FabricationsHQ - Putting the Words to the Music
  • Muirsical Thoughts, Muirsical News Last update: January 17th
  • Latest Articles (links)
  • Writing the Wrongs... 2020 in Review
  • Jason Bieler and The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra - Songs For The Apocalypse
  • Featured Album Reviews
    • McCartney III
    • Gary Barlow - Music Played By Humans
    • Storm Warning - Different Horizons
    • Reb Beach - A View From The Inside
    • Lykantropi - Tales To Be Told
    • King King - Maverick
    • Jakko M Jakszyk - Secrets & Lies
    • Blue Öyster Cult - The Symbol Remains
    • Fish - Weltschmerz
    • Dyble Longdon - Between A Breath And A Breath
    • Jim Kirkpatrick - Ballad of a Prodigal Son
    • Abel Ganz - The Life of the Honey Bee & Other Moments of Clarity
    • Toby and the Whole Truth - Ignorance is Bliss (25th Anniversary Edition)
    • Everyday Heroes - A Tale of Sin & Sorrow
    • Skintrade - The Show Must Go On
    • Robert Jon & The Wreck - Last Light on the Highway
    • Pat Metheny - From This Place
    • Anchor Lane - Casino
    • 2019 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Fat-Suit - Waifs & Strays
      • Wayward Sons - The Truth Ain't What it Used to Be
      • Flying Colors - Third Degree
      • Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live
      • Burnt Out Wreck - This is Hell
      • Runrig - The Last Dance
      • Scarlet Rebels - Show Your Colours
      • The Blind Lemon Gators - Gatorville
      • Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
      • Sweet Oblivion Feat. Geoff Tate
      • Rebecca Downes - More Sinner Than Saint
      • Stray - Mudanzas
      • Snarky Puppy - Immigrance
      • Aaron Buchanan And The Cult Classics - The Man With Stars On His Knees
    • 2018 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Simon Thacker's Svara-Kanti - Trikala
      • Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts
      • Duncan Chisholm - Sandwood
      • Jawbone - Jawbone
      • Steve Perry - Traces
      • Sari Schorr - Never Say Never
      • Joe Bonamassa - Redemption
      • Ben Poole - Anytime You Need Me
      • Hawkwind - Road To Utopia
      • Rainbreakers - Face To Face
      • Frequency Drift - Letters to Maro
      • JCM - Heroes
      • Dana Fuchs - Love Lives On
      • Joe Bonamassa - British Blues Explosion Live
      • W.E.T. - Earthrage
      • The King Lot - A World Without Evil
  • Monthly Album Reviews...
    • 2021 Reviews
    • 2020 Reviews
    • 2019 Reviews
    • 2018 Reviews
  • Selected 2020 Gig Reviews...
    • Jared James Nichols - Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Oscar Cordoba Band - Blue Arrow, Glasgow
    • Rebecca Downes Band - The Ice Box, Glasgow
    • Ben Poole Trio - Room 2, Glasgow
    • Sensational Alex Harvey Experience - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Aristocrats - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
    • Fat Suit - Drygate, Glasgow
    • Francis Dunnery's It Bites - St Lukes, Glasgow
  • Selected 2019 Gig Reviews...
    • WinterStorm Rock Weekender IV - Troon
    • Hawkwind - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Opeth - SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice 'N' Sleazy Glasgow
    • Anchor Lane - G2, Glasgow
    • Stray - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Danny Bryant - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Talon - Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
    • Lifesigns - Smiles of Musical Travel
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 3 - featuring Rattlesnake Tattoo, Prestwick
    • Chantel McGregor - Hard Rock Cafe Glasgow
    • Pete Way Band - Customs House Hotel, Greenock
    • Raintown and Katee Kross - Village Theatre, East Kilbride
    • Danny Vaughn - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • NR Rocks 2019 - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Arran Rock 'N' Blues Fest 2019
    • Cheap Trick - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • The Blind Lemon Gators - Tolboth, Stirling
    • Midnight Oil - 02 Brixton Academy, London
    • Ana Popovic - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Joe Bonamassa - SEC Armadillo, Glasgow
    • Eden's Curse - The Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
    • Her Way to Hell - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Quireboys and FM - The Garage, Glasgow
    • Erja Lyytinen - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Wille & The Bandits - Hug & Pint, Glasgow
    • Sari Schorr - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Frankie Miller's Full House - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 2 featuring Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous, Prestwick
    • John Verity Band - Borders Blues Club, Innerleithen
    • King King (with Sari Schorr) - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Burnt Out Wreck (with Scarlet Rebels) - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Buckcherry / Hoobastank / Adelita's Way - SWG3 Glasgow
  • Muirsical Conversations...
    • John Verity (September 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (July 2020)
    • Gary Moat (March 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (October 2019)
    • Rebecca Downes (May 2019)
    • Ben Poole & Wayne Proctor (January 2019)
    • Dan Reed (November 2018)
    • Del Bromham (October 2018)
    • Brian Downey (September 2018)
    • Raintown - Paul Bain & Claire McArthur Bain (May 2018)
    • Hamilton Loomis (December 2017)
    • Alan Nimmo (October 2017)
    • Erja Lyytinen (September 2017)
    • Suzi Quatro (September 2017)
    • Biff Byford (August 2017)
    • Dan Patlansky (June 2017)
    • Graham Bonnet (May 2017)
    • Simon Thacker (April 2017)
    • Sari Schorr (March 2017)
    • Stevie Nimmo (February 2017)
    • Dan Reed (February 2017)
    • Adam Norsworthy (January 2017)
    • Colin James (December 2016)
    • John Lees (October 2016)
    • Sari Schorr (August 2016)
    • Mike Vernon (August 2016)
    • Wayne Proctor (July 2016)
    • Laurence Jones (April 2016)
    • Chantel McGregor (March 2016)
    • John Young (January 2016)
    • Michael Schenker (November 2015)
    • Martin Barre (October 2015)
    • Chris Norman (September 2015)
    • Joanne Shaw Taylor (August 2015)
    • Fee Waybill (July 2015)
    • Ian Anderson (June 2015)
    • John Lodge (June 2015)
    • John Lawton (May 2015)
    • Steve Hackett (May 2015)
    • Manny Charlton (April 2015)
    • Ben Poole (April 2015)
    • Alan Nimmo (February 2015)
    • Popa Chubby (December 2014)
    • Paul Young (July 2014)
    • Bernie Shaw (June 2014)
    • Lee Kerslake (December 2013)
    • Pat Travers (September 2013)
    • Steve Hunter (August 2013)
    • Joy Dunlop (March 2013)
    • Gwyn Ashton (Dec. 2012)
    • Greg Lake (October 2012)
    • Ned Evett (August 2012)
    • Steven Lindsay (July 2012)
    • Dave Cureton (June 2012)
    • Jon Anderson (May 2012)
    • Jeremey Frederick Hunsicker (March 2012)
    • Amy Schugar (Feb. 2012)
    • Robert Fleischman (November 2011)
    • Ivan Drever (Sep. 2011)
    • Michael Sadler (June 2011)
    • James Evans (April 2011)
    • Alyn Cosker (Nov. 2010)
    • Scott Higham (Nov. 2010)
    • Kevin Chalfant (Oct. 2010)
    • Francis Dunnery (Sep. 2010)
    • Duncan Chisholm (Aug 2010)
    • Barbara Rubin (July 2010)
    • Alan Reed (June 2010)
  • Muirsical Q&A with...
    • Félix Rabin (February 2020)
    • Chantel McGregor (August 2019)
    • Greig Taylor (July 2019)
    • Adam Norsworthy (June 2019)
    • Erja Lyytinen (March 2019)
  • Muirsical Articles...
    • 2019AB?
    • The Fool Guitar - The Fool Story
    • Alex Harvey - Framed in Words. And pictures
    • Journey - That Time Forgot
    • KISS - Elder Statesmen, Elder Statement?
    • Phil Lynott - Remembering Pt. 3
    • Freddie Mercury - The Days of His Life
    • Gary Moore - Last Exit
    • Mott - Without any of the Hoople-la
    • Muirsical Six of the Best
    • Music Town: A Decade of the Darvel Music Festival
    • Pat Travers - The Forgotten Power Trio
    • Playing Tribute
    • Gerry Rafferty - Humblebum to Multi-Million Seller
    • Cliff Richard - The Rock and Roll Juvenile
    • Slade - Thanks For the Memories
    • The Sweet - A Cut Above the Rest
    • Talon - On Eagles Wings
    • Wild Horses - Thoroughbreds or also-rans?
  • A Personal Journey: Definitive Edition (eBook)
  • Steve Perry (vocalist): One in a Million (eBook)
  • A Writer's Muirsings...
    • A Writer's Muirsings: Introduction
    • Superbowl XLVII MVP: Beyoncé (February 2013)
    • Michael Jackson: The Alternative Verdict (Nov 2011)
    • True Colours (November 2010)
    • It's a New Language, Old Bean (October 2010)
    • Finger Pointing (July 2010)
    • Suffer the Little Children (April 2010)
    • Hey 'Banker', can you spare a dime? (February 2010)
    • Earlier Muirsings... >
      • Muirsical Christmas #1's (December 09)
      • 3-D, or not 3-D, Avatar? (December 09)
      • Pains, Planes and Automobiles (November 09)
  • A Man of Letters...
    • A Man of Letters (Introduction)
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #1
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #2
    • Letter to The Catholic League
    • Letter to SKY #1
    • Letter to SKY #2
    • Letter to SKY #3
    • Letter to Leeds City Council Parking Services
  • Author Bio & Site Info
  • Contact FabricationsHQ
KISS - Elder Statesmen, Elder Statement?

I recall being in conversation with Todd Rundgren back in late 2000 when the KISS Psycho Circus tour was doing good business (featuring the original line-up that had reformed a number of years prior for the hugely successful and highly lucrative reunion tour of 1996-1997) and Todd quipped:
"It's still KISS's world, we just happen to be living in it."

I'm not the biggest KISS fan in that world, so it may seem strange to be reflecting on something that happened in KISS conversation ten years ago.
But it was actually more recent KISS activities that led me to recall that conversation in the first place...
 
When the ticket scramble started for the KISS UK arena shows that took place in May 2010, I was one of the seemingly very few rock fans in the country who had no interest in those tickets, even though they were selling like Hotter than Hell cakes.

But there were, of course, very specific reasons for both the high demand, and my low interest.

The KISS fever was primarily because the 2010 shows were their first set of dates (excluding Festival appearances) in the UK for eleven years, including their first date in Scotland since 1992; KISS were also promoting Sonic Boom, the first KISS studio album in over a decade.

The album had received great critical review and fan feedback, but then it was almost guaranteed to as the band had intentionally written and recorded Sonic Boom in the style of the "70s KISS sound."


I'm no fan of rewriting-the-hits albums or formulated rock but I fully acknowledge there is both an audience and a market for it.
And my indifference to KISS performing in the UK again brings me to my first KISS reflection.

I saw KISS back in the day and was disappointed by the quality of performance and left cold by their "Vegas" style attitude and approach to a concert that was clearly more about the show than the music.
Paul Stanley's raps with the audience... drum and lead guitar solos in the first half hour of the set... a bass solo that was performed more by the sound engineer than Gene Simmons...

Not the sort of attitude or set you bring to a place like Glasgow, trust me, as was confirmed by the number of us that left early.
There were some great moments, but my outstanding memory of that gig before we left was a large number of the Weegie audience, during the torturous solos, responding at a fair volume of decibels themselves with "just play a fucking song!"

But KISS are older and wiser now, understand the differences between American and British/ European audiences and no-one would deny that when they deliver properly it's Rock and Roll All Nite.

Nor can anyone 
deny their legacy and longevity, and while the musical heart and business soul of the band remain (Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons respectively) there's life in the old Starchild and fire breather yet.
The Elder Statesmen of theatrical rock and roll.

And so to the second KISS reflection.


Having established those Elder Statesmen credentials (although Alice Cooper has them beat as the Elder Statesman of theatrical shock and roll), could they also be responsible for an Elder Statement in conceptual progressive rock?

This writer's favourite KISS album isn't one of the more traditional or classic choices, such as Destroyer or Love Gun, but 1981's (Music From) The Elder.
​

That album however was critically panned, confused the fans and was so poorly received that the band quickly disowned the concept and returned to being the Creatures of the Night the KISS Army love and demand.
Picture
           Sonic Boom, the first KISS studio album in over a decade, gave the fans exactly what they
           wanted
 – that "70s KISS sound." Thirty years earlier however the band gave the fans something
           their ears couldn't believe; but in retrospect is it an Elder Statement or KISS's crowning folly? 
 


The low esteem the album is held in is unfortunate because The Elder saw the band stretching musically and having the audacity (or stupidity, dependant on point of view) to produce a conceptual piece which had musical textures with a light and shade not heard on any KISS album before or since.
The album also featured the American Symphony Orchestra.

The Elder was never going to be hailed as the greatest ever KISS album but it is their most diverse, adventurous and challenging album. Which is exactly why it failed so spectacularly.

There were a handful of trademark KISS songs and sounds within The Elder however and the striking ballad 'A World Without Heroes' was well received, picking up solid airplay.

A
nd how the big-beat, bombast and chant rock of 'I' never became a bona fide Kiss Klassic remains a mystery to this day...
The Elder was such a commercial flop (and serious financial worry for both KISS and then record label Casablanca) the band decided against the idea of pursuing a planned sequel.

While that's unfortunate, the musical reality of the situation is that nearly thirty years on from that Elder statement (or crowning folly), KISS, without original drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley but with the original costumes and face painted characters, are delivering exactly what the majority want to see.

And, with Sonic Boom, delivering exactly what the KISS Army want to hear.

Love 'em, loathe 'em, or some point in between, it would appear Mr. Rundgren's own statement still applies.

Ross Muir
May 2010


Audio track is presented to accompany the above article and promote the work of the artist/s.
No infringement of copyright is intended.

Website and text contents © FabricationsHQ and Ross Muir
All Rights Reserved