Early Beginnings
The band came together mostly by happenstance, as the five men who ultimately formed the group were all in Boston playing in different bands and knocking around in local clubs. Each of the members shared a vision of rock and roll that was a bit of a departure from the recently-completed 1960’s, in that they all wanted to incorporate an edge into their sound and to do whatever they could to work their on-stage and private personalities into their delivery.
As such, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Steven Tyler and Ray Tabano got together and began to jam regularly. They discovered that they were a good mix, and they came up with a plan to form a hard rock and roll band. It was 1970, and music was beginning to move away from the psychedelic 1960’s and into an uncertain musical time, which was the perfect opportunity with a band that carried an innovative sound.
The band began to work the club scene in Boston, and their live shows immediately led to a local reputation among music followers. Record producers caught wind of this reputation and heard the band in 1972. Immediately after a show, Columbia Records signed Aerosmith to a record deal.
The band got to work on their first album, but they continued to tour relentlessly. Their initial release came out in 1973 and was entitled, fittingly enough, Aerosmith. The record was met with success, as it climbed to number 21 on the charts. Given the success of their debut and the already-high demand for Aerosmith tickets, the band had already established a name for itself.
High-Flying Success
Aerosmith took off on the heels of that first album, and while still continuing to tour endlessly, their studio work produced a string of smash hit albums. Over the next three decades, the band released 13 subsequent albums, and all of them sold at least one million copies each. Aerosmith was also known by many as the greatest concert band in the world.
As was and is typical with high-flying rock and roll bands, Aerosmith’s lifestyle mirrored the typical rock and roll story. All of the band’s members were notorious party animals, and their fame and fortune allowed them to cross over into several mainstream markets, which was a rare accomplishment at the time.
Struggles
This lifestyle led to several obstacles for both the individual members and the band as a whole. The band struggled with addiction and substance abuse, and this problem hit its high point in the early 1980’s. Their problems with drugs and alcohol became so severe that the band began to splinter into several directions and Columbia Records began to withdraw its support for the band’s albums and tours. These problems hit the news when Tyler was arrested for possession of cocaine in 1983. He plead guilty to the charges and received a fine and probation.
Ultimately, pressure from peers and management persuaded the band’s members to seek help, which they did, and they got back to work. As soon as they began releasing additional albums, their success was as immediate as it was during their formative years.
Overall, Aerosmith is known for their personality, their legendary live performances and their innovative hard rock style. Aerosmith tickets will allow you to see a band that has stayed cool for more than three decades, and they’re always worth the effort to see.
