Classics Live II (1987)
1.Back in the Saddle
2.Walk This Way
3.Movin' Out
4.Draw the Line
5.Same Old Song and Dance
6.Last Child
7.Let the Music Do the Talking
8.Toys in the Attic
Originally released as a counterpart to its predecessor, Classics Live II arrived clad in vivid red, following the dark blue of the first volume. At first glance, it seemed merely another compilation of familiar live tracks. Eight songs again. Similar format. But this record was a revelation — it pulsed with fresh energy, a reconnection of roots, and a newfound clarity of purpose. What made the difference?
The context, of course. Unlike the somewhat fractured backdrop of the earlier album, this live set emerged from a turning point in Aerosmith's history — the New Year’s Eve reunion show where Joe Perry and Brad Whitford returned to the fold. The result? A sound renewed. A band restored. There’s an audible electricity — the kind that only surfaces when a group rediscovers both its groove and its joy.
The set list leans heavily on fan favorites already heard in Live Bootleg, that benchmark of live rock power. So, at face value, the purchase might seem redundant. Yet dig deeper, and this collection stands apart. Two rare gems — the unjustly overlooked Movin’ Out, and Let the Music Do the Talking (borrowed from Perry’s own solo venture and later rerecorded for Done With Mirrors) — shift the weight. They lend historical depth and narrative shape, anchoring the album not just as a performance, but as a statement.
It's tempting to call this the band's finest live document. Despite its brevity — eight tracks — Classics Live II captures a moment of renewal. It's not perfection. But it is passion, and sometimes that’s the greater achievement.