Jumat, 21 Januari 2011
Selasa, 30 Juni 2009
21st ANNIVERSARY OF BIKERS BROTHERHOOD MC
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Pada tanggal 27 – 28 Juni 2009 Suasana di bumi Perkemahan Kiara Payung Jatinangor Bandung serasa gegap gempita oleh raungan knalpot motor tua dan motor besar serta dentuman suara musik. Memang pada hari itu ada perayaan besar 21 tahun berdirinya club motor beranggota terbanyak yaitu Bikers Brotherhood MC.
Berbagai bentuk seni mulai tradisional seperti debus sampai band beraliran Rock n Roll, Rock, dan Reggae juga ikut menyemarakkan suasana. Tidak ketinggalan pula berderet stand yang menjual berbagai macam Merchandise Event dan aksesoris bergaya bikers juga ikut meramaikan lokasi acara. Pada malam harinya beberapa api unggun dinyalakan untuk menghangatkan hawa yang mulai menusuk kulit serta berderet tenda juga disediakan untuk bermalam para Bikers.
Acara yang dikemas apik ini bertema Pelestarian Lingkungan dengan mengibaratkan seandainya satu orang anggota Bikers Brotherhood MC mau menanam satu batang pohon, maka dengan kurang lebih 1500 anggotanya Bikers Brotherhood MC mampu melestarikan lingkungan dengan menanam 1500 batang pohon. Bikers Brotherhood MC juga menyatakan perang terhadap Narkoba dan aksi kekerasan yang dilakukan oleh Geng Motor.
“ VIVA BIKERS BROTHERHOOD MC ”
Senin, 02 Februari 2009
BOB MARLEY
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Bob Marley (6 Februari 1945 - 11 Mei 1981) merupakan penyanyi reggae berkebangsaan Jamaika. Ia mulai dikenal di dunia musik reggae pada tahun 1962. Ia menikah dengan Rita Marley dan memiliki 13 orang anak.
Album pertamanya ialah The Wailing Wailers dirilis tahun 1965 bersama The Wailers. Pada 1974 lagu No Woman No Cry dikenal di Jamaika dan negara-negara Amerika. Namun pada tahun 1977 ia mengidap penyakit kanker. Pada tahun 1980, Marley pingsan saat jogging di New York. Namun pada 1981 Marley meninggal dunia setelah mengalami kanker dalam 4 tahun terakhir. Ia meninggalkan seorang istri dan 13 orang anak.
Diskografi
• Judge Not
• Simmer Down
• Catch a Fire
• African Herbsman
• Burnin'
• Natty Dread
• Rastaman Vibration
• Exodus
• Kaya
• Survival
• Uprising
• Chances Are
• Confrontation
Gerakan Rastafari
Rasta, atau Gerakan Rastafari, adalah sebuah gerakan agama baru yang mengakui Haile Selassie I, bekas kaisar Ethiopia, sebagai Raja diraja, Tuan dari segala Tuan dan Singa Yehuda sebagai Yah (nama Rastafari untuk Allah, yang merupakan bentuk singkat dari Yehovah yang ditemukan dalam Mazmur 68:4 dalam Alkitab versi Raja James), dan bagian dari Tritunggal Kudus. Nama Rastafari berasal dari Ras Täfäri, nama Haile Selassie I sebelum ia dinobatkan menjadi kaisar. Gerakan ini muncul di Jamaika di antara kaum kulit hitam kelas pekerja dan petani pada awal tahun 1930-an, yang berasal dari suatu penafsiran terhadap nubuat Alkitab, aspirasi sosial dan politik kulit hitam, dan ajaran nabi mereka, seorang penerbit dan organisator Jamaika kulit hitam, Marcus Garvey, yang visi politik dan budayanya ikut menolong menciptakan suatu pandangan dunia yang baru. Gerakan ini kadang-kadang disebut "Rastafarianisme"; namun hal ini dianggap tidak pantas dan menyinggung perasaan banyak kaum Rasta.
Gerakan Rastafari telah menyebar di berbagai tempat didunia, terutama melalui imigrasi dan minatnya dilahirkan oleh musik Nyahbinghi dan reggae —khususnya musik Bob Marley, yang dibaptiskan dengan nama Berhane Selassie (Cahaya Tritunggal) oleh Gereja Ortodoks Ethiopia sebelum ia meninggal, sebuah langkah yang juga diambil belakangan oleh jandanya, Rita. Pada tahun 2000, ada lebih dari satu juta Rastafari di seluruh dunia. Sekitar 5-10% dari penduduk Jamaika mengidentifikasikan dirinya sebagai Rastafari. Kebanyakan kaum Rastafari vegetarian atau hanya memakan jenis-jenis daging tertentu. Di AS ada banyak sekali restoran vegetarian Hindia Barat, yang menyediakan makanan Jamaika.
Doktrin
Rastafari berkembang di antara penduduk yang sangat miskin, yang merasa bahwa masyarakat tidak mau menolong mereka kecuali membuat mereka menjadi lebih menderita. Kaum Rasta memandang diri mereka sebagai penggenap suatu visi tentang bagaimana orang Afrika harus hidup. Meerka merebut kembali apa yang mereka anggap sebagai kebudayaan yang telah dicuri dari mereka ketika dibawa di kapal-kapal budak ke Jamaika, tempat lahir gerakan ini.
Doktrin Rastafari sangat berbeda dengan norma-norma pikiran dunia barat modern. Hal ini disengaja oleh kaum Rasta sendiri. Berbeda dengan banyak kelompok keagamaan modern dan Kristen yang cenderung menekankan konformitas dengan "kekuasaan yang ada", Rastafari sebaliknya menekankan kesetiaan kepada konsep mereka tentang "Sion" dan penolakan masyarakat modern ("Babel"). "Babel" dalam hal ini dianggap memberontak terhadap "Penguasa Dunia Sejati" (YAH) sejak zaman Nimrod.
"Cara hidup ini" tidak sekadar diberikan makna intelektual, atau "keyakinan" seperti yang biasa diistilahkan. Ini adalah masalah mengetahui atau menemukan identitas sejati diri sendiri. Mengikut dan menyembah YAH Rastafari berarti menemukan, menyebarkan dan "menempuh" jalan di mana orang telah dilahirkan dengan sebenarnya.
Agama ini sulit dikategorikan, karena Rastafari bukanlah suatu organisasi yang tersentralisasi. Masing-masing Rastafari mencari kebenaran untuk dirinya sendiri, sehingga akibatnya terdapat berbagai keyakinan yang masuk ke bawah payung besar bernama Rastafari.
Afrosentrisme
Secara sosial, Rastafari adalah suatu tanggapan terhadap penyangkalan rasialis terhadap orang-orang kulit hitam sebagaimana yang dialami di Jamaika, ketika pada tahun 1930-an orang-orang kulit hitam berada pada tingkat tatanan sosial paling bawah, sementara orang-orang kulit putih dan agama mereka (umumnya Kristen) berada di paling atas. Anjuran Marcus Garvey agar orang-orang kulit hitam bangga akan diri mereka dan warnisan mereka mengilhami kaum Rasta untuk memeluk segala sesuatu yang bersifat Afrika. Mereka mengajarkan bahwa mereka dicuci otak ketika berada dalam tawanan untuk menyangkal segala sesuatu yang berkaitan dengan kulit hitam dan Afrika. Mereka membalikkan citra rasialis mereka dan menganggapnya primitif dan langsung dari hutan dan malah merangkulnya -- meskipun itu berlawanan -- dan menjadikan konsep-konsep ini sebagai bagian dari budaya Afrika yang mereka anggap telah dicuri dari mereka ketika mereka dibawa dari Afrika di kapal-kapal budak. Dekat dengan alam dan dengan savana Afrika serta singa-singanya, di dalam roh, kalau bukan secara badani, adalah gagasan sentral mereka tentang budaya Afrika.
Hidup dekat dengan alam dan menjadi bagian dari alam dianggap sebagai sifat Afrika. Pendekatan Afrika terhadap "hidup dekat alam" ini terlihat dalam rambut gimbal, ganja (marijuana), makanan ital, dan dalam segala aspek kehidupan Rasa. Mereka membenci pendekatan (atau, seperti yang mereka pahami, non-pendekatan) modern terhadap kehidupan karena dianggap tidak alamiah dan terlalu objektif dan menolak subjektivitas. Kaum Rasta mengatakan bahwa para ilmuawn berusaha menemukan bagaimana dunia kelihatan dari luar, sementara kaum Rasa mendekatinya dengan melihat kehidupan dari dalam ke luar. Individu mendapatkan kedudukan sangat penting dalam Rastafari, dan setiap Rasta harus mencari kebenaran untuk dirinya sendiri.
Identifikasi Afrosentris penting lainnya adalah warna merah, emas, dan hijau, dari warna bendera Ethiopia. Warna-warna ini adalah lambang gerakan Rastafari, dan kesetiaan kaum Rasa terhadap Haile Selassie, Ethiopia, dan Africa dan bukan kepada negara modern manapun di mana mereka kebetulan tinggal. Warna-warna ini seringkali terlihat dalam pakaian dan hiasan-hiasan lainnya. Merah melambangkan darah para martir, hijau melambangkan tetumbuhan Afrika, sementara emas melambangkan kekayaan dan kemakmuran yang ditawarkan Afrika. (Sebaliknya, sejumlah pakar Ethiopia menyatakan bahwa warna-warna ini berasal dari pepatah lama y ang mengatakan bahwa sabuk Perawan Maria adalah pelangi, dan bahwa warna merah, emas, dan hijau melambangkan semuanya ini.)
Banyak dari pemeluk Rastafari berusaha mempelajari bahasa Amharik, yang mereka anggap sebagai bahasa aslinya, karena inilah bahasa yang dipergunakan Haile Selassie I, dan untuk mengidentifikasikan diri mereka sebagai orang Ethiopia—meskipun pada praktiknya kebanyakan pemeluk Rasta tetap berbahasa Inggris atau bahasa kelahiran mereka. Ada pula lagu-lagu reggae yang ditulis dalam bahasa Amharik.
Haile Selassie dan Alkitab
Sebuah kepercayaan yang mempersatukan banyak pemeluk Rastafari adalah bahwa Ras, sebuah gelar kebangsawanan Amharik, sepadan dengan Duke; juga berarti "Kepala") Tafari Makonnen, yang dinobatkan sebagai Haile Selassie I, Kaisar Ethiopia pada 2 November 1930, adalah Allah yang hidup dan menjelma manusia, yang disebut Yah, yaitu Mesias kulit hitam yang akan memimpin bangsa-bangsa yang berasal dari Afrika di seluruh dunia untuk masuk ke tanah perjanjian yang penuh dengan emansipasi dan keadilan ilahi, meskipun sebagian mansions tidak menerjemahkannya secara harafiah. Ini sebagian disebabkan oleh gelarnya Raja di atas segala raja, Tuhan dari segala tuhan dan Singa Penakluk dari Suku Yehuda. Gelar-gelar ini sesuai dengan Mesias yang disebutkan dalam Kitab Wahyu. Namun, menurut tradisi Ethiopia, gelar-gelar ini diberikan kepada semua kaisar dari garis keturunan Salomo sejak tahun 980 SM — jauh sebelum Kitab Wahyu ditulis pada sekitar 97 M. Menurut beberapa tradisi, Haile Selassie adalah raja Ethiopia ke-225 dalam sebuah garis keturunan yang tidak pernah terputus sejak Raja Salomo di masa Alkitab dan Ratu Syeba. Mazmur 87:4-6 juga dipahami meramalkan penobatan Haile Selassie I.
Pada abad ke-10 SM, Dinasti Salomo di Ethiopia didirikan oleh Menelik I, anak Salomo dan Ratu Syeba, yang pernah mengunjungi Salomo di Israel. 1 Raja-raja 10:13 mengklaim "Raja Salomo memberikan kepada ratu negeri Syeba segala yang dikehendakinya dan yang dimintanya, selain apa yang telah diberikannya kepadanya sebagaimana layak bagi raja Salomo. Lalu ratu itu berangkat pulang ke negerinya bersama-sama dengan pegawai-pegawainya." Berdasarkan Kebra Negast, kaum Rasta menafsirkan bahwa ayat ini menunjukkan bahwa Ratu Syeba hamil dengan anak Salom, dan dari sini mereka menyimpulkan bahwa orang-orang kulit hitam adalah keturunan sejati Israel, atau orang Yahudi. Orang-orang Yahudi hitam Beta Israel telah hidup di Ethiopia selama berabad-abad, terputus dari sisa Yudaisme. Keberadaan mereka membuat orang yakin dan mendorong para Rastafari perdana, dan mengesahkan keyakinan mereka bahwa Ethiopia adalah Sion.
Sebagian kaum Rasta yang ortodoks mengecam reggae sebagai suatu bentuk musik komersial dan "penjualan diri kepada Babel". Bagi yang lainnya, ini adlaah "Musik Takhta YAH".
Rastafari di masa kini
Pada akhir abad ke-20, kaum perempuan telah memainkan peranan yang lebih penting di dalam gerakan Rastafari. Pada tahun-tahun awalnya, kaum perempuan yang sedang datang bulan harus takluk kepada suami mereka dan dikeluarkan dari upacara-upacara keagamaan dan sosial. Pada umumnya, kaum perempuan merasakan kebebasan yang lebih besar sekarang dalam mengungkapkan diri mereka. Dengan demikian mereka pun menyumbangkan peranan yang lebih besar pula kepada agama ini.
Rastafari bukanlah sebuah agama yang sangat terorganisasi. Malah, sebagian kaum Rasta mengatakan bahwa itu sama sekali bukan "agama", melainkan suatu "jalan Kehidupan". Kebanyakan kaum Rasta tidak mengidentifikasikan dirinya dengan sekte atau denominasi apapun, meskipun ada tiga istana Rastafari yang terkemuka: Nyahbinghi, Bobo Ashanti dan Keduabelas Suku Israel. Dengan mengklaim Yah sebagai Yesus yang datang kedua kalinya, Rastafari adalah sebuah gerakan agama baru yang muncul dari agama Kristen, seperti halnya agama Krsiten muncul dari Yudaisme.
Pada 1996, gerakan Rastafari di seluruh dunia mendapatkan status konsultatif dari Perserikatan Bangsa-bangsa.
Diperoleh dari "http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley
Sabtu, 10 Januari 2009
BIKERS BROTHERHOOD MC EAST JAVA CHAPTER
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Adalah club motor tua yang ber-azaskan persaudaraan dan merupakan salah satu Chapter dari Bikers Brotherhood MC yang berpusat di
Sebelum menjadi solid sebagai BBEJ dulunya dikenal sebagai BB Surabaya Chapter. Dikarenakan sesuatu hal dan dianggap kurang bisa berkembang maka digantilah menjadi BB East Java Chapter.
Pada kurun waktu perjalanan BBEJ sekarang ini sudah mempunyai anggota sebanyak 31 orang yang dapat di golongkan menjadi 14 orang Life Member, 1 orang Honorary Member, 6 orang Virgin Member, 11 orang Prospect.
Di dalam aturan Bikers Brotherhood tidak ada istilah perekrutan anggota. Rasa persaudaraanlah yang lebih diutamakan. Maka dari itu ada idiom “
Untuk bisa bertemu dengan komunitas ini cukup mudah, biasanya mereka berkumpul di Mc Donald Jl. Basuki Rahmat Surabaya setiap hari Jumat diatas jam 10 malam.
Penulis : NOOKIE
Rabu, 07 Januari 2009
IRON MAIDEN
Iron Maiden are a British heavy metal band led by founder, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris. Since forming in 1975 they have released fourteen studio albums, nine live albums, four EPs and eight compilations.
As a pioneer of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, Iron Maiden rose to fame in the early 1980s, and after several lineup changes, they went on to release a string of platinum and gold albums. These include the US platinum-selling landmark The Number of the Beast in 1982 and the follow up Piece of Mind in 1983. Iron Maiden released their newest studio effort in 2006 entitled A Matter of Life and Death peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold in the UK.
As one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands of all time, Iron Maiden have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide,[1] without significant mainstream or radio support. The band won the Ivor Novello Awards for international achievement in 2002,[2] and were also inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk in Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California during their tour in the United States in 2005. Their influences include Thin Lizzy, UFO, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep[3] and Wishbone Ash.[4]
Contents[hide] |
[edit] History
[edit] The early days (1975–1978)
Iron Maiden were formed on Christmas Day 1975, by bassist Steve Harris, shortly after he left his previous group, Smiler. Harris attributes the band name to a movie adaptation of The Man in the Iron Mask from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, and starring Patrick McGoohan (who also starred in the 1960s series The Prisoner) which he saw around that time, and so the group was christened after the purported torture device.[5]
Steve Harris and guitarist Dave Murray remain the longest-surviving members of Iron Maiden. Original vocalist Paul Day was fired as he lacked "energy or charisma onstage".[6] He was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, a Kiss fan who utilised fire, make-up and fake blood during live performances. Wilcock's friend, Dave Murray, was invited to join, to the frustration of guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance.[7] This fueled Harris to temporarily split the band in 1976,[7] though the group reformed soon after with Murray as the sole guitarist.
Iron Maiden recruited another guitarist in 1977, Bob Sawyer, who caused a rift between Murray and Wilcock, prompting Harris to fire both Murray and Sawyer.[8] A poor gig at the Bridgehouse in November 1977, with a makeshift line-up including Tony Moore on keyboards, Terry Wapram on guitar, and drummer Barry Purkis resulted in Harris firing the entire band.[9] Dave Murray was reinstated and Doug Sampson was hired as drummer.
[edit] Rise to fame (1978–1981)
A chance meeting at the Red Lion pub in Leytonstone evolved into a successful audition for vocalist Paul Di'Anno. Steve Harris has stated, "There's sort of a quality in Paul's voice, a raspiness in his voice, or whatever you want to call it, that just gave it this great edge."[10]
Iron Maiden had been playing for three years, but had never recorded any of their music. On New Year's Eve 1978, the band recorded a demo,[11] The Soundhouse Tapes. Featuring only three songs, the band sold all five thousand copies within weeks.[12] One track found on the demo, "Prowler", went to number one on Neal Kay's Heavy Metal Soundhouse charts in Sounds magazine.[12] Their first appearance on an album was on the compilation Metal for Muthas (released on 15 February 1980) with two early versions of "Sanctuary" and "Wrathchild".
From late 1977 to 1978, Murray was the sole guitarist in the band until Paul Cairns joined in 1979. Shortly before going into the studio, Cairns left the band. Several other guitarists were temporarily hired until the band finally settled on Dennis Stratton. Initially, the band wanted to hire Dave Murray's childhood friend Adrian Smith, but Smith was busy with his own band, Urchin.[13] Drummer Doug Sampson was also replaced by Clive Burr (who was brought into the band by Stratton). In December 1979, the band landed a major record deal with EMI.[14]
Iron Maiden's eponymous 1980 release, Iron Maiden, made number 4 in the UK Albums Chart in its first week of release,[15] and the group became one of the leading proponents of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement.[16] In addition to the title track, the album includes other early favourites such as "Running Free", "Transylvania", "Phantom of the Opera", and "Sanctuary" — which was not on the original UK release but made the U.S. release and subsequent re-releases. The band played a headline tour of the UK then went on to open for Kiss on their 1980 Unmasked Tour's European leg. Iron Maiden also supported Judas Priest on select dates. After the Kiss tour, Dennis Stratton was fired from the band as a result of creative and personal differences.[17] Stratton was replaced by Adrian Smith in October 1980.
In 1981, Maiden released their second album, titled Killers. This new album contained many tracks that had been written prior to the release of the debut album, but were considered surplus. With songs already shaped on the road well in advance, only two new tracks were written for the album: "Prodigal Son" and "Murders in the Rue Morgue"[18] (the title was taken from the short story by Edgar Allan Poe).
[edit] International success (1981–1986)
By 1981, Paul Di'Anno was demonstrating increasingly self-destructive behaviour, particularly through cocaine usage.[19] His performances began to suffer, just as the band was beginning to achieve large-scale success in America. At the end of 1981 the band fired Di'Anno and began to seek a new vocalist.
Bruce Dickinson, previously of Samson, auditioned for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and joined the band shortly afterwards. He then went out on the road with the band on a small headlining tour. In anticipation of the band's forthcoming album, the band played "Children of the Damned", "Run to the Hills", "22 Acacia Avenue" and "The Prisoner" at select venues, introducing fans to the sound that the band was progressing towards.
Dickinson's recorded debut with Iron Maiden was 1982's The Number of the Beast, an album that claimed the band their first ever UK Albums Chart #1 record[20] and additionally became a Top Ten hit in many other countries.[21] For the second time the band went on a world tour, visiting the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, UK and Germany. The tour's U.S. leg was marred by controversy stemming from an American right-wing political pressure group that (wrongfully) claimed Iron Maiden was Satanic because of the new album's title track.[21] The band members' attempts to deflect the criticism failed to dampen persistent accusations. A group of Christian activists went on to destroy Iron Maiden records (along with those of Ozzy Osbourne) in protest against the band.
Dickinson at the time was still in legal difficulties with Samson's management, and was not permitted to add his name to any of the songwriting credits. However, he was still able to lend "creative influence" to many of the songs.
In December 1982, drummer Clive Burr left the band due to personal and tour schedule problems. He was replaced by Nicko McBrain, previously of French band Trust. Shortly afterwards, in 1983, the band released Piece of Mind, which was their first album to go platinum in the United States.
Following the success of Piece of Mind, the band released Powerslave on September 9, 1984. The album featured fan favourites "2 Minutes to Midnight", "Aces High", and "Rime of The Ancient Mariner",[22] the latter based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem of the same name and running over 13 minutes in length. "Back in the Village" followed up on an earlier hit "The Prisoner", both based on the television show starring Patrick McGoohan.
The tour following the album, dubbed the World Slavery Tour, was the band's biggest to date and consisted of 193 shows over 13 months. This was one of the biggest tours in music history.[23] Many shows were played back-to-back in the same city, such as in Long Beach, California, where most of the recordings were made for their subsequent live release Live After Death. This tour was physically grueling for the band and they took a 6-month break when it ended. This was the first break in the band's history, including even cancelling a proposed supporting tour for the new live album.[24]
[edit] Experimentation (1986–1989)
Returning from their break, the band adopted a different approach for their 1986 studio album, titled Somewhere in Time. This was not a concept album, though it was themed loosely around the idea of time travel and associated themes - history, the passage of time, and long journeys. It featured, for the first time in the band's history, synthesized bass and guitars sounds to add textures and layers to the sound.[25] Though considered different from the norm of Maiden sounds, it charted well across the world, especially with the single "Wasted Years".
The experimentation on Somewhere in Time led to a follow-up in Seventh Son of a Seventh Son in 1988. Adding to Iron Maiden's experimentation, it was a concept album featuring a story about a mythical child who possessed clairvoyant powers. For the first time, the band used keyboards on a recording, as opposed to guitar synthesisers on the previous release. Critics stated this produced a more accessible release.[26] It was a huge success, and became the band's second album to hit #1 in the UK charts.
In 1990, to close Iron Maiden's first ten years of releasing singles, Iron Maiden released The First Ten Years, a series of ten CDs and double 12" vinyls. Between February 24 and April 28, 1990, the individual parts were released one-by-one, and each contains two of Iron Maiden's singles, including the B-sides.
[edit] Upheaval (1989–1994)
In 1989, after touring with Iron Maiden, guitarist Adrian Smith released a solo album with his band ASAP entitled Silver and Gold. In 1990, vocalist Bruce Dickinson launched a solo career with former Gillan guitarist Janick Gers, releasing Tattooed Millionaire. The band had spent 1989 off, and Dickinson took this time to work on the album.
Soon after work on a new album began, Adrian Smith left the band due to lack of enthusiasm. Bruce Dickinson's solo project guitarist Janick Gers was chosen to replace Smith - the first new member in seven years. When Dickinson left Maiden in 1993, he would later regroup with Smith.
In 1990, Iron Maiden released the album No Prayer for the Dying. This album had a raw sound compared to their recent releases and featured one last song co-written by Adrian Smith, "Hooks in You", despite Smith's having left the band prior to the recording of the album.
The band obtained their first (and to date, only) UK Singles Chart number one hit single with "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", originally recorded by Dickinson for the soundtrack to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. It was released on December 24, 1990, and was one of the first records to be released on several different formats with different B-sides. The single holds the record for being the fastest release straight in to number one and straight out of the charts again over the following couple of weeks.[27]
Dickinson performed a solo tour in 1991 before returning to the studio with Iron Maiden for the album Fear of the Dark. Released in 1992, the album was noticeably longer (due to this being Iron Maiden's first album recorded for CD rather than LP) and had several songs which became fan favourites, such as the title track and "Afraid to Shoot Strangers". The disc also featured "Wasting Love," one of the band's softer songs, and "From Here to Eternity," the third installment of the 'Charlotte the Harlot' narrative (although some fans will argue that 'Hooks in You' is actually the third installment, making 'From Here to Eternity' the fourth). The album featured the first songwriting by Gers, and no collaboration at all between Harris and Dickinson on songs.
In 1993, Bruce Dickinson left the band to further pursue his solo career. However, Dickinson agreed to stay with the band for a farewell tour and two live albums (later re-released in one package). The first, A Real Live One, featured songs from 1986 to 1992, and was released in March 1993. The second, A Real Dead One, featured songs from 1975 to 1984, and was released after Dickinson had left the band. He played his farewell show with Iron Maiden on August 28, 1993. The show was filmed, broadcast by the BBC, and released on video under the name Raising Hell.
[edit] Winds of change (1994–1999)
In 1994, the band auditioned hundreds of vocalists, both known and unknown before choosing Blaze Bayley, formerly of the band Wolfsbane. Bayley had a different vocal style from his predecessor, which ultimately received a mixed reception among fans.[28]
After a two year hiatus (and three year hiatus from recording - a record for the band at the time) Iron Maiden returned in 1995. Releasing The X Factor, the band faced their lowest chart position since 1981 for an album in the UK (debuting at number 8). Chief songwriter Harris was experiencing personal problems at the time with the break-up of his marriage, and many fans and critics feel the album's sound is a reflection of this.
The album included the 11-minute epic "Sign of the Cross", the band's longest song since "Rime of the Ancient Mariner". It also included "Man on the Edge", based on the movie Falling Down. The band toured for the rest of 1995 and 1996, playing for the first time in Israel, before stopping to release The Best of the Beast. The band's first compilation, it included a new single "Virus".
The band returned to the studio for Virtual XI, released in 1998. Chart positions of the album were the band's lowest to date,[29] failing to reach the one million mark in worldwide sales for the first time in Iron Maiden's history. At the same time, Steve Harris assisted in remastering the entire discography of Iron Maiden up to "Live at Donington" (which was given a mainstream release for the first time) and released the set.
[edit] Reunion (1999–2005)
In February 1999, Bayley left the band by mutual consent. At the same time, the band shocked their fans when they announced that both Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith were rejoining the band, and that Janick Gers would remain. Iron Maiden now had three guitarists and a hugely successful reunion tour, The Ed Hunter Tour. This tour also supported the band's newly released greatest hits Ed Hunter, which also contained a computer game of the same name.
Iron Maiden's first studio release after the reunion with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith came in the form of 2000's Brave New World. Thematic influences continued with "The Wicker Man" — based on the 1973 British cult film of the same name — and "Brave New World" — title taken from the Aldous Huxley novel of the same name.
The world tour that followed consisted of well over 100 dates and culminated on 19 January 2001 in a show at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil, where Iron Maiden played to an audience of around 250,000.[30] This performance was recorded and released on CD and DVD in March 2002 under the name Rock in Rio.
In 2003, Iron Maiden released Dance of Death. As usual, historical and literary influences continued — "Montsegur" in particular being about the Cathar stronghold conquered in 1244 and "Paschendale" relating to a significant battle during World War I.
Their performance at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, as part of the supporting tour, was recorded and released in August 2005 as a live album and DVD, entitled Death on the Road.
In 2005, the band announced a tour to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the release of their first album, Iron Maiden, and the 30th anniversary of their formation. The tour also was in support of the 2004 DVD entitled The Early Days and as such during the tour they only played material from their first four albums. As part of the celebration of their early days, the "Number of the Beast" single was re-released and went straight to number 3 in the UK Chart.
At Iron Maiden's last Ozzfest performance (August 20, 2005 at the Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen in San Bernardino, CA), Sharon Osbourne interrupted their performance by turning off the PA system, after which the MC chanted: "Ozzy! Ozzy!". Members of the audience threw eggs at the band, causing singer Bruce Dickinson to question how eggs had gotten past Ozzfest security. During some of Maiden's signature numbers, the band's PA system cut in and out. On the Ozzfest website, Mrs. Osbourne would later accuse Bruce Dickinson of disrespecting Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, and the production quality of the Ozzfest tour, while praising the rest of the band and their crew.[31]
The band completed this tour by headlining the Reading and Leeds weekend festivals on the 26th[32] and 28 August, 2005.[33] For the second time, the band played a charity show for former drummer Clive Burr's Clive Burr MS Trust Fund charity.
[edit] Recent years (2006–present)
In Autumn 2006, Iron Maiden released A Matter of Life and Death. While the album is not a concept album,[34] war and religion are recurring themes in the lyrics throughout, as well as in the album's artwork. A successful tour followed, during which they played the new album in its entirety; though response to this was mixed.[35][36]
Iron Maiden recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for Live from Abbey Road in December 2006. Their performance was screened in an episode alongside sessions with Natasha Bedingfield and Gipsy Kings in March 2007 on Channel 4 (UK) and June 2007 on the Sundance Channel (USA).[37]
In November 2006, Iron Maiden and manager Rod Smallwood announced that they were cutting their 27-year-old ties with Sanctuary Music and starting a new company named Phantom Music Management. No other significant changes were made.
The second leg of the A Matter of Life and Death tour was dubbed A Matter of the Beast to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Number of the Beast album, and included appearances at several major festivals worldwide.[38] The band announced plans to play five songs from A Matter of Life and Death and five from The Number of the Beast as part of their set but in fact played only four songs from The Number of the Beast. On the June 24 they ended the tour with a performance at London's Brixton Academy in aid of The Clive Burr MS Trust fund.
On September 5, 2007, the band announced their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour.[39], which ties in with the DVD release of their Live After Death album. The setlist for the tour consisted of hits from the 80s, with a specific focus on the Powerslave era for set design. The tour started in Mumbai, India on February 1, 2008 where the band played to an audience of about 30,000. The first leg of the tour consisted of 24 concerts in 21 cities, travelling over 50,000 miles in the band's own chartered plane "Ed Force One".[40] They played their first ever concerts in Costa Rica and Colombia and their first Australian shows since 1992. On May 12th, the band released a new compilation album, titled Somewhere Back in Time. It contains a selection of tracks from their 1980 eponymous debut to 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, including several live versions from Live After Death. With the sole UK headline show at Twickenham Stadium, this tour also marks the first ever stadium headlining show in the UK by the band.[41]. A final leg of the tour will take place in February and March 2009,[42] including the band's first ever appearance in Peru and their first performances in New Zealand for 16 years.[43]
During the Somewhere Back In Time tour, Bruce Dickinson has said that there are plans for Iron Maiden to write and record a new album, most likely to come out in 2009,[44] and in an interview with Metal Edge, Steve Harris said there definitely will be another album, stating that, "I always had this vision that we would do 15 studio albums, and the next one would be the 15th. Hopefully, we'll do another one or two for luck, but we'll see how we go, really." Dickinson has also been informing audiences that future tours will feature more recent Iron Maiden material.
[edit] Image and legacy
Iron Maiden were ranked #24 in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".[45] The band were ranked fourth on MTV's "Top 10 Greatest Heavy Metal Bands of All Time".[46] Iron Maiden were named the third best metal band of all time on VH1 Classic: Top 20 Metal Bands.[47] The band also won the Ivor Novello Award for international achievement in 2002.[2] The band was also inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk during their tour in the United States in 2005.
Iron Maiden frequently uses the slogan "Up the Irons" in their disc liner notes, and the phrase can also be seen on several t-shirts officially licensed by the band. "The Irons" has been used to refer to the London football club, West Ham United, of which founder Steve Harris is a fan. Fans of Iron Maiden have been known to use the phrase as a greeting or sign-off to other Iron Maiden fans.
Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, is a perennial fixture in the band's sci-fi and horror-influenced album cover art, as well as in live shows. Eddie was drawn by Derek Riggs until 1992, although there have been various incarnations by numerous artists including Melvyn Grant. Eddie is also featured in a first-person shooter video game from the band, Ed Hunter, as well as numerous books, graphic comics and band-related merchandise.
In 2008, Kerrang! released an album, entitled Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden, composed of Iron Maiden cover songs played by artists such as Metallica, Dream Theater, Trivium, Coheed and Cambria and others who were influenced by Iron Maiden throughout their careers. Well over a half-dozen other Iron Maiden tribute albums (each featuring various artists) exist, including a piano tribute, an electro tribute, a black metal tribute and a hip-hop tribute.
Iron Maiden songs have been featured in several video games. These include the game Carmaggedon 2 with "Aces High" and "The Trooper," "2 Minutes to Midnight" is also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and "The Number of the Beast" in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.
Their music has also been featured in several rhythmic video games, including the XBox 360 version of Guitar Hero II with the song "The Trooper", Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s with the song "Wrathchild", Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with the song "The Number of the Beast", and Rock Band with the song "Run to the Hills" along with "The Number of the Beast", both covers, available as downloadable content.
The Iron Maiden video for "From Here to Eternity" was viewed (and commented favorably on) by Beavis and Butthead, and the duo sang "The Prisoner" in another episode.
[edit] Discography
- Main article: Iron Maiden discography
Studio albums
- 1980: Iron Maiden
- 1981: Killers
- 1982: The Number of the Beast
- 1983: Piece of Mind
- 1984: Powerslave
- 1986: Somewhere in Time
- 1988: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
- 1990: No Prayer for the Dying
- 1992: Fear of the Dark
- 1995: The X Factor
- 1998: Virtual XI
- 2000: Brave New World
- 2003: Dance of Death
- 2006: A Matter of Life and Death
[edit] Audio
- "Run to the Hills"
Listen (help·info) – A top ten hit in the UK.
- "Caught Somewhere in Time"
Listen (help·info) – This clip showcases the band's trademark twin guitar harmonisation, and the "galloping" bass/guitar.
- "Sign of the Cross"
Listen (help·info) – The band's third recording vocalist, Blaze Bayley, singing on the opening track from The X Factor album.
- "Brave New World"
Listen (help·info) – Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith return in 1999 to critical acclaim.
[edit] Band members
- For more details on this topic, see List of Iron Maiden band members.
- Steve Harris – bass, keyboards, backing vocals (1975–present)
- Dave Murray – guitars (1976–present)
- Adrian Smith – guitars, backing vocals (1980–1990, 1999–present)
- Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals, additional guitars (1981–1993, 1999–present)
- Nicko McBrain – drums, percussion (1982–present)
- Janick Gers – guitars (1990-present), backing vocals (2007-present)
[edit] Former members
- Doug Sampson – drums, percussion (1977–1979)
- Dennis Stratton – guitars, backing vocals (1979–1980)
- Paul Di'Anno – lead vocals (1978–1981)
- Clive Burr – drums, percussion (1979–1982)
- Blaze Bayley – lead vocals (1994–1999)
[edit] See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Iron Maiden |
- Best selling music artists
- Transilvania 666 - tribute album by Spanish bands
- Numbers from the Beast - a tribute album
- Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden - a tribute album released by Kerrang! magazine
- The Iron Maidens - a female tribute band
- Iron Maiden Tour History
AEROSMITH
Aerosmith is an American hard rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston"[2] and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band".[3][4][5][6] Their style, rooted in blues-based hard rock,[1][7] has come to also incorporate elements of pop,[8] heavy metal,[1] glam,[9] and rhythm and blues,[10] which has inspired many subsequent rock artists.[11] The band was formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1970. Guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton, originally in a band together called the Jam Band, met up with singer Steven Tyler, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarist Ray Tabano and formed Aerosmith. By 1971, Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford, and the band began developing a following in Boston.
They were signed to Columbia Records in 1972 and released a string of multi-platinum albums, beginning with their 1973 eponymous debut album. In 1975, the band broke into the mainstream with the album Toys in the Attic, and their 1976 follow-up Rocks cemented their status as hard rock superstars.[12] By the end of the 1970s, they were among the most popular hard rock bands in the world and developed a loyal following of fans, often referred to as the "Blue Army".[13] However, drug addiction and internal conflict took their toll on the band, which resulted in the departures of Perry and Whitford, in 1979 and 1981 respectively. They were replaced by Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay.[7] The band did not fare well between 1980 and 1984, releasing a lone album, Rock in a Hard Place, which went gold but failed to match their previous successes.
Although Perry and Whitford returned in 1984 and the band signed a new deal with Geffen Records, it wasn't until the band sobered up and released 1987's Permanent Vacation that they regained the level of popularity they had experienced in the 1970s.[14] Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, the band scored several hits and won numerous awards for music from the multi-platinum albums Pump (1989), Get a Grip (1993), and Nine Lives (1997). Their comeback has been described as one of the most remarkable and spectacular in rock 'n' roll history.[1][7] After 39 years of performing, the band continues to tour and record music.
Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time,[15] having sold 150 million albums worldwide,[16] including 66.5 million albums in the United States alone.[15] They also hold the record for the most gold and multi-platinum albums by an American group. The band has scored 21 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine #1 Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and in 2005 they were ranked #57 in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[17]
[edit] History
[edit] Formation: 1969–1971
The origins of Aerosmith can be traced to the late 1960s in Sunapee, New Hampshire.[18] Steven Tyler was a drummer and vocalist originally from Yonkers, New York, who had been in a series of relatively unsuccessful bands such as The Vic Tallarico Orchestra, The Strangeurs/Chain Reaction, The Chain, Fox Chase, and William Proud.[19] In 1969, while vacationing in Sunapee, he met Joe Perry, who was at the time washing dishes at the Anchorage in Sunapee Harbor, and playing in a band called the Jam Band with bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer David "Pudge" Scott. This meeting would eventually lead to the formation of Aerosmith.[20]
Hamilton and Perry moved to Boston, Massachusetts in September .[21] There they met Joey Kramer, a drummer also from Yonkers, New York who had also known Steven Tyler, with whom he had always hoped to play in a band.[22] Kramer, a Berklee College of Music student, decided to quit school to join the band.[22] In October 1970, they met up once again with Steven Tyler, who had been a drummer and backup singer, but adamantly refused to play drums in this band, insisting he would only take part if he could be the frontman and lead vocalist.[22] The others agreed, and Aerosmith was born. The band took the name Aerosmith, suggested by drummer Joey Kramer, after considering The Hookers and Spike Jones.[18][23]
As said, the members of the band used to sit around every afternoon getting stoned and watching Three Stooges reruns. One day, they had a post-Stooges meeting to try to come up with a name. Kramer volunteered that when he was in school he would write the word Aerosmith all over his notebooks. The name had popped into his head after listening to Harry Nilsson’s album Aerial Ballet, an homage to Nilsson’s grandparents’ aerial circus act, that featured jacket art of a circus performer jumping out of a biplane. Initially, Kramer’s bandmates were nonplussed; they all thought he was referring to the boring Sinclair Lewis novel they were forced to read in high school English class. “No, not Arrowsmith,” Kramer explained. “A-E-R-O...Aerosmith.” [24]
The band added Ray Tabano, a childhood friend of Tyler, as rhythm guitarist and began playing local shows.[25] In 1971, Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford, who also attended the Berklee School of Music and was formerly of the band Earth Inc.[26] Other than a period from July 1979 to April 1984, the line-up of Tyler, Perry, Hamilton, Kramer, and Whitford has stayed the same.
[edit] Record deal, Aerosmith, Get Your Wings, and Toys in the Attic: 1971–1975
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After forming the band and finalizing the lineup in 1971, the band started to garner some local success doing live shows.[7] Originally booked through the Ed Malhoit Agency,[27] the band signed a promotion deal with Frank Connelly and eventually secured a management deal with David Krebs and Steve Leber in 1972.[28] Krebs and Leber invited Columbia Records President Clive Davis to see the band at Max's Kansas City club in New York City. Aerosmith was not originally scheduled to play that night at Max's Kansas City, but they were able to pay their way on the bill.[29] Aerosmith signed for a reported $125,000 and issued their debut album, Aerosmith.[18] Released in January 1973, the album peaked at #166.[1] The album was straightforward rock and roll with well-defined blues influences, laying the groundwork for Aerosmith's signature blues-rock sound.[30] Although the highest charting single from the album was "Dream On" at #59,[31] several tracks (such as "Mama Kin" and "Walkin' the Dog") would become staples of the band's live shows and receive airplay on rock radio.[32] The album reached gold status initially, but eventually went on to sell two million copies and was certified double platinum after the band reached mainstream success over a decade later.[33] After constant touring, the band released their second album Get Your Wings in 1974, the first of a string of multi-platinum albums produced by Jack Douglas.[34] This album included the rock radio hits "Same Old Song and Dance" and "Train Kept A-Rollin'", a cover done previously by The Yardbirds.[35] The album also contained several fan favorites including "Lord of the Thighs", "Seasons of Wither", and "S.O.S. (Too Bad)", darker songs which have become staples in the band's live shows.[36] To date, Get Your Wings has sold three million copies.[33]
It was 1975's Toys in the Attic, however, that established Aerosmith as international stars competing with the likes of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones.[13] Originally derided as Rolling Stones knockoffs,[7] Toys in the Attic showed that Aerosmith was a unique and talented band in their own right.[37] Toys in the Attic was an immediate success, starting with the single "Sweet Emotion", which became the band's first Top 40 hit.[38] This was followed by a successful re-release of "Dream On" which hit #6, becoming their best charting single of the 1970s.[39] "Walk This Way", re-released in 1976, reached the Top 10 in early 1977.[7]
In addition, "Toys in the Attic" and "Big Ten Inch Record" (a song originally recorded by Bull Moose Jackson) became concert staples.[40] As a result of this success, both of the band's previous albums re-charted.[41] Toys in the Attic has gone on to become the band's bestselling studio album in the States, with certified U.S. sales of eight million copies.[33] The band toured in support of Toys in the Attic, where they started to get more recognition.[13] Also around this time, the band established their home base as "The Wherehouse" in Waltham, Massachusetts, where they would record and rehearse music, as well as conduct business.[42]
[edit] Rocks, Draw the Line, and Live! Bootleg: 1976–1978
Aerosmith's next album was 1976's Rocks, which "captured Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking".[43] It went platinum swiftly[33] and featured two FM hits, "Last Child" and "Back in the Saddle", as well as the ballad "Home Tonight", which also charted.[44] Rocks has sold four million copies to date.[33] Both Toys in the Attic and Rocks are highly regarded,[37][43] especially in the hard rock genre, and appear on such lists as Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,[45][46] and are cited by members of Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Mötley Crüe as having large influences on their music.[47][48] Soon after Rocks was released, the band continued to tour heavily, this time headlining their own shows and playing to several large stadiums and rock festivals.[7]
The next album, 1977's Draw the Line, was not as successful or as critically acclaimed as their two previous efforts, although the title track proved to be a minor hit[44] (and is still a live staple), and "Kings and Queens" also experienced some success.[44] The album went on to sell 2 million copies; however drug abuse and the fast-paced life of touring and recording began affecting their output.[33] While continuing to tour and record into the late 1970s, Aerosmith acted in the movie version of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.[1] Their cover of the Beatles hit "Come Together" was included in the album's soundtrack and would be the band's last Top 40 hit for nearly 10 years.[44] The live release Live! Bootleg, originally released as a double album, was put out in 1978 and captured the band's rawness[49] during the heyday of the Draw the Line tour. Lead singer Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry became known as "The Toxic Twins" because of their notorious abuse of drugs on and off the stage.[50][7]
[edit] Departures of Perry and Whitford, Night in the Ruts, and Rock in a Hard Place: 1979–1984
Just after the recording of their sixth studio album, 1979's Night in the Ruts, Joe Perry left the band, citing differences with Steven Tyler,[7] and formed The Joe Perry Project.[1] Perry was replaced first by longtime band friend and songwriter Richard Supa and then by guitarist Jimmy Crespo (formerly of the band Flame). Night in the Ruts quickly fell off the charts (although it would eventually go platinum several years later), its only single being a cover of The Shangri-Las' "Remember (Walking in the Sand)", which topped out at #67.[44]
The band continued to tour in support of Night in the Ruts with new guitarist Jimmy Crespo onboard, but as the 1970s came to a close, the band's popularity waned. Steven Tyler collapsed onstage during a performance in Portland, Maine in early 1980.[51] Also in 1980, Aerosmith released its Greatest Hits album. The album has gone on to become the band's bestselling album in the United States, with sales of 11 million copies.[33] In the fall of 1980, Tyler was injured in a serious motorcycle accident, which left him hospitalized for two months, and unable to tour or record well into 1981.[52] In 1981, the band suffered another loss with the departure of Brad Whitford.[53] After recording guitar parts for the song "Lightning Strikes", Whitford was replaced by Rick Dufay and the band recorded their seventh album Rock in a Hard Place in 1982.[54] The album was considered a commercial failure, only going gold,[33] and failing to produce a major hit single.[44] During the tour for Rock in a Hard Place, Tyler again collapsed onstage, this time at the band's homecoming show in Worcester, Massachusetts, after getting high with Joe Perry, who met with Aerosmith backstage that evening.[55]
On Valentine's Day 1984, Perry and Whitford saw Aerosmith perform. They were officially re-inducted into the ranks of Aerosmith once more two months later.[56] Steven Tyler recalls:
“ | You should have felt the buzz the moment all five of us got together in the same room for the first time again. We all started laughin'—it was like the five years had never passed. We knew we'd made the right move. | ” |
—Steven Tyler, [57] |
[edit] Back in the Saddle reunion tour, Done with Mirrors, and drug rehab: 1984–1986
In 1984, Aerosmith embarked on a reunion tour entitled "Back in the Saddle",[1] which led to the live album Classics Live II. While concerts on the tour were well-attended, it was plagued with several incidents, mostly attributed to drug abuse by band members.[1] Their problems still not behind them, the group was signed to Geffen Records and began working on a comeback.[58] Despite the band signing on to a new record company, Columbia continued to reap the benefits of Aerosmith's comeback, releasing the live companion albums Classics Live I and II and the collection Gems.[59]
In 1985 the band released Done with Mirrors, their first studio album with Geffen and their first album since the much-publicized reunion. While the album did receive some positive reviews,[60] it only went gold[33] and failed to produce a hit single, or generate much buzz outside the confines of rock radio.[44] The album's most notable track, "Let the Music Do the Talking", was in fact a cover of a song originally recorded by The Joe Perry Project and released on that band's album of the same name.[61] Nevertheless, the band became a popular concert attraction once again, touring in support of Done With Mirrors, well into 1986.[62] In 1986, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry appeared on Run D.M.C.'s cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way", a track blending rock and roll and hip hop that not only cemented rap into the mainstream of American popular music, but also marked Aerosmith's true comeback.[18] The song reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100[63] and its associated video helped introduce Aerosmith to a new generation.[58]
Yet the band members' drug problems still stood in their way. In 1986, lead singer Steven Tyler completed a successful drug rehabilitation program, at the discretion of his fellow band members and manager Tim Collins, who believed that the band's future would not be bright if Tyler did not get treated. The rest of the band members also completed drug rehab programs over the course of the next couple years. According to the band's tell-all autobiography, Collins pledged he could make Aerosmith the biggest band in the world by 1990 if they all completed drug rehab.[64] Their next album was crucial because of the commercial disappointment of Done With Mirrors, and as the band members became clean, they worked hard to make their next album a success.[65]
[edit] Permanent Vacation and Pump: 1987–1991
Permanent Vacation was released in September 1987, becoming a major hit and the band's bestselling album in over a decade (selling 5 million copies in the U.S.),[33] with all three of its singles ("Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", "Rag Doll", and "Angel") reaching the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.[44] The group went on a subsequent tour with labelmates Guns N' Roses (who have cited Aerosmith as a major influence), which was intense at times because of Aerosmith's new struggle to stay clean amidst GN'Rs well-publicized, rampant drug use.[66]
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Aerosmith's next album was even more successful. Pump, released in October 1989, featured three Top Ten singles: "Janie's Got a Gun", "What It Takes", and "Love in an Elevator", as well as the Top 30 "The Other Side",[44] re-establishing Aerosmith as a serious musical force.[67] Pump was a critical and commercial success, eventually selling 7 million copies,[33] achieving four-star ratings from major music magazines,[68] and earning the band their first ever Grammy win in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, for "Janie's Got a Gun".[69] The recording process for Pump was documented in the video The Making of Pump, which has since been re-released as a DVD. The music videos for the album's singles were featured on the release Things That Go Pump in the Night, which quickly went platinum.[33]
In support of Pump, the band embarked on the 12-month Pump Tour, which lasted for most of 1990.[70] On February 21, 1990, the band appeared in a "Wayne's World" sketch on Saturday Night Live, debating the fall of communism and the Soviet Union, and performed their recent hits "Janie's Got a Gun" and "Monkey on My Back".[71] On August 11, 1990, the band's performance on MTV's Unplugged aired.[72] In October 1990, the Pump Tour ended, with the band's first ever performances in Australia.[73] That same year, the band was also inducted to the Hollywood Rock Walk.[74] In 1991, the band appeared on The Simpsons episode "Flaming Moe's"[75] and released a box set titled Pandora's Box.[76] In 1992, Tyler and Perry appeared live as guests of Guns N' Roses during the latter's 1992 worldwide pay-per-view show in Paris, performing a medley of "Mama Kin" (which GN'R covered in 1986) and "Train Kept-A Rollin".[77][78]
[edit] Get a Grip and Big Ones: 1992–1995
The band took a brief break before recording their follow-up to Pump in 1992. Despite significant shifts in mainstream music at the beginning of the 1990s,[10] 1993's Get a Grip was just as successful commercially, becoming their first album to debut at #1[79] and racking up sales of 7 million copies in a two-and-a-half-year timespan.[33] The first singles were the hard rocking "Livin' on the Edge" and "Eat the Rich". Though many critics were unimpressed by the focus on the subsequent interchangeable power-ballads in promoting the album,[10] all three ("Cryin'", "Crazy" and "Amazing") proved to be huge successes on radio[44] and MTV.[58] The music videos featured then up-and-coming actress Alicia Silverstone; her provocative performances earned her the title of "the Aerosmith chick"[80] for the first half of the decade. Steven Tyler's daughter Liv Tyler was also featured in the "Crazy" video.[81] Get a Grip would go on to sell more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone,[33] and over 15 million copies worldwide.[82] The band won two Grammy Awards for songs from this album in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: for "Livin' on the Edge" in 1994 and "Crazy" in 1995.[69]
During the making of Get a Grip, the management and record company brought in a variety of professional songwriting collaborators to help give nearly all the songs on the album more commercial appeal,[10] a trend which would continue until the early 2000s. However, this led to accusations of selling out that would continue throughout the 90s.[83] In addition to Aerosmith's grueling 18 month world tour in support of Get a Grip, the band also did a number of things to help promote themselves and their album and appeal to youth culture, including the appearance of the band in the movie Wayne's World 2[84] where they performed two songs,[85] the appearance of the band and their music in the video games Revolution X[86] and Quest for Fame,[87] performing at Woodstock '94,[88] using their song "Deuces Are Wild" in The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience,[89] and opening their own club, The Mama Kin Music Hall, in Boston, MA in 1994.[90] That same year saw the release of the band's compilation for Geffen Records, entitled Big Ones featuring their biggest hits from Permanent Vacation, Pump, and Get a Grip, as well as three new songs, "Deuces Are Wild", "Blind Man", and "Walk on Water",[91] all of which experienced great success on the rock charts.[44]
[edit] Nine Lives and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing": 1996–2000
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Aerosmith had signed a $30 million contract with Columbia Records/Sony Music in 1991, but had only recorded three of their six contractual albums with Geffen Records at that point (Done with Mirrors, Permanent Vacation, and Pump). Between 1991 and 1996, they released two more albums with Geffen (Get a Grip and Big Ones), which meant they now had five albums with Geffen under their belt (along with a planned live compilation), which meant they could now begin recording for their new contract with Columbia.[1][92] The band took time off with their families before working on their next album, Nine Lives, which was plagued with personnel problems, including the firing of manager Tim Collins,[1] who, according to band members, nearly caused the band to break up.[93] The album's producer was also changed from Glen Ballard to Kevin Shirley.[94] Nine Lives was released in March of 1997. Reviews were mixed, and Nine Lives initially fell down the charts,[1] although it had a long chart life and sold double platinum in the United States alone,[33] fueled by its singles, "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)", the ballad "Hole in My Soul", and the crossover-pop smash "Pink" (which won the band their fourth Grammy Award in 1999 in the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category).[69] It was followed by the over two-year-long Nine Lives Tour, which was plagued by problems including lead singer Steven Tyler injuring his leg at a concert,[95] and Joey Kramer suffering second degree burns when his car caught fire at a gas station.[96] However, the band also released their only #1 single to date: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing",[44] the love theme, written by Diane Warren, from the 1998 film Armageddon, starring Steven Tyler's daughter Liv.[97] The song stayed on top of the charts for four weeks[63] and was nominated for an Academy Award.[98] The song helped open Aerosmith up to a new generation[99] and remains a slow-dance staple.[100] 1998 also saw the release of the double-live album, A Little South of Sanity, which was assembled from performances on the Get a Grip and Nine Lives tours.[101] The album went platinum shortly after its release.[33] The band continued with their seemingly neverending world tours promoting Nine Lives and the "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" single well into 1999.[102]
In 1999, Aerosmith were featured in the Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World (and later in 2001 at Euro Disney in the Walt Disney Studios Park) ride, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, providing the ride's soundtrack and theme.[103] On September 9, 1999, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry reunited with Run-D.M.C. and were also joined by Kid Rock for a collaborative live performance of "Walk This Way" at the MTV Video Music Awards, a precursor to the Girls of Summer Tour.[104] The band celebrated the new millennium with a brief tour of Japan,[105] and also contributed the song "Angel's Eye" to the 2000 film Charlie's Angels.[106]
[edit] Just Push Play, O, Yeah!, and Rocksimus Maximus: 2001–2003
The band entered their next decade by performing at the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXV, in January 2001, along with pop stars 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly. All of the stars collaborated with Aerosmith at the end for a performance of "Walk This Way".[107]
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In March 2001, the band released their 13th studio album Just Push Play, which quickly went platinum,[33] fueled by the Top 10 single "Jaded"[44] and the appearance of the title track in Dodge commercials.[108] They were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame soon after their album was released, in late March of 2001.[50] Aerosmith is the only band to be inducted to the Hall of Fame with a song active in the charts ("Jaded").[63] Later that year, the band performed as part of the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert in Washington D.C. for 9/11 victims and their families.[109] The band flew back to Indianapolis for a show the same night, as part of their Just Push Play Tour.[110]
The band started 2002 by ending the Just Push Play tour, and simultaneously recording segments for their Behind the Music special on VH1, which not only chronicled the band's history but also the band's current activities and touring. The special was one of the few Behind the Musics to run two hours in length.[111] In July 2002, Aerosmith released a two-disc career-spanning compilation O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, which featured the new single "Girls of Summer", and embarked on the Girls of Summer Tour with Kid Rock and Run-D.M.C. opening.[112] O, Yeah! has since been certified double platinum.[33] MTV honored Aerosmith with their mtvICON award in 2002. Performances included Pink covering "Janie's Got a Gun". Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", Kid Rock played "Mama Kin" and "Last Child", Train performed "Dream On" and Papa Roach covered "Sweet Emotion". In addition, testimonials featured surprise guests Metallica, as well as Janet Jackson, Limp Bizkit singer Fred Durst, Alicia Silverstone and Mila Kunis.[113] In 2003, Aerosmith co-headlined with Kiss on the Rocksimus Maximus Tour, in preparation for release of their blues album.[114]
[edit] Honkin' on Bobo, Rockin' the Joint, and Devil's Got a New Disguise: 2004–2006
Aerosmith's long-promised[115] blues album Honkin' on Bobo was released in 2004. This was a return to the band's roots, including recording the album in live sessions, working with former producer Jack Douglas, and laying down their blues-rock grit.[115] It was followed by a live DVD, You Gotta Move, in December 2004,[1] culled from performances on the Honkin' on Bobo Tour. "Dream On" was also featured in an advertising campaign for Buick in 2004, targeting that marque's market which is now composed largely of people who were teenagers when the song first charted.[116]
2005 saw Steven Tyler appear in the film Be Cool.[117] Joe Perry released his self-titled solo album that same year.[118] At the 2006 Grammy Awards, he was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for the track "Mercy",[119] but lost to Les Paul. In October 2005, Aerosmith released a CD/DVD Rockin' the Joint.[1] The band hit the road for the Rockin' the Joint Tour on October 30 with Lenny Kravitz for a fall/winter tour of arenas in the largest U.S. markets.[120] The band planned to tour with Cheap Trick in the spring, hitting secondary markets in the U.S.[121] Almost all of this leg of the tour was canceled, however. Dates were initially canceled one by one[122] until March 22, 2006, when it was announced that lead singer Steven Tyler needed throat surgery, and the remaining dates on the tour were subsequently canceled.[123]
Aerosmith commenced recording a new album on Armed Forces Day 2006.[124] Tyler and Perry performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra for their annual July 4 concert on the Esplanade in 2006, a milestone as it was the first major event or performance since Steven Tyler's throat surgery.[125] Around this time, the band also announced that they would embark on the Route of All Evil Tour with Mötley Crüe in late 2006.[126] On August 24, 2006 it was announced that Tom Hamilton was undergoing treatment for throat cancer. In order to make a full recovery, he sat out much of the Route of All Evil Tour until he was well again. Former Joe Perry Project bassist David Hull substituted for Hamilton until his return.[127] On September 5, 2006, Aerosmith kicked off the Route of All Evil Tour with Mötley Crüe in Columbus, Ohio. The co-headlining tour took both bands to amphitheaters across North America through November 24. After that, a select few arena dates were added, some of which were with Mötley Crüe. The tour ended December 17.[128]
On October 17, 2006, the compilation album Devil's Got a New Disguise - The Very Best of Aerosmith was released. The album contained previous hits with the addition of two new songs, "Devil's Got a New Disguise" and "Sedona Sunrise", which were older outtakes re-recorded for the album.[129] "Devil's Got a New Disguise" peaked at #15 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[44] The album was intended to fulfill Aerosmith's contract with Sony and tide fans over until the band's new studio album was released.[130]
[edit] World Tour, Guitar Hero, and new album: 2007–present
In early 2007, the band announced a new World Tour, their first for nearly a decade to include dates outside North America or Japan.[131] The band performed at London's Hard Rock Cafe in February 2007 to promote their European tour which included a night in Hyde Park as part of the Hyde Park Calling festival sponsored by Hard Rock Cafe.[132] In the spring, the band toured Latin America to sold-out stadium crowds.[124] In the summer, the band toured Europe, performing at several major rock festivals and visiting some countries they had never played before. Additionally, the band played Asian countries such as the United Arab Emirates and India for the first time.[5] The band also played a few select dates in California and Canada in late July. One such date, a July 21 concert in Prince Edward Island, was the largest in that province's history.[133] In September, the band performed eight dates in major markets in Northeastern North America. These shows were opened by Joan Jett. The band also played a private gig in Hawaii. A public show in Hawaii was canceled for logistical reasons,[134] which spurred a class action lawsuit against the band.[135]
On November 1, 2007, the band began work on the final studio album of their current contract with Sony. It is believed that the album will be a mix of re-recorded tracks left off previous albums as well as brand new material.[136] In an interview, guitarist Joe Perry revealed that in addition to creating a new album, the band was working closely with the makers of the Guitar Hero series to develop Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, which is dedicated to the band's music.[137] The game was released on June 29, 2008 and contains many of their best songs.[138] Steven Tyler announced on VH1 Classic Radio on September 4, 2008 that Aerosmith intends to enter the studio at the end of September, 2008 to complete the band's 15th studio album. Tyler also confirmed that the band plans to begin a new U.S. tour in April of 2009, in support of the as-yet-untitled album. This tour will be preceded by a concert in Venezuela on February 1, 2009.[139]
[edit] Band members
- Main article: List of Aerosmith band members
[edit] Current members
- Steven Tyler - lead vocals, piano, harmonica, percussion and drums (1970–present)
- Joe Perry - lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1970–1979; 1984–present)
- Brad Whitford - rhythm and lead guitar (1971–1981; 1984–present)
- Tom Hamilton - bass guitar, backing vocals (1970–present)
- Joey Kramer - drums, percussion (1970–present)
[edit] Former members
- Ray Tabano - rhythm and lead guitar (1970–1971)
- Jimmy Crespo - lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1979–1984)
- Rick Dufay - rhythm and lead guitar (1981–1984)
[edit] Discography
- Main article: Aerosmith discography
[edit] Studio albums
Date of Release | Title | Label | Billboard peak[79] | RIAA cert.[33] |
January 13, 1973 | Aerosmith | Columbia | #21 | 2x Platinum |
March 1, 1974 | Get Your Wings | Columbia | #74 | 3x Platinum |
April 8, 1975 | Toys in the Attic | Columbia | #11 | 8x Platinum |
May 3, 1976 | Rocks | Columbia | #3 | 4x Platinum |
December 1, 1977 | Draw the Line | Columbia | #11 | 2x Platinum |
November 1, 1979 | Night in the Ruts | Columbia | #14 | Platinum |
August 1, 1982 | Rock in a Hard Place | Columbia | #32 | Gold |
October 21, 1985 | Done with Mirrors | Geffen | #36 | Gold |
August 18, 1987 | Permanent Vacation | Geffen | #11 | 5x Platinum |
September 12, 1989 | Pump | Geffen | #5 | 7x Platinum |
April 20, 1993 | Get a Grip | Geffen | #1 | 7x Platinum |
March 18, 1997 | Nine Lives | Columbia | #1 | 2x Platinum |
March 6, 2001 | Just Push Play | Columbia | #2 | Platinum |
March 30, 2004 | Honkin' on Bobo | Columbia | #5 | Gold |
Q2 2009 | Untitled | Columbia |
[edit] Singles
- Main article: Aerosmith singles discography
Aerosmith has had twenty-one songs chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100:[44]
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[edit] Filmography and videography
- Main article: Aerosmith videography
In addition to recording and performing music, Aerosmith has also been involved with films, television, video games, and music videos. In 1978, the band starred as the "Future Villain Band" in the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Later, when the band resurrected itself in the late 1980s and 1990s, Aerosmith made further appearances, including the "Wayne's World" sketch on Saturday Night Live in 1990, the "Flaming Moe's" episode of The Simpsons in 1991, and the film Wayne's World 2 in 1993.[140]
The band has been the subject of several video games including Revolution X in 1994, Quest for Fame in 1995, and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, in June 2008.[140] The band has also made over 30 major music videos,[141] and released seven home videos or DVDs.[142]
[edit] Concert tours
- Main article: List of Aerosmith concert tours
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[edit] Awards and achievements
- Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Aerosmith
Despite Aerosmith's popularity and success in the 1970s, it wasn't until their comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s that they started winning awards and major recognition. In 1987, Aerosmith won the Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap - Single for the re-mix of "Walk This Way" with Run-D.M.C.. In 1990, Aerosmith won their first Grammy award, for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and went on to win a total of four such awards (all of them in the 1990s) for "Janie's Got a Gun", "Livin' on the Edge", "Crazy", and "Pink". Aerosmith is second only to U2 in the number of awards won in that category.[69]
In addition, Aerosmith's music videos won numerous awards throughout the 1990s. Aerosmith ranks as the fourth most successful artist of all-time at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), with ten such awards to date. Aerosmith is also the all-time leader in the categories Best Rock Video (with four such awards) and Viewer's Choice (with three such awards). Aerosmith has also won once each in the categories Video of the Year, Best Group Video, and Best Video from a Film. The videos for which Aerosmith has won VMAs are "Janie's Got a Gun" (2 awards), "The Other Side", "Livin' on the Edge", "Cryin'" (3 awards), "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)", "Pink", and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing".[63]
Over the course of their career (primarily 1990 and after), Aerosmith has also collected seven American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two People's Choice Awards, sixteen Boston Music Awards, and numerous other awards and honors.[63] Some of the high accolades Aerosmith have achieved include induction into Hollywood's Rock Walk in 1990, a declaration of "Aerosmith Day" in the state of Massachusetts by then-Governor William Weld on April 13, 1993, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.[50], and being honored with the mtvICON award in 2002.[113]
In the fields of technology and video games, Aerosmith has achieved several feats. In 1994, Aerosmith released the song "Head First" on the Internet, which is considered to be the first full-length commercial product available online. In 2008, Aerosmith became the first artist to have an entire Guitar Hero video game based around them with Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.
Aerosmith also holds several chart and album sales feats, including the second highest number of number one singles on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for a group with nine,[44] the only number one debut on the Billboard Hot 100 by a rock group with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing",[143] and the most gold and multi-platinum albums by an American group.[144] From the Recording Industry Association of America, Aerosmith has achieved 25 gold, 18 platinum, and 12 multi-platinum album certifications, in addition to one diamond album and four gold singles. With 150 million albums sold worldwide and 66.5 million in the United States, Aerosmith is the second-bestselling American group (second to The Eagles) and the bestselling American hard rock band.
[edit] Rankings on lists
- "Dream On", "Toys in the Attic", and "Walk This Way" (with Run-D.M.C.) are all listed on the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
- In 1993, "Rolling Stone: The Top 100 Music Videos" included "Walk This Way" (w/ Run-D.M.C.) at #11 and "Janie's Got a Gun" at #95.
- In 1999, "MTV: 100 Greatest Videos Ever Made" included "Walk This Way" (w/ Run-D.M.C.) at #5 and "Janie's Got a Gun" at #48.
- In 2000, "VH1: 100 Greatest Rock Songs" included "Walk This Way" at #35 and "Dream On" at #47.
- In 2000, ranked #11 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".
- In 2001, "VH1: 100 Greatest Videos" included "Walk This Way" (w/ Run-D.M.C.) at #11, "Crazy" at #23, and "Janie's Got a Gun" at #48.
- In 2003, Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time included Rocks at #176 and Toys in the Attic at #228.
- In 2003, "VH1: 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years" included "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" at #45.
- In 2004, Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time included "Dream On" at #172, "Walk This Way" (with Run-D.M.C.) at #287, "Walk This Way" (original) at #336, and "Sweet Emotion" at #408.
- In 2004, ranked #18 on the "Top Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years" chart.
- In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Aerosmith #57 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[145]
- In 2008, Rolling Stone ranked the original version of "Walk This Way" at #34 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.[146]