Draw the Line
Encyclopedia
Draw the Line is the fifth album by American hard rock
band Aerosmith
, released December 1, 1977. The album was recorded in an abandoned convent near New York City, rented out for that purpose. The band lived there while recording the album, doing drugs, sleeping, eating, shooting guns, and driving their sports cars in between recording sessions.
At the time of release the band was considered big enough that the name didn't appear on the front of the album artwork. The portrait of the band was drawn by renowned celebrity caricaturist Al Hirschfeld
.
Kerrang!
magazine listed the album at No. 37 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, released December 1, 1977. The album was recorded in an abandoned convent near New York City, rented out for that purpose. The band lived there while recording the album, doing drugs, sleeping, eating, shooting guns, and driving their sports cars in between recording sessions.
At the time of release the band was considered big enough that the name didn't appear on the front of the album artwork. The portrait of the band was drawn by renowned celebrity caricaturist Al Hirschfeld
Al Hirschfeld
Albert "Al" Hirschfeld was an American caricaturist best known for his simple black and white portraits of celebrities and Broadway stars.-Personal life:Born in St...
.
Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine listed the album at No. 37 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".
Side one
Side two
Personnel
- Steven TylerSteven TylerSteven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
- lead vocals - Joe PerryJoe Perry (musician)Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals - Brad WhitfordBrad WhitfordBradford Ernest Whitford is the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith. He graduated Reading Memorial High School in 1970.-Career:...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Tom HamiltonTom Hamilton (musician)Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton is an American musician, best known as the bassist of hard rock band Aerosmith. He has co-written two of Aerosmith's hits, "Sweet Emotion" and "Janie's Got a Gun". Hamilton occasionally plays guitar and sings backing vocals Thomas William "Tom" Hamilton (born...
- bass - Joey KramerJoey KramerJoseph Michael "Joey" Kramer is the drummer for the American hard rock band Aerosmith....
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Additional personnel
- Stan Bronstein - SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Scott Cushnie - PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Jack Douglas - mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
- Karen Lawrence - KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Backing vocals - Paul Prestopino - BanjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
Production
- Producers: Aerosmith, Jack Douglas
- Executive producers: David Krebs, Steve Leber
- Engineer: Jay MessinaJay MessinaJay Messina is an American audio engineer, mastering and mixing engineer and music producer. He started out recording sessions for legendary arranger Don Ellion and quickly promoted to A&R Recording. He later moved to the Record Plant when it opened in 1968...
- Assistant engineer: Sam Ginsberg
- Mastering: George Marino
- Arrangers: Aerosmith, Jack Douglas
- Art direction: David Krebs, Steve Leber
- Cover illustration: Al HirschfeldAl HirschfeldAlbert "Al" Hirschfeld was an American caricaturist best known for his simple black and white portraits of celebrities and Broadway stars.-Personal life:Born in St...
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Billboard 200 | 11 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "Draw the Line Draw the Line (song) "Draw the Line" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, and was released in 1977 as the first single from the album Draw the Line. It peaked at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100... " |
The Billboard Hot 100 | 42 |
| 1978 | "Kings and Queens Kings and Queens (Aerosmith song) "Kings and Queens" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, and Jack Douglas, their producer, who helped the band write many of the songs on Draw the Line. The song first appeared on the album Draw the Line... " |
The Billboard Hot 100 | 70 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA - USA | Gold | December 9, 1977 |
| Platinum | December 13, 1977 | |
| 2× Platinum | August 16, 1996 | |
| CIA – Canada | Gold | Dec 01, 1977 |