Blue Army (Aerosmith)

Blue Army is a term that refers to American hard rock band Aerosmith's loyal fanbase.

Overview

The term was originally coined by the band. According to Aerosmith's autobiography "", the term first came into fruition around 1975. The term "blue" generally refers to the habit of hard rock fans in the 1970s wearing blue denim jeans and jean jackets as well as their often blue collar demographic. The term "army" referred to their loyalty, youthfulness, and tough demeanor. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry describes the Blue Army: "We drove up to the gig and the line went around the building, long-haired teenage boys wearing blue denim jackets and jeans. An army of blue jeans. Our people." He also describes them as being predominantly male: "Aerosmith back then was definitely a guy thing. It used to be the only girls at Aerosmith shows were the ones hoping to blow us on the bus. [Davis, S. and Aerosmith: "", page 239. Avon, 1997]

The "army" characteristic of Aerosmith fans (and hard rock fans in general) in the 1970s was also often alluded to in the press. A "Rolling Stone magazine" review described fans arriving at an Aerosmith concert in Pontiac, Michigan as "a boozy army of hard hats coming to dismantle the place. They looked like hell. Nobody dresses up for concerts anymore." [McCormack, E: "Aerosmith", "Rolling Stone", August 26, 1976]

The band and their fans still often use the term, more informally however, to describe Aerosmith's fan base. Aerosmith's official fan club is actually called Aero Force One.

Other Examples

The term Kiss Army is used to refer to Kiss's fan base and fan club, another prominent rock band of the 1970s with similar fan demographics. It is unclear which term came first, since they both originated in the year 1975.

ee also

*Kiss Army
*Aerosmith
*Aero Force One

References