KISS Discography - My Life As a Kiss Fan

[Stadler]

I didn't see it as a misstep at all.  It was a progression.   Somwtines bands try something different.   Sometimes it works (Destroyer), and sometimes it doesnt (The Elder). 

It doesn't mean they can't put out good music after.

See, now, I love The Elder.  LOVE IT.   I detest "Mr. Blackwell" - that song can go to hell - but the rest?  That whole first side, if it wasn't laden with the baggage of the "concept" is killer Kiss.  I LOVE "Only You" and "Under The Rose".   I think Gene was WAY into this concept and put his heart and soul into it, and you can tell by the writing.   It's also a great SOUNDING  record.  Bob Ezrin - even coked out of his tits - knows how to make good sounding records. 

[Stadler]

I didn't see it as a misstep at all.  It was a progression.   Somwtines bands try something different.   Sometimes it works (Destroyer), and sometimes it doesnt (The Elder). 

I don't mind them trying something different but, like you said, if it doesn't work it doesn't work. I thought CoS was a misstep in the sense that they tried to go all out on the dark/heavy side of Revenge, but completely missed what made that album so great. The hooks, melodies, energy.

Revenge is my favorite Kiss album BTW.

The difference with CoS is that it runs afoul of the Kiss ethos.  Even The Elder is a concept about what Kiss stands for; be your own man, forge your own destiny, bang chicks and don't apologize to anyone.  It's cheese, but high quality cheese, and Kiss do it better than just about anyone. 

CoS isn't a bad album - it's not as if Paul forgot how to be one of the greatest frontmen in rock, or Bruce forgot how to play guitar - but it's a bad KISS album.   There's a difference.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

It wouldn't be a bad album for someone like AiC, but it's a shit Kiss album.

[TAC]

The Elder is LOADED with great tunes. many of them stand up and would easily fit into a live set. The Oath and I should have been concert staples, at least I, which I would take any day over I Love It Loud.
Dark Light kills the Ace Unmasked tracks.
And Only You is awesome.

I'm not sold on the production though. I think it hurts the songs.

[jjrock88]

I can't imagine at the time it was released that The Elder was overly popular with the Kiss crowd, but it seems like over time people have gotten into it. I enjoy listening to it once in awhile and have no problem with it. But besides Jungle, I couldn't get into COS much at all

[cfmoran13]

I think in Paul's hands with Gene engaged.

That's when you get Revenge. When Paul steps aside and lets Gene call the shots, you get COS.

I wouldn't say Paul stepped away.  His material was pretty strong for the album, as was Gene's.  Once again, I like the album.  Unfortunately, once the reunion became a possibility, both Paul and Gene unplugged.  From that point, it was mainly Toby Wright and Bruce Kulick.  Then, it totally fizzled out before it could get a proper finishing.

[cfmoran13]

I can't imagine at the time it was released that The Elder was overly popular with the Kiss crowd, but it seems like over time people have gotten into it. I enjoy listening to it once in awhile and have no problem with it. But besides Jungle, I couldn't get into COS much at all

The Elder was mainly a "last straw" for the original KISS fans.  First came the solo albums.  Then, Dynasty.  Then, Unmasked.  And, finally, The Elder.  It was a (not-so) gradual progression from being the biggest rock band in the world to being a bunch of guys in makeup making pop and disco music and concept records.  By that point, the original fans had grown a bit and, if they still liked hard rock, they'd moved on from KISS to Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motley Crue and any number of other bands giving them the rock that KISS wasn't.  They turned it around with Creatures of the Night.  Unfortunately, it was too, little too late.  Great album that didn't sell worth a shit.  Which prompted the makeup removal.  They needed to do something to get people talking about them again.

[TAC]

I think in Paul's hands with Gene engaged.

That's when you get Revenge. When Paul steps aside and lets Gene call the shots, you get COS.

I wouldn't say Paul stepped away.  His material was pretty strong for the album, as was Gene's.  Once again, I like the album.  Unfortunately, once the reunion became a possibility, both Paul and Gene unplugged.  From that point, it was mainly Toby Wright and Bruce Kulick.  Then, it totally fizzled out before it could get a proper finishing.

My understanding was that it was Gene's suggestion to the direction of the album, and Paul, just happy to have Gene engaged, acquiesced. I don't think this was the album Paul truly envisioned as the follow up to Revenge.

[Lowdz]

I love The Elder. I can see how it killed the band after a couple of years of a downward spiral. It's hard for any band to retain that much success as a lot of those fans will be casual and will move on to the next popular thing. I can see why they did what they did at that time but after the failure of the disco era they needed a great rock album and they came out with TE, about as far away from what they should have done.
It's strange that Gene in particular is made out to be this great forward thinker, but it was Ace that had the right idea. He was the one pushing for the return to their roots.

[Mosh]

Looking at the timeline, I can see why The Elder was hated at the time. Personally I don't love it or hate it. After hearing the band's strong negativity on it I was actually shocked at how inoffensive the whole thing was. Apart from some of the weirder tracks, the bulk of the album is musically standard Kiss. On any other album 'I' would've probably been a klassic. The band treats the album as if even entertaining the idea was a mistake, but I actually think the mistake was not going all out on it. It seems more like a test run for a concept album than the real thing. But part of that is probably because nobody was really steering the ship.

It's strange that Gene in particular is made out to be this great forward thinker, but it was Ace that had the right idea. He was the one pushing for the return to their roots.

I think Gene has a lot of good ideas but he needs someone (Paul, Bob Ezrin) to focus them, otherwise you get a mess.

[Stadler]

I think in Paul's hands with Gene engaged.

That's when you get Revenge. When Paul steps aside and lets Gene call the shots, you get COS.

I wouldn't say Paul stepped away.  His material was pretty strong for the album, as was Gene's.  Once again, I like the album.  Unfortunately, once the reunion became a possibility, both Paul and Gene unplugged.  From that point, it was mainly Toby Wright and Bruce Kulick.  Then, it totally fizzled out before it could get a proper finishing.

My understanding was that it was Gene's suggestion to the direction of the album, and Paul, just happy to have Gene engaged, acquiesced. I don't think this was the album Paul truly envisioned as the follow up to Revenge.

I like Revenge, though I don't think it's their best album by any means, but if their follow up was more in keeping with Revenge (or even if it was Sonic Boom, which has some really good songs) they would have crushed it.   

I agree; for a band that gets so much airtime for being "forward thinkers", they only seem to really do that when their back is to the wall.    Alive! was a last ditch effort.   Creatures was a last ditch effort.   Revenge was a sort of last ditch effort.   The  reunion was a last ditch effort.  I think they do best when they do  what Kiss does best.   Even Kiss by the numbers is better than Kiss via the Bee Gees, or Kiss via Alice In Chains. 

[TAC]

So apparently Gene is doing some solo shows.
Here is his setlist from St. Louis the other night. Awesome set!

Deuce
Radioactive
Nothin' to Lose
Calling Dr. Love
Almost Human
Cold Gin
I Love It Loud
Got Love For Sale
Parasite
Plaster Caster
Charisma
Watchin' You
Domino
Christine Sixteen
Johnny B. Goode
Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll
Rock and Roll All Nite

https://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=589064

[Zydar]

Some fine choices there - Almost Human, Charisma

[bl5150]

I brought up my little sister as a manic KISS fan and Charisma is her favourite song bar none.

[TAC]

Charisma was the one that jumped out at me too. Dynasty is one of my favorite Kiss albums anyway.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

That would've been my piss break song.    But a good set nonetheless.

[Orbert]

Last I heard, Gene's singing voice was totally blown.  Has that changed?

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Well, let's be fair, it's not like it was ever particularly excellent in the first place.

[Lynxo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf4BYcHFd7I

Why does he have three guitarists?

[BlobVanDam]

Well, let's be fair, it's not like it was ever particularly excellent in the first place.

He's had his moments, but in general, he was never the strongest singer. His voice isn't completely shot like Paul's voice is now, just the steady progression of age. Gene's vocal style has always been more about the attitude and gruff, so he can get away with it more so than Paul.
That setlist is great, and it shows how many good Gene songs there are. There was that one KISS show where Paul was taken to hospital and they performed as a three piece, playing non-Paul songs, that also showed how many great songs they have to choose from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf4BYcHFd7I

Why does he have three guitarists?

It's cool to finally hear that live, I just wish Gene had memorized the lyrics beforehand.

[Orbert]

There was that one KISS show where Paul was taken to hospital and they performed as a three piece, playing non-Paul songs, that also showed how many great songs they have to choose from.

I never heard about that.  When was that?

[Stadler]

Okay, I've already established myself as a Kiss fan boy, but I love Gene's voice.  I don't really like when he sings too high, like on some of the non-makeup stuff ("Young and Wasted" is the best example I can think of) but his midrange stuff like on "Goin' Blind" or "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em", I can listen to all day long.   

I saw them in... 2014 I think it was (the Def Leppard tour) and he sounded very good.   I actually said to my daughter something to the effect of "Joe Elliot's voice isn't what it was, Paul's voice is definitely not what it was, but Gene still sounds pretty good". 

Is this solo tour a one off or shows?  What size venue?   I'd go see that show in a heartbeat.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

There was that one KISS show where Paul was taken to hospital and they performed as a three piece, playing non-Paul songs, that also showed how many great songs they have to choose from.

I never heard about that.  When was that?

7/27/07 - Soboba Casino Arena, San Jacinto, CA:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kiss/2007/soboba-casino-arena-san-jacinto-ca-13d5a5e1.html

[BlobVanDam]

There was that one KISS show where Paul was taken to hospital and they performed as a three piece, playing non-Paul songs, that also showed how many great songs they have to choose from.

I never heard about that.  When was that?

This is the show.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kiss/2007/soboba-casino-arena-san-jacinto-ca-13d5a5e1.html

Beaten to it by Cozmo.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

lol ninja'd

[BlobVanDam]

Can't win 'em all.

[King Postwhore]

Someone should start a drinking game every time Gene says live, "OH YEAH!"

[Stadler]

There was that one KISS show where Paul was taken to hospital and they performed as a three piece, playing non-Paul songs, that also showed how many great songs they have to choose from.

I never heard about that.  When was that?

July 27, 2007, at a casino in San Jacinto, California.   Paul had heart palpitations and they admitted him to the hospital.  Setlist:

1. Deuce
2. Cold Gin
3. Calling Dr. Love
4. Christine Sixteen
5. Nothin' to Lose (Eric Singer lead vocals) 
6. I Love It Loud
7. Goin' Blind
8. Watchin' You
9. She
10.Parasite
11. God of Thunder
12. Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll
13. Black Diamond
14. Rock and Roll All Nite

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

lol double ninja'd

[Stadler]

Wow.  That's when you hang it up.  Double ninja.    

[Lynxo]

  Kiss nerds. 

[King Postwhore]

ACK!

[hefdaddy42]

Not a HUGE fan of KISS (although my brother is), but my favorite album is probably Revenge.

What do I win?

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Style points.  Revenge is a bitchin' album.

[hefdaddy42]