What Are The 4 Worst KISS CDs?

[DLR_EngineRoom]

Originally posted by Vinnie Velvet
True true.

To me, Creatures is probably the best Non-Ace/Peter album.

It was a great comeback as far as the album went.

It IS the best Non-ACE/PETER album.

My guess is that it was Eric's tribute to Bonzo, that tragically died that same year.

[Mr. Vengeance]

"Creatures" is probably the KISS album that I always overlook, but not because it's not good. I always kind of associate it with an era that had the original band officially done- (even if Ace's face appeared on the album cover. )

But on the whole, the album was really well done and pretty godamn heavy. Along with Lick it Up, I pull this platter out quite a bit when I need a dose of nostalgia for my high school days.

[Nitro Express]

I was the kid who's whole room was cover with KISS posters. Then this little band called Van Halen broke onto the scene in 1978. I quickly forgot about KISS. I still like KISS but yeah, it's got to be pre 1978 stuff. Give me Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun, the Alive Albums.

[Mezro]

Originally posted by Mr. Vengeance
"Creatures" is probably the KISS album that I always overlook...

Creatures is the CD I listen to the most.

Mezro...it is my favorite KISS CD ever...BTW...if you pick up a copy of the original vinyl, the drums are even heavier in the mix...years later when George Marino (sp?) remastered the calalog he turned the drums down a notch...not fucking sure why...

[Terry]

Originally posted by DLR_EngineRoom
I can agree with you regarding 1979 onward but.....Creatures???

That was one of the best all time 'comeback' albums. The entire album screams 'Heavy Metal', most notably Eric Carr's 'Wall Of Sound' type of Bonham drumming.....

Had said 'parts of Creatures'. Not trying to split hairs, but rather qualify:some tracks totally rocked, and there are a few tracks that lay to waste entire albums such as Unmasked, The Elder and Lick It Up, which are the releases that were released during/around the Creatures period. Can't say that I dig the thing from start to finish, though. Was probably Carr's best reccorded work with KISS, but I'm biased because I'm a traditionalist where KISS is concerned. Kinda close-minded of me, but if it's not Ace, Peter, Gene and Paul, I don't consider it KISS. It becomes something else. Carr was really underused in that band as far as what wound up on record, no doubt.

Creatures WAS probably one of the better non-Ace/Peter KISS releases, up there with Revenge, definitely agreed.

[Mr. Vengeance]

In terms of "Creatures" and KISS, one thing I have never liked is that Paul will always do "I Still Love You" in concert to this day. It just brings down the whole show, even if it's not a terrible song.

[Vinnie Velvet]

Originally posted by Mr. Vengeance
In terms of "Creatures" and KISS, one thing I have never liked is that Paul will always do "I Still Love You" in concert to this day. It just brings down the whole show, even if it's not a terrible song.

One thing that gets overlooked with Creatures was that the North American tour (82-83) was probably KISS' biggest flop of a tour ever.

Half empty arenas, cancelled shows because of poor ticket sales.

There is a story that DLR himself attended a KISS show in late 1982. Van Halen were scheduled to play the next night as part of the Diver Down tour. There, as KISS barely filled the seats, Dave was backstage cracking jokes about it. Hilarious!

Anyhow, Creatures is a great album, however it only went Gold and the tour stunk.

With the exception of the Brazil shows (200,000 in attendance!)

[Mezro]

Originally posted by Vinnie Velvet
One thing that gets overlooked with Creatures was that the North American tour (82-83) was probably KISS' biggest flop of a tour ever.

Mezro...always thought the Revenge tour stunk it up more than Creatures...

[Diver Down NJ]

Hot in the Shade - I thought it was OK at the time, but anything that followed Crazy Night was going to sound like Led Zeppelin II. I like Rise To It, and was pretty jacked when they played the video and Gene and Paul put the makeup back on.

Crazy Nights - I bought this on cassette when it first came out. I lost it in a poker game a year later and never bothered to get it back. What a bullshit album this was.

Psycho Circus - Reunion album my asscheeks. What a bunch of crap this was. Formulaic anthem rock at its worst.

Carnival of Souls - So bad I didn't even buy a copy.



For the record, I dig the Peter Criss album. Yeah, it's weak and poppy compared to a regular Kiss album but so what? I dig the vibe and I think most of the songs are good.

Unmasked is OK, but it's basically Dynasty lite. Torpedo Girl is a cool song that could've benefitted from beefier production. I know I shouldn't like this album but I do.

Animalize and Asylum are so-so, but I can think of a handful of songs on both that I really like.

[DavidLeeNatra]

Originally posted by Nitro Express
I was the kid who's whole room was cover with KISS posters. Then this little band called Van Halen broke onto the scene in 1978. I quickly forgot about KISS. I still like KISS but yeah, it's got to be pre 1978 stuff. Give me Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun, the Alive Albums.

lol...exactly "my way"!

[Mr. Vengeance]

Originally posted by Mezro
Mezro...always thought the Revenge tour stunk it up more than Creatures...

Rumour was that the Revenge Tour was supposed to be the "reunion" tour. There were rumours that there were dressing rooms built under the stage, and the band was to disappear into the stage, then re-appear in full KISS makeup. With Peter and Ace to finish the show. I imagine this idea was scrapped for many reasons. I have to figure that there would be no point in doing a whole tour like that, since after the first show, everyone would know about it already.

[DLR_EngineRoom]

Originally posted by DavidLeeNatra
lol...exactly "my way"!

I dunno......oh I dunno.....


My Way...I thought that was one of the best 'unmasked' songs KISS recorded.......freakin' loove that song!

and I also loooooooooved 'Psycho Circus'........not a weak track on that CD.....IMO.....tour was underrated too........original 4, how do you beat that?

[DavidLeeNatra]

Originally posted by DLR_EngineRoom
and I also loooooooooved 'Psycho Circus'........not a weak track on that CD.....IMO.....tour was underrated too........original 4, how do you beat that?

with only studio musicians on the fucking album?

[Rikk]

I love how Gene still tries to justify that. A fan'll ask: "How come PSYCHO CIRCUS is recorded by studio musicians and not the original band?" Gene'll then give some big story about how Ace and Peter didn't play well, and Ace was drinking and the big-bad producer decided to go with studio musicians and then try and claim that he and Paul had to listen to him. Then the fan will say: "But you sold it as the reunion album with the four original members playing on it. Why would you say that if it weren't true? If you were selling a reunion album, was it that hard to just make sure the original band is playing?" And then the dickhead will get indignant, and then make some big comment about how KISS is more than just the four members, blah blah blah.

The point is, now they're trying to sell a tale that it doesn't matter WHO is playing. Then why did they reunite in the first place?

[Vinnie Velvet]

The only track that ALL 4 original members play on (for Psycho Circus) is "Into the Void".

And the results speak for themselves -- the most classic sounding KISS song on Pyscho Circus.

Why couldn't they just play and write together on all songs so we could have more of this?