KISS - ALIVE!

I have never understood the appeal of the ‘live’ album. I have always felt that unless the album contains rare performances or extra tracks you could not find on an artist’s catalog, what was the point? Sonically they don’t stand up to studio records and if you are that much of a fan that you would consider purchasing a ‘live’ record, more than likely you already have all the cuts from the live album on other records. Like I said before, this is my general feeling about ‘live’ albums for every artist except KISS.
A ‘live’ record from KISS is a necessity. The true essence of the band can only be captured ‘live’. This is more than likely the reason the first three catalog KISS albums sold very poorly from 74’-75’. Record buying kids hadn’t a clue of the absolute rock and roll power the band could project. Thank the maker for Neil Bogart and Bill Aucoin.
Now, I understand we can get into a whole debate regarding the actual ‘recording’ and ‘re-touching’ of KISS-ALIVE! and we could talk until we are blue in the face regarding the fact that every track may have been stripped down to the drums and re-recorded at Electric Lady Studios with layer upon layer of ‘crowd cheering’ added to cover up the ‘in-studio’ sound…but for nostalgia sake, we won’t.
We’ll keep it pure. We’ll keep it happy.
KISS-ALIVE! may be the one album in your collection that rarely gets touched but that doesn’t mean that when she’s dusted off she doesn’t shine like a diamond in the cold black night. Listening to it right now takes me back to those simple days of discovery. A 14-year-old kid simply blown away by the “Cold Gin” breakdown not to mention Ace’s choppy feedback guitar during the intro. That’s the stuff the moves teenagers. Plain and simple...rock and roll.
Much later, we’ll discuss the gem of all gem’s…KISS ALIVE II…but until then as you lay your head down to sleep, quietly imagine what it would have been like if KISS were to release ALIVE! the way it had originally been planned out - A new album of three sides of ‘live’ material and one side of brand new studio cuts? The ALIVE II sessions are mind-blowing, imagine what the 75’ session would have sounded like? Now if that thought doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will. Sweet dreams…