Live Bootleg was released in 1978. Being Aerosmith's first live album, it included live versions of songs from all of their albums; AEROSMITH (Released in 1973, tracks that make an apperance on this album are Mama Kin and Dream On), GET YOUR WINGS (1974, included on this album are Lord Of The Thighs, SOS, and Train Kept A Rollin), TOYS IN THE ATTIC (1975, Toys In The Attic, Walk This Way, and Sweet Emotion), ROCKS (1976, Back In The Saddle, Sick As A Dog, Last Child), and DRAW THE LINE (1977, Draw The Line, Sight For Sore Eyes).This CD also includes a few songs not on these albums (The cover of the Beatle's Come Together, Chip Away The Stone, and two covers from an apperance at Pall's Mall in 1973 that is widely bootleged: Mother Popcorn and I Ain't Got You)

The original release on vinyl was on two records, and included a poster. The cover was meant to parody bootlegs of Aerosmith shows that surfaced. Infact, to make it seem more like a bootleg, they did not include "Draw The Line" on the tracklisting. This is from the 1978 show in Philadelphia at the Tower.

This is Aerosmith's at its raunchiest, rawest form. The band was heavily in drugs at the time and that is evident in the recordings. For example, in Dream On, Steven seems to struggle with the vocals in this song. But to me, this is what Aerosmith is. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Even the ugly is better than any music out there today. Aerosmith is up in your face for over an hour. Highlights of the album include a fast-paced Toys In The Attic, a 7+ minute Lord Of The Thighs jam, and the the two "club" numbers Mother Popcorn and I Ain't Got You. But really, the whole album is a highlight. Everything is so loose and rocking, it is the perfect defintion of what a live album should be. A lot of the tracks here are even better than their studio counterparts, for example, S.O.S., Walk This Way (which includes Joe Perry using the talkbox throughout the song), Train Kept A Rollin (incluiding Strangers in the Night), and Sight for Sore Eyes (which Stevens opens the song by asking "Are they gonna let you dance tonight?").

If you are only familiar with the new "polished" Aerosmith (see Just Push Play), you might have a little difficulty adjusting to the band as they were over 20 years ago. This is Aerosmith at its roots. This is Aerosmith before it was pressured by record companies to make pop songs. This is Aerosmith playing raw rock n roll. This is one album that should not be passed up by any fan of Aerosmith, or even rock music in general. This is one of the best live albums of all time and ranks at the top alongside Get Yer Ya-Yas Out and If You Want Blood.

Bootleg is a collection of live songs from their 77-78 tour (with the exception of Mother Popcorn from a 73 radio broadcast). For my money, Aerosmith is one of the greatest live bands ever, and this is a collection of some of their greatest songs, from the era before they were ever on MTV or even radio.

Some of the highlights:

If you consider yourself a fan of all that was Aerosmith, thenthis album should be yours. If your Aero pleasure consists ofanything beyond 1978, then you most likely won't enjoy it. Bootleg is a raw, sloppy, and murky collection of most of their hits, albeit performed live in a revved up manner. Yet, this is the Aerosmith I saw during those days and the Aerosmith that I enjoyed then as well. Nothing polished, nothing calculated, no anti-drug messages, no [nonsense]; simply a great live version of a once great band. Highlights: "Lord of the Thighs," which features tortured guitars and a nice extended jam, "Dream On," better than the studio version, and "Sick As A Dog," with some nice guitar work at the end. Low points: "Chip Away At The Stone," the beginning of the end for Aerosmith songwriting, "Come Together," a song they never should have covered, and "Back In The Saddle," which I say only because it can't compare to the multi-layered studio version and just doesn't come across well live. Don't waste your time on either of the "Classics Live" efforts. Side note: try this cd on for size using headphones and you get a great idea of the guitar interplay between Whitford and Perry.

This is the pinnacle of Aerosmith with all its raw gritty vocals and crunchy guitar over tones. Back in the day when they were on the road 24/7 and hit the stage liquored up everynight setting the venues on fire, this is the Aerosmith I remember.

Have the record, always enjoyed it compared with the newer live cd's out there. Seen them 3 times, although I wish they would do more of the older classics. The older classics they do in concert are usually the same 6 or so songs, Dream On, Walk This Way, Sweet Emotion, Mama Kin, etc. This cd, although right about when everything seemed to be burning out, draws classics out of the closets and cutting room floor and brings me to a concert I wish I was old enough at the time to see. Overall, a must have ! There is a hidden classic Aerosmith song on this release that is worth noting: "Draw The Line" and it is not listed on the cd and/or the cd cover.