Kiss "Alive III"

[Mr Badguy]

I dug this CD out the other day and gave it a play.

I hadn`t listened to it in years.

You know what?

It`s crap.

I remember for years before it came out all the speculation about when we would finally get "Alive III" and looking back it`s amazing that this turkey could have been considered to be good enough as a sequel to the other two "Alive" albums.

I got it the day it came out and can remember thinking that it wasn`t as good but maybe that was because it was new and it had alot to live up to.

Now, thirteen years later, hindsight tells me that this was a cash grabbing exercise rather than an attempt to live up to the heritage of the 1970`s live albums.

Shit recordings, a crap set list and no excitement.

Your thoughts?

[The_KiD]

I agree with you 100 percent.. Gene was just looking to cash in on similiar sales to "Alive"and "Alive II". So he picks a random and yes, generic Kiss performance and markets it as "Alive III".

KiD

[binnie]

Generic is the word.

The problem with Alive III is that there is no performance, the fun that Kiss was about just wasn't present for whatever reason.

Whether that was because of the way it was recorded, or because the band had just lost the magic, I really couldn't say.

[binnie]

But I don't think it's anyway near as bad as the Kiss "Symphony" album.

Now that was something that didn't work!!

A real stinker, IMO!

[FORD]

"KISS Unplugged" was the only live KISS album worth a shit, outside of the two they made in the 70's.

[DrMaddVibe]

Unplugged was nice because they dusted off some old songs and brought Ace and Peter out again.

Maybe Van Hagar should do an Unplugged album!!!!

Can you imagine seeing Spammy's face as Dave Walks out and he has to give up the mic...Can you imagine what the crowd response would be? It would make the '96 VMA's look like an open mic nite!

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[DavidLeeNatra]

Originally posted by Mr Badguy
Now, thirteen years later, hindsight tells me that this was a cash grabbing exercise

pardon? when did they anything that was not???

bought it...listened to it...then it became dusty...

[Mr Badguy]

One of the things that pissed me off at the time is that it wasn`t exclusively material from the period since the last live album, like they did on the first two.

Putting inferior versions (to the previous live takes) of "Detroit Rock City", "Deuce" and "Watching You" made the newer stuff seem that it couldn`t carry an album on it`s own and that`s a pity because there were plenty of good live songs from the 80`s.

Where were 80`s concert stalwarts "Fits like a glove" and "War machine"?

What would have made a far more interesting live album would`ve been a compilation of different shows and line ups from `79-`93.

Come to think of it, that`s still a good idea.

[Tiki-Tom]

I just read that Paul said a new Kiss record is not likely.

From - Billboard.com
"Stanley says as far as he's concerned, trying to make a new album in the shadow of KISS' classic repertoire is, at the very least, a challenge. "The fact is, [fans] may tolerate the new songs, but it's the old ones you want to hear," he notes. "I think Jimmy Page and Robert Plant found that out. THE [ROLLING] STONES certainly know it. THE WHO certainly know it. So unless you're willing to go into the studio accepting that how your album will be received will never match your expectations, I'm not sure it's worth the effort."


Thank you so much Paul, Kiss is thinking smart for a change.
And this is coming from an old Kiss fan.

[Tiki-Tom]

Just wish Paul was thinking this way a few years sooner.

[Terry]

Thing that struck me about Alive 3 at the time (bought it on cassette shortly after it came out, ended up chucking it away several years later) was how retouched the whole effort sounded, especially the vocals.

Obviously KISS Alive and Alive 2 underwent the same process, but with Alive the sonic result was fairly seamless...a little less so on Alive 2...but never to the point that I couldn't suspend disbelief entirely. I distinctly remember listening to I Just Wanna on Alive 3 and remarking that it didn't sound live at all, far as the performance went; the mix and performances sounded like studio efforts with crowd noise totally overdubbed on them...

And yes, the setlist was less than inspiring, as was the whole concept of releasing a live album from a tour that flopped so badly with ticket sales that KISS was relegated to doing self-sponsored KISS Konventions afterwards, as the band were no longer able to cobble together enough promoters to book a tour that was feasible logistically.

About the only good thing to come out of Alive 3 was the way it greased the skids for Stanley and Simmons to come perilously close to totally bottoming out as has-beens, and sparked the series of events (Criss appearing at a Konvention onstage with the band, the 1995 Unplugged performance - which WAS brilliant, agreed) that led to the eventual classic Kiss reunion, as well as the eventual end of this post.

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by Mr Badguy
hindsight tells me that this was a cash grabbing exercise


Simmons, a cash grab? Who woulda thunk it.

[Mr Badguy]

Originally posted by EbDawson
Simmons, a cash grab? Who woulda thunk it.

That wasn`t the point.

Whereas the first two live albums had some logic behind their release (one demonstrating the bands power onstage and the next capturing the height of Kissteria), "Alive III" just seemed to be thrown out in desperation.

If what Paul says in the quote above (about living up to what went before) was just as relevent then, then the project should have been shelved.

If "Alive III" was supposed to prove Kiss could still kick ass in the concert arena then it totally failed.

How the hell did it end up sounding so flat?

The great thing about "Alive!" and "Alive II" was that every number blew it`s studio counterpart out of the water.

"Alive III" is the total opposite.

Out of every Kiss album, "Alive III" seems like the biggest cash grabbing exercise as they released something the fans were waiting for for years, something that should have been an event and did it so poorly.

[DavidLeeNatra]

with Alive III they missed a big chance to REALLY cash grab a shitload of money....the reunion of the original KI$$ was coming shortly after that and if they did the album on the reunion tour with the original four band members it could have sold BIG!!!

wonder how chaim fucked that opportunity up so bad...

[Mr. Vengeance]

I didn't hate it. What killed me was that they had plans for an Alive IV, including artwork, which got scrapped when the reunion took place.

[FORD]

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[FORD]

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[FORD]

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[FORD]

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[Mr Badguy]

Originally posted by Mr. Vengeance
I didn't hate it. What killed me was that they had plans for an Alive IV, including artwork, which got scrapped when the reunion took place.

Yeah, what happened to the "Alive IV" which was taped at the concert they did on new years eve 1999/2000?

"Rock n roll all night" on the Kiss boxset was supposed to be from that.

They even have a picture of the cover in the book.

[MERRYKISSMASS2U]

Even if Kiss does come out with a new album, we all know that it will suck. Kiss fans definitely don't listen to them for the musical quality.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Originally posted by MERRYKISSMASS2U
Even if Kiss does come out with a new album, we all know that it will suck. Kiss fans definitely don't listen to them for the musical quality.

That's not true. It's not like everything they put out is crap. People are trying to compare today's music to their heyday, and there's no way anyone would ever think it was the same.

[Tiki-Tom]

Their first two or three records were very good and Rock and Roll Over & Destroyer are not too bad.
Nothing from 78 or 79 onward even comes close to being like those classics though. I hardly think of any of that shit as the same band. I don't care if it says Kiss on it.

[Mr. Vengeance]

KISS has good songs on every album. It's the concept that even mediocre chocolate cake is still better than brocolli. They'll never be the band they were, but you can say that about most bands that have been around ages. Anyone actually expecting the new Who material to be any good? Then you forgot It's Hard.......

I'd rather listen to Hot in the Shade than 99% of the shit I hear on the radio today.

[Tiki-Tom]

Originally posted by Mr. Vengeance


I'd rather listen to Hot in the Shade than 99% of the shit I hear on the radio today.

Yes, but is that really saying that much.
I'm a nut for old kiss but saying that about their newer stuff only makes my point that much more.

The radio today is the shit at the bottom of the sewer and it does not take much for some shit to float above the rest.
Yes, Revenge had a good song or two and (maybe) some of the other records. For the most part those discs are crap. Better than your average crap for sure but still crap.

I love Kiss too but come on,lets be realistic.

[binnie]

Kiss is finished as makers of new music.

They are a touring entity only, and I here mixed reviews about their recent live shows.

Everyone gets old, but some know when to quit......

[Mr Badguy]

Originally posted by binnie
Everyone gets old, but some know when to quit......


I see your point but I don`t agree with it.

Noone forces anyone at gun point to buy CDs or tickets.

If you don`t like what an artist is selling, don`t buy it.

Iron Maiden got pretty much the same accusations levelled at them eight years ago and look at them now.

If Gene and Paul (or The Who or Meatloaf or anyone) want to milk their cash cow, so be it, I stopped buying the compilations and anything I didn`t want but if they came here I would still go and see them.

[binnie]

True, but do you see Kiss making an album as good as "Brave New World" or "Matter of life or Death"?

If they tour I'll go see them, but I wouldn't be sad if they called it a day, becaue I think they have been on the downward spiral since about 1996 (I agree with you that the 80's weren't as bad to them as people make out).

I hop they prove me wrong, but I don't see a way back to credibility from here....