It was 1994, the Grammys were playing on television, and Aerosmith came out on stage and performed Livin’ On The Edge. In my mind, it was a faultless performance and while I know that I can re-experience it on YouTube, I don’t want to. Something as powerful as this first exposure, that would result in a life-long love of Aerosmith’s music, should be left to my interpreted memory and not toyed with.
Memories of this performance, and the album Get A Grip, came flooding back recently when my son decided that he wanted to go through my CD collection and find an album to listen to. I said nothing, didn’t encourage him either way, and he selected Aerosmith’s Get A Grip; it was a proud parenting moment.
As a music-loving father, I try to ensure that my library of music is always accessible. I don’t believe in taboos and while this album isn’t overly explicit, it is Aerosmith. Everything is an innuendo. I also believe in the freedom of artistic expression and subsequently have never purchased a ‘clean’ version of any album. I know many people are opposed to profanity, but I strongly believe music is art, hence a ‘clean’ version is akin to an abridgement of the artist’s original intent. I also feel that it is better to have questionable subjects raised in the home, rather than in the controversial and often erroneous schoolyard. While my son may be naive with regards to many of the innuendos, laughing when Tyler speaks the words ‘come here baby’ on Crazy, I want him to know that through our shared love of music, he can come to me and discuss song meanings as he begins to understand more adult-based themes.
For the moment, however, he is content to play his air guitar when listening to Livin’ On The Edge and laughs contagiously when Eat The Rich concludes and the burp is heard at the very beginning of the following track. I’ve no doubt they programmed the CD to play the burp at the beginning of Get A Grip, rather than at the end of Eat The Rich, to ensure we would all keep hitting the back button. This morning I played it really LOUD on my main system. The house rumbled to, I assume, Steven Tyler’s guttural belch and while I haven’t taught my son to burp the alphabet, this was a priceless father-son moment. Thank you, Aerosmith!
Speaking of the CD, it is glorious to behold for the liner notes are extensive with associated artwork that is slightly more extended than the vinyl counterpart. Yes, the CD artwork, on the disc, is a little risqué but it’s not like Aerosmith has a clean-cut image to uphold.
Sonically, the CD is flat and brittle, meaning that it is challenging to listen to for long periods as it simply lacks the kind of emotive energy that will captivate you. The clarity, however, is incredible, but I look for fullness of sound. I want to hear fat riffs and feel every drum beat and the CD just sounds a little too thin. Comparing it to the Apple Music Stream, an Apple Digital Master, it is smoother and more dynamic, yet I still wouldn’t say that this edition blows me away. Does it sound better than the CD to my ears, yes, but how does it compare to the 2017 vinyl re-issue that I’m fortunate to own?
The vinyl reissue is superior in sonics to both the CD and streaming editions, as it has a greater sense of emotive energy that will get your body moving involuntarily. It also has a fuller sound, which is most likely due to the inherent distortion of the format, but it simply sounds right. The brittleness and absence of flatness are no longer present but the overall muffled sound of the recording can be easily heard across all versions. It is as if someone turned on Dolby NR (Noise Reduction) in the recording and mastering process. That’s not necessarily a negative aspect, but if you’re looking for a cleaner, or clearer, reproduction, I’m honestly not sure one exists for these three editions offer a good overview of the different tonalities available across each format. As to which you prefer, that will be to your own subjective preferences. I find that I can comfortably enjoy the Apple Music stream, but my preferred version is the vinyl release. The CD, I’m sure, would sound fantastic on a less revealing system but as it is, it is just a little too clinical for my music tastes.
As for the vinyl packaging, it’s presented in a slipcover where both records’ inner sleeves are also the associated liner notes. It’s impressive to hold and is one of those albums that I find myself as captivated by the packaging as I do the music itself. Unlike some vinyl releases, the design here is fantastic as the text and overall layout is perfectly sized, meaning that you won’t just put the album aside, but enjoy it for what it is; a piece of art.
The records are similarly magnificent. They’re flat and the noise floor is incredibly low. You’re really only going to hear the dead wax with headphones, or if you tend to turn the stereo up so loud that you annoy your neighbours. They are, for lack of a better term, flawless. Even the way the records have been cut impresses, for a song like Livin’ On The Edge should, as the final track on Side One, suffer from a little inner groove distortion, but it doesn’t as the record has been pressed well within the threshold, meaning that this killer song isn’t tarnished by the format’s limitations. Side 3, ending on Crazy, is similarly pressed and while it may be a little thing, these elements are important to music-lovers who choose vinyl as their format of choice. Nothing is more disappointing than putting on a record that sounds superior to other formats, only to be disappointed towards the end of each side when inner groove distortion can rare its ugly head.
SIDE ONE
INTRO is self-explanatory, but I’ve heard worse album openings. That said, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to suggest that the Intro could have been merged into Eat The Rich.
EAT THE RICH is witty with a great sense of rhythm that will likely see you singing along throughout the chorus. Plus, who doesn’t love that guttural burp at the end?
GET A GRIP is a killer rock tune, but I’d love to hear Tom Hamilton’s bass guitar be a little more prominent in the mix as it's the driving force behind the rhythm of the song.
FEVER lacks cohesion for Get A Grip, yet it would have been perfect on Permanent Vacation. Despite that, it’s a solid tune.
LIVIN’ ON THE EDGE is one of Aerosmith’s greatest and one of my favourites.
SIDE TWO
FLESH is utterly brilliant; that is until the chorus kicks in. Flesh is one of those songs where the verse structure is perfect but the chorus is a letdown. A shame, for I want to love Flesh, but find it is just too distracting. That said, the smoother nature of the vinyl edition means that it is a little less jarring on the senses and subsequently can be enjoyed when listening to the album via this format.
WALK ON DOWN is classic Joe Perry as it reminds me of much of what I love about The Joe Perry Project. As an Aerosmith song, it works perfectly with the other songs on Get A Grip and is one tune that I feel should have got more attention than it did.
SHUT UP AND DANCE is lyrically brilliant as the double entendres will put a smile on your face. Musically, it features some of Brad Whitford and Joe Perry’s best guitar tracking on the album; fantastic!
SIDE THREE
CRYIN’ is one of Aerosmith’s best power ballads and one of the greatest blues-rock tunes they ever recorded.
GOTTA LOVE IT says everything that needs to be said in the title. You gotta love it for it just works. While you’ll never find Gotta Love It on a career perspective release, or an Essentials Playlist, I’d add it to a playlist of the very best Aerosmith songs that you’ve never heard before. It has a little bit of everything and is what I’d consider to be quintessential Aerosmith.
CRAZY as a power ballad works extremely well. The chorus is catchy, you’ll likely sing along, and it is just corny enough to be considered a classic power ballad.
SIDE FOUR
LINE UP has an addictive energy that will see you head-bopping and toe-tapping from the first note.
AMAZING is a ballad masterpiece. It’s amongst Aerosmith’s greatest recordings and helps to close out Get A Grip perfectly.
BOOGIE MAN as the final track on Get A Grip is interesting, for it is arguably not needed, yet as I have heard this album countless times, over the years, I wouldn’t want Get A Grip to end without hearing Boogie Man; a great tune in its own right, even if its inclusion is questionable.
Overall, Get A Grip is a fun album to listen to and has a groove that is reminiscent of the classic 70s Aerosmith style while also being uniquely modern to their 90s sound. It’s a rock masterpiece that has stood the test of time and is just as compelling today, as it was when released in 1993.
