DRESSED TO KILL (1975)

Pimpin' ain't easy...

When I first started doing this, this was the album I figured would win my top spot. While most Kiss fans consider the 76-77 period the best, for me these first 3 albums (4 including Alive!) are where the most fun is.

In fact, this album probably would have taken the top spot if not for 'Ladies in Waiting'. Not that the song is bad - because it isn't. It just isn't as good as everything else on the album and it always just sticks out like a dry, stale muffin surrounded by bowls of ice-cream and Snickers bars. But by Prime, those ice-creams are all such delicious flavours.

Oh I know - 'Rock Bottom' suffers the same problem as 'Comin' Home', as it rocks so much harder on 'Unplugged'. I want to go back to 1974 Kiss and play them the 'Unplugged' show so they can feel bad about making electric songs weaker than when done acoustically... before they go back to their groupies and millions of dollars. That'll teach 'em. But it is still fun, and the rest of the album is as strong and consistent as anything Kiss have ever produced. 'Getaway' is so much fun and 'Love Her All I Can' is an unappreciated gem. This album is full of killer guitar riffs. Oh, and it also happens to close with a certain rock'n roll national anthem... yeah, these guys sure know how to end albums.

This album may not have the classics that everyone knows, or still get performed live all the time. But to me, this album sums up Kiss better than any other album before or after; fun, simple rock'n roll that makes you want to "rock'n roll all nite and party every day"

Highlights:

Room Service, Two Timer, Getaway, C'mon and Love Me, She, Love Her All I Can, Rock'n Roll All Nite

Lowlights:

Only 29 minutes long. I'm not sure if Ladies in Waiting really counts - it isn't actually terrible, just compared to everything else it sounds like... well, me trying to do a Kiss song

Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Pauls and a thumbs up

HOTTER THAN HELL (1974)

Sunbathing in the Kiss house always gets rough

After a good but not amazing effort on debut, Kiss moved to LA to make their follow-up. Unfortunately, the LA smog consumed the recordings and made everything sound like it was fighting its way out of sludge. Which is a shame, because this album rocks hard!

'Got to Choose' is one hell of a cool opening song, and anyone that ever disses Peter Criss' skills as a drummer should listen to his awesome fills in 'Parasite' - probably the heaviest Kiss song to date. 'Goin' Blind' is their first attempt at a slow song, I guess. Ace's solo is awesome. In fact, Ace's solos on all these songs are killer. The title track, 'Hotter than Hell' is a solid rocker, then you get the high energy of 'Let Me Go Rock'n Roll' - which is so damn awesome it was their show closer until 'Rock'n Roll All Nite' came about.

Then 'All the Way' is your classic stomping groove while Gene makes fun of some woman for talking too much kind of song, followed by another heavy classic 'Watchin' You'. Next, Peter hits us with his song for the album 'Mainline'... and it's... there... 

'Comin' Home' is apparently written about how unhappy they guys were in LA and wanted to get back to New York. Then Peter says 'Hey guys, my last song wasn't good enough' so he sings the Ace written 'Strange Ways' and the world explodes from the awesome and the album has no choice but to end.

Notice I have nothing bad to say? That's because this album is awesome with a fist pumping in the air while I head bang. The only negative is the production, because this album could have sounded so much better had it been recorded well. Also, 'Comin' Home' sounds so much better on 'Unplugged' it's hard to take the original version seriously now. And I don't really know how an acoustic song can rock harder than the same song in electric form.

Highlights:

Got to Choose, Parasite, Hotter than Hell, Let Me Go, Rock'n Roll, Strange Ways

Lowlights:

The sludgey production that makes everything sound muffled. Or just covered in grime.

Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Pauls

KISS (1974)

40 years ago and Peter Criss already looks like he wants Gene to get the fuck away from him

So here we are at the beginning - seems like an interesting place to start. And what better way to begin than with Kiss' first album? Well, that certainly sounds like the beginning.

Needless to say, this isn't the greatest album in the world. Kiss were monsters on stage and certainly had the look, but this album shows their intial problems trying to get that energy recorded. As a result, this album falls flat and can sound a little lifeless.

That said, this album is still pretty cool. Out of the 10 tracks, 7 are considered absolute classics and at least 5 of those are still a must in the Kiss live setlist to this day. Think about that for a minute...

The only weak links would be 'Kissin' Time' (which is still kinda fun, if not incredibly cheesy) and the obvious 'Love Theme from Kiss'. I get what they were doing with both songs, trying to play up the gimmick of Kiss. But it just doesn't work. 'Love Theme from Kiss' just plods along without ever offering anything of interest. And while 'Firehouse' is amazing live, this studio version suffers from a severe lack of energy and the guitars sound like they aren't even distorted. It's kinda weird...

Am I being too harsh here?

I don't want it to sound like I don't enjoy this album, so I'll finish it with the good - just like the album does. Yes, it closes with 2 tracks that make my top 20 Kiss tunes list - '100,000 Years' and the epic 'Black Diamond'. Any complaints anyone has about this album are pretty much knocked down by those 2 songs right there. Then they take your girl and have their way with her.

It's Kiss, what else would you expect.

Oh wait I almost forgot about something... 'Deuce'. You know, that song that has opened about a million Kiss concerts and rocks everyone's socks off 99% of the time? Yeah, that's on here too.

Kiss are here!


Oh, Prime - I can't believe I'm going to write 50 of these...

Highlights:

Black Diamond, 100,000 Years, Deuce

Lowlights:

Love Theme from Kiss

Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Pauls and a Thumbs Up

Kissathon 2013

And so it began on Monday - the greatest musical marathon known to mankind!

Well, actually only the 2nd craziest I have ever done. Pretty sure my Lennonthon many years ago was crazier. And don't get me started on the problems involved in ever trying to do an Elvisthon...

Anyways, I managed to form a rather impressive playlist to do this - 545 songs all up!
The album list looks like this:

• Kiss
• Hotter Than Hell
• Dressed to Kill
• Alive!
• Destroyer
• Rock and Roll Over
• Love Gun
• Alive II
• Double Platinum
• Ace Frehley
• Gene Simmons
• Paul Stanley
• Peter Criss
• Dynasty
• Unmasked
• Out of Control  - Peter Criss
• Music from "The Elder"
• Let Me Rock You - Peter Criss
• Killers
• Creatures of the Night
• Creatures of the Night (1985 Remix)
• Lick It Up
• Animalize
• Asylum
• Frehley's Comet - Ace Frehley
• Crazy Nights
• Live+1 - Ace Frehley
• Second Sighting - Ace Frehley
• Smashes, Thrashes & Hits
• Trouble Walkin' - Ace Frehley
• Hot in the Shade
• Revenge
• Alive III
• Criss (EP) - Peter Criss
• Cat #1 - Peter Criss
• Kiss Unplugged
• Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
• 12 Picks - Ace Frehley
• Loaded Deck - Ace Frehley
• Greatest Kiss
• You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!
• Psycho Circus
• Psycho Circus - Bonus Disc
• Alive! The Millennium Concert
• Live to Win - Paul Stanley
• One for All - Peter Criss
• Anomaly - Ace Frehley
• Sonic Boom
• Monster
• Destroyer {Resurrected}

That is a total of 50 albums, though I have kinda cheated a little; where compilation albums like Smashes Thrashes and Hits and You Wanted the Best... just have songs that appear elsewhere, I have only listened to the new tracks. Except Double Platinum and Greatest Kiss. I did listen to those completely. So yeah - I make no sense... and then throw in Ace's solo track from Spacewalk somewhere too...

There was a bunch of stuff I decided to exclude because it was just repetitive. That album they did a few years ago where they re-recorded all their most popular songs using the new lineup - no way in hell was I ever bothering with that. There were a few others involving the new lineup that I just did not see the point in. The less Tommy Thayer, the better.

I've gone in a good chronological order as well, except for one album - that being Destroyer {Resurrected}. Technically, I believe it came out after Monster, but I felt after sitting through 2 albums involving Tommy Thayer meant I had to end it on a happier note. Seriously, Tommy Thayer is no way to end a Kissathon this great.

Tommy Thayer - FUCK OFF

So here we are at Thursday night and how am I doing?
Well, not that great. I had a terrible first day due to annoying meetings (apparently listening to Alive! during business meetings is not the done thing) and now I am playing a bit of catchup before tomorrow. But I should be on track to finish at the end of work tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it.

As for results, I've been a little surprised by my findings so far.
But you will have to wait a little bit longer for those...

So let's see what I think of the albums, one-by-one...

Bored? Then Listen to a Ridiculous Amount of Kiss

Because that will solve all your problems.

Not really sure why I decided this, but I have only one week of work left before a two week holiday so figured it was the perfect time to do a Kiss music marathon.

Maybe it's because Summer is starting. Maybe it's because I want to get their play count higher in my iTunes. Maybe it's because I'm in a silly mood from watching so much Chikara. Maybe it's because I'm in a frustrated mood from not watching enough Chikara. Or maybe I've just been drinking way too much Tequila lately...

But yes, starting Monday morning - Kiss music marathon. Not only that, I will be using the wonderful world of mathematics to finally decide once and for all which Kiss album is the best. I will rate each and every song as I listen to it - some for the first time in years - and also some thought on each album. Then I will report my findings back to my readers, who I am sure can't wait to find out why I think Rock'n Roll Over is infinitely better than Sonic Boom.

Spoiler alert: No Thommy Thayer on Rock'n Roll Over.

So perusing my personal collection, as well as looking at other albums I can get beforehand, here is a chronological listing of what I will be listening to (in chronological order too):

Kiss

Hotter Than Hell

Dressed to Kill

Alive!

Destroyer

Destroyer (Resurrected)

Rock and Roll Over

Love Gun

Alive II

Double Platinum

Ace Frehley

Gene Simmons

Paul Stanley

Peter Criss

Dynasty

Unmasked

Killers

Music from "The Elder"

Creatures of the Night

Creatures of the Night (1985 Remix)

Lick It Up

Animalize

Asylum

Crazy Nights

Smashes, Thrashes & Hits

Hot in the Shade

Revenge

Alive III

Kiss Unplugged

Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions

Greatest Kiss

You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!

Psycho Circus

Psycho Circus - Bonus Disc

Alive! The Millennium Concert

Sonic Boom

Monster

I'm also hoping to include all the solo work of the original members as well. I'm not going to bother with anything released outside of Kiss by Vinnie Vincent, Eric Carr or Bruce Kulick. And especially not Thommy Thayer.

So far, looking at a potential 51 albums to get through. Holy cow that is a lot of music!

It isn't that bad, though, because a few are compilations where I have removed the songs I already have. Their final grading will be mathematically graded accordingly to make sense. Unlike that sentence.

This will be fun. For me. Until the second day. Then who knows who this will go?

Stay tuned...