"Bitch's Brew," released in December 1982, didn't just wrap up Aerosmiththeir first stint with Columbia Records, but also served as the final single from the band's short-lived, revamped lineup.
The song was one of seven tracks he co-wrote in 1982 A rock in a hard place by singer Stephen Tyler and new guitarist Jimmy Crespo who replacing Joe Perry in 1979. The song was the follow-up to "Lightning Strikes", which hit No. 1. 21 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart. But "Bitch's Brew" was released as a radio-only promotional single and failed to chart at all, and in that way, it was emblematic of the difficult place Aerosmith was in at the time.
"It was very difficult," said the band's longtime producer Jack Douglas - who was brought in to complete A rock in a hard place After the group parted ways with their original choice, Tony Bongiovi told - UCR. Perry, who is part of the Toxic Twins songwriting partnership with Tyler, has left and Brad Whitford It followed during the making of the album. "Not having Brad and Joe there as twin guitarists and the support they had for making a record was tough. There were some rough spots, but we managed it."
Crespo, who was in the New York band Flame and was a high-profile session player, was tagged along by Aerosmith manager David Krebs. It first came into Aerosmith's orbit during the 1979 sessions Night in the cracks, playing solo on the track "3 Mile Smile". Crespo also acted as a drummer Joey KramerRenegade side project, whose recordings have not been released. Tyler soon forged a writing bond with Crespo, telling MTV in 1982 that "My motivation is him now. We work really well together. It's like a song for a minute."
Meanwhile, Douglas considered Crespo "a great guitar player, but kind of insecure about his playing...and he was a great player. I think he was a little afraid of Stephen. If you showed a little bit of fear, Stephen would confront you. He would pick on whatever you did, And if you stand up to him like Brad and Joe did all along, he respects him. If you don't, there could be problems."
(Crespo did not respond to UCR's requests for an interview.)
Douglas championed Rick DuFay as Whitford's replacement, and while DuFay's more confrontational personality alienated some of the band members - "Rick has defined what the fucking asshole is", Tyler once pointed out The producer felt it best suited the group's personality. "Steven liked that Rick wasn't afraid of him," says Douglas.
The Tyler-Crespo team was productive, however, and "Bitch's Brew" was definitely an innovative addition to the Aerosmith canon. The song opens with Tyler singing on Crespo's resonant guitar before rocking into a groove like any of the big band songs from the '70s. It is—surprisingly for Tyler—a kind of cautionary tale, warning its subject that, "I've been foolin' with bitch liquor / You know the things I want you not to do / You've fallen into a thistle patch / Nothing's gonna save you."
It seems the stream-of-consciousness lyrics could refer to Perry or Whitford as Tyler, "Remember the things I said / You save screaming bread / And now you're walking away / So take it and go all the way." "Bitch's Brew" also features Tyler's Bob Dylan an impersonation during the bridge before the final chorus.
Listen to Aerosmith's "Bitch's Brew."
Jimmy Most wrote ['Bitch’s Brew']Douglas reveals. “Steven wasn't at his best, and the songs didn't have his usual sparkle. Write a few words and then repeat. His voice was fine but not quite on solid ground at the time. It's also minus a guitar solo What's the reason I can't remember - there's definitely a place for that. Jimmy does it a little bit in the middle of the track and the lyrics there say a lot.” The producer adds that while a lot of A rock in a hard place Recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, "Bitch's Brew" was a New York track that started at the Power Station and ended at the Record Plant.
Because of the chaos around Aerosmith at the time - including a rampant and debilitating drug addiction - A rock in a hard place It took nearly two years to make and cost $1.5 million. The album received lukewarm to poor reviews and peaked at no. 32 on the Billboard 200, Aerosmith's worst hit since Get your wings in 1974. It was certified gold but also stopped the group's platinum streak of eight or better albums.
Crespo and Dufay were both gone within two years A rock in a hard placePerry and Whitford released. Aerosmith signed a new deal with Geffen Records, where they enjoyed a string of multi-platinum albums before returning to Columbia for 1997. Nine lives.
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