KISS: The Songs 1974-2012

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by GodShifter, Feb 7, 2017.

  1. jmobrien68

    jmobrien68 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toms River, NJ
    Always liked Kissin' Time... just a fun, catchy song.
    Love Pete's drumming on it.
     
    warewolf95 likes this.
  2. Synthfreek

    Synthfreek I’m a ray of sunshine & bastion of positivity

    My mom and I do this "Song Of The Day" thing by texting each other YouTube links. She sent me "Black Diamond" just a few days ago so I replied with this selfie and a link to The Replacements' version. I could've probably waited until the actual song to post this but I thought it was funny that this just happened a few days ago.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Kind of interesting that Peter's make up would change drastically whereas for the most part the others stayed constant. Ace's hair is weird though.
     
  4. Curveboy

    Curveboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Silver paint!
     
  5. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    The debut album was the first KISS album I got, albeit approx. 2 years after it was first released. I got my "hand-me-down" copy from my uncle's best friend who was a KISS freak and had an extra copy. I was probably the next-most-fanatical person he knew, so he gave it to me! This would have been late spring/early summer of '76, and I was all of 10 years old.

    Obviously, I had no idea until much later that "Kissin' Time" was not originally on the album. As jon9091 already stated, the side would have seemed incredibly short with just 4 tunes, one of them being the brief "Love Theme...". Although kicking off side 2 with "Deuce" probably gives it a more immediate impact. Even though it's one of my lesser favorites on the album, it's still a decent enough track, and as a few others have already said, it's cool hearing all 3 vocalists (at that point in time) in the group take a turn on lead vocals.

    I can't remember if I stated this already on the previous (aborted) thread, but the debut album has always been my all-time favorite album by KISS. Something tells me that had it been produced by Eddie Kramer, as the original demo was, it would probably be held in even greater esteem by a larger percentage of the KISS Army. It's held in high regard, anyway, but the production is often cited as a reason for it not being the favorite of many a KISS fan. But to me, it features their strongest set of songs on one album, and it's obviously the blueprint for everything that followed. If you wanted to give someone a quick idea of what the KISS sound is, I think the debut is a stellar choice.
     
    warewolf95, D.B., Fullbug and 4 others like this.
  6. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    There's a funny story about that. Casablanca hired a professional make-up artist for the photo shoot of the cover. When the band realized this, they all felt, "well, we apply our own make-up and know best what we want". Paul, Gene and Ace all did their own make-up. Peter said he felt bad for the woman, who was there with nothing to do, so he let her do his make-up. Of course, it was nothing like his normal design, but at that point, what are you gonna do?

    The funny thing is, that image was so iconic, and for years afterward you would still see that image in news articles that needed a promo pic, and on backstage passes, etc. But that was the one and only time that Peter's make-up ever looked like that!
     
  7. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Richie Wise and Kenny Kerner were terrible producers. They absolutely had their heads up their butts.
     
  8. GMcGilli

    GMcGilli Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond BC Canada
    Per Paul Stanley - Neil Bogart told them (since they were all opposed to doing the song in the first place since it was too childish for their image) that the song would only be used on a commercial (for the kissing contest) - not the album - or as a single. He lied apparently.

    Also - the first presses of KISS do not include that song....

    Kiss - Kiss
     
    GodShifter likes this.
  9. Deuce66

    Deuce66 Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    As for Kissin' Time, what were they thinking?? it doesn't fit into what they were doing at the time at all and all it did was provide critics with further ammo against the band. My position on the first album is that the label, management, along with the band dropped the ball, that first record could've been spot on perfect and the front cover image far better than what they released.
     
    GodShifter likes this.
  10. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    How did the band drop the ball? At that point they're young punks off the street just trying to make a living, and weren't in a position to demand more control over their image. Not to mention, they probably trusted Neil Bogart, who in their eyes was a big-shot. (Even so, when he suggested they take off the make-up in a bid to be taken more seriously, they refused, when they weren't necessarily in a position of power, because they believed strongly in what they were doing).

    Even though I can agree with you about some missed opportunities at this time, I bet even the band themselves (and Aucoin and Bogart) didn't think we'd be necessarily still discussing them and their debut 43 years later! In other words, no one was probably taking a real long-range view at that point, anyway. They were just trying to get a record out and get some notice by the press and public.
     
  11. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Kissin Time, a fun, catchy song, solid performances, love this song. And I second the comment on Peter's drumming, **** the haters, Peter was awesome on the early albums. And the guitar solo amd vocals, I really like as well.
     
  12. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    I guess I can see it both ways. Back then, it was weird to me because I thought they were an underground heavy metal band from NYC. At least that's what I had been reading. Now, I know they were part of the same scene as The Dolls, who were doing kitschy stuff like Stranded In The Jungle...so it kinda made some sense. The idea. Get noticed. I think Nothin To Lose was a very weird choice for a first single, but what do I know? Stutter should have been the first single and a big hit IMO.
     
  13. Cachiva

    Cachiva Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, Texas
    So much new information already shared! Thanks to all, and
    especially to GodShifter for picking up the ball and running
    with it! This should allay any doubts that a revised thread
    would be popular.


    Currently on eBay!
    [​IMG]


    No Kissin' Time
    [​IMG]


    The goods!
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  14. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    My first exposure to the album came from my older bother's copy. He's seven years older and might possibly have had an original pre-Kissin Time version. He was over KISS by the time I got into them, couldn't stand them actually, but I was never able to fully 'inherit' his copies of the first two records because he's the type to keep everything regardless of whether he likes it.

    But since I had access to them I never got copies of my own until I was able to get all the other ones, and since the access was limited I was never really as into those as I was with Alive! and everything else. I'm talking about the peak fan years here, I was into them after...but that's not the same.

    I'm trying to remember if it had Kissin Time but I just can't and I'm not going to bother to check. Anyway, I like the song even though it's not great and does kind of stand out. I mostly like that three members sing I guess.
     
    Cachiva likes this.
  15. moops

    moops Senior Member

    Location:
    Geebung, Australia
    Thanks GodShifter for this keeping this one afloat. :thumbsup:

    As for Kissin Time, I don't mind it.
    I like the verses more than the chorus, the little skip drum beat or whatever it is that Peter's playing is cool and vocally it's strong.
    But overall, it's definitely leans more toward filler than killer I guess.
    Interesting how it came to be on the album.

    On a side not, I'm contemplating a framed KISS album cover for home, pretty much picking a candidate from the first album through to and including Love Gun.
    The debut is a front runner at the moment, kind of has an embryonic feel to it.
    This thread should help me decide as it progresses.

    :wave:
     
  16. SammyJoe

    SammyJoe Up The Irons!

    Location:
    Finland
    @GodShifterThanks for carrying on and starting new thread (hope we get this one going nicely). :righton::wave:

    I think I found Kiss and some other bands in mid-80's (most likely this was 1984), and I have recollections of seeing their videos earlier on the tv before actually hearing any albums in full.
    And I must have then borrowed some albums from the local library or listened to the albums with my friends or something. Back then we used to listen to lots of music together and made some tapes for each other.
    The self-titled debut-album was among the first albums I ever heard from Kiss and it was the first I ever bought, as I found it from some second-hand store back then, some european pressing on vinyl.

    About "Kissin' Time", I think it's ok song and it's very cool that we get to hear them 3 sing in one song.
    But thinking seriously on this, maybe they should have done some original song instead if they really needed to get 1 song more to the b-side.
    So all in all, it might feel like a little lesser song or filler maybe on this magnificent debut-album.

    Looking forward to next songs and talking here, exchanging opinions. :)
     
    GodShifter and Cachiva like this.
  17. dave9199

    dave9199 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, NC
    I find it hard to understand why the original of the first album had a second side that was only 14 minutes long when they had other songs. I saw one of these years ago and was going to buy it for my friend. This was his favorite Kiss album. It was up on a shelf behind the counter. I asked to see it. The woman grabbed it and the album, with no sleeve, rolled out into the air and onto the floor. I guess I could've made a deal there but I decided I wouldn't buy that copy.
     
  18. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA


    DEUCE (1974) (Gene Simmons)

    Probably one of the most covered KISS songs of all-time and the stomping opener that KISS came out with for their earlier tours (complete with the fire bombs going off). Simmons stated that he came up with riff by taking The Rolling Stone’s “Bitch” riff and “basically turning it backwards”. The beginning intro guitar figure was actually written by Paul Stanley which was inspired by The Raspberries “Go All the Way” (it shows up again at 2:24 of the original version). While it’s an integral part of the song, Stanley said he probably didn’t deserve a writing credit for it.

    Ace Frehley has stated that “Deuce” is his favorite KISS song and it was the first song that Criss, Simmons, and Stanley played for him during his audition. Simmons said, “we’ve got a song we’re going to play and it’s in the key of A. Listen to it and then try and play along”. After the band played it as a three piece, Ace said he just wailed leads over the song for about four minutes.

    As a kid I always tried to figure out the lyrics and thought the “GET UP! AND GET YOUR GRANDMA OUT OF HERE!” was a very strange line. Lyrically, Simmons has stated the song means nothing. The lyrics are nonsensical and just thrown together. The song itself was built linearly: the riff first, then the bridge, and then the chorus.

    “Deuce” was played on every tour until the Rock and Roll Over tour when it was dropped. It didn’t become a regular in the set again until KISS’s Hot in the Shade tour but was played occasionally before that. When the band was out of material during their club days, they’d often play “Deuce” again after their encore so on many nights it was played twice.

    It’s a rousing rocker and on Alive it actually steamrolls along and has a ton of force and momentum. The studio version is a bit more restrained and you can hear the nuanced guitar strokes that are lost on Alive where the power chords are more straight forward. I love how at 1:30 Stanley yells “DO IT!”; nice background vocals on the studio version, too.

    “Deuce” is definitely one of my favorite early KISS songs and its fury and pounding nature contrasts very well with the second track on KISS “Strutter” which is a mid tempo riff and employs more melody and a nice walking bass line from Simmons.
     
  19. Curveboy

    Curveboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Ah Deuce...such a classic riff and one hell of a steamroller of a tune. I do enjoy the Smashes, Thrashes & Hits version with the extended outro too.
     
  20. Peter's drumming was awesome in the early days. Check out the bonus disc from Cobo Hall, Jan. '76 in the Kissology set. Peter gets great camera time and he's bringing it hard from the first note to the last, playing with muscle and bounce in his beats. Oh yeah, and he sings his ass off too.
     
    CoachD, Matthew Tate, M321115 and 5 others like this.
  21. Spitfire

    Spitfire Senior Member

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Deuce from Alive! is probably my favorite KISS song.
     
    Purple, Cachiva and GodShifter like this.
  22. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    I forgot to mention that "Deuce" is one of those songs where the guys upfront choreographed their moves and would swing their guitars up and down and then move them for side to side during the closing riff. Scorpions and other bands copied that quite a bit, but I'm sure KISS wasn't the first band to do that either.
     
  23. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    Deuce is another one of my all-time Kiss faves. It's kind of the Kiss version of a Stones song...with Ace wailing on top of it. The way it's sung, you're not really sure what he sings...again like a Stones song. Something about your grandma? Nah, that can't be right. It doesn't really matter because the riff is just so cool. "He's worth a deuce". I thought for years that had to be some crazy sex thing that only rock stars did. They really should come up with something just so that word will have an actual meaning.
     
  24. jmobrien68

    jmobrien68 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toms River, NJ
    Is this true... a 'deuce' is paying 20 bucks for an oral servicing so the song was telling Honey that Old Jim is busting his ass and putting up with your mother so you better take care of him orally?
     
  25. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Sounds like something Gene would come up with.
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine