HISTORY AEROSMITH 50 YEARS IN ROCK PART THREE AEROSMITH 50 YEARS IN ROCK PART THREE 1995–1999 The year of 1995 is for AEROSMITH marked by AEROSMITH found themselves in a carousel the preparations of a new album, in which the of confusions, intrigues, great changes, drummer Joey Kramer did not participate in its termination of some collaboration, returns first phase. At that time, he was struggling with and new beginnings. They had already severe depressive states. After the death of his experienced all of it many times during their father, everything that had accumulated inside career before, but this time on a completely him throughout his life and could no longer be different level. The resumption of collaboration ignored, came to the surface. Unsuspecting and with their previous record company was an 2,000 miles away from the other members of encouragement and a guarantee of a better the band, he undergoes treatment. This was tomorrow for the band while facing unfavorable disrupted by the sudden news of recording circumstances. The change of record company the basics of a new album with a replacement was, of course, sweetened by a lucrative drummer. Longtime manager Tim Collins handled offer. Columbia / Sony valued AEROSMITH the situation in his way and tried to get rid of at $ 30 million and offered the musicians Joey Kramer without the band having any idea a contract that was certainly impossible about his actions. In general, he tried to keep the to reject. AEROSMITH returned under the musicians apart so that he had everything under wing of a record company that had stood total control. In this way he could more easily by their side at the time of their beginnings control and manipulate them all. He conveyed in Boston and under whose banner the first information to Joey in a way that made him feel seven albums were released. AEROSMITH that his longtime partners in the band had become has received tremendous support from their his enemies. No one in the band called him and no record company. Not only was it a mutually one in his eyes was interested in finding out what beneficial deal which was finally accomplished was happening to him and how he was doing. after several years due to the contract with Joey received a cruel message from the manager, a previous label, but everyone who worked which fortunately later became clear, and Collins’s for the record company was primarily a huge disgusting intention turned against himself. The fan of AEROSMITH and believed in the band other members were forbidden to contact Joey, immensely. allegedly in his best interests. 2 AEROSMITH, 1997 Joey Kramer was undergoing treatment result, saying that they were not AEROSMITH as in California, while AEROSMITH were working on he knew them. It was recorded digitally, which new songs at the Criteria studio in Miami, Florida. was faster, but not as authentic as recording Glen Ballard took over the production chair. using analog systems. Steven Tyler wasn’t happy He is best known as the songwriter and producer with the idea of remaking​​ the songs again. He of ALANIS MORISSETTE’s 1995 album “Jagged was totally immersed in creativity during the Little Pill”, which got two Grammy awards: Best creative process, and he was thrilled with the Rock Album of the Year and Album of the Year. result of his collaboration with Glen Ballard. Glen Ballard also co-wrote MICHAEL JACKSON’s Nevertheless, the original versions of the songs albums: “Thriller”, “Bad” and “Dangerous”. Joey’s did not pass muster and there was nothing left parts were taken care of by the hired drummer of but to come up with a new plan. For a smoother English origin Steve Ferrone, who was the band continuation, it was essential to settle the member of TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS relationships in the band and resolve the issue from 1994 to 2017. Glen Ballard co-wrote three of management. songs that eventually appeared on the final version of “Nine Lives”: “Pink”, “Taste of India” Tim Collins, who had been AEROSMITH’s and “Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)”, manager for twelve years at the time, helped which was also released as the first single. the musicians in many ways. He was standing However, the recordings made in the Criteria by the band at a time when the whole music studio did not meet with a favorable response. world almost gave up on them. It was he who According to the reactions, AEROSMITH sounded persuaded the musicians to undergo treatment homogeneous, the songs lacked drive and and supervised them throughout the process their typical sound. Not even John Kalodner, to bring it to a successful end. AEROSMITH Columbia’s A&R director, was satisfied with the turned the situation around, literally rising 3 AEROSMITH, 1997 Five dedicated musicians. You“ can’t put it in a box, or a glass or a bottle. It happens because the five of us get together and do what we do. You can’t change the formula. And, to me, we are the biggest fans of what it is. So, we just keep going to the show.“ (BRAD WHITFORD) from the ashes and conquering the world in they began to build as a bunch of enthusiastic a noble way. Suddenly, thanks to the same musicians in the beginning of the 70s. Under person they considered as part of the band, the supervision of therapist Steve Chatoff, they they found themselves on thin ice which could underwent two weeks of therapy together and break at any moment and everything would talked everything through. All the intrigues and be over. Tim Collins set the musicians a huge manipulations by Tim Collins were revealed. test of their bond. Not only did he intrigue The band had no interest in continuing with among members to whom he individually him. Of course, this decision did not go provided different versions, full of lies. He unanswered. Tim Collins contacted all the major went even further and involved their wives in media and claimed that the musicians were his game, trying to get them to fight amongst on drugs again and a lot of other slanders that themselves and against their husbands. The caused considerable damage not only to the band was forced not to communicate with band, but also in their private lives. Steven Tyler and to write him a reproachful letter in which he was distrusted due to alleged Wendy Laister became the new manager of addiction to drugs, sexual adventures and lack AEROSMITH in August 1996, having previously of interest in the band. The manager used taken care of the band’s publicity for three facts from the past rather than something years. Wendy was the first woman in the music that would have happened at the time. Tim industry to manage a band of AEROSMITH Collins certainly overestimated his abilities format, and Bart Goldstein became their sales and didn’t realize that AEROSMITH had been manager. AEROSMITH were back in full force, through a lot throughout the decades, and together and again with their permanent whatever was going on, they always tried to drummer, Joey Kramer, who concluded this not- move on together and not lose faith in what so-happy period around Tim Collins’ intrigues 5 Nine Lives, 1997 (The original cover artwork) Nine Lives, 1997 (The new version of the cover) in his book “Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock The album “Nine Lives” was released on March Bottom at the Top” with the words: “It wasn’t 18, 1997. The title metaphorically symbolizes the first time AEROSMITH had sold its soul to this the problematic phase of the two years since kind of devil.” What doesn’t kill you makes you its inception, which AEROSMITH members stronger, and so AEROSMITH could finally drag remember as if they had actually lived several themselves into the next step of the recording lives. Originally, the album was called “Vandaloo”, process. In the fall of 1996, they went to Avatar thanks to the elements of Indian music Studios in New York. Brian Fairbairn was not incorporated in several songs, including an available, so John Kalodner found another intro to the song “Taste of India” by the Indian famous producer, Kevin Shirley (JOURNEY, sarangi player, Ramesh Mishra. The album “Nine IRON MAIDEN, RUSH, LED ZEPPELIN, DREAM Lives” features for the first time the name of THEATER, BETH HART and many more). Kevin the producer, songwriter, and musician Marti Shirley hated digital recording and instead loved Frederiksen, as the co-writer of the three songs: analog. All songs were recorded again with Joey “Something’s Gotta Give”, “Attitude Adjustment” Kramer. Before any of the songs were finally and “Falling Off”. From that time on, Marti recorded, the band had to play it in the way Frederiksen not only became part of the history they played live. Kevin Shirley insisted, so the of AEROSMITH, but almost 20 years later one of recording went completely differently than in the key figures in Steven Tyler’s solo project. The Florida, which of course had a positive effect on list of co-writers again includes the hit maker the overall result. About the collaboration with Desmond Child who co-wrote the mega hit “Hole Kevin Shirley, bassist Tom Hamilton adds: in My Soul”, which is one of the most popular “Kevin likes to record in an organic way, power ballads in the discography of AEROSMITH. with the full band in the studio, using as much Steven Tyler comments on this song in his of the take as possible.” memoir “Does the Noise in My Head Bother 6 AEROSMITH, 1997 You?”: “It’s one of my favorite songs.