There are quite a few guilty pleasures in my record collection — but none more so than the hottest band in the world, KISS. I’m currently in the middle of a personal conundrum. The band recently announced an Ottawa date on their farewell tour and I’m torn about going. Working against the idea are a few factors — for starters, I’m not a fan of these farewell-tour things. Second, I’ve seen them twice in the past decade already and I’m not sure there’s anything new for me to experience. Third, tickets are stupid expensive. The only pro is the fact that my partner has never seen them, and it really is something special. You don’t need to be a fan to enjoy a KISS concert. So I’m torn.
In the meantime, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying what I believe is the best KISS dissertation/podcast/video essay I’ve ever seen. Three parts, six hours, focusing on the downturn years 1978-1982. Simply fascinating:
If I were to compile a list of awful, awful KISS songs you’d need multiple days to get through them all. So instead I’m going to seek to compile a list of the unimpeachable ones, (as well as my faves because otherwise the list would be too short). I’ll also create the hottest playlist in the world, but sticking to the original lineup era — because without that, there’d be no farewell tour(s).
KISS (1974)
Their best album, in my opinion. An incredible debut. One of the best.
BEST SONGS
Strutter
So much better than the re-recorded, slightly disco Strutter 78 on Double Platinum.
Firehouse
The first song I ever learned to play on bass. I’ve included the live version from the Alive! box set.
Cold Gin
One of Ace Frehley’s greatest songs, back before he had the guts to sing. I’ve included the definitive version from 1975’s Alive!
Deuce
Why Gene Simmons is so great. Apparently this is the riff from Bitch by The Rolling Stones in reverse.
Let Me Know
The hidden gem, originally titled Sunday Driver. The cool ending was stolen for use at the end of She for live performances. This is one of the earliest tracks. Here’s a live performance from 1973:
Hotter Than Hell (1974)
An awful studio recording, and certainly one of the worst album covers — but so damn solid song-wise.
BEST SONGS
Got To Choose
I love songs where they all sing together.
Parasite
Another Ace classic, nicely covered by Anthrax once upon a time.
Hotter Than Hell
This still reminds me of my father’s assessment, when he was subjected to this and the “burn you like the midday sun” chorus in the car: “Sounds like a bad case of the crabs.”
All The Way
A great rock song. Does anyone else think Gene Simmons sounds like Billy Joel sometimes?
Watchin’ You
You need to watch early live videos of this to fully appreciate the commanding menace of Simmons.
Dressed To Kill (1975)
My favourite album art. I remember being really captivated by it in record stores as a little kid. Contender for my favourite album of theirs, period — as evidenced by the six tracks I’ve included. Much better production than its predecessor and the songs are so great. KISS were at their best for me when they were doing rock-pop.
BEST SONGS
Two Timer
Awesome two-vocal song, with a great Gene lead. One of those rare KISS songs where the lyric narrative is sympathetic rather than dominant, if not outright predatory and sexist.
Come On And Love Me
Paul Stanley has a more attractive way of bragging about his fame-fuelled sex appeal than Gene does. Again, we have some nice two-vocal things happening. The strumming is percussive and cool in this one, which could have been even further augmented by shakers. But I’m not Eddie Kramer. Incidentally, Paul sings that he’s a Capricorn and she’s a Cancer. He’s not. He’s an Aquarius. Liar! You’re a liar, Paul!
Anything For My Baby
A tight pop song with great, creative drums from Peter Criss. Just verses and chorus. Simple.
She
One of two older songs from the Wicked Lester days on this album, which suggests the available new songs may have been drying up. Three albums in a year, though — can you fault them? The Wicked Lester version is quite crappy in comparison, complete with flutes.
Love Her All I Can
The other Wicked Lester leftover. The KISS version is faster and snappier. Thank goodness they retained the fantastic harmonies. Here’s another of those not-terribly-sexist-for-a-change songs.
Rock And Roll All Nite
Of course I’m giving you the version from Cobo Hall, Detroit 1975 on Alive! Simmons’ legacy. He wrote many great songs, but this is an anthem. An all-timer.
Destroyer (1976)
The project of making a successful studio album to follow the success of Alive! was taken very seriously. The band brought in Alice Cooper producer Bob Ezrin in an effort to further develop their sound. Ezrin demanded much from the band — performance-wise, sometimes to the limit of their abilities. But Ezrin also rejected almost all the 15 songs the boys demoed for him with the exception of Detroit Rock City and bits and pieces which would be worked into new songs like the lyrics of Sweet Pain and Frehley’s riff in Flaming Youth. Truthfully, many of the songs were shelved and used on Rock And Roll Over or the solo albums. This is where the first signs of trouble were spotted — ego overtaking rock ’n’ roll and mass merchandising turning the band into something for kids to collect.
BEST SONGS
Detroit Rock City
Paul’s ode to the city which first embraced KISS, and one of the greatest car crash songs ever. Released as a single, Detroit Rock City was never a hit but became a concert staple and one of the band’s most popular setlist openers.
King Of The Night Time World
Detroit Rock City flows right into it, so you kinda have to include it. Truthfully, I like it even better than the opener. Borrowed from the obscure Kim Fowley-created band Hollywood Stars, it’s one of a great many songs where Paul imagines himself to be the object of teenage dreams. “It’s so bad, going to school / So far from me and the dirty things that we do.”
Do You Love Me
Perhaps my favourite Stanley song. And yeah, it’s another “What it’s like being’ in love with famous Paul” song. Except it has the lyrical gold about seven-inch leather heels and the best bridge he ever wrote: “Your backstage pass and black sunglasses make you look just like a queen.” Though I do still have a soft spot for the cover Nirvana did where they changed the line “all the money, honey, that I make” to “all the mud, honey.” Genius.
Shout It Out Loud
I told you the songs where Paul and Gene trade lyrics are the best ones. What an anthem. Ezrin’s descending piano in the chorus is my favourite bit. Goddamn. It’s perfect. Anyone who doesn’t like this song probably also hates pudding, ice cream, birthdays and high-fives.This song was inspired by We Want To Shout It Out Loud by The Hollies, which Wicked Lester used to cover.
Rock And Roll Over (1976)
After the ordeal of making an album with the demanding Bob Exrin, KISS wanted to get back to their simple, straight-ahead rock roots. Plus — as I mentioned — they had a slew of rejected songs to use up. Cue the fun, but slightly gross Rock And Roll Over — aka Rock And Roll Objectification.
BEST SONGS
Calling Dr. Love
One of Gene’s most creepy rockers. Such a great song, but so cringey. Basically, sex with Gene will cure your ills.
Ladies Room
Similar story here. Gene goes dancing. All signs point to sex, so Gene suggests they not wait and just have a shag in the women’s washroom. “For my money, it can’t be too soon.”
Hard Luck Woman
Paul wrote this song for Rod Stewart, apparently. Hot Rod had hits of his own to do, so the ballady Hard Luck Woman was given to Criss to sing. Afte rall, he’d just scored the band’s biggest hit on Destroyer with the tender Beth. This is a song of its time, the heart of the yacht-rock era. Thus the line in the chorus: “Rags, the sailor’s only daughter, a child of the water.” If Paul had sung this song himself it would have been so very, very awful.
Makin’ Love
I almost didn’t include this one — KISS‘ Whole Lotta Love ripoff. But I’m a sucker for the acoustic guitar accents and echo vocals (so much more of that to come on Love Gun). The chorus is stupid, but the rest is great.
Love Gun (1977)
The last great KISS album. Apart from the title track, and Peter’s contributions, it’s one of my favourites.
BEST SONGS
I Stole Your Love
It has the echo from Makin’ Love but is twice the song. Classic Paul at his best.
Christine Sixteen
Another greasy Gene song. This one again targets underage girls — complete with a gross spoken-word section. Still, I love it quietly in my own way.
Got Love For Sale
This demonstrates Gene can actually write a sex-fantasy song without being gross. But he still can’t control his ego enough not to sing about his “fame.”
Shock Me
Ahhhh. Frehley finally joins the party. His first lead vocal is the best song on the album. He’s got such a unique delivery. While supremely talented, Frehley was a character — funny, eccentric and always ready to party. Shock Me is a sexual double-entendre song but one inspired by a real-life electrocution Frehley experienced on stage.
Almost Human
A great “demon” Gene song. I prefer these to his sex with teenagers songs. This one is still predatory, but at least the double-entendres here could be read as cannibalism. It’s also a hell of a greasy rock song, with some wild panning going on in the crazy, almost Fripp-like guitar solo.
Then She Kissed Me
Let’s not forget the whole KISS thing is kind of an act. Paul and Gene were rock ’n’ roll lovers first and foremost. This genuine cover of The Crystals’ classic is sweet and wonderful.
Alive II (1977)
Like Alive!, Alive II is a dubious “live” album. Much of it is not live at all, but rather recorded/re-recorded or overdubbed using stuff done in an empty Capitol Theatre in New Jersey. That’s where some of the songs on the fourth “studio” side of the album come from. Two of them are included on my playlist.
BEST SONGS
Rocket Ride
Another top-shelf Frehley song. So infectious and cool. It’s the only song on the studio side that Ace plays on, and he plays all the instruments except drums, which were performed by Criss.
Larger Than Life
Such a great song to have such stupid lyrics. They’re so bad, they’re good. It’s a “my huge dick” song, where Gene treads into curious grammar territory. He’s essentially narrating what he imagines a woman is thinking as she sees him naked for the first time. “You can’t believe your eyes, what you heard weren’t lies / My love is too much to hold.” Cringe. Lol.
Solo Albums (1978)
For the most part, these records are terrible. Apart from the Frehley one, they’re basically just for fans or collectors.
BEST SONGS
See You Tonight and Man of 1000 Faces (Gene Simmons)
I love both of these. The version of See You Tonight the band did at their MTV Unplugged performance was actually lovely. Man Of 1000 Faces is named after and probably about Lon Chaney. I don’t even mind the strings. Guilty pleasure for sure, but I do love it.
I’m In Need Of Love, Ozone, New York Groove and Rip It Out (Ace Frehley)
Space Ace made the best solo album of all of them and everyone knows it. It’s not even close. This must have been so satisfying for Frehley, who had both Gene and Paul offer to help him out. No surprise that the next studio album by the band featured Three Frehley-led songs. Sadly, none of them are as good as these.
Dynasty (1979)
Not an album I like very much at all. I Was Made For Lovin’ You was obviously huge, and I like it live but not the studio cut. Disco, and Criss isn’t on the album except the one song he sings, Dirty Livin’.
BEST SONGS
2000 Man
Ace’s cover of a rather obscure Rolling Stones track from Their Satanic Majesty’s Request. Apparently the Stones never performed it live — while KISS have performed it 235 times. Such an inspired cover, and the best track on Dynasty.
So this is where we wrap, because Peter officially left the band after the Dynasty tour. My playlist still includes a few picks from Unmasked and Music From The Elder, but as soon as Ace leaves, I follow.
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Area Resident is an Ottawa-based journalist, recording artist, music collector and re-seller. Hear (and buy) his music on Bandcamp, email him HERE, follow him on Instagram and check him out on Discogs.
