1/2
With the return of the "original" KISS--Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss--one could not help but ask the question: How will they fare after not recording together for nearly 20 years? In that time, we had the rise and fall of disco, the emergence of new wave, heavy metal, rap, electronica and the entire "Seattle" music scene. Could a group who had remained bitter enemies during that time capture the essence of music as the year 2000 drew near? Well, maybe Ace could since he is, after all, a 2,000 Man! With Psycho Circus, the band silences any naysayers because this album is one the best of their catalogue.
Psycho Circus (Paul Stanley/Curt Cuomo)
(5:30)
The album opener. This song demonstrates that
KISS has not lost a thing in the years since their split. The song
opens with the hurdy-gurdy/big top reference leading into a strong opening
riff from Ace. This song is one of Paul's most memorable vocal outings
in recent memory--great howl to open the song!. Psycho Circus
belongs to Ace and Paul; Gene's bass is there in spirit but lacks the crunch
that it should have. As for Peter's drums, the only real standout
for him is the bridge after the guitar solo; it'll make your teeth rattle!
A great concert opener (i.e. "Welcome to the show") that will go down as
one of KISS' great anthems. RATING: A+
Within (Gene Simmons)
(5:10)
It's Gene's turn to bust some chops on this one.
A GREAT bassline and lead guitar thumps through your ribcage on Within
as Gene howls through a catchy chorus of "I wanna see from within/ I wanna
be where I've been/ I wanna truth not a lie/ I wanna live before I die".
This is Gene's strongest vocal outing since Unholy on the Revenge
album. A real fist pumper! Reminds me of his songs on Carnival
of Souls. RATING: A+
I Pledge Allegiance To The State of Rock & Roll (Paul Stanley/Holly
Knight/Curt Cuomo)
(3:32)
Runs in the same vein as Lick It Up, Shout
It Loud, Rock and Roll All Nite--a hard rock party anthem.
Paul sings, "I pledge allegiance to the state of rock and roll" in the
chorus. By this point in the album, one begins to get the feeling
of what KISS is striving for: potential ANTHEMS! IPA is a
good rockin' song. RATING: A
Into The Void (Ace Frehley/Karl Cochran)
(4:22)
Finally, a song from Ace! This is vintage
Frehley's Comet stuff; it's like this fell out of 1987. A great crunching
guitar track from Ace and a KILLER solo! Paul again does some of
the harmonies. Ace makes a welcome return with this song, but it
is not a classic. RATING: B+
We Are One (Gene Simmons)
(4:41)
If you like Gene's solo album, then We Are One
will be one of your favorite cuts on Psycho Circus. A much
more relaxed song from The Demon than we are used to, We Are One
is yet another song that will have the spotlights on the crowd at the shows
as they cheer after Paul screams, "We love you people!". I have visions
of people flicking their Bics! It has anthem written all over it.
Great harmony vocals, as well. This song is one of the sleepers on
the album and it quickly grabbed me. RATING: A
You Wanted The Best (Gene Simmons)
(4:15)
With each member taking a bar of this one, it is
the first group effort on lead vocals in KISS' history. As exciting
as this may sound, the song lacks any degree of cohesiveness because of
the various input from each member. The song isn't especially rocking,
it isn't overly catchy; with a title like You Wanted The Best, one
would expect to find it here. Instead this song is overly gimmicky
and that takes away from what could have been a decent tune. Gene's
bass at the start is the high point of this song. And the British
warbling at the end...what is THAT about?!?! RATING:
B-
Raise Your Glasses (Paul Stanley/Holly Knight)
(4:14)
This is BIG-TIME COMMERCIAL, right off Crazy
Nights. I didn't care much for it initially but it did grow on
me. Paul has a strong effort here with a song that has single written
all over it. Very catchy chorus that falls into the anthem vein of
IPA
and YWTB. RATING: B+
I Finally Found My Way (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin)
(3:40)
Oh yeah, now I remember why I don't care much for
Peter Criss...it's because of the schmaltzy crap that he always seems stuck
with!! Essentially "Beth Part 2", I Finally Found My Way is
another sappy ballad that showcases Peter's attempt to be Julio Iglesias.
After his dismal solo albums, I'd hoped he would put this kind of stuff
away but alas we are forced to endure another weeper from The Catman.
Unfortunately, this is the low-point of Psycho Circus. Even
with Paul's help on harmonies, this song cannot be saved. I guess
the band had to let Peter have one song on the album but they MUST have
had something better than this to give the poor guy?! RATING: D
Dreamin' (Paul Stanley/Bruce Kulick)
(4:12)
Think the fast part of I Still Love You and
you've got Dreamin', a power ballad from Paul. Nothing overly
exciting here, but Paul does have a strong vocal part. Decent guitar
riff as well. RATING: B
Journey of 1,000 Years (Gene Simmons)
(4:47)
This is one of my favorite cuts from the album.
Almost psychedelic in its sound, Journey of 1,000 Years, is the
most adventurous KISS track on Psycho Circus. Gene takes leads
here and creates a spooky sounding song that is reminiscent of his work
on both Music From The Elder, especially Only You and Under
The Rose and Childhood's End from Carnival of Souls.
This has become one of my favorite songs on Psycho Circus and is,
dare I say it, one of my favorites from Gene in a while. Excellent
vocals with Gene hitting new highs during "Or is it the roar of the
crowd". The piano and drum loop are a nice touch, as well.
RATING: A+
***In Your Face (Gene Simmons)
3:31
It's a shame that this song was left off of the
domestic release of Psycho Circus. It has a great riff from
Ace that hearkens back to his Frehley's Comet days and the solo is a killer!
Once again, he alludes to his Space Ace personality and the fact that he
doesn't fit into this world. It's not a classic Ace song but it could
easily have replaced Peter's ballad, I Finally Found My Way.
RATING: B-
**Available only on the Japanese release of Psycho Circus.
So there you have it; ten songs (a tad light in my opinion, gentlemen) that are all over the map. There is not a common element on the entire album; every song has a distinct personality all its own. As far as how the album sounds in terms of eras, I don't think it can be given a slot in the KISS canon. The title track and Dreamin' would fit in with Creatures of The Night, while Journey of 1,000 Years hearkens back to 1981's Music From The Elder; I Finally Found My Way is right off of Peter's 1978 solo album, whereas Raise Your Glasses has a very Hot In The Shade feel to it; Within is reminiscent of Carnival of Souls while We Are One could be a leftover from Gene's solo album. This smattering of styles makes it nearly impossible to classify Psycho Circus in terms of what past KISS albums it sounds like. No, it is not Destroyer-era like Gene and Paul claim; no, it is not going to be the greatest KISS album of all time. Instead, Psycho Circus will stand on its own among the rest of KISS' canon and hopefully carve out a comfortable niche for itself.
However I question how much of a group effort Psycho Circus is. I hope, as rumors contradict, that Peter DID play on the album and was not substituted with a session player. Likewise, Bruce Kulick was reportedly "assisting" in completion of the album. Remember what that meant last time? Does the name "Vinnie Vincent" ring a bell? Put simply, there is not enough of Ace and Peter on this album. Even though they were welcomed back, Ace and Peter still have only one song apiece on the album. Paul really dominates the material here lending harmonies on almost every track. Even Gene is in limited exposure with only 3 songs, his lightest input since 1979's Dynasty.
Bruce Fairbairn is a well-known and obviously talented producer. He is responsible for such classics as AC/DC's The Razor's Edge, Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet and New Jersey, Van Halen's Balance, Poison's Flesh & Blood, The Cranberries To The Faithful Departed and Aerosmith's Permanent Vacation, Pump and Get A Grip. With these albums, and now Psycho Circus on his resume, he is among an elite group of big name rock album producers of the last two decades alongside Bob Rock, "Mutt" Lange and Rick Rubin. Fairbairn can obviously generate a positive vibe in the studio because each of the aforementioned albums have been incredible successes for their respective artists. And who can deny Fairbairn the deserved accolades for pulling Aerosmith's career out of the toilet? Like Bob Ezrin and Eddie Kramer before him, Fairbairn has given us a KISS album with a distinctive sound.
Psycho Circus is not the "be all, end all" of KISS albums by any means. The guys have gone for real diversity here with no two songs sounding the same. It is literally impossible to classify Psycho Circus based upon its relation to other albums and one must commend the band for not resorting to simply churning out "Destroyer 2". Creatively, they are at a new high and it is nice to see the transition has been made to 90's rock. Since nearly 20 years have passed since the band last recorded together, disaster could have been inevitable. After the incredible marketing and media blitz the band has undertaken as of late, a dud of an album could really ruin KISS. Just because Ace and Peter are back does not mean that the new material is automatically guaranteed to be good. However, I believe that if fans approach Psycho Circus with an open mind and don't expect to hear Love Gun or Strutter, they WILL be happy.
Rating: 1/2
Rating:
Disc Two--C'mon And Love Me (Live)/ Rock Bottom (Live)/ Cold Gin (Live)/ Watchin' You (Live)/ Doncha Hesitate (demo)/ Mad Dog (demo)/ God Of Thunder (demo)/ Great Expectations/ Beth/ Do You Love Me?/ Bad, Bad Lovin (demo)/ Calling Dr. Love/ Mr. Speed (demo)/ Christine Sixteen/ Hard Luck Woman/ Shock Me/ I Stole Your Love/ I Want You (soundcheck)/ Love Gun (demo)/ Love Is Blind (demo)
Disc Three--Detroit Rock City/ King Of The Night Time World (live)/ Larger Than Life/ Rocket Ride/ Tonight You Belong To Me/ New York Groove/ Radioactive (demo)/ Don't You Let Me Down/ I Was Made For Lovin' You/ Sure Know Something/ Shandi/ You're All That I Want, You're All That I Need (demo)/ Talk To Me (live)/ A World Without Heroes/ The Oath/ Nowhere To Run/ Creatures Of The Night/ War Machine/ I Love It Loud
Disc Four--Lick It Up/ All Hell's Breaking Loose/ Heaven's On Fire/ Get All You Can Take/ Thrills In The Night/ Tears Are Falling/ UH! All Night/ Time Traveler (demo)/ Hell Or High Water/ Crazy, Crazy Nights/ Reason To Live/ Let's Put The X In Sex/ Hide Your Heart/ Ain't That Peculiar (demo), Silver Spoon/ Forever (single version)
Disc Five--God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II/ Unholy/ Domino (demo)/ Every Time I Look At You/ Comin' Home (Unplugged)/ Got To Choose (Unplugged)/ I Still Love You (Unplugged)/ Nothin' To Lose (Unplugged)/ Childhood's End/ I Will Be There/ Psycho Circus/ Into The Void/ Within/ I Pledge Allegiance To The State Of Rock & Roll/ Nothing Can Keep Me From You/ It's My Life/ Shout It Out Loud Rock And Roll All Night (Alive IV)
Long in the works, KISS had been promising "the mother
of all box sets" to its fans for years. Available in THREE
different versions, the KISS box set finally makes available many recordings
that fans were only able to hear on badly dubbed, umpteenth-generation
bootlegs, and some songs that have never been available before. Of
course, the requisite studio and live versions are thrown in as well.
Overall, this is an excellent retrospective of the band's 30 year career
and even includes some recordings from the pre-KISS years, going as far
back as 1966.
The packaging varies depending on which version
you purchase. The basic set will set you back around $120 CDN and
comes in a black, encyclopedia-sized case, which houses 5 CD's and a 120-page
booklet. The limited edition "Deluxe Guitar case" version runs around
$250 CDN, and it comes in a 19" x 9" x 3" replica guitar case with red
velvet-lined insides, the same 5 CD's, the same 120-page book but in hard
cover form, and a note from the band. For the fan where money is
no object, the "Premium Gold Edition" costs around $1,300 CDN, but along
with the 5 CD's and hardcover book, you also get an official RIAA certified
copy of KISS' breakthrough Alive! gold record award fitted in a
full-size 46" x 16" x 4" custom guitar case, along with special reissue
Alive!
hand-written liner-notes from the band individually printed in gold ink
on parchment paper. Personally, I sprung for the Deluxe Guitar Case
version and found it on EBay for only $110 US and it was still in the original
plastic. Not too shabby! If it's just the music you're after,
save your money and stick with the regular version. If you're a HUGE
KISS fan, treat yourself and go for the guitar case just for bragging rights.
I love the packaging and the guitar case looks really cool.
DISC #1
Strutter (Demo) (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley)
4:58
This demo version is very close to the recorded
version on the first KISS album. The biggest difference is Ace's
solo. The demo version basically has 2 solos, the first has a slower,
drawn out sound, while the second has that trademark Ace sound. This
is one of KISS' best songs. RATING: A+
Deuce (Demo) (Gene Simmons)
3:26
Great version of my all-time favorite KISS song.
Ace's solo here is still in the beginning stages and not as full as the
final version. Gene's scream after the refrain still makes me shiver
everytime I hear it. RATING: A+
Keep Me Waiting (Wicked Lester) (Paul Stanley)
3:24
It's too bad the Wicked Lester sessions never got released officially.
These songs capture the music of the time perfectly and Keep Me Waiting
is one of the best songs from that band. RATING: A
She (Wicked Lester) (Gene Simmons/Steve Coronel)
3:08
This is Wicked Lester's version of the same that would would later
appear on KISS' third album, Dressed To Kill. This version
has a real '60's hippy sound to it, with the bongos, flute, and horn section.
A great song but pales in comparison to the later version. RATING:
B+
Love Her All I Can (Wicked Lester) (Paul Stanley)
2:41
You gotta love those "do-do-do" fills during the verses and the three-part
harmonies. Great guitar work by Steve Coronel, though. Again,
this song was stripped down and re-recorded by KISS on 1975's Dressed
To Kill album. RATING: B+
Let Me Know (Demo) (Paul Stanley)
3:37
This version is missing the coda that is included on the KISS
album but the basics are still here. I'm glad the band dropped the
repeated "and then you'll let me know" chants at the end of the song.
A careful ear can catch Gene messing up the vocals at the 2:24 mark.
Either the lyrics weren't yet finished or maybe it's just a slip of the
tongue. The beauty of the demo version... RATING: C+
100,000 Years (Demo) (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley)
5:53
This song just goes on for TOO long! In concert, the strung out
middle section with Peter's drumming and Paul's scat lyrics might work
but on record, forget it. RATING: C-
Stop, Look To Listen (Demo) (Paul Stanley)
4:01
An early Paul recording that for interests' sake is included.
Okay, he was only 14 years old but this is a TERRIBLE song!! I'm
not sure what young Stanley Eisen was trying to accomplish here vocally
but he certainly found his niche a few years later. RATING: D
Leeta (Bullfrog Beer Demo) (Gene Simmons)
2:28
Who would have expected the nice Jewish boy singing this beautiful
song would be spitting blood and nailing women by the thousands a mere
5 years later?! Gene's folk roots really come through on this song
and would show up again on some surprisingly mild songs from The Demon.
RATING: B+
Let Me Go, Rock 'n Roll (Demo) (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley)
4:04
This is a very rough demo of the song but Ace's guitar is the real
star here. This song seems like a 4 minute jam session more than
anything else and would eventually be trimmed by nearly 2 minutes when
the final version showed up on 1974's Hotter Than Hell album.
RATING: A-
Acrobat (Live at The Daisy) (Gene Simmons/Ace Frehley)
6:20
Essentially 2 songs in 1, Acrobat features the opening instrumental
that would become Love Theme From KISS from the band's first album,
followed by Much Too Young, an unreleased jam. Acrobat was
only played live a few times but is a cool song and the time change between
the first half and the second half is pulled off well. Great drum
solo by Peter too. I think RATING: A
Firehouse (Demo) (Paul Stanley)
4:35
This is one of my least favorites on the CD. The final song is
a personal favorite but this demo is missing something. The only
interesting things are when Ace messes up at the beginning before starting
again and the poor attempt to "sing" fire engine sounds at the end of the
song. RATING: D
Nothin' To Lose (Gene Simmons)
3:27
Nothin' To Lose is a great cut. Peter's bluesy vocals
add a raw touch to the chorus and his drums have never sounded better.
I'm still up in the air on what "I thought about the back door" is all
about? Are the boys saying that if she won't agree to sex you up
the old-fashioned way, try another...ummm, route?! RATING: A
Black Diamond (Paul Stanley)
5:11
This song is one of KISS' all-around best musically. The opening
acoustic intro with Paul in full falsetto glory segues into a crunching
groove with Peter handling the lead vocals. Every member gets a chance
to shine on this song vocally and musically. Eventually, the song
winds down around 2:35, and leads into Ace's searing solo, a cool drum
refrain and finally the slow, distorted fade out. A KISS classic!
RATING: A+
Hotter Than Hell (Paul Stanley)
3:31
A simple song dealing with female woes. The chorus and bridge
are great, while Gene's bass and Peter's drums again dominate. Also,
an excellent vocal from Paul. RATING: A
Strange Ways (Ace Frehley)
3:18
Peter's raspy vocal, and especially Gene's crescendo at the end of
the song, make this one for me. Crank up the subwoofer: a thumping
bass groove throughout really rattles your spine. And listen to Ace's
solo!! This is one of those forgotten KISS songs that deserves to
be re-examined. RATING: A-
Parasite (Ace Frehley)
3:03
One of my early KISS favorites. The rough guitar part makes for
one of KISS' heaviest songs. Gene's vocals really add to this song.
Ace really deserves the credit here for writing yet another GREAT song
(and giving himself a killer solo, too)! RATING: A+
Goin' Blind (Gene Simmons/Steve Coronel)
3:36
Another one of KISS' early forgotten songs. I love this song
and other than the MTV Unplugged special, I have never known the
band to play it live. The song is such a departure at this point
from the rest of the KISS material that it deserves to be commended.
The bizarre lyrics and Gene's even more outlandish vocals add to some fantastic
musicianship, especially Ace's guitar work. For the doubtful KISS
fan, I strongly recommend giving this song another chance. RATING:
A+
Anything For My Baby (Paul Stanley)
2:32
Aside from the opening drum beat that sounds EXACTLY like Rock
And Roll All Nite (give it a listen if you don't believe me), this
song is one of my favorites from the Dressed To Kill album.
Paul's lead vocal is the standout on a catchy song that went nowhere.
RATING: A
Ladies In Waiting (Gene Simmons)
2:31
Ace has a good solo here but otherwise, there isn't much to discuss.
Not one of Gene's better songs. RATING: B-
Rock And Roll All Nite (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley)
2:46
KISS' signature song. Twenty five years later, it is still a
party standard and closes every show the band plays. Unfortunately,
it has been overplayed to the max and suffers because of it. Still,
the simplicity of the song can't be denied as it's chorus is anthemic and
Peter's drumming helps bring the song home. RATING: A
DISC #2
C'Mon And Love Me (Live) (Paul Stanley)
3:09
Originally from 1975's Alive!, this song is simple with a catchy
chorus. Sums up the KISS formula: Keep It Simple Stupid! RATING:
A-
Rock Bottom (Live) (Paul Stanley/Ace Frehley)
3:19
Ace's 12-string intro is magical and as far as I am concerned is one
of the finest pieces of music he has ever written. Once the kick
drum begins, this song takes the listener to another level again.
Paul's powerful vocal leads us through one of KISS' most underrated songs.
RATING: A+
Cold Gin (Live) (Ace Frehley)
6:40
For me, this is one of KISS' greatest songs...EVER! Paul sets
up the audience with the alcohol-fuelled lead in. The opening riff,
then the drums, then the bass...great stuff. Gene's vocals and Ace's
guitar are the real standouts on this song. Ace's solo here is one
of his best. Great drum coda from Peter too. The subject matter
of Cold Gin certainly foreshadows Ace's behavior a few years later,
too! RATING: A+
Watchin' You (Live) (Gene Simmons)
3:54
Simple but strong intro riff from Ace and Gene's powerful vocals make
this song one of my all-time favorites. More odd lyrics here but
the song doesn't suffer because of the strength of the music. RATING:
A+
Doncha Hesitate (Demo) (Paul Stanley)
2:40
This is an unreleased song from the Dressed To Kill album.
Usually you can't go wrong with Paul's stuff but this one's a real stinker.
RATING: D
Mad Dog (Demo) (Gene Simmons)
2:32
One of Gene's demos that was refused for the Destroyer album.
Bob Ezrin took the guitar riff and used it on Flaming Youth.
Again, this one was a good choice to leave off. Great solo from Ace
but a pretty wretched vocal from Gene. RATING: D
God of Thunder (Demo) (Paul Stanley)
2:53
Now this is a cool demo! This version features Paul on lead vocals,
some different lyrics from the final version, a completely different arrangement
and a snappy hi-hat. I could get used to this one! RATING:
A
Great Expectations (Gene Simmons/Bob Ezrin)
4:21
This has the distinction of being my least favorite KISS song.
The choir in Great Expectations makes a bad song even worse.
You can't blame the guy for trying, but Bob Ezrin's experimentation on
Destroyer
reached an all-time low here. This song just doesn't work.
RATING: F
Beth (Peter Criss/Stan Penridge/Bob Ezrin)
2:45
Beth is one of the best (but heinously over-played) power ballads
to this day. This song is so disgustingly sappy yet it remains a
KISS standard all these years later. Frankly, I would have rather
seen Peter's original version called Beck, from his band Chelsea, included
on the box set instead. RATING: B+
Do You Love Me? (Kim Fowley/Bob Ezrin/Paul Stanley)
3:32
One of the best examples of Ezrin's vision from Destroyer.
The church bells and Phil Spector-like "wall of sound" only add to this
great song. RATING: A
Bad, Bad Lovin' (Demo) (Gene Simmons)
3:35
The early version of Calling Dr. Love. Same verses, different
chorus. Interesting to see the evolution of a song. RATING:
A-
Calling Dr. Love (Gene Simmons)
3:44
One of Gene's best. Great song. RATING: A+
Mr. Speed (Demo) (Paul Stanley/Sean Delaney)
3:34
Another of the forgotten gems in KISS' history. Bob Kulick steps
in for Ace with a nice lead guitar. This version isn't much different
from the final version on Rock And Roll Over. Nice to see
this song is included in the box set. RATING: A
Christine Sixteen (Gene Simmons)
3:14
This is one of my least favorites from the Love Gun album but
still a pretty good song. I like Gene's "dirty old man" spoken part
in the middle. The piano lends an interesting touch, too. RATING:
B-
Hard Luck Woman (Paul Stanley)
3:34
I wonder if Rod Stewart is still kicking himself for turning this song
down? A better ballad than Beth but never really got the recognition
it deserved. RATING: A
Shock Me (Ace Frehley)
3:46
Ace's vocal debut. His unique vocal style is perfect for this
song and the guitar solo is incredible. RATING: A+
I Stole Your Love (Paul Stanley)
3:04
One of KISS' best mid-70's songs. Not played live anymore but
listen to the version from Alive II...it kicks ass! RATING:
A+
I Want You (Soundcheck) (Paul Stanley)
3:29
One of the best songs from Rock And Roll Over. Forgotten
in the band's live set these days, I Want You deserves to be added
back in. The acoustic intro leads into a crashing guitar throughout
the song. A great vocal from Paul and Ace gets a pretty cool solo,
too. RATING: A-
Love Gun (Demo) (Paul Stanley)
3:23
Easily the best song Paul Stanley has ever done. This demo is
pretty close to the final version found on the Love Gun album in
1977. The only thing missing is the lead guitar. RATING: A+
Love Is Blind (Demo) (Gene Simmons)
2:46
This is a stripped down demo from Gene featuring only him singing and
playing acoustic guitar and bass. This is a decent song that would
have fit nicely on his solo album in '78. RATING: B-
DISC #3
Detroit Rock City (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin)
3:55
In my top 5 of all-time favorite KISS songs. Peter's double-bass
drums, Paul's rhythm guitar, Gene's pounding bass, and Ace's lead come
together as one of KISS' finest musical moments. Too bad they took
out the newscast intro though. RATING: A+
King Of The Night Time World (Live) (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin/Mark
Anthony/Kim Fowley)
3:03
This is actually one of the first KISS songs I ever heard! Alive
II was the first KISS record that I heard and it just blew me away.
I don't know what it is about this song but I LIKE IT!! RATING: A
Larger Than Life (Gene Simmons)
3:59
I love the guitar and bass in this song. Rick Derringer stepped
in on guitar and Gene has an especially cool lead vocal. Too bad
this song didn't amount to more. RATING: A
Rocket Ride (Ace Frehley/Sean Delaney)
4:07
Ace lets loose with what is probably his best song. Listen to
that guitar! RATING: A+
Tonight You Belong To Me (Paul Stanley)
4:40
Taken from his solo album, this song is a perfect example of what was
to come from Paul over the next few years. An excellent song.
RATING: A
New York Groove (Russ Ballard)
3:00
Ace's big hit from his solo album. Kind of a strange song but
it definitely fits Ace's style. RATING: A
Radioactive (Demo) (Gene Simmons)
3:09
A rough demo featuring Gene and on background vocals...Peg Bundy from
TV's Married With Children. This song changed so much by the time
it showed up on Gene's solo album it is only recognizable by the chorus.
RATING: B
Don't You Let Me Down (Peter Criss/Stan Penridge)
3:40
Oh, Peter...why do you even try? The calypso sound reminds me
of a bad Jimmy Buffett song. RATING: D+
I Was Made For Lovin' You (Paul Stanley/Vincent Poncia/Desmond
Child)
4:30
Break out the polyester 'cause disco's here! This is probably
one of KISS' cheesiest songs ever but it is also one of their best of this
period. I wish the band would have chosen the 7 minute disco remix
for the box set. RATING: A
Sure Know Something (Paul Stanley/Vincent Poncia)
3:59
Another gem from 1979's Dynasty album. By this point,
KISS had officially sold out, but with songs like this who cares?!
RATING: A-
Shandi (Paul Stanley/Vincent Poncia)
3:36
A HUGE hit in Australia but went nowhere throughout the rest of the
world. KISS was getting a bum rap at this point. Had this song
been released in 1976-77, it would have been a hit. RATING: A-
You're All That I Want, You're All That I Need (Demo) (Gene Simmons)
4:17
A demo of my least favorite track from the Unmasked album.
I can't say too many good things about it. RATING: D
Talk To Me (Ace Frehley)
3:40
A live version of an Ace gem from Unmasked. This version
is OK but the original is definitely better. RATING: C
A World Without Heroes (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin/Lou
Reed)
2:40
A beautiful song from the kiss of death known as (Music From) The
Elder. Why this song didn't generate more interest is beyond
me. RATING: A
The Oath (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin/Tony Powers)
4:34
A good rocker from (Music From) The Elder that again went nowhere.
Maybe it's the falsetto vocals? RATING: B+
Nowhere To Run (Paul Stanley)
4:26
Only 1 song included from Killers? At least they picked
the best one. RATING: B+
Creatures Of The Night (Paul Stanley/Adam Mitchell)
4:03
KISS returns! Thankfully, the band dropped the disco cheese and
concept albums and returned to their hard rock form. This song kicks
ass from the get go and the solo is unforgettable. Listen to those
drums, too. SWEET!! RATING: A
War Machine (Gene Simmons/Bryan Adams/Jim Vallance)
4:13
A Gene classic...co-written by the King of FM Easy Listening, Bryan
Adams?! The heaviest KISS song to date. RATING: A+
I Love It Loud (Gene Simmons/Vincent Cusano)
4:15
Another Gene classic. Eric's drums really shine here. KISS
at their best!! RATING: A+
DISC #4
Lick It Up (Paul Stanley/Vincent Cusano)
3:56
The makeup comes off and so begins the next chapter in KISS' career.
This was the first bonafide hit song for the band in about 5 years. Lick
It Up is one of the rock standards of the 80's and has kept its staying
power to this day. Vinnie's songwriting and guitar work brought the
band back to life after a stagnant period and this song would set the pace
for the next few years. RATING: A+
All Hell's Breaking Loose (Eric Carr/Paul Stanley/Gene Simmons/Vinnie
Vincent)
4:34
The first rock song to feature rapping. Who knew Limp Bizkit
would turn it into a career?! This is a great song and one of Eric
Carr's first songwriting credits with the band. RATING: A
Heaven's On Fire (Paul Stanley/Desmond Child)
3:20
The band continued their dominance with a strong video for this song.
The familiar opening and catchy chorus would keep the song as staple in
the band's live set. RATING: A+
Get All You Can Take (Paul Stanley)
3:43
This song has the distinction of the first time an f-bomb is dropped
in a KISS song. This song is largely forgotten and it's a real shame
because this is one of my favorites from Animalize. Mark St.
John's trademark guitar sound in the solo is a treat. RATING: A
Thrills In The Night (Paul Stanley/Jean Beauvoir)
4:21
The single that should have been. Great chorus, catchy melody,
smutty lyrics...everything that summed up an 80's metal hit. This
is one of the best songs from Animalize but it just didn't seem
to go anywhere. Too bad. RATING: A
Tears Are Falling (Paul Stanley)
3:55
The big single from the Asylum album. This is one of my
favorite KISS songs from this period. Paul's vocals are outstanding
and new recruit Bruce Kulick plays a decent solo. RATING: A+
Uh! All Night (Paul Stanley/Desmond Child/Jean Beauvoir)
4:03
Stupid title for a good song. I guess the band was tapping into
the glam movements "sex sells" theory. The song has a pretty racy
video that aired a few times. This is by no means a KISS classic
but it did the job at the time. RATING: A-
Time Traveler (Demo) (Paul Stanley/Desmond Child)
4:57
A little too much with the keyboards and drum machine but this demo
shows promise. There's nothing special here but this is the only
80's demo offered up on the box set so it's interesting to see where the
band was at outside of the album tracks. Unfortunately, 80's hack
Desmond Child's over-wrought background vocals drown out the chorus.
Stick to writing the hits, Des. RATING: B
Hell Or High Water (Gene Simmons/Bruce Kulick)
3:27
This is the first Gene song on the box set since 1982's Creatures
Of The Night album. It's nice to have you back from Hollywood,
Gene! This is a great song from Crazy Nights. RATING:
B+
Crazy, Crazy Nights (Paul Stanley/Adam Mitchell)
3:47
The band's attempt at another anthem. Very commercial-sounding
but a good song. RATING: A
Reason To Live (Paul Stanley/Desmond Child)
4:00
Power ballad alert! This is one of favorites from the Crazy
Nights album. A few marks should be deducted for the cheesy video
but I'm glad this would up on the box set. RATING: A+
Let's Put The X In Sex (Paul Stanley/Desmond Child)
3:50
One of 2 new tracks from the Smashes, Thrashes & Hits collection.
This has to be one of KISS' filthiest songs. Catchy as hell.
RATING: A
Hide Your Heart (Paul Stanley/Desmond Child/Holly Knight)
4:25
Like Black Diamond, this song actually tells a story.
Poor Johnny gets it in the end after messing with Rosa. Bad move
playing with Tito's woman, hessay! Great vocal from Paul. RATING:
A-
Ain't That Peculiar (Demo) (Eric Carr)
3:10
The demo that would become Little Caeser from the Hot In
The Shade album. Of all the demos on the box set, this is one
of my favorites. RATING: A+
Silver Spoon (Paul Stanley/Vincent Poncia)
4:41
I like the horns and R&B backgrounds here. One of the better
tunes from Hot In The Shade. RATING: A-
Forever (Single Version) (Paul Stanley/Michael Bolton)
3:50
Easily the best ballad KISS has ever done. Better than Beth
by a long shot and Bruce's acoustic solo is amazing. RATING: A+
DISC #5
God Gave Rock 'n Roll To You II (Russ Ballard/Paul Stanley/Gene
Simmons/Bob Ezrin)
5:20
This song from the film Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey is another
shot at an anthem. It also features the last performance from Eric
Carr. I like this song and it has a catchy sing-along chorus.
RATING: A-
Unholy (Gene Simmons/Vinnie Vincent)
3:25
Here we go! Gene is back with a vengeance. This is probably
my third favorite KISS song of all-time, behind Deuce and Cold
Gin. Still one of KISS' heaviest songs. Listen to Bruce's
solo. NICE!! RATING: A+
Domino (Demo) (Gene Simmons)
4:03
This demo has some different lyrics from the final version on Revenge.
One of Gene's best songs of the last 10 years. RATING: A-
Every Time I Look At You (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin)
4:38
This is a nice ballad with a string section in the background.
A little out of place on the heavy Revenge album but still a decent
song. RATING: B
Comin' Home (Unplugged) (Paul Stanley/Ace Frehley)
2:51
I had never really taken notice of this song before the Unplugged
album came out in 1996. A real gem and a treat to hear live.
RATING: A
Got To Choose (Unplugged) (Paul Stanley)
3:31
This song was only available on the Japanese import of Unplugged
before the box set. I'm glad it was included here. RATING:
B+
I Still Love You (Unplugged) (Paul Stanley/Vincent Cusano)
6:09
One of my favorites from the Creatures of The Night album.
Paul shows off his impressive vocal range at 4:45. Acoustically this
song is just as good as the original. RATING: A+
Nothin' To Lose (Unplugged) (Gene Simmons)
3:42
Eric Singer gets his moment in the spotlight taking over for Peter
Criss' vocal parts during the verses. The whole band including Ace
and Peter play on this one and in my opinion, make this a better version
than the original version from the KISS album. RATING: A
Childhood's End (Gene Simmons/Tommy Thayer/Bruce Kulick)
5:26
I'm a little disappointed with the choices from Carnival of Souls
included on the box set. I would have rather seen Jungle,
Master
& Slave, or a few others. I AM glad however that since Childhood's
End was included, the band decided to put the "Outro" back on that
was only available on the bootleg. This song represents the more
serious lyrical content the band was taking at this point. This song
is a departure for Gene showing he can actually sing but it's awfully depressing.
RATING: B
I Will Be There (Paul Stanley/Bruce Kulick/Curt Cuomo)
3:49
Paul's tribute to his new son, Evan. This song has an interesting
flamenco-influenced acoustic guitar solo. Very nice! RATING:
B+
Psycho Circus (Paul Stanley/Curt Cuomo)
4:50
YEAHHHHHHH!!! The first time I heard this song was in MP3 format
copied from a New Jersey radio station a few months before the album was
released. I was so excited I listened to it over and over and over...and
OVER for about 3 days straight! This is one of KISS' best songs ever
and the perfect concert opener to get the crowd fired up. Paul actually
plays the solo and the drums after the solo are awesome. RATING:
A+
Into The Void (Ace Frehley/Karl Cochran)
4:22
The first new song on record from Ace in 9 years and it's a good one.
The song reminds me a lot of Rocket Ride from Alive II.
One of his best solos too. RATING: A-
Within (Gene Simmons)
4:28
This is actually a leftover from the Carnival of Souls album
that showed up 4 years later on Psycho Circus. A thumping
bassline and ripping lead guitar backs Gene as he howls through a catchy
chorus of "I wanna see from within/ I wanna be where I've been/ I wanna
truth not a lie/ I wanna live before I die". This is Gene's best
song since Unholy and one of his best ever. RATING: A+
I Pledge Allegiance To The State of Rock & Roll (Paul Stanley/Holly
Knight/Curt Cuomo)
3:32
Runs in the same vein as Lick It Up, Shout It Loud, Rock
and Roll All Nite--a hard rock party anthem. RATING: A
Nothing Can Keep Me From You (Diane Warren)
4:05
I think Celine Dion must have been busy so the song was passed on to
KISS. I doubt this is as much of a "KISS" song as it is Paul Stanley
singing over session musicians. Still, it delivers what it sets out
to do. From the soundtrack to the KISS-themed film, Detroit Rock
City. RATING: D+
It's My Life (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley)
3:44
This song was recorded for the Psycho Circus album but it has
been around since the mid-80's. It has been circulating as an Asylum-era
demo for years and it even appeared on the Gene-produced W.O.W.
album from former Plasmatics singer, Wendy O. Williams. It's a catchy
song so I'm not sure why it took 15 years to surface but it's nice to see
it here. This is also one of the rare songs where Gene, Paul AND
Ace take tuns on lead vocals. RATING: B+
Shout It Out Loud (Live) (Paul Stanley/Gene Simmons/Bob Ezrin)
3:37
Taken from the first show of KISS' 1996 reunion tour at Tiger Stadium
in Detroit, Michigan. This song captures the excitement of seeing
the original band together again after almost 20 years. RATING: A
Rock And Roll All Nite (Live) (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley)
6:03
Hopefully the Alive IV album will get released eventually because
I WAS THERE!! The New Year's Eve 1999/2000 show at BC Place in Vancouver
was the best way I could think of to spend ANY night. It was an unbelievable
show from an amazing band. This song capped the evening and the energy
was electrifying. RATING: A+
WHEW!! There it is...94 tracks covering 33 years of KISStory. This is the best representation that I can think of for one of the most influential, enduring bands in the history of rock music. Of course, there are songs that I would have included and others I would not but overall, KISS has given the fans the best they have to offer with this box set. You will be missed...thanks for the memories, guys!
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