The KISS RE-REVIEW SERIES Part 42 Redux:  Eric Carr solo #2 (Reissued).

ERIC CARR – Unfinished Business (Originally 2011, 2025 Culture Factory)

Beloved drummer Eric Carr has two posthumous “solo albums”:  Rockology and Unfinished Business.  Both contain previously unreleased songs written and performed by Carr, some of which are polished up and finished properly, some of which are basic demos.  2000’s Rockology compilation contained a treasure trove of unheard goodies for the fans, but since there is always more to sell, another batch of tracks were unearthed to mark the 20th anniversary of Eric’s passing.  This time they called it Unfinished Business, and this time you can tell that there wasn’t much left in the vaults to release.   Yet, somehow, the Carr estate found even more tracks to release.  In 2023 a “remastered” version of Rockology was released for Record Store Day.  It included five more tracks, including very harsh demos from 1967, and 1974.  It also included a few alternate versions of previously released tracks, of limited value.  Then in 2025, and hopefully for the last time, five more tracks were coughed up on a similar reissue of Unfinished Business.  It is now an hour and 14 minutes long, so buckle up for a bumpy ride.

Getting the cosmestics out of the way first, Culture Factory do a fantastic job with these reissues.  The CDs are designed to look like vinyl.  Rockology was reissued on a black CD, and Unfinished Business is a lovely blue.  While the last album was designed to resemble the Kiss solo albums, this one looks like Creatures of the Night.  The style and obi strips for these reissues mean they also match each other.  Inside is a two-page booklet with very small print, and a sleeve for the CD, featuring two Kiss-era photos of Eric:  One from Creatures and one from Animalize.

There are a few Eric interviews and audio clips included, and the album opens appropriately with Eric introducing himself.  The first song is an updated version of “Just Can’t Wait” from Rockology.  Like a classic early 80s Bon Jovi song, it had slick hooks and hit potential.  This fine demo was just crying out for a lead vocal to finish it off.  This was completed by Ted Poley of Danger Danger.  Though the backing track lacks the fidelity of a proper Kiss recording, the song has taken shape as the shoulda-coulda-been hit that it is.  Eric would have been proud and very happy to hear it as a finished song, even though it sounds like you’re playing an old cassette.

The unfinished “Troubles Inside You” is a demo with regular Kiss collaborator and Beatlemania member Mitch Weissman.  It was recorded at Gene Simmons’ house, but the old cassette must have deteriorated pretty badly.  The music is barely audible, though hints of a good song shine through.  It clearly needed work, particularly on the chorus.  Weissman is on lead vocals, and Eric programmed the drum machine.  It sounds like a Creatures outtake, but this demo is truly chore to listen to.

There are a couple Kiss songs here for the diehard fans.  “No One’s Messin’ With You” is accompanied by an audio clip of Eric explaining that he insisted on singing a song this time.  Yes, that means this is yet another demo of what would become “Little Caesar” from Hot in the Shade (Another called “Ain’t That Peculiar” was released on the 2001 Kiss Box Set.)  This is an almost completely different set of lyrics, although it does have the “Hey Little Caesar” chorus.  In chronological terms, this version probably falls between the other two, with lyrics still a work in progress and a different verse melody.

Disappointingly, some songs here are not recorded by Eric Carr.  “Carr Jam 1991” and “All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose” are not demos.  They are remakes by Zo2 drummer Joey Cassata as a tribute.  Sonically both sound great, but why do we need these?  For “Carr Jam”, we already have a Kiss version which has Eric Carr on drums and Bruce Kulick on guitar.  This one has a guitarist named Benny Doro playing all the electric instruments.  Giving Cassata credit, he plays homage to the Fox’s drum hooks and style very admirably.  “All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose” with Paulie Z on vocals, belongs on a tribute album.  Not an album billed as an Eric Carr CD.

“Carr Jam” is followed by an interview about Eric’s audition, but it is followed by one of the very worst tracks in terms of quality.  This is “Shandi”, from Eric’s Kiss audition tape, with brand new acoustic backing music.  Unfortunately, Eric’s shaky voice (or a warbly tape) makes this totally unlistenable.  We have to assume it’s the tape, because nobody would dream of sending this to Kiss as an audition.

Two more Kiss outtakes include the legendary “Dial L For Love” and “Elephant Man”.  These were written for Crazy Nights and Revenge, respectively.  Neither were finished by Carr.  “Dial L For Love” has the bones of a good song with a unique 80s riff, including harmonics.  Eric only managed to finish the lyrics for “Elephant Man”, but here it is given music and life by a group of musicians including the late A.J. Pero of Twisted Sister, and ex-Europe guitarist Kee Marcello.  Singer Bob Gilmartin did a great job of it, turning “Elephant Man” into a cross between ballad and rocker, and something Kiss actually could have done on Revenge. “Elephant Man” does not feature Eric, only the lyrics he wrote, but it actually turned out pretty good.  We’ll allow this one, even though Eric isn’t on it, because there was no better way for us to hear his lyrics.

Eric’s Kiss bandmate, Mark St. John, found the cassette tape for “Midnight Stranger”.  It is another unfinished riff.  Mark was slated to overdub brand new solos for this instrumental, but he too passed before he could finish.  This is the original cassette demo.  The riff sounds like a brother to “Carr Jam”.  They are definitely related.  One has to assume that Eric gave this tape to Mark at some time during the making of Animalize.  Obviously, neither Mark nor Eric would be allowed to write on the album, so this is an interesting oddity.

Rockology featured a good Eric original called “Eyes of Love”, which Bruce Kulick finished by adding his guitar.  This version has Eric’s lead vocals backed by a new recording by Benny Doro and drummer John Humphrey.  Obviously, the Kulick version is the go-to.  This version doesn’t add much in terms of value to the fan.  It’s an artificially created “new” version, to flesh out an already dubious CD release.

“Through the Years” features some Eric Carr drum solos edited together, and dedicated to Bill Aucoin (who also features in an audio clip).  The drum solos themselves will sound familiar, as many ended up in “Carr Jam” and Kiss concerts live.

Finally there is a 1967 recording by Eric’s first band The Cellarmen, with Eric on lead vocals.  At the time of the original release for Unfinished Business, this was considered something really rare and special, but it turns out they had more that they were hanging on to.  Now, we get two more Cellarmen tracks:  1967’s Beatles-y “I Cry At Night” and 1968’s “I Found You (One I Adore)”.  These tracks sound pretty decent considering their age.  An official release like this is certainly welcome for these old tapes.  The late 1960s are alive again when you push play.

Several of the remaining bonus tracks are quite long.  Into the 1970s, we have a lengthy jam of “Down By The River”, performed by Salt and Pepper, recorded in 1974.  According to the CD, that is Eric on lead vocals and drums.  It sounds like when Deep Purple Mk I used to do slow psychedelic cover versions, complete with slamming drums.  Not a great cover, but certainly of interest to Eric fans.

“Get Down” is an overlong disco demo by Creation, dating to 1974.  This one is complete with a horn section, sax solos, and organ.  The surviving tape quality limits its listenability.  It’s interesting not only to hear Eric play the disco beats (quite awesomely), but also to hear him sing this soulful style.

Rewinding to 1972, Salt and Pepper also covered “Black Magic Woman”, this time keeping it to about five minutes.  Eric’s drumming on this is absolutely thunderous.  Though it is hard to shake the Deep Purple Mk I vibes, comparing Eric to Ian Paice on this is not out of the question.

The final track, a cover of “Listen to the Music”, dates back to 1977 and is recorded by Mother Nature Father Time.  This is a nice pop rock song with twangy country guitars.  Eric’s vocals are present but a bit muffled, making it hard to fully enjoy the tracks.  It is a pretty impressive version of the song, with ample accompaniment.

Never mind that the five bonus tracks from Rockology and the five from Unfinished Business could have been released as a single standalone disc, a third Eric Carr album perhaps.  That’s what should have been been done, for the fans who are tired of endless reissues.  Let us hope that more tracks don’t mysteriously turn up on a third go-round of reissues.

2/5 stars