Steven Tyler has never been shy about expressing his thoughts. Tyler, the loud-mouthed rock and roll shouter, has fronted Aerosmith for over 50 years. He has let his thoughts fly to anyone who will listen for almost the entire time.
Tyler is an expert on Aerosmith’s music – as the band’s leader and frontman for their entire existence. Tyler is the man who does the most pushing when Aerosmith is looking for direction. So, when Uncut asked Tyler about the best and worst of the band’s output, the singer had some strong opinions.
“Toys in the Attic (1975) or Rocks (1976) have to be the best.” “Then again, Pump (1989) is pretty incredible,” he added. “There are a few Aerosmith albums that I prefer not to recall.” But the worst would have to be one of the many ‘Greatest Hits’ compilations that the record company released without our permission in the 1990s. We should have had our eyes on the ball but were otherwise occupied.”
Steven Tyler, like many of the band’s fans, seems to favor Aerosmith’s classic period from the mid-1970s. Toys in the Attic and Rocks captured the band at their creative peak. The self-written hard rock songs seemed to come more naturally than at any other time before or since. Songs like ‘Walk This Way,’ ‘Sweet Emotion,’ ‘Back in the Saddle,’ and ‘Sick as a Dog’ scattered throughout. It’s no surprise that these two albums are near the top of any ‘Best Aerosmith Albums’ list.
The pump is from Aerosmith’s later period when more songwriters began to contribute to the band’s music. But it still contains classic tracks like “Love in an Elevator” and “Janie’s Got a Gun.” Pump’s glossy late-1980s and early-1990s aesthetic is relatively mild in comparison to the albums that immediately followed it, such as Get a Grip.
Tyler’s point of view contrasts with guitarist Joe Perry’s assessment of the worst Aerosmith album. Perry chose Done with Mirrors, the first Aerosmith album released during the band’s reunion with their classic lineup after Perry left in 1979. Following the release of that album, Aerosmith began collaborating with professional songwriters, bringing in a new, more pop-oriented era for the band.
Despite his willingness to cooperate with the music industry, Tyler appears to despise the scheming and consolidation of songs that go into a record label’s favorite package: the greatest hits album. During the height of physical media sales, it was not uncommon for labels to release compilation albums without consulting bands.
There are currently more than ten different Aerosmith greatest hits albums available for purchase. That appears to demonstrate that Tyler’s dislike of compilations hasn’t stopped the band from signing off on them time and time again. Since the end of the 1990s, Aerosmith has released seven greatest-hit compilations. Tyler’s least favorite types of albums are still at the forefront of their discography.
