Back in the Saddle Again: Aerosmith's "Rocks" Receives Lavish Japanese Reissue

Sony Music Japan has an interesting treat for Aerosmith fans this week: a special anniversary edition of the band's classic Rocks with all sorts of bonus swag.

The news of new Japanese remaster/reissues of Columbia's Aerosmith catalogue (as well as some Joe Perry Project titles) wouldn't normally be much to write about on The Second Disc. All sorts of SHM-CD remasters and repackaged titles come out in the East all the time. But the particularly lavish treatment of Rocks, in honor of the LP's 35-year mark, is worth noting for fans and collectors of all things Aero.

When Rocks was released in the spring of 1976, its massive shipment quantities - one of the first to ship platinum - weren't the only impressive thing about it. The follow-up to the massively successful Toys in the Attic (no sales slouch itself, with 8 million copies sold in the U.S.) was pure early Aerosmith: hummable tunes that still rocked the life out of the competition. (Indeed, some of the heaviest guitarists of the past quarter-century, including Slash of Guns N' Roses, James Hetfield of Metallica and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, have cited Rocks as an influence.) Top 40 hits like "Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child" were standouts, but so were bluesy cuts like "Rats in the Cellar," "Nobody's Fault" and "Home Tonight," which helped take the album all the way up to No. 3 on the Billboard charts, with some 4 million copies sold.

For this edition of Rocks, which is being reissued alongside the other Aerosmith albums in Japan to celebrate the band's forthcoming tour dates in the country, a host of collectibles will be included in the set, including replicas of the 28-page tour program issued when the band first toured Japan, a replica poster for a show at the famed Nippon Budokan, a replica ticket stub, reproductions of three single picture sleeves ("Home Tonight," "Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child" and four postcards, all housed in a clear plastic case.

The new Rocks package is available in Japan on November 2 and can be ordered here.

Aerosmith, Rocks: Japanese 35th Anniversary Edition (originally released as Columbia PC 34165, 1976 - reissued Sony Music (JP), 2011)

Back in the Saddle
Last Child
Rats in the Cellar
Combination
Sick as a Dog
Nobody's Fault
Get the Lead Out
Lick and a Promise
Home Tonight

Mike Duquette

Mike Duquette (Founder) was fascinated with catalog music ever since he was a teenager. A 2009 graduate of Seton Hall University with a B.A. in journalism, Mike paired his profession with his passion through The Second Disc, one of the first sites to focus on all reissue labels great and small. His passion for reissues turned into a career, holding positions at Legacy Recordings and Rhino Records and contributing to Allmusic, Discogs, City Pages, Ultimate Classic Rock and Mondo Records, for whom he penned liner notes for his favorite piece of music: John Williams' Oscar-winning score to 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.' Born and raised in New Jersey, Mike lives in Astoria, Queens with his wife, a cat named Ravioli, twin daughters and a large yet tasteful collection of music.

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