Kiss

Peter Criss – 1978 I’ve been dreading this moment. I’ve heard nothing but horror stories about this record. 1. I’m Gonna Love You – A swingingly inoffensive honky tonk completely with jangly piano and 70s era variety show backup singers. 2. You Matter to Me Rupert Holmes. Billy Joel. AOR Continue Reading

Paul Stanley – 1978 The biggest problem with putting out a Paul Stanley solo record in 1978 versus Gene Simmons is that Simmons is not a musician. He’s a salesman. Stanley actually comes across as a musician. He would have done it no matter what. He would have ended up Continue Reading

Gene Simmons – 1978 Oh, you’ve GOT to be kidding me.At first you think everything’s gonna be okay. It’s NOT as bad as you’ve heard. There’s some theatricality to the proceedings but, yeah, Destroyer got you all prepared for that.And the first track, Radioactive, isn’t really all that bad.And then….Let’s Continue Reading

On September 18th, 1978, all four members of Kiss put out solo albums. I recall exactly where I was when I saw one of them, but I can’t recall which. I was at Bobby Hammer’s house for a Cub Scouts meeting. We were all in the basement. Just looking at Continue Reading

Kiss – Alive II – 1977 I had this record. I got it from the Columbia House Record Club in 1978. I don’t know who in their right mind would allow a 13 year to join that ridiculous club but I did and this was one of the records I Continue Reading

Kiss – Love Gun – 1977 Hmm….what’s a “Love Gun”? I remember the year 1977 vividly. Summering in ShipBottom, NJ. Seeing Star Wars a dozen times. And reading, in some magazine, the ad for the new Kiss album.BANG!KissLove Gun.Never forgot it.I also never heard the record.Let’s liveblog. 1. I Stole Continue Reading

Kiss – Rock and Roll Over – 1976 Rock and Roll Over is the first Kiss album so far that sounds like 70s rock. Smells like the front stoop of a roller rink. It’s the first time I’ve listened to Ace Frehley’s guitar and thought, “Shit, that guy can shred!”.It’s Continue Reading

Kiss – Destroyer – 1975 After the success of Alive! Kiss went into the studio with Bob Ezrin, formerly Alice Cooper’s producer, and what came out was easily the weirdest album of theirs so far. Their “Night at the Opera”, for lack of a better description.Destroyer starts off with the Continue Reading

Kiss – Alive – 1975 There are many stories that put forth the arguments that Alive!, the album that truly broke KISS, wasn’t all “live”. That the band went back in the studio and sweetened tracks, fixed mistakes, added layers.I say, who the fuck cares? The live album of the Continue Reading

Kiss – Dressed to Kill – 1975 Otherwise known as the album with “Rock and Roll all Night” on it.What else is there?Not a helluva lot.I took a long time between listening to these first three Kiss records and writing about them. Why? Because I just plain forgot that I Continue Reading