TheStairwayRemainsTheSame Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Technique wise, Bruce is definitly the most well rounded and talented KISS guitarist (of course Ace beats him when it comes to emotive playing). It's quite unfortunate he's known more for songs like "Forever," rather than classic heavy rock and roll like "Fits Like A Glove" or even "Loves a Deadly Weapon." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 (edited) Interesting read, it reminds of a blog where this young girl is posting her thoughts on music she's never heard before. I don't have a link for that one at present but if I can find it I'll be sure to post it. Also, according to a post in the comments section, Kiss Alive! isn't live at all. I knew I'd read that some overdubs were done after the fact but I had no idea that the whole thing was recorded in a studio with the sound of an audience being added after the fact. Note: This is a recurring series in which we ask our unimaginably young interns to review classic albums they've never heard before. Jenna Strucko is an intern for NPR Music. You've Never Heard Kiss' 'Alive!'?! (from NPR) Edited March 30, 2012 by Jahfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f2walsh Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Did anyone catch their live simulcast on Friday night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 (edited) Real nice write up on Kiss Alive! from the American Drunkard blog, except for the part where he mistakes the two guys on the back cover holding up the Kiss sign for girls. Scratch The Surface :: KISS, Alive! (Album artwork: Does it indeed affect our listening experience, and if so, how? Scratch the Surface takes a look at particularly interesting and/or exceptional cover art choices.) Edited May 16, 2012 by Jahfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 (edited) When Stanley refers to this as Kiss' "victory lap" one can only hope he's not kidding. Kiss Unveil $4000 Photo Book, New Songs In California Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer, Eric Singer and Gene Simmons of KISS attend the launch of the KISS 'Monster' Book at the Viper Room in West Hollywood. Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Edited August 23, 2012 by Jahfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 (edited) Technique wise, Bruce is definitly the most well rounded and talented KISS guitarist (of course Ace beats him when it comes to emotive playing). It's quite unfortunate he's known more for songs like "Forever," rather than classic heavy rock and roll like "Fits Like A Glove" or even "Loves a Deadly Weapon." Bruce wasn't even in Kiss when "Fits like a glove" was recorded (the song is from "Lick it up" with Vinnie Vincent). Edited August 23, 2012 by reswati Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pagemeister Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 http://youtu.be/Y4kTtGbNa-8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 KISS- I just don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amstel Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 (edited) KISS- I just don't get it. They are brutally bad! I've always said this - they would have been great clowns performing for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. They needed the makeup and gimmicks because they were/are horrible musicians, that made/make pathetic music. Edited March 10, 2013 by Amstel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 They are brutally bad! I've always said this - they would have been great clowns performing for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. They needed the makeup and gimmicks because they were/are horrible musicians, that made/make pathetic music. What I don't get is how anyone from the 70s could be a fan when there were so many legit bands like Zep, Sabbath, ACDC and the Who to listen too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I grew up in the 70's and never considered Kiss not legit. In addition, I also listened to all those other bands. Like a lot of folks my age, I went through a very heavy Kiss phase but by the time the solo albums came out a lot of the magic had worn off. When they released "I Was Made For Lovin' You" in 1979 it was gone completely. Plus, they simply had a lot less appeal to me as I got older. However, as a younger kid I'd found what they did very appealing, including putting on one of the most spectacular concerts I'd ever experienced. Musical ability (or the lack thereof) really never figured into it. It was all about the rock show; smoke, fire, bursts of confetti, blood, girls going topless on the front row so they flash the band and slinging their tops at the stage en masse. When I was 12-14 years old there really wasn't much more you could ask for. Thanks for the explanation. What you have said seems to suggest that teens aged 14 or less were into this band, but then the appeal wore off as their tastes began to evolve. I have heard older people say that they never liked KISS and thought them to be a joke. But most of these people were not young teens when this band first came out. For me I was exposed to the through VH1 and all I could think was WTF? I think this is the problem for younger people getting into music; we aren't able to appreciate the evolution of a act in a normal span of time. We see all of them at once, good and bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the chase Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I grew up in the 70's and never considered Kiss not legit. In addition, I also listened to all those other bands. Like a lot of folks my age, I went through a very heavy Kiss phase but by the time the solo albums came out a lot of the magic had worn off. When they released "I Was Made For Lovin' You" in 1979 it was gone completely. Plus, they simply had a lot less appeal to me as I got older. However, as a younger kid I'd found what they did very appealing, including putting on one of the most spectacular concerts I'd ever experienced. Musical ability (or the lack thereof) really never figured into it. It was all about the rock show; smoke, fire, bursts of confetti, blood, girls going topless on the front row so they flash the band and slinging their tops at the stage en masse. When I was 12-14 years old there really wasn't much more you could ask for. That's exactly how it was for me .. You had to be there at the time to really get it. I was a very impressionable 12 years old when Alive was released. Fans at the time didn't even know what they looked like. Kiss had good, catchy simple songs and an amazing stage show.. still do, but that 1st run 1974-1977 was it for me.. I would put on Alive and just stare at the album cover. Of course they cashed in and that original raw Hotter than Hell vibe gave way to Beth, Comic Books (printed in real Kiss blood) and Hard Luck Woman... I got off the bus when KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM came out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 To say that Kiss were miserable musicians is absolute bollocks. I must admit that most songs were heavy metal singalong songs, but many of them are very well crafted ones. The ones that were no singalong songs like "Beth" and "I still love you" are imo quite overlooked gems. The Dynasty/Unmasked period did produce some way too slick pieces of music, but The Elder and especially Creatures of the night were really good comeback albums (Eric Carr was one hell of a drummer). I did have problems with the softer touch of The Elder, but once it did grow on me I regard it as one of their better efforts, it's different but way ahead of it's time. After that they went too slick in the eighties sense of rock again, too bad. Kudos to Ace for being one great inspiration for a whole generation of young guys to pick up the guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Didn't KISS make a disco album? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 (edited) Didn't KISS make a disco album? No, although Dynasty and especially Unmasked featured some very poppy songs. The single of I Was Made had the label "Disco Rock" on the cover. As far as my immense hatred towards disco music went then, both albums weren't smashworthy, as many real disco records were. Feel free to compare: this to this Edited March 10, 2013 by reswati Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 No, although Dynasty and especially Unmasked featured some very poppy songs. The single of I Was Made had the label "Disco Rock" on the cover. As far as my immense hatred towards disco music went then, both albums weren't smashworthy, as many real disco records were. Feel free to compare: this to this So then at this point they were just a "glam rock" band? To be honest, all I could hear at the start of that KISS video were very young people cheering and screaming, not much different from a Katy Perry or Justin Bieber concert. So I guess I still don't get it. My next question would be was KISS more popular in Europe (I don't mean the UK) as in France, Netherlands etc. than it was elsewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 So then at this point they were just a "glam rock" band? To be honest, all I could hear at the start of that KISS video were very young people cheering and screaming, not much different from a Katy Perry or Justin Bieber concert. So I guess I still don't get it. My next question would be was KISS more popular in Europe (I don't mean the UK) as in France, Netherlands etc. than it was elsewhere? They were the glammest band at that moment (and spawned many mediocre hairsprayed imitators like Poison, Motley Crue, even GnR). Most people at that concerts were ranging from 16 to 15 years old (Bieber and Perry fans lack pubic hair) Kiss was about getting laid and having a party. Kiss became sellouts in Europe after releasing Dynasty, the "I was made" record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 They were the glammest band at that moment (and spawned many mediocre hairsprayed imitators like Poison, Motley Crue, even GnR). Most people at that concerts were ranging from 16 to 15 years old (Bieber and Perry fans lack pubic hair) Kiss was about getting laid and having a party. Kiss became sellouts in Europe after releasing Dynasty, the "I was made" record. They suck in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 (edited) They suck in my opinion. I guess there is more interesting music at the moment, they were a sign of their time, had their prime a long time ago and since then became repeat performances. That counts for many bands with a 30-year career, they should have quit at their zenith, just like Metallica, Van Halen, Deep Purple, RHCP, Whitesnake, The Stones, Motorhead, and many more should have done. Here's one that you might have never heard, hope it doesn't suck too much (i prefer being sucked by hot women, not music by guys in makeup) Edited March 10, 2013 by reswati Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I guess there is more interesting music at the moment, they were a sign of their time, had their prime a long time ago and since then became repeat performances. That counts for many bands with a 30-year career, they should have quit at their zenith, just like Metallica, Deep Purple, The Stones, Motorhead, and many more should have done. But those band didn't start out sucking. KISS remind me of the Monkies. Not a real organic band. Just made up with the idea of marketing comic books and action figures. And when sales slumped they tried disco and glam. I think I get it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 (edited) The whole marketing came later, when they first started there were no action figures etc etc. As far as the Monkeys, they were pre-fabbed and mostly didn't play their instruments...much like Milli Vanilli. Edited March 10, 2013 by reswati Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 The whole marketing came later, when they first started there were no action figures etc etc. So they did not wear make up in the beginning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 (edited) They came with that after they started the band, they figured it would be cool to look different than the zillions of bands who wore denim but could be "normal" guys like your neighbor. Kiss also figured out that a live show people would come to see should become a happening, something more enigmatic than just 4 guys standing and playing, if you paid for a ticket you would get a ticket to get wild and nuts with the band who did things other bands didn't do. Like going to Houdini but then four Houdini's who played music. They didn't do this with selling action figures in mind, that entire bullshit came in the late seventies. If it was just for the money they wouldn't have signed up with a near-bankrupt record label to start with. The first three Kiss albums sold poorly, so the decision was made to capture their live show on a record, which more or less saved the label. Edited March 10, 2013 by reswati Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 They came with that after they started the band, they figured it would be cool to look different than the zillions of bands who wore denim but could be "normal" guys like your neighbor. Kiss also figured out that a live show people would come to see should become a happening, something more enigmatic than just 4 guys standing and playing, if you paid for a ticket you would get a ticket to get wild and nuts with the band who did things other bands didn't do. Like going to Houdini but then four Houdini's who played music. They didn't do this with selling action figures in mind, that entire bullshit came in the late seventies. You mean like four "normal guys just standing and playing" like Zep, The Who, and Black Sabbath? Weren't those shows an event? What you keep describing to me is a Madonna or Britney Spears concert. If anyone here could go back in time would they choose front row seats at a KISS event over Monterey Pop, Zep at the LA Forum, Sabbath at Montreux , Dylan electric at Newport Jazz? Those were events. No clown make up and KISS Army membership required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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