Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic
Among most of my musician friends, I am one of the few that really fell in love with Aerosmith. In the late 80’s as the band was mounting their comeback, their image shifted focus primarily onto lead singer, Steven Tyler and his appetite for displaying his sex appeal. By the 90’s when the band was back on top, sex was the driving force behind the band’s image. I think this turned off some of their fans from the 70s. In looking deeper at the band’s catalogue, it is important to look at the first 5-7 years they made music.
Their third studio album, Toys in the Attic is their strongest. Released on April 8, 1975, “Toys” demonstrates the beginning of American Hard Rock. Take southern blues, mix it with the Rolling Stones, speed up the tempo – you have the definition of Aerosmith. They did not have the “soft rock” label like the Eagles or the “black magic” blues and heavy metal label like Led Zeppelin. Aerosmith was stripped down, hard rock at a faster speed. In the 70’s, all five members of the band had everyone’s attention. By the 90’s Tyler and lead guitarist, Joe Perry became the faces of the group.
Originally marinated in Sunapee, NH, the band moved to Boston and officially formed in 1970. After 2 studio albums, Aerosmith re-entered the studio in New York City in late 1974 to record Toys in the Attic. “Toys” was their third album but first album in several years where they had to write new material. For their first two albums, the self-titled, Aerosmith and Get Your Wings, the band recorded all their previously written songs from their early years before they became known globally.
The album kicks off with its title track, Toys in the Attic which is fast and raw. Any musician can identify Joe Perry’s fast bluesy Gibson Les Paul guitar riff and Tom Hamilton’s 1960’s Fender Jazz Bass. Aerosmith’s sound is very full, which unlike trios and quartets, there is a lot of “meat” in their music. How many times do you hear a flowing rhythm guitar riff that disappears during the guitar solo? This is because the guitarist must switch from the riff to the solo. Aerosmith thought about this early on and added an additional rhythm guitar player, Brad Whitford to fill in that guitar and keep the sound, “meaty”.
Unlike a lot of rock albums, the bass guitar on the “Toys” record is very much present and in the forefront. Record producer Jack Douglas pans several of the instruments to enable you to hear certain riffs in your left ear while other instruments are present in your right. On tracks like Uncle Salty, Adam’s Apple and Sweet Emotion, the bass guitar is just as loud as the guitar and not buried in the background.
From this album, Sweet Emotion and Walk this Way became Aerosmith staples. They are as popular today as they were in 1975. If you poll most fans of general “popular” rock music, they all know these two tracks.
I first heard the intro riff to Walk this Way when I was in 5th grade. An older student had a now nostalgic 80’s “boombox”. He played the song off a cassette tape despite our wrestling coach’s request to turn it down. It was another musical experience I would never forget. Drummer Joey Kramer’s solo beat starts the song. Then the riff hits you. It was an experience that would provide further evidence music really had a strong effect on me. I immediately stopped what I was doing, and just listened. I could not stop moving. I never dug up the courage to ask my elder statesman what song it was. The riff stayed in my head until I later asked a friend for its identification by humming the riff out loud to him.
Sweet Emotion would experience a 2nd wave of success in the early 1990’s after a re-release on the band’s box set, Pandora’s Box. This song is another “attention grabber”. I liken it to your Stairway to Heaven or Smoke on the Water or Sweet Child ‘O Mine. Not because they sound similar, but because Sweet Emotion is in the Hall of Fame of Rock n’ Roll songs. Everyone has heard it. There is a reason for this; it is damn good.
“Toys” has many other hidden gems such as No More No More, another gritty, fast, raw rock n’ roll song. Just another riff that is contagious. This album sounds like it was recorded in a small club. No instrument dominates over the other. Jack Douglas masterfully equalizes each track, giving you a taste of every section of this five-piece band.
The album’s only ballad, You See Me Crying, closes everything out. This song contains heavy piano and orchestration over the bass, guitar and drums. This song took the longest amount of time to record due to its instrumental complexity. For the first time, when Aerosmith completed the recording of “Toys” in March 1975, they did not realize they had a hit on their hands about to be released to the world.
I still defend Aerosmith’s place in the Rock n’ roll Hall of Fame. They belong there as much as any band currently or previously inducted, maybe more than others. Toys in the Attic was their first album that really drove that point. It made most fans sit up and notice them. If you are stuck with the image of songs like “Pink”, “Crazy” or “Amazing”, pick up Toys in the Attic, it will make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up. I promise.
Already own Toys in the Attic? Consider picking up their follow up album, Rocks, featuring Back in the Saddle and Last Child.
Or grab yourself some Aerosmith merch. You’ll definitely get noticed!