My album views and reviews

Please be advised that only those albums recorded during the 'make up' years are mentioned in this area. I do not want to discount ANY album made by KISS^™, but rather just to focus on the "make-up" era of the band.

Date of release: February, 1975. Genesis. The beginning. Hard. Polished. Raw. Not a bad track on the entire album. I picked up the bass after I played this album once. I burned through 3 copies on vinyl before buying the CD.

Date of release: May, 1977. The follow-up. Mixed in L.A. The board sound is a touch muddy but the edge still comes through. A bug was in my brain now. "When are these guys gonna TOUR?!" I got this album from my brother. Originally it was his but I kept asking him if I could borrow it and eventually he just said, "Keep it!" I still have that copy.

Date of release: August, 1975. The third in the "Originals" trilogy. A much improved sound here. Everything is crystal-clear. I love the mix! A hit is born in "Rock and Roll all night". I hear rumors of a tour headed my way...

Date of release: June, 1976. A live record. Finally! A fabulous job on the mix again. The band proves they CAN play live what they've recorded in the studio. I have also just seen my first (but by NO means my last!) KISS^™ concert and I am both blown away and hooked for life. Smoke, sirens, lights, fireworks, explosions, and good, LOUD music. It's all there! Plus- Gene breathes fire (I LOVE the candleabra in front of his Ampegs!) and spits blood, Peter's drums levitate, Ace's guitar shoots sparks, and Paul really knows how to sing AND work an audience! All this to a 12 year old is just too much to ignore! (see my "I" area for the whole story of my first show). I've just GOT to see this band again!

Date of release: May, 1976. A different tangent for the band. They've added strings to some of the songs. Songs like "Detroit, Rock City", "King Of The Nighttime World", "God of Thunder", "Shout It Out Loud", and "Beth" become concert mainstays. A new tour is in the works featuring a destroyed city as the backdrop with a separate area for each member. Gene's area has a gnarled tree and a tower, Peter is flanked by two six-foot high cats, Paul has a rock garden to strut around in and Ace has craters onstage. Me?! I'm definitely going to see this concert!!

Date of release: July, 1976. A repackaging of the first three albums. I have recently found a complete edition of this one for my collection.

Date of release: February, 1977. Recorded in an old theater (Production note: Gene's amps were located in the basement, Ace's and Paul's were in the restrooms and Peter's kit was set up in the orchestra pit.), A killer sound! Ace's solos are crisp, Pauls' voice is smooth, Peter's timing is dead on and Gene's bass sound is gigantic. I really like this one!

Date of release: June (my birth month!), 1977. A new, fresh sound again. Recorded on breaks in the Destroyer tour. "Shock Me" stands out to me as the best cut on this one. Ace really makes the album! His solos are excellent! And the concert? I've heard rumors it's even BIGGER than Destroyer! I've gotta go!

Date of release: November, 1977. This album is another testament to the live power of KISS^™. Two things I noticed here. First- the show isn't presented in 'concert order'. (They opened with "I Stole Your Love" not "Detroit, Rock City"). Second- The show, to me, seems shorter. You'd figure with four nights at the L.A. Forum they'd have more music. But the album STILL kicks ass! So I'll leave it at that!

Date of release: May, 1978. A compilation of hits so far. Not a bad job re-mixing, either. "Strutter '78" was a BIT slow but still rocked. I also liked the muted version of the intro to "Rock Bottom". The new opening to "Calling Dr. Love" was cool. But because there were no new tracks it didn't really get noticed. A shame because I really like it.

The solo albums. Depending on what you heard and believed, these were rumoured to be "the beginning of the end". All albums were simultaneously released in December, 1978.

A LOT of guest musicians here! A lot of different styles, too. An excellent job mixing! (Production note: I noticed on each release, that member's instrument was a TOUCH louder than the rest. I liked that. You can really get a taste of each member's sound! VERY cool!) This album's biggest surprise has got to be "When You Wish Upon A Star". It floored me! "Radioactive" got airplay. A new version of "See You In Your Dreams" is debuted with Cheap Trick's Rick Nielson playing leads. I enjoyed this one.

Hey! Pete likes Jazz and Swing! We all knew that. Very tasty! A great album! What else can I say?

I LOVE THIS ONE! Paul is the BEST rhythym guitarist on the planet! EVERY cut is KILLER! I must confess that every time I hear "Hold Me, Touch Me" I cry.

This album shows Ace to be a real virtuoso. A self-recorded album, he plays just about everything on it (except for Anton Fig's stupendous drumming!) "New York Groove", "Ozone", and "Fractured Mirror" are just three of this album's jewels. "Ace is God" spoken here!

Date of release: June, 1979. A release to quell the breakup rumors? Disco beats? "I Was Made For Loving You" is a HUGE hit! Hardcore fans scratch their heads. To me "Charisma" is the centerpiece here with Ace's rendition of "2000 Man" a CLOSE second. Pete's drums sound REAL good, too! I still listen to this one! And of course, the tour will be "The biggest one yet" Me? I'm going (of course!)

Date of release: June, 1980. The comic book cover album. The album as a whole really isn't as bad as the cover paints it. I think a different cover would have made it more popular. No one took this one seriously. I like it.

Date of release: November, 1981. This one happens to be one of my personal favorite KISS^™ albums EVER! (like you couldn't tell by my music selections throughout my site, right?) I used a portion of "World Without Heroes" in my wedding invitations. I can't say enough good things about this one.

Date of release: October, 1982. A KILLER from top to bottom! This album proves KISS^™ are back. Stronger than ever! Only there are rumours that that Ace isn't playing... Still- a SOLID offering! Great sound, too! A well produced album!

Date of release: March, 1996. Yes! Acoustic KISS^™. Great sound AND an onstage reunion! They never sounded so polished! This one shines!

Date of release: September(?), 1996. Allright! The prayers of the masses are answered! KISS^™ are reunited! This one really surprised me! New VINTAGE live stuff! The Jay Leno 'green room' interview! What a treat! And there's gonna be a TOUR! I'll see you there!

Date of release: May(?), 1997. Aside from the 'video version' of "Shout It Out Loud" just another 'greatest hits' compilation proving once again that all KISS^™ is good KISS™!

Date of release: August, 1998. The first all-new album with all four original members in over 10 years! KISS^™ are back with a vengence AND in "3-D"!!! This album was also unique inasmuch as it gave us a "lenticular" cover, a screensaver built by Ace AND a connection to something BRAND new- KISS^™online! An on-line service devoted to the best heavy metal band of all time! This one (I think) was well worth the wait!

Date of release: August 27, 2002.

Date of release: July 22, 2003. KISS^™ as they've NEVER been seen (or heard) before! Sharing the stage with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, their ensemble, and the Australian Children's Choir. Absolutely magnificent! WELL worth the (long) wait- AND the hype!

Date of release: 2003. Yet another 'greatest hits' compilation proving once again that all KISS^™ is good KISS™!

Well- that's it. I hope you found my impressions not too much unlike your own. If not- hey, when it all boils down, each of us knows what each of us likes, right?

Peace

-TBA

Email: thebassaceskisspage@yahoo.com