Aerosmith secures a Columbia recording contract
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Aerosmith hits it BIG

Steven Tallarico decided that the time was right to change his name for more promotional appeal. His first choice was Tyler Brit but that didn't fly with management. David Krebs suggested Steven Tyler and that's what stuck.

Determined that they would "make it" Steven Tyler and the band began to frequent clubs in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. Their big break came in 1972 in NYC at a club called Max's Kansas City. David Krebs and Steven leber became Aerosmith's managers and scheduled Clive Davis of Columbia records to see them play that night. Clive was impressed with what he saw and signed the band to a Columbia contract.

The following year, the band released its first album the self titled "Aerosmith". Dream on was released as the first single and became a minor hit.

Climbing Up Only To Descend

In 1972 Aerosmith released Get Your Wings, although this album did not offer any hits, it still did well with the fans. With their 1975 breakthrough album Toys in the Attic Aerosmith became a household name. The Top 40 singles "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way" pushed the album to No. 11 and became classic rock legend. Success of the album prompted the re-release of "Dream On," which reached the Top 10 in early 1976, and increased sales of the band's first two albums.

Rocks was released, and again didn’t spawn a hit on the charts but was widely popular with the fans. In 1977, Aerosmith released Draw the Line. Following a 1978 U.S. tour, they appeared in the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, performing a cover of "Come Together" also featured on their 1978 live album, Live! Bootleg. "Come Together" was the band's last major radio hit of the '70s.

Following the release of the 1979 gold album Night in the Ruts, Joe Perry quit Aerosmith and began working on a solo project, while guitarist Brad Whitford quit the group to form a new band with ex-Ted Nugent guitarist Derek St. Holmes. They were replaced with new guitarists Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay.

Meanwhile Steven Tyler got into a serious motorcycle accident, which landed him in the hospital for months.

For lack of any other material, the band was forced to release Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits in 1980. To date, Greatest Hits is one of their best selling albums with over 6 million copies sold.

In 1982 the new incarnation of Aerosmith with Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay released the album Rock in a Hard Place which peaked at number 32 and was uninspiring in comparison to anything done with Perry and Whitford. Shortly after its release, however, the band was dropped from Columbia Records.

The Phoenix Rising Again

After two years away from the band Perry and Whitford returned to the original line up to revitalize Aerosmith as it was before. In 1984 Done With Mirrors was released the original lineup's first record since 1979 and their first for Geffen Records.

Exhausted from years of excess and drugs Perry and Tyler went into rehab to get clean and begin a new ascent back into stardom. Run DMC, the top rappers of the time, decided to remake “Walk This Way”, thus leaving the door wide open for an comeback of untold proportions.

In 1987, Aerosmith releases Permanent Vacation, an album driven with power and precision that catapulted them back to the top with “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” and “Angel”. This instant success starts what appears to be an all out attack on the music industry with Pump released in 1989. The band was again on top of its game by writing material that was sharp, persuasive and all out naughty. Pump’s hit singles included: “Love in an Elevator”, “Jamie’s Got a Gun” and “What it Takes”. Get A Grip is released in 1993 featuring “Living on the Edge”, “Amazing” and “Cryin” to their already burgeoning repertoire of songs.

Finishing out 1994, the band released "Big Ones", a top compilation album filled with billboard hits from some of the finest hard rock of the late '80s and early '90s — the fruits of one of the most remarkable comebacks in rock & roll history.

The Legend

While Aerosmith was at the height of its revitalized popularity in the early 90's it signed a multi-million dollar contract with Columbia Records although still owing Geffen two more albums. In 1997 Nine Lives was released to mixed reviews. In 1998, A Little South of Sanity peaked at number 6 and Just Push Play in 2001 peaked at number 2.

In January of 2001, they appeared center stage in the Superbowl playing half time with Britney Spears and Nsync. In 2004, Honkin’on Bobo was released; a more diverse than normal Aerosmith album driven by a blues sound. It received rave reviews from fans around the world.

Aerosmith Inducted Into The
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame - 1991

Inductees: Steven Tyler (vocals; born March 26, 1948), Joe Perry (guitar; born September 10, 1950), Tom Hamilton (bass; born December 31, 1951), Joey Kramer (drums; born June 21, 1950), Brad Whitford (guitar; born February 23, 1952)