Kiss - Sonic Boom (WALMART EXCLUSIVE 2CD/1DVD) 10/06/09

[B5Erik]

From KISSOnline:

GENE CHECKS IN!

Date: March 27

...We've also been recording our first New Studio Album in 11 years!!!. Produced by Paul Stanley. And, having Paul simply decide things, works better. Democracy is highly overrated. Paul is kickin' ass. The material sounds great and Tommy and Eric are in great form.

We have 4 tunes recorded. If you're a fan of our stuff from about 1977, you'll feel right at home. All of us have taken up the songwriting call to arms in the same spirit we once did -- without a care in the world and without outside writers. Nothing to prove to anyone. Just doing what comes naturally. Ignoring fashions, trends and with a personal vow from all of us: no rapping. There are plenty of people out there doing this and they don't need four palefaced guys pretending they're from the hood. Besides, I'm not sure how to correctly pronounce "wassup."

Tommy is finishing his solo tune. Sounds great, I can tell you. And Eric is going to sing on the album.

Most importantly, we are having the time of our lives...

So far this sounds like what Psycho Circus SHOULD have been - a real band effort and just some kick ass Rock and Roll!

[cdollaz]

So I guess this will spark farewell tours # 88-103.

[nodeerforamonth]

Funny how they haven't called it "their greatest album yet" like they do for every album.

Looking forward to it, even w/ the imposters.

I'm even more looking forward to Ace's new album out in a couple months.

[B5Erik]

Originally Posted by cdollaz

So I guess this will spark farewell tours # 88-103.

There was only one "Farewell Tour," and it was pretty much farewell to the intact original line-up, because they haven't been together since then.

As for the album itself, they've been taking an approach to it that they haven't taken since the 70's - write and record the album quickly. Paul's going after that raw, early vibe.

With Eric and Tommy in the band they don't need outside musicians, and as Tommy and Gene have written together several times in the past they don't need outside co-writers, either.

This should be a pretty good year with both a new KISS album AND a new Ace Frehley album.

[Lemmy]

I'm pretty excited for this one; been a fan for a long time.

Thanks for the info, B5Erik.

[KillerCannibal]

I like what I'm hearing so far. They know what works for them and what doesn't. Now, as long as they don't pull an Alice Cooper and start singing about things outside their generation (sorry, I LOVE Alice, but I think it sounds funny when he sings about his mom taking away his X-Box) I'll be ok with it. Paul just needs to write about the only thing he knows how to do: bang ladies.

[brianluvdvd]

Originally Posted by KillerCannibal

Paul just needs to write about the only thing he knows how to do: bang ladies.

Completely agree. That is why Psycho Circus felt so hollow...they tried to make it deep and KISS is a shallow group. When they sing about pussy, they are at their best. Anything else usually sounds contrived.

But no matter what they say, they will never be able to make an album today that sounds like it came from the 70's. It just ain't gonna happen. It may sound good...but it's not going to sound like Love Gun. Artists never seem to recapture their youth no matter how they try.

What's really crazy is that 11 years have passed since Psycho Circus. It just doesn't seem that long ago.

Do they have a title for the album or a firm release date yet?

[B5Erik]

Originally Posted by brianluvdvd

Do they have a title for the album or a firm release date yet?

The only speculated date I've read is sometime in September. They do have a history of September/October releases.

[Suprmallet]

I like the attitude and the philosophy. I just hope the songs are up to snuff.

[cactusoly]

Originally Posted by cdollaz

So I guess this will spark farewell tours # 88-103.

technically the "Fairwell Tour" was legit because it was the last with the original lineup

[Giantrobo]

We'll see....

[JAA]

Originally Posted by Suprmallet

I like the attitude and the philosophy...

Exactly! I like the reference to the '77 sound as well . . . interesting.

[brianluvdvd]

Originally Posted by cactusoly

technically the "Fairwell Tour" was legit because it was the last with the original lineup

I could have sworn I saw them twice on two different tours with the original line-up. But maybe Peter was missing. Can't remember for certain.

I saw them twice on the original farewell tour and both concerts were fucking awesome. They were all in great shape and didn't seem so puffy like they do now (mainly Gene ). People were going nuts because no one thought they would ever see them all in the make-up again.

Saw them in New Orleans because we didn't think they were going to come to Birmingham so we traveled down there. The coolest part was Trent Reznor & Marilyn Manson were sitting a row back and a few seats over. We had great seats but were still halfways back. We thought it was strange that we had slightly better seats than them.

One of my friends had a phobia about MM and kept wanting to throw up every time he looked over and saw MM's freaky eyes.

Then they did schedule The Ham and we went then as well.

The other time was somewhere around 1999 and we saw them in Pensacola. I'm gonna have to look to see if Peter was actually there or not. I believe that was the Psycho Circus tour but I am not sure if they actually called it that.

[nodeerforamonth]

Originally Posted by brianluvdvd

I could have sworn I saw them twice on two different tours with the original line-up. But maybe Peter was missing. Can't remember for certain.

The tour in 1996-98 was the "reunion tour" or "Psycho Circus" tour. The 2000 tour was the "farewell tour". I believe Peter made all the dates except one in Ohio (though he was counting the days until the tour was over). The reason Ace & Peter aren't in the band anymore is because they said they would only do that final farewell tour and that was it. That's all they signed on for.

[MANBREASTS]

I'm sure this will end up being sold as a store exclusive at either Walmart's, Target, or best buy. The band would be crazy not to.

[B5Erik]

New quotes from Paul from a South American newspaper:

Q= Ten years after your last record, you are working in a new KIss album... What's the challenge behind it?

PAUL= I think that the band is sounding so good that the challenge lies in taking that energy to the studio. I would like to capture the sound of Kiss in 2009, because, by the way, the 2009 sound is a lot like the classic Kiss sound.

Q - And what is that sound?

Paul - The principles: guitar, bass, drums, passion ... rock and roll, basically.

Q - Will you unmask like you did in 1983?

Paul - No way. By then, perhaps, we needed to be more commercial and we needed a move like that, but now would be crazy. We are icons of rock culture and our duty is to be the best of what we have always been.

[nothingfails]

sounds great! I'm glad they're coming back, they are part of my childhood, I don't listen to them much these days but I have so many junior high memories of them around the Revenge era.

What gave Gene a change of heart? I remember a year or two ago he said that KISS as a recording act was finished because he wasn't going to record an album that 13 year olds are going to download for free anyways. Did he finally decide to hell with it and that there are more than enough loyal fans who'll pay for it?

[bearkiss]

Originally Posted by nodeerforamonth

The tour in 1996-98 was the "reunion tour" or "Psycho Circus" tour. The 2000 tour was the "farewell tour". I believe Peter made all the dates except one in Ohio (though he was counting the days until the tour was over). The reason Ace & Peter aren't in the band anymore is because they said they would only do that final farewell tour and that was it. That's all they signed on for.

not true!

ace hasn't toured with KISS since the farewell tour of 2000... but peter toured with them again in 2003 (including the filmed for dvd australian show with the orchestra)... it wasn't until 2004 that he was replaced by eric for the last time...

[The Cow]

Originally Posted by MANBREASTS

I'm sure this will end up being sold as a store exclusive at either Walmart's, Target, or best buy. The band would be crazy not to.

If they follow like they did with the DVDs, they would have exclusives at EACH store.

I'm looking forward to listening to what they can come up with.

[Giantrobo]

Originally Posted by B5Erik

New quotes from Paul from a South American newspaper:

Q= Ten years after your last record, you are working in a new KIss album... What's the challenge behind it?

PAUL= I think that the band is sounding so good that the challenge lies in taking that energy to the studio. I would like to capture the sound of Kiss in 2009, because, by the way, the 2009 sound is a lot like the classic Kiss sound.

Q - And what is that sound?

Paul - The principles: guitar, bass, drums, passion ... rock and roll, basically.

Q - Will you unmask like you did in 1983?

Paul - No way. By then, perhaps, we needed to be more commercial and we needed a move like that, but now would be crazy. We are icons of rock culture and our duty is to be the best of what we have always been.

But see, one has to be cautious with KISS. Both Paul and Gene are professional "hype pimps" and they don't always deliver on their word when it comes to stuff like this. I mean hell, Paul always speaks in sound bytes and we all know what Gene is all about.

[B5Erik]

Originally Posted by Giantrobo

But see, one has to be cautious with KISS. Both Paul and Gene are professional "hype pimps" and they don't always deliver on their word when it comes to stuff like this. I mean hell, Paul always speaks in sound bytes and we all know what Gene is all about.

No question, skepticism is healthy when it comes to expectations regarding a new KISS album.

However, I view this as an occasion closely equivalent to Revenge where the album matched the hype. They are in similar mindsets - in this case rather than trying to create a monster current KISS album they're trying to create a raw Classic KISS album, more or less.

Paul is enthusiastic about making music again - the Live To Win album and tour got him re-energized, and the Alive 35 Tour is a lot like the Hot in the Shade tour in that they played a LOT of the older material (with the HITS tour that meant anything from the 70's, with Alive 35 that meant nearly the entire ALIVE album - their earliest, and most of their best, songs). Musically I think their heads are in the right place.

My gut feeling is that this is going to be a very good album.

[Giantrobo]

Originally Posted by B5Erik

No question, skepticism is healthy when it comes to expectations regarding a new KISS album.

However, I view this as an occasion closely equivalent to Revenge where the album matched the hype. They are in similar mindsets - in this case rather than trying to create a monster current KISS album they're trying to create a raw Classic KISS album, more or less.

Paul is enthusiastic about making music again - the Live To Win album and tour got him re-energized, and the Alive 35 Tour is a lot like the Hot in the Shade tour in that they played a LOT of the older material (with the HITS tour that meant anything from the 70's, with Alive 35 that meant nearly the entire ALIVE album - their earliest, and most of their best, songs). Musically I think their heads are in the right place.

My gut feeling is that this is going to be a very good album.

I hope you're right. Just to be clear, I'm not in any way wishing failure on the band.

[Hokeyboy]

I'm cautiously optimistic, but optimistic nonetheless. I will admit to being more excited about Ace's album, but the fact that we're getting BOTH a new KISS and a new ACE album is pretty freakin' awesome. (PLUS a new "Heaven and Hell" album to boot!)

Oh and...

Paul just needs to write about the only thing he knows how to do: bang ladies.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight....

[KillerCannibal]

Originally Posted by Matt Millheiser

Oh and...

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight....

You're going to question this man's sexuality?

[Hokeyboy]

Originally Posted by KillerCannibal

You're going to question this man's sexuality?

I was thinking more of this guy: