“Put a bullet in his brain” was changed to “Left him out in the rain” on some edits, which robs the song of its shocking impact. It was an innovative and daring track for the time a real statement from Tyler. “Janie’s Got a Gun” is another track we don’t need to delve into deeply. They’re a better band without the powders deal with it! The reborn Aerosmith infuse it with all the energy and greasy groove required to make their point. You best believe I had it all and then I blew it, “Monkey On My Back” was their first real statement about this subject. Hamilton’s bass rides that riff like a surfer.Īerosmith weren’t a preachy band, but they were pretty open about their drug usage and recovery. All these years later, it’s still smoking hot. All you really need to focus on when listening to this overplayed radio staple is the musicianship. We don’t need to address “Love in an Elevator” it’s all been said.

When Aerosmith have all five members firing at peak performance, then you have one hell of a lethal weapon. “I got a brand new record, and I gotta play,” he sings, and you have to believe it. And Steven Tyler, always the centrepiece, keeping the attention focused on the hooks. Whitford and Perry - locked on to target, supporting and boosting each other’s licks. The band sound young, therefore “Young Lust”! Joey Kramer on the skins propels the whole thing forward, aided and abetted by Tom Hamilton’s unmistakable bass slink.

“Young Lust” and “F.I.N.E.” have always seemed to work as a supercharged pair. Titles such as “Looking Up Your Old Address” and “News For You Baby” were dropped in favour of stronger songs - the 10 on Pump. There was some conflict but it all seemed productive. The band were clearly riding a wave of energy, it was palpable in the studio. Incidentally, if you’re curious about how this album was made, there was an excellent behind the scenes doc called The Making of Pump that was out on VHS. That’s how Aerosmith albums were in the 70’s, and Pump is as close as they have ever been able to touch that magical golden era. 10 songs, all to the point and done “just right”. Teaming up for a second time with the late great Canadian producer extraordinaire Bruce Fairbairn, Aerosmith (and co-writers) cooked a short and sweet batch up. But that album wasn’t as laser-focused as Pump. Sure, Permanent Vacation brought them back from the dead and provided three surprise hit singles. This is unfair to 1989’s Pump, a bonafide classic indeed, a rebirth, an all-too-brief twinkling of Aerosmith turning back the clock and smoothly kicking your behind. When speaking of Aerosmith “classics”, fans often skip over the 80’s or 90’s and talk singly about the 1970’s. AEROSMITH – Pump (1989 Geffen collector’s faux leather edition)

Aerosmith pump