Hard to believe we are at track 7 and we haven't heard from Paul since the second song on the album so his voice is very welcomed indeed! Mr. Speed is one of the catchiest songs on the record, so melodic, so Stonesy, so rocking. Ace, who is on fire for this record, gives another short and economical but extremely lyrical solo that's perfect for the song. Gene provides some really bouncy bass lines and Peter's kick drum just sounds so rad, especially during that little break after the solo. My favorite part of the song is at 2:26 after the middle break when they change up the riff just before the coda. Great song!
Mr. Speed- My appreciation has grown for this song as I have gotten older. It was never on any of my Kiss Kollection mix tapes back in the day but nevertheless it's a good song. A great solo by Ace on this ultra catchy song that should have had more live airings.
After just being reacquainted with LE&LE and Mr Speed, and in anticipation of the next two songs which I actually remember and recall disliking, Baby Driver is looking a lot better in the context of this album than it did the other day. But really, tracks 5-9 are probably the worst consecutive run of songs on any KISS album I can think of. Even CN & HITS didn't have 5 stinkers in a row, although I stand to be corrected when we get there... 7/10 is way too generous IMO, I'd give it 5.5/10 max. Good job they came back strong with Love Gun, else this could've been curtains. One thing's for sure: if RnRO had been the 1st KISS album I grabbed instead of Love Gun, I don't think I would have bothered checking them out any further.
Wow. I'm really in the minority here. Didn't like Mr. Speed then, still don't like it. To me it's filler. If I wanted to hear a Stones or Faces tune, I'd have played them. This is the most Un-KISS sounding song (imo) including Ace's solo. It just sounds like so many other bands. And it's (arguably) only 2:16 long, since nothing new happens after that. I remember wishing my turntable had a fast forward when this or Hard Luck Woman came on...
There's simply no chance I could agree with this review of Rock And Roll Over.... but yeah, I guess it's always different strokes for different folks.
I couldn't disagree more. I feel this way about "Love Gun", strangely enough. Half great, half clunkers.
Very well said. It's a great song. And who wasn't influenced by the great Chuck Berry! Everyone says Hendrix was the best but nope, it was Chuck.
We are back in my Paul wheelhouse now - really good song. Fun riff - and I agree very Facey/Stonesy and a million more hooks than much of the tunes that precede it - particularly the chorus. Paul nails the vocals. Light hearted, fun vibe to it. Feels like a bit of a burst of cool air here.
Actually, I don't like it that much, either. I find it pretty derivative and not a song that really moves the needle for me one way or another. @Exile On My Street I agree about Love Gun but we'll get there. It's a very special album to me, but no question that there are some of the biggest duds ever on that album.
Right on. I love the slippery octave double note riff in the song. It is the hook for me. Would be boring without it. Ace is great at these sliding riffs that emulate slide guitar type riffs.
Mr. Speed - This is probably my favorite cut on the album. I just can't get enough of the riff - it's one of my go-to warm up riffs when I pick up my guitar. I too hear some Stones influence, but I'm also hearing T Rex as well. The song struts - Paul's vocal delivery is perfect, and the vocal harmonies are awesome. The quick-shooting lyrics are dumb, but always make me smile. Ace's solo is perfect as usual. Gene's bass is simple yet effective, and Peter provides a good groove. I cannot believe they didn't play this song live. Does anyone know why? It is clearly one of the fan favorites from the album.
I always thought of Mr. Speed as being a very slight and lightweight song. And another song that for all the Ezrin bashing from a certain subset of the Army, sounds more studio than balls out rocker. I love the circular intro riff which sounds like something that accidentally slipped out of Paul's fingers and he went "wait a minute". Which I guess probably happens with every riff. Interesting that Sean Delaney is a co-writer of this, maybe one of them played the riff and the other one's ears perked up. I think Mr. Speed is a pretty creative song hidden in a fairly basic riff. The riff doesn't sound like it requires much skill but don't be fooled, this song couldn't have been written by just anyone to sound so fun. Ace seems like he's doing all the Ace-isms in his solo but it somehow seems just okay. Certainly doesn't detract from the song at all. This song is just all Paul all the time, I barely even notice the bass and drums. I've really come around to this song and now rate it highly on the album.
Just a thought or two from a personal perspective. I went into this thread with RaRO being my favorite KISS album and while I didn't expect everyone to agree with that assessment, obviously, I'm surprised at how many of us fans are not moved by any of these songs or performances. It's actually beginning to make me question my own taste. As I've stated , RaRO was my first KISS record and I ripped it to shreds playing it on my turntable and maybe, just maybe, my love for the record is drenched in nostalgia and if I heard it for the first time today, would I like it or appreciate it as much? Surely it doesn't have any real standout KISS anthems like "Shout It Out Loud" but I'm sitting here conflicted. @yarbles said if this was his first KISS record instead of "Love Gun"he would have quit on them. I didn't get the chance to hear "Love Gun" until long after my initial KISS phase had ended and my impression was that it was mostly garbage. BUT, what if that had been my first KISS listen, would I have felt differently? I can't really say. Don't mind me, just thinking out loud..
Don't ever do that. Anybody that says their love of something has no nostalgia attached to it is lying. Either to you or to themselves. Edit to add-I'm the type who will just cop to it. When we get to Love Gun and you guys are taking shots at Then She Kissed Me I'm going to say I have no problem with it and admit right up front that Love Gun was my first KISS album. And that matters to why I dig it, why would I lie about that? Oh, and spoiler alert about Then She Kissed Me.
Love Gun was my first rock album ever, I ruined it I played it so much. Was everything gold on it? No way. Even as a dumb kid I hated some of the material, but the overall presentation and experience was awesome. I think that's how we view a lot of stuff we hold dear. It's not perfect; but it's what we've known and loved for a long time so you overlook the flaws.
I agree. It's very interesting reading all of these different perspectives. Like you, I've always taken it for granted that RARO is a Kiss Klassic. It was one of my first Kiss purchases and I can still remember how it absolutely floored me. There is a strong possibility that my enduring love for the album has been coloured by nostalgia. In the end it doesn't really matter though. I love it, and revisiting it over the past few days has only strengthened my passion for this record.
I agree. That little descending part of the riff right before and during the verse was nicked from Get It On. Bolan does the same little descending line after the boogie chord. At :15.
I don't want to delve too deeply into Love Gun just yet, but to me it always sounded like RARO Pt 2, but more forced and not as good. Maybe it's because I bought RARO a couple of months before Love Gun. I enjoy parts of Love Gun immensely, but there are some cuts that I dislike. I know this is heresy, but I can't stand the title cut. Ditto Then She Kissed Me.
If it helps you I'd rate it 5/5. Of course, I'd only rank it maybe around the middle of KISS' albums . . . I rate almost every album of theirs a 5/5 (which is the only way they'd end up in my top 20, as they are--I like enough music that much that this is basically a criterion to wind up ranked that high on my list as an artist), but that I'd only rank Rock and Roll Over around the middle of the pack doesn't mean that I don't love it.
You may be a youngster but you have maturity when it comes to rock and Kiss! I would not tell what my first rock album was but as a hint it was way before Love Gun.
Yup - in fact I'd say Mr Speed is closer to T Rex than the Stones. In case anyone missed it from my user name, I'm a huge T Rex fan. I can hear a lot of T Rex influence in Kiss music, particularly on the first 3 albums (e.g. Firehouse). I also think Marc Bolan was a huge influence Paul Stanley as a performer. Paul even stole some of his stage moves from him: