Aerosmith: The Road Starts Hear (1971)

Record Store Day came and went. I really had no interest other than this title by Aerosmith which is an album has had sitting in the vaults for 50 years.

I figured I had no chance at getting this seven song album as Tbay has one store that does RSD but they get nothing as I gave up on going to get my hopes up.

My hopes were further dashed when last Sunday I went to Discogs to see if there were any Canadian Sellers who had posted copies of  “The Road Starts Hear” for a decent price.

Umm about that for a second…

Two stores in Canada (one in Winnipeg and one in Toronto who shall remain nameless) each had copies.  The problem was one store had it for $58 Canadian and the other had it for $63 Canadian.

I put both of them in my Discogs checkout but I had a real problem pushing click to pay as the word “Gouging” came into my mind.

The Toronto store was selling it for $45 U.S without shipping. Selling it in Canada and having to pay for it in American is a fucking joke.

So I gave up and deleted both out of my Discogs checkout.

So come Monday night I went to Encore Records (based in Kitchener) as I have ordered from the owner Mark before and he’s delivered.

I have Encore book marked  on my computer as I check what they post online almost daily.

It’s about supporting local even if the shop isn’t in my town.

This past Monday I went under RSD Titles on the Encore website and there it was…

“Aerosmith The Road Starts Here” for $24 Canadian!

There is no way around shipping through Canada Post meaning you’re going to get dinged a minimum of $16.

Regardless I had to get it before it was gone and once I clicked and paid for it it came up as Sold Out.

One and done. Right place right time!

I will add that Mark for running a local record shop is awesome to deal with. Sent him a message thanking him for not running the price up and even better it took only three days to get here to Tbay.

Now as many of you know, John T. Snow is reviewing the whole Aero catalog over at his site so I know in due time he will be doing this album in a track by track break down.

Snowman is a master at that kind of thing so instead I’m just going to post a couple of thoughts…

Wherever in Boston this was recorded I can honestly say the sound is amazing. Boggles my mind that they sat on these tracks til now but boy am I glad this is out now.

It almost sounds like a party is going on at the start of the album as the band launches into “Somebody.”

These tracks have a Stones like influence about them which is not surprising but you can hear for yourselves how these guys were starting to figure out the craft at writing tunes.

“Dream On” is pretty much in its finished form but its cool to hear Tyler at the piano at the end of the song figuring out what would become “You See Me Crying” which wouldn’t come out until the “Toys In The Attic” record dropped four years later in 1975.

This is Aero Rock N Roll in its primitive state. Writing tracks that would make up the debut self titled a few years later.  A cover of “Reefer Headed Woman” would not show up on a Aero record until ’79’s “Night In The Ruts” release as by then the creative well had dried up due to the lifestyle of the band catching up to them.

The packaging is really cool as well. A total throwback vibe in not only the look but the layout as well.

Man, I need to call Joe as he left me his phone number in the pic above! Maybe he will come on “Scotch On The Rocks”.

A very cool score and I’m sure knowing how cool this is Aero will get around to releasing it digitally and on CD at some point.

“The Road Starts Hear” is a must own of any fan of Aerosmith.