{"id":870,"date":"2026-03-03T14:19:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.songfacts.com\/articles\/?p=870"},"modified":"2026-03-03T14:19:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:19:32","slug":"this-collaboration-with-a-hip-hop-group-revived-one-of-rocks-biggest-bands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.songfacts.com\/articles\/this-collaboration-with-a-hip-hop-group-revived-one-of-rocks-biggest-bands\/","title":{"rendered":"This Collaboration With a Hip-Hop Group Revived One of Rock\u2019s Biggest Bands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the 1970s, Aerosmith<\/a> had a string of hits, starting with “Dream On” in 1973. Aerosmith planted themselves as potentially the “next big thing” in rock music. They capitalized on this with their Toys in the Attic <\/em>album in 1975, spawning the hits “Sweet Emotion” and “Walk This Way.” The latter peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard<\/em> Hot 100. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After three more albums, drug use began to sway the band’s success. Eventually, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford left the band. Joe Perry created The Joe Perry Project shortly before his departure in 1979. Brad Whitford went on to create Whitford\/St. Holmes, a duo with former Ted Nugent lead singer Derek St. Holmes. The duo released an album in 1981. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lead singer Steven Tyler stuck with Aerosmith, releasing Rock in a Hard Place<\/em> in 1982. Two new guitarists were recruited for the album, Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay. The album peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard<\/em> 200. Whitford\/St. Holmes disbanded after one album, and Brad Whitford joined The Joe Perry Project. The reunion of guitarists led to the ultimate reunion with Aerosmith on the album Done With Mirrors<\/em> in 1985. Steven Tyler was still in and out of rehab at the time, not entirely sober. The band sounded great once again, but the album didn’t perform as well as the group would’ve liked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Producer Rick Rubin Had an Idea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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