Official KISS Thread Pt II

Metal Misfit wrote:

http://grantland.com/features/chuck-klosterman-kiss-hall-of-fame/

I posted that article earlier in this thread, but it's so hilarious it's worth the repost!

Witchfinder wrote:

Metal Misfit wrote:

http://grantland.com/features/chuck-klosterman-kiss-hall-of-fame/

I posted that article earlier in this thread, but it's so hilarious it's worth the repost!

Sorry, just came across it.

Chuck is a pretty entertaining writer. I really enjoyed that article.

That was a pretty cool write-up. Weird though. I always thought Klosterman was older than me, not six friggin years younger.

It's lucky I never had aspirations as a novel writer or I'd be asking what I'd done with my life...

Runicen wrote:

That was a pretty cool write-up.  Weird though.  I always thought Klosterman was older than me, not six friggin years younger.  

It's lucky I never had aspirations as a novel writer or I'd be asking what I'd done with my life...

Klosterman is 42. Are you 48?

It was this quote that threw me off:

Hot in the Shade (1989): Considering the year this was released and the year I was born, I probably listened to this album 300 times, roughly 296 more than necessary.

I thought he was saying he was born in '89.

Well, my self-esteem is safe for another day!

Runicen wrote:

It was this quote that threw me off:

Hot in the Shade (1989): Considering the year this was released and the year I was born, I probably listened to this album 300 times, roughly 296 more than necessary.

I thought he was saying he was born in '89.

Well, my self-esteem is safe for another day!

  

Anyone read 'Nothin' to Lose: The Making of KISS'?

I've read plenty of KISS books (including the autobiographies) over the years. Is it worth picking up or does it tell the same stories Gene & Paul always tell?

I hardly buy any dvds, but I think I'll be breaking down and buying all four Kissology sets in the next couple of weeks. Better late than never...

Metal Misfit wrote:

Anyone read 'Nothin' to Lose: The Making of KISS'?

I've read plenty of KISS books (including the autobiographies) over the years. Is it worth picking up or does it tell the same stories Gene & Paul always tell?

I read it. It's formatted as an oral history where it bounces from person to person to cover events.

For the most part, it just verified the bulk of the events in Ace and Peter's books, which I'd read previously. Ditto for Gene's. It ends before the "controversial" behaviors started on the part of certain band members, so it feels very "safe."

Metal Misfit wrote:

Anyone read 'Nothin' to Lose: The Making of KISS'?

I've read plenty of KISS books (including the autobiographies) over the years. Is it worth picking up or does it tell the same stories Gene & Paul always tell?

I enjoyed it. There were quite a few stories that I'd never heard before.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Metal Misfit wrote:

Anyone read 'Nothin' to Lose: The Making of KISS'?

I've read plenty of KISS books (including the autobiographies) over the years. Is it worth picking up or does it tell the same stories Gene & Paul always tell?

I enjoyed it. There were quite a few stories that I'd never heard before.

I just read it a few months, and ditto, stories I had not heard before, but then again I have not read Paul, Peter or Ace's books as of yet

Runicen wrote:

glassprison wrote:

Quote :

Which KISS song would you like to have redone ?  If any....

I would want a rerecording of Comin' Home. It's  great song but horrible production. I usually listen to the unplugged version for that reason.

It may be rose-tinted glasses considering the first time I heard this song was on a mix tape my Dad made me from his Kiss vinyl, but the production on this song NEVER bothered me.  Somehow, it actually fits the vibe of the track to have it kind of lo-fi.

HA!!! I thought I was the only one who looked the lo-fi production on that album, to me it sounded heavier and rawer.

manny wrote:

Runicen wrote:

glassprison wrote:

Quote :

Which KISS song would you like to have redone ?  If any....

I would want a rerecording of Comin' Home. It's  great song but horrible production. I usually listen to the unplugged version for that reason.

It may be rose-tinted glasses considering the first time I heard this song was on a mix tape my Dad made me from his Kiss vinyl, but the production on this song NEVER bothered me.  Somehow, it actually fits the vibe of the track to have it kind of lo-fi.

HA!!! I thought I was the only one who looked the lo-fi production on that album, to me it sounded heavier and rawer.

It's the best kind of lo-fi. Like an old blues or old 78rpm pop singer record or something like that. It just works for the song in a way that clean production would kill.

Metal Misfit wrote:

http://grantland.com/features/chuck-klosterman-kiss-hall-of-fame/

Ha, that was enjoyable. I think he's wrong about Psycho Circus being the worst Kiss album though.

last post with link is good reading agree with BionicDoom and Moshter and some of the stuff.

I understand not everyone is going to get into Psycho Circus or the latest KISS albums, but what threw me for a loop in the C.K. article is how all of the 80s KISS albums are barely in the "B" range, and yet the Vinnie Vincent Invasion album gets a near perfect score  

Quote :

Ha, that was enjoyable. I think he's wrong about Psycho Circus being the worst Kiss album though.

Yeah I don't think it is their worst. I thought it was cool that they were keeping the title track in the setlist last year.

Psycho Circus just has one of the worst KISS songs of all time: "You Wanted The Best." I can understand thinking the lyrics to that one would work well on a reunion album, but the song itself sounds like it was written in about two minutes.

Never Too Young To Die .1986.John Stamos.Vanity.Gene Simmons
  

Since I'm currently listening to Ace's Trouble Walkin' cd, can anyone explain how both he and KISS came to record their own versions of 'Hide Your Heart' with them both released in '89?

Molly Hatchet recorded a cover of Hide Your Heart in 1989 too. Ace wins! His was the best of the three, and I am a huge fan of MH, Kiss and Ace.

As I recall, Paul wrote the song but initially for Crazy Nights with a couple pro-songwriters, but obviously the song wasn't used. He offered it up for something other than Kiss. Through management the song was picked up to by several artists, including Bonnie Tyler and Molly Hatchet. Apparently one of the co-writers of the song use to be in a band with Comet drummer Anton Fig, so that is Ace's connection. Ace's management wisely thought the song was cool and that it would spark interest in his solo album, because of the obvious Kiss connection. Why Kiss chose release this demo song on their 1989 album is a mystery, especially after Paul had sold the song to other artists. From what I understand the version on Hot in the Shade is the demo version, with a few additional studio tweaks done on it.

Both are from 1989, but I don't know the actual release dates. Whose version came out first? Seems odd that KISS would want to follow Ace, if that was the order. Or it's just another case of Gene's hubris thinking their version is far superior. We know that ain't true.   

If memory serves, Ace sez in his book that when the KISS camp found out he was recording "Hide Your Heart,", Paul called him and asked him not to put it on his album cuz KISS were planning to put it on Hot In The Shade. Ace obviously ignored the request.

"Ha ha! Ace Rules!!"

According to Wikipedia,
Trouble Walking: October 13, 1989
Hot in the Shade: October 17, 1989

From what I have read, Hot in the Shade was rushed and is mostly made up of demos, so much so that no one really knows who played on what. According to KissMonster.com, this is the list of players on that album.


Players:
Paul Stanley ··· Rhythm guitar/slide guitar on A1/lead vocals on A1, A3, A5, A7, A8, B2 & B4/backing vocals
Gene Simmons ··· Bass/lead vocals on A2, A4, B1, B3, B5 & B7/backing vocals
Eric Carr ··· Drums/lead vocals on B6/bass on B6/backing vocals
Bruce Kulick ··· Lead & rhythm guitar/bass on A7, backing vocals
Phil Ashley ··· Keyboards on A3 & A7
Tommy Thayer ··· Acoustic guitar on A2 & B3 (likely), backing vocals
Eric Singer ··· Drums on A5 (likely)
Kevin Valentine ··· Drums on B2 & B4 (likely)
Jesse Damon ··· Backing vocals on A4
Charlotte Crossley ··· Backing vocals on A7
Valerie Pinkston ··· Backing vocals on A7
Kim Edwards-Brown ··· Backing vocals on A7
Pat Regan ··· Brass on B1

"Hide Your Heart" is a great song, in my view--easily my favorite on Hot in the Shade. Ace's recording is good as well, but Paul's vocals fit the pop chorus of the song better. It was really cool to see him play that on the Live To Win tour. And rumor has it that they've been rehearsing it as a potential addition to the setlist for the upcoming tour. That would be cool, but I'm anticipating the restricted set time of the co-headlining bill will keep them from adding any songs to the usual set.

Wow, only days apart. That must've really burnt the leather britches of Misters Stanley & Simmons. I've never heard Hot in the Shade in it's entirety, but I'm going to go ahead and declare Trouble Walkin' as the overall better album.