Classics Live (1986)
1.The Train 'Kept A-Rollin
2.Kings and Queens
3.Sweet Emotion
4.Dream On
5.Mama Kin
6.Three Mile Smile/Reefer Head Woman
7.Lord of the Thighs
8.Major Barbara
Released in the aftermath of Aerosmith's reformation — and, notably, their departure to Geffen — CBS clearly sensed the opportunity to squeeze one last drop from the well. The result? Classic Live, a record that, by any meaningful standard, is more of a contractual sigh than a celebration of the band's early days.
The defining gimmick — if it can be called that — is the inclusion of the short-lived substitute duo of Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay, standing in for Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. A curious move. While Crespo had his moments (notably on Rock in a Hard Place), the chemistry, the grit — the pure Aerosmith DNA — just isn’t there. No disrespect intended; they do their best. But this is Aerosmith without the venom, without the slink, without the sting.
Worse still, six of the seven live cuts had already graced Live! Bootleg. One starts to wonder if this was a compilation made while half-asleep. A reheated stew with less spice and less soul. The only glimmer comes from the hybrid track Three Mile Smile/Reefer Head Woman, which, ironically, surpasses the studio original — not because it’s transcendent, but because everything around it is so staggeringly forgettable.
As if to pad the runtime, CBS lobs in Major Barbara, a previously unreleased early track. It’s a fine historical curio, no more, no less. A dash of starch on an otherwise wilted setlist.
This isn’t a bad album because the band wasn’t capable — it’s bad because no one cared enough to make it good. At best, it’s an aural footnote. For the completist only. Everyone else, steer clear and go straight to Live! Bootleg if you want the real sweat.