The KISS thread

General music discussion.
Olaf
User avatar
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 7229
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:23pm
Location: Germanien

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Olaf »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Dec 2021, 7:26am
Heston wrote:
30 Dec 2021, 11:01pm
What is going on here?
It's a KISS thread, started by a lunatic and modified into something less insane.
Like the Blaumilch Canal. :shifty:
Who pfaffed the pfaff? Who got pfaffed tonight?

Dr. Medulla
User avatar
Atheistic Epileptic
Posts: 115994
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
Location: Straight Banana, Idaho

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Olaf wrote:
31 Dec 2021, 8:13am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Dec 2021, 7:26am
Heston wrote:
30 Dec 2021, 11:01pm
What is going on here?
It's a KISS thread, started by a lunatic and modified into something less insane.
Like the Blaumilch Canal. :shifty:
With the added tragedy that this is real, not scripted.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

revbob
User avatar
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 25333
Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 12:31pm
Location: The Frozen Tundra

Re: The KISS thread

Post by revbob »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Dec 2021, 7:26am
Heston wrote:
30 Dec 2021, 11:01pm
What is going on here?
It's a KISS thread, started by a lunatic and modified into something less insane.
Yet still really horrible. I sometimes feel I might catch an STD just reading it.

revbob
User avatar
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 25333
Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 12:31pm
Location: The Frozen Tundra

Re: The KISS thread

Post by revbob »


Dr. Medulla
User avatar
Atheistic Epileptic
Posts: 115994
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
Location: Straight Banana, Idaho

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

revbob wrote:
31 Dec 2021, 8:44am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
31 Dec 2021, 7:26am
Heston wrote:
30 Dec 2021, 11:01pm
What is going on here?
It's a KISS thread, started by a lunatic and modified into something less insane.
Yet still really horrible. I sometimes feel I might catch an STD just reading it.
Image
Always rubber up before clicking on this thread, man.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

matedog
User avatar
Purveyor of Hoyistic Thought
Posts: 25804
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 4:07pm
Location: 1995

Re: The KISS thread

Post by matedog »


Turn on the Night

This was the final single from the UK smash Crazy Nights album.

Lyrics: Pretty simple this time around. There's a hot girl that lots of guys like, but Paul thinks he wants her more and is there for deserving of her affection. That's about it. Paul does cop to his herpes with the lines, "I got what you need, fire below."

Music: This song starts at 10 and has no semblance of dynamics. It's hugely bright, pretty much just mix of 1, 4, and 5 chords with the minor 6th thrown in on occasion. The riff sounds sorta like that journey song with the sus notes, but I may be off on that. There's no subtlety or songwriting tricks, just a big catchy song. I don't hate it. It's on par with one of the better Poison rockers, though with better production values. One of their catchier tunes, no doubt. I don't hate it.

Video: This is mostly a performance piece, filmed at a real live KISS koncert. Ironically, they never played this song live and were miming to the album version. Anyway, a sexy 80s chick sneaks back stage to...shoot lightning at the band? There's a switch that a sleeping roadie is failing to protect. The lightning doesn't seem to do much though. Later she takes a sledge hammer to the mixing board and...nothing happens? I guess she gives up trying to sabotage the band about half way through the video because she's basically gone of the rest of it save for a few shots of her dancing in the crowd. Not sure what the point of her was. That being said, the live setting elicits a much livelier miming from Gene and the band, though Paul cannot stop obsessing over the tracking/rail camera. He spends the whole video following it.

Song grade: B It got stuck in my head real quick. I'm a sucker for bright pop metal.
Video grade: C+ The band looked good and energetic, but whatever idea they had with hot 80s chick was not remotely thought out.

Next week: I've already done the Crazy Nights monster ballad "Reason to Live" so it's on to the UK supersmash "Crazy Crazy Nights." Let's see if this is a more Oasis/Robbie Williams or...Blondie?.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

Dr. Medulla
User avatar
Atheistic Epileptic
Posts: 115994
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
Location: Straight Banana, Idaho

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Y'know, Hoy's reviews of late 80s KISS has me thinking of a dead-on criticism of PiL from around the same time. That is, there was a time when PiL (and KISS) were leaders of their field, doing stuff that no one else was. But in the late 80s, they looked and sounded like so many others, lost in the pack. And those albums are not especially well remembered by fans (I mean, are there any PiL fans who call 9 their favourite?). None of that is statement of sympathy, only an observation that the 80s could be a graveyard for 70s bands that stood apart from their peers.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

matedog
User avatar
Purveyor of Hoyistic Thought
Posts: 25804
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 4:07pm
Location: 1995

Re: The KISS thread

Post by matedog »

matedog wrote:
26 May 2021, 12:32pm
I was trying to make fun of Canadians on another message board by looking up "Tears Are Not Enough" and got distracted by this:


The verses are pretty weak, so I was hoping for a big catchy chorus or some good monster balladness, but it's just not very good. Best thing about the video is the set and Paul's yellow/green gloves. This came out in 85, I wonder if the set designer caught an 84 Clash show with those mounted tvs.

Also, looks like Eric Carr has tympanis, but they are like 10 feet away from his massive kit and placed on opposite sides. Seems like a lot of work to get those orchestral tones.
I'm retroactively going through the single I didn't give proper reviews so I can do a power ranking of their 80s output.

Song grade: D+
The verses are especially bad on this. A very languid offbeat vocal that sounds actively bad. The minor key chorus is marginally better, but not remotely memorable enough to elevate this at all. Why was this a single?
Video grade: C The video is marginally better because the set and Paul's outfit are so inspired. The set looks like if you combined a Rainforest Cafe with the Clash's 1984 stage design. There are some weird close ups of tears falling on a girls chest. I like the shot near the beginning of some girl tearing down drapes while Paul stands in the corner like the Blair Witch got him. The non-stage stuff is pretty boring which brings it down a bit.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

Dr. Medulla
User avatar
Atheistic Epileptic
Posts: 115994
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
Location: Straight Banana, Idaho

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

matedog wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 6:14pm
matedog wrote:
26 May 2021, 12:32pm
I was trying to make fun of Canadians on another message board by looking up "Tears Are Not Enough" and got distracted by this:


The verses are pretty weak, so I was hoping for a big catchy chorus or some good monster balladness, but it's just not very good. Best thing about the video is the set and Paul's yellow/green gloves. This came out in 85, I wonder if the set designer caught an 84 Clash show with those mounted tvs.

Also, looks like Eric Carr has tympanis, but they are like 10 feet away from his massive kit and placed on opposite sides. Seems like a lot of work to get those orchestral tones.
I'm retroactively going through the single I didn't give proper reviews so I can do a power ranking of their 80s output.

Song grade: D+
The verses are especially bad on this. A very languid offbeat vocal that sounds actively bad. The minor key chorus is marginally better, but not remotely memorable enough to elevate this at all. Why was this a single?
Video grade: C The video is marginally better because the set and Paul's outfit are so inspired. The set looks like if you combined a Rainforest Cafe with the Clash's 1984 stage design. There are some weird close ups of tears falling on a girls chest. I like the shot near the beginning of some girl tearing down drapes while Paul stands in the corner like the Blair Witch got him. The non-stage stuff is pretty boring which brings it down a bit.
Whenever I see late 80s KISS, with their sparkly outfits of bright pinks, yellows, and greens, I wonder who the audience was for that stuff. I guess it's Poison's girly hair metal audience, but KISS just aren't pretty boys at all, plus they were too old to pull that off.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

matedog
User avatar
Purveyor of Hoyistic Thought
Posts: 25804
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 4:07pm
Location: 1995

Re: The KISS thread

Post by matedog »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 7:09pm
matedog wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 6:14pm
matedog wrote:
26 May 2021, 12:32pm
I was trying to make fun of Canadians on another message board by looking up "Tears Are Not Enough" and got distracted by this:


The verses are pretty weak, so I was hoping for a big catchy chorus or some good monster balladness, but it's just not very good. Best thing about the video is the set and Paul's yellow/green gloves. This came out in 85, I wonder if the set designer caught an 84 Clash show with those mounted tvs.

Also, looks like Eric Carr has tympanis, but they are like 10 feet away from his massive kit and placed on opposite sides. Seems like a lot of work to get those orchestral tones.
I'm retroactively going through the single I didn't give proper reviews so I can do a power ranking of their 80s output.

Song grade: D+
The verses are especially bad on this. A very languid offbeat vocal that sounds actively bad. The minor key chorus is marginally better, but not remotely memorable enough to elevate this at all. Why was this a single?
Video grade: C The video is marginally better because the set and Paul's outfit are so inspired. The set looks like if you combined a Rainforest Cafe with the Clash's 1984 stage design. There are some weird close ups of tears falling on a girls chest. I like the shot near the beginning of some girl tearing down drapes while Paul stands in the corner like the Blair Witch got him. The non-stage stuff is pretty boring which brings it down a bit.
Whenever I see late 80s KISS, with their sparkly outfits of bright pinks, yellows, and greens, I wonder who the audience was for that stuff. I guess it's Poison's girly hair metal audience, but KISS just aren't pretty boys at all, plus they were too old to pull that off.
Paul Stanley wasn't a bad looking guy. He was clearly the leader at that point too. Gene pulled off the harder look better when he had the goatee, but yeah it didn't work out so well relatively to pretty Poison and Warrant.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

revbob
User avatar
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 25333
Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 12:31pm
Location: The Frozen Tundra

Re: The KISS thread

Post by revbob »

I objectively dont understand any kind of praise for KISS.

Dr. Medulla
User avatar
Atheistic Epileptic
Posts: 115994
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
Location: Straight Banana, Idaho

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

matedog wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 8:41pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 7:09pm
matedog wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 6:14pm
matedog wrote:
26 May 2021, 12:32pm
I was trying to make fun of Canadians on another message board by looking up "Tears Are Not Enough" and got distracted by this:


The verses are pretty weak, so I was hoping for a big catchy chorus or some good monster balladness, but it's just not very good. Best thing about the video is the set and Paul's yellow/green gloves. This came out in 85, I wonder if the set designer caught an 84 Clash show with those mounted tvs.

Also, looks like Eric Carr has tympanis, but they are like 10 feet away from his massive kit and placed on opposite sides. Seems like a lot of work to get those orchestral tones.
I'm retroactively going through the single I didn't give proper reviews so I can do a power ranking of their 80s output.

Song grade: D+
The verses are especially bad on this. A very languid offbeat vocal that sounds actively bad. The minor key chorus is marginally better, but not remotely memorable enough to elevate this at all. Why was this a single?
Video grade: C The video is marginally better because the set and Paul's outfit are so inspired. The set looks like if you combined a Rainforest Cafe with the Clash's 1984 stage design. There are some weird close ups of tears falling on a girls chest. I like the shot near the beginning of some girl tearing down drapes while Paul stands in the corner like the Blair Witch got him. The non-stage stuff is pretty boring which brings it down a bit.
Whenever I see late 80s KISS, with their sparkly outfits of bright pinks, yellows, and greens, I wonder who the audience was for that stuff. I guess it's Poison's girly hair metal audience, but KISS just aren't pretty boys at all, plus they were too old to pull that off.
Paul Stanley wasn't a bad looking guy. He was clearly the leader at that point too. Gene pulled off the harder look better when he had the goatee, but yeah it didn't work out so well relatively to pretty Poison and Warrant.
I just don't think they were young or feminine enough for proper hair metal. Maybe I can sympathize that they didn't have a lot of options in their search for a gimmick, but I just don't see it working. Which, well, it mostly didn't. Even as metal went mainstream in the 80s, KISS wasn't a leading act.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

Dr. Medulla
User avatar
Atheistic Epileptic
Posts: 115994
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
Location: Straight Banana, Idaho

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

revbob wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 8:54pm
I objectively dont understand any kind of praise for KISS.
I can, in the abstract, praise them as a marketing concept. I'm appalled by it by my own values, but recognize the success in branding themselves and not worrying about stuff like critics or respect. As a purely musical act, I'm good with three songs—Strutter, Rock n Roll All Nite, and, I guess, Detroit Rock City—but otherwise they're pretty garbage.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

matedog
User avatar
Purveyor of Hoyistic Thought
Posts: 25804
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 4:07pm
Location: 1995

Re: The KISS thread

Post by matedog »


1987's "Crazy Crazy Nights" from the album "Crazy Nights"
*note this isn't on Youtube for some unknown reason which is insane as this was their biggest ever hit in the UK (maybe it's on youtube there?).


Lyrics: "Here's a little song for everybody out there." True to his intro, Paul writes this one for the masses. Basically, life can be tough, but nothing helps like a KISS concert and KISS music! The verses are insanely short - a single couplet before the prechorus. The chorus is just "These are crazy crazy crazy crazy nights" which is four "crazy"s as opposed to the two in the song title and one in the album title. Lyrically I could have written this song, it's that simple. It doesn't matter too much if the music can make up for it...

Music: The song opens with a nice pop and catchy riff. The verses are too short to be worthwhile, but the prechorus has a really good hook and sure enough the chorus is good too. Listening to this a few times for this review, I've had the song stuck in my head all day, not unlike "Turn on the Night." Nothing too crazy musically, there is a pretty nifty key chance from G to Bb in the second chorus which deviates from your typical whole step change of the pop genre.

Video: This is another performance piece, filmed at a real live KISS koncert. The band is always better in these settings though there is nothing beyond the performance so it's a bit boring. They couldn't get a hot 80s chick to degrade? Also, did I just see a mosh pit at the 1:29 mark? Damn KISS koncerts are rowdy.

Song grade: B, maybe B+ It's definitely one of the better songs of the ones I've reviewed on the strengths of the vocal melodies. It's not a great song by any means and its popularity in the UK is a bit confusing, but it ranks at the top or near the top of the songs I've done thus far.
Video grade: C Nothing much to it. It's not bad, it's just them playing "live."

Next week: We get creative with our song titles with "Uh! All Night." Hopefully it's more "Uh!" and less "uhhhhh."
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

Dr. Medulla
User avatar
Atheistic Epileptic
Posts: 115994
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
Location: Straight Banana, Idaho

Re: The KISS thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

matedog wrote:
14 Jan 2022, 6:08pm
Song grade: B, maybe B+ It's definitely one of the better songs of the ones I've reviewed on the strengths of the vocal melodies. It's not a great song by any means and its popularity in the UK is a bit confusing, but it ranks at the top or near the top of the songs I've done thus far.
It's inane as fuck, but it's pretty much right in the middle of the pack of its genre at the time, which is a bit better than other stuff you've endured.
Next week: We get creative with our song titles with "Uh! All Night." Hopefully it's more "Uh!" and less "uhhhhh."
I can assure you, it's "unh!" Tho I do like the idea of a song guided by the idea of being wary or dismissive all night.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

Post Reply