KISS-KISS (1974)

If I were twelve years old in 1974 I too would have fallen under the spell of the KISS machine. Without a single note traveling through my ears I would have snatched the record off the shelf, handed over my money, and trucked home to find out just what these masked men were all about.
Unfortunately I wasn’t twelve years old in 1974. In fact upon its release, February 8th, 1974, I was exactly two months away from entering this blessed planet. Nonetheless the visual image of KISS would have moved me. Isn’t that why we are here? I mean, seriously? Sure, KISS is about the music but a lot of their magical appeal has to do with the marketing. It’s o.k. You can admit it. We’re all friends here. Your secret is safe with us.
Going back to this record today it still sounds fresh, it still sounds heavy, and it still carries that hungry KISS attitude. The songs still evoke that innocent quality they did the first time I heard them, and the cover still amazes me. Who cares if they were trying to copy the MEET THE BEATLES cover? It is a beautiful photograph from an era when album covers were still considered ‘works of art’. God, I miss those days.
KISS music is about the joy of being alive. In 1974, a group of four starving musicians from New York City set out to put the fun back in rock and roll. In my eyes I can never thank them enough for what they did for rock and roll, American pop culture, and myself as a listener. There has simply never been a better band than KISS.
Fourteen years ago, simply for shits and grins, writing in a journal on a boring summer day, I wrote the following statement. It went something like this:
“I have been a KISS fan for many years. They are what rock-n-roll was, is, and ever should be. KISS are more than just performers, they are superstars. KISS music has changed my life. They give me something to believe in, and here is a brief explanation why:”
I don’t know if that statement made sense then. I’m not sure if it makes sense now. However, whatever happened to me as a result of being a KISS fan…I still have faith in.
“Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to.”
KISS – KISS (February 8th, 1974) - TRACK BY TRACK
STRUTTER – To this day, “Strutter” still holds top ranking in the top five KISS songs of all time. Sure, “Detroit Rock City”, “Shout It Out Loud”, and “Rock And Roll Night” (I cringe even thinking that) are good songs, but when it all boils down it’s the simple things that leave the biggest impact. For me that thing is “Strutter”. This song clearly led me to choose ‘Paul Stanley’ as my ‘Favorite Member of KISS’ and in some way has everything to do with KISS becoming my ‘favorite band’ of all time. I consider this song an all time classic. It has everything a good rock song should; a heavy groove, thick attitude, and sexy lyrics. I have loved this song from the first day I heard it and still consider it the best ‘A-Side’ KISS classics. It is a great beginning to the first KISS album, and a great opening chapter to the KISS catalog.
NOTHIN’ TO LOSE – “Nothing To Lose” has an infectious groove that you can’t help but like. The first time I listened to it, it became a definite favorite from the album. Until the fateful day I heard it performed live. Suddenly the album cut wasn’t as exciting. It simply doesn’t have the balls it should. While performed live this song burns with an energetic fire. Here, it feels rehearsed and lacks the impulse it needs to chug along with that all mighty KISS power.
FIREHOUSE – I have grown to love this song more than I ever thought I would in the past few months. It seems that throughout my early days of KISS collecting, I would slap this CD in the stereo and simply pass “Firehouse” by almost as if it didn’t exist. My mistake. This song has a great groove that punches you in the stomach as well as one hell of a tight guitar solo. Much like “Nothin’ To Lose”, the studio version is rather boring, but heard in certain live performances (Cobo Hall 1/26/76 or The Summit – 9/2/77), this song kicks ass. Listening to it today saddens me that I placed it on the back burner so much growing up. It is truly a KISS classic.
COLD GIN – This is the first KISS song in which I played over and over again. I recall times sitting in my room during my freshman year of high school when I would simply leave the program button on repeat, blasting “Cold Gin” all night long. I was introduced to KISS and this album at the same time I was bashfully eyeballing learning the guitar. I was floored by the three-chord breakdown in the middle of this song. It simply amazed me. To me it was much more effective than a guitar solo because all instruments were represented equally. Plus, it sounded like something that I could possible pull off on my own, with a little practice. Sometimes looking back, I thank God I was a nerd in high school and that I discovered KISS. It never made for a boring night.
LET ME KNOW – Early on I heard the alarming wake up call that KISS ‘B-Side’s’ were the hidden gems to find on each album. “Let Me Know” is no exception. A very ‘Beatlesque’ track, and as legend would have it, the first song that Stanley ever performed for Simmons, I have absolutely grinned from ear to ear every time I hear it. It’s the perfect ‘early morning coffee rocker’. Besides, who could not love the ending? The sound of Ace’s guitar alone is enough to cover anyone head to toe in goose bumps. Probably one of the best songs on side one, and absolutely one of the Top 5 all time best KISS ‘B-Sides’.
KISSIN’ TIME – Sure every album needs a hit single. Sure, producers Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise were hired hands brought in to bring out the bubble gum side of KISS, but c’mon…did we need to go this sugary pop? I suppose when you throw in the story of the sponsored ‘kissing contest’ and the relevance this song may have played in the promotion, it kind of makes sense. But still, as a rock and roll record, this track has no place whatsoever.
DEUCE – This is a great song the first time you hear it. The second time you listen, it’s good. By the third and fourth time, she becomes redundant. A tremendously effective live performance and a great song to raise your fist to during the choreographed move at the end but when taken in excess the song become very tiring, very quickly. If I sound a little biased here, let me clarify. I’m a huge fan of Gene’s ‘singing’ (e.g.: “Naked City”, “Mr. Make Believe”, “Thief In The Night”) and to me, “Deuce” is very representative of that classic Gene Simmons ‘dog growl’ that so many love. I on the other hand am just not one of them. I’m a sucker for the slow grooves…always have, always will.
LOVE THEME FROM KISS – Call me strange, but I have always enjoyed this track. It’s simple, to the point, and the guitar work of Ace Frehley is always a treat.
100,000 YEARS – This song sounds as if it were created out of one of those rumored ‘10 East 23rd Street loft jam sessions’. To me this song is everything KISS is not. It’s a boring 70’s rock and roll song. It’s long, it’s redundant, and it has few great guitar riffs. Performing the song live does nothing but damage it further. Talk about beating a dead horse? Could you make that song any longer? The fire explosions are awesome, but as a whole the song blows.
BLACK DIAMOND – I have always thought of this song as a rock opera performed by KISS. It has a terrific dramatic edge to it. I would rank it an A+ as a closer to the album and a damn effective closing song live. The energy packed into the songs climax is unbelievable. As a youngster the ending ‘slow down’ always gave me the creeps…kind of like it was headed towards a demented backwards message, however, listening to it today, that guitar sound does everything to me. That my friend is truly what a rock and roll record should do. Move you, amaze you, and leave you wanting more.