KISS

Hootsmon · July 2023

I must confess I know NOTHING about this band or have even heard any of their stuff......

Are they for real/a joke/piss take/singles band with good toons/ or what?

FelineGuitars · July 2023

A great fun band that took theatrics to a new level in the 1970s

Lots of catchy riffs and proof that you can take some Rolling Stones, Led Zep and Slade and make something out of it .

Nothing that is breaking any new ground but packaging it into something fun

Tends to get obsessive fans like many other bands like AC/DC, Iron Maiden etc

Some questionable lyrics that haven't stood the test of time in some ways (Gene Simmons penned some awful cliche ridden schlock in the mid to late 80s), but they were good fun and the riffs are catchy if you like that kind of thing - I do as it happens.

Worthwhile listening for the newb - Kiss Alive (first one), or the Kiss Gold compilation, or the 1978 Ace Frehley solo album (and Paul's one too)

Pretty much calling it quits now after 50 years and played their farewell tour last month in UK

I liked the make-up free years as much as the ones with grease-paint and this song from the Unplugged session is a fave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4X4Z4Y6B4s

CaseOfAce · July 2023

For me a band who are more than the sum of their not inconsiderable talents (Stanley's vocals, Gene's McCartney-esque bass, Criss's drumming and Frehley's melodic guitar playing) combined with killer tunes and live presentation.

I still put on Kiss - Alive to remind me what a great rocking band can sound like!

Even after Criss and Frehley left - the others still came up with some superb tunes.

EricTheWeary · July 2023

I was watching some clips from a TV show, I think late 1970s, and they were more technical/ a better band than they might be thought of. Musically a bit soft I guess for UK heavy metal fans of the late 70s/ early 80s. Obviously a big fan base and people liked them live. Can't say I've ever warmed to Gene Simmons but @jason had Paul Stanley on his podcast and he seemed like a nice enough guy.
And I (genuinely) enjoyed the cartoon film they did with Scooby Doo. That capacity to make fun of themselves without being a joke band.

Grangousier · July 2023

Somewhere I have the KISS Marvel comic book written by Steve "Howard the Duck" Gerber, with samples of the band's blood (allegedly) mixed into the red ink.

Jason · July 2023

Grangousier said:

Somewhere I have the KISS Marvel comic book written by Steve "Howard the Duck" Gerber, with samples of the band's blood (allegedly) mixed into the red ink.

If you are ever selling…

FarleyUK · July 2023

I never really 'got' KISS until I went to see them; my Mrs is a huge KISS fan, and dragged me along.... and f*ck me, were they good live. Seen them twice since then, and I've always been impressed with the whole stage show thing they have going on.

Plus, they have some brilliant songs - Detroit Rock City, Unholy and Love Gun being personal favs.

Philly_Q · July 2023

I've never been a massive fan but I did buy a few of the albums from the makeup-free years (with Vinnie Vincent, the late Mark St John and then Bruce Kulick on guitars). The early albums have some classic songs but they sound quite weedy, so it might be best to start with the live albums.

Jason · July 2023

They big, they are daft, they were my favourite band for a long time.

They still put on the greatest show on earth and have written some great songs, well Paul Stanley has. Frehley occasionally and Simmons not for a long time.

An American Slade.

I still believe that Frehley is the most influential guitarist of the last 40 years. Almost every autobiography you read by a successful American artist cites him as the reason they started playing. Way more than EVH, Vai etc.

I love his playing, it is always so unmistakably him.

Grangousier · July 2023

Jason said:

If you are ever selling…

I'd have to find it first - it's In a Box Somewhere...

Jason · July 2023

Grangousier said:

Jason said:

If you are ever selling…

I'd have to find it first - it's In a Box Somewhere...

If you stumble across it. I’ve never actually seen a copy.

swiller · July 2023

First album i bought was kiss unmasked , i was 8 i think and recently joined a group of mates who had all the badges of metal bands on their denim jackets. They told me the bass player used to bite chickens heads off on stage, so had to have it asap.
Its the only album i know, but lots of decent stuff on there.
Here is a non single/hit track as an example. Great song, not out of place on an eagles/smiths album musically. Great simple style musical guitar work.

Philly_Q · July 2023

Jason said:

Grangousier said:

Jason said:

If you are ever selling…

I'd have to find it first - it's In a Box Somewhere...

If you stumble across it. I’ve never actually seen a copy.

Less impressive, but I've got the Gene Simmons 7" single "Radioactive" on red vinyl, with a paper Gene mask.

I've also got a picture disc of.... something, with the band's signatures scratched on the back of the vinyl (I guess they just scratched a master copy, not each individual record).

neilg · July 2023

EricTheWeary said:

I was watching some clips from a TV show, I think late 1970s, and they were more technical/ a better band than they might be thought of. Musically a bit soft I guess for UK heavy metal fans of the late 70s/ early 80s. Obviously a big fan base and people liked them live. Can't say I've ever warmed to Gene Simmons but @jason had Paul Stanley on his podcast and he seemed like a nice enough guy.
And I (genuinely) enjoyed the cartoon film they did with Scooby Doo. That capacity to make fun of themselves without being a joke band.

Was it the ones on this youtube channel?

EricTheWeary · July 2023

neilg said:

EricTheWeary said:

I was watching some clips from a TV show, I think late 1970s, and they were more technical/ a better band than they might be thought of. Musically a bit soft I guess for UK heavy metal fans of the late 70s/ early 80s. Obviously a big fan base and people liked them live. Can't say I've ever warmed to Gene Simmons but @jason had Paul Stanley on his podcast and he seemed like a nice enough guy.
And I (genuinely) enjoyed the cartoon film they did with Scooby Doo. That capacity to make fun of themselves without being a joke band.

Was it the ones on this youtube channel?

Looks right. No idea why they were on my YouTube feed.

neilg · July 2023

EricTheWeary said:

neilg said:

EricTheWeary said:

I was watching some clips from a TV show, I think late 1970s, and they were more technical/ a better band than they might be thought of. Musically a bit soft I guess for UK heavy metal fans of the late 70s/ early 80s. Obviously a big fan base and people liked them live. Can't say I've ever warmed to Gene Simmons but @jason had Paul Stanley on his podcast and he seemed like a nice enough guy.
And I (genuinely) enjoyed the cartoon film they did with Scooby Doo. That capacity to make fun of themselves without being a joke band.

Was it the ones on this youtube channel?

Looks right. No idea why they were on my YouTube feed.

Yeah they randomly appeared on mine, there's some good stuff on there though.

Philly_Q · July 2023

neilg said:

There's a fantastic energy in that performance, and even when they're doing the little choreographed dance moves it doesn't feel over-rehearsed.

I don't know what guitar Ace is playing here, but if you look at 0:58 it seems to have a contoured heel, like something @FelineGuitars would make today.

Jason · July 2023

I don't know what guitar Ace is playing here, but if you look at 0:58 it seems to have a contoured heel, like something @FelineGuitars would make today.

Ace did it to his Les Paul himself

FelineGuitars · July 2023

Philly_Q said:

neilg said:

I don't know what guitar Ace is playing here, but if you look at 0:58 it seems to have a contoured heel, like something @FelineGuitars would make today.

I was pleased when I spotted that a few years ago and it pretty much makes sense when you see how much of his time Ace spends in that region of the neck.

monquixote · July 2023

I was a big Kiss fan as a teenager and I saw them headline Donnington.

In terms of albums
The first three studio albums (Kiss, Dressed to Kill and Hotter than Hell) are glam rock in the 70's meaning of the term not unlike Alice Cooper, or as others have mentioned Slade and are pretty decent.

The next 3 (Destroyer, Love Gun, Rock N Roll Over) are much more theatrical and are their creative peak with most of the best and most famous songs.

The first two live albums Alive 1 and 2 are all time classics and well worth having (unlike most live albums)

From that point on they went down hill with the occasional bright spot like "I was made for lovin you".

Once you get to the 80's they become a more conventional 80's glam / soft metal band like Poison with the occasional decent song like Heavens on Fire or Unholy and are fine if you like that kind of thing. From the mid 90's they essentially became a tribute band to themselves and though they've released a couple more studio albums they aren't worth bothering with.

As others have said they aren't really a studio band and are famous as being one of the most over the top and fun live acts of all time.

hollywoodrox · July 2023

Kiss are ace I love the 80s unmasked albums , especially crazy nights & hot in the shade
Destroyer is ace though . Love em . I think gene seems a real nice guy for someone so famous and with such astute business acumen

sev112 · July 2023

Makes me want o Rock and Roll all night ….

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