A Kiss to Remember: Reliving the Legacy and Ranking the Albums of Rock's Theatrical Titans

Strap on your platform boots and smear on that face paint as we reminisce and rank the storied discography of rock legends Kiss. I'm Ben Maynard, and I've woven my personal tapestry of musical memories into a nostalgic exploration of Kiss's albums, from the electrifying "Revenge" to the seminal self-titled debut. We dissect the evolution of this iconic band, diving into the polished production of "Crazy Nights," the ambitious concept in "Music from The Elder," and the less traveled road of "Carnival of Souls." Our sonic journey is punctuated by shout-outs to fellow fans and podcasters, as well as some intriguing Kiss trivia that might just surprise you.

This episode isn't just a rundown; it's a celebration of the highs and reflective understanding of the lows that have shaped Kiss's enduring impact on rock and roll. I share the bittersweet tale of parting with my vinyl collection, only to have my passion for Kiss's music rekindled with every power chord and anthemic chorus. We discuss the dynamic contributions of Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, and how their musicianship stabilized the band through various transitions. Plus, I get candid about the albums that didn't quite hit the mark for me, and why they fell short in the shadow of the band's more illustrious works.

As we wrap up this rock and roll rollercoaster, join me in celebrating the Kiss albums that have not only defined the band's legacy but also significantly influenced my life. I share my deep passion for these records, from the raw energy of their debut to the hard-hitting "Revenge." Whether you're a die-hard member of the Kiss Army or just a casual listener, this episode promises to reignite your love for one of rock's most theatrical and beloved bands. So crank up the volume and get ready for a trip down memory lane with the anthems that made us all rock and roll all night and party every day.#tellyourstory #spotify #familymatters #classicrock #kiss #kissonline #paulstanley #genesimmons #acefrehley #petercriss 

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:08

Hey everyone, welcome into the Ben Maynard program. Thanks for being here. Before we get started, a little bit of housekeeping to take care of. As a reminder, this program is available on multiple podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, amazon Music and Spotify, or if you simply do a search for the Ben Maynard program, you'll have several options to choose from. Just pick your option and, as you know, I like to guide everyone towards Bus Sprout, because that's where my website is. And if you're looking at all this right here and you just can't stop, you're watching this show on YouTube I ask that you please subscribe to the channel, give me a thumbs up and leave a comment. You know I like comments, so just do that for me and I greatly appreciate it. Last but not least, follow me on Instagram Simply Ben Maynard program. So there are plenty of ways to take in this show for your dancing and listening pleasure. And with that, let's get started.

Speaker 1: 1:17

Okay, last night we did something a little bit different. We went live yeah, went live and that was. That was a lot of fun. It was kind of different. It was challenging, to say the least, because I had no notes, I had no preparation. It was two hours, two and a half hours maybe, before I went live, that I thought to myself, ah, let's just do it, let's do it and see what happens, see how it goes, and just, you know, throw it out there. People watch, people, don't? Well, whatever, that's okay and I'll be very honest with you because I'm completely transparent. I think two people watch, it's okay, it's all right. I believe I gave, I believe I gave everyone two hours notice, I think. Once I decided I was going to do it, I sat on it for 20 minutes or so and then we sent out a notification on Facebook and notification on Instagram that we were going live. It was Friday night, but it was. It was still fun, I had a kick doing it. It's going to happen again Not sure, not sure when, but we'll plan it out and and do a little bit more prep work on it and, you know, bring something a little more to the table, still having fun, still having a lot of fun.

Speaker 1: 2:48

So anyway, with that, let's get rolling. What do you say? Today? I'm going to bring to you my Kiss Studio albums ranked. I'm ranking them from top from bottom to top, my least favorite to my favorite, and why I want to do that and I thought about doing it a little while ago, but I sat on it just because I I don't want to bombard you guys with too much of the same subject all at once. Okay, I try to spread some stuff out. We'll get a couple of things close together, but I want to try to spread it out a little bit.

Speaker 1: 3:40

And, as you know, kiss is one of my absolute favorite bands. They are the band that I have loved since I was about 12 years old. The very first album that I owned from their catalog was Love Gun. I bought that on cassette right after it came out, right when it came out in summer of 77. That was, I think, june of 77 when that came out and I wore that cassette out. My, my dad, had this old style portable cassette player. I think he had to put I don't know 4D batteries in it and it had a handle on it and I would skate around on my skateboard the entire summer and I dragged that thing with me wherever I went and I wore that cassette out.

Speaker 1: 4:36

There was a group of friends that we used to sit. We used to hang out on this wall at the end of an alley, just several doors down from from my house, several doors down from some other friends' homes, and we gathered and sat on this wall and we would get there I don't know 10, 11 o'clock in the morning. We would sit there till the sun went down and I played Love Gun that entire summer and I think everyone knew every word to every song on that album. We'd play one side, flip it over, play the second side, and over and over and over. So, yeah, that was, that was it for me and I was.

Speaker 1: 5:24

I was drunk with Kiss. After that. I I owned everything Kiss posters on my walls, every magazine that they were in, be it Cream, hit Parade or Circus. They were even on on the cover and and articles in some of the Teen magazines. So it was a Teen Tiger Beat and Teen 17 or something, something like that. I don't remember the exact names, but I would, I'd get everything Kiss. So they I don't want to say they were like a gateway band, but they were the, the first real big deal for me, and so Kiss always holds a special place in my heart and I owned every single one of their albums, up to up through music from the elder at that time, had them all on vinyl and in the summer of 83, I sold all my albums, all my Kiss albums, all my Beatles albums that were on the Apple label, that were, you know, on well, they were on Capitol Records too, but but I think at least half of my album, my Beatles albums, were on the Apple label, so something you can't even get anymore Sold all of my albums. Like I said, kiss, beatles, my Aerosmith albums Gosh, let me think I can't even remember all the albums that I had sold and I got like a total of 85 bucks for them all.

Speaker 1: 7:17

And why did I do that? Because I was 18 years old and I was traveling back to Missouri to be with my high school girlfriend. What a dope, right? What an idiot, oh my gosh. But the stupid things we do when we're kids especially for us guys, we do a lot of dumb things, anyway. So I thought you know what I'm going to.

Speaker 1: 7:46

I already ranked the live albums a while back and that that episode really didn't get as much response as I thought it would. I thought it would get some better response from everyone. So we're going to give it another shot, because this is one of my favorite bands, absolutely, and we're going to rank their studio albums, studio only, no solo albums and, of course, no compilations. So there's a total of 20. What do you know? A top 20. That's a total of 20. That's great.

Speaker 1: 8:22

Oh and for, for those watching at home, I'm leaning to one side of the microphone so you can see the shirt, the t-shirt that I'm wearing. It says thank God, it's fright, I'm sorry. It says thank God, it's Tuesday, with a nice three, kind of make a lightning bolt, three making the S in Tuesday. That is a shout out to my guys at Three Sides of the Coin. This is a, this is a Three Sides of the Coin t-shirt here that they put out a few years back. And so this is my shout out to them yes, go Three Sides. Let me see, let me get that straight there. We go, go Three Sides. Oh yeah, all right. So there's a lot of albums to cover, a lot of ground to cover. Let's just dive right into this, because all of you out there know that I can talk. So let's get it going.

Speaker 1: 9:21

Oh and, by the way, please do listen, put your own list together. All right, I don't care if you leave any other comments. I don't care if you say Ben, you suck, or you don't say, ben, you suck. If you just want to leave your list 20 to one, just do it and no more commentary, that's fine. I just want to see what other people have to say out there. I really do, because I know, look, I just I don't know if I view music, the music I love, these bands that I love. I don't know if I view things a little bit differently, hear things differently, see things differently. I don't know. But I know that when I put these lists together this is not my lists don't coincide so much with what the masses would have, and so that's why I really want to hear from everyone. I want to hear or hear, see whatever. Put your list in the comments. Let's get it done, all right.

Speaker 1: 10:32

So, all right, we're going to get started and, like I said, let me take a sip of water. All right, clear the throat a little bit. The ringer's off on the phone. 20 to go on this one here. So we're going to start right out of the gate. Number 20. And it's this one right here, monster. All right, the very last studio album that Kiss had has put out. I think this one came out in 2012,. I believe it was. Look, I, I'm not one of those guys. That's just oh, gotta be an original. You know the original lineup or anything like that, and you're going to find that in my list. You will see that I don't have anything against this lineup.

Speaker 1: 11:34

I know there's a lot of people that are put off by the fact that Eric Singer and Tommy Fair are wearing Peter's makeup and Ace's makeup. Look, I understand that, and when that first went down I was I was pretty upset about it too, and then I stepped back and I said, okay, look, I know why it's happening. It doesn't have to be that way. I just know why it's happening, so I didn't have. But so I kind of got over that. Tommy and Eric are excellent musicians. I'll just say that right now. They're excellent musicians and, yeah, I think that they brought a lot to the band. They brought and I guess I'm speaking past tense, because now we know that Kiss is supposed to no longer be touring, so I guess I will talk about them in past tense but they brought a lot up to the band. They brought stability for one that was probably number one was stability, but they brought great musicianship too, and they did a fabulous job playing the old catalog. They actually did a great job playing their material too.

Speaker 1: 12:49

The problem I have with this album, really honest, my opinion, of course, outside of hell or hallelujah, there is nothing memorable on this. Okay, that's why it, just that's why it's number 20. All right, and I know there's some people out there that really dig this, I'm just not one of them. So, monster, number 20, number 19, kind of the same thing. Sonic Boom Sonic Boom comes in at number 19 for me and for pretty much the same reason as monster there is. Okay, there's not a lot that's memorable. I really do like modern day Delilah. I like some people, don't? I like dangerous, I really like that song. Danger, you danger me, dangerous. Okay, I like that. Okay, it's kind of kind of catchy and I like say yeah, I know there are folks out there, I, you know.

Speaker 1: 13:58

You'd see the comments on various Facebook pages a Kiss Fan Facebook pages, whatever it was and people would be complaining get, say yeah, out of the set list and so on. I like that song, I do. Those three songs are good. Everything else that's on here is completely forgettable. It really is. There's nothing special about it and I'll tell you this too what really, what really just irks me.

Speaker 1: 14:30

I'm glad that Tommy and Eric both had lead vocal songs on each of these albums Sonic Boom and Monster. I'm really glad. I'm really happy about that, um, because they're fine singers. Eric's got a great voice. But what I didn't like about the songs that Tommy did this is okay.

Speaker 1: 14:57

Okay, why do we have to have a song that makes Tommy sound like he's ace freely? Okay, what on Monster was out of this world. And on Sonic Boom, when lightning strikes? Okay, you're going to be the space man, you're in the space man makeup, great. But I just don't think that that was proper. I just think it was too much of a stretch. So that really turned me off. It really really did, because Tommy's better than that. And these guys Tommy and Eric look. It's a great gig.

Speaker 1: 15:43

And if I was a musician and I got offered the gig to play guitar and wear ace's makeup and kiss for the last 20 years are you kidding me? I would do it too. So I get it. But there still has to be some pushback, unless you're just really into that and you want to. You really want to play the role. Okay, it's okay to wear the makeup. It's okay to strut around the stage. It's okay to have rocket shooting out of your guitar, that's fine, all that stuff, but I know Tommy's way better than that. I know, I know that they could have better songs on there for Tommy, so I won't rant too much on that. That's, that's where I guess where I'm going to leave it. So, all right, like I said, I can talk. All right, so that's where we are.

Speaker 1: 16:34

Number 19, sonic Boom Very forgettable, oh and again, I don't even like the re, the re records on it. I just don't. They just sound like, well, the album came out in 2009. So they sound like 2009 versions of just some classic kiss songs. So, and they don't seem to have the same, they don't seem to have the same emotion in them, you know, or the same attitude, the same attitude. It just it's almost like they're emotionless. All right enough Enough. So number 18, and I guess this one kind of surprised me a little bit that it was this low as I was putting the list together, but it's actually one of my favorite album covers of the band and that is Unmasked. Okay, yes, unmasked. Well, I guess, I guess I'm really not surprised when I, when I turn over and I look at the track listing I like is that you?

Speaker 1: 17:52

I bought this album when it first came out in 1980. Because I am still a kiss geek. I bought this album, put it on and hear the first track and like, yeah, that's a cool song I really, really dig. Is that you? And then after that, you know Shandy okay, shandy's a cool song, I enjoy that one too, but but after that it's just, it's just really full of bubblegum and it's very poppy. And I like pop music. You know I like lots of different genres of music, but I don't need pop in my kiss. Okay, I don't need it in my kiss. So I just thought I thought the ace Freely songs weren't very strong. You know, talk to me is okay. Two sides of the coin is okay. Torpedo Girls Terrible. Can't stand that song. The last track, you're all that I want. I think that's a terrible song too. You know I do like what makes the world go round. That's a pretty cool song, but it's. But again, it's just it's. It's poppy.

Speaker 1: 19:14

I think if and we know Kiss was at an all time, almost at an all time low at this point when they released Unmasked, peter really had very little to do with it, if anything at all and he was out of the band before the album even released. He actually came back, put the makeup on and shot the video for Shandy. But at the time of the album's release we, as Kiss fans, we didn't know Peter was gone. We didn't know he was gone until he released. What was it? By myself? His, his second, really, if you count the first one solo album.

Speaker 1: 19:49

But you know, like I said, there's some okay songs, but it's just, it's just full of just bubble gum and no, it's, it's, it is a little slick or no, it's. I don't want to say it's slick, it's not slick, it's, it's kind of polished, but it's, yeah, it's just too much bubble gum. And even in 1980, putting that on I was like, okay, it's, it's, it's okay, but that's not my guys right there. So anyway, so unmasked, it's at number 18. Let me clear my throat. Okay, so number 17. And this was not.

Speaker 1: 20:37

Look, this was not easy for me to put this list together, really wasn't I enjoyed doing it. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't, it wasn't easy, it was pretty, it was pretty tough. I guess I'd rather put together, I'd rather rank the kiss albums, then have to put together a top 20 song list from kiss. That would be Absolutely the worst, just like I had to do a journey that was just that was so brutal. And let me look over here. Oh, yeah, there it is Okay.

Speaker 1: 21:12

One last note on on on unmasked here, holly Knight, the real famous Big-time Grammy award-winning songwriter, she plays keyboards. She plays the keyboards on unmasked. For those of you out there who didn't know that, now you do. That's how long Holly Knight's been around. Great songwriter she's, she's, yeah, fabulous.

Speaker 1: 21:37

And I had to look over here. To my right, I have her autobiography on my bookshelf and I Gosh, I think that came out a year ago and I still haven't read it. I read the first page and Got distracted. So I need to get on that, and one of these days we're gonna put a, put a show together on rock autobiographies. All right, give you a whole list of them to jot down and and read, all right. So my number 17 right here, and I'm probably a lot of people will agree with this hot in the shade, yeah, and I think we'll all agree for the same reasons, and that is that I Too long.

Speaker 1: 22:24

What is it? 15 songs, so too many songs, and the fact that there were just a lot of they weren't recorded really well because a lot of them were taken from demos and they just weren't cleaned up too well or even just properly recorded. And then, of course, there's just some really dumb stuff on here as well. I love the opening track, rise to it. I think that is a great, great, great song. That's a song that I Wish that kiss would would have played and had it in their set, and I don't.

Speaker 1: 23:06

I have that kiss a life forever book. That's got every show the band ever played, from the very first one up until, I think, the. I think the farewell tour, the first farewell tour with the original lineup. So I don't recall seeing right. I think I might have seen rise to it on a set list somewhere in that in that book, maybe once, maybe twice. That's about it. That is a great song and of course it's got the, the one hit song, forever. That is a great song.

Speaker 1: 23:38

There are some good songs on here. There's just not enough to really warrant it being any higher than 17 on my list. You know, like I said, forever Rise to it. Let me look through the. Oh, hide your heart. Yeah, that's a good song too, and that song should have been a whole lot bigger than it was. It should have been a bonafide hit, but I don't know, it's just. Yeah, it's just just what I said. Yeah, that's it. So it's at number 17. I Wish it was stronger than that, because I do like that Sphinx. What was he? Leon, leon Sphinx? Yeah, I dig that's a cool cover and I like that Kind of California shot of the guys on the back to with our with their sunglasses and Eric Kars got his shirt open and all that stuff. But, yeah, this one actually surprised me at number 16. It surprised me it was as low as it is on my list and that's this one right here. Dynasty yeah, that's I. You know, I have to stop and think about it. It is really, really good.

Speaker 1: 24:51

A lot of people will say, oh, that's kisses disco album. Well, no, it isn't okay. The first track, of course I was made for loving you is For all intents and purposes a disco song. But when you go through the rest of the tracks, the the other eight, it's not. It's not as. It's not as hard rock as you know, destroyer Rock and roll over anything like that, anything that came before it. No, it's not. It does have a. It does slightly lean pop, but there's some good stuff on here. There really is Aces cover of 2000 man. I think that's a strong song. Sure, no, something strong song.

Speaker 1: 25:43

Peter gets some flak for dirty living, that's one I mean. I'm not, it's probably not my favorite Peter song, but it's right up there. It really is. It's right up there, I dig it, you know. And and come on Jean and charisma. Okay, not a heavy rocker, but it's a very, it's very Jean Simmons, let's put it that way. I mean, we all know Jean, jean likes himself some Jean and he says it all right there in charisma. But magic touch, that's another good song, that's a, that's a. I mean, when you, when you really listen to the guitar tracks on magic touch, it's got some Little heaviness to it. You're a little crunch to it. Sort of no hard times. I dig that song.

Speaker 1: 26:33

X ray eyes Okay, yeah, it's. You know, let's just say that, okay, charisma and X ray eyes, not Jean's best work, but certainly better than anything he did on Unmasked. Okay, charisma, I do like that one. And I think, okay, charisma, I do like that one. And X ray eyes is pretty decent and I like save your love from ace. I, I like the ace tracks on here. Ace has three tracks on here to jeans too. Man, how do you do? Yeah, but yeah. So I was a little bit surprised that it fell as low as it did on my list. All right, so let's get to where we number 15. Okay, I think, let me look through here. Oh, no, second, all right, right here.

Speaker 1: 27:28

Animal eyes yeah, might surprise some people that it's as high as it is and it might surprise some people that it is as as low as it is. I think, all in all, it is a really strong album. I Of course it's got the big one, heavens on fire, which is that really is just a killer song, and I think that the live version on A live three is the best version of that song. But I, I really dig the opening track too. I've had enough into the fire. That is such Such a kick-ass song. Something that was that at the time that this came out, was such a departure from kiss because they were, I mean, that's a fast song and but it's so good, love it, I love it, and I don't understand that why it wasn't a bigger song. I really don't, but I, like, I really do like the entire album top to bottom. Okay, all right, we're gonna talk about it. Yeah, everyone Talks about one particular track on animal eyes Burn, bitch burn.

Speaker 1: 28:51

Okay, yeah, yeah, you're right. You're right, what a friggin cornball you know line. Let me find it right here so I actually get it straight. There it is. Oh my gosh, the printing is so small and I have to squint, even with my readers on. But All right, just so I, just so I don't have to look like a dummy here any more than I already do. Yeah, I'm gonna put my log in your fireplace. All right, we know the line. I don't know if I got it exactly word for word, but yeah, that's kind of a stupid line. And and Jean's known for writing some real cornball stuff.

Speaker 1: 29:37

But the rest of the song Is so good and I love the hook. You know Bitch burn who I just it is that good. It's. The music on it is real hooky, it's just, it's good. I like that song. Okay, yeah, I kind of have to. You know I have to make a face or cringe or whatever when when that One line comes in. Thank you, jean for that. But yeah, it's, yeah, it's good stuff. So I like it top to bottom animal eyes is good. Yeah, and it was a. It was pretty big. It was a pretty big album for the guys as they were making their comeback through the early 80s. Yeah, I think it went. You know, probably by now it's got at least be double platinum, but I know at the at the time it was at least platinum. But anyway, so that's where it sits.

Speaker 1: 30:33

Number 15 this one here, this is gonna piss a lot of people off and I'm sorry if you get pissed, if I piss you off, put it in the comments. You know that's, that's all I can say. Put it in the comments and then put your list together. But because I know this, this next one here at number 15 or, I'm sorry, number 14, this one ranks way up on a lot of kiss fans lists, way up there. I'm talking one, two, yeah, I'm talking. Yeah, you know which one I'm talking about. So I'm I'm sorry you're pissed, but this is my list and put yours together. Okay, rock and roll over. All right, that is a fabulous album, it. That is such a good album it is. So why is it 14? Well, because it's just where it sits. It's where it sits. It has a great track listing.

Speaker 1: 31:42

And the cool part is when, when kiss went back and to record their next album after destroyer, which was this one here, rock and roll over, they went into a theater to record it live, so didn't left the studio, went into a theater and recorded it live and I believe, I Believe, they actually set up the drums in a bathroom, something along those lines. I think that's what it was, if I'm if I'm wrong on that one, I somebody just leave a comment. Okay, just let me know. But I think that's what it was. It kind of has that sound. It really kind of does have a more live sound, certainly a lot different than than the destroyer album and sound. It was almost like, okay, they were getting back To the sound that they had on their first three albums, especially We'll talk about it later but especially on dress to kill. So getting back to that and so it's. It's a great sounding record, great songs track listing.

Speaker 1: 32:55

I want you take me, come on, take me is good, put your hand in my pocket, grab onto my rocket. Are you kidding me? Oh Gosh. But you know the classic calling dr Love, you know? Oh, and, and I Know we talked about dirty living this one just might be my favorite Peter song, baby driver, that is. That is a killer song. That is a killer song. Love them and leave them. Mr Speed, and everyone loves mr Speed and everyone has died, has been dying for years and years.

Speaker 1: 33:36

You know, for kiss to play that one, you know, put it in the set. See you in your dreams. That's a good version. I I'm not sure which one I like better, if I like this version or the the cover that Jean did on his solo album, I'm not sure. The one on his solo album is a little more rocked up. I think it's a little heavier. You know, of course, the classic hard luck woman and mate who doesn't like making love. Making love, that's a great. I was always a great song live too. So the track listing for us kiss fans is great.

Speaker 1: 34:12

But you know, I Look the way I, the way I rank my songs, the way I rank the albums. It doesn't matter what band it is. I Look at everything overall and then I say, okay, well, if I had to choose this one of this one, which am I gonna listen to first? Okay, so that's how I rank these and even look, even when I was a kid and got this album Way back then. I didn't wear this sucker out. I didn't wear it out. So there's no burnout factor. There's no burnout factor with this one. It's a great album, but it Look 20 albums. It's got a slot in somewhere. That's just where it slots in at number 14.

Speaker 1: 35:04

All right, this is gonna piss some people off too here at number 13. It really is Sorry if you're pissed, but if you're pissed, leave me your list. Oh, I Kind of did a rhyme, didn't? I kind of made my own run. If you're pissed, leave me your list. Yeah, there we go. So at number 13, the predecessor to rock and roll over destroyer yep, destroyer, right there. Great album.

Speaker 1: 35:37

For many, many years, especially when I was much younger, this was like favorite kiss album. Yep, this was my favorite kiss album. I when this is the bad. Anybody asked me what's the best kiss out? I'm not destroyer. Destroyer is the best kiss album. Destroyer is the best kiss album and A lot of people think so. A lot of people believe it and there's a lot of great stuff on here. But look, let's put it this way too. I think I may have talked about it when I did the kiss, the live albums ranked, and if I didn't I'm gonna let you know here.

Speaker 1: 36:15

But on the, on kiss alive for the symphony record, that one there, the, because there was a three acts. On the third act, which is with the full-blown orchestra, I think let me see, almost the entire destroyer album is played with the orchestra. They had well, I think it was seven of the nine tracks in Detroit Rock City, king of the nighttime world Got a thunder great expectations. Yeah, shout it out loud. Oh, not Beth. And do you love me? Beth was with the ensemble. That was an act to. So it was one, two, three, four, five. So six, six tracks. We're with the orchestra. So look the band in their live set. Almost half of it comes from destroyer. So yeah, this is a classic kiss album. It is, it truly is, and there's great stuff.

Speaker 1: 37:19

I love Detroit Rock City, I do. I love it. It's such a, it's just such a great song. And I love God of Thunder. I Mean it's just it. I will say my favorite version of God of Thunder is off of off of Alive. For the, the symphony album, that one is my favorite version. But you know we didn't have a live for in 1976 when this came out and we still didn't have a live for in 1977, when the boys recorded a live too. So the alive to version was what we had at the time and that actually is a great, great version of the song as well. But so there's it. There is, there's just great stuff on here, but it's okay.

Speaker 1: 38:10

If I'm gonna go Listen to a kiss album, which am I gonna choose? This one or this one? And that's how I put my list together. Which one am I gonna grab first? Because I'll listen to them all. Well, let me see, let me take that back. Honestly, I May not listen to Sonic boomer monster. Yeah, sorry, but the rest of them, yeah, they're in my stack to listen to it. Just what order am I putting them in to listen to? And that's kind of how I ranked this here. All right, so that's where. That's where destroyer sits, at number 13.

Speaker 1: 38:47

All right now, look, I'm gonna shout out to one guy. I'm gonna shout out to one guy right now because I Know if he's ranking his studio albums, this one's gonna be number one on his list. Okay, so that's what I'm gonna shout out to Michael Brandvold, of three sides of the coin, because my number 12 is Right there. Crazy nights and Michael's probably saying what are you talking about, ben? He'll probably never watch this anyway or even listen to it, but if he does, he's gonna say what are you talking about, ben? That's the best kiss album in the catalog. That is the greatest, and I'm not gonna argue with them about it because there is some killer stuff on here.

Speaker 1: 39:41

And yeah, I know, I know, just like you know, that this album came out in 1987 and we all know that that that kiss had a tendency to try and follow some trends and and keep themselves Current. And we know that they were looking at what Bon Jovi was doing at the time and maybe some of the other Bands, as far as the type of songs they were writing or the production that they were putting together on their albums. And I think we all know too that Paul sings his ass off on this album. Any problem, this is probably the highest that Paul ever sang, before or after. I Mean he was in this. It just I couldn't believe when Paul was going with his voice in this and I think that was just. I think a lot of that had to do with Trying to stay competitive with what was out there at the time. Look Up until really about what we're in 24 already now, so Up until about 2007, 2008, I would Paul had lost anything from his voice. It's one of my absolute favorite singers of all time. So Paul was killing it at this time. He was just killing it.

Speaker 1: 41:20

But the knock on this album from a lot of folks is that it's well, it's got keyboards in it, it's got some keyboard work in it, and then also it's a little too polished. But this album is produced by Ron Neveson as well. Ron Neveson, he did the big comeback heart album in 85. He produced that one. And he produced which one from Ozzy. Was it the ultimate sin, I think. So he put a polished sound on those records because his job was to put hits together, get stuff that was radio friendly and would get air play. That's what he did and yeah, it's a little bit. It is a little bit polished, it's a little bit thin at times, and when I say thin, like the sound is a little thin, it doesn't seem to be real full and rich, and so I think that's where this kind of falls off for some fans.

Speaker 1: 42:34

But I think the songs are great. Yeah, okay, so maybe what was it? Oh, let me get my glasses on here. What was it? No, no, no, no, bang, bang you. Yeah, I think Paul catches some crap for that one. But I mean, I love Crazy Nights. It's a great song, I really love it and I'll fight hell to hold you. Oh, I, just that one is. That was a killer song. Even no, no, no, from Jean Eller Highwater. Yeah, dig it, dig the song. And I think it.

Speaker 1: 43:12

I think what was going on as well at the time is some of these like really short songs three minutes and 18 seconds and that kind of thing. And there's like I don't know, I don't know, I don't know that kind of thing, and there's like three chords I should say three chords, like three bars, and man, they're into the song already. So there's no, there's no intro to these songs sometimes, but especially at, especially Eller Highwater. And then of course you got my Way and yeah, gosh, paul's crazy vocals on that one and I look, I know it's kind of campy and cheesy with kind of like the, the nursery rhymes, but when your walls come down, I just think it's clever. I think it's a clever song, just the way that that was all put together.

Speaker 1: 44:04

And reason to live yeah, big MTV video, nothing on the radio should have been a huge hit for the guys, should have been huge. But I think look, throughout their entire career Kiss has been kind of blackballed by radio. But and Good Girl Gone Bad, that's a dynamite song. Turn On the Night another great song, good MTV video, but nothing for the radio. And Thief In the Night, yeah it just. Those are really, really.

Speaker 1: 44:40

To me it's a strong album. It's strong. Yeah, a little less polish, a little more crunch, a little thicker sound and yeah, and then I probably even ranks higher, at least for me. So that's that's why it's at number 12, michael, okay, that's why it's at 12 for me. But I love the album. I really honestly do just dig it All right. So where are we? We're at number 11 now. And I'm getting to this one talked about it right at the top of the show.

Speaker 1: 45:16

First Kiss album I bought with my own money. Love Gun Bought it right there in June of 77. Yup wore the cassette out, had the album as well, loved it. Because you open it up and the paper Love Gun falls out. And then, of course, after you pop it, fold it in half and pop it a couple of times, it rips and then it's ruined. But Love Gun, man, what else?

Speaker 1: 45:43

What can you say about Love Gun that hasn't been said by so many other people? First, it's a great cover. It really is. That's a fabulous cover right there. But again, I think it's a great track listing.

Speaker 1: 46:02

I stole your love, love, love, love, love, that song. I always wished that the band would perform that one live. That's just such a great song. Oh, and I'm sorry they did Wait. What am I? Sorry? Forgive me on that one, because it's on Alive 2. Yeah, it leads off Side 3. But I never got to see them perform it. That's what I was actually meaning to say.

Speaker 1: 46:32

Christine 16, yeah, gene gets some crap on that one for the. I guess his perverse lyrics in the middle of it and the breakdown, oh, but I dig this one. Oh, got love for sale. Love it, have. Love will travel. Love it so good. And then we get to hear Ace for the first time. Shock me so good. Okay, tomorrow and tonight is okay. I mean it's all right. But Love Gun, all right. And another great Peter song. Another great one Hooligan. Just dig it. And then there's, you know, the next two Gene songs Almost Human man. That is such a good song and Plaster Caster, yeah, dynamite, Dynamite, dynamite. So good. Yeah, really, really, really good. I think that I mean Plaster Caster is so good.

Speaker 1: 47:35

The guys performed it live on the Kiss Unplugged show and then, of course, it finishes up with the cover of Then she Kissed Me and that's actually pretty good. You know, I know, I remember as a kid I dug it. I didn't realize. I don't think I realized at the time that it was a cover song. I'm 12 years old. But yeah, it was a pretty cool song, and it still is.

Speaker 1: 47:59

And yeah, I just I dig this album. It's really a fabulous album, so, but it sits right there at number 11. So that's where it slots in. All, right, now we're up to the top 10. The top 10, okay, and this one here at number 10, some folks are going to say, oh, that should be way down on your list, and then somebody would say, no man, I dig that album and they might even slot it higher on their list. And when I first started working on this list, I thought I would slot it higher than number 10. But when I just got into work in the list, I was like, yeah, I can't, I can't, I can't slot it any higher than 10. That's where it's got to go and I love it From the moment I dropped the needle on this album in 1981, I love it front to back.

Speaker 1: 49:05

Music from the elder yes, sir, I don't care. Oh, it's a concept record. You know what? I was so proud of my guys for putting together a concept record. I don't care whether they like it or not, but stretching out in 1981, what was I 16 years old at the time when this came out, and like November of 81. So, yeah, I was 16. And I thought, man, this is just good stuff. And I was thinking of, my guys are back.

Speaker 1: 49:44

I loved all the different stuff on it. You know, from the hard and heavy, the oath, good stuff, to look to the false settle of Paul on just a boy. I thought that was just so killer. So diverse and I'm not sure which. My I don't know what. My favorite song is off of music from the elder, because I like it all so much under the rose Are you kidding me? Under the rose that song is. Come on, that is a heavy song, man. It just knocks you down when it gets to the chorus. It's so, you know, I love the diversity, I love all the different stuff where they were going with this. Yeah, I know that the band absolutely hates it, but I don't. I absolutely love it and probably, well, you know, I love every song on it.

Speaker 1: 51:09

Odyssey, the Tony Power cover. I didn't even I knew who the writer was, because obviously you look at the right, you look at the song credits and and all the liner notes and all that kind of stuff and I wasn't written by kiss. But I didn't know that, I didn't know who Tony Powers was first and I didn't know that he had previously. I don't know if he had recorded that song at the time, but nonetheless I didn't know there was a Tony Powers version. I think his version came out in like 83, maybe 84. But Paul kills it on. That Kills it. It's so good.

Speaker 1: 51:55

I love music from the elder and let me, let me look at my version here to see yeah, it's, it's not the, it's not the original track listing, it's the track listing that I think the. I think the record company wanted them to to put it together in this order. But it's great, I love it. Love me some elder. Yes, all right, number nine, number nine Right here. Lick it up, lick it up. Yes, the boys sticking with some heaviness.

Speaker 1: 52:42

For the second album in a row, after creatures of the night, this one came out and I believe it was September of 83. And there's some some up tempo stuff on here. My favorite, my favorite song, I think, I think my favorite song on this one might be All hell's breaking loose. I Just dig that song so good. I don't care about the cheesy video. Same thing with lick it up. I don't care about the cheesy video for lick it up, that's just, it's a great song, great, great, great song. And I Like, I like. It's just a.

Speaker 1: 53:35

Okay, let's go over the track listing. Okay, it starts off with Exciter. Good one, really. Up temple, not for the innocent. That's another dynamite song. Gene, you're, you're, you're, you're hitting it, hitting it here. Okay, then, of course, lick it up. Young and wasted. That was a good one.

Speaker 1: 53:53

And and during during the 80s, when the band would perform that they, they let Eric car sing now and he would take the lead lead vocals on that one. Give me more, give me more. Out of out of the hole, out of the ten songs on here, give me more might be my least favorite, but all hell's breaking loose. Great Mm-hmm. A million to one. Good sign.

Speaker 1: 54:19

I know Paul loves that one because you know when he was out on his solo tour. Well, when I saw him on his solo tour in 2006, I mean he, that's that was one that was in the set list. It's like a glove. I dig it, I dig it, dance all over your face, yeah. And on the eighth day, yeah, on the eighth day. So good, just really good stuff. And I think on the eighth day is a Really strong song to end the album yeah, good stuff. Well, let me hear for the camera. There we go. Yeah, good stuff like it. Dig it. Oh, and, and Check out the album cover.

Speaker 1: 55:05

For those who have this one, check it out. All right, it's gonna be difficult to show the viewers on the screen, but all you got to do is look at Jean, All right, and for you listening, you'll have to wait till you get home to do so, but Look at that album cover. Look at Jean Simmons. You know he's got his arms crossed Across his chest. Well, his, his right arm is under the left arm, okay, and that his right hand is coming up underneath the left arm. Well, if you look at the positioning of it is completely impossible. For that to be his hand would have to be about 10 inches long his hand, from from wrist to the tip of his fingers. Okay, so it's just not. It nobody ever notices it, but I heard, I heard an interview with the, with the, the album cover Designer.

Speaker 1: 56:06

I can't remember, was it Dennis Wallach? I mean, look really quick, see if I can find a cover design. I see cover photo. Oh, no, bernard Vidal. Yeah, but Remember, way back in the in the 80s, before we had all this wonderful technology we have with Photoshop and so on and so on, they had to actually physically cut and paste Things you know in photos and put them together.

Speaker 1: 56:33

So that was cut and pasted from more than one photo and they certainly didn't do a very good job. So anyway, but yeah, there you go a little, a little something extra for you on that one. So lick it up, sit number nine All right. Number eight Just really dig this one a lot asylum, yeah, and what I thought was really cool about this and I don't know if any of you noticed it right out of the gate when you saw the album cover, but this is the 80s version of the dynasty album cover.

Speaker 1: 57:15

You know, let me get there, we go. Yeah, okay, okay, there's dynasty. For those of you who are watching and for those of you who are not, I'll explain it. You've got Four faces to on to on top, to on bottom. All right, you've got Gene Simmons going from. If we're going from I'm sorry, we're gonna go from right to left, just like we read, I'm sorry left to right, just like we're not looking at things Backwards and all that stuff here on the camera. So we're gonna read from left to right. You've got Paul Stanley, gene Simmons, then below, you've got on On dynasty. You've got Ace Freely, peter, chris, on asylum. You've got Bruce Kulick, eric Carr, okay, so it's, it's lead singer, bass player, lee, guitar and drummer. And then on asylum, you've got lead singer, bass player, lee, guitar, drum. Okay, not only that, but Paul.

Speaker 1: 58:27

We all know that with dynasty, with that, with that tour, that's where they started at. Actually it was with solo albums, but it carried over to the tour. That's where they each started to develop their own color. Paul was purple, gene was red, ace was blue, peter was green. And when you look at, when you look at, asylum, paul is purple, gene is red, oh, oops, blue blue for Bruce Kulick, same as ace, and oops for Eric Green, same as Peter.

Speaker 1: 59:05

I don't know if anybody picked up on it. I did when I first saw it. So you might think I'm an idiot for saying so or for for looking at it that way. I just thought it was, I don't know, something funny. But yeah, we know that during the videos for this, this album and for the tour, there was some fairly elaborate Clothes, stage, stage clothing, and gene had a tendency to kind of look like Phyllis Diller at times.

Speaker 1: 59:40

But you know, this is a really, really good album. Some people, some people consider it the best album of the non-makeup Era, right here, asylum, yeah, I mean. And it starts off with King of the Mountain. Oh, my gosh. See, this is what I was talking about. You know we're radio Just doesn't pay attention to kiss at all.

Speaker 1: 1:00:05

Never have you know. And look, the band's been around for 50 years, so it's not like they're gonna start paying attention to him now. And I don't want to hear anything about classic rock radio that, oh, they play, shout it out loud. Or ooh, they play Detroit Rock City, or they play rock and roll all night to death. Okay, I'm not talking about that. Okay, forget about all that stuff, and that's almost just a concession. You know there are songs off of every single kiss album. That should have been. They may not have been top top 10 hits, but there should have been radio hits off of every single kiss album, every single one. Yes, including my 1819 and 20, because there was good songs on every single album. But that's just not how radio treated kiss.

Speaker 1: 1:01:03

And, of course, by the time we got to you know the 90s, and we got, you know, through the grunge era, when all of our favorite bands got crushed. For you know Musicians that like to look at their shoes as they played or turn their back to the audience because it was cool, or they Couldn't consider themselves rock stars, whatever, whatever you want to call it, I don't care. Am I a grunge fan? No, sorry, but up until that point they should have been all over the radio. And we all know with with the grunge era, it killed everything, and so Radio is never the same after that and it's, it's pathetic, it really is. But okay, yeah, let me, let me get off my tangent and Come back here to center.

Speaker 1: 1:01:56

But this track listing, I mean King of the Mountain. Great song. Anybody slice it, love it. I just, I dig that song so good. Who wants to be lonely? A good MTV hit. Good MTV hit trial by fire. Another good song I'm alive, yeah, good, one good one loves a deadly weapon Yep, just good. And you know the, the biggest song off the album, tears are falling, the biggest song, was only good enough for MTV. Tears are falling is you know? Look, I, okay, king of the Mountain and tears are falling. I don't know which one is my favorite. I Don't. There might be. Tears are falling. I. It's just such a. I love that song. It is dynamite and I just I love the way it chugs and next time you listen to it, just listen, it chugs, it's a chugging song. Ah, so good, mmm.

Speaker 1: 1:03:01

I had the pleasure of Hearing that song performed live one time and that was back in 2014 kissed at a, kissed at a residency, at the joint, at the hard rock in in Las Vegas, and, yeah, it was on the set list. It was great, it was. It was great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great. Um, secretly cruel. Another is cool sauce jeans kind of getting back into it here his.

Speaker 1: 1:03:32

I Know that he was gone during the animalized period and, and he was gone during the asylum period. He was even gone. Oh, I think I almost knocked that microphone over. He was gone even during the crazy nights period. But Uh, his, his, I mean I like his songs on asylum. He did some good songwriting on it.

Speaker 1: 1:03:57

But, um, let me see, oh, radar for love. Um, okay, radar for love good one. That's kind of like, it's kind of a zeppelin-esque song. Just check it out next time. Okay, check it out next time you hear it. Oh, all night. Okay, check this one out if you haven't noticed it already. There's a what is it but, but, but, but.

Speaker 1: 1:04:30

But there's a point in the song that it's, it's, it's just like it's all right. I want to say it's, it's all right, off of Paul Stanley's 78 solo album. Okay, listen to, it's all right. And I mean I got my. I'm looking up in the air here, I got my eyes to the ceiling right now for those watching at home, because I'm thinking, if I have that right, I think so. I think that's the one. It's a good song, I think so. I think that's the one. I think it's, it's all right. Anyway, I don't want to continue. I mean, I don't want to just keep dragging that one on, but Listen to those two songs back to back and tell me if you don't hear the different, if you don't hear the similarities.

Speaker 1: 1:05:23

On the let's see when it, when it gets to the part, oh, when it gets to the part in the song, it takes a hard work and, lover, to keep on, toe on the line. I'll meet you under the covers. I get excited. I'm so excited. So it's like the pre-course. Okay, each time that pre-course is sung, that's when it comes in. Listen to the guitar, listen to the guitar sound. It sounds just like it.

Speaker 1: 1:05:51

I picked it up way back in, whatever, when I picked this album up. So and I, I didn't pick up asylum in 85. I was late. I was late to the party on that one, okay, oh, might have already seen it already. So at number seven, right here, yes, the reunion album, psycho Circus. Yeah, I'm sorry. Yes, I know that Ace played on like one song, maybe two songs. Yes, I know Peter played on one song, maybe two songs, if that. I know he sang one song on that. Ace sang his song on that. But that doesn't take away from this album. This album is so, so good. I was. I was just so excited when it came out and I went and grabbed it real quick and just put it on and loved it from the from front to back. Psycho Circus is a great song to lead off the record within. Oh man, that is so good.

Speaker 1: 1:07:07

If I had any disappointment at all, is that with Psycho Circus is I thought it would have been more revenge, like sounding Okay. Now, especially when you get to Psycho Circus and you have within those two songs back to back, I was like all right, all right, this is having this got a little more of that revenge sound to it. You know it's a more, it's a heavier, more modern sound of my guys and kiss. So I was just digging it and you know it's not quite as heavy. But man, I love this, I love this album. You know, I just took my glasses off and I realized I need my glasses back on Geez Louise here, because I got to read Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock and Roll. That one's a good song, that one's a.

Speaker 1: 1:08:01

Looking at that as a co-writer with Holly Knight, who who wrote Hide your Heart, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. I mean look, yep, holly Knight, the book I have over there. That's right Into the void. I just thought that was such a fun song and it's just really good. Love the chorus on it. Love the chorus so good, just dynamite. Ace has some killer guitar work. His vocals sound great. He sounds just like, sounds like he's really into it. So he sounds wonderful. I was just jacked up. I love we Are One.

Speaker 1: 1:08:50

A lot of people don't like that song. Man, I dig that song so much and then the one that follows that up. You wanted the best. I know there's people out there that think that's a corny song because you've got the four guys trading lead vocals. Well, they've done it before. Well, okay, three of the four had done it before previously because, remember, ace didn't sing until Love Gun. But all four guys get a lead vocal on that song and I just it's so killer. The lyrics on it are so good.

Speaker 1: 1:09:28

I dug this song so much that I thought that it would be a great show opener on this tour. And of course, they didn't sing it at all. They didn't perform the song at all on the tour. I don't know that they ever performed it at all, but I thought it really would have been awesome had they done this song, whether they opened up the show or not, and I only saw them. I saw KISS one time on this tour and that was opening night of the tour at Dodger Stadium. That was on Halloween night in what was it? 1998. But yeah, it's just such a good song. Come on, isn't that the line? Isn't that their line? Come on, isn't that how they really open up every show? You wanted the best, you got the best, come on. So I just thought they should have. Yeah, they should have fit that somewhere in there. It's just such a great song.

Speaker 1: 1:10:35

Raise your glasses. Okay, see, again, I'm pointing out songs that should have been on the radio. They should have been on the radio. There's a couple of songs here. They could have played on top 40 radio but nonetheless, there's four or five songs on here that should have been played on rock radio Absolutely, absolutely, and classic rock, hard rock, whatever you want to call it On rock radio. These songs should have been on the radio. But raise your glasses. Oh my gosh, what a celebratory song. Yeah, I use that as a celebration when something great happens. It's like, oh, okay, put on, raise your glasses. Everyone around the nation raise your glasses. Yeah, this is such a cool song and look, I think it's kind of cheesy.

Speaker 1: 1:11:30

I'm not a huge fan of the Peter Criss song. On this one it's okay and Peter does a fine job on it, but to me it's contrived. Okay, oh, it's Peter, we got to give Peter a song. Oh, we'll just give him the ballad. We'll give him the Beth like song. You know, I yeah, I didn't like that. If he had, if he had been able to sing a more up tempo song like Dirty Living, baby Driver, you know something, you know. I just think that would have been so much better. They didn't need to have a ballad on this album.

Speaker 1: 1:12:09

And Dreamin', the one that everybody thinks is oh, what's the Alice Cooper song now, Geez, I bring it up. I should know the song I can't remember. Now, sorry, somebody leave it in the comments. Okay, I'm not going to spend a lot of time. And Journey of a Thousand Years what a great song to end the album. It's it's Gene's tribute to the Beatles, it's his, it's his Beatlesque song, and you've heard me mention it before. I just love songs that kind of sound like they have no ending, like I could just go on and on. And that's Journey of a Thousand Years. It's just so great, it really is. Psycho, circus man. What a great album. What a great album. Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm. Okay, so we are up to number six and some of you are going to think I have flipped my lid, but my number six is Carnival of Souls. Yep, carnival of Souls.

Speaker 1: 1:13:18

Look, I know I know the big knock on this one is oh, kiss is going grunge. Kiss is trying to sound like Alice in Chains. Let me take a sip of water here. Yep, they've gone grunge. Okay, yep, maybe it does have a grunge sound to it, but I think that, coming off of Revenge, which is a real heavy, that's a real heavy album. Um, this is a great companion to Revenge. Um, is there some grunginess in it? And I don't like grunge, like I told you. Um, but yeah, there is. But this is like how do I say it? This is like Kiss's version of grunge. Okay, you can still hear the kiss all through this. All right, and again from the, from the second.

Speaker 1: 1:14:35

I put the CD in my player and I think the first time I listened to it was in one of my vehicles and I picked this up right after it came out. So we're going back to 97. Hey man, what a cool song. Okay, two albums in a row, two albums in a row. The lead track is a Gene Simmons track. He had unholy on Revenge, got hate on Carnival of Souls and I, I, I thought it was kind of like. It was kind of like Unholy part two, just really good stuff. Rain, ah, mm, yeah, oh, what a good song. What a good song. Master and slave, childhood, childhood's end.

Speaker 1: 1:15:38

I just I don't want to get into so much on this because I don't want to take up your. You know your whole day talking about this, but these songs are killer. Look, if you haven't heard Carnival of Souls in a while, I urge you, I urge you, look, you don't even have to go find your CD anywhere. All right, just go on whatever streaming service you choose and listen to this. It is Dynamite, I will be there.

Speaker 1: 1:16:11

The soft song Paul's tribute to Evan. Yeah, at that time, his, his, his song. He wrote for Evan. Oh, it is so good, man Jungle in my head it I don't know if that's my favorite song or not. It never goes away. Great vocal work by Paul on this Great stuff. Seduction of the innocent. I confess in the mirror.

Speaker 1: 1:16:46

And then we get to close out the album. We get a song by Bruce. We get a lead vocal track by Bruce on this. Oh man, and he does a great job, he kills it on this. Ah, really, just, it's so strong, so strong.

Speaker 1: 1:17:09

A lot of Kiss fans are not, are just, they don't feel the same as I do. But please give this a listen, give it another listen. It's so good, yeah, so, so, so, so, so good. All right, we're at the top five. Now Top five here. We go Right here at number five. Uh-huh, dress to kill, yeah, good stuff. I'll tell you what I'm. I'll be honest, because they see, we've done, excuse me, we've done okay. So we're at the top five. Now we're at number five. We're dressed to kill. My top seven, depending on my mood. I could probably like they're interchangeable. My, my top album might not change. No, no, I take it back. It'll change. It would change depending on my mood, but they're all interchangeable to me because they are fabulous and dress to kill is just no exception.

Speaker 1: 1:18:26

Great, great album, great songs, top to bottom. You know the production's not great on it, but what is there? Because? Because, look in 1975, when they recorded it first off, I think Neil Bogart was. I think he produced this one. Let me check the liner notes. Yeah, yeah, neil Bogart produced it. Okay, and of course he was the. He was the owner of Casablanca Records, but it's a who knows how much he knew about production. But it's a little thin in the sound, but it is 1975. The one thing it's got plenty of is frigging attitude. It has got so much New York attitude in it and that is what's so killer on this is man. These guys are out to sell it. Room service, oh my gosh, you know. And two-timer ladies and waiting. Those are, those are so good.

Speaker 1: 1:19:51

Getaway Getaway, written by Ace but sung by Peter man, that is, peter has well, he had, he's not singing anymore, he's not performing anymore and the band doesn't exist. Really, some from what we're told it doesn't exist anymore. So again, we'll talk about past tense. Peter had such a great voice. He really did For what he did. Man, he has such a great voice. Oh, that's such a good, good vocal track and I love rock bottom, I love the acoustic Intro to this, really really good, and it's just too bad that when they performed it like well, I don't know, maybe they did when they actually performed it live during that, during that tour that became the alive album, but certainly on alive it wasn't there.

Speaker 1: 1:20:48

Come on and love me, ah, anything for my baby he, an old, wicked Lester song, oh, but man, that's so good. Of course the alive version is just mmm, yeah, hands down, love her all I can, oh, love her all I can. Try to understand the things that make her glad, the things that make her sad. I'm a lucky guy. I hardly ever cry and when the world looks bad, she's never, ever sad. Oh, come on, it is such a good song it.

Speaker 1: 1:21:31

When I married Catherine, we were actually gonna have a church wedding and we didn't. That's another story for another time. But when, when the plan was is After we had said our I do's and we kissed and we were introduced to the world as Mr and Mrs, as we were walking back down the aisle, lover, all I can was gonna play. Oh, I'm so upset it didn't. I'm so upset it didn't happen. But that's, it's such a great song. And look, the one song if I never hear again, I'm perfectly okay. That's rock and roll all night, especially this version. I don't like the studio version. I really never have.

Speaker 1: 1:22:16

But nine out of ten songs are so Dynamite on here. Oh, they're so good. Oh, oh, again, uh, and it sits there at number five. We still have four to go. I better pick it up or you people are gonna leave. All right, number four Hotter than hell. Yeah, hotter than hell.

Speaker 1: 1:22:42

Look, the production's not great. It's a little bit how do I say it? I Don't want to say it's underwater, doesn't sound like that, but yeah, the production's not strong on it. But the Attitude again, the attitude is there, that New York attitude that hey, we're here to tell you we're coming to conquer, okay, we're taking over, we are the hottest band in the land, because that's what they went by at this point. Remember, they didn't go hottest band in the world yet, but we are the hottest band in the land and we're a kiss and we're coming to kick some ass. And that was the attitude that they had.

Speaker 1: 1:23:34

And it just comes through and the songs got to choose Parasite, another ace Fraley song. If you weren't aware, gene sings it, but written by ace going blind. Another wicked Lester song, but Coming back in the full. People think it's kind of a corny song. You know, I'm 93, she's 16 or whatever. It is something like that, you know. Okay, whatever, it's still a good song. I dig it. I dig it Hotter than hell.

Speaker 1: 1:24:08

Oh, come on the title track, just, and it's always so good, it's always so good, live so good. Let me go rock and roll still in the set to this day, or Still into this in this set to December, yeah, when they stopped, but yeah, still in the set all the time. Let me go rock and roll all the way. That's a lost track. That's a lost track and it's yeah. People know a lot of people don't remember that song. Really, really good, watching you limp, and as do I'm watching you. So good.

Speaker 1: 1:24:49

Mainline song written by Paul but sang by Peter, and he does a great job on it. Again, peter's just got a great voice Coming home. Only heard it once. Only heard it once. Like well, I didn't personally hear it once, but I've only heard it perform live once and that was on kiss, unplugged. That was the opener to the set. Man, the songs. Are you kidding? Come on these songs? And Then, to close out the record, strange ways, another ace frilly song sung by Peter. What else do I say? Peter sings is ass off on that one, and it's such a heavy song, it's so I don't know Durgy. I guess you know if Durgy is a word and you understand it, it's. But it's so good man, so good.

Speaker 1: 1:25:54

All right, people, let's get the show going. Let's keep it. Let's keep it rolling. We're up to number three. We are closing in quickly on number one, all right.

Speaker 1: 1:26:04

Number three is 1992's revenge. Yes, it is, yeah, and kisses kiss was out for revenge with this one. They really were. That was a great title at a great time. After losing Eric Carr and Coming back I may have said it before, I don't know, but back for the attack. Yeah, that's what these guys were, and it's a heavy album. I Think it's got great songs top to bottom. I Love the sound, I Love the production. Of course, bob Ezra and came back into the fold on this one, so that might have a lot to do with it.

Speaker 1: 1:26:53

I, bruce Hewlett, love him, love his time in the band. I think he's a great guy from everything that I have heard in every interview I have seen, and I'm gonna reach out to him and get him on this show. I've got to get him on this show. Bruce plays his ass off on this record. I Mean His guitar work is just dynamite on this. Yeah, something else Bruce kicks ass. Honest, bruce is the star on revenge.

Speaker 1: 1:27:43

Okay, great songs. There's great vocal performances by Paul, great performances by Jean Bruce's guitar work is it? Man plays ass off? Unholy, unholy. What a great opening track. Great opening track.

Speaker 1: 1:28:02

And and Again, part one to hates. Part two now, how's that take it off? Yeah, I know, I know it was a strip club song and all that kind of thing there, but it's a fun song. Paul sings it. I mean, paul's vocals on it are crazy. I love the bass line in it. It's just so good. Tough love spit.

Speaker 1: 1:28:32

Oh, god gave rock and roll to you. Come on, everybody digs out one. And it should have been so much bigger, so much bigger than it was. Domino, domino, yeah, come on, knock me over with a feather With that song. That just such a killer song. Love it, love it, love it, love it, love it. Uh-huh, heart of chrome, thou shalt not. Every time I look at you. I love the, I love that song and I love the version on unplugged. Great stuff, great, great, great stuff. Paralyzed, I just want to. That was. Besides, god gave rock and roll to you, I just want to.

Speaker 1: 1:29:20

Was kind of the the Radio hit or the one released to radio least rock. Radio didn't really get a lot of play, a little bit, not much. And then they finish up a car jam which is kind of cool. It's cool. You know, they found a Drum track of Eric's and then they put some guitar work on it and yeah, but man, man, man, revenge is the right title. That is the right title for that album. These guys came, they saw and they kicked some ass. They really really did on this record and If it were next week it might be number one Telling you that I love it. That's how much I love that record. So good. Yeah, the heaviest record. Yeah, that one is the heaviest Before carnival. The souls that one's the heaviest Since this one.

Speaker 1: 1:30:22

Creatures of the night at number two. Yeah, creatures of the night at number two. Kiss coming back, coming back to their hard rock roots, getting away from the poppiness. That was dynasty, that was unmasked. You know, they claim, you know, of course we talked about it earlier and they hated the elder and all that. And I guess, for all intents and purposes, you know it was. They had that, they kind of had to hate the elder because they had to do a 180 from there. Okay, and Boy man, they came back with this one. That's, yeah, all creatures, the night man, it is so good, that's a killer Album cover, that is such a killer album cover. Oh, that is so good. That is so good. And and a great track listing to great, great, great songs.

Speaker 1: 1:31:29

Michael James Jackson, producing this one, he produced to, he produced this one here, creatures of the night, and he produced lick it up and lick it up is it? Lick it up is almost a part two to this, but not it not as Quite, as heavy. It's heavy. No, it's not quite as heavy as this one. So you know, yeah, but it's good, it's yeah, come on. Creatures of the night, what a great song, what a great song, like I had said, with tears. Tears are falling, it just chugs, it's chugging, chugging, chugging. So good, so good. Satan Center man. Great song Keep me coming. Rock and roll hell.

Speaker 1: 1:32:19

Written by Gene Simmons, brian Adams and Jim Valance. Mmm, danger, I love it loud. Paul's least favorite song, but in the set every night, I Still love you. Oh man, paul's greatest vocal performance ever. I still love you unplugged. Check it out, check it out. Hands down, you'll agree. Killer, she's a killer. Stone cold killer man, good stuff. And then it closes out with War Machine. You know that song. Right there, dynamite in the set, in and out of the set a lot good song.

Speaker 1: 1:33:05

Look, we're all the way up to number one. I'm not even gonna recap these, okay. Not gonna recap 20 down to two. We're going right into number one and you all know which one it is. You know exactly which one it is.

Speaker 1: 1:33:20

Right there, the debut album from kiss. Okay, there's really one reason why it's number one this week anyway. It couldn't be numbered two or three if this was next week. But as Look, as kiss fans we know the production stinks on it. The production is horrible, it's terrible. That's why I first heard these songs on a live and and was like man, these are great songs.

Speaker 1: 1:33:48

So then as a kid, I went back in the catalog and and picked up the first three albums and when I put on Especially this, this one here, the the debut, when I put it on, I was like, oh my god, these sounds, these songs sound nothing like alive. These are terrible. They're slow, the sound is horrible and I'm like, I don't know. I was probably 11, 12 years old at the time, Seriously, and I noticed it as a kid. But the songs on here, that's what makes this album and that's the songs Strutter, nothing to lose, firehouse, still in the set all the time, cold gin, ace freely right, it writes it, jean Simmons sings it.

Speaker 1: 1:34:37

Great song, great, great song. Let me know that's a see. And that's another one where, all the well, paul, jean and Peter take lead. They trade off lead vocals on that one Kissing time.

Speaker 1: 1:34:54

Some people don't dig that one and some people like the version of this album without kissing time. I kiss in time. Such a good song, such a good song. Deuce, come on, the classic, the classic deuce. It's usually like song number two in the set these days. The love theme from kiss, I love it, it's so good. 100,000 years.

Speaker 1: 1:35:17

Okay, this version is not that great. We all know the classic one is off of the live. But and then closing it out, black diamond man. Probably Peter's greatest vocal performance is black diamond. Overall, yeah, this is so, so good, just great stuff.

Speaker 1: 1:35:40

And that's why, look, I have to ignore the, the poor production on this and Go strictly because of the songs and the attitude. Again, the attitude with which these songs are delivered, that New York attitude, just Mmm. So those. Those are my, those are my 20, those are my 20. Right there, guys. Debut album is number one. What else can I say? Listen, leave your lists, put them in the comments. All right, I think we, I Think we're not gonna drag this out anymore. Okay, just leave your top 20s, all right. Well, I shouldn't say your top 20s. Leave your studio albums ranked, there is only 20. Okay, so leave your lists. I Were probably. I think that's. That's that's gonna wrap it for for this show. Again.

Speaker 1: 1:36:41

This podcast is available on Multiple podcast platforms like Apple podcasts, amazon music and Spotify. There are plenty of others to choose from. Just simply search the Ben Maynard program, choose your option. Go to Buzzsprout. All right, if you're watching here on YouTube, please subscribe to the channel. Give me a thumbs up and leave a comment. I Want to see the lists. All right, last but not least, follow me on Instagram. One word, simply Ben Maynard program. All right. Look, I hope you enjoyed this. I hope that you are Inspired enough to leave your list, your comments. Tell me to go take a hike, fly, kite with a hole in it, whatever. All right, do your thing, get it done. This is the Ben Maynard program. Tell a friend you.