Tracklist, Album Covers and Info
1. "Let the Music Do the Talking" (The Joe Perry Project cover) 3:48
2. "My Fist Your Face" 4:23
3. "Shame on You" 3:22
4. "The Reason a Dog" 4:13
5. "Shela" 4:25
6. "Gypsy Boots" 4:16
7. "She's on Fire" 3:47
8. "The Hop" 3:45
Aerosmith Band Members / Musicians
Steven Tyler – lead vocals, piano, harmonica, percussion
Joe Perry – guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals
Brad Whitford – guitar, acoustic guitar
Tom Hamilton – bass guitar
Joey Kramer – drums, percussion
Production
Ted Templeman – producer
Jeff Hendrickson – engineer, mixing
Tom Size, Gary Rindfuss, Stan Katayama – assistant engineers
Howie Weinberg – analog mastering engineer at Masterdisk, New York
Ken Caillat – digital mastering
Joan Parker – production coordinator
Kent Ayeroff – album cover concept
Norman Moore – art direction and design
Jim Shea – photography
John Kalodner – A&R
Done with Mirrors is the 8th studio album by Aerosmith, released on November 4, 1985. It marked the return of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, and was the band’s first album on Geffen Records. Despite positive reviews, the album did not meet commercial expectations and is often seen as a transitional record.
Production and Background:
Producer Ted Templeman wanted to capture the band's raw energy by secretly recording their performances, which he felt avoided the nervousness of knowingly being recorded. The band recorded in Berkeley to avoid drug temptations in Los Angeles. Joe Perry later said that the album, while rough, was an important step for the band, helping them figure out what they needed to do next.
The album features a re-recording of “Let the Music Do the Talking” from the Joe Perry Project and songs with a range of styles—from the bluesy “She’s on Fire” and the fast R&B “The Hop” to the dark “Darkness” on CD and cassette editions. “The Reason a Dog” drew comparisons to the Police’s “Invisible Sun,” while “Shela” incorporated a disco-inflected groove.
Although the album failed to revive Aerosmith’s popularity at the time, they would make a huge comeback the following year with the Run DMC collaboration “Walk This Way” and their 1987 multi-platinum album Permanent Vacation.
Legacy:
The album was the last Aerosmith release to be entirely self-written, without outside songwriters—a practice they would abandon in their next records. Despite its mixed success, “Done with Mirrors” is seen as a necessary bridge between Aerosmith’s early struggles and their later resurgence.
