Queen guitarist Brian May wrote on his web site about this past weekend's Hyde Park Calling event in London, England where he witnessed performances by Aerosmith and Joe Satriani, among others. An excerpt from May's posting follows:
"There is so much fake stuff around these days, people short-cutting, not knowing their trade, having no respect for their audience, playing to clicks, and in many cases feeding all recorded stuff from hard disc into the PA, for their fans to listen to — sometimes you are really listening to an entire pre-record — like a crap TV mime show, brought into an arena or a stadium. Sometimes recently I have felt ashamed of my business, the music business ... and I resist the temptation to write about it here, because I hate to slag other artists off ... Sometimes it's VERY hard to resist.
"But Aerosmith brought back the smile to my face — brought back pride to me — these guys remind us that there IS still greatness out there ... there is still a band that is all real, and full of passion, and innovation, and courage, and brick-loads of polish too. This, to me, is the way it should be done. Some of it is what you ARE, and some it is what you DO. I know this art, this craft, this life, so I appreciate greatness in it all the more. These guys have been to the Wall and back, and it shows. Each one of them has devoted his life to his craft, like that great Carpenter I was talking about. And it shows. And for me, watching, I see all the elements that are rare and wonderful, and feel glad that my kids can see this, and I don't have to explain to them what Real Live Rock Music is about.
"I loved every second. The most joyous thing about them is that they did Not become SHOW-BIZ — they did Not lose their roots. They are still treading that fine line between structure and improvisation, clean and dirty, love of what their music does, and love of it for itself, commercialism and art, fire and water, earth and air, light and shade. There will never be a rock group more all-round great than Aerosmith [in my humble opinion]."
28th June 2007 10:39 PM
glencar
Well, Brian May has a point but it's a bit much to call A-smith the greatest ever. Maybe he likes Tyler's new face?
28th June 2007 10:40 PM
mrhipfl
quote:glencar wrote:
Well, Brian May has a point but it's a bit much to call A-smith the greatest ever. Maybe he likes Tyler's new face?
I didn't know he went under the knife. evidence?
28th June 2007 10:43 PM
glencar
I have his doctor's bills. It interesting what one finds when one goes a-stalking!
28th June 2007 10:45 PM
Dan
quote:"I loved every second. The most joyous thing about them is that they did Not become SHOW-BIZ — they did Not lose their roots. They are still treading that fine line between structure and improvisation, clean and dirty, love of what their music does, and love of it for itself, commercialism and art, fire and water, earth and air, light and shade. There will never be a rock group more all-round great than Aerosmith [in my humble opinion]."
This is how I felt after the magical show in Devore last fall. But he must have bad taste in music because for the most part in Europe they are playing their lamest material, mostly '90s stuff. Devore was worth every penny of the $100 but I dont think I would walk down the street to see that set for free. But I still enjoyed that review though.
28th June 2007 11:31 PM
pdog
If Keith and ronnie had found AA, and devoted themselves to being sober and being a tight as shit band, I can only imagine what they could've done... but, oh well... I'm not a fan of latter day Aeroshit, but they do deliver the goods as far as being on tight band, and it's b/c they grew up and got off the dope and booze!!!
28th June 2007 11:36 PM
sammy davis jr.
They are a great band hands down....(I don't care what that imbecile JB says) Sure, they got REAL sappy in the nineties, but that was their record company doing the talking and calling the shots. I give 'em credit for not telling the record company to shove it up their ass when their records were getting rejected....I would have. Selling out? Definitely- but it's kept them rich. I never saw them as Stones ripoff either. Their material stood on its own two legs. I personally haven't cared for anything past PUMP, but they are good musicians and a great band. And like the Stones,they made their best music while on drugs.
29th June 2007 12:35 AM
mrhipfl
quote:pdog wrote:
If Keith and ronnie had found AA, and devoted themselves to being sober and being a tight as shit band, I can only imagine what they could've done... but, oh well... I'm not a fan of latter day Aeroshit, but they do deliver the goods as far as being on tight band, and it's b/c they grew up and got off the dope and booze!!!
see: Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts.
29th June 2007 01:02 AM
MrPleasant
"There will never be a rock group more all-round great than Aerosmith".
29th June 2007 07:19 AM
lotsajizz
Aerosmith has rocked consistently better than the Stones for some time now. The Stones can STILL do it, but Keith's boozing renders it all VERY problematic.
29th June 2007 08:10 AM
Nellcote
In the 70's, if you lived in New England, it was not uncommon to catch a young band, show up in a van, who would play countless one nighters in VFW Halls, Elks Halls, lakeview ballrooms, high schools, etc. Light show, dry ice smoke, leaving most of the older 60 chaperones looking on in horror. Strutting, crooning, scarf waving lead singer, mad lead guitarist firing off salvos of british blues based riffs, The Toxic Twins. Stoic rythym guitarist who could wail, great bass/drum combo who could lay the back beat solid. Highlight of the show was their ballad single, which would melt every chick in the house.
That's the Aerosmith I remember, I witnessed.
I was in the fourth row, dead center on the Jaded tour, a few years back, my recollection is not too different than the 70's. Same fire, same bluster.
They are an American band like no other.
29th June 2007 08:38 AM
glencar
I was in the 1st row for that Honkin' On Bobo tour & they were a'ight.
29th June 2007 10:29 AM
Saint Sway
talk is cheap...
29th June 2007 10:32 AM
glencar
I saw that You, Me & Dupree movie last week. How sad...
29th June 2007 01:00 PM
sway1
Aerosmith does rock!
29th June 2007 01:07 PM
Ten Thousand Motels
quote:sway1 wrote:
Aerosmith does rock!
Sure. They're pretty good, but I'd only assign them second tier status though.
29th June 2007 01:27 PM
Your Cousin Lou
I have always seen Aerosmith as a band that copied the stones. Even though their early albums do rock, it's all very derivitive of the Stones.
29th June 2007 01:34 PM
Ten Thousand Motels
quote:Your Cousin Lou wrote:
I have always seen Aerosmith as a band that copied the stones. Even though their early albums do rock, it's all very derivitive of the Stones.
I don't see it that way. They don't sound anything like the Stones. I don't see how they copied the Stones anymore than anyone else ever did.
29th June 2007 01:35 PM
Dan
quote:Your Cousin Lou wrote:
I have always seen Aerosmith as a band that copied the stones. Even though their early albums do rock, it's all very derivitive of the Stones.
That's like saying anyone who picked up a guitar is copying the Stones. To me they sound more like the Yardbirds on the first 2 albums, then have fully developed their own sound, in a much heavier direction, on Toys In The Attic and Rocks. Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, Dream On, Back In The Saddle, Nobody's Fault, Lord Of The Thighs - none of these songs or any of the others sound the least bit like anything the Stones have ever done.
29th June 2007 01:52 PM
mrhipfl
but they do have the same energy as the stones have, which is rare.
29th June 2007 02:48 PM
Your Cousin Lou
quote:Dan wrote:
That's like saying anyone who picked up a guitar is copying the Stones. To me they sound more like the Yardbirds on the first 2 albums, then have fully developed their own sound, in a much heavier direction, on Toys In The Attic and Rocks. Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, Dream On, Back In The Saddle, Nobody's Fault, Lord Of The Thighs - none of these songs or any of the others sound the least bit like anything the Stones have ever done.
The only reason they sound anything like the Yardbirds to me is that they covered Train Kept a' Rollin - Basically, they sound like a cross between the Stones and Led Zeppelin & I don't think they really did anything innovative, but what they did, they did well. And no, not everyone who picks up a guitar is copying the stones, but for me, Aerosmith is an americanized version of the Stones and I think that is the image they tried to cultivate and sell during the 70s.
[Edited by Your Cousin Lou]
29th June 2007 02:52 PM
Your Cousin Lou
quote:Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
I don't see it that way. They don't sound anything like the Stones. I don't see how they copied the Stones anymore than anyone else ever did.
It's more of an image thing than a musical thing. Musicwise, I don't really think Aerosmith is even in the same league as the Stones. They just were not as innovative. Their best album is Toys in the Attic, and it isn't really very diverse. Just hard rock and power ballad.
29th June 2007 03:07 PM
MidnightRambler
quote:mrhipfl wrote:
I didn't know he went under the knife. evidence?
29th June 2007 03:09 PM
mojoman
quote:Saint Sway wrote:
talk is cheap...
ricky rachtman intro?
29th June 2007 03:15 PM
Ten Thousand Motels
Uhg. I noticed that in some pix a few months back. Tacky. I can see a female film star getting a bit of cosmetic surgery once in awhile, or even a male film star in a bind....but for a "Rock Star" to get cosmetic surgery IMO is not cool at all. OK ... to certain point wigs are OK, hair dyeing is OK, but there's line to cross....and it looks like Tyler crossed it.
29th June 2007 03:27 PM
Lord (Hetero)
You know I got respect for Bryan May and for A'smith. But the image of the Toxic Twins has always bugged me because they ripped every image idea off from the Stones. And to call A'smith generic...it is excatly what they have lost on their big selling commercial albums. Those corp[orate writers who come in, and the producers just drowning many a decent song in layers and layers of synth, strings, effects. Not for one minute do I believe that A'smith is raw on stage. And I LIKE them.
But if anyone wants to see the best in true American Rock';n Roll - look no further than the Crowes. Coming out in those fuckin hats and cigarettes, the Persian rug and Hammond B3...man you can beat it. You wanna say that they should be ruling the charts but then I think: No, it's just right the way it is.
29th June 2007 03:30 PM
lotsajizz
quote:Lord (Hetero) wrote:
But the image of the Toxic Twins has always bugged me because they ripped every image idea off from the Stones.
But if anyone wants to see the best in true American Rock';n Roll - look no further than the Crowes. Coming out in those fuckin hats and cigarettes, the Persian rug and Hammond B3...man you can beat it.
THAT'S original and Aerosmith is NOT?!? ROTFLMAO!!!!!
It's ALL derivative....it's just how good your sources are.....the Toxic Twins had some VERY EXCELLENT sources!
quote:Lord (Hetero) wrote:
But if anyone wants to see the best in true American Rock';n Roll - look no further than the Crowes. Coming out in those fuckin hats and cigarettes, the Persian rug and Hammond B3...man you can beat it. You wanna say that they should be ruling the charts but then I think: No, it's just right the way it is.
Yeah some image. All image and no substance. Except for the cover songs. No charisma whatsoever, at least when I saw them. They sounded like any other third rate bar band playing the 1:00am cleanup slot. It was a tad disappointing since I had and liked the first album and a lot of friends who liked them. It's definitely not a good day if you get showed up by Oasis of all bands.
29th June 2007 03:39 PM
Nellcote
The Crowes?
Couple of good tunes, but please.
Next candidate.
Jizzy, lineup is out, it's Wily Mo Larry Curly in centah...Coco has a bimp...
29th June 2007 03:42 PM
Ten Thousand Motels
quote:Nellcote wrote:
The Crowes?
Couple of good tunes, but please.
Next candidate.
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