Rocks (Aerosmith album)
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Rocks is the fourth album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released in 1976. Allmusic described Rocks as having "captured Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking".[1] Rocks also ranked #176 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and is also noted in musician Kurt Cobain's top 50 favorite albums in his journals. [2] Additionally, it has greatly influenced several people in the hard rock and heavy metal community, including members of Guns N' Roses and Metallica.[3][4]
The album was also a commercial success, charting three singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached the Top 40 ("Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child"). The album also was one of the first albums to ship platinum when it was released. The album has since gone quadruple platinum.[5]
Track listing
Side one
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Back in the Saddle" | Steven Tyler, Joe Perry | 4:40 |
2. | "Last Child" | Tyler, Brad Whitford | 3:26 |
3. | "Rats in the Cellar" | Tyler, Perry | 4:07 |
4. | "Combination" | Perry | 3:39 |
Side two
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Sick as a Dog" | Tyler, Tom Hamilton | 4:12 |
2. | "Nobody's Fault" | Tyler, Whitford | 4:25 |
3. | "Get the Lead Out" | Tyler, Perry | 3:43 |
4. | "Lick and a Promise" | Tyler, Perry | 3:05 |
5. | "Home Tonight" | Tyler | 3:18 |
Song information
Written by Joe Perry on a six-string bass, which gives the song its distinctive "growl". Although written with the simple idea of cowboys and sex, this song took on new meaning after Aerosmith reunited in 1984 and embarked on their Back In The Saddle Tour. Brad Whitford plays the lead guitar part.
Brad Whitford created the riff after listening to the Meters, and the band wrote the rest in the studio. Whitford also plays lead guitar.
"Rats in the Cellar"
Written as Tom Hamilton describes it, "taking this thing The Yardbirds created, and making it balls to the wall", it was also conceived as a counterpart to Toys in the Attic.
"Combination"
Joe Perry's first solo effort, (sung by Perry with Steven Tyler on background vocals) this song is about heroin, liquor, cocaine, and the dangers of being able to afford your vices.[6]
"Sick as a Dog"
A guitar part is by bassist Tom Hamilton, who also co-wrote the song. When recording the song, for the first half of the song, Joe Perry played the electric bass; after the last chorus, during the rhythm guitar break, Perry handed the bass over to Steven Tyler to play, and picked up his guitar to play the solo during the finale.[7] This song is said to be about Tyler's less than spectacular first meeting of Mick Jagger.
With "Back in the Saddle", one of the heaviest songs on the album (as "Round and Round" had been on the previous one), this is one of former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash's favorite Aerosmith songs, as well as that of Metallica leader James Hetfield. Thrash metal band Testament covered this song on their 1988 album, The New Order, as well as L.A. Guns contributing a cover of the song for their 2004 covers album Rips the Covers Off. This song is an important contribution to the band's catalogue by Brad Whitford, who cites it as his favorite Aerosmith song.[8]
"(This song) is just about going out there and winning an audience." quips Steven Tyler.[9]
Cover versions
Thrash metal band Testament recorded "Nobody's Fault" for their 1988 album, The New Order
Influence in music
- Slash says that "Rocks" and Road to Ruin by Ramones were the albums that changed his life.[3]
- Rocks was one of Kurt Cobain's favorite albums, as he listed in his Journals.[10]
- In 2003, the album was ranked number 176 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[11]
- Mötley Crüe band-leader, songwriter and bassist Nikki Sixx refers to it frequently in his book The Heroin Diaries
Appearances in other media
- The song "Last Child" is a playable song in the video game Guitar Hero II.
- Also released as a 4-channel quadraphonic mix.
- "Back in the Saddle", "Nobody's Fault", "Rats in the Cellar" and "Combination" are playable songs on Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.
Personnel
- Steven Tyler - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Harmonica, Percusion, Bass Guitar On "Sick As A Dog"
- Joe Perry - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals, Steel Slide Guitar, Lead Vocals On "Combination", Bass Guitar On "Sick As A Dog"
- Tom Hamilton - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals On "Home Tonight", Lead Guitar On "Sick As A Dog"
- Brad Whitford - Rhythm Guitar
- Joey Kramer - Drums, Percusion, Backing Vocals On "Home Tonight"
Additional personnel
- Paul Prestopino - banjo
Production
- Producers: Aerosmith, Jack Douglas
- Engineer: Jay Messina
- Assistant engineers: Sam Ginsberg, Rod O'Brien
- Arrangers: Aerosmith, Jack Douglas, David Hewitt
- Directors: David Krebs, Steve Leber
- Photography: Fin Costello, Scott Enyart, Tom Hamilton, Ron Pownall, Brad Whitford
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1976 | Pop Albums | 3 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1976 | "Home Tonight" | Pop Singles | 71 |
1976 | "Last Child" | Pop Singles | 21 |
1977 | "Back in the Saddle" | Pop Singles | 38 |
Certifications
Organization | Level | Date |
---|---|---|
RIAA - USA | Gold | May 21, 1976 |
RIAA - USA | Platinum | July 9, 1976 |
RIAA - USA | 2x Platinum | October 19, 1984 |
RIAA - USA | 3x Platinum | December 21, 1988 |
RIAA - USA | 4x Platinum | February 26, 2001 |
References
- ^ Allmusic.com
- ^ http://www.nirvanaclub.com/info/nirvinfoa/journals.txt
- ^ a b The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time: 57) Aerosmith : Rolling Stone
- ^ Blabbermouth.net
- ^ http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS
- ^ http://robceemusic.com/index.php/2008/02/17/journey-through-the-past-aerosmith-rocks-columbia-1976/
- ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6599184/176_rocks?action=rate#rate
- ^ AeroForceOne | Aerosmith - Brad Whitford
- ^ http://www.aerosmith.com/index.cfm/pk/content/pid/400034
- ^ [1]
- ^ 176) Rocks : Rolling Stone
External links
Rocks ⚠ "mbid
" is missing! at MusicBrainz