KISS - Box Set Disc Five
2001 Mercury/Island/Def Jam

77. "God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II "(5:20)
78. "Unholy" [edit] (3:25)
79. "Domino" [demo version] (4:03)
80. "Every Time I Look at You" (4:39)
81. "Comin' Home" [live acoustic] (2:51)
82. "Got to Choose" [live acoustic] (3:31)
83. "I Still Love You" [live acoustic] (6:09)
84. "Nothin' to Lose" [live acoustic] (3:45)
85. "Childhood's End" [w/ coda] (5:26)
86. "I Will Be There" (3:48)
87. "Psycho Circus" [edit] (4:50)
88. "Into the Void" (4:22)
89. "Within" [radio edit] (4:28)
90. "I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock and Roll" (3:33)
91. "Nothing Can Keep Me from You" (4:04)
92. "It's My Life" [unreleased] (3:45)
93. "Shout It Out Loud" [live] (3:37)
94. "Rock and Roll All Nite" [live] (6:06)

On to the final disc in the box set that chronicals KISS from Revenge to the Farewell Tour. The album kicks off with the song I always fast forward on the awesome 'Revenge' album, 'God Gave...'. I guess Paul and Gene really like that song.

Gene's demo of Domino is included in the set. It is interested to hear how the lyrics change a bit and the awesome production Bob Ezrin did on 'Revenge'. The song that Paul desperated wanted to be a hit and wasn't, "Every Time I Look At You" is included. If it was me putting together the disc, I would have included a different Paul song from 'Revenge'.

A small sample of songs from the excellent KISS MTV Unplugged is up next. Thankfully the band chose to add the awesome unplugged version of "Got To Choose" in the box set. The song was previously only available on the Japan and Vinyl pressings of the album.

A couple songs from 'Carnival Of Souls' is included and one has an extra - "Childhood's End" includes a coda not released on the CoS album. It's a cool listen and I wonder why it wasn't included on the album.

The Psycho Circus songs are up next. The band must have still wanted the album to sell as they included 4 songs from the album plus one unlreased song. At least they didn't include the filler songs. The book included in the box set sheds some light on things going on at the time. As I mentioned in the PC review, I thought that "Within" was a CoS leftover. Gene admits in the book that "Within" was written during the CoS time frame. It's a good song and good to see it included. Paul mentioned how bad working with Bruce Fairbairn was for him and how he cam e back to the studio and stayed all weekend to fix "I Pledge" after Bruce F had ruined it and watered it down. I have read Ace's comments that he had to do the same thing to "Into The Void." The song "It's My Life" is a GREAT rarity that was recored for PC but Bruce Fairbairn decided not to include it on the album. The song has been around along time. KISS considered using it for 'Creatures' and may or may not have recorded it. The late Wendy O. Williams (Plasmatics) also recorded the song. It is a really good song and should have replaced some of the filler material on PC. Ace has a great vocal in the middle part of the song. It also makes me wonder if Gene even bothered to try and write any new songs (other than you wanted the best) for PC. At least it's included here.

The awful "I Don't Wanna Miss..." sorry, I mean "Nothing Can Keep Me From You" is included. This one is all Paul and was produced by Green Day/Goo Goo Dolls producer Rob Cavallo.

The album closes with a couple "live" tracks, the first being "Shout It Out Loud" from the Tiger Stadium show to kick off the Reunion tour that may or may not be a sound check recording with crowd noise added in. The song was previously release on the US version of 'Greatest Kiss'.

The last song is "Rock And Roll All Nite" from the "forthcoming" KISS album 'Alive IV'. As we know, 'Alive IV' was not released as planned and we got 'Alive IV Sympony" instead. Fortunately, the original 'Alive IV' was finally released on the KISS ALIVE BOX SET (to be reviewed later!). This one was probably a sound check recording too.

This is an AWESOME box set and a must for any KISS fan!!!!!! Not only are the rare tracks an awesome find, but the included book is just fantastic.

On a side note, thanks to Ult and his NLTM site - I copy and pasted the track listing to save me from typing them by hand on the box set

I like the whole box set. There are a few clunkers, as noted already by several others. However, this is one of the few box sets that I can put on and listen to disc after disc until the very last song.

I also agree that "It's My Life" should have been included on Psycho Circus instead of any number of other songs. Just goes to show how clueless some producers can be about a band's core audience.

I love this box set and this is a way a box set should be put together, it flows perfectly. Other box sets I own are either too short and not enough rarieties (see Ted Nugent -Out of Control) or die hard fans know they is alot more material that the band or label did not choose to include (AC/DC's Bon Scott tribute "Bon Fire")

Disc 5 is a great disc and great way too close out the boxset, the ballad 'Everytime I look at You' is a great song unlike the other Aerosmith wanna be rip off 'Nothing Can Keep Me from You', Diane Warren must have a box full of tapes filled with these sappy ballads.

I prefer the studio version of 'Dominio' and 'It's My Life' kicks ass, I never knew a version of this song existed by KISS. I love the lyrics and the attitude, and while I still prefer the version recorded by Wendy O Williams, it is very cool that KISS reclaimed their song. If Bruce 'horns' Fairburn had not been such a tool he would have added this song to PC and had the band released it as a single.

I've read that the version that Wendy O sang on is actually KISS with Wendy on vocals.

I like Disc 5, the unplugged Got To Choose is good, and It's My Life kicks arse, shoulda been on PC. Overall it's a very good box set.

Nice finish to the box set. My only complaints with disc 5 are the demo of Domino (I'd rather just have the Revenge version on it) and did they really have to put yet another live version of Rock And Roll All Nite and Shout It Out Loud on it (at the time unreleased but still)?

Argent, Petra, Kiss and now Bride. Were they having some kind of contest to find the most suck-a$$ song to cover? PEEEEE-YEEEWW!!

Bride's version of the song was a rap-rock cover (ala Aerosmith/RunDMC's "Walk This Way") with the members of a Christian rap group called D.O.C. (Disciples Of Christ)... it's hilariously awful. I posted the YouTube of it around here quite a while ago.

For once I am grateful that youtube has been blocked by my employeers,

in love with Got to Choose. really perfect live performing.

KISS - The Very Best Of KISS
2002 Mercury/UTV Records

1. "Strutter" (3:10)
2. "Deuce" (3:05)
3. "Got To Choose" (3:52)
4. "Hotter Than Hell" (3:30)
5. "C'mon And Love Me" (2:59)
6. "Rock And Roll All Nite" [live] (4:01)
7. "Detroit Rock City" [edit] (3:38)
8. "Shout It Out Loud" (2:50)
9. "Beth" (2:45)
10. "I Want You" (3:02)
11. "Calling Dr. Love" (3:41)
12. "Hard Luck Woman" (3:32)
13. "I Stole Your Love" (3:04)
14. "Christine Sixteen" (3:12)
15. "Love Gun" (3:16)
16. "New York Groove" (3:03)
17. "I Was Made For Lovin' You" (4:29)
18. "I Love It Loud" (4:15)
19. "Lick It Up" (3:56)
20. "Forever" (3:52)
21. "God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II" (5:18)

2002 brings another KISS release and it's yet ANOTHER compilation. This one was put together by KISS, as Tommy Thayer had his hand in the packaging. This one had Gene's "Blessing" to be released. This one includes the usual classics along with the awful 'Gad Gave...." again - makes me wonder if Gene is hoping that including this one on every "greatest hits" album possible will push the sales of Revenge high enough to go Platinum. That said, gene and Paul sure seem to like that song, unlike the rest of us. It also includes 'New York Groove', a nice add. Thankfully, no songs from Peter's giant pile of steaming Great Dane crap made it onto this comp.

I picked this one up to complete my KISSography - I was not a "first day" buyer, I got mine from Columbia House.

That said, anyone who doesn't have any KISS records and wants an overview of the band could pick this one up and get an idea of what they sound like.