Disco de Aerosmith: “Rockin' the Joint”

Granted based on the reviews I have read, most will not agree with me but this album, especially after the hype is a disappointment. The quality is there, but you would think one of the greatest live acts of all time would get the concept of a live album. I even read in a couple of interviews where Joe Perry was quoted as saying Aerosmith wanted to put out a COMPLETE live show> Where is it? This is a collection of live tracks from the same show, but I want the show, the entire package. That is a true live album, something that allows you to get the emotion and vibe from that evening. I would think after placing interviews in the middle of the last DVD that prevented you from watching the show in its entirety would have been enough for the record company, or whoever makes these decisions to figure out what the fans wanted, but obviously, someone does not get it. However, the record company has no problem releasing a double disc greatest hits package every Christmas. C'mon people, I have seen you 15 times since 1977, I want some real live albums, one night, complete set, all of Tyler's banter, even the screw-ups. I can remember when you cats used to crank out Peter gun or the theme from Batman, Give us the Rocks tour, or show some guts and give us the done with mirrors tour, heck just re release this album in its complete form. Just put out a true live album

I would have given this a 5 star rating but I cannot stand the Just Push Play songs and I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. This album is also missing song selections from the best Aerosmith album of all time...Rocks. Get rid of Miss a Thing and add Rats in the Cellar, Back in the Saddle, or Nobody's Fault. Or how about Sick as a Dog? Get rid of the Just Push Play songs and add in some Rocks and this album would have been a masterpiece.

But I am happy to see some of the other rare songs like Seasons of Wither and No More No More. But this album is in bad need of some Rocks.

Rockin the Joint is Aerosmith's newest live album. Rockin the Joint is an unsual and slightly disappointing live album. I am pleased with songs like No More No More, Seasons of Wither, Big Ten Inch Record, and Train Kept a Rollin' appearing on Aerosmith's live album. What disappoints me is that after releasing albums for thirty-two years someone thinks a twelve song live album is a good idea? You can't sum up Aerosmith's thirty-two year career with a single disc. It would have been much better if Rockin the Joint was a double disc set of the whole concert. I last saw Aerosmith on their Honkin on Bobo tour, and was blown away, by both the performances and the great set list. Do yourself a favor and catch Aerosmith on tour instead of buying this.

Some reviewers here have some specifics wrong, but what they got right is that Rockin' The Joint is an amazing album. The only songs that have not been officially released as live versions are Beyond Beautiful, No More No More, Seasons Of Wither, Light Inside, and IDWMAT. Big Ten Inch Record and Rattlesnake Shake were live on Pandora's Box, though not as good as this.

Now, previous Aerosmith live albums had songs chosen from different concerts. That's not realistic...taking the best songs from various shows. These songs are all from one show, and they eliminated songs that real fans just don't want to hear anymore...Jaded, Pink, Cryin', Love In An Elevator, and a couple others. That's why the normal CD version only has 11 songs. It was weeded down to great, mostly 1970's songs, most of which we haven't heard before.

On the DVD side of the dualdisc, we also get Dream On and Sweet Emotion. Those can easily be ripped to mp3s, so instead of 11 songs, you now have 13.

Other versions (sold at Target, I think, and a Japanese version) have three more songs ... one version has Livin' On The Edge and What It Takes, so that's 15 songs, and a different version of RTJ has Toys In The Attic, too, so that's 16. If you're willing to search the internet for a few minutes, you could probably find these songs, if not just buying those versions.

So basically, there are 16 songs to get from RTJ, and they aren't the same old overplayed songs from recent years. They're real gems (aside from IDWMAT) that real, hardcore fans have wanted to hear for a long time. The sound and video are excellent, and the band is in top form.

And to comment on another review, it's not just Joe who has incredible solos in this product, or any other Aerosmith CD. Brad Whitford plays some amazing stuff. Just check out Same Old Song And Dance, Big Ten Inch Record, Rattlesnake Shake, Train Kept A Rollin.....

Just one other note - Some reviewers are saying that Uncle Salty and Sick As A Dog, played at this show, should have been included on Rockin' The Joint. Well Uncle Salty was probably only about a minute long...it was not the whole song. It was just sort of a slightly improv'd ~1 minute version of it, used to segue into Sweet Emotion. So it's not like a whole song we missed out on. And Sick As A Dog COULD NOT be included, even if it was the whole show that got released on Rockin' The Joint. There were sound problems during the performance, and it was all messed up. So the recording of the song from this show doesn't really exist, since it got messed up.

I don't know that Aerosmith needed to release another live set but let's be glad they did. This one is superior to their others in several ways. First, this was recorded at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Vegas, a much smaller venue than their previous live recordings. This allows you to feel closer to the band and the music and provides a much better sound quality. Also, their performance on this disc is amazing. Tyler's voice is strong and forceful and the band as a unit sounds better than I've ever heard them. Joe Perry's solos smoke anything else you've probably heard recently. The song selection is up and down for me. Two songs from Just Push Play are included, "Beyond Beautiful" and "Light Inside". There's nothing horrid about these songs, there are just so many stronger ones they could have gone with. On the other hand, I was thrilled to hear "No More, No More" and "Seasons of Wither" performed with such reverance and energy. I even enjoyed "Don't want to Miss a Thing" in all its treacly, mushy glory.

I would be careful in buying the Dualdisc version as the disc doesn't play in all CD players. I can listen to this in my car and on my MAC at work but not on my expensive stereo at home. Not a good technology.