KISS Discography - My Life As a Kiss Fan

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

They also cover Parasite.  Every time Anthrax covers a Kiss song, it is clean out of the fucking ballpark.

[King Postwhore]

I dig the Extreme version and Gary has that spot on line sounds just like Paul Stanley.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Yeah, kinda.  It came off a little smarmy and loungy for me.

[TAC]

They also cover Parasite.  Every time Anthrax covers a Kiss song, it is clean out of the fucking ballpark.

Yes, Parasite too. I agree.

sounds just like Paul Stanley.

I assume you've heard Fred Toucher do Paul right? I freaking crack up hysterically every time I hear him.

This is the only clip I could find.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc-YxdjVXnI

[King Postwhore]

I love his Paul Stanley rants.

[Stadler]

I assume you've heard Fred Toucher do Paul right? I freaking crack up hysterically every time I hear him.

This is the only clip I could find.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc-YxdjVXnI

"Ah luv the big BOOBIES!"

[King Postwhore]

You just can't do the Paul "shimmy" when you do his voice. Boy, you get a few looks.

[Stadler]

Hey, if "we need a friggin' break, Stads" is the right answer, so be it, I can take it, but anyone interested in another discography?  I really enjoyed that, particularly revisiting some of the albums I haven't heard in a while.

I figure a band with about 15 albums.   Not sure who I would do; thinking maybe Cheap Trick (CT has 17, plus Found All The Parts)?  AC/DC?   Sabbath (19)?   Ozzy solo (11)?   Purple?  Rainbow? 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

VH = 12

[BlobVanDam]

I'm down for most of these suggestions, although I'd rather a list in chronological order than by ranking.

[Orbert]

I second that.  For those of us not well versed in a band's entire catalog, going through the albums by ranking is pretty similar to just jumping randomly around.  I was a big KISS fan early on, but have strayed, and I was really looking forward to a sense of the evolution of the band's sound and attitudes along with the personnel changes and changes in the musical landscape, and we really didn't get that here.

[cfmoran13]

It's funny.  Cheap Trick is one of those bands that, for whatever reason, I've never had a great appreciation for.  I know tons of people love them (especially older KISS fans).  To me, they've always been just "meh".

[dtvoices94]

Here's everything chronologically.  Counting the box sets, there's 34 items to discuss.  You can break it out by the originals, the transition years, the non-makeup years, the Alives & Compilations, and finally present day.  Here's what we have (did I miss anything)...what's the best way to do this?
Kiss 
Hotter Than Hell
Dressed To Kill
Alive   
Destroyer
Rock & Roll Over
Love Gun 
Alive II 
Double Platinum
Ace Frehley
Paul Stanley
Gene Simmons 
Peter Criss 
Dynasty
Unmasked 
Music From The Elder 
Killers 
Creatures of the Night
Lick It Up 
Animalize 
Asylum
Crazy Nights
Smashes Thrashes & Hits
Hot In The Shade
Revenge
Alive III
Kiss My Ass
MTV Unplugged
Carnival of Souls 
Psycho Circus
The Box Set
KISS Symphony: Alive IV
KISS Alive Box Set
Sonic Boom 
Monster

[bosk1]

I'm really tempted to do a "Y&T Discography - My Life As a Y&T Fan" thread.  But no one would care. 

[cfmoran13]

Here's everything chronologically.  Counting the box sets, there's 34 items to discuss.  You can break it out by the originals, the transition years, the non-makeup years, the Alives & Compilations, and finally present day.  Here's what we have (did I miss anything)...what's the best way to do this?
Kiss 
Hotter Than Hell
Dressed To Kill
Alive   
Destroyer
Rock & Roll Over
Love Gun 
Alive II 
Double Platinum
Ace Frehley
Paul Stanley
Gene Simmons 
Peter Criss 
Dynasty
Unmasked 
Music From The Elder 
Killers 
Creatures of the Night
Lick It Up 
Animalize 
Asylum
Crazy Nights
Smashes Thrashes & Hits
Hot In The Shade
Revenge
Alive III
Kiss My Ass
Carnival of Souls 
Psycho Circus
The Box Set
KISS Symphony: Alive IV
KISS Alive Box Set
Sonic Boom 
Monster

KISS Unplugged is the only thing missing I can think of at first glance. 

Considering KISS isn't really a part of the KISS My Ass, it would probably be best to leave it out.  And, the Alive boxset is just a collection of the various Alive releases, right?

[dtvoices94]

KISS Unplugged is the only thing missing I can think of at first glance. 

Considering KISS isn't really a part of the KISS My Ass, it would probably be best to leave it out.  And, the Alive boxset is just a collection of the various Alive releases, right?

I added the MTV Unplugged.  How did I forget such a monumental moment in KISStory?  The boxset contains the Millennium Concert from Vancouver 12/31/99.

[BlobVanDam]

Considering KISS isn't really a part of the KISS My Ass, it would probably be best to leave it out.  And, the Alive boxset is just a collection of the various Alive releases, right?

It also includes a live show from the Psycho Circus tour that I think was going to be Alive IV, but then wasn't released, so that's the only place to get that disc as far as I'm aware.

[Stadler]

I think that list is excellent. 

I would be happy to do things in chronological order.  I just went with the ranking because I didn't know better.  I'm not writing this for my health, it's to entertain.  I can always give a ranking as well on the side (or after). 

Your call.  But it's fun for me to write this stuff and as I said, it's cool to revisit albums I haven't heard from in a while. 

[Lowdz]

I'm really tempted to do a "Y&T Discography - My Life As a Y&T Fan" thread.  But no one would care. 

Hey I'd be with ya 

[Lowdz]

So let's talk about the Kiss My Ass album.  I remember when it first came out, my friend and I, being big into Kiss, expected this album of heavy hitting, hard rocking Kiss covers, given the artists that were participating.  Imagine our surprise when we got done listening to it at what a departure it was from what we expected.  The only song on the album that was what you would expect was Anthrax' cover of She, which kicked ass.  I really wasn't all that amused with the covers, at the time.  I thought Toad The Wet Sprocket's cover of Rock and Roll All Nite was straight up blasphemous shit and that they should all look into new careers at the Department of Transportation or something.  Anything but musicians.  I also thought that the guy from Mighty Mighty Bosstones had the stupidest singing voice I'd ever heard.  Extreme pulled out a very odd funky rendition of Strutter, despite being one of the bands I expected to rock the hell out of it.  Gin Blossoms came off REALLY good (I don't usually... well some times..), Lemonheads came off pretty decent.  Hell, despite hating country, I even liked Garth's rendition of Hard Luck Woman.

I hadn't been listening to Kiss as long (at the time) as most Kiss fans I knew had.  I only started getting into them around the time of the release of Hot in the Shade.  So when I heard some of these renditions, it was hard for me to accept them, given my relatively newfound love and devotion to the originals.  So I listened to most of it again today and found that for the covers I may not have cared for to begin with, I like them better now than I did when it was released.  I can even stomach TTWS's cover of RARAN.  I really like the Bosstone's cover of Detroit Rock City, with the horn instrumentation.  It's really pretty damn cool, but that singer still grates on my nerves.  The Gin Blossoms' cover of C16 is still fantastic.  Lenny's cover of Deuce still bores the hell out of me.  The instrumentation on Goin' Blind seems a little muddy-ish to me, but that might just be how the band sounds, I am not familiar with anything else from them.  There is a GREAT guitar solo on that track and it's a Hotter than Hell deep cut, so I like it for that alone.   

So my faves from the album are She, Christine Sixteen, and Plaster Caster.  I guess that makes sense, as those are probably the most straight ahead renditions.

Pretty awful album. The only track I would say I liked was Yoshiki's orchestral version of Black Diamond. And the Anthrax and Garth Brooks were good too.

[bosk1]

I'm really tempted to do a "Y&T Discography - My Life As a Y&T Fan" thread.  But no one would care. 

Hey I'd be with ya 

  Yeah, we'd have a SMALL handful.  I wouldn't mind doing it, but it would be a chore to keep the interest of the few.  Problem is, they have a LOT of material.  But most consider their golden age to have been in the '80s and don't know or care about any of the other material.  So whether I go chronologically or by rank, once we get past the '80s material, I would lose a good chunk of an already very small audience.  I dunno.  I might do it just for fun anyway.

[cfmoran13]

I'm really tempted to do a "Y&T Discography - My Life As a Y&T Fan" thread.  But no one would care. 

Hey I'd be with ya 

  Yeah, we'd have a SMALL handful.  I wouldn't mind doing it, but it would be a chore to keep the interest of the few.  Problem is, they have a LOT of material.  But most consider their golden age to have been in the '80s and don't know or care about any of the other material.  So whether I go chronologically or by rank, once we get past the '80s material, I would lose a good chunk of an already very small audience.  I dunno.  I might do it just for fun anyway.

They're one of those bands I've always been curious about but never really looked into.  So, I'd definitely check it out.  Dave Meniketti did a great podcast with Dean Delray last summer.  It was like 2 hours of him going over the band's history.  If you're a fan of the band, I'd recommend looking for it.

[Lowdz]

I'm really tempted to do a "Y&T Discography - My Life As a Y&T Fan" thread.  But no one would care. 

Hey I'd be with ya 

  Yeah, we'd have a SMALL handful.  I wouldn't mind doing it, but it would be a chore to keep the interest of the few.  Problem is, they have a LOT of material.  But most consider their golden age to have been in the '80s and don't know or care about any of the other material.  So whether I go chronologically or by rank, once we get past the '80s material, I would lose a good chunk of an already very small audience.  I dunno.  I might do it just for fun anyway.

They're one of those bands I've always been curious about but never really looked into.  So, I'd definitely check it out.  Dave Meniketti did a great podcast with Dean Delray last summer.  It was like 2 hours of him going over the band's history.  If you're a fan of the band, I'd recommend looking for it.

It's true that nothing has grabbed me after Ten, but worth revisiting without the expectation I had going in to those albums.
Always worth seeing live. Such a great band live. Last saw them a few years ago in a sweaty club in Manchester. They totally blew the place up.

[hefdaddy42]

Hey, if "we need a friggin' break, Stads" is the right answer, so be it, I can take it, but anyone interested in another discography?  I really enjoyed that, particularly revisiting some of the albums I haven't heard in a while.

I figure a band with about 15 albums.   Not sure who I would do; thinking maybe Cheap Trick (CT has 17, plus Found All The Parts)?  AC/DC?   Sabbath (19)?   Ozzy solo (11)?   Purple?  Rainbow?

I don't really care about any of those groups very much, but I would follow it because I like your writing and everyone else's comments.

Same with bosky and Y&T.

[bosk1]

Okay...done.

[hefdaddy42]

 

[dtvoices94]

I think that list is excellent. 

I would be happy to do things in chronological order.  I just went with the ranking because I didn't know better.  I'm not writing this for my health, it's to entertain.  I can always give a ranking as well on the side (or after). 

Your call.  But it's fun for me to write this stuff and as I said, it's cool to revisit albums I haven't heard from in a while.

How about album by album (from KISS to Monster) and we can all chime in?  I can talk endlessly about KISS.  I vote for ranking them at the end.  I enjoyed the write ups when you did your list.

[TAC]

It's funny.  Cheap Trick is one of those bands that, for whatever reason, I've never had a great appreciation for.  I know tons of people love them (especially older KISS fans).  To me, they've always been just "meh".

On Samsara's site a few years ago, I buddied up with a Cheap Trick lover. He walked me through the first few Cheap Trick albums, and I did the same with Alice Cooper for him. It was a fun exercise, but I'm with you. At the end of the day, they just don't really do a lot for me. I did see them live around '87ish and it was cool.

[King Postwhore]

I'm a big Cheap Trick guy.  Their new album is awesome.

[dtvoices94]

I have At Budokan and am familiar with the radio staples.  I also liked the 1997 S/T...what would be considered "essential" Cheap Trick for a novice?

[TAC]

what would be considered "essential" Cheap Trick for a novice?

Y & T!

[King Postwhore]

I have At Budokan and am familiar with the radio staples.  I also liked the 1997 S/T...what would be considered "essential" Cheap Trick for a novice?

Obviously the first 4 studio albums.  I'm nuts over One On One.  The 1997 ST is excellent and for the newer albums I'd suggest Rockford.

[dtvoices94]

I have At Budokan and am familiar with the radio staples.  I also liked the 1997 S/T...what would be considered "essential" Cheap Trick for a novice?

Obviously the first 4 studio albums.  I'm nuts over One On One.  The 1997 ST is excellent and for the newer albums I'd suggest Rockford.

I'll check those out.  Thanks!!

[Stadler]

I have At Budokan and am familiar with the radio staples.  I also liked the 1997 S/T...what would be considered "essential" Cheap Trick for a novice?

Obviously the first 4 studio albums.  I'm nuts over One On One.  The 1997 ST is excellent and for the newer albums I'd suggest Rockford.

Ahhh... see... this is going to get me to do this.  I know it.  (Though I'll wait for Bosk).    The four are essential, true.   

"One on One" is good, but "All Shook Up" is odder and better. 
"S/T (97)" is very good.
"Rockford" is good, but "The Latest" is better (it actually gets my vote for "top three post-2010 album by a band that everyone thinks had their heyday in the 70's/early 80's).  I LOVE that album.

Also a big fan of "Standing on the Edge". 

I'll check those out.  Thanks!!
[/quote]

[King Postwhore]

And I think The Latest and SOTE are weak.  Like tastes man.

I like ASU.  It's the middle of the pack for me.