# Aerosmith's 87-94 material: Opinions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742 "2017-08-26T16:26:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/1 "2017-08-26T16:26:16Z")
What’s your view on the stuff Aerosmith put out during their career renaissance from 1987 through 1994? The albums Permanent Vacation, Pump, Get a Grip as well as the singles like Line Up, Deuces are Wild, and others? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/2 "2017-08-26T16:42:37Z")
It’s not really my music, but _Love in an Elevator_ is a cracking tune with a great big knowing wink of a video. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h3Yrhv33Zb8/maxresdefault.jpg "Aerosmith - Love In An Elevator") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3Yrhv33Zb8) ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/3 "2017-08-26T16:58:55Z")
Loved it. Saw them live 4 or 5 times during that era. It was different from the earlier stuff, but I liked both periods. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/4 "2017-08-26T17:09:14Z")
While I knew of, and liked, earlier Aerosmith stuff (70s era), Get a Grip was the album that got me into them. Think it came out my freshman year in college, and I even saw them in concert that year (I remember my friend saying, “We should go-- they’re getting up there, this could be the last time the go on tour.” Ha!). Still have that be-nippled CD. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/5 "2017-08-26T17:17:21Z")
No thanks, not really my thing for the most part. The best thing they did in that era IMHO was a cover of “I’m Down”. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/6 "2017-08-26T21:25:45Z")
“Permanent Vacation” was a great return to form. “Pump” was… Okay, just okay. They had some huge hits after that, but I never liked their new material. Diane Warren ballads just aren’t Aerosmith to me. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/7 "2017-08-26T21:36:19Z")
I’m biased towards the first 4 albums because of wearing them out in high school and college. I only know the radio hits from anything after that, I couldn’t tell you which one came from which album, except Permanent Vacation of course. > [@astorian](#): > > Diane Warren ballads just aren’t Aerosmith to me. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/8 "2017-08-26T21:41:35Z")
I was big on _Get a Grip_ and the associated music videos. Looking back at it now, “Crying” and “Crazy” have lost a lot of their luster to my ears, but “Livin’ on the Edge” still kicks ass. There are still some other tracks on that album that I enjoy, like “Eat the Rich” and the title track. I don’t own “Pump” or “Permanent Vacation,” but I’d probably feel the same way about those two albums. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/9 "2017-08-26T23:11:23Z")
They’re fine and I’m happy for their longevity, but about the only songs I can recall liking are Other Side and Eat the Rich. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/10 "2017-08-28T00:46:48Z")
I lost all interest in Aerosmith well before your stated time frame. By the early 80s they became, IMO, pretty damn boring and totally void of their early\* originality. \*(first four albums) mmm ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/11 "2017-08-28T00:54:44Z")
If I’m being honest? Fucking awful. Maybe there’s a song or two in there I’m not considering, but I got into Aerosmith in reverse chronology. I thought I hated them (Pump era) until I heard the _Toys in the Attic_ album straight through. Obviously, I was tangentially aware of “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion,” but had no idea they were on the same album, much less surrounded by great tracks like “Toys in the Attic,” “Adam’s Apple,” and “Uncle Salty.” What a fantastic album _Toys_ is. ETA: Actually, I’m thinking more _Get A Grip_ era. I didn’t much like _Pump_, either, but it had a moment with “Love in an Elevator,” I guess. Was not a fan of “Janie’s Got a Gun” which was everywhere in those days. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/12 "2017-08-30T16:56:24Z")
Those years more or less cover my time as a teenager and a college student, so hearing any of the singles from that era is good for a little nostalgia boost, if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![sexpertnewyork69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sexpertnewyork69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sexpertnewyork69)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/13 "2017-09-22T05:02:53Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > What’s your view on the stuff Aerosmith put out during their career renaissance from 1987 through 1994? The albums Permanent Vacation, Pump, Get a Grip as well as the singles like Line Up, Deuces are Wild, and others? Unbelievable band! Top 10 in its era! ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/14 "2017-09-22T12:41:21Z")
The material led to the classic SNL commercial with Adam Sandler singing “Crazy, Crying, Amazing, Crazy” so it was pretty awesome 🙂 speaking of which, anyone have that on video? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/15 "2017-09-26T18:51:36Z")
Great music, not hard rock, not metal, just loud pop rock. They had more edge in the 70’s but I believe both eras had their merits. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/16 "2017-09-26T20:10:49Z")
I think they got a lot of mileage in the 80’s just because no one expected anything good out of them at all. They were considered washed-up has-beens by that time, and supposedly an inspiration for Spinal Tap. By that standard, the music they put out was r eall6 good - and they also benefited from the milqtoast nature of the new wave era. Bands that could really rock got new respect from people tired of Culture Club and Devo. ZZ-Top rode that retro longing for quite a while. Both bands also benefited from having some of the best music videos. But judged on their own, I much preferred 70’s Aerosmith. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/17 "2017-09-26T21:28:41Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I think they got a lot of mileage in the 80’s just because no one expected anything good out of them at all. They were considered washed-up has-beens by that time, and supposedly an inspiration for Spinal Tap. By that standard, the music they put out was r eall6 good - and they also benefited from the milqtoast nature of the new wave era. Bands that could really rock got new respect from people tired of Culture Club and Devo. ZZ-Top rode that retro longing for quite a while. Both bands also benefited from having some of the best music videos. But there was plenty of mainstream hard rock in that era. Van Halen, Motley Crue, Ratt, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, etc. At least here in Chicago in the 80s, you had your rock-leaning Top 40 station (Z95) and your dance-leaning Top 40 station (B96, which still exists). I don’t particularly remember that era as being all Devo and Culture Club all the time by any stretch. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosmiths-87-94-material-opinions/794742/18 "2017-09-27T10:06:02Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I think they got a lot of mileage in the 80’s just because no one expected anything good out of them at all. They were considered washed-up has-beens by that time, and supposedly an inspiration for Spinal Tap. By that standard, the music they put out was r eall6 good - and they also benefited from the milqtoast nature of the new wave era. Bands that could really rock got new respect from people tired of Culture Club and Devo. ZZ-Top rode that retro longing for quite a while. Both bands also benefited from having some of the best music videos. > > But judged on their own, I much preferred 70’s Aerosmith. I’m not sure I agree with this portrayal. Aerosmith played the game and won during the 80’s. They produced pop rock hit after hit, owned a successful MTV formula, etc. They had been washed up, yes, but once they got their second chance, they delivered on what the market required at the time, as did Heart, Yes, Genesis and so many other bands that got MTV friendly. ETA: see \*\*puly’s \*\*list above. The songs aren’t great, but are very service-able, and are more reflective of the 80’s formula than they are of Aerosmith’s original “voice.” And yeah, 70’s Aerosmith are a pillar for me. The guitar sounds alone - so damn good!