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 the record I was simultaneously jealous and jaded. I knew, deep inside, that they must suck, but the cool illustrated backlight was like candy. I wanted them. I never got them. (Until I got my hands on Paul and Gene’s for $1 each on vinyl 5 years ago.
They are roundly considered one of rock’s great excessive boondoggles. But, what would a Kissening Post be without them?
Starting (alphabetically by first name) with Ace’s, here we go. God help me.
Ace Frehley – 1978
The only way to do this is liveblog this stuff, right?
1. Rip it Out. Ace is easily outdoing Paul Stanley on this track. This was his terrain and he just shreds.
2. Speedin’ Back to My Baby – Forgiving his weak vocals, this is a song that could have been a hit by Sweet. The arrangements and guitar work keep the whole experience alive.
3. Snow Blind. I’m going with….coke reference. A mediocre song elevated by great guitar work.
4. Ozone The kind of big, sluggish, rocker that would never find its way onto a proper Kiss record, it’s just great. The use of weird percussion, a 12 string for color, it’s exactly what you want to find in the middle of a rock record. The lyrics are terrible, but that can be forgiven for all the rest of the cool.
5. What’s On Your Mind? “You’re breaking my heart, I’m fallin’ apart. I’m wracking my brain, I’m feeling insane.” Yeah, that’s about the level of lyrical literacy we’re talking about on this record. But, with Ace’s guitar and Anton Fig’s drumming, this is just one more track on a quality 70s rock experiment.
6. New York Groove Most people don’t know that this is a cover. Originally recorded by Hello. But, this is where disco meets rock. I mean that in a good way. The chka-chka guitar is so reminiscent of Chic that it’s impossible to deny.I don’t know which came first but I know I love it.
7. I’m in Need of Love I would love to hear this song in a stadium setting. It’s so assured and spacey and big that it could only get better there.
8. Wiped Out Starting off taking a cue from the classic Ventures tune, Wiped Out is actually a drunken fervor shred-tastic gigantic rock machine. (I’m having fun with hyperbole and cliches now, sue me)
9. Fractured Mirror An epic sprawling, hypnotic instrumental with layered guitars, overdubs, effects. You know? It fits nicely into this whole set.
Grade A
ASide: New York Groove, Rip it Out, Wiped Out
BlindSide: Speedin’ Back to My Baby, Ozone, I’m in Need of Love, Fractured Mirror
DownSide: Can you believe it? Nothing.
