even bringing the competent Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay for guitars, the group was nowhere near the golden days of the previous decade.

“Back in the Saddle”

At a certain point, the Joe Perry he was dissatisfied with the direction of his solo project. I was also no longer with Elyssa.

Your new partner, BillieI was closer to punk and curiously I had never heard a song from Aerosmith in life — until one day the classic “Back in the Saddle”track from the acclaimed album Rocks (1976), played on the radio. The story of the meeting, interestingly enough, begins there.

His own wife Joe told what he said to him Biography (via Far Out Magazine):

To me, it made sense. I mean, you played with them before, just try to play with them again. And if it doesn’t work, it didn’t work. What do you have to lose?”

Thus, in 1984, the Aerosmith ended the long promotional tour for Rock in a Hard Place with a show in his homeland, the American city of Boston. After finishing the presentation, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford met with their former colleagues backstage. There, the foundations were laid for a return that would yield a new album the following year: Done With Mirrors (1985).

The chemistry was evident and the shows became more crowded with the classic lineup. However, the Aerosmith He still needed some more time to find himself musically.

The return to success came in 1986, when the band collaborated with the hip-hop group Run-DMC in a version of the hit “Walk This Way”which was an absolute success and also proved to be a pioneer in the fusion between rap and rock. The albums Permanent Vacation (1987) and Pump (1989) consolidated the return to the top.

Collaborated: André Luiz Fernandes.