Kiss - KISSology

Japanese only pressing of this 2008 collection of rerecorded classics by the Rock icons. Since debuting in '74, Kiss have been mesmerizing rock kids all round the world with their ultra-entertaining Rock 'N' Roll shows. On this collection, hear them breathe new life into old cuts like 'Detroit Rock City', 'Rock And Roll All Nite', 'I Was Made For Lovin' You' and many more. 15 tracks. Sony. 2008. Album Description

BAD remakes of great songs!

KISS has ruined so many of these classic songs by re-recording them. The ONLY reason they did it was for $$$ and NOT for the fans. FACT IS: KISS has not released any NEW material since 1998 - over 10 years!!
The re-recordings sound AWEFUL!
Paul cannot hit the high notes like he did in the 70's.
There is nothing more sad and pathetic than four fat old men - pushing 60+ years old, wearing spandex, high heels and make-up - pretending to still be in their 20's...
Guys - it's time to grow old gracefully... your turning into a COMEDY act, instead of a musical act. November 27, 2008

Re-recorded Kiss Classics

Over the last 20 or so years Kiss (Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley, for all intents and purposes) have been content to relegate themselves as imitators rather than the innovators they started out as. Taking note of Journey's success with Generations, they attempted to do the same here on KISSology with 15 of their popular tracks. Journey did it with some success because their new singer, Arnel Pineda, gave many of the "standard" songs new life. He could also hit the high notes. I'll always be biased with Steve Perry's versions, but the re-recorded versions with Pineda (arguably) worked. To me, it was interesting hearing how some of these versions were updated over the years and interpreted by a new vocalist.

With KISSology, we still have the Gene and Paul, but we find more often than not that they're not able to hit the high notes as they once did. And boy do their voices sound strained. Paul's inability to hit the notes like he once did are most apparent on "Forever," "I Was made for Lovin' You," and "Lick it Up." It was cringe-worthy for me to listen to these, as I love the originals.

Gene actually sounds better than Paul. "Deuce is pretty good, as is "I Love it Loud," but hearing "Christine Sixteen" sung by a 60-year old sounds more creepy than cool thirty years after the fact.

Eric Singer, who did do a stint with Kiss through the 90's, does a fairly good job with "Black Diamond." He's an excellent drummer, and he's done a great job filling in for Peter Criss during his stint with Kiss in the 2000's, but he's really not contributing here; rather, he's just... filling in.

The same goes for Tommy Thayer. Tommy's a great guitarist, and he plays Ace Frehley, Vinnie Vincent, Mark St. John, and Bruce Kulick's parts note-for-note, but that's it. In his previous band, Black n' Blue, he was a major contributor; in this version of Kiss, he's just a sideman going through the motions and collecting a paycheck. There are no lead vocal contributions from Tommy on KISSology. I have heard him sing Ace's "Shock Me" in concert, but it's inclusion here would have been a really, really bad idea.

I agree with the many of the other reviewers: Why? I suspect one of the comments I saw might have hit the nail on the head. By re-recording these old chestnuts, Stanley and Simmons no longer have to share the residuals to these songs with Frehley, Criss, and Vincent in the event the songs are used for commercial purposes. Ozzy did this when he re-recorded the bass and drum parts for "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman" to spite Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake and cut them out of residual profits. And that went over with fans like a led balloon.

So in summary, what you get with KISSology is a collection of re-recorded, almost note-for-note, Kiss songs with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and the stand in members: Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, playing the parts of Peter and Ace. If this is what you're after, than KISSology is for you. If you're looking for a comprehensive greatest hits collection from Kiss, this is probably not what you want. November 9, 2008

KISS 2K8: The Beginning Of A New Era

First off: for those who call for "true KISS fans" to not participate in the "KISS Tribute Band" concerts, speak for yourselves. Painted flesh = loyalty. Regardless of what Gene and Paul's choices for MY FAVORITE BAND IN THE WORLD is, I stand behind them. They have shaped me and my brothers' lives in very positive ways. I view KISS as family. After 31 years of non-stop fanship, they are my blood. Biased? Yes, I am. I love all versions of KISS, because they have stayed onstage and together.

This to me seems to be a segue for the current lineup to get back into the studio and record new material. KISS WANTS TO RECORD, BUT THE FANS ARE SKEPTICAL. It would be truly ridiculous to march into the studio with yet ANOTHER lineup and throw out cold material to a hot fan-base. KISS has always been a band of extreme trepidation (that's not four words, that's one word) and on their extreme guard since 1980's UNMASKED, 1981's (Music From) THE ELDER, both of which I enjoy immensely. After that and UNMASKED, Paul and Gene learned that "listening to the suits" was equivalent to making arrangements at the local funeral home: both involved death of some sort.

This particular CD release will blow your mind...IF you let it. I gambled on the import price, and all I can say is: if I am going to go into credit card recession/debt...this is the way to go. This CD, strange as it is, is very, very cool and THOUGHT-PROVOKING. Many of the tracks have added nuances that make a huge impact, such as "Heaven's On Fire." Although nothing and no one can take the place of Eric Carr, this particular track should have been recorded like this in the first place; Paul's panting is much more accentuated (louder, slower, more pronounced) and making it seem like a no holds barred weapon. My only complaint: the intro sounds botched at the beginning. It cuts in too abruptly and sounds faulty. I cringe at the opening.

I wish they had left off "Christine Sixteen." I hate that song, which is my OWN personal dislike. If you like it, that's you. I've never thought the song was worthwhile, when there are so many other cool Gene songs (think of LOVE 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM in its place. Gene loves his fame and adulation much more, heh heh!). Today, it reeks of newspaper fodder that makes us familiar with the words "castration," "death penalty," and "execution." Hearing the song in concert, from my gay perspective, I get through it by lyricing: "Chris Dean....did me...." I guess it's hot that way. Underage, uh, relations is kinda freaky to me, but I guess not to sex-starved-anything goes-. (I love Gene, but...sixteen year olds and those who "make love on a brass bed cause <...her parents are still away...>" leads me to think of jailbait. Sorry!) I have to say that this is a well done version, even if I don't like the song as a rule.

"Hotter Than Hell" was badly needed as an update. The original album, sonically, is strange. This re-do reduces some of the box-tinny sound that comes from the original studio version. The updated version is quite enjoyable.

My first "must-hear" track was "I Was Made For Lovin' You," which I thought would give Paul Stanley room to show what the intended plan for the original was to be. I can't say I was impressed too much with this. It's too much like the original. It leaves very little to the imagination, still, as to what their plans were for the original sound of the "DYNASTY" album. I was expecting disco-THRASH, but it remains "trash-disco." (That's a compliment based on clubs' inclusion of it in retro-disco nights, primarily gay clubs.)

A hang up I have with KISS is how they are never satisfied with the albums they put out, lest it be DESTROYER, yet they never release the songs/demos to prove their point. Many of the flimsiest bootlegs and over-copied generations, bad as they are from degeneration, scream for light of day; "Sword and the Stone", "Best Man For You," et. al., yet they get dismissed as the past and not worth revisiting. "Time Traveler" is a classic example, from the KISS BOX SET. KISS: If you're gonna complain about the producers, then quit out-sourcing your reputation to them! Do it yourself, or don't balk about it. As KISS fans, we know there are only 2 KISS albums you recognize: DESTROYER and ALIVE! And for the little ditty called REVENGE? Make that three. But that's the one WITHOUT makeup. (Why didn't any Eric CARR album thrill you? Hmmmmmm.)

My personal favorite on here? "I Love It Loud." Although it doesn't have Eric CARR'S tremendous booming drums, I rank this as the MID-GRADE between CREATURES OF THE NIGHT (with Eric's original sound) and SMASHES, THRASHES AND HITS, with the wimpiest, most pathetic KISS-sound EVER....even up against anything on the ELDER, which I love. This version is a great version to place in the middle of all three STUDIO versions. Gene's vocals on it are truly ominous and deep; sexier, darker and meaner. --I LOVE-- I LOVE IT LOUD. I wish they would re-record (AND perform) "Charisma" like this. Also, that Gene would record more songs with an overlay of deep bass-vocals above the chorus line track. Gene has a damn good voice!

"Black Diamond" with Eric Singer on vocals? Priceless! He has a great voice, and this song has always been reserved for "KISS drummer du'jour" anyway, (it's a Paul Stanley song, by the way) and you can't help but enjoy it as an addition and not a subtraction from the KISS song catalog. Eric is also prominently featured on "Calling Dr. Love" backing vocals and does a hellacious good job! Eric steals the song, in my opinion.

Tommy Thayer: excellent job and "Ace Frehley endorsed." For those that balk about Tommy as Ace, know this: Ace Frehley has ENDORSED Tommy as the only one Ace himself would choose to fill the role. It could be J.J. French, after all. Ugh! Oy Vey! Ace despised Vinnie Vincent, and has repeatedly marked out Vinnie's face in CREATURES....tour books. Bitter..Party of Ace...?!!!

Tommy isn't going to disappoint, and he's a great guy. His talents are measured in that he WAS in a KISS tribute band; it was because of that that his professionalism was HONORED. Can any of us say Tommy has been horrible for KISS let alone those of us who are glad that KISS is foregoing the Farewell tour scare and that Tommy has been vicious? Tommy is sincere, as is Eric. I know their motives and the love us.

All in all, I DO LOVE THIS CD. I give it 5 stars for excitement-
provocation. I am tremendously glad that I bought it. I was expecting a little more "Phantom of the Opera" vocal-training from Paul, but I can't say it's there. AND I LOVE PAUL'S VOICE. Paul will always be my favorite rock star ever, with much of his influence on me. My teachers used to say I needed to quit seeing myself as Paul Stanley and "focus." Now, I get a check, they don't. I get the laughs (from one-liners and philosophy) and they get bawled out and laid-off. (See the Dallas ISD reports......bad news for teachers....)

If you're a KISS fan, please do yourself a favor and buy this CD. The basic packaging is bland (only lyrics and words in a booklet, mostly Japanese), but the experience is very worthwhile. The CD has been done very professionally, and "KISS-styled." FIRST CLASS. This isn't a "KISS After The Fact Golden Oldies" pile of junk. KISS used its financial power to produce a nice sounding jewel here!

The shape of things to come....this is KISS announcing the next wave of music. IT WILL HAPPEN. I've heard it from them. Everything done takes some preparation...I leave you to pontificate what that means. "Lay It All Down" sounds like something you'd like to hear from KISS. Oh wait...did I give that clue away? October 30, 2008

KISS it goodbye

There seems to be two KISS's in the world. The original four, Frehley, Criss, Simmons and Stanley. Then no make-up KISS, Kulick, Singer, Simmons and Stanley. No disrespect to Thayer or Singer, most of the fans know that Simmons and Stanley are the ones in charge, but this is just bad... Having Thayer and Singer record songs that were originally recorded with Frehley and Criss, is a bad attempt and trying to get fans to think Thayer and Singer are the more than just cover artists... In short, this KISS and ths record, is nothing more than a cover band, or tribute band. Not to mention Thayer, is playing Frehley leads and hasn't played an original lead yet... Also, check out Thayer live perfromances out on You Tube, Thayer seriously cannot play those leads anywhere close to as accurately as Frehley (before he was sober)... P.S. Saw Ace back in March 08 on his Rocket Ride Tour and since he has been sober and has his own band, every KISS song he played was better than this cover band ever did or has done... No joke! I would ask that any real KISS fan use their guts and KISS this goodbye... I would also ask that true fans stay away from any KISS Simmons and Stanley cover band concert with Thayer and Singer... (If not you should be ashamed of yourself!) It is interesting that Criss has been sober since he first left the band over 20 years ago... And Frehley has been sober since he left the band seveal years ago... Maybe with all this crazy, Simmons and Stanley,"We need to be in control," stuff would make us loose our sobriety... One this is for sure to by this album, you cannot be sober... October 21, 2008

Thank You KISS!!!

I am so glad KISS recorded this! Black Diamond with Eric on vocals is amazing and way better than the original! Every track is as good as the original or better!

Deuce has a slightly different sound to it but I quickly grew to like it!

To all of those who are complaining about KISS putting out the same stuff again in again. Well I don't know why you even bothered buying it if you knew it was the same stuff and you wanted new stuff.

I think it would be great if this lineup would put out a new album. But I also thought it would be great and they re made a lot of the Classic KISS albums!!! I would very much buy them! This lineup is out of this world!!! October 21, 2008

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