Sunday, August 22, 2010

When kiss went Disco...so sad

5 comments:

Kath said...

Never liked Kiss, they just give me the creeps with that make-up. Ick.

BUT -- I do admit to watching Gene Simmons Family Jewels show. It's freakin' hilarious. It's great. (I still don't understand his hair, tho.)

Rockie Bee said...

They must have shot this and the video for 'Sure Know Something' on the same day. At least 'Sure Know Something' has that weird part where the four goblins 'act out' the 'Dynasty' album cover.

'79 would have been the first I'd ever heard of KISS, in first grade. A couple kids were totally nertz for KISS and drew their faces EVERY DAY during non-structured class time. They'd wear out a then-brand-new silver metallic crayons every week drawing Ace Frehley. Then they'd render the KISS goons with the gold and bronze metallic crayons, I guess, because their art direction was JUST THAT GOOD.

The 'Dynasty' album sounds pretty awful; I mean, it sounds bad compared to the ham-fisted stuff Eddie Kramer recorded for them. And those sound muddy and awful! But this song and 'Sure Know Something' stack up nicely to any of their 'rock' songs -- seriously, KISS aren't exactly Zep, and thanks to some Bob Ezrin polish, marginally a better band than the New York Dolls. It just kind of shows how disconnected they were -- they didn't get anywhere near as into disco clubland as Mick Jagger on the 'Emotional Rescue' album. It was shameless pandering for KISS to go disco, but kind of an inept shameless. It's not like they upped the professionalism and slickness and turned into Journey, just to ride out their popularity -- it's like they've always had a doofy middle-schooler at the helm.

Wek said...

K- you strike me as more of a Rod Stewart gal. :)

Rockie- friggin' hilarious. I guess they did shoot the vids on the same day. Never thought of that.

I gotta admit to loving the New York Dolls. Johnny Thunders got a lot of mileage from 1 guitar riff.

Sisu said...

Kath, have you noticed the family doesn't get his hair either? And he thinks it's awesome! cracks me up!

Kath said...

Sisu -- I know, right?! That hair, it's so very strange.

And, Mr. Wek, Rod Stewart? Oh, no! Stevie Ray is my guy.