Author Topic: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation  (Read 136013 times)

mostlymeat

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #345 on: November 25, 2013, 10:47:13 PM »
Great post. I'm not the biggest KISS fan, but I'm ashamed that I didn't know such an album of highly erotic Polaroids existed. I'm sure KISS fans -- and enthusiasts of Gene Simmons's sex life -- are ecstatic over the thought of its possible release someday.

I concur! BRAVO!!! I am a huge KISS fan but have steadfastly refused to listen to the solo LP'S (save Ace's, which is great IMHO) for fear that they will kill the magic. This writeup is very satisfying to read, the next best thing to a listen? I would have bought them but the solo LP's are now fetching a steep price (if you can believe that!) and by steep I mean $10 which is too much for a shitty record that everybody knows is shitty and that shipped a billion copies (that never sold). These should be the cheapest of the cheap records but they are not! Any James Taylor record can be bought for $1 and is heads and shoulders better than these solo LPs but you gotta pay $10! No thanks!

-AG

cavorting with nudists

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #346 on: November 25, 2013, 11:13:32 PM »
Any James Taylor record ... is heads and shoulders better than these solo LPs

I have less than zero use for KISS collectively or for the members individually, but this has got to be crazy talk.
"Another thing that interests me about The Eagles is that I hate them." -- Robert Christgau

buffcoat

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #347 on: November 25, 2013, 11:19:31 PM »
Great post. I'm not the biggest KISS fan, but I'm ashamed that I didn't know such an album of highly erotic Polaroids existed. I'm sure KISS fans -- and enthusiasts of Gene Simmons's sex life -- are ecstatic over the thought of its possible release someday.

I concur! BRAVO!!! I am a huge KISS fan but have steadfastly refused to listen to the solo LP'S (save Ace's, which is great IMHO) for fear that they will kill the magic. This writeup is very satisfying to read, the next best thing to a listen? I would have bought them but the solo LP's are now fetching a steep price (if you can believe that!) and by steep I mean $10 which is too much for a shitty record that everybody knows is shitty and that shipped a billion copies (that never sold). These should be the cheapest of the cheap records but they are not! Any James Taylor record can be bought for $1 and is heads and shoulders better than these solo LPs but you gotta pay $10! No thanks!

-AG


765,000 copies of Peter Criss are buried next to surplus E.T. Atari cartridges in a New Mexico landfill.  As will, someday, be Peter Criss.
I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

Josh

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #348 on: November 26, 2013, 09:04:31 AM »
BRAVO B'COAT!

This thread is an unmitigated triumph. Thank you, congratulations, and god bless. I will be rereading from post #1 soon in celebration.
"Alright, well, for the sake of this conversation, let's say the book does not exist."

Bryan

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #349 on: November 26, 2013, 10:40:31 AM »
I doff my cap to you, buffcoat. It's this kind of thing that makes this board so special. (See also: the Judging Presidents Based Solely on Their Portraits thread.) Remarkable work!

wagner

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #350 on: November 26, 2013, 03:39:55 PM »
buffcoat, I read this whole thing today. Great work. I still think the 4 solo albums deal would have saved the Beatles. Thanks for this.

Spalding

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #351 on: April 01, 2014, 10:51:03 PM »

Kormodd

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #352 on: April 02, 2014, 06:10:46 PM »
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kiss-forever-40-years-of-feuds-and-fury-20140326

Quote
As always, his poodle-textured black hair hangs to his shoulders, in a style one comedian suggested was inspired by Planet of the Apes. "This is all me – a lot of spray," he says, fondling the inert fur. "You're welcome to play around with it."

Quote
Simmons, meanwhile, says that Frehley and Criss "no longer deserve to wear the paint." "The makeup is earned," he adds. "Just being there at the beginning is not enough. You know, quite honestly, my hand to God? I would have preferred the same lineup all these years. But if I fuck up, I should be tossed out. And if you blow it for yourself, it's your fault. You can't blame your band members. 'Oh, look what happened to me. Oh, poor me.' Look at my little violin. I have no sympathy."

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There were immediate signs of personality differences: Over a slice of pizza at their first meeting, Criss blurted out that he had a nine-inch penis, a piece of information that his colleagues didn't know how to process.

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"Always business," Simmons says. "I hardly have any friends. Friendship is overrated."

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Cyrus is jittery, outrageously friendly, all leather, denim and hair, with a thick Southern accent. He is star-struck by Simmons, though the feeling doesn't seem to be mutual. "This is the most overwhelming contribution to society," he says, gazing in awe at the knickknacks. "I stood in line in Huntington, West Virginia, to see you!"

Back by the Kaskets, Cyrus is talking about getting older, and mentions a former hard-partying lifestyle that put "heavy mileage" on him.

"But that was your choice," Simmons says. "You chose to do that, yes?"

"Well," Cyrus says, gearing up to unleash some tragic tales, "I had a rough time growing up."

Simmons cuts him off. "So did I," he says. "My mother was in a Nazi concentration camp. I came to America when I was eight years old, and I didn't speak a word of English."

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It's peaceful here, though somewhere inside are a bunch of guns in case he has to shoot intruders. ("If you threaten me, I will take you out," says Simmons. "I welcome anybody who dares go over those gates.")

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But they both bristled at their salaried status, and Criss was horrified when Frehley drunkenly confessed that the guitarist was making $10,000 more per night. Criss took to drawing a single tear on his cat makeup as the tours wound down.
Ever do nothing and gain nothing from it?
Ever feel stupid and then know that you really are?
Ever think you're smart and then find out you aren't?
Ever play the fool and then find out that you're worse?

buffcoat

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #353 on: April 03, 2014, 11:19:20 PM »
I Have No Sympathy is pretty much the Simmons manifesto writ large.
I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

Kormodd

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #354 on: April 04, 2014, 07:07:23 AM »
Simmons carries the world's smallest violin with him at all times.
Ever do nothing and gain nothing from it?
Ever feel stupid and then know that you really are?
Ever think you're smart and then find out you aren't?
Ever play the fool and then find out that you're worse?

Josh

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"Alright, well, for the sake of this conversation, let's say the book does not exist."

Spalding

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #356 on: April 11, 2014, 12:53:04 PM »
. .the solo LP's are now fetching a steep price (if you can believe that!) and by steep I mean $10 which is too much for a shitty record that everybody knows is shitty and that shipped a billion copies (that never sold). These should be the cheapest of the cheap records but they are not!
-AG

I only paid full price for the Gene and Ace records when they came out. A year after they came out, there were hundreds (thousands?) of copies of the Paul and Peter records in the cut-outs at my local discount store for $1 each. I like a few songs on Paul's record, but only bought the Peter record to complete the poster mural (each record had an illustrated poster that connected to the other three posters).

buffcoat

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #357 on: April 11, 2014, 02:02:50 PM »
jesus http://grantland.com/chuck-klosterman-kiss-hall-of-fame/

Chuck and I agree on a number of points, most especially the unbelievable execrabality of "Torpedo Girl."

I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

Carver

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #358 on: April 12, 2014, 10:16:48 PM »
Adding my kudos on the awesome posts here - great stuff! 

Also, all the KISS songs just put up over at the Fallon site are worth checking out- nice close footage of the original line-up doing their thing. 
Their performance of Black Diamond from that set sums up IMO what's great and what's terrible about KISS.  Paul Stanley still fumbles through that soft picking guitar intro. like a 16 year old with his first tab book.  Then he stops like 5 times to remind the audience "doesn't that sound good!"  But once they kick in, whoo-boy that's mighty fine rockin'.

amiright??

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Re: KISS: An Album-by-Album Critical Reevaluation
« Reply #359 on: April 13, 2014, 11:45:37 PM »
What's the link to this video?