Since this is the release day for the new KISS album, I thought I'd start one of my "appreciation threads" in their honor. Here goes:



KISS (1974)

1.1 "Strutter"
1.2 "Nothin' to Lose"
1.3 "Firehouse"
1.4 "Cold Gin"
1.5 "Let Me Know"
1.6 "Kissin' Time"
1.7 "Deuce"
1.8 "Love Theme From Kiss"
1.9 "100,000 Years"
1.10 "Black Diamond



The one that started it all. Production isn't the greatest, but the fact that seven of these songs would end up on Alive! and be staples of their never-ending live act says something. Love 'em or hate 'em, there are some good songs here. On later albums, the production aspect would be better handled, but this album is pretty darn good as is.



Okay, fire away with your praise and rebuttals, if you wish. Threadcrapping will not be frowned upon, I assure you.

GO!

Looking forward to the other albums on your list.

I'll say this: You can't not gawk at the cover of that album--quite an attention-getter, even 35 years later.

I always wondered what the deal was with the elaborate makeup job on Peter.

I always thought that Gene looks like Joan Crawford on the cover.

My favorite KISS album. Maybe Dr. Evil can enlighten us again about the inclusion of Bobby Rydell's "Kissin' Time"?

"Kissin' Time" was a song not included on original pressings. The song was tied into a "kissing contest" and the winners of that contest were on with KISS and their appearance on the Mike Douglas Show if I remember correctly.
The single crapped around #83 or so. It stinks for sure and the band weren't thrilled with recording it.
If Chris wants to add more, go for it, hope I didn't intrude as I know an awful lot (but not everything) about this band-good and bad!
Also, the debut album is kick-ass and that's why so many songs are still in the set today, but the production is mediocre at best and Hotter Than Hell was even worse as it sounds like mud. But again the songs are kick ass on that one too, but that's for another chapter.

I only owned Destroyer back in the day, but in the early days of iTunes, I had put the first four albums in my shopping basket so I could come back and sample them later but inadvertently bought them all with one fateful click. I'm so glad I did. Really. The first two albums are very guilty pleasures of mine now, as not only are they great bubble-gum fun, they perfectly add to the soundtrack of my adolescent experience.

Curiously (or maybe not so curiously), over-50 friends of mine who were more 1960s rock and rollers ask how I can stand to listen to those records. They are, of course, right bastards.

Definitely one of my faves. I think the first KISS album I owned was "Alive", then I got "Dressed To Kill" and then this one.

I loved it when they won the tag titles. Although Mr. Fuji must be given some credit for that.

A good album with bad production. "Kissin' Time" is the only dud in there, although I'm not fond of the overly long ending to "Black Diamond".

I believe that Peter has said he was still trying to nail down the make up and this was too elaborate for every show. And Ace's hair is spray-painted. I've seen one or two alternate takes of this photo - very cool to see.



Alan

For some strange reason, Peter's makeup was done by a professional makeup artist for that photo. Not sure why, but if you look at photos of him when KISS was still playing clubs, his makeup was more like the traditional "Catman" make up, so that was not an early version of his face paint.

And IP (or anyone else for that matter), feel free to offer up any trivia you want -- I want this to be interactive. Anyone can post whatever they like -- good, bad or otherwise. There are no rules and no stringent criteria for this -- go nuts!!

If anyone has heard the Eddie Kramer demo or the studio run-throughs of some of these early tracks on the KISS box set from 2001, you know that those recordings are so much heavier and more reflective of the true KISS sound. Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise were bubblegum producers from Neil Bogart's stable and while the production isn't bad (it would get that way on the second album, though), it's pretty flat. Very basic.

Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise were bubblegum producers from Neil Bogart's stable and while the production isn't bad (it would get that way on the second album, though), it's pretty flat. Very basic.

Totally agree-not horrid production, but pretty weak. Hotter Than Hell was a total rush job, thus less time and an even worse production and an atrocious mix.
KISS has stood up though-the basics were there:The hooks, the riffs and the choruses. That's why KISS ARE good writers. Lyrical geniuses? No, but they absolutely know how to write a catchy, riff driven Rock song.
The debut album was proof positive of that, and it even squeezed into the Top 100!

KISS's first-ever TV appearance on Dick Clark's In Concert, to promote their first-ever single, "Nothin' To Lose."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siK4A2MXE-Y[/youtube]

The first album of theirs I ever bought was Dynasty(still have the album and that wonderful poster) when I was 9, so I was in for something different when I went back and purchased this one(well, my mom did the purchasing). I loved it and then began my quest of buying their discography. From Creatures of the Night until now I've bought each album on the release date.

I wonder what would have happened if my first KISS album had been Unmasked or Music From The Elder. Would I have become such a fan and then bought the action figures, the other albums, etc.?


Side note: A person I know was giving away his old albums several years ago and gave me a copy of Zappa's You Are What You Is. I had never heard ANYTHING from Zappa and I loved that album and eventually got his discography. I can't help but wonder what if I'd have been given one of the synclavier albums as my first introduction to Zappa. I may never have tried his music again...even though I now appreciate the synclavier compositions.

Anyway, back to KISS!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's neat they included "Love Theme" on their very first album. Very forward thinking of them. KISS will do plenty of these songs on Friday night.

Righto, Zane. Let's dive right into album number two:



HOTTER THAN HELL (1974)

1. "Got to Choose"
2. "Parasite"
3. "Goin' Blind"
4. "Hotter Than Hell"
5. "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"
6. "All the Way"
7. "Watchin' You"
8. "Mainline"
9. "Comin' Home"
10. "Strange Ways"



Originally titled The Harder They Come, this album saw KISS trek out to L.A. because their producers, Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise had moved out to California. Apparently, the vibes were bad for the hardcore New Yorkers -- someone's guitar got ripped off on day one and this album suffers from muddy sound and a bad overall production. Some great songs (a few of which became classics, even), but with better producers and a better recording, this album could have been a great follow up to the first album.



It's certainly not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, but it could have been so much more under the right producers and studio situation.

This is my least favorite of the first 6 or 7 albums. Not nearly as many good songs as the first album IMO.

Do the next album, Chris!

If I recall, "Love Theme From KISS" is part of the song "Acrobat" that they played live but never recorded properly-it is on the box set.
Cool song, "Love Theme From KISS" as it has some nice guitar harmonies and and cool bass fills.

Man, does "Parasite" still slay after all these years-what a menacing riff. Love the mid section and Ace's solo rips. "Got To Choose" is possibly my fave KISS song-so many damn hooks in the verses and chorus and another clever main riff. I love how they know where to add the backing vocals for emphasis on the "baby" and "oh yeah" parts. Just great stuff.
But damn, it's so poorly produced I have difficulty listening to it and the late 90s remaster still couldn't make it listenable.
This album also cracked the Top 100-barely.

I like basically every song on Hotter Than Hell but the muddy sound is so bad that I almost never play it. I had heard stories about the photo sessions and saw photos taken then, but just did a Google search and found several I'd never seen. http://www.dogmaticblog.com/2009/04/22/ ... man-seeff/

I do wish the sound could be fixed on that one. The remastering didn't do alot for my ears, but maybe only so much can be done. I have no idea.

Since you asked...



DRESSED TO KILL (1975)

1. "Room Service"
2. "Two Timer"
3. "Ladies in Waiting"
4. "Getaway"
5. "Rock Bottom"
6. "C'mon and Love Me"
7. "Anything for My Baby"
8. "She"
9. "Love Her All I Can"
10. "Rock and Roll All Nite"



Casablanca chief Neil Bogart stepped up and produced this one himself in conjunction with the band. Easily the best sounding of the first three albums (aka "The Originals") and because of a suggestion by Bogart that the band needed an anthem, Stanley and Simmons wrote KISS's signature song.



Anybody wanna guess what song that is??