KISS - Dressed To Kill

31 years ago at 4:51 PM on the Southwest corner of 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue in New York City a kid, no more than six years of age, witnessed history. He can be seen in the outtake photos from the CREEM magazine two page photo comic sessions in KISSTORY. I do not know his name or have ever stumbled across a statement of his in an interview, but I would love to know what he was thinking the day he saw four men in makeup and business suits, leaning against a light pole on an ordinary busy New York afternoon. That must have been magical.
The feat of releasing three albums of original material in the span of 13 months is remarkable. The fact that each album got progressively better is downright amazing. DRESSED TO KILL, in my eyes is the best album of the three building block albums leading up to ALIVE in 1975. From the album cover to the album title, down to the songs themselves, KISS had finally found their groove and was settling into that classic look, style and formula.
KISS has a magical ‘something’ that draws us to it. I feel that ‘something’ is first apparent on this record. There is a mystical innocence to the songs. The album as a whole is so simply put together that after you listen to it, you immediately want to listen to it again, and that is the essentially what makes a classic KISS album.
Looking back it is interesting to think why Neil Bogart was chosen to produce the album. Was it the fact that KISS had been receiving offers from other major labels and Neil was simply trying to protect his investment? Was it that he suddenly had a spark of interest and loyalty to his baby? Or, was it the fact that KISS and Casablanca Records were running on empty and having Neil, as producer was simply a way to save money? We may never know. Which is probably one of the many reasons we keep listening. Sometimes it’s the mystery of KISS that keeps us coming back for more.


KISS – DRESSED TO KILL (March 19th, 1975)
ROOM SERVICE – A classic ‘road’ song and a classic Paul Stanley song. I love this song for many of the same reasons I love “Tomorrow And Tonight”. Catchy pop rock songs singing about the escapism all teenage boys love to dream about.
TWO TIMER – In the same way “Room Service” is a classic Paul Stanley song, “Two Timer” is a classic Gene Simmons song. I love how this song chugs along. Picking a clear-cut winner as far as song writing for this album is next to impossible. It has to go down as a tie. Simmons and Stanley were red hot at this point and the album is very reflective of that. My jaw hit the floor when a live version of “Two Timer” popped up on 1996’s, YOU WANTED THE BEST, YOU GOT THE BEST, although I question its authenticity. I never knew Peter’s drums were so thick, and for a live performance from Detroit in 1975 Gene sure sounds old. But nonetheless, I’ll sit back and make believe, after all it’s KISS, and part of the magical potion is just that…’make believe’.
LADIES IN WAITING – This song feels like an outtake from the Gene Simmons 78’ solo album. Quite possibly one of the reasons it has always remained one of my constant favorites. LIW is our first jump into the hook driven Gene Simmons groupie song, which will soon plague most of his cuts throughout the remainder of the seventies. But who’s complaining?
GETAWAY – I’ve never cared for this song. As an Ace Frehley song I feel it’s weak and sadly becomes the most skipped on the album.
ROCK BOTTOM – Hearing the intro to this song takes me back to the time when I first discovered KISS. I was young and naïve and believed that life was an open highway of possibilities. Now that I’m older and perhaps a little more jaded, it’s nice to ‘lose yourself’ in the music again, and believe, if only for a moment, that ‘anything’ is possible. “Rock Bottom” does that for me…pure magic.
C’MON AND LOVE ME – This is by far one of Paul Stanley’s coolest songs. I would rate it number three of my favorite Stanley tunes. The first being “Mr. Speed”, the second “Strutter” and “C’mon And Love Me” rounding up the bunch. It simply kicks ass.
ANYTHING FOR MY BABY – Another track I never pay to much attention to. However, I love Peter’s snare shot at the beginning of each stanza. He was quite possible at the top of his game on this record.
SHE – It was a treat to hear this song in its original WICKED LESTER demo form after growing to love it on this record. It made understanding the transition from WICKED LESTER to KISS mean so much more. I have always loved how grungy and dirty this song sounds, and Ace’s guitar work is phenomenal. A Gene Simmons classic. How cool it must have felt for Steve Coronel to watch a song he helped write make such an incredible stamp on KISS history. That would be a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity and blessing.
LOVE HER ALL I CAN – A fine example of how well Simmons and Stanley work together. From the harmonies to the guitar riff, everything about this song works and proves why KISS is such a great rock and roll band, clean, simple and to the point…kick ass rock songs.
ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE – Yes, it is triumphant that KISS could create such an instant classic out of the clear blue sky. Yes, it is a great rock and roll anthem, known the world over. Yes, it is a great closing number when performed live (the first time you see it)…but it has been overplayed. I may be stepping on some toes here, but…c’mon, give it up. Let’s lose the song from the set list at least for one year/tour. Everyone knows the song, and the people who really ‘matter’ in the audience…the ‘diehards’ are tired of it. It’s a song that has grown so mythical in proportion that the only ones who truly get off on it are ‘over the hill’ drunken women…who know little to nothing about KISS. The greatest move ever was NOT playing it at the VH1 ROCK HONORS. Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts…thank you. It’s a good song…but we get it already. KISS is bigger than any one member, and they should be bigger than any one song.