Back in the Saddle Tour
| Tour by Aerosmith | |
| Legs | 2 |
|---|---|
| No. of shows | 63 |
| Aerosmith concert chronology | |
The Back in the Saddle Tour was a comeback concert tour by the American rock group Aerosmith, which had been relatively inactive for several years. The tour began on June 22, 1984 in Concord, New Hampshire and ended on January 18, 1985 in Columbus, Ohio.
Formed in 1970, Aerosmith was on hard times by the early 1980s. Vocalist Steven Tyler had been drinking heavily, and his voice had suffered. Lead guitarist Joe Perry was addicted to heroin. The relationship between the two most prominent members of the band had deteriorated to "hostility". Discussing his relationship with Perry, Tyler said "I hated his guts. I said 'I never want to fucking play on the same stage with you again'."
Joe Perry quit the band in 1979 and embarked on solo career with The Joe Perry Project. Guitarist Brad Whitford also quit to work with Derek St. Holmes and later joined Perry's band. Most of Aerosmith's ventures without Perry and Whitford were unsuccessful. Many fans believed that this was the end of Aerosmith.
In 1983, the original band members "started drifting back together". Perry had kicked his heroin habit, and although Tyler was still drinking, he was in somewhat better control of himself. Tyler had concluded that "Time heals all wounds. Joe is nothing without me, and I'm nothing without him." They faced problems, however, as the "group had no current album or record deal." To jump start their career, the band decided on a tour of the United States, considering as many as 70 performances. In its final form, the tour consisted of 58 performances.
Doubts were expressed as to whether Aerosmith could make a comeback. "Cynics may suggest that the reunion dubbed the Back in the Saddle Tour is all the band has going for it. Aerosmith hasn't had a new album in two years."
The tour consisted of two legs with a three-month break at the midpoint. The tour "got a roar of approval from loyal fans", and it was described as "a rousing success". The band's tour income was "estimated as high as $3 million".
Encore:
The success of the tour "piqued the interest" of Geffen Records and "resulted in a new deal with Geffen."
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