KISS -- Dressed to Kill

Dressed to Kill has always been a favorite KISS of mine. It's noted for its very short run time (fifteen minutes each side and almost no guitar solos). The cover isn't one of the most attractive I've seen (the guys are wearing business suits and posing on a street corner in New York), but the songs are awesome. Two of them, Love Her All I Can and She are songs from Wicked Lester Days (a band Paul and Gene were in together) and appeared on the Wicked Lester album.

Paul and Gene hated the Wicked Lester album so much they scraped together the money and bought the rights to the album back from the record company, who panned to release it when KISS started hitting, just so the album would never be see the light of day. Happily, they saw fit to use two of the tunes, which turned out excellent on the Dressed to Kill..

Dressed to Kill also features a killer Peter Criss vocal on a song penned by Ace Frehley called Getaway. Two kick ass Gene Simmons tracks, Ladies in Waiting and Two Timer are also present. Paul puts in top notch performances with Anything for My Baby and one of my favorite tracks, Room Service.

The album also features Rock Bottom, C'mon and Love Me (which became a big KISS classic, and, of course, Rock and Roll All Nite (which hit its stride on the Alive album).

The album was rushed because KISS were on tour and being urged to keep the records coming out at the same time, hence the inclusion of a couple tracks already written and the short running time of the songs. What could have been a big mistake turned out, I think, to be one of KISS' jewels.

KISS Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography

I've read this book so many times I almost have it memorized. KISS Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography by David Leaf and Ken Sharp is really two books in one, both collected together in to create the ultimate KISS book for KISS fans. The first third of the book (the biography part) was written by David Leaf in 1979, at a time when the original members of the band were still together and the tides of the KISS waves had yet to turn. The narrative takes a pull-no-punches approach and is not just some glossed-over glamorous take on who KISS is. There's a lot to be discovered here, even by the most die-hard KISS fan, and some of it is quite surprising.

The last part of the book (maybe my favorite part) is an album by album, song by song breakdown added by Ken Sharp and augmented with comments from the guys in the band and others involved with KISS at the time of each of the albums. The book covers every record beginning with the Wicked Lester album and going all the way up to Carnival of Souls: the Final Sessions. This part of the book is essential reading not only for KISS fans, but for songwriters in general. The insight into how every song was written, how the albums were made, and what everybody involved thought at the time is just incredible.

For instance, the guys in KISS rate all of the albums on a scale of one to five. It's interesting to read what they think of each album and what they rate them, particularly when they rate each others' solo albums.

I can't stress this enough, if you are a musician or songwriter (and any sort of KISS fan), reading Ken Sharp's portion of this book is essential and you'll find it enjoyable.

There are two covers for this book. The first is the print version. The second is the e-book version. I have a copy of the book in both editions. If you are a KISS fan or a musician/songwriter that likes a real behind-the-scenes look at the process of a band as big as KISS, you have to grab a copy of KISS Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography. You'll read it more than once.

KISS Merchandising

KISS have mastered the art of marketing. Their name has been licensed to somewhere around 3000 product categories and has been used in conjunction with everything from lunch boxes to kaskets. Here are some of the coolest and oddest pieces of KISS merchandise available.

KISS Bally Pinball Machine

KISS Kasket

KISS Kondoms

KISS Marvel Comic

KISS Dolls

KISS Lunchboxes

KISS Wine

These are just samples. A book could be published about the products KISS are associated with. There are KISS sex toys, KISS clothing lines, countless KISS dolls, KISS games, a KISS Coffeehouse, KISS coffee, KISS make-up, KISS cologne, KISS Bobbleheads, and lots more.

Music from the Elder

Released in 1981, Music from the Elder is the ninth studio album by KISS. It was also the final album Ace Freley did with KISS until the reunion many years later. Peter was already gone, replaced by Eric Carr. The Elder is a concept album based on a short story written by Gene Simmons. I have always sort of dug the record, but it was a huge disappointment for many KISS fans at the time of its release. Even KISS didn't much like it and, for the first time in their career, didn't tour to support a record. They have only recently begun playing a couple of the tunes live. Paul Stanley has admitted to not even remembering how to play the tunes.

Time does have a way of changing things. The young KISS fans have gotten older and a lot of them are starting to appreciate The Elder for what it is. Maybe it's nostalgia, maybe the appreciation is genuine. Whatever the case, long-time KISS fans seem to hold the album in higher esteem today than they did in 1981.

It's never been one of my favorite KISS albums, but a few of the songs are really good. Taken individually, The Oath, Dark Light, Mr. Blackwell, A World Without Heroes, and I are all strong songs and could have been successfully included on other KISS albums. Dark Light is classic Frehley and I features a Stanley/Simmons lead vocal and exhibits some potential as an anthem.

During the period of The Elder Kiss cut their hair short and streamlined the costumes, going to basic leather costumes with minimal design and adornments.  The new look was not especially appealing to many fans any more than the new music was.