Steven Tyler may be the most recognizable face in Aerosmith, but Joe Perry is as much at the heart of the band as the superstar vocalist. Perry is an excellent guitarist and some of his best performances in Aerosmith can be found in both major hits and some deeper cuts. Let’s take a look at just four of Joe Perry’s best performances!
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1. “Dream On”
We just couldn’t leave “Dream On” off of our list of Joe Perry’s best performances. It’s one of the band’s most famous tracks, after all. Released in 1975, “Dream On” features one of Perry’s best and most melodic guitar tracks from the start of the song.
It’s an absolute classic, and you can hear Perry’s psychedelic influence in the way he plays. There’s a little bit of Jimi Hendrix and maybe even The Yardbirds in there, but it’s all uniquely Joe Perry.
2. “Livin’ On The Edge”
Some of Joe Perry’s best performances have come from later-career hits, such as 1993’s “Livin’ On The Edge”. It’s a standout track on Get A Grip, and Perry’s jangly guitar track pulls the entirety of the song together.
You can hear a little bit of a Middle Eastern influence in the way he plays, so much so that it almost sounds like a divergence from Aerosmith. Still, that solo is like a much-welcomed punch to the gut.
3. “Lord Of The Thighs”
This somewhat underrated classic from Get Your Wings showcases some of Perry’s best guitar-playing from Aerosmith’s 1970s era. This riff is rough, jittery, and the perfect addition to the song.
Those guitar stabs give way to a more form-fitting riff that is, at its core, quite basic. But “simple” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad”; Perry knew what he was doing with this one.
4. “Sweet Emotion”
“Sweet Emotion” is one of Aerosmith’s most famous songs from 1975, and it also happens to boast one of Joe Perry’s best guitar performances. If you were around in the 1970s, you probably heard this song everywhere. If you’ve seen Dazed And Confused, you probably remember this song from the opening scene.
We’d be bold enough to say that Perry’s guitar riff on “Sweet Emotion” is one of the most influential little riffs in rock history.
Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel
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