After leaving for two albums Joe Perry returned to Aerosmith for 1985's Done with Mirrors, which also saw the band moving to Geffen Records.  The band was clean and sober, but the album didn't click with the public.  In order to change that Bruce Fairbairn, the producer behind Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet, was brought in, as well as an army of writers to make Permanent Vacation in 1987.  The pattern was repeated with Pump in 1989, which solidified the band's comeback, and on Get a Grip from 1991.  The latter became the band's bestselling album, but was filled with even busier production, more guests and more outside writers.  For better or worse it solidified the direction Aerosmith would take for the rest of their career.