Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
by Michael Schultz
from Universal Studios
If it weren't for a couple of inspired performances, as well as the time-capsule weirdness of it all, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band would be definitively unwatchable. This misguided effort to dramatize the classic Beatles album (the Fab Four had nothing to do with it, thank goodness) also includes tunes from other Beatles LPs, strung together in lumbering '70s rock-opera style. Peter Frampton, then at the crest of his brief run at the top, stars as Billy Shears, with the Bee Gees wearing the glossy day-glo band jackets from the Pepper album cover. Earth, Wind & Fire turn in a spirited revamp of "Got to Get You into My Life," and Aerosmith thrash their way through "Come Together"; but most of the performances are pretty awful. Out-and-out novelties include Steve Martin doing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and George Burns (but of course) warbling "Fixing a Hole." This high-profile 1978 flop helped kill the hot streak (Saturday Night Fever, Grease) of record and movie producer Robert Stigwood and sink his RSO movie-music empire. --Robert Horton
Aerosmith - You Gotta Move (Amaray Case)
from Sony
More than three decades after coming on the rock scene and being dismissed as Rolling Stones wannabes, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and the rest of Aerosmith are still going strong--a good deal stronger, in fact, than Mick and the boys, if You Gotta Move, Aerosmith's first live DVD, is any indication. Throughout this 162-minute concert documentary (including the 90-minute program that first aired on the A&E channel), the musicians talk about being "in the zone," and there's no denying that they're at the top of their game, playing even their oldest hits with genuine fire and conviction. Along with "Dream On," "Back in the Saddle," "Walk This Way," "Sweet Emotion," and other classic rock faves, a good portion of the show (as well as a 30-minute bonus documentary) is devoted to Honkin' on Bobo, their 2004 blues/roots CD. But unlike the Stones or the Yardbirds (another obvious Aerosmith inspiration), whose blues and R&B covers formed the bulk of their early output, Aerosmith waited until late in their career to record chestnuts like "Baby, Please Don't Go" and "Stop Messin' Around," and their versions owe much more to the rockers who performed these tunes in the '60s (Van Morrison and Ted Nugent for the former, and Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac for the latter) than to the bluesmen who wrote them. No surprise there--Aerosmith, too, is at heart no more or less than a no-frills, hard-rocking band. That's exactly what their fans want, and it's hard to imagine that any of them will be less than thrilled with You Gotta Move. The generous extra material includes five songs not aired in the original broadcast, the documentary mentioned above, and an audio CD of six songs from the show. --Sam Graham
Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special - Legendary Performances 1974
from Guthy-Renker
Features excellent live renditions from the infamous TV show. Tracks: Proud Mary (Ike & Tina Turner), Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe (Barry White), Thank You Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin (Sly & the Family Stone), Rock On (David Essex), Love Train (O'Jays), Let's Get It On (Marvin Gaye), Radar Love (Golden Earring), Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Withers), Payback pt 1 (James Brown), Sundown (Gordon Lightfoot), The Thrill Is Gone (BB King & Gladys Knight), Midnight at the Oasis (Maria Muldaur), Laughter in the Rain (Neil Sedaka), Come and Get Your Love (Redbone), The Train Kept a'Rollin (Aerosmith). Also includes live stand-up comedy from Freddie Prinze and David Brenner!
Aerosmith - You Gotta Move (Jewel Case)
from Sony
More than three decades after coming on the rock scene and being dismissed as Rolling Stones wannabes, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and the rest of Aerosmith are still going strong--a good deal stronger, in fact, than Mick and the boys, if You Gotta Move, Aerosmith's first live DVD, is any indication. Throughout this 162-minute concert documentary (including the 90-minute program that first aired on the A&E channel), the musicians talk about being "in the zone," and there's no denying that they're at the top of their game, playing even their oldest hits with genuine fire and conviction. Along with "Dream On," "Back in the Saddle," "Walk This Way," "Sweet Emotion," and other classic rock faves, a good portion of the show (as well as a 30-minute bonus documentary) is devoted to Honkin' on Bobo, their 2004 blues/roots CD. But unlike the Stones or the Yardbirds (another obvious Aerosmith inspiration), whose blues and R&B covers formed the bulk of their early output, Aerosmith waited until late in their career to record chestnuts like "Baby, Please Don't Go" and "Stop Messin' Around," and their versions owe much more to the rockers who performed these tunes in the '60s (Van Morrison and Ted Nugent for the former, and Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac for the latter) than to the bluesmen who wrote them. No surprise there--Aerosmith, too, is at heart no more or less than a no-frills, hard-rocking band. That's exactly what their fans want, and it's hard to imagine that any of them will be less than thrilled with You Gotta Move. The generous extra material includes five songs not aired in the original broadcast, the documentary mentioned above, and an audio CD of six songs from the show. --Sam Graham
Impact! Songs that Changed the World - Walk This Way / Run DMC, Aerosmith, Vernon Reid, Will Calhoun, Corey Glover, Grandmaster Flash
from STANDING ROOM ONLY
Certain songs have come to define the times in which they appeared as they proved to be the catalyst for the transformation of the cultural and political landscape. Most set trends in music, fashion and dance while flouting convention and testing the boundaries of society's accepted moral values.
Each program in the Impact! series puts the spotlight on the songs that have left an indelible mark on the world. Besides setting the scene for the release of the song, the programs feature the song's creator(s) and explore its cultural impact and the ways that it changed the course of history. Guests include recording artists, music industry executives, cultural and political pundits and the music fans themselves for whom these songs became their life's soundtrack
By any definition, Walk This Way, written by Aerosmith s Steve Tyler and Joe Perry, was your classic rock track. With its hooky guitar riffs and brazen, in-your-face vocal delivery, in the mid 70s, it was the song that set Aerosmith on the road to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; but little could the group have known that it would have a second life a decade later. On its release in 1986, Walk This Way became the original rap/heavy metal video crossover song. Run DMC was the bridge between old-school artists like Grandmaster Flash and the modern rap era. To quote Rolling Stone magazine, they sparked a movement in popular music with an impact similar to the British invasion in the early 60s. With their gold chains and Adidas, they were the first rappers to earn gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums; the first to have their videos played on MTV; the first to appear on American Bandstand; and the first to grace the cover of Rolling Stone and the first non-athletes to endorse Adidas products. Run DMC brought rap to mainstream America. It wasn t long before hip-hop style and fashion from the street had started to be seen in the stores of suburban shopping malls. Run DMC had a very recognizable look and it started catching on. To this day, the popularity of products associated with the hip-hop culture is not only exclusive to African-American youth. The style and the music have crossed both race and color lines, not only in America, but also around the world.
With song clips, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Jam Master Jay of Run DMC , Vernon Reid, Will Calhoun, Corey Glover, Doug Wimbish of Living Colour, Grandmaster Flash.
Guitar Method: In the Style of Aerosmith
Aerosmith: Pumping Angel Interviews
from Video Music, Inc.
This DVD features tons of in-depth interviews revealing the many aspects that made Aerosmith one of America's greatest Rock and Roll bands. They have stood the test of time, performing with their original lineup for the past 23 years. They have sold 150
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