Giantrobo

He we go folks.....I tell ya, I love KISS but I HATE gene and paul's "Just put anyone in the makeup, no one will care" attitude. It's like they don't care about the other members.


Kiss Working on Alive IV; Ace Replaced

By Sefany Jones, Assistant Editor
Tuesday, June 18, 2002 @ 1:04 PM

Kiss Working on Alive IV; Ace Is Out, While Criss Remains Uncertain

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Blabbermouth.net reports the scoop on the future of Kiss:

Having recently parted ways with the Universal Records Group (i.e. Mercury/PolyGram), Kiss' Gene Simmons has reportedly been talking to several large independent record labels -- including Spitfire -- about inking a new deal for the band. However, while recent speculation has centered around the release of the group's long-completed Alive IV project, it now appears that Simmons and partner Paul Stanley have in fact been working with producer Bob Ezrin on the act's next studio album, which is unlikely to surface before 2003 at the earliest.

Another subject of much speculation, Kiss' current line-up appears to no longer include guitarist Ace Frehley, who has been replaced by Tommy Thayer during the band's most recent live performances. Drummer Peter Criss, meanwhile, is said to be welcome to return to the fold provided that he accepts the original contract offered to him for the band's most recent tour (which he had previously rejected). However, in the event that he decides to not be part of the group, Eric Singer is said to be the frontrunner to play the drums on the upcoming record and during the subsequent live activities

B5Erik

Even if Peter rejoins the band Eric Singer will play on the next studio album.

That's fine with me, Eric Singer is my all time favorite Hard Rock drummer. He is a PHENOMENAL player with a great sense of groove.

I'm taking a "wait and see" attitude about all of this. I wanted one more studio album, and now I may just get it. Tommy Thayer is a solid player and a good riff writer (he's co-written KISS songs before), so even though Ace would be missed, Tommy is a fine replacement.

Mutley Hyde

Thread title is slightly misleading. The way I'm reading the story, Alive IV has been completed, and the fact of Ace's noninvolvement and question of Peter's involvement are in regards to an upcoming studio recording, and have nothing to do with Alive IV.

atlantamoi

Kiss recorded music past 1979?

Rocky_Stallone

I thought those guys retired. Meh, they reunite back together all the time so it's nothing new.

Jason

They're not going to keep doing the makeup thing, are they? If they just want to go back and pick up where Carnival of Souls left off, that would be great. I can't see how keeping the makeup on will do anything for them at this point. The whole point of the makeup was because it was a reunion tour, and with 1/2 of the reunion gone, it makes no sense at all.

B5Erik

Well, actually it does make sense for them to keep the makeup on. If they take it off they will likely get NO attention at all from the media. Any new releases or tours without the makeup will end up as unsuccessful as Creatures Of The Night and the 10th anniversary tour. They were thought to be dead then (the make-up had gotten old), and taking off the make-up got them the attention.

Now the NON-makeup version of the band is thought to be dead, and unless they keep the makeup on they won't get the time of day from the media. (Everyone has seen KISS without make-up, so the novelty of that idea won't be there.)

Like I said before I was hoping for one more studio album anyway (Psycho Circus was OK, but a bit disappointing).

Flashback

I pretty much thought that Peter and Ace rarely played
on Kiss records.

B5Erik

Actually, they never announced their retirement untill the "Farewell Tour" of 2000. The band continued on in the 80's and 90's without the make-up, and they were relatively successful. (5 platinum albums, 9 gold albums.)

They seem to be dragging the "Farewell Tour" out indefinitely. That's OK. As long as they quit before 2005.

B5Erik

That is somewhat true.

Destroyer was the first album where Peter and Ace were replaced on album (They've admitted to having another guitar player play a solo - it was probably 2 or 3 solos in reality, and there have been stories coming from people around the band in the 70's that another drummer played some stuff that Peter was having trouble with).

The first album that was not really a "band" album was Dynasty. Peter only played on 1 song, and Ace only played on his own songs - and maybe on "I Was Made For Lovin You."

Peter was effectively out of the band for Unmasked, and Ace again only played on his own songs. Anton Fig played drums on Dynasty and Unmasked.

Ace played nothing on Creatures Of The Night (even though he was on the cover), and he had minimal input for The Elder.

Eric Carr played on almost all of the songs during his tenure in the band, as did Bruce Kulick during his. Vinnie Vincent played on all of the songs on Lick It Up, and he tried to turn KISS into Vinnie Vincent's KISS. Thus they booted him out.

But, yeah, Ace & Peter were replaced often.

It's been rumored that Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer were adding new drum and guitar tracks to Alive IV since Peter and Ace's performances were pretty weak. It COULD be true, and then again it could just be another internet rumor.

With KISS you never know...

GuessWho

I want the lineup from the REVENGE album

POWERBOMB

Alive IV was supposedly released in Japan as Kiss has a hugh following there (according to the bands official website). By now Gene and Paul have the right to put whoever they want in the lineup, as Peter and Ace are too undependable. Don't those guys realize that this is as good as it is going to get for them? Obviously not.

I like Kiss to continue putting out studio music for as long as they can. They have had at least 1 - 3 good songs on each cd they have released.

Giantrobo

I still say Gene hasn't been at all the KISS shows

With that said, sure KISS IS Gene and Pual there's no two ways about it. They can, and do, put whomever they want in the lineup and this works even better with makeup.


Peter wanted more money...who doesn't? Ace? who knows why he's out this time. But don't be fooled, Gene and Paul are no Geddy Lee and Jimmy Page

Jackskeleton

Man, I dunno how many farewell tours one has to go to before the band finally stops and just shuts up. the olympic's thing was just to whacked for my taste.

B5Erik

I don't know where the idea that KISS has 'retired' more than once came from. They never pulled the 'retirement' trick before. They never broke up, or said that the band would end in any way until the Farewell Tour of 2000. They've gone out on just ONE "Farewell Tour," and according to them they haven't finished it yet.

Of course, this could be the longest Farewell Tour in history the way it's going.

Andalusia

My KISS collection starts and stops at "Alive". The band in the 80's that were calling themselves KISS weren't really KISS. They were Motley Crue's older, uglier, geekier brother. Pathetic. It's time to close up the shop, guys.

Giantrobo

As long as money rolls in Gene and Paul--KISS-- will never stop.

Not a bad thing, just the fact. personally I wish Paul would go solo. I thinkn' he could have a lucrative solo career and some of his ballads could make it big.



KISS is like herpes...they ain't never goin' away!

Spiderbite

Well, if I remember correctly...when they released the solo albums under the Kiss banner, I believe Paul's sold the worst. My favorites were actually Peter Criss' & Gene's albums.

As far as Alive IV goes...I was in Sam Goody on Saturday & got Jerry Cantrell's new album. At the counter they had a sheet of upcoming releases. Alive IV was listed as a July release. sorry, I don't remember the exact date it said. But as we all know...I will believe it when I see it.

bardevious

You allude to exactly where the confusion regarding KISS' retirement comes from: their Farewell Tour.

Generally, the words "farewell tour" are taken to mean, "See ya, thanks a lot, it's been a great 30 years, we love you, you'll always have KISS, here's looking at you kid, OUT!" No more new studio albums, no more performances, no more KISS, no more nothing.

How many "farewell tours" can you go on before the word "farewell" is meaningless or deceptive (not that KISS would EVER pull ANY sort of stunt to drum up business, like, say, putting the makeup back on)?

Giantrobo

Really? I though t Peter's sold least? And Aces' or Gene's sold best

Spiderbite

Well, I checked one of my Kiss books and there were not any #s given to back up their statements but it seems right. Ace's sold the best due to the minor hit, New York Groove followed by Gene's album. It just said that Paul & Peter's did the worst but did not place them in what order.

I checked another book & this would probably translate to sales as well.

Ace - peaked at #26 on Billboard's album chart & was on the charts for 23 weeks. Ace had the only single to hit the charts & New York Groove peaked at #13 & charted for 21 weeks.
Gene - peaked at #22 on Billboard's album chart & was on the charts for 22 weeks
Paul - peaked at #40 & was on the charts for 18 weeks
Peter - peaked at #43 & they do not give an amount of time it was on the charts. It was the only Kiss solo album to not break the Billboard Top 40 album chart.

So...I was wrong. Paul was next to last. What are your favorites in order. Mine is Gene, Peter, Ace, Paul ---- solo albums that is.

Giantrobo

I really LIKED Paul's and Ace's solo albums. To bad Paul's didn't do better.

Josh-da-man

Eh, none of them are very good. Peter, Paul, and Mar.. I mean Ace... had a few decent songs on each of their albums, but nothing really memorable.

Gene's is good for a laugh, though...

mumblemumbleSHOWTUNESmumblemumble

...he wasn't serious, was he? He did a Jiminy Cricket tune fer Chrissakes.

Jason

I thought Paul's was more successful than that.

And I thought KISS has only done one (long) "Farewell" tour. The other two were the reunion tour and the psycho-circus tour.

Spiderbite

The book Black Diamond had some interesting stuff to say about it. And I quote..."While both Paul & Peter's solo albums were considered good, bad, or mainly indifferent depending on the listener, most fans & critics tended to dump upon Gene's album as being just...strange. At the time of recording the album, Gene was immersed in the idea that the album was the pinnacle acheivement of his musical abilities. It did allow Gene to encompass his yearning to do Beatle-like material, while also doing material that was not all sex and power oriented as many of his earlier Kiss tracks had been. He even included a heart-felt rendition ofthe disney classic, 'When You wish Upon a Star.' It was a chance to show a romantic and adventurous side of his musical nature."

"The critics and many fans pounced upon such ambitions, tearing them apart like hungry frenzied animals. Remarks by fans that stating that the album was 'unexpected' and 'stupid' or 'silly' embarrassed Gene, who now reflects upon the album as done by a man who was 'completely lost.' Such attempts to move outside of his known field of songs written about sex and power had been met with laughter and insults, leaving Gene to scurry back to what he 'did best' on Dynasty & Unmasked. With Music from the Elder, Gene would once again bring forth such lofty ideals only to see them smashed by the critics and fans. After such a second downward attempt, Gene learned his lesson and never again tried to write outside of his 'established' field."

I can see this when looking at songs on there like Mr. Make Believe, Burning Up With Fever, and See You Tonite. But then again, I liked it because there was a different sound from the norm.