KISS Discography - My Life As a Kiss Fan

[cfmoran13]

I listened to HiTS the other day. I have to say that it is a Bottom 5 album for me. Maybe Bottom 3. I forgot how much it sucked.

Always have loved You Love Me To Hate You though. It was such an awesome tour too. When they seemed to really embrace the older stuff again.

Totally agree with the tour.  When they opened with "I Stole Your Love", I totally freaked!  And, to have "Calling Dr. Love" and "God of Thunder" back in the set?  It was awesome!  Back in the day when concert sets were still a complete surprise.

[TAC]

My first time seeing KISS was the Asylum tour, and I remember being extremely disappointed in the length of the show and the limited setlist. The Crazy Nights tour wasn't much different, but the HiTS tour seemed like a lot more songs and a much better stage. The whole thing was different.

I did see the Paul solo tour in Hartford in '89, and I had a feeling after that that KISS was going to go a little more Old School on the next tour, especially in the setlist. Seemed like Paul was really embracing it.

[cfmoran13]

My first time seeing KISS was the Asylum tour, and I remember being extremely disappointed in the length of the show and the limited setlist. The Crazy Nights tour wasn't much different, but the HiTS tour seemed like a lot more songs and a much better stage. The whole thing was different.

I did see the Paul solo tour in Hartford in '89, and I had a feeling after that that KISS was going to go a little more Old School on the next tour, especially in the setlist. Seemed like Paul was really embracing it.

The Asylum tour was not only my first time seeing KISS but my first concert... at Madison Square Garden!  So, the length of the setlist was overlooked by my 12-year old mind being blown by the overall experience.  Looking back the Asylum and CN sets and stages were pretty weak.  HITS was a huge step forward.

[King Postwhore]

During that period they seemed to play the same older songs.  I was glad during the HITS tour they pulled out some older gems.

I was lucky enough to have my dad take me to the Dynasty tour.  My next time seeing them was Animalize with Queensryche opening.  That show was amazing.

[TAC]

During that period they seemed to play the same older songs.   

It wasn't just that. They played the same newer songs too.

[bl5150]

I'm a baby - my first show was Revenge   Although I had been a fan since the age of 6yo.   Not a huge show in terms of pyro etc......but we had the "Take It Off" girls

I vividly recall noting how hard Singer was hitting the drums too - never realised he was so good until I saw that gig.

[cfmoran13]

I'm a baby - my first show was Revenge   Although I had been a fan since the age of 6yo.   Not a huge show in terms of pyro etc......but we had the "Take It Off" girls

I vividly recall noting how hard Singer was hitting the drums too - never realised he was so good until I saw that gig.

For whatever reason, I don't remember the Roanoke VA show having the TIO girls.  It was my one and only general admission KISS show and I managed to get a Gene pick.     That tour marked the end of them playing everything all metal'd up in double-time.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I was at the Roanoke, VA Revenge show.  My first concert was at the Roanoke Civic Center for the HITS tour, 7/11/90.

[dtvoices94]

One of my favorite articles about the band...

https://grantland.com/features/chuck-klosterman-kiss-hall-of-fame/

[cfmoran13]

I was at the Roanoke, VA Revenge show.  My first concert was at the Roanoke Civic Center for the HITS tour, 7/11/90.

Nice!  Were Faster Pussycat and Trixter the openers for that Revenge show?  My memory's a bit foggy. 

I went to college at James Madison University and went to Roanoke for a few shows - KISS, Metallica on the Black Album tour, VH for For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Aerosmith for Get A Grip.  The first 2 mentioned were awesome.  VH was okay.  Aero was a yawner.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Indeed, Faster Pussycat and Trixter.  Both of whom I've seen live in the last few years.

I was there for the VH Carnal Knowledge show also.  2/26/92.  Baby Animals was the opener and I didn't care for them at all.  I lived in Salem, so the RCC was just up the street for me, almost.

[cfmoran13]

I was there for the VH Carnal Knowledge show also.  2/26/92.  Baby Animals was the opener and I didn't care for them at all.  I lived in Salem, so the RCC was just up the street for me, almost.

My main complaint about the VH show was the piped-in keyboards on that tour.  It's crazy how much of that album they played on that tour.  Only 4 other Sammy-era songs played. 

[Lowdz]

I was at the Roanoke, VA Revenge show.  My first concert was at the Roanoke Civic Center for the HITS tour, 7/11/90.

Nice!  Were Faster Pussycat and Trixter the openers for that Revenge show?  My memory's a bit foggy. 

I went to college at James Madison University and went to Roanoke for a few shows - KISS, Metallica on the Black Album tour, VH for For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Aerosmith for Get A Grip.  The first 2 mentioned were awesome.  VH was okay.  Aero was a yawner.

In the UK I think it was Danger Danger. They were excellent.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

On the HITS tour, we got Danger Danger and Slaughter.  I've also seen both of them in the last few years as well.  Both still sound great!

[cfmoran13]

On the HITS tour, we got Danger Danger and Slaughter.  I've also seen both of them in the last few years as well.  Both still sound great!

We had Little Caesar and Slaughter.  I would've rather DD over LC.

[Stadler]

^^^  I used to work for GE Industrial, who had a big manufacturing plant in Salem and spent a lot of time there.  Always fun flying into the valley.   

For my "non-makeup shows" (I only saw Lick it Up and Animalize) I got Accept and Queensryche.   The former was okay (I missed half of it because of the meet and greet I already talked about) and the latter was AWESOME.   I thought the 'Ryche was SO GOOD, even if Geoff looked like a total douche at that point. 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

^^^  I used to work for GE Industrial, who had a big manufacturing plant in Salem and spent a lot of time there.  Always fun flying into the valley.   

Located (appropriately, enough) on Electric Road.  I lived in Salem from '84 to '97.

[cfmoran13]

For my "non-makeup shows" (I only saw Lick it Up and Animalize) I got Accept and Queensryche.   The former was okay (I missed half of it because of the meet and greet I already talked about) and the latter was AWESOME.   I thought the 'Ryche was SO GOOD, even if Geoff looked like a total douche at that point.

My non-makeup openers were okay, I suppose - Black and Blue, Ted Nugent, Blue Oyster Cult and then Little Caesar, Slaughter, Faster Pussycat and Trixter. 

Seeing QR back then would've been awesome.  I didn't see them until they opened for Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour.

[King Postwhore]

Queensryche, Winger, Slaughter are the only openers I can remember.

[dtvoices94]

Openers I've seen:
Little Caesar
Slaughter
Faster Pussycat
Trixter
311
Deftones
Econoline Crush
Skid Row
Ted Nugent
Z02
Poison
Buckcherry
Motley Crue
Def Leppard

[King Postwhore]

311 opened for them?  Wow!  An odd pairing but very cool!

[dtvoices94]

311 opened for them?  Wow!  An odd pairing but very cool!

7/27/96 at Madison Square Garden.  I had no idea who they were as I was in the bathroom painting up like Gene Simmons.

[TAC]

I don't remember who opened the Revenge and '96 shows.

For the Revenge club tour it was Shooting Gallery, an LA band that I think only made one album. They featured Hanoi Rocks guitarist Andy McCoy. They were amazing. One of the Top 5 openers I've ever seen.

[cfmoran13]

311 opened for them?  Wow!  An odd pairing but very cool!

7/27/96 at Madison Square Garden.  I had no idea who they were as I was in the bathroom painting up like Gene Simmons.

They had some pretty weak opening bands on that Alive/Worldwide tour.  I had D-Generation on 7/25/96 at the Garden.  I was really hoping for The Nixons.  But, they were 7/28/96.

Anyone see them with Ozone Monday?  Skid Row's first attempt without Sebastian.

[Stadler]

311 opened for them?  Wow!  An odd pairing but very cool!

7/27/96 at Madison Square Garden.  I had no idea who they were as I was in the bathroom painting up like Gene Simmons.

They had some pretty weak opening bands on that Alive/Worldwide tour.  I had D-Generation on 7/25/96 at the Garden.  I was really hoping for The Nixons.  But, they were 7/28/96.

Anyone see them with Ozone Monday?  Skid Row's first attempt without Sebastian.

That was, if I recall, a four night stand.  Who opened each of the shows?  I was at the show on the 26th.  The show on the 27th was on a bonus DVD in the Kissology III set.    I don't remember who opened (but then again, we were late getting down from Connecticut, so I think I missed them anyway. 

[cfmoran13]

That was, if I recall, a four night stand.  Who opened each of the shows?  I was at the show on the 26th.  The show on the 27th was on a bonus DVD in the Kissology III set.    I don't remember who opened (but then again, we were late getting down from Connecticut, so I think I missed them anyway.

25 - D-Generation
26 - CIV (who?!?)
27 - 311
28 - The Nixons

[TAC]

Just picked up Gene's KISS And Make Up from the library. Enjoying it!

[dtvoices94]

Just picked up Gene's KISS And Make Up from the library. Enjoying it!

Gene's wasn't bad.
Paul's was the best of the 4...Peter's dished the most dirt...Ace's was ok, but kind of a letdown TBH. 
I'd recommend KISS and Sell by CK Lendt.  He was an insider who joined in '76 (I believe) and was there until the wheels fell off in the mid 80's.
Nothin' To Lose by Ken Sharp is also great and really chronicles the early days.

[DragonAttack]

The start of their reunion tour back in '96.  Where else?  Detroit Rock City. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3l918iKkN4

Had a friend who was a roadie for this show.  I should have tagged along to Michigan and Trumbell for the fun.

[Lowdz]

Just picked up Gene's KISS And Make Up from the library. Enjoying it!

Gene's wasn't bad.
Paul's was the best of the 4...Peter's dished the most dirt...Ace's was ok, but kind of a letdown TBH. 
I'd recommend KISS and Sell by CK Lendt.  He was an insider who joined in '76 (I believe) and was there until the wheels fell off in the mid 80's.
Nothin' To Lose by Ken Sharp is also great and really chronicles the early days.

I'm reading NTL at the moment. Not bad. I wanted to punch Peter whilst reading his. Ace is writing another I believe.

[Mladen]

I've been listening to Creatures of the night the last several days. You guys were right, it really is a great album. 

[TAC]

I literally read the Gene book in a day. Great read!
He was a lot nicer to Eric than Paul was. Although Paul expressed regret about the handling of Eric at the end, he painted him as an insecure guy.

[Stadler]

Peter dished dirt, but common wisdom is that most of it wasn't exactly as described. 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

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.

[TAC]

Other than Anthrax, I don't even remember sampling anything else from that album. I looked at the list of artists and yawned.
Anthrax also covered Love Her All I Can.