AEROSMITH – Devil’s Got A New Disguise – The Very Best of Aerosmith (2006 Sony BMG)
Aren’t contracts a bitch? Aerosmith thinks so too. Eager to complete their contract with Sony, but sidelined by Tom Hamilton’s throat cancer, the band chose to release yet another greatest hits album. This being their third since the release of their last original studio album, Just Push Play.
Devil’s Got A New Disguise is nice in one respect. It’s one of only a few compilations that covers the “old days”, the 80’s, and the 90’s. It also contains a number of single versions that aren’t on the studio albums. There have been so many Aero-collections, however, that I’ve lost track of where else you can get these single versions.
From the early days, only five songs are included, from three albums. It’s a shame that somebody thought this was a good idea. Where’s “Same Old Song and Dance”? Then the Run DMC hit collaboration “Walk This Way” is up, in its familiar single edit. The Geffen years follow, which were chock full of hit after hit after hit. I am so, so sick of the Geffen years from sheer overplay, although “Angel” is conspicuous by its absence. (It is on the UK version of Devil’s Got A New Disguise, which had five different songs.)
The rarities here include single edits and remixes. “What It Takes” (one of the songs I’m not sick of) is present in edited and remixed form, the same version you probably heard on the radio. “Crazy” and “Livin’ On the Edge” are also single edits, and a “pop mix” of “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” is included. Whoopee! I really don’t know if I had these already or not, to be honest. I have a lot of Aero-singles.
The bait to buy this is two new songs: “Sedona Sunrise”, and “Devil’s Got a New Disguise”. Both are actually songs that were written 15 years prior for Pump, and reworked several times, so you can’t even accuse Aerosmith of writing new songs. Since “Devil’s Got A New Disguise” (formerly known as “Susie Q”) failed to make Pump, Get A Grip, Nine Lives, Just Push Play, or any of the hits albums featuring two news songs previous to this one (Big Ones and O, Yeah!), then you know it can’t be very good. And it’s not. The modern production on it is shit. “Sedona Sunrise”, a soft one, is a bit better.
For your money, a better Aerosmith compilation with the exact same span of coverage but with two CDs of music is O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits. It too had its own duo of new songs, more classics and double the playing time.
2/5 stars
mikeladano.com 
I only own one Aerosmith greatest hits album: Big Ones. All I need.
Mind you, that’s probably because I own all the studio albums too, up to JPP….. which very rarely gets played. Always thought Nine Lives was an underrated album too. Some cracking songs on there.
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Nine Lives is underrated…best album post-Pump I would say. I liked it a lot when it came out. I haven’t played it in years though. I bought it twice, I later found an import with a bonus track that had Joe Perry singing lead.
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As Bruce Dickinson said in Dive, Dive, Live
“Corrrrr you must be a record collector or something” ;)
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Bruce would know I think!
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I’ve just had Toys on the Attic on this week, hard to find much to complain about on that one!
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Agreed, can’t go wrong, loads of hits. The first five really, are all pretty solid records.
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There’s a Smiths song (Paint a Vulgar Picture) where Morrissey exclaims, “reissue! repackage! repackage!” as a criticism of the record label cash in.
Though he spoke a bit too soon – I don’t know if they’ve caught up to Aerosmith yet but the amount of Smiths/Morrissey-solo ‘best of/most of’ compilations is obscene!
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Morrissey is a bit of a…how do I say this nicely? I can’t. He’s a twat!
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I’ve only got Big Ones (that’s what she said… ba dum tish). I’m with John Sturm – it’s about all I need, though I do still wanna get the old original red covered one, to get more of the old tracks. Taranna, perhaps.
Truth to tell tell, I didn’t even know this set existed. Clearly, I stopped paying attention to Aero hits sets. They seem to proliferate, like unchecked rabbits.
In fact, this could have been a Series here at Lebrain’s. A whole week where every day two comps battles it out. Big Ones vs O Yeah! etc. Hell, you could probably do a week of just the variations of the red-covered hits set!
This band needs to stop re-releasing material. It’s over now, boys. Are you reading this Mr. Perry? Mr. Tyler? Whomever in your circle of people thinks it’s a good idea to make people buy the same damn thing AGAIN? You might think it’s funny but I don’t. Knock it off or I’ll send you to your room.
Make a new record or I call bullshiat.
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Call me crazy, but I kinda like the idea of doing a whole week of Greatest Hits by a single band! Aerosmith are probably the single biggest offender in my collection, but I am going to consider this idea.
Aerosmith did finally make a new record…a so-so record…
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Aw, why buy the new record that’s only so-so when you can own Dude Looks Like A Lady AGAIN AND AGAIN!!
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Bloody Aerosmith and their endless comps! Has any band done so many?
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Yes. The Smiths seem to have SO many “best of”s. They haven’t recorded an album since the 80s, and Morrissey refuses to join forces with ’em again. Thus the endless parade of same “best of”s, methinks.
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Good call! I’m thinking Motorhead too… their old label was always putting comps out. Deep Purple have had a ton too.
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Deep Purple have plenty, and I stopped collecting them ages ago. I had two discs of a compilation…from 1984-1988. That’s two albums and a live for those keeping track.
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Deep Purple have plenty, and I stopped collecting them ages ago. I had two discs of a compilation…from 1984-1988. That’s two albums and a live for those keeping track.
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I am not the expert on The Smiths, but I’ve done some reading. I believe in a lot of cases The Smiths included a lot of rare B-sides. Again I’m not sure but I think Morrissey personally oversaw a lot of that.
I don’t know why Morrissey and Johnny Marr can’t kiss and make up, but then again, it does leave the band with that mystique that only comes when a band never reunites. The Beatles have it…Zeppelin do even though they reunited and released a live album of the show.
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Excluding Elvis? Possibly not. There are even ones out there that I don’t own. 20th Century Masters, Gold, etc. As Aaron said, I could do Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits week of just their compilation albums, and maybe I will!
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I have . The hubs might, but dear jaysis, if I wanted to listen to Aerosmith I’d just have to turn on Q107 and wait for the commercials to end.
This is not a comment on your awesome assessment of said Aerosmith comp tho! :D
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Dammit! This WP is way too smart for sarcasm. I was trying to say I have ZERO Aerosmith. smh…
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Yet “jaysis” made it!
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Thank you :) But you’re correct. I think Aerosmith could do a great compilation of non-singles just for people like yourself. Voodoo Medicine Man, Big Ten Inch Record, Movin’ Out, so many great lost classics.
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Was just thinking about it… another band that has way too many Hits discs is Nickelback. And they only have the one…
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Hahaha that is the winning comment. And I enjoyed your unchecked rabbits remark earlier too!
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Thanks! I’m here all week, folks. Please tip your bartenders.
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LOL, he beat me to it!
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He’ll be here all night folks, please tip your server.
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He’ll be here all night folks, please tip your server.
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I got off the Aero train after Pump, I just couldn’t take any more ballads and then Steve Tyler just seemed to get more and more embarrassing, so I kicked the habit.
I really like the artwork on this though.
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Pump was (for me) their last 5/5 star album. Nine Lives would be about 4/5.
The artwork is great.
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Uggggh don’t get me Started on Aeros Comps!!!
I have 2 …Aerosmith Greates Hits 1980 and Big Ones 1994 for basically the unreleased tracks!
After a while all these comps get ridiculous with Kiss and now the Crue joining the show…
I mean I know it’s about keeping the name out there as these bands are brands,but c’mon enough already ….I know just don’t buy and i don’t ……
Just loved the 80s when there were no greatest hits albums from that many sure u had Kiss(smashes) but I think it was Fleetwood Mac and Journeys Greatest hits that made other artists go ,mmmmmmmm…..easy $$$$$$$$…..
Now having said …….
I did buy those two I just mentioned there greatest hits when they came out cause I did not really have two much product of there’s(Mac & Journey) and I just was not interested but when u can buy there best 12 or so tracks …so yeah ..I’m fucked..hahahaha….
Seriously though it’s just when bands put out Greatest hits after Greatest Hits sets that I just wanna vomit …..
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Actually Deke you make a good point. Journey’s Greatest Hits is the CD that got me into the band. I heard some songs, liked them, and decided to get that CD. Although it was a bit ballad-heavy I loved it and played it daily for a long time! Now I have lots of Journey albums!
The Eagles is the other big one to mention. Greatest Hits was the highest selling album of all time for a long time.
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That’s right about the Eagles but there weren’t that many artists doing it back than ,usually Live albums would come out instead…..
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I agree. Pre-Eagles, pre-journey, it was all about the live albums. Double live usually!
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Double live albums recorded in the studio…hahahaha….ie Kiss,Frampton….
Double live albums actually live…..Aerosmith Live Bootleg…..
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That’s a great album — it would be in my Top 5 for sure.
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Absolutely Mike Absolutely !
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