CLASSICS LIVE! (1986)

Details:

CBS/Columbia C/FC/CT/CK-40329 (USA, 4/7/86)
CBS/Columbia CT/CK-57369 (USA, 1993)

Tracks:

A1. Train Kept A Rollin' (3:23) - Tiny Bradshaw, Lois Mann, Howard Kay
A2. Kings and Queens (4:39) - Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Steven Tyler, Brad Whitford, Jack Douglas
A3. Sweet Emotion (5:07) - Steven Tyler, Tom Hamilton
A4. Dream On (5:08) - Steven Tyler
B1. Mama Kin (3:42) - Steven Tyler
B2. Three Mile Smile / Reefer Head Woman (4:53) - Steven Tyler, Joe Perry / Lester Melrose, Joseph Bennett, Willie Gillum
B3. Lord of the Thighs (6:42) - Steven Tyler
B4. Major Barbra (4:00) - Steven Tyler

Notes:

Executive producers: David Krebs and Steve Leber. Produced by Paul O'Neill and except B4 produced by Paul O'Neill & Tony Bongiovi; Engineered by James Ball, Grey Russell and Thom Panuzio assisted by Teddy Treewella, Paul Special, and Carol Cariefro. Tracks A1, B1-B3 recorded live at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA, Feb. 14, 1984; Track A2 recorded live at the Music Hall, Boston, MA, Mar. 28, 1978; Track A3 recorded live at the Civic Center, Huntington, WV, Dec. 12, 1982; Track A4 recorded live at the Capital Center, Largo, MD, Nov. 9, 1978; Track B4 different to the "Unreleased Alternative Version" released on Pandora's Box in 1991, though the differences sound more like some doubled vocals, different mixing, and lack of the harmonica solo than being a different takes. Notable overdubs: A2 (3:13, solo intro).

Brad Whitford: "We think it's nice that our name is being kept in lights and stuff, but we didn't have anything to do with the release. There are a couple of things on in we're not real happy about, but if people enjoy it, fine. If they don't, all we can say is we're sorry. We had nothing to do with it" (Indianapolis News, 5/16/86). Steven concurred, "I'd be more than glad to put out a 'Classics Live' album as long as I'm consulted. Had we been, we would have made different choices" (Boston Globe, 5/23/86).

Performance credits:

Steven Tyler - vocals
Joe Perry - guitars on A2, A4, and B4
Brad Whitford - guitars on A2, A4, and B4
Tom Hamilton - bass
Joey Kramer - drums
Jimmy Crespo - guitars on A1, A3, and B1-B3
Rick DuFay - guitars on A1, A3, and B1-B3

Chart Action:

Chart Peak (USA): #84 (6/14/86) with 12 weeks on the Billboard charts. The album also reached #71 on Cashbox (5/17/86) during a 20-week run. Other countries: N.A.

Singles:

While no supporting singles were issued from the album, a compilation clip video for "Dream On," directed by Marty Callner for Cream Cheese Productions, was distributed in July 1986.

RIAA/Sales:

Certified Gold by the RIAA on Jul. 22, 1991 and Platinum on Feb. 26, 2001. During the SoundScan era, the album had sold 524,771 copies between 1991 and 2007.