Among the many curiosities from Aerosmith’s prolific late-’80s period is “Fake Fight”, a working title from the Pump sessions. The name appeared on a whiteboard of song ideas during initial pre-production at Rik Tinory’s studio, before the band moved to Little Mountain Sound in Vancouver with producer Bruce Fairbairn. Rough versions of the track were recorded in 1988 and again on 1 June 1989, showing that the band returned to the idea more than once during this fertile period.
The only circulating version of “Fake Fight” surfaced much later, leaking on 18 September 2006 from a private collector’s tape. What fans got to hear was a live in-studio instrumental performance, raw but full of energy, clearly meant as a sketch rather than a polished album cut.
Musically, the song rides a riff in C, shifting to D and G for the chorus. The structure hints at a classic Aerosmith rocker, and the guitar solo—likely Brad Whitford’s—has that tasteful, understated bite he often brought to the table. While no vocal take has appeared, it’s easy to imagine Steven Tyler ad-libbing or scatting over the chorus, which has the kind of open phrasing that practically invites a vocal hook.
Because the demo never moved beyond this stage, it seems the band chose not to take “Fake Fight” into main production at Little Mountain Studios. Like several other whiteboard titles from that era, the idea probably got shelved as stronger contenders such as “Love in an Elevator,” “The Other Side,” and “Janie’s Got a Gun” took shape.
For now, “Fake Fight” remains a fascinating glimpse into Aerosmith’s process—an energetic but unfinished fragment from a period when their creativity was overflowing.
The Back-Burner: Aerosmith Outtakes & Demos 