KISS News Bits

[ELVIS]

The band can really play live but Paul's vocals are wearing thin...

[Mr Walker]

I bought the 180g vinyl lp... when I got home and opened it to listen, I was a little disappointed that all I got inside was a white paper sleeve... but then after looking at the condition on the vinyl... I was fucking furious.
Brand new out of the shrink wrap and sleeve... the album was scuffed, dirty and there was even a thumbprint on it. I payed more than double than the CD for what is being pushed as a 180g audophile version of this and the amount of care that went into the handling and packing of the product offended me like you wouldn't believe.
Even after cleaning it a few times, the album was riddled with clicks and pops... fuck, I have an original pressing of 'Hotter Than Hell' from 1974 that plays 1000 times better than this did. I was thinking about returning it to the store I bought it from, I'm sure they would accept it back being a cool independent record shop, but why should I stick them with it. Maybe I'll send an e-mail to someone at the label.
The problem with these new vinyl pressings is there is no quality control since albums are now pressed in such limited quantities basically as novelty items. Back in the day when vinyl was the dominant medium (over cassettes, 8-tracks and reel to reel tapes) those presses were running constantly and out of every 1,000 lps pressed (maybe more) they would pull one, cut it and look at a cross section under a microscope (or similar device). The main thing they would look for were tiny air bubbles that would form in the vinyl during the heating/cooling process. Since these new 180g pressings are done on such a limited basis, they can't afford to do that type of quality control and since the machines are not constantly running at a steady monitored level, these 'bubbles' are often present in a lot of these current 180g pressings causing clicks and pops which become more obvious after a play or two being exposed by the stylus.

Anyway, the album is OK... I like it better than Sonic Boom. The Eric Singer tune would have been much better if Paul sang it... would have sounded like something from his '78 solo album. I'm always happy to hear track when Paul and Gene trade lead vocals, but the lyrics on 'Take Me Down Below' are ridiculous and embarrassing... that's something we'd come up with in our high school band.
I can sense already that it's not going to grow on me because I already find myself skipping over tracks. For me the highlights are 'Hell or Hallelujah' and 'Long Way Down'.

[ELVIS]

Guess I won't be picking that one up...

[DLR Bridge]

Wow, if Long Way Down is one of the better tracks, that doesn't sound too promising.

[Mr. Vengeance]

I bought the 180g vinyl lp... when I got home and opened it to listen, I was a little disappointed that all I got inside was a white paper sleeve... but then after looking at the condition on the vinyl... I was fucking furious.
Brand new out of the shrink wrap and sleeve... the album was scuffed, dirty and there was even a thumbprint on it. I payed more than double than the CD for what is being pushed as a 180g audophile version of this and the amount of care that went into the handling and packing of the product offended me like you wouldn't believe.
Even after cleaning it a few times, the album was riddled with clicks and pops... fuck, I have an original pressing of 'Hotter Than Hell' from 1974 that plays 1000 times better than this did. I was thinking about returning it to the store I bought it from, I'm sure they would accept it back being a cool independent record shop, but why should I stick them with it. Maybe I'll send an e-mail to someone at the label.
The problem with these new vinyl pressings is there is no quality control since albums are now pressed in such limited quantities basically as novelty items. Back in the day when vinyl was the dominant medium (over cassettes, 8-tracks and reel to reel tapes) those presses were running constantly and out of every 1,000 lps pressed (maybe more) they would pull one, cut it and look at a cross section under a microscope (or similar device). The main thing they would look for were tiny air bubbles that would form in the vinyl during the heating/cooling process. Since these new 180g pressings are done on such a limited basis, they can't afford to do that type of quality control and since the machines are not constantly running at a steady monitored level, these 'bubbles' are often present in a lot of these current 180g pressings causing clicks and pops which become more obvious after a play or two being exposed by the stylus.

Anyway, the album is OK... I like it better than Sonic Boom. The Eric Singer tune would have been much better if Paul sang it... would have sounded like something from his '78 solo album. I'm always happy to hear track when Paul and Gene trade lead vocals, but the lyrics on 'Take Me Down Below' are ridiculous and embarrassing... that's something we'd come up with in our high school band.
I can sense already that it's not going to grow on me because I already find myself skipping over tracks. For me the highlights are 'Hell or Hallelujah' and 'Long Way Down'.

Good analysis of the vinyl today vs. it's heyday. I miss vinyl.

[silverfish]

Paul & Tommy were on the Walton & Johnson show and things got a bit "feisty" - link.

[silverfish]

With Peter's book out does that leave Paul as the only one who hasn't written one?

[Dave's Bitch]

Yes but not for long

http://www.kissfaq.com/forum11/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=77006

[indeedido]

I liked this song a lot better when Humble Pie did it back in 1971...

I thought the same thing!! Hell or Hallelujah is mighty close to DP's Burn!

[Dave's Bitch]

It is closer to I Stole Your Love

[Mr Walker]

I thought the same thing!! Hell or Hallelujah is mighty close to DP's Burn!

So was 'I Stole Your Love'... I think Paul even admitted to copping the Burn riff in an interview once.

Sorry... didn't see your post DB.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

[katina]

I bought tickets for Kiss concert in Buenos Aires, 7 November !!!!!!!!!


But I miss Peter and Ace

[fraroc]

I bought tickets for Kiss concert in Buenos Aires, 7 November !!!!!!!!!


But I miss Peter and Ace

They still put on a good show, man

But I agree about Tommy and Eric being the Spaceman and Catman. Everytime I look at Scandinavian death metal groups and see their "corpse makeup" I always find myself thinking that If Tommy and Eric were to wear makeup like that instead of Ace and Peter's, It would be totally fine by me.

[FORD]

Considering that Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent had their own makeup characters, I don't see why the current two scabs can't come up with their own identities.