Aerosmith is an
American hard rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from
Boston"
and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band".
Their style, rooted in
blues-based hard rock,
has come to also incorporate elements of
pop,
,
,
and
rhythm and blues,
which has inspired many subsequent rock artists.
[ ] 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.
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".
[Davis, p. 239] 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.
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.
