Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Toronto Cast Recording featuring Paul Stanley (1999 Phantom Music bootleg CD You Can’t Escape His KISS)

Seeing Paul Stanley perform as the titular Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera was an experience I’ll never forget.  It was fall, 1999.  I remember hearing an ad on the radio on the way to work that the show was being extended due to popular demand – six more weeks!  I remember jumping around at the Beat Goes On (Cambridge location) chanting “SIX MORE WEEKS!  SIX MORE WEEKS!”  I knew I wasn’t going to miss Paul as the Phantom.  There were a lot of leather jackets in the audience.  A few Kiss shirts.  Not the usual Pantages crowd, but that’s what Paul did for Phantom of the Opera.  He crossed barriers with it.  A little later on, I was gifted a genuine Paul Stanley autograph from DJ Donnie D, who bumped into Paul on the streets of Toronto.  I had a program, an autograph, and the live experience.  All I needed was a CD of the show.

“They’d be stupid not to release a CD version of Phantom with Paul,” I reasoned.  The London and Canadian cast CD releases were bestsellers for us, despite their prices.  A Paul Stanley release would cross over to the rock crowd.  An official CD never came, but fortunately somebody in the audience was recording one of of those shows, and bootlegged it.  The date is unlisted, the CD says “Made in Japan” while the sleeve says “Printed in USA”.  (The number on the CD, 27/110/99 does not refer to a date as the ended on Oct 31 1999.)  This CD bootleg was gifted all the way from Australia, by the Mad Metal Man Harrison Kopp, who knew I had been seeking it a long time.  From Canada to Australia and back to Canada again.

A single CD release with unrelated bonus tracks, this disc focuses on the musical numbers that involved Paul and skips the rest.  This is probably sufficient for Kiss fans.

Being an audience recording, quality is all subjective.  There is some tape warble, which may or may not hinder your enjoyment.  There are people coughing in the audience; the usual sonic flaws.  You can clearly hear that Melissa Dye, Paul’s co-star playing Christine, is a professional while Paul is not.  He often resorts to a “rock frontman” voice to exclaim certain lines.  However, Paul also does an admirable job.  His tenor voice was no longer at its peak in 1999.  He was still up to the task, insofar as a rock star goes.  A tenor like Paul would never have made it to the starring role without his name marquee value.  That doesn’t actually matter when you consider that Paul helmed this show from May to October, to positive reviews.  Of course, there is more to it than just singing.  There is also the acting; the stage performance in costume and makeup.  You don’t get to see that here, but I can assure that Paul knew something about performing to music on stage in costume and makeup.  He brought the same bombast to the physical role as he did the vocal part.

The most memorable musical moments on this CD are the “Phantom of the Opera” and “Music of the Night”, which most people will be familiar with.  Paul’s performance on both is a knockout.  This bootleg recording serves as a reminder that Paul might have been an unorthodox Phantom, but he was still capable, and did the job well…even if you can hear the Kiss frontman in him, from time to time.

The track list on the back of the CD is incorrect.  There are 25 tracks total, provided below.  The bonus material includes four of the 1989 Paul Stanley solo demos:  “When 2 Hearts Collide”, “Don’t Let Go”, “Best Man For You” and the familiar “Time Traveler”.   These are followed by a 1978 interview in seven parts.  An odd potpouri of bonus material to be sure, but such is the liberty of bootleg recordings.

“When 2 Hearts Collide” belies the late 80s recording date with its ballady keyboard direction.  It sounds like a Journey ballad, but it wouldn’t have done Kiss much good back then, when fans were tiring of ballads.  Good chorus and would probably benefit from a quality official release so we can really appreciate Paul’s singing.  “Don’t Let Go” is another ballad, but more in that “power ballad” mold, with a blaring chorus.  Just like every band was doing in 1989.  It could have been a hit, or it could have been forgotten.  Either way, Paul should do his own “Vault” release and get this stuff out there in better quality.  “Best Man For You” is, you guessed it, a ballad.  It sounds like something related to “Reason to Believe” from Crazy Nights.  Fortunately, the last and best song “Time Traveler” did get an official release on the Kiss Box Set.  This one actually rocks!  In that late 80s way, with a drum machine thudding away where you wish it was Eric Carr.  The tape sounds slightly sped up from the official release.  (It happens when it’s tape-based bootlegs.)

Finally the 1978 Paul interviews aren’t too action-packed.  They lack the question portions of the recordings.  The subject is Paul’s 1978 solo album, and what Paul was looking to accomplish.  (Sing more, apparently!)   He was also hoping to appeal to all Kiss fans, and new fans too.  He also hopes that none of the four solo albums would disappoint the fans.  That didn’t happen, but then there is some praise for the late great Bob Kulick and the other players on the record.  He also prophesizes that one day, Kiss will become an institution.  Was he right?  In total, it’s 8 and a half minutes of interview.

A worthwhile purchase if you can find a copy.  There isn’t much in terms of 1999 Phantom recordings out there, and this might be the best of them.

3/5 stars, balancing collectability and sound quality.  Still a must for Paul fans.

1. Overture
2. Angel Of Music / The Mirror / Phantom of the Opera
3. Music of the Night
4. I Remember / Stranger Than You Dreamt It
5. The Phantom’s Instructions
6. The Phantom Threats
7. The Phantom Attacks
8. All I Ask Of You
9. Masquerade
10. Wandering Child
11. Let My Opera Begin
12. The Point of No Return / All I Ask Of You
13. Down Once More
14. Finale
15. Paul Stanley – When 2 Hearts Collide
16. Paul Stanley – Don’t Let Go
17. Paul Stanley – Best Man For You
18. Paul Stanley – Time Traveler
19. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 1
20. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 2
21. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 3
22. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 4
23. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 5
24. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 6
25. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 7