Gene Simmons vault review

Best of luck with the scan. Glad the set arrived when it did. Also think it's great that Gene hooked you up like he did.

I'd certainly take that as a good omen on all fronts.

 

No need to apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes you make. You speak English as good as I do and it’s the only language I speak!

I’m looking forward to your review on the music. I have no idea what’s on there, but I’m excited to hear what you think. I bet there is some killer lost classics hidden in there! But knowing you liked the first 2 disc makes me excited to hear what’s coming next.

I hope things go well for you today. I can’t imagine how tough it must be, but know you got a lot of people here thinking of you and sending you TONS of good vibes. Keep that iPod handy and get lost in the music. We look forward to when you feel up to sharing your opinions of the vault. Stay strong!

 

My review

C1
-Are you ready (Monster): perfect song, great groove, cool riff, shoul be on Monster.

-I turn to stone (Psycho circus) : love the chorus, with some ahahahha....very zz top kind of song,i was afraid at first because the intro of the song is kind of weak, a background clean guitar riff, but after 2 or 3 listens , it has his place.

-juliet (revenge) : should has been on Revenge , really revenge era feeling, great riffs ,good works by Kulick, take out carr jam 81, and put this on the record and you another potential single, really good chorus.

-hey you (revenge) : great bass line from Gene, and the riff is perfect, im a big fan of the revenge era so its easy for to love that stuff, its sucks that Ezrin and Stanley didnt have interest for those rejects songs for Revenge.

-i confess (demo) : much better than the version we owned on Cos, with syntheziser, and riffs and bridge not included on the true version, the sound is 100 times better.

-legends never die (creatures of the night) : wow a true classic , just take out out still lovemyou and put this instead, acoustic clean electric guitar, some really cool verses, finishing the Cotn album would had been so cool, because its like a farewell of the grease paints. The solo is incredible. I can see a video of this in my head, and the end the 4 members take off the makeup and move on.

-something wicked this way comes (hot in the shade) : i really riff in the chorus, it was very near to be included on hits because in the press paper the song was included. I like it more than Boomerang, its an electric song, but not too fast, but near the end it became a fast song, special solo from kulick.

-hand of fate (sonic boom) : a smooth andmnotmtoo fast riff, much better than 4 or 5 songs from SB ( an album a little weak for sound, but that is my opinion). Stanley said that the song was to similar to modern day deliaha, i dont think so.

-hunger (crazy nights) : a little repetitive, butngreat chorus, not polish like some songs on crazy nights, cool tomhear Eric Carr doing the background chorus, great riff but maybe played a little too much. A good song

-in my head (demo) : i dont really likemthe nu metal sound on it, prefer thenalbum version, more darker but dont fit kiss style, even during the grunge era.

-carnival of souls 2 (demo) : not too different that the song on *******, difference is a bridge in the middle, not bad but not really neccessaryi always like this song, should have been on the record of the same title, im sure another decision by Paul.

-are a boy or a girl (hot in the shade) : a rnroll chord progresion, used often, great song, Carr on drums , and one of the first time that Thayer took the spot of A kiss guitarist, nothing again it, a good rnr song, but maybe a little weaker that the songs on hits

-say you dont want it(sonic boom): same riff as mongoloid man/daily,plant a riff used often since 79. I like the way they use the riff this time, i dont why any songs with this riff was never accepted.

-mongoloid man (dynasty) ; a disco pop of the riff, joe perry played on it, maybe the riff is more repetitive on this version. Cool lyrics some used later fro th Split song on revenge.

I wait (sonic boom): a modern sound for this song, writing with a memeber of steel panther, maybe my favorite chorus on this cd. Much better than any songs of sonic boom.

 

Wow, fantastic run down! Thanks for putting in all that work.

I, like yourself, like the Revenge era. To me that album was the best non original members album they put out. I thought it was more of a throwback to the older stuff. It must be so cool to listen to all these new KISS songs!

 

If I had some more money, I would buys me a Vault.

 

Your enthusiasm is very inspiring! I've been passively reading this thread but am really thrilled for you!! I think the crucifix is an excellent gift.

I've been trying to locate a phot of it on the net, perhaps you or another fan would be kind enough to post a photo of Gene wearing it?

 

The cool thing is my vault experience is not over yet, just got an email that said that i will get by the mail an another special gift signed by gene by mail !
Thanks gene, he said that, im near sure that i wont be able to travel to toronto because of my health, he will signed me a special thing for me, maybe a picture, i really dont know. Stay tuned for cd 2 review soon.

 

He's better than most.

 

As I said in other posts...the last 2-3 years have kicked the crap out of me personally and financially so I just can't swing it. But as a lifelong KISS fan I hope a more affordable version will eventually be made available.

 

This alone is making me wish the set was a bit more affordable. You make it sound like a great listen!

Very cool!

 

Really happy for you..hope you'll enjoy your set and gift and have a great experience
wish you great energy for battle!

 

That is truly heartwarming to say the least. I'm sure that, that has lifted your spirits. I pray it brings you many years of enjoyment to come!

 

Disc 2 :
-weapons (psycho circus) : more darker than on *******, gene said it was after listening songs from marilyn manson that he creates the song.

-weapons, power to raise the dead : Ace is the singer on this version, Paul wanted not too hewvy song for PC somthe song was rejected. By including this version , i think the album would have been more a group album, that we get. Ace changed a lot of the lyrics, he sang like on the album Trouble walkin'.

Hate (demo) : more heavy, but i prefer the sound of the original, he was supposed to be called I am Hate, and it was the first album title for carnival, so it makes sense when we check the original cover art.

Carnival of souls 2 : no introduction, right away the lyrics, i prefer the version on *******, there is a gentle verse in the middle too.

Master of the flash (unmasked) : great accoustic song, with a really great chorus, very Bowie song, wow on Umasked would have been grewt to have this, and i rewlly like the solo, very melodic. Gene bought the song from an obscure band in 1980.

Heavy rain (carnival) : different lyrics than rwin keeps falling down on me, only the chorus is the same , but the song is heavy all along not like the vereion that we know, the quality is not perfect during parts of the song, better than nothing.

Within (carnival) : cos album version,Gene talks during the intro, its cool , and its start with some specials bass lines, the guitar are heavier and cooler than on PC, i really like this vereion, some different lyrics. Maybe the way he sang it is too soft, less furious than on PC

In your face (demo) : by the way a fact that Gene said in the book is a lot of fans were angry when they knew than Ace and Peter were not playing on every song on PC, but 2 days after they started PC, Ace and Peter came in studio with new lawyers and new conditions, so Gene and Ace didnt want to wait and loose time, so they asked Kulick and Thayer to contribute and alson a session drummer. This version of the song is sang by Gene.

In your face (pyscho circus) ; i think its the same version than we got on the bsides of Psycho circus, when Ace and Peter came back in the studio, with lawyers circling like vultures and brewing problems. Gene asked Ace to sing this song, to help Ace getting some exposure, sadly it was a b- sides. Maybe the end of the song didnt finish like the original.

Rain 2 (demo): funny words by Gene to start the demo, maybe more entousiast version, bruce fairbairn like it for PC but Paul hates it. This version is slightly different the way they played it, but cant beat the original.

Cos intro : a circus theme intro that was supposed to be at the start of Cos, instead they use it on PC.

I wanna live (creatures) : gene created the song for creatures of the night, first song he wrote with vinnie vincent, the song is really different , a cool rock song, but i dont think that will fit on coth , its a hope song, and its not the image they want for the return of Kiss as metal hard rock band after the failure of the elder.

If its to hot , too cold (demo) : near the same version that we knew, nothing to say much, maybe slighty difference here and there but nothing to call your mama.

Rain keeps falling (pyscho circus) ; its the true version that i bought on a bootleg with songs like Body and soul from Paul, so fianlly the song has a official release, im sure you can hear it on youtube, a great song, different from kiss, biut i like it very much.

Bells of freedom(sonic boom): another hope song, rarely done by Gene, the chords are influented by the Who. One the first song that Thayer played as a true member of Kiss. The lyrics are bizarre for Gene, but its a new song never heard so i am all for it !

 

Wow, another fantastic write up, thank you! I love the background you give on the songs, I find them very informative.

I was wondering, on the songs you mark as demo, are these songs “polished” or are they in more of a raw form? I was curious if they cleaned up the music and made it more like something you would buy at the store, or are they more unpolished where you can tell it was not quite finished?

Anyway, thank you for the reviews. I’m really enjoying them and looking forward to your next.

 

Gene's setlist from last night included some box set material.

FEB 16-2018 - Lynn MA

Deuce
Shout It Out Loud
Are You Ready?
Parasite
Dr. Love (blind kid singing)
Do You Love Me?
Almost Human
Long Tall Sally
I
Help!
I Love It Loud
War Machine
Strutter (Gary Cherone guest vocal)
Sweet Pain
She's So European
Charisma
It's My Life
Rock n Roll All Night

 

Mr. Stanley please step aside......

 

Are you Ready?

 

It's My Life

 

Good place for Gene to play!

Ode to Lynn Massachusetts:

Lynn, Lynn the city of sin
You never come out, the way you came in
You ask for water, but they give you gin
The girls say no, yet they always give in
If your not bad, they won’t let you in
It’s the damndest city I’ve ever lived in
Lynn, Lynn the city of sin
You never come out, the way you came in.

 

When i write Demo, something its raw, sometimes its polish, most of the song are finished , except maybe no solo sometimes or an intro like a countdown, a little talking before starting the song. When i put () and a album inside, that means that the song is polished and was supposed or rejected for this album.

 

Garbage. And to charge $2000 for this stuff. There’s a reason why this stuff went unreleased. Not that his released music was anything to write home about. This guy will do anything for a buck. $50k to come to your house?
Funny guy though!

 

Hey @erickana666 I really hope you enjoy the contents of the vault for a long time to come. That crucifix is a great gift, I am not a fan of Kiss or Gene Simmons but we are all united on here with our Love Of Music and may that be so. Stay strong man and play that music bloody LOUD!
LOL Richie.

 

Disk 3
-christine sixteen demo with VH): istnthe famous sessions of the 3 songs recorded with the Van Halen brothers. This version is maybe moremguitar oriented than the one we know. There is an unheard bridge, eddie did the solo in one shot, and Ace didn want at first to recreate the song, but he did it at the end.

-tunnel of love (demo with VH)): i prefer this version from the true one, more guiatr oriented. A song about Bebe Buell , Gene s girlfriend for a while in 78, she married Steven Tyler later she gave birth to Liv Tyler....

Gotlove for sale (demo with VH) : i prefer this version, i was never a big fan of the original version.

Hell or high water (demo) : better version, more heavy than the original. Less pop glamour oriented than on ceazy nights.

Domino(demo): the beginning dont have the same lyrics, the sound is really good.

Mad dog (demo) : not a lot of differences between this one and the one from the kiss box set. EZRIN took the best riff of the song to create flaming youth with Paul for Destroyer.

Only you (demo) : gene said its aan inspiration from George Harrisson, some lyrics are diferents and the music you, but the later verse Give me the answer....is not included, its another part instead, a little repetitive at the end withw Only you. Solo sof Ace are so great, know i understand when ace said one day he went to the studio and all of his solos from Elder weremtookmaway, a shame...

True confession 2 (demo) : near the same version than the original. It was a paper called that way in the 50s like national enquirer these days.

Childhoods end (demo) ; its a little different from the one we know. Its a about a friend of Gene that was decapited by an elevator by mistake. Sad story.

Burning up fever 2 (demo) : maybe more guitars than the original. I never was a big fan of his first solo album, i like see you tonight,mr make believe, radioactive, always near you, but now it grew on me.

Good girl gone bad (demo) : kulick at his best, wow this song got balls, the way they played it this time. The song was created at the beginning of his relationship with Shannon, cool to know that !

Trial by fire (demo) : some different lyrics , the sound is not perfecr, really a demo.
During Asylum, Gene s mind was not very into music, thanks to Kulick, they found a way to create for enough for the album.

Secretly cruel (demo) : another asylum song, the sound is really not perfect. It was about his relationship with diana ross in 1981 mixed with a girl who had a fixation of him just like in the movie Fatal attraction.

Love em leave em yeah (DEMO) He never said the title in the song, at first it was called rock and rolls royce for the Destroyer session.

Am i losing my mind (unmasked) : a disco song , a mix of only you and eskimo sun. Just some verse are from only you, since itmwas rejected for unmasked, ezrin took what he likes take out anything disco on it, and create the atmospheric song only you. What a cool song, with a good video and promotion could have been a hit in 1980.

 

These reviews are terrific! Did you write them or are they notes from the box? Also, on the VH demos, how does Eddie's guitar and solo sound, is it like his playing on the VH album or is it more like Ace?

 

I write all by myself, with the little english words that i know, there is some notes in the book too, mostly historic facts, its my knowledge plus the liner notes. I try my best to not be repetitive. About Eddie Van halen, is mostly Ace that after the demos had copy the solos are riffs, you can hear clearly the tone of Eddie , and the style of Alex behind the drums