Get a Grip

Get a Grip is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in April 1993 by Geffen Records. Get a Grip was the band's last studio album to be released by Geffen before they returned to Columbia Records.

Get a Grip
Studio album by
Aerosmith
ReleasedApril 1993 (1993-04)[1]
RecordedJanuary–February, September–November 1992
Studio
  • A&M, Los Angeles
  • Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, Canada[2]
GenreHard rock
Length62:17
LabelGeffen
ProducerBruce Fairbairn
Aerosmith chronology
Pump
(1989)		 Get a Grip
(1993)		 Nine Lives
(1997)
Singles from Get a Grip
  1. "Livin' on the Edge"
    Released: March 23, 1993
  2. "Eat the Rich"
    Released: April 17, 1993
  3. "Cryin'"
    Released: October 5, 1993
  4. "Amazing"
    Released: November 1993
  5. "Fever ( Promo)"
    Released: November 1993
  6. "Shut Up and Dance"
    Released: January 1994 (UK)
  7. "Crazy"
    Released: May 3, 1994

Get a Grip featured guests including Don Henley, who sang backup on "Amazing", and Lenny Kravitz, who offered backup vocals and collaboration to "Line Up". As on Permanent Vacation and Pump, this album featured numerous song collaborators from outside the band including: Desmond Child, Jim Vallance, Mark Hudson, Richie Supa, Taylor Rhodes, Jack Blades, and Tommy Shaw.

Get a Grip became Aerosmith's best-selling studio album worldwide, achieving sales of over 20 million copies. The album became the band's first album to reach number one in the United States and tied with Pump for their second best-selling album in the U.S., selling over 7 million copies as of 1995 (Toys in the Attic leads with eight million).[3] This also made it their third consecutive album with U.S. sales of at least five million. Two songs from the album won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, in 1993 and 1994. The album was voted Album of the Year by Metal Edge readers in the magazine's 1993 Readers' Choice Awards, while "Livin' on the Edge" was voted Best Video.[4]

Production

The album originally had 12 songs and was scheduled to be released in the third quarter of 1992, but Geffen A&R executive John Kalodner listened to what had been recorded and thought it lacked variety and a radio-friendly song. So the band went back to write more songs with collaborators such as Child.[5]

Regarding songs that reflect on the band's history with drug abuse such as "Get a Grip" and "Amazing", Steven Tyler declared: "We were saying you can point it back to some of those old beliefs about the crossroads and signing up with the devil, that you can look at the drugs as that: It can be fun in the beginning but then it comes time to pay your debt, and if you're not sharp enough to see that it's taking you down, then it really will get you."[6]

Many songs were written and recorded for the album that were either used as B-sides or never released. "Don't Stop" and "Head First" were released as B-sides, as well as "Can't Stop Messin'", which also appears on several special editions of the album as an addition in the track list. Other songs were listed on the official Aerosmith website in the late 1990s. "Black Cherry", "Devil's Got A New Disguise", "Dime Store Lover", "Legendary Child", "Lizard Love", "Meltdown", "Rocket 88", "Wham Bam", and "Yo Momma" were listed on the lyrics page of the website.

In 2005, Kalodner confirmed the existence of several of the songs above, as well as "Trouble", "Strange", "13", and "Keep On Movin'". "Deuces Are Wild" was possibly recorded again during these sessions. Several songs are also listed on copyright repertoires, including "Ain't Gonna Break My Heart", "Good Thang", and "Jake". These songs can be traced to the year 1991. Reworked versions of "Devil's Got A New Disguise", "Deuces Are Wild", "Lizard Love", and "Legendary Child" have since been released on various albums and soundtracks.

First digital download

On June 27,1994, Aerosmith became the first major artist to release a song as an exclusive digital download, making the unreleased track "Head First" available as a 4-megabyte WAV file to Compuserve subscribers.[7] Around 10,000 users downloaded the song in the first few days, even though at the time, most users accessed the service with a modem, meaning the download would have taken several hours. "Head First" was later used as the B-side for "Blind Man," released in November that year.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [8]
Entertainment WeeklyC[9]
Robert ChristgauA−[10]
Rolling Stone[11]

Mark Coleman, for his Rolling Stone magazine review of Get a Grip, said he liked the title track and he compared the album's introduction, titled "Intro", to Steven Tyler and Joe Perry's collaboration with Run–D.M.C. on "Walk This Way", but feels that most of the album lacks "adventure" and is too "somber". In his interview he compared "Livin' on the Edge" to a Bon Jovi song and feels that a problem with the album comes from the outside songwriters/collaborators.[11] However, Robert Christgau gave the album a positive review, stating that it was their best since Rocks.[10]

Controversy

An animal rights group objected to the cover of a cow's pierced udder, but it was confirmed by the band to have been computer-generated.[12]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Intro"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance0:24
2."Eat the Rich"Tyler, Perry, Vallance4:11
3."Get a Grip"Tyler, Perry, Vallance3:59
4."Fever"Tyler, Perry4:15
5."Livin' on the Edge"Tyler, Perry, Mark Hudson6:07
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Flesh"Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child5:57
7."Walk On Down"Perry3:39
8."Shut Up and Dance"Tyler, Perry, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw4:56
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
9."Cryin'"Tyler, Perry, Taylor Rhodes5:09
10."Gotta Love It"Tyler, Perry, Hudson5:58
11."Crazy"Tyler, Perry, Child5:14
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Line Up" (featuring Lenny Kravitz)Tyler, Perry, Lenny Kravitz4:03
13."Amazing"Tyler, Richard Supa5:57
14."Boogie Man" (Instrumental)Tyler, Perry, Vallance2:17
Total length:1:02:17
UK version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Can't Stop Messin'"Tyler, Perry, Blades, Shaw3:30
Total length:1:05:03

Immediately after "Amazing," a snippet of "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well," by Lucky Millinder, is heard as if being tuned in on an old radio. Tyler says, "So from all of us at Aerosmith to all of you out there, wherever you are, remember: the light at the end of the tunnel may be you. Good night." The music then fades out.

Personnel

Aerosmith

  • Steven Tyler – lead vocals, keyboards, mandolin, harmonica, additional percussion
  • Joe Perry – guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Walk on Down"
  • Brad Whitford – guitar, lead guitar on “Fever”, “Gotta Love It”, and “Flesh”
  • Tom Hamilton – bass guitar, bass solo on “Gotta Love It”
  • Joey Kramer – drums

Additional personnel

  • Paul Baron – trumpet
  • Desmond Child – keyboards on "Crazy"
  • David Campbell – orchestra arrangements on "Crazy" and "Amazing"
  • Bruce Fairbairn – trumpet
  • Don Henley – background vocals on "Amazing"
  • Sandy Kanaeholo – log drums on "Eat the Rich"
  • Tom Keenlyside – saxophone
  • Lenny Kravitz – background vocals on "Line Up"
  • Melvin Liufau – log drums on "Eat the Rich"
  • Wesey Mamea – log drums on "Eat the Rich"
  • Ian Putz – baritone saxophone
  • Bob Rogers – trombone
  • Richard Supa – keyboards on "Amazing"
  • Liainaiala Tagaloa – log drums on "Eat the Rich"
  • Mapuhi T. Tekurio – log drums on "Eat the Rich"
  • Aladd Alationa Teofilo – log drums on "Eat the Rich"
  • John Webster – keyboards

Production

  • Producer – Bruce Fairbairn
  • Engineers – John Aguto, Ed Korengo, Ken Lomas, Mike Plotnikoff, David Thoener
  • Pre Production Engineer – Tony Lentini
  • Mixing – Brendan O'Brien
  • Mastering – Greg Fulginiti at Masterdisk
  • Mastering Supervisor – David Donnelly
  • Programming – John Webster
  • Production coordination – Debra Shallman
  • Guitar technician – Dan Murphy
  • Arranger – Steven Tyler
  • Art direction – Michael Golob
  • Cover design – Hugh Syme
  • Photography – Edward Colver, William Hames
  • John Kalodner

Charts

Album

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australia (Top 40)[13] 3
Austria (Top 75)[14] 3
Canada RPM 100 Albums[15] 2
France (InfoDisc)[16] 24
Japanese Albums Chart[17] 7
Netherlands (Top 100)[18] 2
New Zealand (Top 50)[19] 9
Norway (Top 40)[20] 3
Spain (AFYVE)[21] 15
Switzerland (Top 100)[22] 1
Sweden (Top 60)[23] 3
UK (Top 100)[24] 2
US Billboard 200[25] 1

Singles

YearSingleChartPosition
1993"Amazing"US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks3
US Billboard Hot 10024
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream9
UK Singles Chart[26]57
"Cryin'"US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks1
US Billboard Hot 10012
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream11
UK Singles Chart[26]17
Norway Top 20[27]1
Sweden Top 60[27]3
Schweizer Top 75[28]4
"Eat the Rich"Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks5
UK Singles Chart[26]34
"Fever"Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks5
"Livin' on the Edge"Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks1
Billboard Hot 10018
Billboard Top 40 Mainstream19
UK Singles Chart[26]19
Australian Top 50[29]21
Norway Top 20[27]4
1994"Crazy"Mainstream Rock Tracks7
The Billboard Hot 10017
Top 40 Mainstream7

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999) Position
US Billboard 200[30] 77

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[31] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[32] Platinum 250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[33] Diamond 1,000,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[34] Gold 33,759[34]
France (SNEP)[35] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[36] Platinum 500,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[37] Platinum 200,000^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[38] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[39] Platinum 100,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[40] Gold 50,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[42] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[43] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[45] 7× Platinum 7,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year Winner Category
1993 "Livin' on the Edge" Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
1994 "Crazy" Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal

Metal Edge Readers' Choice Awards

Year Winner Category
1993 Get a Grip Album of the Year[4]
1993 "Livin' on the Edge" Best video

See also
  • Get a Grip Tour

References
  1. Huxley 2015, eBook, "Get a Grip, Geffen, April 1993".
  2. Big Ones (CD insert). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1994. GEFD-24716.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on 2013-07-25. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  4. Metal Edge, June 1994
  5. Balk This Way, Entertainment Weekly. By David Browne | Feb 05, 1993
  6. Washburn, Jim (July 31, 1993). "Aerosmith: New Grip on Fame : Comeback Rockers, at Pacific Amphitheatre, Revel in Album's Success". Los Angeles Times.
  7. Schiff, Devin (June 27, 2014). "Go Aerosmith: How "Head First" Became the First Digitally Downloadable Song 20 Years Ago Today". Vice.com. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  9. Browne, David (April 23, 1993). "Get a Grip Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  10. Christgau, Robert. "Aerosmith". Robert Christgau. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  11. Coleman, Mark (May 13, 1993). "Get a Grip by Aerosmith – Album Review". Rolling Stone. Jann S. Wenner. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  12. Davis, S. and Aerosmith: "Walk This Way", page 502-503. Avon, 1997
  13. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  14. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  15. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2014-05-24. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  16. "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 2013-05-07. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  17. "エアロスミスのCDアルバムランキング、エアロスミスのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  18. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  19. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". charts.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  20. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  21. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  22. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  23. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  24. "Aerosmith – Get A Grip". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  25. "Get a Grip – Aerosmith". billboard.com. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  26. "Aerosmith". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  27. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Livin' On The Edge". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  28. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Cryin'". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  29. Steffen Hung. "Aerosmith – Livin' On The Edge". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  30. Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  31. "Austrian album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  32. "Brazilian album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos.
  33. "Canadian album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip". Music Canada.
  34. "Aerosmith" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  35. "French album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  36. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Aerosmith; 'Get a Grip')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  37. "Japanese album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  38. "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Aerosmith in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Get a Grip in the box under TÍTULO
  39. "Dutch album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved November 27, 2019. Enter Get a Grip in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  40. "Polish album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
  41. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 937. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  42. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  43. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Aerosmith; 'Get a Grip')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  44. "British album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Get a Grip in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  45. "American album certifications – Aerosmith – Get a Grip". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 

Bibliography
  • Huxley, Martin (2015). Aerosmith: The Fall and the Rise of Rock's Greatest Band. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1250096531.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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