Aerosmith

 Today In 1988 Aerosmith released the album Gems

Boston, Massachusetts Hard Rock / Glam Metal / Proto-Metal

Status:Active

Years Active 1970 – present

Aerosmith is no longer a metal band, and haven't been for a long time, but they were certainly considered metal back in the seventies. They were big news back then, lapsed into obscurity in the early 80's, burst back into the rock spotlight with 1987's Permanent Vacation, and are now amazingly still active and quite popular as their career comes close to the thirty-year mark. Personal favorite songs would have to be "Nobody's Fault", "Back In The Saddle", "Toys In The Attic", and several others from those first few albums.

Columbia

Steven Tyler – lead vocals, harmonica, piano, producer

Tom Hamilton – bass

Joey Kramer – drums, percussion

Joe Perry – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Brad Whitford – rhythm and lead guitar

Additional musicians

Jimmy Crespo – lead guitar on "Jailbait"

Rick Dufay – rhythm guitar on "Jailbait"

David Woodford – Saxophone

Richard Supa – Piano

Scott Cushnie – Piano

Uncredited guitarist on some songs.

No. Title Writer(s) Length

1. "Rats in the Cellar" (from Rocks, 1976)) Steven Tyler, Joe Perry 4:06

2. "Lick and a Promise" (from Rocks) Tyler, Perry 3:05

3. "Chip Away the Stone" (previously unreleased studio version, live version released previously on Live! Bootleg, 1978) Richard Supa 4:01

4. "No Surprize" (from Night in the Ruts, 1979) Tyler, Perry 4:26

5. "Mama Kin" (from Aerosmith, 1973) Tyler 4:27

6. "Adam's Apple" (from Toys in the Attic, 1975) Tyler 4:34

7. "Nobody's Fault" (from Rocks) Brad Whitford, Tyler 4:18

8. "Round and Round" (from Toys in the Attic) Tyler, Whitford 5:03

9. "Critical Mass" (from Draw the Line, 1977) Tyler, Tom Hamilton, Jack Douglas 4:52

10. "Lord of the Thighs" (from Get Your Wings, 1974) Tyler 4:14

11. "Jailbait" (from Rock in a Hard Place, 1982) Tyler, Jimmy Crespo 4:39

12. "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (from Get Your Wings) Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann 5:41

Gems is a compilation album released by Aerosmith in 1988 under the label Columbia. It was the first compilation of studio material since 1980's Greatest Hits. Concentrating mainly on heavier material than the radio-friendly singles output on Greatest Hits, the album is noted for the inclusion of the 1978 studio version of "Chip Away The Stone" – previously released as a single from 1978's Live! Bootleg, only a live rendition of the song was released at the time. Originally scheduled for release on November 8, 1988, the album was delayed one week and issued on November 15, 1988.

In 2007 The album was released by Sony BMG as part of their 'Collections' series entitled 'Greatest Hits' and reissued the following year by Sony in their 'Steel Box' series