KISS - 20 years of Revenge

Bravewords is running a series of article on KISS - Revenge:

KISS - 20 Years Of Revenge Part I

Rarities

Posted on Monday, April 30, 2012 at 13:26:06 EST

By Mitch Lafon

May 19th, 2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of the brilliant KISS Revenge album. BraveWords.com will mark the passing of this landmark record with a five-part series of interviews conducted in the last couple of weeks with the major players on the disc as well as a few musicians that you may not know took part in the album’s recording sessions. Our first such surprise is Tommy Thayer. Many may know Tommy as the current Spaceman of KISS, but back in 1992, he was Gene Simmons’ protégé and former guitarist for the band BLACK N’ BLUE. Tommy’s role on the album was limited to adding backing vocals on a few tracks along with his former Black N’ Blue singer, Jaime St. James. Revenge would mark Tommy’s second appearance on a KISS album. He had previously contributed two acoustic tracks to the band’s Hot In The Shade opus. Thayer’s song ‘Nasty Nasty’ from the Black N’ Blue album of the same name formed the basis of the Gene Simmons composition, ‘Domino’ on the Revenge album. BraveWords.com caught up with Tommy via email as KISS preps to head out on the road in support of their new album, Monster.

“I was there during some of the recording and I sang background vocals on a bunch of those tunes,” said Thayer when asked about his work on Revenge.

When asked about the song 'Domino' and his general impression of the album, Thayer replied, “the song 'Domino' and the Revenge album were great. It’s definitely my favorite album from the non-makeup 1980-90s KISS.” When asked why he added: “The reason is that it was the most cohesive record. All the songs fit together and made a singular statement and that's hard to do unless you have someone driving the process like producer, Bob Ezrin. Bob definitely had the band's ear and drove the recording process with great arrangements and song selection.”

Though the album marked a brilliant return to form for the band and drove fans back to the fold, the album failed to reach significant chart success. Thayer offered his thoughts: “The Revenge album would have done so much better commercially if it hadn't been released in the era of 1992. By that time ‘80s hard rock was on the backside of the curve and entire new style of rock music was coming into vogue. It was bad timing for a great song like ‘Every Time I Look At You’ which a couple years earlier would have probably been a top ten single.”

Keep your eyes on BraveWords.com for the second part of this special five part series... coming soon!

Could be interesting - I remember the first time I heard the lead-off single, Unholy and my thoughts were "KISS is back!". After hearing the album for the first time, I felt it was the best thing they had done since Creatures - still feel that way!

'Revenge' is a great album and one of my favorite KISS albums. After 'Crazy Nights' which I liked but did not love (too much keyboard) and the dreadful 'Hot in the Shade', 'Revenge' was an excellent surprise, balls to wall rock n rollers and even the ballad on the album is good.

Revenge was the album that sparked my interest in KISS. I had some of their 70's albums on tape, but Revenge was the first KISS album I purchased on cd. I was a casual fan at the time (still am really), but after hearing that, I said "Whoa!! I need to check these guys out more".

Revenge is in the top 3 for me (the other 2 being Creatures and the much maligned Animalize). I remember catching the premiere of the Unholy video on Headbangers and just being blown away. Luckily I had taped it so I could watch it over and over again. Finally hearing the whole thing through did not dissapoint in the least. It's just a great album !

REVENGE is my fave non-makeup KISS album, and one of my favorite KISS albums overall. Geez, has it really been 20 years? I'm getting old.

At this time my interest in KISS had been on the downhill slide for a while due to some sub-par albums (i.e. CRAZY NIGHTS and HOT IN THE SHADE) - though I did see the H.I.T.S. tour and it was a fantastic show - I just wasn't interested in new material. When I heard some of the hype for REVENGE before its release (hints that it was going to be their heaviest album in years, their best album since CREATURES, etc.) I was like "Yeah, riiiiiight," but when I first heard "Unholy" on the radio I was like "DAMN!" I was sold on it immediately.

The only tracks I don't care for on REVENGE are the "God Gave Rock N Roll To You" cover (bleeeeccchhh!) and the power ballad "Everytime I Look At You," but the rest smokes.

I saw them live for the 2nd time on the REVENGE tour and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Too bad the arena was only half full, but then it was 1992 and they weren't wearing flannel

I went into full on KISS Geek mode for quite a few years after the REVENGE record, that album rekindled my fanaticism for the band in a big way. That was when I started attending KISS Conventions, going to solo gigs by Ace & Peter, etc. and basically getting caught up on everything I'd missed while I was listening to other stuff.

Fat Freddy wrote:

REVENGE is my fave non-makeup KISS album, and one of my favorite KISS albums overall. Geez, has it really been 20 years? I'm getting old.

At this time my interest in KISS had been on the downhill slide for a while due to some sub-par albums (i.e. CRAZY NIGHTS and HOT IN THE SHADE) - though I did see the H.I.T.S. tour and it was a fantastic show - I just wasn't interested in new material. When I heard some of the hype for REVENGE before its release (hints that it was going to be their heaviest album in years, their best album since CREATURES, etc.) I was like "Yeah, riiiiiight," but when I first heard "Unholy" on the radio I was like "DAMN!" I was sold on it immediately.

I felt the same way when I heard the "best album since Creatures" since Paul and Gene claim every new, up coming album is the "Best since Destroyer or Creatures." When I read that Ezrin was producing, I was a bit worried that he was going to deliver another Elder. I remember pre-release interviews with quotes from Ezrin about his coke use during the recording of Elder and Revenge would make up for it that mistake.

I also remember Gene's quotes that they had a sniper on the roof of the studio with orders to shoot to kill if Desmond Child shows up......

Fortunately, the album delivered as promised.

BTW - Paul and Gene are claiming that Monster is the "best thing since Destroyer".............

FF I can't believe you don't like "God Gave Rock N Roll To You"! What a poser

I too was a casual Kiss fan at the time. I liked songs here and there but when the Unholy video came on Headbangers Ball, I was blown away. I didn't even think it was kiss cause it was so heavy. To this day thats my favorite Kiss song.

Anyone know who else actually played on this album?

I was busy when this first came out. I caught a show for the tour before hearing the album besides a partial listen/snippet of "Unholy". KISS has it in them to do great things, especially if Gene contributes more than half a$$ed ideas. He balances things out. His contributions to this album make it what is (IMHO) a kick @$$ album, begining to end. The man was on vacation in the songwriting department for most of the 80's and Paul was having trouble piloting the ship after awhile. I know KISS has had this image thing going on for awhile (who'd a thunkit) Yet, this kinda/sorta lack of image for this album was probably the best they'd had for years as well.

As for the question as to who else may have played ? Consider the producer and who helped co-write some of the tunes. Those are my choices.....ya know maybe Alice Cooper alumni or maybe even that Vinnie Vincent dude ?

Great album! I was shocked to hear how heavy "Unholy" was when I first saw the video for it. I ran out and grabbed the album post haste. It's my second favorite Kiss album after Creatures and my favorite non-makeup Kiss album. I just wish they had continued in this vein but that was not to be.

Quote :

As for the question as to who else may have played ? Consider the producer and who helped co-write some of the tunes. Those are my choices.....ya know maybe Alice Cooper alumni or maybe even that Vinnie Vincent dude ?

That's what I was thinking. I thought Vinnie might have played on a track or 2.

***SPOILER ALERT***

If you want some more in depth info, click on this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenge_(Kiss_album)

Or just wait for the rest of the story to unfold.

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

FF I can't believe you don't like "God Gave Rock N Roll To You"! What a poser

I hate that frickin song, no matter who plays/sings it!! The original by Argent is terrible and all the covers I've ever heard of it have sucked.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

FF I can't believe you don't like "God Gave Rock N Roll To You"! What a poser

I hate that frickin song, no matter who plays/sings it!! The original by Argent is terrible and all the covers I've ever heard of it have sucked.

Agree with you!!! I remember when KISS closed one of their tours with it - I headed to the car and beat the traffic out!!!!!!!

I've never owned a copy of Revenge, but I heard it frequently at the time because several of my friends were into it. It's a fun listen, I always liked Domino.

not very interested in Revenge, some songs are good some are average.

i remember GGRNRTY II as music video and i was amazed, i was staring at the TV.

primaily it is response for Black Album as Paul said, they wanted the same sound as M did and wanted same commercial success.

I hadn't listened to this album in a long long time. After reading this thread I broke it out and gave it a listen. It is a fantastic album. I am putting it in my rotation of stuff i am listening to right now.

I like Revenge. It has some really good songs on it. I should listen to it again sometime.

I still think KISS should have had continued with this line-up, and they sounded fantastic live. But alas, the majority of folks, the dumb sheep, didn't agree and so the reunion and years and years without new music but merchandise overload and geezers way to old to be pretending to be demons, happened. Oh well.

Hot in the Shade was my real intro to Kiss. I knew some songs, the hits, but that was the first full album I'd heard. It's probably why I like that album more than most people. But Revenge shocked me. "Unholy" was so heavy to me, you know.

Kind of funny, looking back, considering the kind of stuff I listen to now. Anyway, "Unholy" and "Heart of Chrome" are two of my favorite Kiss tunes. Great album.

stpatrik wrote:

I still think KISS should have had continued with this line-up, and they sounded fantastic live. But alas, the majority of folks, the dumb sheep, didn't agree and so the reunion and years and years without new music but merchandise overload and geezers way to old to be pretending to be demons, happened. Oh well.

I agree with this. Although I did enjoy the reunion since I had never seen that incarnation of the band before, I was ready for them to get back to the then current line up and keep soldiering on. Sadly that didn't happen and they wasted away most of the 90s.

stpatrik wrote:

I still think KISS should have had continued with this line-up, and they sounded fantastic live. But alas, the majority of folks, the dumb sheep, didn't agree and so the reunion and years and years without new music but merchandise overload and geezers way to old to be pretending to be demons, happened. Oh well.

Eh, I dunno. I think they saw the writing on the wall. Grunge and alternative were taking over. Carnival of Souls flopped on it's saggy man-boobs. Going full make-up and reunion was a easy way to stay afloat in a sea of flannel.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

stpatrik wrote:

I still think KISS should have had continued with this line-up, and they sounded fantastic live. But alas, the majority of folks, the dumb sheep, didn't agree and so the reunion and years and years without new music but merchandise overload and geezers way to old to be pretending to be demons, happened. Oh well.

Eh, I dunno. I think they saw the writing on the wall. Grunge and alternative were taking over. Carnival of Souls flopped on it's saggy man-boobs. Going full make-up and reunion was a easy way to stay afloat in a sea of flannel.

I have to agree with you, I personally liked 'Carnival of Souls' but nobody else did.

manny wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

stpatrik wrote:

I still think KISS should have had continued with this line-up, and they sounded fantastic live. But alas, the majority of folks, the dumb sheep, didn't agree and so the reunion and years and years without new music but merchandise overload and geezers way to old to be pretending to be demons, happened. Oh well.

Eh, I dunno. I think they saw the writing on the wall. Grunge and alternative were taking over. Carnival of Souls flopped on it's saggy man-boobs. Going full make-up and reunion was a easy way to stay afloat in a sea of flannel.

I have to agree with you, I personally liked 'Carnival of Souls' but nobody else did.

I did...

Yea, I like Carnival too. I also liked the Revenge line-up and would of liked to see that carry on. But hindsight being 20/20 and all, it's easy to see why KISS did what they did.

This album came out a few days before by 3rd birthday. This is a great album and injected some life in the band. The Hard Rock in Orlando has Vinnie Vincent's handwritten lyrics to "Unholy." Needless to say, that was pretty awesome to see.