Slash is a guitarist, and he probably feels more at ease shredding his guitar on stage than doing pretty much anything else. It’s kind of crazy to consider him sitting around at home without a guitar or a top hat. Even though he probably has plenty of free time to do whatever he wants. Slash feels that a band’s live performance is what defines them, and during Aerosmith’s peak, he thought no one could ever match them.
Well, if you happened to catch them on a good night. Aerosmith appeared to be among the most dangerous American bands since the British invasion as they tore through the 1970s. Granted, they resembled an Americanized version of The Rolling Stones, but really—what the heck? They were still capable of rocking, and their contributions to hits like “Walk This Way” and “Dream On” cemented their place in rock & roll history.
Rocks was what hooked Slash, even though Toys in the Attic remained their definitive statement of the decade. Following his first listen to “Back in the Saddle,” Slash decided to become a guitar player in the hopes of looking as fierce as Joe Perry. But that was limited to the studio. Hold off until he hears the whole story.
Aerosmith’s concerts during their heyday were legendary in the rock world, with Perry slamming some of the meanest grooves ever discovered and Tyler screaming until his throat was raw. This seemed to be the Yardbirds that we had all longing for but were never granted, and Slash thought Live! Bootleg was the greatest display of that particular Aerosmith lineup.
Slash told Classic Rock, “I got Live! Bootleg because it had all their big songs,” even though you were only getting their live cuts. For him, this was a one-stop shop for everything that made Aerosmith so awesome. That record is amazing. That is, in my opinion, the ultimate live rock ‘n’ roll record. It’s incredible. I then obtained each and every Aerosmith album.
Though there was probably a gold mine in the backlog for young Slash, his time with Aerosmith was about to end abruptly. The band would turn into the worst versions of themselves while recording Draw the Line. This usually involved guns, wild recording sessions, and an enormous amount of cocaine that would make Tony Montana blush.
Slash recalled them being almost unrecognisable when he finally saw them perform live. Even though “The Bad Boys From Boston” had the same songs. They had become almost unintelligible due to Tyler’s refusal to interact with the crowd on tour. There were a few instances where he passed out in the middle of the stage.
Slash was already beginning to pick up where Aerosmith left off with Guns N’ Roses. He served up the straight-ahead rock and roll that carried the legacy of everyone from Led Zeppelin to The Stones to Cream. Aerosmith was able to turn things around in the 1980s for their comeback on Permanent Vacation. The studio may be one thing, but if you listen to Live! Bootleg from beginning to end, you can almost hear how Slash would eventually construct his career once he got his act together.
