Mick Jagger is a force to be reckoned with. As one of rock’s most iconic frontmen, he’s never shied away from speaking his mind about other artists. But when it came to Aerosmith, his words hit harder than most.
Jagger’s reputation as a hard-nosed critic isn’t new, and his early years with The Rolling Stones saw him take swipes at some of rock’s biggest names. In the 1970s, Jagger was at his most outspoken, and one band that didn’t escape his wrath was Aerosmith.
By 1977, Aerosmith had rocketed to fame with hits like ‘Walk This Way’ and ‘Sweet Emotion.’ Frontman Steven Tyler, in particular, had become a serious rival to Jagger’s throne. But Mick didn’t have time for comparisons. When asked about Aerosmith, he didn’t mince words.
“Oh God, Aerosmith!” Jagger scoffed, unimpressed with their rise. “They’re just rubbish – absolute bullshit.”
Despite his harsh words for their music, Jagger did manage a backhanded compliment about Tyler, calling him “quite a nice guy” but immediately undercutting it with a sarcastic tone. “He’s almost too bloody sweet,” Jagger added, mocking Tyler’s kindness. “What can you do with him?”
Jagger’s criticism didn’t stop there. In a move that would sting for years to come, he suggested that Tyler was simply “impersonating” him, mimicking his style and swagger. “Punch him in the mouth?” Jagger mused, jokingly acting out what seemed to be his fantasy, “What are you playing at, fuckin’ impersonating me?”
Tyler, for his part, took Jagger’s words to heart. In 2013, he admitted that the constant comparison to Jagger had “hurt” the band during the early years. “Mick was the cheapest, easiest shot,” Tyler said, referring to the endless media focus on his supposed imitation of Jagger and Janis Joplin.
Joe Perry, Aerosmith’s guitarist, later fired back at the criticism, insisting that the band had its own unique sound. “You could tell they weren’t listening, because we definitely weren’t sounding like the Stones,” he said.
But despite their efforts to shake off Jagger’s jabs, Tyler couldn’t help but bring it up again, saying, “We did our best to try to, though.”
Jagger’s scathing remarks left a mark, but it’s clear Aerosmith didn’t let it stop them. Yet, the rivalry between Jagger and Tyler is one that will always be remembered in rock history.
