2025 in 2025: Day 142

People Move On - Bernard Butler

This dude seems to be all over the works of artists I enjoy, so I was always interested in his actual solo work. It has moments of being very good. But I definitely think he works best as a guitarist and songwriter collaborator.

Highlights: Woman I Know, You Just Know, Not Alone, Stay

6.5/10

Pepperoni Quatro - ELLEGARDEN

There is something in my head that always forces me to ignore this album, like I think it is not great or the worst ELLEGARDEN album. I cannot explain it. Either way, those thoughts are insane, because this may actually be their best album? It certainly features some of their best songs. Then again, I say that about every ELLEGARDEN album. I want this marathon to end so I can just listen to ELLEGARDEN all day.

Highlights: Supernova, スターフィッシュ, Good Morning Kid, Make a Wish, ロストワールド

9/10

The Perfect Drug - Nine Inch Nails

A great NIN song, preceeded by a bunch of remixes that are very long and unnecessary. 

Highlights: The Perfect Drug (Original Version)

5/10

Perfect Symmetry - Keane

Sad English lads reinvent themselves as The Killers? Considering The Killers started out as an American rock band cosplaying as UK indie New Wave, this just gets even more confusing. It is at least a bit more feel good than their other work.

Highlights: Spiralling

6.5/10

Perfect Timing - Recloose

I think this is another NZ electro artist. Electro funk, to be more precise without actually knowing what I am talking about. It at least is a very good groove. 

Highlights: Robop, Can It Be, So Cool, Solomon's Alive

7/10

Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith

While not on the level of their following albums, this one still has some fun songs and a massive power ballad. Certainly a step up from what they had been doing previously.

Highlights: Angel, Dude (Looks Like a Lady), Permanent Vacation, Rag Doll

7/10

Permission to Land - The Darkness

On that note, let us have some more classic rock. Or at least, classic rock inspired that is now also classic rock? I mean, this album is actually 22 years-old now! Two things that stand out are: Justin Hawkins' voice on this - or at least his falsetto - is just awesome, and bah gawd there are some great hooks. 

Highlights: Growing On Me, Love is Only a Feeling, Holding My Own, Get Your Hands Off My Woman

8.5/10

Pet Your Friends - Dishwalla

This is only the song Counting Blue Cars. It is great, so I like to pretend it is the only they ever made, in case they followed it up with something awful that would make me thing less of this song.

8/10

Peter Criss - Peter Criss

Hearing The Catman do his thing sure hits different today after losing The Spaceman... but feels kind of fitting. Kind of. I wish they could have done an album together back in the 90s. My Kissathon II review seems harsh - this is a fun album.

Highlights: That's the Kind of Sugar Papa Likes, Hooked on Rock 'N' Roll, Tossin' and Turnin', You Matter to Me

6/10

PETIT BEST～ROCK'N'ROLL FITNESS 2014-2017～ - 女子独身倶楽部

I saw some girl busking in Akihabara one time and we got chatting so I bought a couple of CDs from her; I think this was her idol group (and the other CD was her solo). I used to buy anything out on the streets, just for the fun of it. It is all pretty typical idol silliness, but it is pretty harmless and there are a couple of songs that I enjoy.

Highlights: We as No. 1!, 法隆寺, いけないんだ

6/10

Philadelphia Freeway - Freeway

This is purely the song What We Do... with Jay-Z, because I watched Fade to Black and when they did this live it was awesome. Freeway loses points for taking sides with Nelly and dissing KRS-One, but this song is a vibe.

8/10

Phoenix - Zebrahead

This album feels a bit heavier than Get Nice!, which is fine. The hooks, however, are still plenty pop punk fun and makes me want to rock out in some way. The rapper dude has seriously cool flow and lyrics. The Juggernauts may well be the closest thing to a pop punk power ballad this side of PASSPO☆ and it absolutely owns. Everything else just kicks you in the face for not giving The Man the middle finger or having simply having an annoying girlfriend, I guess?

Highlights: The Juggernauts, Hell Yeah!, Just the Tip, Death By Disco

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1284

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2025 in 2025: Day 139

Orion - Ryan Adams

I do not think he used a fake name for this one, right? And for good reason; it is probably a bit more solid than the ones he did that way. Clearly put more effort in. It is not metal like he claimed, but that suits me fine. More of a 70s prog rock concept album about battles in outer space. Some seriously great riffs all around.

Highlights: Fire and Ice, Imminent Galactic War, By Force, End of Days

6.5/10

The Other Side of the Coin - Ace Frehley

This is a bootleg of Ace Frehley demos from the 80s and 90s. Most are pretty much what you would expect from bootleg demos, but at least it has Back in to My Arms Again, which is from 1984 and he finally recorded a proper studio version 40 years later... and it is awful. The demo is a million times better. We will get to the modern version at the tail end of this marathon... Some of this stuff sounds like Ace was auditioning for Devo.

Highlights: Take Me to the City, Back in to My Arms Again, Into the Night

6/10

Otras Canciones - George Harrison

I really have no idea what this compilation is. Half the titles are just Titulo desconocido and all the songs are in poor quality. Some rare songs, some single versions, some songs repeated. Clearly a messy bootleg, this one!

Highlights: The sheer randomness

6/10

Our Secret Spot - the HIATUS

The tamest album from the Hiatus. It was released right before the ELLEGARDEN reunion tour started, so I get the feeling it was a bit rushed and maybe lacked a bit of effort. Between the Black and Grey was released a year later, so clearly my man had a lot going on. 

Highlights: Servant, Back on the Ground, Firefly / Life in Technicolor, Get Into Action

7/10

Our Version of Events - Emeli Sandé

This is just the song Next to Me. I ended up with this by chance, but that is good because it is a pretty cool song.

8/10

Out of Control - Peter Criss

For some reason, I remembered this being not so great. I even remembered my Kissathon II review as saying it was bad. I listened today, and I thought it was pretty good. Then I read my Kissathon II review, and I scored it about what I would now. Except I would be much less harsh on the production? So I would be less funny? Sounds about right.

Highlights: There's Nothing Better, My Life

6/10

Out of Here - Corduroy

An album that genuinely changed my life - it really altered how I approach funk guitar and my own playing in general. This and Jamiroquai's A Funk Odyssey were insanely influential at the time. As much as I dig their funk-jazz instrumentals and fake movie scores, adding vocals just took these guys to the next level for me. Adding beautiful melody lines and harmonies? Killer stuff. Not literally, or the 3,000 of us that bought this album would be long dead...

Highlights: Don't Wait For Monday, Practice What You Preach, Out of Here, The Diceman, Motorhead

9/10

Out of the Light - Brian May

The bonus disc for the Back to the Light reissue. Some instrumentals, some live songs, all good times. Hearing him and Slash go back to back like that kind of makes Slash sound bad. 

Highlights: Too Much Love Will Kill You [Guitar Version], 39/Let Your Heart Rule Your Head [Live], Too Much Love Will Kill You [Live], Driven By You [Cozy and Neil Version '93]

7/10

Out of the Vein - Third Eye Blind

This album rocks to hard... for the first half. It is just big powerful banger after big powerful banger, hook after hook, fist in the air and screaming along! Then the second half is all totally chilled out and kind of repetitive and less inspired? Except for Company. That song still goes kind of hard.

Highlights: Blinded, Forget Myself, My Hit and Run, Faster

8/10

Outside - David Bowie

Yes, I know the album title is actually 1.Outside. I will fix it later. But that is the least of this album's concerns. The whole thing is a mash of weird industrial and prog and electro crazy and should be listened to in the dark.

Highlights: We Prick You, Outside, Hallo Spaceboy, Strangers When We Meet

5/10

Outtakes and Demos - Queen

Another self-compiled collection of tracks from the Queen reissues. Quite interesting for the most part. I would like a proper version of Feelings Feelings if they have it somewhere. 

Highlights: Feeling Feelings [Take 10], Sail Away Sweet Sister  [Take 1 with Guide Vocal], Football Fight [Early Version - No Synths!], The Hero [Revisited Version]

6.5/10

The Overture & The Underscore - Sarah Blasko

About as lo-fi as a chill indie record could ask for. And without being all that negative or depressing. However, it is the darker songs that really shine on this album. Blasko often sings with a very breathey style, but I really dig when gets a bit more forceful. And her lyrics are genuinely topshelf.

Highlights: Beautiful Secrets, Don't U Eva, Sweetest November, Remorse

7/10

Oyster - Heather Nova

Talk about influential albums! So much emotion and passion wrapped up in acoustic songs, layered with beautiful harmonies, solid rhthym and very moody guitars. Honestly, when I was 20, this was the album I wanted to make.

Highlights: Walk This World, Walking Higher, Maybe An Angel, Doubled Up, Island

8.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1248

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2025 in 2025: Day 137

On the Hour: Series 00 - Christopher Morris

BBC comedy series. This is purely the pilot, which is very funny, but is mostly repeated in the first series.

7/10

On the Hour: Series 01 - Christopher Morris

More news shenanigans. Very British and very 1991, so some of it is either very dated or just goes a bit over my head, to be honest. But always worth having some Alan Partridge talking about sports. I had no idea his wife died! But, hey, "at least you get some time to yourself".

Highlights: Segment on backwards messages in songs, Alan Partridge being Alan Partridge, the environmental tips

7/10

On the Hour: Series 02 - Christopher Morris

And even more in-depth news reporting! I should watch this show again. Crazy that yesterday I listened to 7 hours of Buddy Holly and it was all considered one album, yet this show is split by season. Meh, it makes sense to me!

Highlights: Alan Partridge reviews the Olympic opening ceremony, truck drivers being blamed for the extinction of elephants 

7/10

A ONE - Ayumi Hamasaki

Things kick off with a big rock song - Ayu rock never disappoints - and then we get some big power ballads, ballads, rock, and some full on dance. Ayu's diversity never disappoints. This is genuinely one of my favourite albums; Ayu's voice is at its absolutely peak and there is so much emotion in everything she delivers. And musically this album just captures everything I love about Ayu and more. 2014-2016 Ayu was something else!

Highlights: Out of control, WARNING, Story, Anything for You, Last minute

9/10

One for All - Peter Criss

I am coming in to this trying to keep an open mind, but I do still recall my original review. How can I not?!? And my immediate reaction again is that Peter's voice on this is downright terrible. But you know what? It is not actually quite as bad as I remember. Maybe it was just coming with the low expectations? But yeah, retiring was Peter's best idea in a while.

Highlights: Doesn't Get Better Than This, Last Night, Falling Over Again, Whisper

5/10

One is not a Lonely Word - Drunken Tiger

A couple more random Drunken Tiger songs, because that is how I roll. One of these days I am going to get a full Drunken Tiger album. At least one!

Highlights: Emergency Situation, Memories of Death

8/10

One Live Kiss - Paul Stanley

Paul Stanley playing Kiss songs and his own songs from his two solo albums. His voice is old and the band are a bit much, but it is fun to hear these old 70s solo songs being performed live. Kind of makes me want to make my own recording of Goodbye at some point...

Highlights: Move On, Goodbye, Tonight You Belong to Me, Lick It Up

7/10

One Night With You: The Best of Love, Vol. 2 - Luthor Vandross

This is purely the song The Best Things in Life are Free, with Janet Jackson. The song is with Janet Jackson - the title is not that The Best Things in Life are Free With Janet Jackson. Though, truly, that might just make something free even more amazing. For some reason this is the version without the Mo' Money rap. My collection confuses me sometimes.

9/10

One Nite Alone... (Solo Piano and Voice by Prince) - Prince

This is definitely the most soulful release you will find from Prince. Complete with a history lesson! The minimalist production really makes for something a bit more special and intimate sounding. However, the label on this album is bit misleading; there are scatterings of drums and bass on probably half of the songs. But that is because Prince knew what a song needed.

Highlights: Avalanche, Pearls B4 the Swine, U're Gonna C Me, Young and Beautiful

7/10

One Nite Alone... Live! [Disc 1] - Prince

Not your usual Prince concert; mostly deep cuts and newer tracks - certainly no hits or anything to be found on this disc, at least - and some big epic funky jams. Well, that part is typical of a Prince concert, for sure!

Highlights: Strange Relationship, Muse 2 the Pharaoh, 1+1+1 is 3, When U Were Mine

7/10

One Nite Alone... Live! [Disc 2] - Prince

Less big long funky jams and more hits and whatnot. Although Prince does the best troll-job on an audience by reducing the biggest hits of the night to simply snippets in a medley. 

Highlights: Take Me With U, Everlasting Now, How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?, Family Name

7.5/10

One Nite Alone... The Aftershow: It Ain't Over! (Up Late with Prince & The NPG) (Live) - Prince

Now, this is one funky party! The aftershow gigs were pretty legendary for just being wild funk jams, and this features all sorts of funk legends popping in to get down with Prince. 

Highlights: Joy in Repetition, Peach (Xtended Jam), 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton, Everlasting Now (Vamp)

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1222

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2025 in 2025: Day 111

Less Than SEX - BiSH

This is a single that only came with the limited blu-ray or something. I only discovered their existence when watching FROM DUSK TiLL DAWN, where they performed their entire discography up to that point. These are awesome songs and ヒーローワナビー one of the coolest songs on the planet.

Highlights: ヒーローワナビー, MOON CHiLDREN

9/10

Let It Be-minus - Sad Dracula

I feel like this almost had potential? Like, it is clearly a dude having a mess around and still has stupid lyrics and silly screaming, but if DRA had put a bit more effort in, I am sure he could have made a really good album out of both Sad Dracula albums. And, quite frankly, I would rather hear him making this nonsense than hear him whining and feeling sorry for himself. The punk version of Dear Candy rips.

Highlights: People Make Mistakes, Steve Miller & Weed, 4th of July, Until Then

6.5/10

Let It Be - The Beatles

This is the most un-Beatles album, for sure. Unsurprising LOGMAN opinion: McCartney's songs on this are the least interesting. Sure, it could all use a bit less Spector-ness, but I will give him props for how he managed to edit some of these things in to actual songs. Maybe it could have been great? I am not sure. There certainly are some fantastic songs on here, it is all just a bit messy.

Highlights: Dig a Pony, Across the Universe, I've Got a Feeling, One After 909

7/10

Let Me Rock You - Peter Criss

To quote Mr. Criss, "Let me remind you...". Bah gawd that opening track is criminally underappreciated. Fun album! 

Highlights: Let It Go, Tears, Bad Boys, Move On Over

7/10

Let Your Dim Light Shine - Soul Asylum

Ooh I had some songs from this in my head the other day, but totally did not realise I actually have this! Joke is on LOGMAN today. These guys clearly went to the Goo Goo Dolls school of alt rock. It always came across as fake corporate grunge to me, but I think they were legit indie until the success of Runaway Train. Or maybe that was their first attempt at doing the radio thing?

Highlights: Misery, Just Like Anyone

7.5/10

Let's Face It - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

I should have this whole album, but instead I only have The Impression That I Get. Ska gets a bad rap, because songs like this are what make the world a better place.

10/10

Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye

That opening is so recognisable and funky and sexy. And that voice is just silky smooth. The only criticism I can muster is that, like What's Going On? before it, the whole album almost sounds like one long song. But it sure is a groove.

Highlights: Let's Get It On, Keep Gettin' It On, You Sure Love to Ball, Please Stay (Once You Go Away)

7/10

Let's Get It On (Deluxe Edition) - Marvin Gaye

Of course I have this. I am not some sort of uncivilised fool! And most of this is fairly necessary; the demos are awesome and then there are most of the tracks from You're The Man. Which could have been a very good album, as well! Marvin Gaye was special.

Highlights: The World is Rated X, I'm Gonna Give You Respect, Try It You'll Like It, We Can Make it Baby

7/10

Let's Get It Started - MC Hammer

Hammer's debut or second album, depending on who you ask. Basically a remix of his indie-released debut album that no one in the world has a copy of. Hammer's vocal delivery is very different; much more of a shout-style, as opposed to his more chilled rapping that would come on later albums. Very dance oriented. Very nice. 

Highlights: Let's Get It Started, Ring 'Em, Cold Go MC Hammer, They Put Me in the Mix

7/10

LETTERS - BiSH

More COVID-era BiSH releases? Oh wait, Less Than SEX was not - I just got exposed to those songs from a COVID-era performance. My bad! This is an EP/Mini Album. Half of it is pretty average, I must admit, while the other half is VERY good. The punk-pop stuff in particular. 

Highlights: スーパーヒーローミュージック, co, ぶち抜け, I'm waiting for my dawn

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 965

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2025 in 2025: Day 47

The Craft: Music from the Motion Picture - Various Artists

This is a whole bunch of 90s artists covering a bunch of 'classic' songs. Luckily for me, this includes a few of my favourite artists! We get Our Lady Peace doing a fairly standard remake of The Beatles' epic Tomorrow Never Knows, Letters to Cleo doing a song by The Cars, and then crap like Tripping Daisy completely ruining Jump Into the Fire. Bah gawd the LCD Soundsystem cover is a million times better, as is the original. But the real highlights are Heather Nova covering Peter Gabriel's I Have the Touch and some band called Love Spit Love performing the theme from Charmed! Yes, that is how I best knew the song and this version; it wasn't until many years later that someone told me it was actually a song by The Smiths. I like this version. I like Charmed. I have been meaning to watch that again - I never actually watched seasons 7 and 8...

Highlights: I Have the Touch - Heather Nova, How Soon Is Now? - Love Spit Love, Tomorrow Never Knows - Our Lady Peace

6/10

Crazy in Love - ITZY

This may be the most inconsistent ITZY release; there are some killer songs - and some that are right up there with the best of their songs - but there are also some of their worst songs on here. Or at least one bad song and a few weak ones. But yeah, those good songs are awesome. LOVE is a perfect ballad and Chillin' Chillin' is the most fun you can have - and hilariously both songs are exactly 3:30. Fun!

Highlights: LOCO, Sooo LUCKY, LOVE is, Chillin' Chillin'

7/10

Crazy Nights - Kiss

I'm not sure I need to write about this again? Maybe I do? Crazy Crazy Nights always hits hard. This album is just 80s good fun and makes me want to get a hot chocolate. It's cold, okay?

Highlights: Crazy Crazy Nights, Reason to Live, Turn on the Night

8/10

Crazy World - Scorpions

This is only the song Wind of Change. It is probably the only Scorpions song I have ever heard. Maybe I should hear more someday...

8/10

Creatures of the Night (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) - Kiss

This is two discs of demos and rarities from the Creatures of the Night sessions. Because listening to a bunch of Kiss demos has always worked out so well for me... but actually, these are not so bad. Things kick off with the *exclusive* tracks from Killers. I like them more than I apparently did during Kissathon II. Then it is demos for a song from Lick It Up, a song Peter Criss recorded on Let Me Rock You, the songs that appeared earlier/on Killers, a bunch of Gene's solo nonsense, a couple of songs recorded during the making of The Elder? And a Bryan Adams song. So anything BUT a song that actually was recorded for Creatures of the Night. I would actually complain, but I'll damned if the demo for Not For the Innocent isn't a million times better than how it actually ended up on Lick It Up; Paul singing the chorus is soooo much better! Also, It's My Life is here in demo form. And that song is awesome. Even without Ace doing some vocals. So this is not a total loss, although Chrome Goes Into Motion does sound legit like Spinal Tap. Then we are on to outtakes? So actual Creatures of the Night songs. Mostly. And mostly pointless. Unless you want to hear some bad guitar playing while Paul fumbles his way through I Still Love You a couple of times. At least the drums in the Saint And Sinner outtakes are massive. Gene's mouth-guitar solos are kind of fun, too. 

Highlights: Rock and Roll Hell [Take 2], I'm a Legend Tonight, Nowhere to Run, Not for the Innocent [Demo], It's My Life [Demo]

6.5/10

Creatures of the Night (1985 Remix) - Kiss

Ha! The last track on the Creatures of the Night (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) was the 1985 remix of Creatures of the Night. The first track on this album is the same song. So between the outtakes and then having this song repeated, I'm a little over this already. I wrote about this version of the album before and I stand by what I said. I definitely prefer this tracklisting. One day I might remove this album and just rework the tracklisting of the 'proper' version. One day...

Highlights: The better tracklisting

8/10

Creatures of the Night (Remaster) - Kiss

There was a noticeable volume jump to this from the 1985 remix, so I moved to turn it down. But then I decided I've been listening to this album for a while now and I want to hear it loud. It is much better. Also, the original mix is better than the 1985 mix. 

Highlights: Keep Me Comin', Rock and Roll Hell, I Love it Loud

9/10

Criss (Special Limited Edition EP) - Peter Criss

The Cat is a pretty fun song. The nursery rhymes are odd and mocking Gene and Paul always wins points with me. Did he end it with him hissing at people or something? This dude singing on Show Me is okay, I guess. He made a Queen reference, I think, so he also wins points with me. I seem to like him more than I did during Kissathon II. Like might not be the right word, but I was certainly harsh then.

Highlights: The Cat, Beth (Acoustic)

6.5/10

Criss Cat #1 - Peter Criss

Oh, that album title is not correct. This has been a fairly Kiss heavy day, which is at least proving easy for me to write about! Blue Moon Over Brooklyn is nowhere near as bad as I wrote initially. Or maybe it is just relative to how awful Peter Criss got later in his career? I also wrote that Down with the Sun is an instrumental? There are a lot of vocals - perhaps I was just referring to the music side of the song? Because the outro section is really good. Genuinely solid album!
Highlights: Bad Attitude, Walk the Line, Good Times, Down with the Sun

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 363

Music Talk: Kiss Goodbye - Day Three

I'm kicking my day off with MTV Unplugged. This was actually a tough decision; I wasn't sure if I make today the last day or increase to four, and add a day of all the 80's and 90's stuff. And then the question would be where to put that in my journey - do I do it today so that I end tomorrow on great stuff, and I can sandwich it between good times? In the end, I decided to continue my focus on the original line-up by kicking it off with their reunion. And, quite honestly, this is the best fucking album and a great way to start a day when you just want to sleep but have to get up and do life.

The only downer to this approach is I'm pretty much going to just be listening to live albums, so I'll just be hearing the same songs all day. But these are all great live albums and they are playing great songs, so it's not that bad. Then we hit the fun "live" compilation of You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! I've already listened to, like, 80% of these tracks on day one, but this was an excuse to crank up Room Service and Two Timer, because I just love those tracks and these fake live versions are great. No one does fake live better than Kiss. 

Now it's time for a an actual reunion-era concert, thanks to the "Off the Soundboard" series - it's Kiss Live at Donington 1996! I have some bootleg video of this that sadly is not pro-shot, but I should totally sync the two up and watch some time. I've seen enough to know they all get a bit samey-samey, but goddamn I do love me some reunion tour stuff. And this is a very good concert that I enjoy a lot.

And we're now in the Psycho Circus! Ok, fine, I will listen to some Tommy Thayer. At least here I can kind of pretend it isn't him... and we do get Ace and Peter on one song, so that's something? I threw in It's My Life from The Box Set, because it was recorded around this time and it's actually a very cool song. And that bonus disc of live stuff is great as well.

Now we hit The Millenium Concert from the Alive box set, which I will forever label as Alive IV. I'm digging it today; I kinda like the slower tempo a lot of the songs have been given (even if some of the tempos are a little inconsistent), and everyone sounds in good form. It is so obvious Beth is not live that it is just downright hilarious. And just when I'm saying the slower tempos are cool, here they go and throw me the most pedestrian version of Rock'n Roll All Nite that probably only makes you want to party every other day...

And that will do me for today. I was going to finish off with Live in Tokyo from the "Off the Soundboard" series, but I don't have time. So instead, I will give Dressed to Kill another spin. Because I can.

Music Talk: Kiss Goodbye - Day Two

So Kiss had their "final" concert the other day, which has led me to making this a bit of a Kiss week on the ol' iPhone playlist. I was originally planning on a full-fledged Kissathon III: the timing felt very appropriate, because it was about 10 years ago I did the original Kissathon blogging, and it being the end of Kiss and their 50th anniversary, it just felt it was time to take an expert-level approach to this and include a whole bunch of stuff that I skipped last time and has been released since, such as Eric Carr's "solo album" and all of Gene Simmons' solo work (yes, even including the dreaded vault - 8 discs of demos that would likely make me laugh or die of boredom)... but then I realised that I really don't have the patience to deal with Tommy Thayer again.

So instead, I made the bold choice to just do a Monday of the OG line-up. From the self-titled album through to the solo albums. And with a nice strong matcha, I gotta say... I had a great time. A great reminder of why I love Kiss so much. If I hadn't been exhausted from being awake for almost 24 hours and walking a millions kms, you can bet I would have picked up my guitar and jammed out to Dressed to Kill before bed. And I don't really need to talk about those first 12 albums, because 10 of them are pure awesome, 1 is pretty decent, and the last just hilariously awful. But I will reiterate that self-titled to Alive! is gold. I'm really hoping that Kiss can put together some type of awesome box set to commemorate that period next year. And maybe finally give Hotter Than Hell a remix while they're at it?

Of course, I am still waiting for my Diamonds and Pearls box set to arrive (well, not anymore - it arrived while I'm typing this), so I had to plan for another day of Kiss greatness. Which actually works for me, because then I can tick off the fake OG line-up albums.

So this morning I started things off with Destroyer {Resurrected}, which is now my official "go-to" whenever I want to listen to Destroyer. Honestly, I love how alive the mix is; the whole thing just lifts the energy to a higher level. Plus, it's great having an actual Ace Frehley solo on there instead of Bob Kulick and Dr. Wagner. Which leads me to my current listen... the Destroyer 45th Anniversary box set.

Not doing 100 hours of demos was a great choice. Because these demos are dumb. Admittedly, I do enjoy hearing Paul Stanley sing God of Thunder, and maybe It's the Fire could have been a decent song if they had finished it off, but the rest are either songs that eventually became better songs, or just Gene making a lameburger.

Now I'm on to the 3rd disc, which consists of single versions and remixes. And the real highlight - Ain't None of Your Business, an actual studio outtake from the sessions. It's some cover song? And was going to be Peter's song on the album before he gave them Beth. Kisstory would be completely different had that not happened; this album might not have been such a success, Kiss might never have reached the heights they did, and Ace Frehley might not have spent 40 years incorrectly thinking he had won a Grammy! Anyways, Ain't None of Your Business is actually much more like Peter's songs on their earlier albums, but doesn't fit in with the style of Destroyer at all. So I like it a lot.

Finally, we get a disc of the band live in Paris on the Destroyer tour. It's hilariously terrible quality. Almost has hilarious as Paul Stanley's guitar playing. But it's high energy fun that I can only wish I was watching instead of just listening to. Every time I listen to this box set (this would likely be the 3rd, at best) I convince myself I could never justify purchasing it at the exorbitant Kiss-style price tag. Then I see that atmos mix of Destroyer and the big silliness of the box set and I think to myself  'ooh I should get that next time I see it on special'.

Yes, I'm a moron.

Then we move on a 1977 concert from the "Off the Soundboard" series. This is better quality than the '76 show - which you would expect from a soundboard recording. I'm a fan of any live set that opens with I Stole Your Love, so this one is an immediate win for me! In fact, this setlist is almost completely songs from Destroyer to Love Gun, so that makes this quite different. Again, that is a plus! For some reason, the bass disappears every so often. Since this is a soundboard recording, I can only assume that means Gene hadn't yet learned the art of miming to backing tracks....

On to Double Platinum. I talked about that before. It's a Kiss compilation, but with added stuff to make the songs... more... something. And then we're on to Dynasty and Unmasked to close out the day. Maybe Greatest Kiss as well, since that's a full-on awesome compilation of the original line-up. All of this is awesome.

Prince may have to wait another day so I can action another day of Kiss.

KISSATHON 2015: Finished Business

Victory!

Kissathon blogging is finally complete! And what fun it was - I'm sure you had a great time as well. Now let's have a look at the overall results and determine where Kiss are the shit and where they are just shit...


Best Kiss Studio Album:
DRESSED TO KILL (1975)
No surprise. They wear the suits on the cover because they knew they'd be accepting this award.
Runners Up: Love Gun, Hotter Than Hell, Creatures of the Night

Worst Kiss Studio Album:
MUSIC FROM "THE ELDER" (1981)
This was quite close, and quite frankly I'm surprised Sonic Boom or Monster didn't take this. But I guess those albums had a few songs that weren't totally awful, whereas The Elder was just a joke.
Runners Up: Sonic Boom, Monster, Lick It Up

Best Solo Album:
ACE FREHLEY (1978)
Very close decision, but there is no denying the brilliance of Ace's solo debut.
Runners Up: Trouble Walkin' - Ace Frehley, Anomaly - Ace Frehley, Space Invader - Ace Frehley

Worst Solo Album:
GENE SIMMONS (1978)
Not as close as you would think. I really can't believe that some people can pretend that is a good album. Then again, some people try and pretend Music From "The Elder" is a good album. Some people are fucking stupid.
Runners Up: One For All - Peter Criss, Peter Criss, Out of Control - Peter Criss

Best Compilation:
GREATEST KISS (1997)
Less of a surprise than Dressed to Kill pulling out Best Studio Album. Especially considering my review basically saying it was near perfection - total spoiler alert if ever I saw one.
Runners Up: You Wanted the Best You Got the Best!!, 12 Picks - Ace Frehley, Double Platinum

Worst Compilation:
SPACEWALK: A TRIBUTE TO ACE FREHLEY (1996)
Good. Because not even an awesome Ace Frehley song can cure me from the Balschko's disease this album gave me.
Runners Up: Love Gun - Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc, The Box Set Disc 1, The Box Set Disc 2

Best Live Album:
MTV UNPLUGGED (1995)
This was extremely close - honestly only a fraction in it!
Runners Up: Alive!, Alive IV, Alive III

Worst Live Album:
ONE LIVE KISS (2009)
I just realised this was a pointless category - totally thought there were more live albums than there actually was.
Runners Up: Psycho Circus Bonus Disc, Live+1 - Frehley's Comet, Alive II

Best Album of the Makeup Era:
ALIVE! (1975)
Quite surprised to see this score so much higher than everything else because I thought I had been harsh on it. But it is pretty legendary - now you know why!
Runners Up: Ace Frehley, Dressed to Kill, Love Gun

Worst Album of the Makeup Era:
GENE SIMMONS (1978)
Well, that will teach you, Gene...
Runners Up: Music From "The Elder", Sonic Boom, Monster

Best Album of the Non-Makeup Era:
ALIVE III (1993)
I guess, technically, Unplugged was still the non-makeup era. But it had an unfair advantage by including the original lineup and being mostly songs from the makeup era. And being awesome.
Runners Up: Revenge, Crazy Nights, Asylum

Best Album of the 70s:
ALIVE! (1975)
These results are just a repeat of the Best Makeup Era results, for obvious reasons...
Runners Up: Ace Frehley, Dressed to Kill, Love Gun

Worst Album of the 70s:
GENE SIMMONS (1978)
Ha! In your face again, Gene!
Runners Up: Peter Criss, Rock and Roll Over, Kiss

Best Album of the 80s:
TROUBLE WALKIN' (1989)
Of course Ace's masterpiece would take this title. No other album in the 80s even came close!
Runners Up: Creatures of the Night, Killers, Live+1 - Frehley's Comet

Best Album of the 90s:
ALIVE III (1993)
Again, I've taken out the compilations because they have an unfair advantage by being made up of 70s Kiss. Alas, Kiss didn't actually release a great deal of original material in the 90s...
Runners Up: Revenge, Psycho Circus, Criss EP - Peter Criss

Worst Album of the 90s:
SPACEWALK: A TRIBUTE TO ACE FREHLEY (1996)
Ugh, I had to be reminded that album existed...
Runners Up: Cat #1 - Peter Criss, Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions, Criss EP - Peter Criss

Best Album of the 21st Century:
ALIVE IV (2000)
I probably should have just done the Century thing instead of the decades. Wouldn't have changed much, though.
Runners Up: Anomaly - Ace Frehley, Space Invader - Ace Frehley, Destroyer {Resurrected}

Worst Album of the 21st Century:
SONIC BOOM (2009)
Fuck you, Tommy Thayer!
Runners Up: One For All - Peter Criss, Monster, Live to Win - Paul Stanley

The Middle:
DESTROYER {RESURRECTED} (2012)
I thought it might be interesting to see what scored in the middle of the pack...
Runners Up: Frehley's Comet, Kiss, The Box Set Disc 4

The Other Side of the Middle:
REVENGE (1992)
So Destroyer {Resurrected} was number 30 - this is number 31. Surprising to see how far down an album like this scored, considering I really like it. And the ones that follow. Kind of shows the depth of awesome Kiss are when things don't actually start getting bad until after 40.
Runners Up: Unmasked, Rock and Roll Over, Psycho Circus Bonus Disc

Best Album:
GREATEST KISS (1997)
It's the best of the original line up - the best line up by far. So this album is a great compilation. Surprised to see it edge out MTV Unplugged, but is what it is!
Runners Up: MTV Unplugged, Alive!, Ace Frehley

Worst Album:
GENE SIMMONS (1978)
Kind of surprised to see it take the spot for worst of all, but it really is a terrible album. If you think otherwise, you should consider suicide. Please kill Tommy Thayer on your way out.
Runners Up: Music From "The Elder", Sonic Boom, One For All - Peter Criss

DESTROYER RESURRECTED (2012)

You should be dancing, yeah...

Destroyer! Kiss! Actual Kiss and an actual awesome fucking album!!!

Thank Prime they re-released this album when they did, otherwise my lasting impression of this whole exercise would be the shit I just had to endure. But Destroyer is here to wash away the pain. And with a new improved mix and remastering? Count me the fuck in!!!

And that's really all there is to it; this is Destroyer with improved sound. And actually improved, not just some garbage promo line where they've actually ruined the sonic qualities with a shitty remastering job (looking at you, Duran Duran). The whole thing got remixed and it shows, because this album has never sounded better. Plus, Ace gets his solo back in Sweet Pain. Because Kiss needs more Ace and less Wagner. Unless we're talking Dr. Wagner, Jr.

Because everyone in the world needs more Dr. Wagner, Jr.


Highlights:
Detroit Rock City, King of the Night Time World, Shout It Out Loud, Do You Love Me?

Lowlights:
Rock and Roll Party - that could have easily been left off the album and no one would have been hurt. But otherwise, fuck you! It's Destroyer with improved sound!



Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Paul Guitars

ONE FOR ALL (2007)

I don't want to live on this planet anymore...

Peter Criss returns!

And I wish he hadn't. I'm not going to waste time going song by song, because it all sounds the same - and that is not a good thing. For some reason Peter decided that singing well wasn't a good plan for this album, and then chose to write a bunch of garbage. And if that wasn't enough, he added in some covers of the most amazing songs possible, such as Send in the Clowns. Which he sings fucking terribly.

I can't even be mad, though. This whole album just sounds like background music you'd hear in a shopping mall or an elevator. Or maybe some bad busker on the street who thinks his music is awesome and tries to sell you his CD that he recorded at home.


Highlights:
No Tommy Thayer? Not as long as The Lord of the Rings?

Lowlights:
What a Difference a Day Makes, Send in the Clowns, and pretty much the rest of the album



Verdict = 4 Sad Tears of The Catman

THE BOX SET (2001)

The Kiss Ice Block! Now with added black for pointlessness...

Kiss box set! Full of demos and the usual songs you find on every other compilation!

Things kick off with the greatest demo of Strutter possible. I can't begin to explain why, but this version makes me smile and groove. It is awesome. Then we get the original Wicked Lester demos - the band Gene and Paul were in before Kiss. It is just hilariously laughable rubbish. They sound like a mid-60s flower power hippy band, which is equally hilarious considering Gene has said in interviews how much he hates hippies. The original version of She is fucking laughable - sounds like some sort of flower power remix, complete with soft falsetto vocals. Bahahahahahah. And then Love Her All I Can is actually EVEN FUNNIER!!! This is like The Room of music recordings.

Back to Kiss demos. I'd say these were less funny, except Gene forgets half the lyrics to Let Me Know and then fucks up the bass line on 100,000 Years. Oh cool, now we get a Paul demo from 1966 called Stop, Look to Listen. Holy fuck, his singing is actually all kinds of horrendous here. Then the guitar solo turns up and is like "You want to hear terrible? I'll show you terrible!". But then the lyrics just stand over both and say "Fuck you both - we are the worst part of this song!!!". Just to compound the fun even further, we are treated to a Gene demo from 1969 called Leeta. It's very much in the style of Gene being The Beatles. If The Beatles are the worst band in the history of the universe.


The rest of the first disc is just Kiss songs from the first 3 albums that I have listened to a few times but are still awesome so I shan't complain. They're certainly better than listening to Wicked Lester again.


Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Pauls and a thumbs up


Disc 2 is more of the same; some bad demos mixed in with songs from Alive! through to Love Gun. Highlights include the demo of God of Thunder where Paul sings lead vocals, an early demo of Calling Dr. Love that is called Bad, Bad Lovin', and a demo of a song called Love is Blind where Gene once again thinks he is The Beatles eating a shit pie.


Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Pauls and a thumbs up


Disc 3 is the most pointless so far; a couple of demos and a live version of Talk to Me mixed in with tracks from Alive II through to Creatures of the Night.


Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Pauls


So Disc 4 steps up the pointless game to serious levels of "WHY?" by not even being an interesting collection of songs from the 80s. Seriously, it's like they aren't even trying right now.


Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Pauls


At least Disc 5 contains a few songs that aren't available elsewhere; we get the Unplugged rendition of Got to Choose that was left off the album for reasons of being silly, Nothing Can Keep Me From You from the Detroit Rock City soundtrack, which is a bit of a sappy ballad but actually done well compared to the usual sappy bullshit Paul tries to dish up. And there's It's My Life - not the Bon Jovi song, surprisingly. Great song.

Pointless fucking box set though - if it weren't for the fact it collected a lot of awesome Kiss songs in one place, it would score very poorly because almost everything that was previously unreleased is either terrible or hilariously terrible.


Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Pauls and a thumbs up

ALIVE IV (2000)

Having reached the end of things they could do on stage, Kiss decided to try their hand at some Photoshop magic...

I call this Alive IV because it was supposed to be and I refuse to acknowledge the album that became Alive IV due to Tommy Thayer. I've also put it here in the Kissathon because it was recorded New Year's Eve 1999/2000, so it chronologically makes sense to me.

That said, it isn't too bad. I'm sure there is a fair bit of studio trickery going on and probably some Tommy Thayer guitar work inserted for giggles. And Peter's tempos are a bit all over the place - particularly in Do You Love Me? and I Love it Loud. Otherwise, this has kind of grown on. I mean, I loved the reunion tour and this just makes me kind of relive it.

Kind of. They didn't play 80s Kiss songs on the reunion tour and Tommy Thayer wasn't playing guitar.

Fuck that Tommy Thayer guy.


Highlights:
Deuce, Shout It Out Loud, Firehouse, Let Me Go Rock'n Roll, 100,000 Years, Love Gun, Black Diamond, Rock and Roll All Nite

Lowlights:
That sneaky suspicion that Tommy Thayer is listening to this at home and pointing to the speakers going "That's me!"



Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Paul Guitars

PSYCHO CIRCUS - LIMITED BONUS DISC (1999)

When your kids are misbehaving these holidays, take them to the Kiss Circus and let them know how much you want them to die...

I forgot about this. After the initial release of Psycho Circus, they re-released it with a bonus disc that contained 6 live songs. Being the schmuck I am (and particularly was in 2000) I had to replace my perfectly fine copy of the album with this so I could get the bonus disc. I justified it by pointing out my original copy had a crack in the lenticular case, while this version did not.

Yeah, that's how lame I am.

Anyways, these are fairly standard for me. Probably because I've watched Kissology a few times so this is exactly like that without the visual fun of Kiss in makeup and moving around explosions. Let Me Go, Rock'n Roll is absolutely phenomenal here, as is 100,000 Years, But Into the Void is super disappointing. And Within is just the sonic definition of awful.

A mixed bag of lollies and spiked slugs.


Highlights:
Let Me Go, Rock'n Roll, 100,000 Years

Lowlights:
Within



Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Paul Guitars and a thumbs up

PSYCHO CIRCUS (1998)

I always wondered why it was so easy to fade out Ace and Peter's faces on this '3D' cover...

Kiss are back!!!

The first album from the original line up in almost 20 years!!! Except it turned out Ace and Peter were barely allowed to be involved. But hey, their faces and names got to be plastered on the cover so that meant something...

The opening track is actually pretty darn awesome. Very much classic Paul, complete with him doing a cool ass solo. Within sounds like it came straight from the Carnival of Souls reject pile. Paul keeps going for his anthem thing with I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock'n Roll. Damn, that is a long ass song title. Ace gets in on the action with Into the Void and it is all kinds of awesome. Just classic Ace rockin' out styles. Then Gene decides he needs to cheese this shit up like it's his solo album in 1978 with We Are One. This song is where you realise you are not really listening to a Kiss album because there is no way Ace would play on a cheese ball sandwich like this. Hilarious lines like "You are me, I am you/What you see is all true". Apart from the credits to this album that say Peter Criss on drums, right Gene?

Shit gets even sillier with You Wanted the Best; everyone just spouts off lines about how much they hate each other and stuff, but then Gene says 'Hey the fans want us as a band so let's just play music and make them happy!'. SO MUCH FUCKING IRONY

Raise Your Glasses is Paul actually hitting that bullseye on the anthem target. I love this song so much I've ripped it off for one of my own. Just remind me to come delete that sentence when I become a big famous rock star and make millions off that one song. From the best song on the album, we go immediately to the absolute fucking dirge that is I Finally Found My Way - the schmaltziest, corniest, most terrible fucking ballad anyone in Kiss has ever even attempted. I pity Peter Criss for being saddled with this poor excuse for a song and being expected to make something of it that didn't resemble a pile of shit. I get that Paul Stanley just wanted another Beth, but he should have written something better. Or just used one of Peter's old songs. Nobody bought Let Me Rock You - just redo Let It Go as a band and it would have been one of the best songs on the album. Instead, we got this. Just no. NO. Fuck, no no no NO NO NO!!!

Dreamin' is some sort of dark brooding lost love song. So not Kiss, but Paul Stanley makes it work. Then we close off with Journey of 1,000 Years, which is some weird mess filled with strings and horns and Gene being boring and singing about crowds roaring. But because I play on a hard level, let's have that bonus track In Your Face, a song written by Gene but with Ace on lead vocals. It's nothing special.

Just like this album.


Highlights:
Psycho Circus, Into the Void, Raise Your Glasses

Lowlights:
I Finally Found My Way, Tommy Thayer getting to live out his dream and pretend to be Ace Frehley



Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Paul Guitars

GREATEST KISS (1997)

Someone doesn't know the alphabet very well - their names don't start with those letters...

A big Kiss compilation!

And by "big", I really just mean lots of songs because this focuses purely on the first 6 studio albums. And why not? They are pretty much the best Kiss albums possible and this was a tie in to the reunion tour, so why waste time on the 80s?

The exception, of course, being God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II. Because that is the greatest song ever and can be on any CD it wants. Otherwise, this is 17 songs from a span of 3 years plus 2 songs from Dynasty, and every single one of them are different barrels of awesome. Oh wait, there is another exception - the new 'live' version of Shout It Out Loud. Which is even better than the original version. Though as someone who actually has the Tiger Stadium concert on DVD where this was recorded, I admire the studio trickery used to make it sound so good.

When the weakest track is God of Thunder, you have yourself a basically perfect Kiss Compilation. When I need Kiss and can't decide on an album or period, this album is my go to.


Highlights:
Pretty much everything, but special mention for the new version of Shout It Out Loud

Lowlights:
The Tiger Stadium concert not actually sounding as awesome as that song would lead you to believe



Verdict = 5 Smoking Les Paul Guitars and a hearty thumbs up

YOU WANTED THE BEST, YOU GOT THE BEST!! (1996)

You know in Futurama when that weird thing broke through the sky and was basically making love to everyone with it's tentacles? Insert witty joke about that in relation to Kiss here...

A live compilation!

As the best possible way to cash in on the reunion, they put together this compilation of songs from the first 2 Alive albums, plus some previously unreleased 'live' songs. And the vocals on those totally don't sound like they have been re-recorded in a studio or anything...

Album kicks off with Room Service. I love Room Service and this version is pretty cool as well. Even if the modern vocals stick out like a thing that sticks out super obviously. Then we get Two Timer - so they are just running through Dressed to Kill? I wouldn't complain about that in any way whatsoever... but sadly that's about all we get from that album. It's a crime they don't play more songs from that or Hotter Than Hell. Let Me Know is really groovy live; a bit slower and I really like the ending. I've scoured the internet for bootlegs and can't for the life of me find any live concerts where these songs have been performed.

Makes me think maybe something is up here...

I question the wisdom of putting Rock Bottom on here when the live version is nowhere near as awesome as the unplugged version. Some random live version of Take Me makes a random appearance as well - a very welcome appearance, no less. It's an awesome song that should appear on more Kiss compilations. Otherwise, it's all just Kiss classics from the live albums so they are great.

Easy mindless but enjoyable cash in attempt? Absolutely. But when has Gene ever been about anything else?


Highlights:
Room Service, Two Timer, Let Me Know, Take Me (the rest of the album is solid as well, for obvious reasons, but these are the standouts - for further obvious reasons)

Lowlights:
The super obviousness of the vocals on the 'previously unreleased' tracks



Verdict = 4 Smoking Les Paul Guitars and a thumbs up

SPACEWALK: A TRIBUTE TO ACE FREHLEY (1996)

Boba Fett soon found his new spaceship design was not particularly aerodynamic...

It's a bunch of metal dudes! Performing Ace Frehley and Kiss songs!

Badly!!!

I don't really know why I added this in, since it is just a tribute album. Well, actually I do: there is a new Ace Frehley song at the end. And it is pure awesome, like most things Ace does.

However, every rendition leading to that final song of awesome is a pile of sweaty garbage. Stinky, sweaty garbage. From the dirtiest creek in India. The guy doing Deuce is a terrible fucking singer. And whoever okayed this version of Shock Me should be arrested for terrorism or something. Rip It Out is actually somewhat good! Mainly because it just sounds exactly like the original, apart from the crap sounding guitar. Seriously, did this dude put his amp in the microwave and then set it for 3 minutes on medium heat and then it all exploded into flames? Hey, some guy is doing Hard Luck Woman! And he is an infinitely worse singer than Peter Criss! I fail to see the point of doing that song when this an Ace Frehley tribute album and not only did Ace not write or sing Hard Luck Woman, he didn't really do any signature licks or anything. It sure as fuck isn't a song I think of when I think of how awesome Ace Frehley is. Seriously, out of all the work Ace has done up to this point in his career - from 10 albums with Kiss, to 4 albums without - and you choose Hard Luck Woman to express your tribute? And then do it badly?? Just fuck the fuck off.

Oh fuck, the guy singing Snow Blind may actually be the worst so far! And it is then just covered in heavy metal guitar bullshit. From here it is just a mess of shredding, bad singing, more shredding and shredding shred shredders! Fuck this.

Dimebag Darrell is the only person I will bother mentioning because he has covered Fractured Mirror and it is quite good. Mainly because there is no terrible singing - perhaps they all should have just done instrumentals? Then Ace Frehley says "You guys are no match for me and my awesome" and closes the album with the only song that doesn't give me cancer.


Highlights:
Take Me to the City by Ace Frehley - duh!

Lowlights:
Listening to 10 great songs get destroyed on the way to that one good song



Verdict = 3 Sad Tears of the Catman

MTV UNPLUGGED (1995)

Having lost all their costumes and make-up in a robbery, Kiss started busking to make ends meet...

Ooooh Yeah!!!

This album is proof that you don't need electric guitars and amps to make the best rock'n roll in the universe. And what's even crazier, is that some of these songs sound even better unplugged than they did in their original studio incarnation!

Songs like Comin' Home and Goin' Blind, where the studio version was still pretty good, are now totally enhanced by the massive drumming of Eric Singer and the thoroughly improved singing of Paul and Gene. Seriously, all three are barrels of awesome throughout this show. But especially Eric Singer. But especially Paul Stanley. Sure Know Something is even more powerful than the studio version. Rock Bottom finally sounds like a gawdam rock song. How on Earth is the acoustic version a million times more rocking than every other electric version out there??

It isn't until track 9 that we get something I can even pretend to complain about with See You Tonite. I'm not sure why they chose a boring song from Gene's awful solo album when they have like 342 albums to choose from at this point in their careers, but whatever. It isn't totally awful and is at least better than the original version. And it isn't Tunnel of Love or Man of 1,000 Faces or something...

Besides, Paul makes up for it with I Still Love You, where his singing hits that point where the audience is melted and Godzilla is forced to retreat to his bedroom and cry into his journal. And after he's relaxed to the soothing melody of Every Time I Look at You (complete with a live string section), the world implodes with the return of Ace and Peter! And then after they perform a couple of classics together, because the world has now been turned upside down and we all live in Bizarro-land, Bruce and Eric come back out and everyone rocks the house as one big happy family. Including the greatest version of Nothin' to Lose ever, with Eric singing lead and Peter singing the chorus, and the rowdiest version of Rock'n Roll All Nite possible - complete with Ace and Peter singing the final verse between them, and then Ace and Bruce engaging in duelling guitar solo.

Just phenomenal stuff.


Highlights:
The whole motherfucking show

Lowlights:
That there were actually some awesome songs left off the CD, including a country version of God of Thunder and Spit



Verdict = 5 Smoking Les Paul Guitars and a hearty thumbs up

CAT #1 (1994)

After wining the war, The Phantom of the Opera began promoting his new-age philosophies...

Peter is back again with his 90s rock band!

It starts off pretty rockin' with a song called Bad Attitude. Peter and Ace always seem to do well with songs where they reference their real life bad assery. Which is why Walk the Line also rocks, as it has the same sort of theme. The Truth is surprisingly pretty great as well. There's some generic stuff in here that is super forgettable, but then Good Times comes in and I totally dig that groove. Possibly sounds a bit nicer than the version on the Criss EP as well.

Blue Moon Over Brooklyn, however, is one of those songs where you think it could be better but for some reason just comes across as weak garbage. The smelly kind of garbage, too. Down with the Sun is a pretty cool instrumental and then we close off with that acoustic version of Beth I liked.

This was a surprisingly good album. Not the greatest thing ever, but certainly listenable. Or maybe I just forgot to take my medication today...



Highlights:
This album not being nearly as bad as I thought it would be

Lowlights:
Blue Moon Over Brooklyn, We Want You



Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Paul Guitars

CRISS (1993)

The Phantom of the Opera was ready for war...

Peter Criss returns!

The Catman hits us with his first bit of music in 11 years. And it's a short EP of songs that sound very much like they are from 1993. The Cat features a funny line about Gene and Paul going up a hill and then he does some screams like he is mocking Paul. Entertaining, for sure. Then Show Me features some other dude singing. What is it with Ace and Peter thinking they need someone else to come in and sing other songs to make things more interesting? Especially here, where this guy has a kind of screamer voice like Peter so doesn't really add much diversity. Except make them sound more like Candlebox or something. Good Times is actually pretty groovy. What You're Doin' is just like that second song, except more forgettable. And then we close off with a nice acoustic version of Beth. I dig that.


Highlights:
Making fun of Gene and Paul

Lowlights:
Coming across as some low-rent Candlebox wannabe band at times



Verdict = 3 Smoking Les Paul Guitars