and devotion in their voices. Ask die-hard fans who have followed the band since 1970, and theyll tell you that Aerosmith has earned that respect. Most rock-and- roll bands have roller-coaster careers. Oftentimes the band splits either for good or until enough time for a reunion tour has passed. But sometimes, though rarely, the band reunites-for the better. What makes the reunion of this megaband so unique is that the reformed version of Aerosmith became stronger and more successful than the original version. On its horizon would be the ups and downs that plague bands-and brands-that achieve popularity, cope with fame, and struggle to stay on top. It gives great insights into:      How to court fans and involve them in the creation of a success- ful brand    The role of reflecting your market to increase cultural adoption    How to reenter the marketplace after brand failure    How to reinvent a brand with quality improvement, evolvement, and fan involvement    How to create reverse customer intimacy    The role of energy and passion in branding   One of Aerosmiths primary brand strategies is evolution. Some brands are holdover brands, labeled as popular with a specific group of customer or a specific generation. Neil Diamond falls into this cat- egory. Oldsmobile even tried to fight that categorization with the "This is not your fathers Oldsmobile" campaign. Other brands are crossover brands, making a connection generation after generation because of how they evolve. Sony has done this well over the years, making a splash with the Walkman and then moving on to the Disc- man and now plasma-screen television sets. Aerosmith has used new technology, physical fitness, cutting-edge fashion trends, and new sounds to court new generations of fans, making the Aerosmith saga a cross-branding story thats part epic drama and part business plan.     What It Takes   Unlikely as it might seem, Sunapee, New Hampshire, was fertile breeding ground for musical talent in the 1960s and early 1970s. Families from nearby cities would descend upon the town to spend the summer away from the hustle and bustle of regular life. Among them were Steven Tallarico and his family. Stevens ambition and knack for making an impression began early, before you could classify his musical muses as a true career. A chroni- cally skinny kid with large lips that begged for banter from other kids, Steven went against the grain from day one. When students in school