Kiss - the finale

Well, I think they really mean it. Kiss is done this weekend. 

To mark the event, I thought it would be fun to listen to the entire discography over the weekend, starting of course with the very 1st album Kiss. So last night I got in Kiss, Hotter than Hell and Dressed to Kill. Its been a while since I had these on rotation and some things really stood out to me. Peter could play at the level required by Gene and Paul, but Ace was a hell of guitar player and I honestly believe a step ahead of the other 3. His licks just ring out ahead of anything else on the tune.

But let me add a little back ground in regards to my history with Kiss.

In 1974 I was 11 years old and firmly entrenched in everything Alice Cooper. And it was in 1974 that I bought with my own hard earned money, Alice Coopers Greatest Hits. I played it to death. Then came more Cooper albums as I could afford them and I enjoyed everyone of them. Love it to Death is still one of my regular plays. 

At the time, Circus magazine was probably the magazine to read to catch up on what was happening with bands. And Circus was covering Kiss as up and comers. Being a Cooper fan, the appearance didn't shock me, and I was curious as to how they sounded. So, one day while shopping for anything new and interesting at the Kmart, I came across Hotter than Hell. Why not? Let's hear how they sound.

I could not stop playing it. I played it before school. I ran home at lunch time to play it and played it into the wee hours of the night when I should have been sleeping. This was a new sound to me. It was heavier than Cooper but there again, there was Ace. Wow! I still loved Cooper, but Glen Buxton was simply not in the same league as Ace. 

My last Kiss album was Music from the Elder. Which I actually like and still play from time to time. But the band was changing and I guess I had moved on as well. Other than hearing some stuff on the radio in the 80s, I didn't pay much attention to Kiss and what they were doing, so I have a lot of material to listen to. And I am looking forward to it. I know it will not end up being the same band I had begun listening to in the 70s and I don't want to be critical of material I have listened to yet, but it strikes me from seeing the band live, what predominates the concerts are songs from the 70s. And from Googling a set list just now of this current tour, it looks like that is still holding.

Great post!!! The Kiss Alive LP is still one of the all time great live albums. Ace is underrated as a player and on that LP he just rips it up. I was in high school when Dressed To Kill was released and I was hooked. 

Thanks Mike!

And absolutely on Kiss Alive. What a phenomenal album! I wish I still had my copy from back then, but I was able to get a copy from Amazon a few years ago.

I'm making my way through the 80s now, and ... so glad I caught these guys in the 70s lol!

I had no idea Brian Adams was working with them back then. Going through the song credits it looks like they were trying anything to get back on top. That song Shandi... wow. How did the kings of the night time world end up recording that thing?

Just a note, an update of sorts for anyone besides Mark following this thread. 

I am really struggling with how to define what I am hearing through the 80s. It's almost like Paul was trying to write songs for blockbuster movies. One song was co-written by Diane Warren. Jeez! Would the word "cheesey" be too much?

I found out too late to post this but... Kiss' last concert is being shown pay-for-view online.  Perhaps there will be a repeat showing.   https://www.ppv.com/events/kiss-live?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&cjevent=f05f5ae1918211ee823c02160a1cb825

Thanks for the link John, I am trudging along in my quest to master the Kiss discography but will definitely want to check this out later.

This morning I have opened up Hot In The Shade, released in 1989. 

I have to say, for me, making my way through the 1980s Kiss output was a tough one. 

But now I have hope that they closed out the 80s better than they started or muddled through the decade.

Rise To It, the 1st track opens up with a great blues lick on acoustic and then hits hard and runs hard through to the end. Bruce lays out some tasty licks and the back beat is steady and strong. But Paul is absolutely on the money with clear powerful vocals. He not trying to be Steve Perry, he's just rockin out with his band and it sounds great!

To quote some little-known band, "What a long, strange trip it's been."  I grew up in a time when the use of echo chambers was spiffy new.  And now this, "KISS announces 'new era', plans to continue as avatars".   https://blabbermouth.net/news/kiss-announces-new-era-plans-to-continue-as-avatars

Paul and Gene have been talking for sometime as to options to continue the business beyond themselves, so this makes sense. 

So far, and I am almost through the catalog, all the magic happened in the first 5 years. Which is fine by me. I still listen to all my favourite bands from back in that era. Just to take a break late last night I even threw on Bob Seger Live Bullet from 1975. I still love it, and wish I still had my original from back in the day.

Paul and Gene created something pretty amazing though. Glad I can say I was part of it for a little while. 

Carnival of Souls. This is not a bad album, very heavy which may be Bruce's influence. In some cases I find myself wishing for different vocals. On Master and Slave, I keep trying to hear it with Chris Cornell. Paul's voice is ok, but this song has such potential and needs a real powerhouse of a singer.