The Back-Burner: Aerosmith Outtakes & Demos

In 1997, Aerosmith not only released their album “Nine Lives” but also ventured into a groundbreaking interactive multimedia experience, following their pioneering spirit in blending music with technology. The “Nine Lives” CD EXTRA, developed in partnership with Virtual Music Entertainment, was a portal into an immersive Aerosmith world, enhancing the album when when the CD was placed into a computer.

This special section was packed with features, from direct links to Aerosmith’s constantly updated website to the chance to play along with up to nine music videos, using the computer keyboard to control virtual instruments. Fans could dive deeper into the Aerosmith experience with the Groove 10 game, improving their virtual instrument skills to unlock more content. The Virtual Studio was another highlight, offering fans the chance to jam with Aerosmith and save their own song renditions, with the band providing helpful hints throughout.

Nico Koepke, VP of Sony Music Europe Technology and Media, lauded this effort, noting, “Who better than Aerosmith to explore the CD EXTRA potential?” His admiration for the project was evident, as he personally struggled to master the guitar part in time, reflecting the engaging challenge the game offered to fans.

The software included as the CD EXTRA was a limited version of the Quest for Fame game engine (also produced by VME), a significant innovation give the limited space they had to work with to host data on the CD outside the music tracks. This was also notable for integrating drum tracks for the first time in a Virtual Music title, marking an evolution in music gaming. The game also introduced “V-Stix,” a virtual drumpad input device, enhancing the interactive music-making experience.

Quest for Fame, an early Aerosmith branded rhythm game released in 1995, came bundled with an electronic guitar pick that connected to the PC’s parallel port. This game laid the groundwork for the interactive features on “Nine Lives,” exemplifying Aerosmith’s role in the early development of music gaming.

Additionally, from 1997 to 1999, Aerosmith’s homepage facilitated fans’ engagement by linking to Virtual Music’s dedicated landing page on their “connect” page. This page allowed fans to download additional songs to play along with, including “Taste of India” and “Nine Lives” further enriching the Aerosmith interactive music experience.

The acquisition of Virtual Music Entertainment (VME) by Namco in November 1999 marked a significant milestone in the evolution of interactive music gaming. Although support for the game ceased post-acquisition, the technology developed by VME foreshadowed the success of future music gaming phenomena like the Guitar Hero franchise a decade later. This move solidified Aerosmith’s status as innovators in the music industry, demonstrating their foresight in embracing interactive music experiences that would later captivate a global audience.

Does your PC still have a CD drive? then pop it in and see if you can make it work!