Few albums have been so appropriately named as Aerosmith's 1976 classic Rocks. Despite hard drug use escalating among bandmembers, Aerosmith produced a superb follow-up to their masterwork Toys in the Attic, nearly topping it in the process. Many Aero fans will point to Toys as the band's quintessential album (it contained two radio/concert standards after all, "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion"), but out of all their albums, Rocks did the best job of capturing Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking. Like its predecessor, a pair of songs have become their most renowned -- the menacing, hard rock, cowboy-stomper "Back in the Saddle," as well as the downright viscous funk groove of "Last Child." Again, even the lesser-known tracks prove essential to the makeup of the album, such as the stimulated "Rats in the Cellar" (a response of sorts to "Toys in the Attic"), the Stonesy "Combination," and the forgotten riff-rocker "Get the Lead Out." Also included is the apocalyptic "Nobody's Fault," the up-and-coming rock star tale of "Lick and a Promise," and the album-closing ballad "Home Tonight." With Rocks, Aerosmith appeared to be indestructible. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Tom Hamilton (Guitar), Tom Hamilton (Bass (Electric)), Tom Hamilton (Photography), Aerosmith (Arranger), Aerosmith (Producer), Aerosmith (Main Performer), Joe Perry (Bass), Joe Perry (Guitar), Joe Perry (Percussion), Joe Perry (Bass (Electric)), Joe Perry (Guitar (Steel)), Joe Perry (Vocals), Joe Perry (6-String Bass), Joe Perry (Lap Steel Guitar), Jack Douglas (Arranger), Jack Douglas (Producer), Sam Ginsberg (Assistant Engineer), David Hewitt (Arranger), Joey Kramer (Percussion), Joey Kramer (Drums), Joey Kramer (Vocals (Background)), Jay Messina (Engineer), Rod O'Brien (Assistant Engineer), Paul Prestopino (Banjo), Steven Tyler (Bass), Steven Tyler (Harmonica), Steven Tyler (Percussion), Steven Tyler (Bass (Electric)), Steven Tyler (Keyboards), Steven Tyler (Vocals), Brad Whitford (Guitar), Brad Whitford (Photography), David Krebs (Director), Steve Leber (Director), Ron Pownall (Photography), Fin Costello (Photography), Scott Enyart (Photography)
The album was also a commercial success, charting Four singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached the Top 40 ("Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child"). The album also was one of the first albums to ship platinum when it was released. The album has since gone quadruple platinum.[5]
Written by Joe Perry on a six-string bass, which gives the song its distinctive "growl". Although written with the simple idea of cowboys and sex, this song took on new meaning after Aerosmith reunited in 1984 and embarked on their Back In The Saddle Tour. Brad Whitford plays the lead guitar part.
"Last Child"
Brad Whitford created the riff after listening to the Meters, and the band wrote the rest in the studio. Whitford also plays lead guitar.
"Rats in the Cellar"
Written as Tom Hamilton describes it, "taking this thing The Yardbirds created, and making it balls to the wall", it was also conceived as a counterpart to Toys in the Attic.
"Combination"
Joe Perry's first solo effort, (sung by Perry with Steven Tyler on background vocals) this song is about heroin, liquor, cocaine, and the dangers of being able to afford your vices.[6]
"Sick as a Dog"
A guitar part is by bassist Tom Hamilton, who also co-wrote the song. When recording the song, for the first half of the song, Joe Perry played the electric bass; after the last chorus, during the rhythm guitar break, Perry handed the bass over to Steven Tyler to play, and picked up his guitar to play the solo during the finale.[7] This song is said to be about Tyler's less than spectacular first meeting of Mick Jagger.
"Nobody's Fault"
With "Back in the Saddle", one of the heaviest songs on the album (as "Round and Round" had been on the previous one), this is one of former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash's favorite Aerosmith songs, as well as that of Metallica leader James Hetfield. Thrash metal band Testament covered this song on their 1988 album, The New Order, as well as L.A. Guns contributing a cover of the song for their 2004 covers album Rips the Covers Off. This song is an important contribution to the band's catalogue by Brad Whitford, who cites it as his favorite Aerosmith song. It has also been said that the song is about earthquakes.[8]
