KISS (Official Thread) - Page 3

Tiny Tim · 01-06-2010, 08:32 AM

My understanding is Ace wanted to do a solo record because he felt Gene And Paul were limiting his contributions as a songwriter on KISS records. So to avoid Ace going solo on his own, they came up with the idea of all four members releasing solo records at the same time. So in that sense, it was a KISS release. Of course Ace outsold the other guys and had the sets only hit single so the next two KISS records included more Ace compositions as a result.

rtbuck · 01-06-2010, 08:50 AM

The controversy is probably this.

From what I've read & gathered over the years is that Peter wanted to leave the band back in '78(I think Ace also but I can't remember for sure) Anyway, management & Paul & Gene decided to keep the other 2 happy they could put out solo albums & still remain as part of Kiss. Peter was on an ego trip since "Beth" & thought he could make it on his own. In my opinion "Beth" is a good song but it was producer Bob Ezrin who made it great with all the strings,piano, & other orchestations added. They might not sound anything alike but check out the work Ezrin had done on "Steven" by Alice Cooper & then listen to "Beth" & you can tell "Beth" is Ezrin's work. Anyway, it was then decided that all 4 members were going to make solo albums. Each member used their own musicians which definitely make them solo records but what Kiss did was release them all on the same day,each cover painting was similar,at the top left hand corner was the "Kiss" insignia, & in each album was a poster which all 4 interlocked together to make one big poster. So yes,they are all solo records but they were also kind of released as Kiss records.

rtbuck · 01-06-2010, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by Tiny Tim

My understanding is Ace wanted to do a solo record because he felt Gene And Paul were limiting his contributions as a songwriter on KISS records. So to avoid Ace going solo on his own, they came up with the idea of all four members releasing solo records at the same time. So in that sense, it was a KISS release. Of course Ace outsold the other guys and had the sets only hit single so the next two KISS records included more Ace compositions as a result.

Right you are Tiny Tim about Ace. It's a little early & I was pretty positive about the Ace situation but I couldn't remember the details but you jolted my memory!

Right after, the solo albums they recorded 'Dynasty' which led to the famous Tom Snyder interview where Peter & Ace were blitzed & Peter was gone shortly afterward

**Lord Grendel** · 01-06-2010, 09:09 AM

Very good gentlemen, I never knew the details of the solo albums until now. I was a little surprised to find out that Ace's was the biggest selling of the four though...

I would have thought Paul would be the most successful. Off topic but I keep looking for a debut album by the band "New England", which Paul Stanley produced, but I haven't even seen an MP3 laying around anywhere.

Tiny Tim · 01-06-2010, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Lord Grendel

Very good gentlemen, I never knew the details of the solo albums until now. I was a little surprised to find out that Ace's was the biggest selling of the four though...

I would have thought Paul would be the most successful. Off topic but I keep looking for a debut album by the band "New England", which Paul Stanley produced, but I haven't even seen an MP3 laying around anywhere.

If memory serves it was Ace, Gene, Paul, Peter in order of most copies sold, but I'm not 100% sure on that. The four combined barely outsold Love Gun.

**Lord Grendel** · 01-06-2010, 09:34 AM

^^That's not surprising, very few solo albums released by members of a major famous band do as well, but if you are a prolific songwriter you need some way of expressing yourself if the band doesn't record your songs.

rtbuck · 01-06-2010, 10:48 AM

**METALPRIEST** · 01-06-2010, 11:32 PM

Bucky that was great posting original versions of KISS covers.

That made my day and added something GREAT to the entire thread itself!

Yeah as far as the solo albums (which I'm still working on) it was ACE wanting to have more songs and Peter's ego getting out of control. Substance abuse was starting to get in the way as well.

Also when they announced that they wanted to leave the band to Paul & Gene it was on the set of their made for t.v. movie KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park inside one of their trailers.

**METALPRIEST** · 01-07-2010, 12:04 AM

Certified 10/02/78 The solo albums would take two weeks to attain simultaneous Gold and Platinum status

**Lynch** · 01-07-2010, 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by METALPRIEST

Sorry Lynch!!

You ARE da man, man!

**Lynch** · 01-07-2010, 04:37 AM

Originally Posted by rtbuck

Right after, the solo albums they recorded 'Dynasty' which led to the famous Tom Snyder interview where Peter & Ace were blitzed & Peter was gone shortly afterward

I remember that video. It's also on one of the Kissology DVD sets (first one I think, but not positive). Ace was really having fun but you can tell he's pretty jazzed up. If you get a chance to see it (I'm sure it's on youtube), check out Gene. You can tell he's totally pissed off about it. He's trying to do a semi serious interview and Ace was ruining it for him.

Speaking of Kissology, I've been watching Kissology Vol 3 tonight. Watched the Revenge Tour stop in Detroit (the one that was used for Kiss Alive III), which was pretty cool. Am in the middle of the Kiss Unplugged segment right now. Man would have LOVED to be at that show.

**Lynch** · 01-07-2010, 04:40 AM

To answer the question about whether or not the "solo" albums are actually solo albums or if they are Kiss albums, they ARE in fact Kiss albums. They bear the Kiss logo and they are all wearing their trademarked warpaint on the covers. While the albums' musicians consisted of non-kiss members, they still are released under the Kiss name.

Speaking of the solo albums, Ace's is by far the best. the other three have high points and low points, but Ace's (in my honest opinion) is a hell of an album, start to finish.

**METALPRIEST** · 01-07-2010, 06:19 AM

I remember when they came out. I was 13 I think? I about blew my top with 4 albums at one time sitting in the new releases racks.

I didn't get them all the first day but wanted to

:

Tiny Tim · 01-07-2010, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by Lynch

I remember that video. It's also on one of the Kissology DVD sets (first one I think, but not positive). Ace was really having fun but you can tell he's pretty jazzed up. If you get a chance to see it (I'm sure it's on youtube), check out Gene. You can tell he's totally pissed off about it. He's trying to do a semi serious interview and Ace was ruining it for him.

Did you see the VH1 Classics preview show for Kissology? It was Gene and Paul basicallt talking about the different clips and showing them. When they talk about the Snyder clip, Paul is laughing about how Ace "stole the show", but you can tell Gene is still pissed about it.

Tiny Tim · 01-07-2010, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Lynch

To answer the question about whether or not the "solo" albums are actually solo albums or if they are Kiss albums, they ARE in fact Kiss albums. They bear the Kiss logo and they are all wearing their trademarked warpaint on the covers. While the albums' musicians consisted of non-kiss members, they still are released under the Kiss name.

Speaking of the solo albums, Ace's is by far the best. the other three have high points and low points, but Ace's (in my honest opinion) is a hell of an album, start to finish.

It's the only one I went out and bought on cd,

though I still have all four on vinyl.