Get a Grip
Encyclopedia
Get a Grip is the 11th studio album by American
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...

 rock
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 in April 1993 by Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...

. Get a Grip was the band's last studio album to be released by Geffen before they returned to Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...

.

Get a Grip featured guests including Don Henley
Don Henley
Donald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...

, who sang backup on "Amazing", and Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...

, who offered backup vocals and collaboration to "Line Up". As on Permanent Vacation
Permanent Vacation (album)
Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in August 1987 by Geffen Records.The album marks a turning point in the band's career. It is their first album to employ professional songwriters, instead of featuring material solely composed by members of the...

and Pump
Pump (album)
*After the end of "What It Takes" there is a brief, untitled, instrumental hidden track composed and performed by Randy Raine-Reusch. This was not included on all the releases in all countries.-Bonus track :-Lawsuit:...

, this album featured numerous song collaborators from outside the band including: Desmond Child
Desmond Child
Desmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...

, Jim Vallance
Jim Vallance
James Douglas "Jim" Vallance, OC is a retired Canadian musician, songwriter, arranger and producer based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. He is best known as the former songwriting partner of Canadian international recording artist Bryan Adams...

, Mark Hudson, Richie Supa, Taylor Rhodes
Taylor Rhodes
Taylor Laurence Rhodes is an American songwriter, producer, and musician from Nashville, Tennessee, most notable for his work with hard rock band Aerosmith since 1993.-Music Career:In 1993, he co-wrote the big hit "Cryin'" with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry...

, Jack Blades
Jack Blades
Jack Martin Blades is an American musician. He has worked in several bands: Rubicon, Night Ranger , and Damn Yankees . He also recorded with Tommy Shaw under the name Shaw/Blades, and has done work alongside TMG, the Tak Matsumoto Group...

 and Tommy Shaw
Tommy Shaw
Tommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....

.

Get a Grip became Aerosmith's best-selling studio album worldwide, achieving sales of over 20 million copies, and is tied with Pump
Pump (album)
*After the end of "What It Takes" there is a brief, untitled, instrumental hidden track composed and performed by Randy Raine-Reusch. This was not included on all the releases in all countries.-Bonus track :-Lawsuit:...

for their second best-selling album in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, selling over 7 million copies as of 1995. This also made it their third consecutive album with US 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
Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011.The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...

, in 1993 and 1994.

Reception

In his Allmusic review for Get a Grip, Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...

 said the album failed compared to Pump because he thinks the band was trying too hard to have a hit and it didn't have any depth to it, but he feels the album still "sounds good". Mark Coleman, for his Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

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
Walk This Way
"Walk This Way" is a song by American hard rock group Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the 1975 album Toys in the Attic. It peaked at Number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977, part of a string of successful hit...

", 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
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...

 song and feels that a problem with the album comes from the outside songwriters/collaborators. Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...

, however, feels on Get a Grip that they are trying many different things on the album and that they are really good at trying something new, like the song "Cryin'" and he gave it their best review since 1980's Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Aerosmith album)
Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released by Columbia Records in October 1980. It went multi-platinum and contained the hits that made the band an icon of the 1970s rock era...

. Ben Mitchell called the album "soft" and "shallow" but considered "Eat the Rich" and "Crazy" standout tracks.

Track listing

Immediately after "Amazing," a snippet of "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well
Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well
"Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well" is a 1945 song performed by Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra. With Wynonie Harris on vocals, "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well" became Lucky Millinder's most successful release on both the pop and R&B charts...

," by Lucky Millinder
Lucky Millinder
Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder was an American rhythm and blues and swing bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical taste made his bands successful...

, 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.

Bonus track (international version)

"Can't Stop Messin'" is track 13 on the international version, bumping the remaining two tracks down to 14 and 15.

Additional B-sides and alternative versions

Don't Stop

Head First

Amazing (Orchestral Version)

Livin' On The Edge (Acoustic Version)

Personnel

  • Steven Tyler
    Steven Tyler
    Steven 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
    Lead vocalist
    The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...

    , harmonica
    Harmonica
    The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...

     on "Cryin'"
  • Joe Perry
    Joe 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...

     – lead guitar
    Lead guitar
    Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...

    , backing vocals
    Backing vocalist
    A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...

    , lead vocals
    Lead vocalist
    The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...

     on "Walk on Down"
  • Brad Whitford
    Brad Whitford
    Bradford Ernest Whitford is the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith. He graduated Reading Memorial High School in 1970.-Career:...

     – guitar
    Guitar
    The 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 Hamilton
    Tom 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
    Bass guitar
    The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

  • Joey Kramer
    Joey Kramer
    Joseph Michael "Joey" Kramer is the drummer for the American hard rock band Aerosmith....

     – drum
    Drum kit
    A 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 ....

    s, percussion
    Percussion instrument
    A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...



Additional personnel

  • Paul Baron – trumpet
    Trumpet
    The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...

  • Desmond Child
    Desmond Child
    Desmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...

     – keyboards on "Crazy"
  • Bruce Fairbairn
    Bruce Fairbairn
    Bruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...

     – trumpet
  • Don Henley
    Don Henley
    Donald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...

     – background vocals on "Amazing"
  • Sandy Kanaeholo – log drums on "Eat the Rich"
  • Tom Keenlyside
    Tom Keenlyside
    Tom Keenlyside is a Juno Award-winning saxophonist and jazz flute player from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.- Biography :Born and raised in Vancouver, Keenlyside took up the trumpet in 1962 at the age of 12, and played in various rhythm and blues bands throughout the 1960s. He played is first...

     – saxophone
    Saxophone
    The 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...

  • 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
    Baritone saxophone
    The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...

  • Bob Rogers – trombone
    Trombone
    The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...

  • 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
    John Webster (musician)
    John Webster is a musician, engineer and producer who primarily plays keyboards. He was a member of Tom Cochrane's Red Rider from 1984 until they disbanded in 1989...

     – keyboards

Production

  • Producer: Bruce Fairbairn
    Bruce Fairbairn
    Bruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...

  • Engineers: John Aguto, Ed Korengo, Ken Lomas, Mike Plotnikoff, David Thoener
  • Pre Production Engineer: Tony Lentini
  • Mixing: Brendan O'Brien
    Brendan O'Brien (music producer)
    Brendan O’Brien is a record producer, mixer, engineer, and musician.At age 14, O'Brien played guitar for the Atlanta-based cover band Pranks. In the late 1970s, he moved on to writing, performing and recording with the Samurai Catfish band...

  • Mastering: Greg Fulginiti
    Greg Fulginiti
    Gregory Fulginiti is an American recording and mastering engineer.In a career spanning three decades, Fulginiti was nominated for the TEC Awards by Mix magazine 6 times, earned 175 Gold and Platinum Awards, 25 Multi-Platinum Awards, 100 Number One recordings, 135 Grammy nominees, including the...

     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
    John Kalodner
    John David Kalodner is a retired American A&R executive. His achievements included signing Foreigner, AC/DC, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins to Atlantic Records in the seventies....

     : John Kalodner
    John Kalodner
    John David Kalodner is a retired American A&R executive. His achievements included signing Foreigner, AC/DC, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins to Atlantic Records in the seventies....


Charts

Album
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australia (Top 40) 3
Austria (Top 75) 3
Canada RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...

100 Albums
2
France (InfoDisc) 24
Netherlands (Top 100) 2
New Zealand (Top 50) 9
Norway (Top 40
VG-lista
VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by...

)
3
Switzerland (Top 100) 1
Sweden (Top 60) 3
US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

1
UK (Top 100
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

)
2


Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1993 "Amazing
Amazing (Aerosmith song)
"Amazing" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and longtime band friend and collaborator Richie Supa...

"
US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Mainstream Rock Tracks 
3
US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 
24
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream
Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs)
The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart...

 
9
UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

 
57
"Cryin'" US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 1
US Billboard Hot 100 12
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 11
UK Singles Chart 17
Norway Top 20 1
Sweden Top 60 3
Schweizer Top 75 4
"Eat the Rich
Eat the Rich (Aerosmith song)
"Eat the Rich" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Jim Vallance. It was released as the second single from the band's 1993 album Get a Grip. The song had success on rock radio, peaking at number five on the Mainstream Rock Tracks...

"
Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 5
UK Singles Chart 34
"Fever
Fever (Aerosmith song)
-Content:Brooks' country rock-generated version featured altered lyrics, describing a rodeo star addicted to his profession . The cover was included on his album Fresh Horses. That album's second single, it peaked #23 on the U.S...

"
Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 5
"Livin' on the Edge
Livin' on the Edge
"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in 1993 as the first single from the band's commercially successful album Get a Grip...

"
Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 1
Billboard Hot 100 18
Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 19
UK Singles Chart 19
Australian Top 50 21
Norway Top 20 4
1994 "Crazy
Crazy (Aerosmith song)
"Crazy" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith and written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Desmond Child. It was the final single from Aerosmith's massively successful 1993 album Get a Grip. It was released as a single in 1994 and peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the...

"
Mainstream Rock Tracks 7
The Billboard Hot 100 17
Top 40 Mainstream 7

End of decade charts

Chart (1990–1999) Position
U.S. Billboard 200 77

Certifications

Organization Level Date
IFPI – Sweden Gold (20,000 units) 1987–1998
Platinum (40,000 units)
BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...

 – U.K.
Silver (60,000 units) May 1, 1993
Gold (100,000 units)
Platinum (300,000 units) October 1, 1994
RIAA – U.S. Gold (500,000 units) June 23, 1993
Platinum (1,000,000 units)
2× Platinum(2,000,000 units) September 13, 1993
3× Platinum(3,000,000 units) January 12, 1994
4× Platinum(4,000,000 units) April 19, 1994
5× Platinum(5,000,000 units) September 15, 1994
6× Platinum(6,000,000 units) December 6, 1994
7× Platinum(7,000,000 units) November 7, 1995
CIA – Canada Gold(50,000 units) Apr 19, 1993
Platinum(100,000 units) Apr 19, 1993
2× Platinum(200,000 units) Jun 09, 1993
3× Platinum(300,000 units) Sep 29, 1993
4× Platinum(400,000 units) Nov 11, 1993
5× Platinum(500,000 units) Nov 30, 1993
6× Platinum(600,000 units) Feb 24, 1994
7× Platinum(700,000 uits) Jun 22, 1994
8× Platinum(800,000 units) Jul 25, 1994
Diamond(1,000,000 units) Nov 18, 1994
IFPI – Finland Gold (10,000 units) 1994
ABPD
Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos
The Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos is an official representative body of the record labels in the Brazilian phonographic market.- About :...

 – Brazil
2× Gold(200,000 units) 1995, 1996

Awards

Grammy Awards
Year Winner Category
1993 "Livin' on the Edge
Livin' on the Edge
"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in 1993 as the first single from the band's commercially successful album Get a Grip...

"
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011.The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...

1994 "Crazy
Crazy (Aerosmith song)
"Crazy" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith and written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Desmond Child. It was the final single from Aerosmith's massively successful 1993 album Get a Grip. It was released as a single in 1994 and peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the...

"
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011.The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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