For most of my rock and roll elitist brethren, the golden age of Aerosmith ended when Joe Perry left the band and returned, they cleaned up, and kicked the ‘80s in the ass with a string of sound-alike ballads and Bruce Fairbairn-produced rockers that lacked the sting, swagger, consistency and, well, quality of their 70’s drug-fueled heyday. I’ll be the first to admit that they weren’t gonna top Toys in the Attic or Rocks. Hell, they weren’t gonna top the Draw the Line either, but let’s not rehash the past. Regardless of all that, I’m an unapologetic defender of post-70s Aerosmith.
I won’t bore you with well-rehearsed defenses of my favorite later-era Aerosmith songs, but let’s talk about “Jaded,” the Grammy winning, #1 single from 2001’s largely underwhelming Just Push Play album. It’s got all the elements that make Aerosmith Aerosmith.
The groove and riff are just killer. Steven Tyler’s incredible vocal performance is top notch. The greatest American rock and roll singer of all time lives up to the title (that I bestow on him). He’s supposedly singing about his daughter Liv, his absence in her life, and his ultimate responsibility for her jadedness.
The layered production is more indicative of their Pump and Get a Grip era then the rawer, stripped down Jack Douglas records, but I love that stuff. Hearing Tyler’s reverb-drenched “aah”s and “chaa”s behind the stacked guitars and percussion is just a clinic in what can be done with that kind of budget and imagination. The video is a bit over the top, but extra points for casting a young Mila Kunis and the beautiful Los Angeles Theater setting.
“Jaded” is the last great Aerosmith song. They’ve yet to top it in the 22 years since, and it’s near the top of the heap from the previous 20 too. Dig it.
Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit and fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. Follow them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
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Twitter: @jeremyportermi | Instagram: @onetogive & @jeremyportermusic
