DBWI: Aerosmith hadn't died in 1977

As we all know, the careers of the members of Aerosmith, perhaps the greatest American rock band in music history, were tragically cut short when the band rented a faulty, unsafe plane to use during their summer tour, despite Steven Tyler and Joe Perry both being warned about the dangers. Investigations afterwards revealed that not only were their mechanical problems with the plane, a Convair CV-300, but the pilots were allegedly seen chugging a bottle of Jack Daniels' before the flight.

Tragically, yet predictably enough, the plane crashed, killing every member of the band. Tyler, Perry, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, and Brad Whitford were all taken from us way too soon. After putting out four masterpieces of albums throughout the 70's, and topping off with the somewhat eerily-titled Draw the Line, rock fans would forever be denied any further music from what I can say, uncontroversially, may be one of the greatest bands that ever lived.

What if they hadn't died? How might their careers have gone? How would it have changed the music world?

btw, on a more casual, music-related note, who here as listened to the newest Lynyrd Skynyrd album released last year? I liked it. Amazing that Ronnie Van Zant and company can still go after all these years.

VidaLaVida said:

As we all know, the careers of the members of Aerosmith, perhaps the greatest American rock band in music history, were tragically cut short when the band rented a faulty, unsafe plane to use during their summer tour, despite Steven Tyler and Joe Perry both being warned about the dangers.

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Greatest American rock band in history? I had to use the Internet to find out who they were. Looks to me like they were a one hit wonder.

Anaxagoras said:

Greatest American rock band in history? I had to use the Internet to find out who they were. Looks to me like they were a one hit wonder.

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...Dude? A little album that went platinum called Rocks? Or Toys in the Attic? "Back in the Saddle?" "Walk this Way?" "Last Child?" "Sweet Emotion?" None of these ring any bells?

As far as I'm concerned, they were on their way to that title.

The drug abuse would have killed either Tyler or Perry before the 80's anyway.

I would have liked to hear how their "Draw The Line" albumwould have sounded like were it finished...

They were okay, but Best Ever? So don't think so. They had one REALLY great tune Dream On and that was about it.

A better question is what would have happened if the crash had taken place BEFORE Liv Tyler was conceived. She had been one of the great American actresses of her generation, maybe The actress of her generation.

CalBear said:

They were okay, but Best Ever? So don't think so. They had one REALLY great tune Dream On and that was about it.

A better question is what would have happened if the crash had taken place BEFORE Liv Tyler was conceived. She had been one of the great American actresses of her generation, maybe The actress of her generation.

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Oh, you mean when she played the lead role in Armageddon? Hmph, that movie didn't even have a decent soundtrack.

OOC: i don't think she had even become an actress if it wasn't for her father. She first appeared in an video clip for Aerosmith you know.

lionhead said:

Oh, you mean when she played the lead role in Armageddon? Hmph, that movie didn't even have a decent soundtrack.

OOC: i don't think she had even become an actress if it wasn't for her father. She first appeared in an video clip for Aerosmith you know.

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Well, if that had been the end of her career I would agree. Of course you are forgetting the Supporting Oscar for Good Will Hunting, the Lead Oscar in Shakespeare in Love and her nominated performance in Zero Dark Thirty (which I still think was the top performance of that year).

OOC: She was great looking model, acting was almost a given.

VidaLaVida said:

btw, on a more casual, music-related note, who here as listened to the newest Lynyrd Skynyrd album released last year? I liked it. Amazing that Ronnie Van Zant and company can still go after all these years.

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Skynyrd are great. They have always had a blend of various roots musics - blues, rock, country - that's been stubbornly resistant to fashion, thank God.

The problem I have with a lot of their best music is the fact that Artimus Pyle is playing on it -and we know about him, now. I can only really listen to their stuff from before he joined, and after Bob Burns came back to replace him.

I believe they would have gone on to great things; imagine a tour with GN'R? Pure fucking hedonism. They wouldn't have gone the lame, sappy ballad route either

Funnily enough, seeing this thread made me get out my collection of their albums. Listening to them in order, you can actually hear them getting better and better. Just finding their sound with their self titled album, getting better with Get your Wings, the fantastic Toys, with so many stand out tracks.

Then you come to Rocks. No specific stand out tracks, but by God, what an album! The whole album had an incredible focus to it.

Just imagine what Draw the Line would have been like if they'd finished it! I agree with those that said they could have been the best in the world. They also inspired many of the 80s rock bands. I know that Axl Rose and Slash often cite them as a huge influence.

lionhead said:

The drug abuse would have killed either Tyler or Perry before the 80's anyway.

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It was never that bad. Granted, if it had gone on unchecked, it could have led to problems, but look at the Rolling Stones. They're doing OK for themselves!

OOC: I'm a huge Aerosmith fan - especially their early work. But I didn't really get into them until a friend lent me Big Ones sometime in the mid 90s. I got into their music from there and sort of explored backwards. It's actually doubtful if I'd have noticed them ITTL

Aerosmith did become famous again when that rap group (OOC: Run DMC?) did a tribute album of Aerosmith songs. Some argue that album helped Run DMC become the first rap group to do a Superbowl halftime show.