KISS News Bits

[Nickdfresh]

He also said that the Edge didn't know how to play chords in the beginning which is also bullshit Whatever you say about the Edge is he played chords for BB King. Gene Simmons never even smelled BB's asscrack!

[Terry]

He mentions Gene being a solid bass player and his early album work being an example of how he could be a good bassist. But didn't they often have other guys record their album parts? Paul and Gene at least?

I'm not sure about how often Gene and Paul had others playing their guitar and bass parts on the albums. I'm thinking perhaps on the Ace tracks on Dynasty and Unmasked, where maybe Ace did all the guitars and bass.

[twonabomber]

Bob Kulick did a lot of session work for Kiss.

There's a site (not wiki) that lists who played what on the albums but I can't think of the site name.

[FORD]

I'm not sure about how often Gene and Paul had others playing their guitar and bass parts on the albums. I'm thinking perhaps on the Ace tracks on Dynasty and Unmasked, where maybe Ace did all the guitars and bass.

Wikipedia says Ace played bass on three songs on each of those records. And also three songs on "The Elder". The next record after that (Creatures of the Night) Ace didn't play bass OR guitar at all, but replacement drummer Eric Carr played bass on one track & there were session guys playing bass on two other songs.

I didn't look beyond that, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that Chaim was barely in the studio at all on some of those 80s alleged "Kiss" albums.

[Mushroom]

Who Played What On What: KISSMONSTER.COM

Here you go. It's on the internet so it has to be true!

https://www.kissmonster.com/reference/who_played.php


KISS (1974)
Nothin' To Lose - Bruce Foster on piano, Bobby on hand-claps

HOTTER THAN HELL (1974)
No substitutions/extras currently known, however...
Parasite - Ace is rumored to play bass

DRESSED TO KILL (1975)
Ladies In Waiting - Gene Simmons on guitar
C'mon And Love Me - Paul Stanley on lead guitar on intro

DESTROYER (1976)
Beth - Dick Wagner on acoustic guitar
Great Expectations - Brooklyn Boys Choir on backing vocals
Detroit Rock City - Paul and Ace share lead guitar, Bob Ezrin as news-reader
** Bob said it was him, Gene has said it was Bob (Regardless of who YOU think it sounds like)
Flaming Youth - Dick Wagner guitar overdubs; Bob Ezrin caliope
Sweet Pain - Dick Wagner on guitar solo; Tasha Thomas & Carl Hall on backing vocals
God Of Thunder - David and Josh Ezrin as kiddie voices

ROCK AND ROLL OVER (1976)
See You In Your Dreams - Gene Simmons on rhythm guitar
I Want You - Paul Stanley on lead guitar
Ladies Room - Gene Simmons on guitar
Hard Luck Woman - Paul Stanley on acoustic 12 string guitar

LOVE GUN (1977)
I Stole Your Love - Paul and Ace share lead guitar on solo
Christine Sixteen - Gene Simmons on guitar and piano
Got Love For Sale - Gene Simmons on guitar
Love Gun - Paul Stanley on bass and all guitars except solo
Hooligan - Paul Stanley on end solo
Almost Human - Gene Simmons on rhythm guitar, Jimmy Maelin on congas
Plaster Caster - Gene Simmons on guitar
Then She Kissed Me - Paul Stanley on lead guitar
** Background vocalists, The KISSettes: Tasha Thomas, Ray Simpson, and Hilda Harris

ALIVE II SIDE 4 (1977)
All American Man - Bob Kulick on lead guitar
Rockin' In The USA - Bob Kulick on lead guitar
Larger Than Life - Bob Kulick on lead guitar
Rocket Ride - Ace Frehley on bass
Any Way You Want It - Paul Stanley on lead guitar
** The KISS box set details that Rick Derringer played on "Larger Than Life." However, Rick's official discography omits this alleged contribution, while including his later work with the band ("Exciter"). Some also question the drummer...

DOUBLE PLATINUM (1978)
No substitutions/extras currently known
** It's been long rumored that Peter didn't play on the re-recording of "Strutter '78," but it certainly wasn't Anton Fig.

DYNASTY (1979)
I Was Made For Lovin' You - Anton Fig on drums, Vini Poncia on keyboards & backing vocals
2,000 Man - Anton Fig on drums, Ace Frehley on bass
Sure Know Something - Anton Fig on drums, Paul Stanley on guitar solo, Vini Poncia on backing vocals
Dirty Livin' - Peter Criss on drums & lead vocals
Magic touch - Anton Fig on drums, Paul Stanley on bass
Hard Times - Anton Fig on drums, Ace Frehley on bass
X-Ray Eyes - Anton Fig on drums
Charisma - Anton Fig on drums
Save Your Love - Anton Fig on drums, Ace Frehley on bass
** Richie Fontana drums on NOTHING.

UNMASKED (1980)
Is That You? - Anton Fig on drums, Paul Stanley on guitar solo
Shandi - Anton Fig on drums, Tom Harper on bass, Holly Knight on keyboards, Paul Stanley on lead guitar
Talk To Me - Anton Fig on drums, Ace Frehley on bass & lead trout
Naked City - Anton Fig on drums
What Makes The World Go 'Round - Anton Fig on drums, Paul Stanley on lead guitar
Tomorrow - Anton Fig on drums, Paul Stanley on bass
Two Sides Of The Coin - Anton Fig on drums, Ace Frehley on bass
She's So European - Anton Fig on drums
Easy As It Seems - Anton Fig on drums, Paul Stanley on bass and guitar solo
Torpedo Girl - Anton Fig on drums, Ace Frehley on bass
You're All That I Want - Anton Fig on drums, Gene Simmons on rhythm guitar, Paul Stanley on lead guitar
** Vini Poncia plays keyboards, percussion, and sings backing vocals throughout the album; Anton Fig drums on all tracks...

MUSIC FROM "THE ELDER" (1981)
The Oath - Paul Stanley on lead guitar, Ace Frehley on bass
Just A Boy - presumed session player on lead guitar
A World Without Heroes - Paul Stanley on lead guitar
Dark Light - Ace Frehley on bass
Escape From The Island - Bob Ezrin on bass
I - Allan Schwartzberg on drums
Odyssey - Allan Schwartzberg on drums, Tony Powers on keyboards
Only You - Gene Simmons on rhythm guitar
The Summoning - Robert Christie & Anthony Parr as spoken voices
** Bob Ezrin performs additional keyboards and percussion throughout.

KILLERS (1982)
Nowhere To Run - Bob Kulick on lead guitar
Partners In Crime - Bob Kulick on lead guitar; Paul Stanley on bass
Down On Your Knees - Bob Kulick on lead guitar, Mikel Japp on guitar, Paul Stanley on bass
I'm A Legend Tonight - Bob Kulick on lead guitar; Paul Stanley on bass

CREATURES OF THE NIGHT (1982)
Creatures Of The Night - Unknown (pos. Mike Porcaro) on bass; Steve Farris on lead guitar; Adam Mitchell on guitar
Danger - Jimmy Haslip on bass
I Still Love You - Robben Ford on lead guitar; Eric Carr on bass
Rock And Roll Hell - Robben Ford on lead guitar; Jimmy Haslip on bass
War Machine - Gene Simmons on rhythm guitar
** Other session players on this album may even include Bruce Kulick! Bob Kulick did record guitar parts for the album, but his work wasn't used. Vincent Cusano is the album's primary guitarist.

LICK IT UP (1983)
Exciter - Rick Derringer on guitar solo

ANIMALIZE (1984)
Thrills In The Night - Jean Beauvoir on bass & backing vocals
Get All You Can Take - Jean Beauvoir on bass & backing vocals; Mitch Weissman on ryhthm guitar
Under The Gun - Jean Beauvoir on bass & backing vocals
Heaven's On Fire - Paul Stanley on bass
I've Had Enough (Into The Fire) - Paul Stanley on bass
Lonely Is The Hunter - Bruce Kulick on guitar solo
Murder In High Heels - Bruce Kulick on guitar; Mitch Weissman on bass
While The City Sleeps - Mitch Weissman on ryhthm guitar
** Alan Schwartzberg performed additional drum fills, and Desmond Child backing vocals, on some tracks...

ASYLUM (1985)
Tears Are Falling - Paul Stanley on bass
Uh! All Night - Jean Beauvoir on bass
** Alan Schwartzberg performed additional drum fills on some tracks...

CRAZY NIGHTS (1987)
Hell Or High Water - Bruce Kulick on bass
** Both Phil Ashley and Paul Stanley perform keyboards on the album; Tom Kelly sings backing vocals...

SMASHES, THRASHES & HITS (1988)
No substitutions/extras currently known.

HOT IN THE SHADE (1989)
Rise To It - Paul Stanley on slide guitar
Betrayed - Tommy Thayer plays some acoustic & electric guitars
The Street Giveth, And The Street Taketh Away - Tommy Thayer plays some acoustic & electric guitars
Little Caesar - Eric Carr on bass/vocals, Bruce Kulick on all guitars
Forever - Bruce Kulick on bass, Phil Ashley on keyboards
Prisoner Of Love - Jesse Damon on backing vocals
Hide Your Heart - Phil Ashley on keyboards
Silver Spoon - Charlotte Crossley, Valerie Pinkston, and Kim Edwards-Brown on backing vocals
Cadillac Dreams - Pat Regan and Paul Stanley on 'brass'
Read My Body - Eric Singer is rumored to play drums
King Of Hearts - Kevin Valentine is rumored to play drums
You Love Me To Hate You - Kevin Valentine is rumored to play drums
** Since this album was comprised of "beefed" up demos, it is also suggested that Eric Singer appears on some of Paul's songs.

REVENGE (1992)
Unholy - Gene Simmons on "guitar scratches" intro
Domino - Gene Simmons on rhythm guitar
Every Time I Look At You - Bruce Kulick on bass; Paul Stanley on acoustic guitar; Dick Wagner on guitar solo
Carr Jam 1981 - Eric Carr on rhythm guitar
Take It Off - Kevin Valentine on drums
Tough Love - Bruce Kulick on bass
God Gave Rock And Roll To You II - Eric Carr on harmonies
Several songs - Johnny Z on harmonica
Several songs - Tommy Thayer, Jesse Damon, Jamie St. James, on backing vocals

CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1995)
I Will Be There - Bruce Kulick on bass
Rain - Bruce Kulick on bass
Master & Slave - Bruce Kulick on bass
Jungle - Bruce Kulick on bass
It Never Goes Away - Bruce Kulick on bass
I Walk Alone - Bruce Kulick on bass & lead vocals
In The Mirror - Bruce Kulick on bass

PSYCHO CIRCUS (1998)
Psycho Circus - Bruce Kulick on bass
We Are One - Paul Stanley on bass; Gene Simmons on guitar
I Finally Found My Way - Bruce Kulick on bass; Shelly Berg on acoustic piano; Bob Ezrin on Fender Rhodes
I Pledge Allegiance - Bruce Kulick on bass on chorus
Within - Bruce Kulick on backwards guitar intro
You Wanted The Best - Ace Frehley on guitar solo
Dreamin' - Bruce Kulick on rhythm guitar
Journey Of 1,000 Years - Shelly Berg on acoustic piano
** It's pretty obvious that there are other players on the album, mainly Tommy Thayer (providing the majority of lead guitar) and Kevin Valentine (drums). The only song the original four members play on is "Into The Void"...

DETROIT ROCK CITY OST (1999)
Nothing Can Keep Me From You - Bruce Kulick on bass; Steve Ferrone on drums; guitarist unknown.

WE'RE A HAPPY FAMILY, A TRIBUTE TO THE RAMONES (2003)
Do You Remember Rock 'N Roll Radio - Gene Simmons on bass/vocals; Paul Stanley on guitar/vocals; Eric Singer on drums; Scott Paige on saxophone; Derek Sherinian on keyboards

SONIC BOOM (2009)
No substitutions/extras currently known.

MONSTER (2012)
No substitutions/extras currently known.

[FORD]

Disco Dynasty.... now with even more disco.....

[Nickdfresh]

[Terry]

That link Mushroom posted all sounds about right, which is to say it all certainly sounds plausible and much of which had been confirmed by the band in several biographies.

For most of what I'd consider the classic Kiss records - basically the first album through Love Gun - not a ton of guest appearances or instances where people outside the band appeared...certainly not relative to Dynasty going forward. Some instances of, say, Paul or Gene or Ace doing guitar and bass on tracks they solely authored.

[Nickdfresh]

[FORD]

So...

Paul likes dick

Ace likes Hitler

Gene likes money

So... basically nothing new here. Guess she didn't have anything bad to say about Peter?

[twonabomber]

KISS at the Australian Football League Grand Final

[FORD]

The insanity of taking a 17 hour plane flight to lipsync a fucking disco song.

[twonabomber]

Just looked at what tickets are available for their "final" show here...$25 in the very last rows of the arena. Plenty of unsold tickets, even on the floor. Decent seats for $100 too.

[Seshmeister]

Not even good miming.

[Rikk]

I content myself with taking out videos of LARGO '77 and COBO HALL '75. I get more pleasure out of watching these in my home theater than paying a fortune to see a band lip-sync their music while claiming that their original lead guitarist could not cut it today even though he still plays actually live shows.