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'''Aerosmith'''
'''Aerosmith'''
* [[Steven Tyler]] – [[lead vocals]], [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[piano]], [[harmonica]], [[drum kit|drums]], [[acoustic guitar]], [[Record producer|producer]]
* [[Steven Tyler]] – [[lead vocals]], [[Record producer|producer]]
* [[Jimmy Crespo]] – [[guitar]], [[backing vocals]], additional vocals on "Bitches Brew"
* [[Jimmy Crespo]] – [[guitar]], [[backing vocals]]
* [[Rick Dufay]] – guitar (credited but doesn't play on the album; joined band when recording was finished)
* [[Rick Dufay]] – guitar
* [[Tom Hamilton (musician)|Tom Hamilton]] – [[Bass guitar|bass]]
* [[Tom Hamilton (musician)|Tom Hamilton]] – [[Bass guitar|bass]]
* [[Joey Kramer]] – [[drum kit|drums]]
* [[Joey Kramer]] – [[drum kit|drums]]
; Additional musicians
; Additional musicians
* [[Paul Harris (musician)|Paul Harris]] – [[piano]] ("Push Comes to Shove")
* [[Paul Harris (musician)|Paul Harris]] – [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[piano]]
* [[John Turi]] – [[saxophone]] ("Rock in a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat)")
* [[John Turi]] – [[saxophone]] ("Rock in a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat)")
* Reinhard Straub – [[violin]] ("Joanie's Butterfly")
* Reinhard Straub – [[violin]] ("Joanie's Butterfly")

Revision as of 12:59, 27 June 2018

Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Rolling Stone(unfavorable)[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide [3]

Rock in a Hard Place is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released on August 1, 1982 by Columbia Records. It was certified gold on November 10, 1989. [4] It is the only Aerosmith album not to feature lead guitarist Joe Perry, following his departure from the band in 1979. Rhythm guitarist Brad Whitford also left during the recording in 1981. The band spent $1.5 million on the recording of this album.[5]

Background

Previously, Aerosmith released six studio albums, but multiple problems arose. Joe Perry left the band in 1979 after an incident at the World Series of Rock in Cleveland, Steven Tyler's drug abuse increased, as well as Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay acting as the replacing guitarists, and the band also found themselves reuniting with Jack Douglas as producer. After recording the only single "Lightning Strikes", Whitford also left Aerosmith in 1981. Rock in a Hard Place was released on August 1, 1982.

Critical reception

AllMusic explains that the band modernized their sound by including vocoders and synthesizers to fit the musical climate popular then. [6]

"The record doesn't suck," wrote drummer Joey Kramer in his 2009 autobiography, Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top. "There's some real good stuff on it. But it's not a real Aerosmith record because it's just me, Steven, and Tom [Hamilton] — with a fill-in guitar player.... It's Jimmy Crespo doing the guitar work."[5]

Classic Rock Review stated, "It is a strong, edgy, and (most importantly) unique effort that captures a lot of dynamics surrounding the band’s situation perfectly." [7] "In theory a disaster," observed Classic Rock magazine. "In practice, an unlikely triumph. Never mind the Spinal Tap-anticipating Stonehenge cover – Rock in a Hard Place is one kick-ass album… 'Lightning Strikes', 'Bolivian Ragamuffin' and 'Joanie's Butterfly' are classic Aerosmith songs – no matter who played on them."[8]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Jailbait"Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo4:38
2."Lightning Strikes"Tyler, Crespo, Richard Supa4:26
3."Bitch's Brew"Tyler, Crespo4:14
4."Bolivian Ragamuffin"Tyler, Crespo3:32
5."Cry Me a River"Arthur Hamilton4:06
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Prelude to Joanie"Tyler1:21
7."Joanie's Butterfly"Tyler, Crespo, Jack Douglas5:35
8."Rock in a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat)"Tyler, Crespo, Douglas4:46
9."Jig Is Up"Tyler, Crespo3:10
10."Push Comes to Shove"Tyler4:28

Personnel

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1982 The Billboard 200 37

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1982 "Lightning Strikes" Mainstream Rock Tracks 21

Certifications

Organization Level Date
RIAA – USA Gold[9] November 10, 1989

References

  1. ^ Rock in a Hard Place at AllMusic
  2. ^ J.D. Considine (1982-12-04). "Rock in a Hard Place". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  3. ^ "Aerosmith: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  4. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  5. ^ a b Kramer, Joey (2010). Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top. New York: HarperOne. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-06-156662-2.
  6. ^ "Rock in a Hard Place - Aerosmith | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  7. ^ "Aerosmith Rock in a Hard Place album review | Classic Rock Review". Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  8. ^ Classic Rock #209, May 2015, p27
  9. ^ "Gold and Platinum Database Search". Retrieved 2009-11-24.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rock_in_a_Hard_Place&oldid=847738792"