Snowblind is another winner in my book. Killer riffs. Those tom tom fills always fill my mind with images of tumbling boulders in NES Double Dragon.
Snow Blind Another winner here. Love the riff! Only Ace can make addiction sound so fun. Anyway, another winner from Ace.
I got the sense from the interviews I read that there was definitely a lot of trepidation about the project from the start, on the label's part. Apparently there was a constant game of "poker" going on between Aucoin and the label. Aucoin felt that some of the terms of the band's contract weren't as lucrative for the band as they could have been (which was par for the course for most artists throughout the industry at that time), and the label was wary of the high cost of maintaining the band's marketing, etc. The KISS camp is depicted as a money-hungry machine in 78, and the idea that they could get a $2 million advance from the label by doing four solo albums at once seems to have been one of the factors in Aucoin pushing for the simultaneous release of them. The label folks weren't on board. Of course, once Neil Bogart got over his reservations and decided to do it, he abruptly shifted into Barnum & Bailey mode, and decided to push this as the most significant event in popular music history! So it seems pretty clear (not surprisingly) that there was plenty of blame to go around for what ended up happening. As to your other point, my solution would have simply been to not have any band member pictures anywhere on the sleeve. Let the music speak for itself. You could have actually done some interesting art concepts based on each guy's persona if you wanted to. But you're right; once you have a picture of the guy's face in makeup on it, it's immediately going to scream "KISS". It's not surprising that the label wanted to emphasize the KISS aspect of this, because they saw that as the path to greater album sales, which I'm sure it was, initially. The downside is you then set up expectations that two of these albums weren't prepared to fulfill. Hindsight is 20/20; if they had approached it as a non-KISS project, and scaled back their hype machine, they would have sold fewer copies, but the label would have been in far better financial shape at the end of it all. But that wasn't the way that Bogart and Casablanca did things back then, at a time when the industry as a whole was in full-on "excess" mode. Definitely makes for a great conversation, though! (And as I said on day 1 of Gene's album, it'd make a great movie!)
I wouldn't be surprised if there were some at the label prepared to do just that. But KISS was a significant band to the label at that time (and had been named the most popular band in the U.S. in the Gallup Poll the prior year), and the prevailing attitude in the building was that they needed to keep them happy. In hindsight, it's easy to see it was a mistake. At worst, Peter would have left the group, but they definitely wouldn't have broken up. And I doubt even Peter would have quit, although it's scary to think how unpleasant he may have become, given his behavior during DYNASTY as it is!
Snowblind - great song imo. Why great? Uh, for starters that opening du-du du-du DU-DU riff at 20 seconds in sets the stage - from there, the song opens up and you can immediately tell Ace is taking a decidedly different direction here - heavy riff, melancholy tone - that's what I connected with as a kid, the emotion tone of it - I don't think in 1978 I got all the drug innuendo (I did on Wipeout and Ozone but who didn't) as I was nine or ten at the time. I think, again, the sequencing here is really good and smart. 1. bruising storming defiant rocker 2. brisk light hearted breezier rocker 3. heavy, slower riff rock with a sad feel to it To me, this is like a perfect opening sequence - I said it before, I'll say it again: I 'm a big fan of hitting the ground at a full run for at least two preferably three songs (take Sugar's Copper Blue for example) vs making the audience work tooooo hard right away - (Music From Big Pink for example - sacrilege to some but I would never in a million years open an album with a heartbreaking ballad) Edit: Would be interesting to have a magic wand and see what happened if the solo albums just got scrapped and the band brought all these songs to the table and spread them out across the next few to several albums - might have resulted in better Dynasty, Unmasked and Elder albums.
If I look at the song list for this album I immediately think of Snow Blind as being a pretty average (at best) song. But it actually works just fine on the album. Almost no album is full of top to bottom classic songs so placement and sequencing becomes important. If Snow Blind was the one Ace Frehley song on a KISS album it would be a huge disappointment given the previous high bar set by Shock Me and Rocket Ride. But on a nine song solo album it holds its own and supports the other, better material. I really like the guitar solo, it's very busy for an Ace solo but still very Frehley-esque. I think in a perfect world I'd get rid of that keyboard playing in the background and getting louder as the solo goes on. Or at least mix it way lower. I like Anton's two snare hits after the solo to take us back into the song. It's definitely in the bottom half of the album. But it's probably in the top half of the bottom half.
It sounds like the stipulation about the solo albums in the band's contract was simply done as a courtesy to the artist. The contract didn't actually state that there was any requirement for KISS to do solo albums, just that there was a provision for them. Had one member done a solo album, it wouldn't have changed the requirements of the contract in terms of what KISS was expected to deliver to the label. It stated that once a 2nd member did a solo album, then it would remove one album from the band's required quantity (thus, the formula by which each solo album counted as 1/2 an album toward their commitment). But reading the summary of their contract, the solo album aspect was never a major factor of the contract. It sounds like once band relationships hit a low point after the ALIVE II tour and the filming of KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM, that Aucoin latched onto that clause in the contract as a way to a) get a significant advance out of the label; b) cross two albums off of the band's contractual obligation; and c) give the guys time away from each other. So he saw it as the best path of action for the band at that time, given the internal dynamics and the "KISS machine" 's need for $$.
I agree about John Lennon. The worst offender for me is Eddie Van Halen. I used to think he was so cool and a down to earth guy but now in everything I read or see of him he comes across as such a selfish childish jerk.
SNOW BLIND Another grand slam from Ace! I love this song. Honestly, this album is so good, that about 2/3 of the songs feel like they're my favorite song on the LP while I'm listening to them! I like everything about the song: Ace's vocal delivery, the riff, the solo, Anton's drumming, the drowsy, sludgy slowed-down tempo at the end. Everything works! Funny quote of the day: "In an interview on WPIX-FM's 'Sunday Magazine', in October 1978, Ace amusingly suggested the song was about a snow storm." (from the Solo Albums book).
I forgot to mention the vocals - agreed, nice turn again from Ace - I like the almost shouty way he puncuates the last two notes on the 2nd line of each verse "when you fall beHI-HIND"
That's really well put. You're right, the tone of the song is melancholy and definitely suggests being lost. I don't think it took me too long to associate this with cocaine, but I definitely didn't immediately, as I too was naive about drug-related stuff. But the change in mood is definitely effective, and as I said yesterday, I think this album is sequenced really well.
To your last point, do you think Peter doing a solo album really helped his attitude at all? He seemed to have one foot out the door since Alive II or, perhaps, even before. He didn't play on Dynasty and put together a half ass solo album. I think he was gone no matter what. The solo album didn't help a bit for him in terms of his attitude.
I need to correct a couple of things here: one, the chorus riff is more syncopated than "staccato". Secondly, the verse riff sounds more like it's G to C then G to B# to F. I don't have my guitar with me to check it, but that's what I'm hearing. I believe, like all KISS albums, Ace is tuned at least a half step down on the whole album. I'm not entirely sure about that, though.
I can understand the labels concerns, it's not like KISS were genuinely moving 5-10 million copies of their albums like Zeppelin, Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Frampton, Boston etc... and getting tons of radio play even in their primary market. At best maybe 1/4 million each would be more realistic, if the album takes off then meet the demand but yeah 1 million each was ridiculous.
A point must be made that out of some 39/40 songs on 4 solos albums, the only real "hit" of any of them was Ace's cover of a Russ Ballard tune (that was previously covered by Hello). Aside: Listened to Paul's album again on my road trip home and think it is really good (if not a bit slick). Only one stinker in the bunch, but we'll get to that later.
Yes, I agree, but again, that's with the benefit of hindsight. But he was basically already gone at that point. The significant thing here is, Aucoin thought it would help his attitude, and the other 3 guys were hoping it would. And obviously, Casablanca was banking on it. For Peter, it was a combination of never having a passion for KISS' music in the first place, coupled with the delusion that he could be a star on his own, thanks to "Beth", combined with a dependency issue that severely clouded his judgement. Although it's telling that, when d-day arrived, he tried to maintain his place in the band. The guys paid him the courtesy of one last chance to, in essence, "audition" to keep his job, even though they had essentially made up their minds. And Peter tried to impress him with an improved attitude, but as we know, it was to no avail. So despite all his threats to quit the band over a several year period, when push came to shove, he tried to save his job. Which is surprising given his feelings about much of KISS' music.
Snowblind The songs opens with two snare hits and a riff that signals some sort of impending gloom and one of the first things that stood out to me as a kid were Anton's double snare hits throughout the song. It's pretty cool thinking back and realizing you were picking up on these small details even as a kid, this was different drumming than I was used to hearing on KISS records. It's nothing fancy but it works and puts a different signature on the song that wouldn't have been there ordinarily. I love Ace's vocals on this, his phrasing is excellent, a weary, casual style made to sound sort of hazy with the reverb. Ace lays on a great solo and the song picks up pace, keyboards adding texture, building until Anton's two snare hits signal that it's time to go back to the main riff, with some incredibly awesome fills on the tom's, two more snare hits at 3:00 where Anton really nails them. This is a hard rocking song, reminds me of Black Sabbath a bit, very heavy. Ace is 3 for 3!
Cool song. I like the way Ace changes octaves in the chorus/intro riff. Pedal point heaven with the insistent A note and the chords chromatically descend from C-B-Bb-A. Sabbath influence with the pedal point use. Ace is actually out in space with that echo on the word "space". The boogie break sounds like it shifts to A Major key. Ace plays the solo somewhat vertically with the shifts between A and E minor pentatonic. He hangs on the A and the chords ascend around him at the tail of the break. Not bad. The solo once again reminds me of Johnny Winter especially at 2:12 with those wicked pulloffs. Ace loved JW and his solos are very influenced by him.
Indeed. Without Bogart's cocaine-fueled ego and propensity for excess, as misguided as the whole project was, it still would have been viewed as a success if they had simply pressed 500,000 of each album. If they had, all of them would have sold, and they probably would have needed to do a small 2nd pressing. Then, all of a sudden the whole project would have been seen in an entirely different light. Bogart used the logic of the relatively small percentage of returns that KISS LPs were experiencing up until that point in time, but that thinking completely ignored the fact that these weren't true "KISS" albums to begin with, and, oh yeah, there's four of them at once, so therefore sales for each are going to be impacted. How could he have thought that they were simply going to sell four times the number of albums that they normally did? Truly asinine.
I don't have the book so I don't know if this is in it, but I saw Bill Aucoin say in an interview somewhere that one of the biggest distributors ordered a million units. When Bogart saw that he thought, 'holy crap this is going to be a blockbuster. If they're ordering a million I better press a couple million more.' Then that created a perception problem in the stores, because they had so many copies in the stores that it looked like none were ever selling. P go in there and they think these albums must be flops. Every time I come in here the place is full. The pile never gets any smaller. Another thing I thought of after it was too late to edit my other post -- Maybe it was the music itself that made Casablanca think they had better tie this together as one project. In other words, maybe after hearing the records they thought, 'jeez this stuff is all over the place. Kids are going to be really confused. We better make sure to assure them there still is a KISS.
Snowblind: kind of funny to hear Ace annunciate in the chorus. It's an odd song: heavy but into the bouncy leads. It's not my favorite, but I love the leads. I like the pace changes. I like the feedback. The drums are good. This sounds like a pro mix. Where would Ace's solo LP be without Eddie? I'm glad we will never know.
I remember sometime in 1979 or 80, my mother was into painting ceramics. I came home from school one day and noticed my Kiss solo albums out of order. I went to her and asked why that was? She had no idea! I was puzzled but let it go. That next birthday or xmas she gave me a ceramic she bought of the Kiss logo. It had one persons head in each corner and she had painted the makeup and included the aura from each solo album. That's when I figured out who ****ed with my albums.
Snow Blind might well be my favourite track on the record, but I can't be totally sure! Rip It Out, Ozone, I'm In Need Of Love... This is where Ace gets serious about hard traveling, life on the road, not being able to get back home to his woman etc. And all the while he's out of his mind and stuck into a blizzard he can't get out, a snow storm of the third kind! That's how I see it anyway. Really think the lyrics are excellent and expose how fragile everything might've been for Ace at that moment in time. The 'need a familiar face' and 'lost in space' bits are very telling. Ace sings Snow Blind with such raw passion, and is quite unique in his delivery as well, I simply can't find that kind of singing anywhere in my collection. Ace pulls this off majesticaly, I'd say. And that coming right after Rip It Out and Speedin' Back To My Baby is great sequencing indeed! I also love the way it's produced! The reverb on the vocals is a great touch and creates an added edge, just perfect. The drums are amazing on this, Anton Fig really rocks and adds great stuff to the song! What an amazing drummer! Ace plays all guitars and bass here, and keeps everything real, nothing is too polished. The solo is BRILLIANT, one of his best ever! Can't never tire of it, always eagerly waiting for that to come up! Such a blast. It's so hard to feel right, baby When I'm travelin' around and you're far behind God, I wish I could see my lady Girl, I hope you don't mind, 'cause I'm snowblind.... Lookin' out my window, sometimes I wonder Am I ever gonna get to where I'm gonna go home Maybe tomorrow, maybe next summer Girl, I just don't know, 'cause I'm snowblind.... Movin' around, I get in trouble When I'm feelin' so low and out of my mind Babe, I don't wanna burst your bubble Girl, you know the reason why, 'cause I'm snowblind, I can't see a thing I'm snowblind, I don't wanna sing I'm snowblind, need a familiar face I'm snowblind, think I'm lost in space
That's actually not that weird. It's far more rare that everyone in a band has just the same influences and musical dispositions (and that they create music that's exactly in line with those influences and dispositions--that is really an extra step). I commented earlier in the thread (not that I expect anyone in particular to have read it or remember it) that in my opinion the best musical collaborations (so including but not limited to bands) are those with not insignificant musical tensions. That push and pull leads to more interesting, nuanced music. Musicians are trying to push or pull their collaborative stuff different ways, and it leads to a nice, nuanced balance. Because of this, some people intentionally court collaborators who have different influences, different personal aesthetics, but even when you don't intentionally court that, you usually wind up with it, because it's far more difficult to find a handful of people who are more or less like clones of each other musically. So the stuff you create in the collaboration is going to have its own identity that's at least a bit different than what anyone would do completely on their own. (And also, unless you are literally doing something on your own, you're going to wind up in a collaborative situation with a different group of people, even if you're trying to be an artistic dictator, more or less.)