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KISS – Alive II
KISS – Alive II [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records/Casablanca Records)
Original Release: 1977, Casablanca Records
DISC 1
1. “Detroit Rock City (3:56)
2. “King of the Night Time World” (3:05)
3. “Ladies Room” (3:14)
4. “Makin’ Love” (3:13)
5. “Love Gun” (3:40)
6. “Calling Dr. Love” (3:35)
7. “Christine Sixteen” (2:45)
8. “Shock Me” (5:51)
9. “Hard Luck Woman” (3:06)
10. “Tomorrow and Tonight” (3:25)
DISC 2
11. “I Stole Your Love” (3:35)
12. “Beth” (2:24)
13. “God of Thunder” (5:16)
14. “I Want You” (4:14)
15. “Shout It out Loud” (3:39)
16. “All-American Man” (3:13)
17. “Rockin’ in the USA” (2:36)
18. “Larger Than Life” (3:59)
19. “Rocket Ride” (4:07)
20. “Any Way You Want It” (2:33)
Band:
Paul Stanley – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Gene Simmons – Lead Vocals, Bass, Guitar (“Larger Than Life”)
Ace Frehley – Guitar, Lead Vocals, Bass (“Rocket Ride”)
Peter Criss – Drums, Lead Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Bob Kulick – Guitar (“All American Man”, “Rockin’ in the U.S.A.”, “Larger Than Life”)
Produced by: Eddie Kramer & KISS
For their second live album (coming a short two years after their first one), KISS wisely featured no repeated performances. Only songs from the three albums they had released since Alive! (Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun) were showcased here. The end result is an Alive album that is almost as strong as the original Alive!.
The last five songs are studio tracks recorded specifically for this album. They’re a mixed bag. “All-American Man”, “Larger Than Life” and “Rocket Ride” are very good, but “Rockin’ in the USA” and their cover of The Dave Clark Five’s “Any Way You Want It” are awful. Don’t quote me on this, but I don’t think KISS has ever played any of those five songs live.
This was the first KISS album I bought. I was on winter break visiting some friends in Virginia and we went to Walmart just to browse. I had started to get curious about KISS and for whatever reason, this was the album I picked up. I didn’t like it at first. Even my friend mentioned “this album sucks” and it very nearly killed the deal from the get-go. But I hung in, picked up Psycho Circus and then went for the rest of the catalog. The rest is history, KISS is my favorite band.
Just like the original vinyl version, this 2 CD set included some rub-on KISS tattoos. It’s always a nice touch when a CD reissue tries to keep the charm of the vinyl.
I the album cover though and I always have. The Alive! cover is so iconic and it makes you go “WOW! This has got to be a killer show!” This cover has always looked very cheap to me and hasn’t held up over time.
Highlights: “Detroit Rock City”, “Makin’ Love”, “Love Gun”, “Hard Luck Woman”, “I Stole Your Love”, “God of Thunder”, “I Want You”, “All-American Man”, “Larger Than Life”, “Rocket Ride”
KISS – Alive!
KISS – Alive! [Remastered] (1997, Casablanca Records/Mercury Records)
Original Release: 1975, Casablanca Records
DISC 1
1. “Deuce” … 3:44
2. “Strutter” … 3:17
3. “Got to Choose” … 3:35
4. “Hotter Than Hell” … 3:12
5. “Firehouse” … 3:59
6. “Nothin’ to Lose” … 3:29
7. “C’mon and Love Me” … 2:53
8. “Parasite” … 3:22
9. “She” … 6:55
DISC 2
1. “Watchin’ You” … 3:40
2. “100,000 Years” … 11:59
3. “Black Diamond” … 5:51
4. “Rock Bottom” … 3:36
5. “Cold Gin” … 5:26
7. “Rock and Roll All Night” … 4:06
8. “Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll” … 5:46
Band:
Paul Stanley – Vocals, Guitar
Gene Simmons – Vocals, Bass
Ace Frehley – Guitar
Peter Criss – Drums, Vocals
Produced by: Eddie Kramer
This is one of those albums where there’s really not a whole lot left to say on the subject. It’s considered one of the best rock albums of all time and is perhaps THE greatest live album of all time. There’s a lot of fire and energy to these songs that wasn’t captured on the studio albums and that’s what helped prove to people that KISS was legit. Simply stated, this is the definitive KISS album and is a must have for anyone interested in the band.
Out of all the songs on this album, “Black Diamond” is my favorite track. The passion with which Peter performs this song gives me chills!
Highlights: “Deuce”, “Nothin’ to Lose”, “C’mon and Love Me”, “Parasite”, “She”, “100,000 Years”, “Black Diamond”, “Rock Bottom”
KISS – MTV Unplugged
KISS – MTV Unplugged (1996, Mercury Records)
1. “Comin’ Home” … 2:21
2. “Plaster Caster” … 3:17
3. “Goin’ Blind” … 3:37
4. “Do You Love Me?” … 3:13
5. “Domino” … 3:46
6. “Sure Know Something” … 4:14
7. “World Without Heroes” … 2:57
8. “Rock Bottom” … 3:20
9. “See You Tonight” … 2:26
10. “I Still Love You” … 6:09
11. “Every Time I Look at You” … 4:43
12. “2000 Man” … 5:12
13. “Beth” … 2:50
14. “Nothin’ to Lose” … 3:42
15. “Rock and Roll All Night” … 4:20
Band:
Paul Stanley – Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals
Gene Simmons – Acoustic Bass, Lead Vocals
Bruce Kulick – Acoustic Guitar
Eric Singer – Drums, Lead Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Ace Frehley – Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals
Peter Criss – Drums, Lead Vocals
Phillip Ashley – Piano on “Every Time I Look at You”
Produced by: Alex Coletti
Basically, this is Alive Acoustic. This album is, as you could already tell, a live recording of their 1995 MTV Unplugged performance. And it’s actually a pretty historical performance too, because we got to see Paul, Gene, Bruce, Eric, Ace and Peter all performing together. It also served as a major catalyst for Ace & Peter to return (which was more than likely already in the making anyway). The album itself was a success as well, going gold.
It’s a really cool performance. It’s nice to hear these songs in an acoustic setting (the band had been doing acoustic sets for the KISS Conventions so this is a tight performance) and it’s an interesting set list as well. Forget all the hype, lights, pyro and bombast– this album is a stripped down KISS proving that, despite the hate that comes from music critics, they were more than just makeup and marketing. Paul’s voice sounds phenomenal, he really hits a home run on “I Still Love You” and “Sure Know Something”.
This album definitely wouldn’t be of interest to casual KISS fans. It’s acoustic and it’s not a “greatest hits” set list by any means, but for die-hards, it’s a dream come true and I think it’s another classic live release from the band.
Highlights: “Comin’ Home”, “Do You Love Me?”, “Sure Know Something”, “Rock Bottom”, “See You Tonight”, “I Still Love You”, “Every Time I Look at You”, “Nothin’ to Lose”, “Rock and Roll All Night”
KISS – Ace Frehley
KISS – Ace Frehley [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records)
Original Release: 1978, Casablanca Records
1. “Rip It Out” … 3:40
2. “Speedin’ Back to My Baby” … 3:37
3. “Snowblind” … 3:55
4. “Ozone” … 4:40
5. “What’s on Your Mind?” … 3:27
6. “New York Groove” … 3:03
7. “I’m in Need of Love” … 4:37
8. “Wiped-Out” … 4:13
9. “Fractured Mirror” … 5:26
Credits:
Ace Frehley – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocals
Anton Fig – Drums
Carl Tallarico – Drums
Will Lee – Bass
Susan Collins, Larry Kelly, David Lasley, Bill Scheinan – Backing Vocals
Produced by: Eddie Kramer
Years ago, I picked up all four of the KISS solo albums within the span of two or three months, but the Ace album was my first purchase, based on it getting the most positive reviews. I prefer Paul’s release over this one, but Ace’s offering for the 1978 solo stunt is very good and rocks the hardest out of all four. Paul’s album was the most KISS-like, Gene’s was typically all over the place musically (and had more cameos than a rap album) in an attempt to find a hit somewhere, Peter gave us a lounge act, but Ace? Ace just wanted to rock.
Ace scored the biggest only commercial hit of all for albums with “New York Groove”, but the standout track is the beautiful instrumental “Fractured Mirror”. In fact, “Fractured Mirror” is so good, that Ace has given us three sequel instrumentals over the years: “Fractured II” (from 1987′s Frehley’s Comet), “Fractured III” (from 1989′s Trouble Walkin’) and “Fractured Quantum” (from 2009′s upcoming Anomaly).
While I think Ace usually has the weakest song on KISS albums, this album is proof positive that he can write great rock songs and perhaps Gene & Paul should’ve allowed/encouraged him to do a bit more while a member of KISS.
Highlights: “Rip It Out”, “Speedin’ Back to My Baby”, “Snowblind”, “New York Groove”, “Wiped-Out”, “Fractured Mirror”
KISS – Music From “The Elder”
KISS – Music From “The Elder” [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records)
Original Release: 1981, Casablanca Records
1. “Fanfare” … 1:21
2. “Just A Boy” … 2:25
3. “Odyssey” …. 5:36
4. “Only You” … 4:17
5. “Under the Rose” … 4:51
6. “Dark Light” … 4:18
7. “A World Without Heroes” … 2:40
8. “The Oath” … 4:31
9. “Mr. Blackwell” … 4:52
10. “Escape from the Island” … 2:52
11. “I” … 5:03
Band:
Paul Stanley – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Gene Simmons – Lead Vocals, Bass, Guitar
Ace Frehley – Guitar, Lead Vocals
Eric Carr – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Bob Ezrin – Bass
Allan Schwartzberg – Drums
American Symphony Orchestra – Ensemble
Produced by: Bob Ezrin
Honestly, this is one of my favorite KISS albums. Upon release, it was bashed by fans and critics alike and failed to be a commercial success, but has since found a home in the heart of many KISS fans.
At the time, it definitely wasn’t the album that the band needed. They were losing their hardcore fanbase and Music from ‘The Elder’ was just about the nail in the coffin that the band had been hammering with their disco flirtations from Dynasty and Unmasked. Instead of delivering a killer rock album to show the world and their fans they hadn’t gone soft, they gave the world a fantasy concept album based on a Lord of the Rings-inspired story idea from Gene Simmons.
There was a dual purpose to this release. The first reason was that KISS, instead of playing to and for their slipping fan base, wanted to critic cred. They wanted to be viewed as serious musicians. Secondly, the band also had plans to produce a movie, called The Elder, hence the “Music From” portion of the album’s title. The band brought back successful producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare, KISS’ Destroyer) to help construct the album.
Having the perspective of being fresh ears to KISS at the time of buying this, I loved it, and I still do. Yeah, I’m sure if I was old enough at the time of this album’s release (it was released just days after I was born!) and a longtime KISS fan, I probably would’ve hated it at first. But many of those haters have come to respect the album for what it is.
Interest in the album was so poor, this is one of only two KISS album to not go at least Gold (Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions is the other one) and the band didn’t even bother to tour to support it. Oh well, the album was a serious commercial misstep for the band when they really needed to get back to meat-and-potatoes rock, but creatively, it’s enjoyable (though cheesy).
And can you imagine being Eric Carr? His first album with KISS and he has to play these songs and then he’s told they won’t be touring at all because the album tanked! This album was also the ‘final straw’ for Ace.
Highlights: All of it. One of KISS’ strongest albums top to bottom, in my opinion.
KISS – Dynasty
KISS – Dynasty [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records)
Original Release: 1979, Casablanca Records
1. “I Was Made for Loving You” … 4:30
2. “2000 Man” … 4:55
3. “Sure Know Something” … 4:01
4. “Dirty Livin’” … 4:27
5. “Charisma” … 4:25
6. “Magic Touch” … 4:42
7. “Hard Times” … 3:31
8. “X-Ray Eyes” … 3:46
9. “Save Your Love” … 4:40
Band:
Paul Stanley – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Gene Simmons – Lead Vocals, Bass
Ace Frehley – Guitar, Lead Vocals
Peter Criss – Drums, Lead Vocals (Credited for whole album, but played only on “Dirty Livin’”)
Additional Musicians:
Anton Fig – Drums (Uncredited, Tracks 1-3, 5-9)
Vini Poncia – Keyboard, Backing Vocals
Produced by: Vini Poncia
KISS met the Phantom and on Dynasty, disco met KISS. I actually enjoy this album a lot. Maybe it’s because KISS is my favorite band and I’m able to see bad anything that might be considered “bad” by them.
“I Was Made For Lovin’ You” is one of my favorite KISS songs but I’m not a fan of this version. The first time I ever heard it was on Alive III, where the energy level for the song is a lot higher than what was given here. “Dirty Livin’” is classic Peter.
Honestly, I don’t have much more to say about this album. It’s not a classic, but it has charm, though I could see where maybe it’s best left to the hardcore KISS fans.
Highlights: “I Was Made for Loving You”, “Sure Know Something”, “Dirty Livin’”, “Magic Touch”
ACE FREHLEY – Frehley’s Comet
Ace Frehley – Frehley’s Comet (1987, Megaforce Records)
Track Listing:
1. “Rock Soldiers” … 5:05
2. “Breakout” … 3:38
3. “Into The Night” … 4:12
4. “Something Moved” … 4:02
5. “We Got Your Rock” … 4:12
6. “Love Me Right” … 3:54
7. “Calling To You” … 4:20
8. “Dolls” … 3:28
9. “Stranger In A Strange Land” … 4:02
10. “Fractured Too” [instrumental] … 4:14
Band:
Ace Frehley: Lead & Backing Vocals, Guitar
Tod Howarth: Lead & Backing Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard
John Regan: Bass, Backing Vocals
Anton Fig: Drums
Produced by: Eddie Kramer & Ace Frehley
“Ace is back and he told ya so!”
1980s melodic hard rock cheese was in full effect here, but this is still a fun album that I’ll dust off every now and then for “Rock Soldiers” and “Into the Night”. It’s more polished and mainstreamed than Ace’s solo debut was, but still a fun ride. Ace splits lead vocal duties with band member Tod Howarth, who has the standard voice for this kind of music.
“Breakout” was co-written by Eric Carr. “Calling to You” is a reworked version of “Megaforce” by Tod Howarth’s previous band, 707, which was a minor rock hit in ’82.
Highlights: “Rock Soldiers”, “Breakout”, “Into the Night”, “Love Me Right”, “Fractured Too”
KISS – Creatures of the Night
KISS – Creatures of the Night [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records/Casablanca Records)
Original Release: (1982, Casablanca Records)
Track Listing:
1. “Creatures of the Night” … 4:02
2. “Saint and Sinner” … 4:49
3. “Keep Me Comin’” … 3:55
4. “Rock and Roll Hell” … 4:12
5. “Danger” … 3:56
6. “I Love It Loud” … 4:15
7. “I Still Love You” … 6:06
8. “Killer” … 3:19
9. “War Machine” … 4:13
Band:
Paul Stanley – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Gene Simmons – Lead Vocals, Bass, Guitar (“War Machine”)
Ace Frehley – Guitar (credited, but did not play)
Eric Carr – Drums, Bass (“I Still Love You”)
(Uncredited) Additional Musicians:
Vinnie Vincent – Guitar (“Saint and Sinner”, “Keep Me Comin’”, “Killer”, “War Machine”), Backing Vocals
Bob Kulick – Guitar (“Danger”)
Robben Ford – Guitar (“Rock and Roll Hell” and “I Still Love You”)
Adam Mitchell – Guitar (“Creatures of the Night”)
Steve Farris – Guitar (“Creatures of the Night”)
Jimmy Haslip – Bass (“Danger”)
Produced by: Michael James Jackson, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons
One of my favorite KISS albums found the band playing at their heaviest. This is not hard rock, this is not glam rock, this is pure heavy metal, as far as I’m concerned. The album opens strong with “Creatures of the Night” and only takes a breather for KISS’ best power ballad, “I Still Love You”.
The music is loud and fast and I don’t think Paul’s voice had ever sounded better than it does on this album. “Keep Me Comin’” and “I Still Love You” are fantastic vocal performances by the Starchild.
I don’t think KISS has ever turned in a “bad” album, but they did at times suffer from filler. There is no filler here. Every song is like a punch in the face and as much as I love the band’s pop-metal direction for the rest of the 80s, I would’ve loved to have seen this heavier sound continue as well.
Highlights: Everything
KISS – Kiss
Kiss – Kiss [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records/Casablanca Records)
Original Release: 1974, Casablanca Records
Track Listing:
1. “Strutter” … 3:10
2. “Nothin’ to Lose” … 3:27
3. “Firehouse” … 3:17
4. “Cold Gin” … 4:22
5. “Let Me Know” … 2:58
6. “Kissin’ Time” … 3:52
7. “Deuce” … 3:06
8. “Love Theme from Kiss” [instrumental] … 2:24
9. “100,000 Years” … 3:22
10. “Black Diamond” … 5:13
Band:
Paul Stanley – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Backing Vocals
Ace Frehley – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Gene Simmons – Bass, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Peter Criss – Drums, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Produced by: Kenny Kerner & Richie Wise
The Godfathers of Hair Metal have arrived! My absolute favorite band came charging right outta the gates on their debut. From top to bottom, outside of one track, it’s all classics and KISS has been playin’ ‘em in concert for decades for good reason. My favorite of all these faves? That would have to go to “Black Diamond”. Peter has a great raspy voice and did an excellent job on this dark song.
I went KISS crazy around 1998 (shortly after picking up Alive II and Psycho Circus) licking up all of the recently remastered albums along with the later stuff they didn’t bother remastering. Now, I’m a proud owner of all of KISS’ releases (I still say compilations don’t count).
This is not only the starting point of a legendary band, I would point to this album as a starting point for anyone interested in giving KISS a try.
Funny story about my first brush with KISS…
Back in the late 80s, at the skating rink in my hometown, there was a KISS pinball machine back in the video game/food section (circa Alive maybe?). I wouldn’t even go near it. They guys freaked me out too much with the black & white face paint and crazy costumes (especially Gene). I thought they were some evil REALLY heavy metal band. 
Highlights: Um… It’s the debut album from KISS. Every track is a classic… Well, except for…
Lowlights: “Kissin’ Time” (absolutely pointless promotional tool)
