KISS members..

CanookieWookie · January 08, 2012, 10:35:47 PM

Without a doubt, to me, this is the single greatest album any member(s) of KISS put out..

GodShifter · January 09, 2012, 09:42:05 AM

Do you mean "output"

I don't understand your statement exactly. Do you mean that Frehley's solo album was better than any of the others members stuff? If that's your statement, I absolutely agree. I still listen to Ace's solo album ever so often. The others? I don't even give them a thought (well, I've listened to some of Stanley's in the last ten years, maybe). Ace's record would have been the logical extension of a record after Love Gun, but, instead, we got Dynasty. Meh. Pretty much downhill from there..

Ace is a one trick pony in terms of being a guitarist and a vocalist, but, to me, his songs in KISS were always my favorites and, easily, the most rocking. In terms of his solo album, like the other members, he had the best talent available to him in terms of studio musicians and songwriting help as well. It just so happened he chose to make a hard rock record whereas the other members seemingly decided to throw shit against the wall and see if it would stick.

As far as the studio thing, there's a lot of talk about how much the guys in KISS actually played on their own records from the beginning to, well, now, probably. Lots of studio guys for sure around the Destroyer sessions and beyond. Before that, I'm not sure, but probably not too much.

Volume · January 09, 2012, 09:54:29 AM

Ace ain't got nothin on Vinnie.

CanookieWookie · January 09, 2012, 11:34:11 AM

Do you mean "output"

Yes, sorry I did not clarify that. I love that Ace Frehley album. I don't think any member (ex etc..) ever did anything as good as the Ace Frehley one.

Dunedin · January 09, 2012, 04:09:25 PM

I'm not a big Kiss fan but I was reading an excerpt from Ace's autobiography recently. It was mostly talking about the period when they recorded Music from the Elder and how pissed off he was about the whole thing. I've read a lot about that particular album and how bad it is supposed to be, how few copies it sold etc so I thought I should finally get round to listening to some of the tracks from the album. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I checked out "I" and "the Oath" and was knocked out by how good those tracks were! So how come that albums got such a bad rep? Any Kiss fans able to shed some light on the matter? And what's your thoughts on those tracks?

vinyldinosaurus · January 10, 2012, 02:37:36 PM

I like The Elder. Ace's Anomaly album is pretty good too.

Doommantia · January 18, 2012, 12:02:22 AM

The Ace album indeed crushes anything Kiss put out after Love Gun but it still not without its dud tunes. I think there are still at least 3 total clangers on that album. Stanley's was the second best but still a long way behind Frehley's. The other two albums, forget it. There were awful piles of excrement.

Submarine · January 20, 2012, 09:33:56 PM

The song "Sister" on Anomaly is excellent.

RAGER · January 21, 2012, 12:17:32 PM

Covered Rip It Out in a band I was in in high school.

neighbor664 · January 21, 2012, 02:48:04 PM

Quote from: Submarine on January 20, 2012, 09:33:56 PM
The song "Sister" on Anomaly is excellent.

I love ACE, his guitar playing is awesome. He is one of the reasons I took up the guitar.
HOWEVER, he couldn't write or sing a decent vocal melody to save his life and that song is a great example.

cool pooch guy · July 10, 2012, 08:20:46 AM

Quote from: Dunedin on January 09, 2012, 04:09:25 PM
I'm not a big Kiss fan but I was reading an excerpt from Ace's autobiography recently. It was mostly talking about the period when they recorded Music from the Elder and how pissed off he was about the whole thing. I've read a lot about that particular album and how bad it is supposed to be, how few copies it sold etc so I thought I should finally get round to listening to some of the tracks from the album. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I checked out "I" and "the Oath" and was knocked out by how good those tracks were! So how come that albums got such a bad rep? Any Kiss fans able to shed some light on the matter? And what's your thoughts on those tracks?

haha...I like MFtE as well..."Dark Light", you can picture Ace stopping between verses and yelling "this is bullshit!" in the studio.

They spent more on the album than any other Kiss studio record. They had been on a decline because of kids / families at the shows as well as the disco song and other sins. They wanted to make an 'important' record that the critics would like, and hyped it as the next The Wall, Tommy, etc.

It sold so poorly, they couldn't even tour. The brown album cover disappeared in the racks, warehouses were stacked with unsold copies. The video for "World Without Heroes" with Gene crying...it was the death knell for their credibility.

Even so, I love that first song...like Paul Stanley singing power metal.

mortlock · July 14, 2012, 01:37:03 AM

greatest 'covers' comp ever..

frobbert · August 05, 2012, 12:23:54 AM

Paul's album isn't too shabby either. Gene's album is a muddled mess but I always loved this song:

(let's not talk about Peter)

Dunedin · October 30, 2012, 06:33:26 PM

New album, Monster. What say you?

I've only heard one track so far but it kicks arse!

BrianDamage · October 31, 2012, 03:15:24 PM

Monster is the best thing they have put out since Revenge but still isn't very good when compared to albums like Hotter Than Hell and Destroyer.

I dig The Elder but as far as their 80's output goes Creatures of the Night is KILLER.

And yes becoming a family act was the death of Kiss for most of their early 70's fans who were attracted to Kiss because they scared parents and small children. I mean really you can see it just in their costumes they went from leather and spikes to purple velvet and green fur.

GodShifter · October 31, 2012, 05:21:27 PM

I think that transition was kind of natural in that their fan base in the seventies are parents and grandparents now.

I thought the new one, Monster, wasn't bad, but it's got the same kind of filler and ridiculous songs that every KISS album does. Good to see they included an another obligatory "Rock N' Roll" tune in terms of a title. You never can get enough of those from KISS

Dunedin · November 01, 2012, 04:39:06 AM

I need to go back and listen to these albums. As I said, Kiss were one of those bands you obviously knew about as a kid but perhaps because I was in the UK I didnt get into them as much. I grew up on Purple, Sabbath, Maiden, Saxon and Motorhead instead.

You guys have a much better idea of how the band has progressed as time has gone on.

The Monster track I listened to on Monday was "The Devil is Me" I thought it could have been recorded by a bunch of guys in their 20's not 50's or 60's.

BrianDamage · November 01, 2012, 04:26:47 PM

Quote from: GodShifter on October 31, 2012, 05:21:27 PM
I think that transition was kind of natural in that their fan base in the seventies are parents and grandparents now.

But not only 4 years after their first album was released. Which is when they went family friendly.

GodShifter · November 02, 2012, 12:01:57 AM

Around the time of "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park" then?

I guess so, but, obviously, I thought you meant much later (like now); reading comprehension and all that ...

In any event, the only real "edgy" dude in terms of a "look" was Simmons (spikes and so forth).

They've always been cartoon characters, though. I think the audience has always understood that. Their musical direction in the late 70's, and an aging fan base was the cause of their decline in popularity; not their costumes, IMO.