Kiss "Fantasy Deluxe Editions" 1974-1996

I guess you're right about that. I wasn't aware he had passed! Now I feel...embarrassed.

 

No doubt about that. I will always think of "Kiss", at its most magical when it was the original four. No doubt about it.

Unfortunately, though, like life, things don't always last forever. Indeed, many feel that Kiss "vanished" when Peter and Ace left. Myself, I was one of the ones that was fortunate to find enjoyment and even great enjoyment in their post Ace/Peter days. I came to realize that Kiss indeed carries on, even if the lineups change now and then. I love it all. Am I just a blind fan? Maybe, but to me it gives Kisstory depth and interest - you go through the ups and downs but in the end the sun still rises and you do what you do best - make people smile (hopefully).

 

No reason for that.

Anyway, you're going to need all of your focus to try and sell me a deluxe Dynasty. I've never owned the album, find it almost a complete dud. I can totally get behind Unmasked and The Elder, but Dynasty just does nothing for me.

 

I'll do my best! Although, probably like all Kiss material, it really can't be sold to anyone. I suppose you either like the music or you don't. It's nice to see another Unmasked fan though. Usually people (kinda) like Dynasty but dislike Unmasked...lol. Or you get foolish fans like me that just love both!

I always felt Paul's songs, in particular, sell Dynasty by themselves. Sure Know Something is arguably my favorite Kiss song. And Magic Touch and I Was Made For Lovin You are fabulous (to my ears). And while Ace's "2000 Man" isn't his own song per se, I still think he/Kiss does it better than even the Stones do! And Gene's "Charisma" and "X Ray Eyes", while not as definitive as, say, "Calling Dr Love" or "Got Love For Sale" are still enjoyable to me.

Still, in the end, I suppose it either grabs you or it doesn't.

 

I like some post ace/peter kiss stuff but the albums start to have more filler as gene and paul can't really carry it all by themselves despite what they tthink. again Vinnie Vincent was a godsend and a few times the outside writers help bring something to the table.

really though each album needed 1 or 2 ace tunes and 1 peter tune. peter gets a bad rap for some reason. I think "baby driver" and "hooligan" are great tunes and of course "beth" was a huge hit. also "dirty livin" fit dynasty perfectly. peter wailing away on those vocals add something to kiss

 

I have no problem with the 'disco' vibe of I Was Made For Lovin You and Paul is such a talented guy that his songs are going to have hooks and be competent. His Dynasty songs just don't do anything for me, whereas Tomorrow from Unmasked is one of the gems of Paul's career. Love Shandi too. I like X Ray Eyes. 2000 Man is cool, but Ace's other two songs on the album are duds and I hate Dirty Livin'.

For me KISS was getting into filler in a serious way when they still had the original four. I agree it's nice to have the balance of Ace's voice, but they have to be good songs and for my money Ace's songs can be quite good in a quirky way but after his 78 solo album he was already struggling to write quality material. Might have been nice if there was enough mutual respect that Ace could have written with Gene and/or Paul.

I like Peter's drumming contributions to the band, love Beth, but his songs get tedious very quickly. I've never liked Hard Luck Woman and I wonder if that's just because I really don't need another Peter vocal. I like Hooligan because Love Gun was my first KISS album but it's hardly a gem. Baby Driver I don't like. Peter's value was his unique drumming, he had a badly inflated and ultimately disastrous sense of his importance as a song writer.

 

I thought "hard times" by ace is one of his best tunes on a kiss album after the love gun release.

"hard luck woman" is a paul song. not sure why peter was asked to sing it other than maybe to have a rod stewart sound to it.

"baby driver" peter is just vocally wailing away. that's what makes it great. same with "hooligan". his voice was missed after dynasty. you do a 10-12 song album it should be 4 gene, 4 paul and the rest lead vocal and writing credits should be for peter and ace.

 

Are you including the 78 solo album in that? Because without it he only has 8 songs post Love Gun (Rocket Ride, three on Dynasty, three on Unmasked and Dark Light). Of those eight I would only put Hard Times above Save Your Love which is just a nothing song. His three Unmasked songs are a perfect example of my thought about him in that they are dorky, quirky and totally work somehow.

Peter should have one song maximum, and in most cases he shouldn't be co-writing it.

 

yes I was counting those 8 songs. "hard times" imo is the best not counting the "2000 man" cover because he didn't help write it. "torpedo girl" might be the worst ace song ever counting even his solo releases

 

Wow, I guess I'll just have to agree to disagree with some of the above sentiments. Though I can respect them. I actually think "Hard Luck Woman" is arguably Peter's best vocal (although it's indeed a Paul song and I would have been very interested hearing Paul's original vocal as well - thus my fantasy set for "Rock And Roll Over" above).

I do agree Peter was probably the least...appealing...singer in Kiss and he surely wasn't a songwriter by nature. Yet the irony, is that his solo album is a surprising delight! At least to my ears (I know many don't share that view). Even though most the songs were at least co-written, I love the likes of "You Matter To Me", "Easy Thing", "Kiss The Girl Goodbye" and "I Can't Stop The Rain".

Again, maybe I'm way on the other end of the spectrum and am just easy to please when it comes to Kiss, but I don't hear any filler in their albums. Though I can definitely hear the shift in musical flavors and chemistry around "Dynasty". Of course, that was happening as early as the solo albums too. In truth, I believe it was a natural by-product of success that it happened. Things change and times change. You can't keep making "Hotter Than Hell" 40 times for an entire 40 year career.

And things are always relative too. I'd be on cloud nine if I could write an album half as good as, say, Dynasty! But for much of the Kiss Army circa 1979, they just didn't want to accept it. Or they had just tired of the band. Either way, I always enjoyed it. Not that my taste in music is anything to take seriously...

 

I like peters solo stuff. its r&b flavored and 50's rock n roll. good fun stuff.


as far as his singing. I think he is ahead of every one except paul and pauls just barely ahead

 

Yeah, although they never get much credit for it, as usual, I think all four members of Kiss were "good singers" and brought a unique and fitting vocal style to the band that was just perfect for what they were going after. Ace (when he did sing) being very limited yet beautifully straight-forward (which is what he was, stylistically). Peter being very passionate vocally in a roots-y sort of way with the ability to tone it down to a "Rod Stewart-esque" kind of gentleness. Paul being the most versatile, he could sing caressingly or brash and generally conveyed the persona of the ultimate "starry eyed sex symbol frontman" in his vocal deliveries. And Gene's grizzly bear growls, are his trademark. Very distinct, very comic, and very theatrical. After all, Kiss by nature is a "comic-book band", visually. Yet, when he wanted to, even Gene could sing sweetly - Mr Make Believe, When You Wish Upon A Star, A World Without Heroes. I always laugh when people knock Gene's vocals under the impression that his growling voice is "how he really sounds"...lol. The voice is obviously intentional for show and for persona. No one sings that bad intentionally...lol. Do we want a guy drooling blood to sing like Dean Martin?

 

I would add a live show like this to the package (very raw early HtH tour show). HtH the album needs a full on remix if it's even possible at this point, I think the individual tracks are long lost.

 

Yeah, that would be a great one.

Perhaps I'll use parts of it for my "Kiss Ultimate Live" box after I get through these deluxe editions!

 

Paul Stanley September 1978



DISC ONE
Tonight You Belong To Me
Move On
Ain't Quite Right
Wouldn't You Like To Know Me
Take Me Away (Together As One)

It's Alright
Hold Me, Touch Me (Think Of Me When We're Apart)
Love In Chains
Goodbye

DISC TWO - COMPANION DISC
Tonight You Belong To Me (Alternate Mix)
Move On (Demo)
Ain't Quite Right (Alternate Mix with different overdubs)
Wouldn't You Like To Know Me (Extended Alternate Mix)
Take Me Away (Together As One) Extended Alternate Mix

It's Alright (Breakfast In Bed Mix)
Hold Me, Touch Me (Think Of Me When We're Apart) Alternate Piano and Guitar Solo Mix
Love In Chains (Female Chorus Mix)
Goodbye (Alternate Outro Solo Mix)

THE "MEMORIES OF THE SOLO ALBUMS" INTERVIEW
Paul Stanley discusses the making of his 1978 solo album, including the origins of the songs, his experience as co-producer, the ability to branch out with songs that might have been too "adult contemporary" for Kiss, and the influence of groups like the Raspberries and traditional pop on his personal writing style. 25:00

A FEW MORE KISSES...
Take Me Away (Together As One) "Seaside Mix"
Move On (Alternate Female Vocals Mix)
Goodbye (Alternate Guitars Mix)

"In a dream, a long time ago..."







Up Next: Peter Criss

 

Peter Criss September 1978



DISC ONE
I'm Gonna Love You
You Matter To Me
Tossin And Turnin
Don't You Let Me Down
That's The Kind Of Sugar Papa Likes

Easy Thing
Rock Me Baby
Kiss The Girl Goodbye
Hooked On Rock And Roll
I Can't Stop The Rain

DISC TWO - COMPANION DISC
I'm Gonna Love You (Added Brass Mix)
You Matter To Me (Extended Mix)
Tossin And Turnin (Alternate Take)
Don't You Let Me Down (Alternate Mix with Different Vocals)
That's The Kind Of Sugar Papa Likes (Guitars Mix)

Easy Thing (Alternate Vocals Mix)
Rock Me Baby (Extended Mix)
Kiss The Girl Goodbye (Alternate Acoustic Mix with additional overdubs)
Hooked On Rock And Roll (Added Brass Mix)
I Can't Stop The Rain (Lightning and Showers Mix with Additional Overdubs)

THE "MEMORIES OF THE SOLO ALBUMS" INTERVIEW
Peter Criss discusses the making of his 1978 solo album, his pairing with producer Vini Poncia and his impact on the record and on future Kiss albums. He also shares details on his R&B / Jazz / Big Band roots and how it helped to shape his album. 25:00

A FEW MORE KISSES...
You Matter To Me (Alternate Synth Mix)
Spotlights (And Lonely Nights) Unreleased
Kiss The Girl Goodbye (Alternate Take)

"It's like a fever that won't cool down, I've been addicted since I heard that sound..."







Up Next: Dynasty

 

I was kinda hoping that Peter Criss deluxe would be two blank cd's!!

 

Ha ha...

I think you have a lot of company actually. I'm sure many wish all these Kiss deluxe editions were two blank CD's!

 

It's funny, the solo albums, despite the general consensus that they were a "failed" project, are very polarizing and have a scattered array of fans, depending on taste and depending on whose musical style they tend to gravitate too most.

Many say Ace's is the best (and indeed it has sold the most since the soundscan era), yet I actually know of no one near to me (family or friends) that choose his album first.

Peter's was my uncle's favorite.

Paul's was the top favorite in my family, including me, and tends to be the one the girls love/loved. I know several who are particularly fond of the "Hold Me, Touch Me" single and find it very impressive and well-crafted (coming from the pen of a "rock n roller").

Gene's, while I don't personally know anyone who says it is the best, is still the one many picked up first in 1978. It was the most anticipated perhaps? It did chart the highest which bears that out I guess. And it's the most diverse of the four.

Anyway, I think all four are fabulous for what they added to the Kiss soup. You get to hear what each member brought to the band stylistically and while many scoffed at the band breaking apart, you get a more revealing glimpse of what makes each member tick on a personal level. The solo albums sound even better to me today than they did back then (when I was more enamored with just the "aura" and visual aesthetics surrounding the records). Great memories indeed!

 

imo the solo project release was a hit as far as what it did. it showed ace was the hard rocker. gene was diverse. paul was the guy who brought it all together and peter was the r&b guy/50's rock guy

 

Gene's is my favorite. I especially love the run of Always Near You/Nowhere To Hide, Man of 1000 Faces and Mr. Make Believe.

There nothing wrong with Paul's or Ace's, they are both great efforts and each might have a couple of songs that are better than any song on Gene's. I'm thinking of Rip It Out, Fractured Mirror, Wouldn't You Like To Know Me but as an overall album I'd listen to Gene's first.

 

"its alright" is the best song on pauls

 

Dynasty May 1979



DISC ONE
I Was Made For Lovin You
2000 Man
Sure Know Something
Dirty Livin

Charisma
Magic Touch
Hard Times
X-Ray Eyes
Save Your Love

DISC TWO - COMPANION DISC
I Was Made For Lovin You (12 Inch Single Mix 7:54)
2000 Man (Edit Mix)
Sure Know Something (Starry-Eyed Alternate Guitars Mix)
Dirty Livin (Disco Remix)

Charisma (Alternate Guitars Mix)
Magic Touch (Extended Outro with Paul solo)
Hard Times (Alternate Ending Mix)
X-Ray Eyes (See-Through Mix with additional sound effects)
Save Your Love (Ace's Alternate Solo Mix)

THE "MEMORIES OF DYNASTY" INTERVIEW
Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons discuss the making of the 1979 Dynasty album. Paul discusses the origins of "I Was Made For Lovin You", his desire to craft a catchy disco-flavored song with Desmond Child and its success despite difficult times for the band. Gene touches on his growing immersion in Hollywood and, as a result, his somewhat diffused presence on the album. 25:00

A FEW MORE KISSES...
I Was Made For Lovin You (Dynasty Rehearsal Mix)
Sure Know Something (Dynasty Rehearsal Mix)
Magic Touch (Mirror Guitar Mix)
I Was Made For Lovin You (45 Single Mix)

"I've been counted out, I've had fear and doubt, I've been starry-eyed, never satisfied..."









Up Next: Unmasked

 

As an aside to "Dynasty" above, imagine my pleasant surprise yesterday when I hear "I Was Made For Lovin You", and I look up at the TV and it's featured on a new car commercial! Honda I believe.

These deluxe editions may never happen, but at least the music lives on...

 

Thanks to this thread I've finished up Paul's solo album and am now listening to Ace's. It's Alright is a great song but I've gotta disagree with Brother Matthew Tate, Wouldn't You Like To Know Me is the gem of gems the Starchild's effort!