KISS - LICK IT UP
When I discovered KISS, fans generally spoke of KISS in terms of two separate versions. There was the 70’s KISS and the 80’s KISS. Using KISS-EXPOSED as my springboard into the phenomenon I was more familiar with and found the 80’s KISS more accessible and by using Dan as my guide on this journey he quickly led me to KISS’ landmark first ‘non-makeup’ album, LICK IT UP.
Which ever side you stand for, the makeup era, the non-makeup era…Vinnie Vincent as the king axe-slayer of KISS or Mark St. John…you must admit that LICK IT UP stands alone as the bands greatest non-makeup recording…. period.
The album itself is not as strong as CREATURES OF THE NIGHT but represents the band's most honest material throughout the 1980’s. I attribute most of the album's success not only to Stanley’s strengths as a songwriter but also Vincent’s guitar licks as well as his songwriting talents. Add to the mix Simmons’ hunger and the fact he had yet to become ‘Mr. Hollywood’ and you have yourself a winning combination.
The album is straight-ahead early 80’s ‘metal’ (for lack of a better term). Not as brutal as Metallica or as dangerous as Motley Crue but still much cooler than the average SCORPIANS record. Songs such as "Gimme More" could have stayed on the cutting room floor but gems like "All Hell's Breakin’ Loose" completely make up for it.
Had I had access to the album in 1983 I’m sure I would have been a fan. It would have remained a staple in my cassette player the same way CONDITION CRITICAL did for an entire summer when I was a youngster, but the bottom line was back then I had no clue the album even existed. In fact, I never even saw the album until a few years after its release in 1986.
One night running errands with my mom we made a quick stop at a store called, Venture…and for a department store they had a pretty sweet music section. So, as my mom made her way around the store with the cart, I darted off for the cassette tapes.
I remember being drawn to the side bar of the cassette based firmly on the distinctiveness of the white KISS logo on the black cassette card stock. It stood out of the crowd. I slide the plastic cassette holder out of the rack and stared blankly at Gene sticking out his tongue, remembering visions of the KISS lunchbox I had held briefly in the 1st grade.
"Wow!", I thought. "This is what they really look like!"
Its odd to think, that even though the ‘importance’ of KISS taking off their makeup had long gone by, here I was, an 11 year old kid thinking the same thing the rest of the world had thought years earlier.
This simply goes to prove the impact of KISS. That it doesn’t really matter when in life you discover them…the simple fact is…everything they have done has been larger, brighter, and shinier than any other band out there…and on that fact alone, KISS will never be ignored.
Which ever side you stand for, the makeup era, the non-makeup era…Vinnie Vincent as the king axe-slayer of KISS or Mark St. John…you must admit that LICK IT UP stands alone as the bands greatest non-makeup recording…. period.
The album itself is not as strong as CREATURES OF THE NIGHT but represents the band's most honest material throughout the 1980’s. I attribute most of the album's success not only to Stanley’s strengths as a songwriter but also Vincent’s guitar licks as well as his songwriting talents. Add to the mix Simmons’ hunger and the fact he had yet to become ‘Mr. Hollywood’ and you have yourself a winning combination.
The album is straight-ahead early 80’s ‘metal’ (for lack of a better term). Not as brutal as Metallica or as dangerous as Motley Crue but still much cooler than the average SCORPIANS record. Songs such as "Gimme More" could have stayed on the cutting room floor but gems like "All Hell's Breakin’ Loose" completely make up for it.
Had I had access to the album in 1983 I’m sure I would have been a fan. It would have remained a staple in my cassette player the same way CONDITION CRITICAL did for an entire summer when I was a youngster, but the bottom line was back then I had no clue the album even existed. In fact, I never even saw the album until a few years after its release in 1986.
One night running errands with my mom we made a quick stop at a store called, Venture…and for a department store they had a pretty sweet music section. So, as my mom made her way around the store with the cart, I darted off for the cassette tapes.
I remember being drawn to the side bar of the cassette based firmly on the distinctiveness of the white KISS logo on the black cassette card stock. It stood out of the crowd. I slide the plastic cassette holder out of the rack and stared blankly at Gene sticking out his tongue, remembering visions of the KISS lunchbox I had held briefly in the 1st grade.
"Wow!", I thought. "This is what they really look like!"
Its odd to think, that even though the ‘importance’ of KISS taking off their makeup had long gone by, here I was, an 11 year old kid thinking the same thing the rest of the world had thought years earlier.
This simply goes to prove the impact of KISS. That it doesn’t really matter when in life you discover them…the simple fact is…everything they have done has been larger, brighter, and shinier than any other band out there…and on that fact alone, KISS will never be ignored.
posted by RIC @ 7:38 PM
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