Let's talk about the band Kiss, fifty years of Rock N Roll all night and party every day.

I knew exactly what I was hearing when I was a junior audience, and I was a big Stones fan, too, and never once did I hear a song from KISS that sounded like the Stones until they covered 2000 Man on Dynasty. I still can’t think of anything they did that sounded like the Stones.
This doesn’t sound reminiscent of the Stones?

The rhythm guitar parts are trickle down from Keith. I didn’t say they were a direct imitation, but they closely rehashed elements of that kind of stuff.
 
Let’s not and say we did.
I know there are loads of fans, & I will not dis the band they hit it big and for a very long time. For that they deserve respect.
Their music just never did anything for me. so I have nothing to add.
Duke
 
  • Like
Reactions: richntiff
They're not for me, but they definitely inspired a lot of bands that ARE for me.
They're probably the first band I don't like that I rallied for when I realized they were over 10 years eligible for the Rock Hall but weren't in it.
 
This doesn’t sound reminiscent of the Stones?
The rhythm guitar parts are trickle down from Keith. I didn’t say they were a direct imitation, but they closely rehashed elements of that kind of stuff.
No. I may have the ignorance of youth, but I don't believe the Rolling Stones sounded anything like Strutter until the late 70's/early 80's.
 
This doesn’t sound reminiscent of the Stones?

The rhythm guitar parts are trickle down from Keith. I didn’t say they were a direct imitation, but they closely rehashed elements of that kind of stuff.

What you hear as closely rehashed I hear as slightly resembling Keith’s sound on Can You Hear Me Knocking. No doubt they loved the Stones, but that’s kind of a stretch. If anything, I think it’s closer to a Pete T riff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moving Pictures
I knew exactly what I was hearing when I was a junior audience, and I was a big Stones fan, too, and never once did I hear a song from KISS that sounded like the Stones until they covered 2000 Man on Dynasty. I still can’t think of anything they did that sounded like the Stones.
Try songs like "Talk to me" and "heaven's on fire" which both have the Keith Richards' signature five strings and open G tuning.

Heck, I even did a Stones sounding cover of "Heaven's on fire"


Also, Gene has since admitted that he based the riff from "Deuce" on a Stones song called "B*tch." Ace, who to his own admission is a Stones freak, said that he loved it from the Get-go. I always wanted to ask him if that was because he recognized where Gene got it from. "Ah, so you want this to be a Rolling Stones song, I'm with you all the way!"
 
FWIW, I like a lot of the 80s stuff. There's an "Animalize: Live In Detroit" video that's not only a perfect time capsule of that era, but a perfect time capsule of 80s hard rock in general. Awesome or awesomely bad? Who's to say?

 
First band I really got into. Loved the first few albums. Moved on to the other popular 70s bands. Got tired of being teased "You actually like them?" - from my friends. I like gene's bass work in some of the early song, like Strutter and R&R All Night. Basic, with some movement. Serves the song.
 
Try songs like "Talk to me" and "heaven's on fire" which both have the Keith Richards' signature five strings and open G tuning.

Heck, I even did a Stones sounding cover of "Heaven's on fire"


Also, Gene has since admitted that he based the riff from "Deuce" on a Stones song called "B*tch." Ace, who to his own admission is a Stones freak, said that he loved it from the Get-go. I always wanted to ask him if that was because he recognized where Gene got it from. "Ah, so you want this to be a Rolling Stones song, I'm with you all the way!"

I’ve heard bands sound more like the Stones than them, let’s put it that way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Geri O
A pretty solid childhood memory for me is this - I was about 9-10 years old, about 1981-1982 or. I acquired some Kiss stickers from a kid at school. I thought they looked cool, and I though Kiss must be pretty cool. I think I must be a Kiss fan, right? It wasn't until months later that I was actually able to hear their music for the first time. I recall my exact reaction - it was "omg, these guys SUCK". I certainly understand and respect others who enjoy the band, but I found them unlistenable. As far as 'Gene was great, he played for the song' - I think it's likely far more accurate to say that he played to the extent of his ability, and it was just enough for the song. Fantastic marketer and endless promoter however.

One redeeming aspect - they did a lot to help EVH and Company get going. All in the name of the money grab, of course, but hey...
 
One redeeming aspect - they did a lot to help EVH and Company get going. All in the name of the money grab, of course, but hey...

Err...


And...


And we shouldn't forget that...


Your comment is very shallow if you think they facilitated those bands they took on tour and exposed them to new audiences, so they could only exploit those said bands for revenue. After all, they understood very well how difficult it is to get a show going on NO BUDGET.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pirate Captain
Try songs like "Talk to me" and "heaven's on fire" which both have the Keith Richards' signature five strings and open G tuning.

Heck, I even did a Stones sounding cover of "Heaven's on fire"


Also, Gene has since admitted that he based the riff from "Deuce" on a Stones song called "B*tch." Ace, who to his own admission is a Stones freak, said that he loved it from the Get-go. I always wanted to ask him if that was because he recognized where Gene got it from. "Ah, so you want this to be a Rolling Stones song, I'm with you all the way!"


Bravo! Very fun and well done. Thanks for making me smile.

Many in this thread will appreciate this early 90’s club date. The band was at the lows of its popularity and virtually bankrupt, while its genre had just been blown off the cultural map, yet this is tight, stripped-down, vital, practically punk rawk. Just killer songs and a performance devoid of technology, gimmickry or cheese.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Moving Pictures
Err...


And...


And we shouldn't forget that...


Your comment is very shallow if you think they facilitated those bands they took on tour and exposed them to new audiences, so they could only exploit those said bands for revenue. After all, they understood very well how difficult it is to get a show going on NO BUDGET.


I was at the "final" show and Desmond Child was on stage for the pre-show talking about how the best song he wrote with them was "Who Wants to be Lonely?" (he's not wrong)

Lot of KISS haters in this thread...not sure why...I keep my mouth (mostly) shut about all the totally "mid" bands people go crazy over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StevieMac
Bravo! Very fun and well done. Thanks for making me smile.

Many in this thread will appreciate this early 90’s club date. The band was at the lows of its popularity and virtually bankrupt, while its genre had just been blown off the cultural map, yet this is tight, stripped-down, vital, practically punk rawk. Just killer songs and a performance devoid of technology, gimmickry or cheese.


I always thought of "Revenge" as being the third part of a triad. A triad of albums with which Kiss established themselves and re-established themselves.

Destroyer.
- Came out after Kiss hit it big with "Alive" so they KNEW they had to bring it big time, show the world they had what it took to stay relevant. As such, that album had three major points, which every good Kiss album should have.
- Sing along anthems
- The GENE demon song
- The Ballad.
Which on Destroyer were "Detroit rock city" and "Shout it out loud" for the sing along anthems.
"God of thunder" as the GENE song
And of course "Beth" as the ballad.

Creatures of the night.
- Came out after Kiss lost two of its founding members and had several bizarre non all that rocking albums. And losing their hard core fan base as a result of that. In addition, the press was having a field day, asking Paul gleefully how it felt to be on a sinking ship. The band needed a powerful statement and after Eric Carr introduced Gene and Paul to a then upcoming band called Metallica, they knew it had to get heavier, a LOT heavier.
- The sing along anthem
"I love it loud"
- The GENE song
"War Machine"
- The Ballad
"I still love you"

Revenge.
Came out after Eric Carr had died and once again the music press were all about "You guys had a good run, now why don't you just call it a day h'mmm?" *nudge-nudge* Also, these were the days of Metallica's "Black album" and Pantera's "Cowboys from hell." Surely a seventies legacy band like Kiss couldn't be relevant, right?
Begging to differ, the band hired Bob Erzin once again, got Vinnie Vincent back in the fold as a songwriter and released an album which equalled "Destroyer" in its audaciousness and "Creatures" in its sheer blunt force.
- The sing along anthems
"I just wanna", "Take it off" and the Argent cover "God gave rock N roll to you 2"
- The GENE songs
"Unholy" and "Thou shalt not"
- The Ballad
"Every time I look at you."

So when somebody would ask me what albums to buy if they want to find out what Kiss is all about, I'll give them these titles: the Unholy trinity: Destroyer, Creatures of the Night and Revenge.
 
Last edited:
KISS freaks gotta see this.

As a casual fan I’ve avoided controversial album “The Elder”… so this really surprised me. It’s killer! Band looks great too, though I can see why this was a eyesore for fans at the time. And it’s so rare to see bands on tv actually performing live.

Don’t shoot the messenger - Carr is 10000x the drummer Criss ever was. Huge improvement for the band.

Made me curious when wireless was introduced and it turns out KISS were among earliest adopters: The Wireless Guitar System: How One Invention Changed Rock & Roll Forever

 
KISS freaks gotta see this.

As a casual fan I’ve avoided controversial album “The Elder”… so this really surprised me. It’s killer! Band looks great too, though I can see why this was a eyesore for fans at the time. And it’s so rare to see bands on tv actually performing live.

Don’t shoot the messenger - Carr is 10000x the drummer Criss ever was. Huge improvement for the band.

Made me curious when wireless was introduced and it turns out KISS were among earliest adopters: The Wireless Guitar System: How One Invention Changed Rock & Roll Forever


Love Gun tour was the first one with wireless. I was at the show where Ace got nearly electrocuted and it was a major reason for going wireless, since it eliminates the possibility. But being able to fly around on platforms didn’t hurt, either.