AEROSMITH – MTV Unplugged, Ed Sullivan Theater NY, August 11th 1990 remastered (2024)

As requested, here’s the AEROSMITH performance they did for MTV Unplugged recorded at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, on August 11th 1990. Oddly, this terrific set never was officially released on CD or any other format.

Fortunately, now it’s being available a good quality sound remastered version. Despite the show was professionally recorded by MTV, the previous bootlegs circulating were muddy. This 2024 release is still a bootleg, however this time we enjoy a proper sound.
It’s a mystery why ”AEROSMITH – MTV Unplugged” wasn’t officially released, especially since the “Unplugged” trend was big at the time, and bands that did release their “Unplugged” concerts often sold millions of copies.
This is not just “acoustic” – Aerosmith played as a full band, including drums and some electric guitar slide, and there’s a resulting ‘big sound’. That night the band performed some cover songs they didn’t normally do, for instance “Love Me Two Times” by the Doors, “Smokestack Lightning” by Howlin’ Wolf, and “Milk Cow Blues” by Kokomo Arnold (which was done by Elvis Presley and The Kinks as well, by the way).
They also did some covers that they put on well-known albums: “Big Ten Inch Record,” “Walking the Dog,” and “Train Kept A-Rollin’.” Of course we find classics as well such as ”Dream On”, “Toys in the Attic”, “Last Child”, and more.

At the beginning of the 1990s, Aerosmith were celebrating a high point in their career. In the wake of 1987′ s Permanent Vacation, which had gone 5 x platinum and spawned the Top 20 singles Dude (Looks Like A Lady), Rag Doll and Angel , their 1989 follow up Pump was an even greater success.
With four hit singles, all on heavy rotation at MTV, Pump was certified 7 x Platinum in the U.S. alone, and earned Aerosmith their first Grammy award for the song Janie Got A Gun. In addition, Janie also received two MTV Video Music Awards, and is still regularly featured in lists of all-time great videos.

In support of the album, the group embarked on the year-long Pump Tour, which saw Aerosmith play 166 shows across the U.S., Europe and Asia. The tour featured a staggering selection of support artists, including Metallica, Poison and Skid Row.
The band also played many high-profile TV and radio shows, including The Howard Stern Show and Saturday Night Live. On the latter, they appeared in a Wayne’s World sketch, during which they discussed the fall of the Soviet Union and performed Janie Got A Gun and Monkey On My Back. Entertainment Television would later rank this appearance as the No. 1 moment in the program’s history.

On 11th August 1990, Aerosmith performed this “Unplugged” show. Recorded and filmed at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theatre for transmission as part of MTV’s then regular concert series ”Unplugged”, the event was a musical departure for the band, but a wholly worthwhile and thrilling show.
During a period where Aerosmith were being described as the biggest Rock band in the world, they played a broad range of classics from across their back catalogue, including covers of blues songs in the Aerosmith fashion.
A great set, and a different side from this impressive band.
Highly Recommended

1 – Hangman Jury (Live)
2 – Monkey on My Back (Live)
3 – Love Me Two Times (Live)
4 – Seasons of Wither (Live)
5 – Big Ten Inch Record (Live)
6 – One Way Street (Live)
7 – Smokestack Lightining (Live)
8 – Dream On (Live)
9 – Milk Cow Blues (Live)
10 – Toys in the Attic (Live)
11 – Walkin’ the Dog (Live)
12 – Tryin’ Kept a Rollin’ (Live)
13 – Tryin’ Kept a Rollin’ (Slow Version) (Live)
14 – Last Child (Live)

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