10 Bands Destroyed By "Selling Out"

There was a time when Aerosmith were one of the coolest bands on the planet. Possessing an unholy amount swagger, songs sounded like they would steal your girlfriend as soon as look at you, and trousers tighter than a three-point turn in a cul-de-sac, the ‘Smith were the sex-crazed, drug-hoovering Bostonian behemoth that made you believe the party might just last forever.

And then, slowly but surely, they underwent a strange process of sanitisation. Chalk it up to getting older, maybe put it down to a desperation to stay in the fickle glare of the spotlight for as long as possible, but Aerosmith went from being original bad lads to mainstream mercenaries.

First came the money-spinning Hollywood movie soundtrack, a ballad so engorged and sickly sweet that it could justifiably give you gout. Then, out of nowhere, lead singer Steven Tyler popped up as a judge on American Idol looking like somebody’s mam.

Don’t get me wrong, you’ve got to make that cashola somehow - why do you think I’m writing this article? - but surely there’s a better way Steve, maybe one that doesn’t involve jumping into bed with Simon Cowell?