One of the most hard-to-find rock collectables this season has been…a pair of shoes? Crocs, no less?
Well folks, at mikeladano.com we are profoundly pro-Croc. If you are among the many who think the shoe should not even exist, then this review will not be for you. Just letting you know.
Kiss, who will put their logo on everything from condoms to coffins, have now finally completed the triumvirate with the venerable Crocs. This crossover, almost as monumental as Spiderman joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, should have been obvious. Kiss Crocs took everyone by surprise and the shoes quickly sold out. They are a sleek, black shoe with the classic Destroyer-era logo emblazoned on the front. The same logo can be found on the heel. This all ties in with Kiss’ epic End of the Road final tour.
If you’ve never worn Crocs, be assured they are a durable shoe. They are ideal for housework, camping, and swimming. The plasticy-rubbery material is both soft on the foot yet offering firm support. There is no-slip traction on the inside of the shoe and a decent tread on the sole. This makes them ideal for river-walking while visiting Sausagefest 2019.
The Kiss Crocs come in four different styles, including one with an Ace Frehley moon boot look. This one, the “classic clog”, is the only one with holes in the front of sides of the shoe. This makes it better for water, as the others will simply fill up instead of draining out. The choice is up to you — we recommend the classic.
When the front cover features crumbled tinfoil, you know you’re in for a seriously good time.
This tape still sounds amazing! It was a gift 30 years ago from an old girlfriend, and it somehow survived all my cassette purges (even the one that sent most of them to Thunder Bay.)
From the fine folks at PolyTel, you get an assortment of hot rock that makes for a remarkably good listen today. Opening with Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer” you couldn’t ask for a better embarkation point. That goes right into the back-to-basics brilliance of “Love Removal Machine” by the Cult. I remember that old girlfriend really hated The Cult, so it was kind of her to give this to me. I didn’t have Electric yet, so this was my first ownership of the song.
The Ozzman cometh on “The Ultimate Sin”, still relentless today even though Ozzy tries to ignore most of the Ultimate Sin era. Ozzy and Jake made some incredible music together and this is one. The cassette swings back towards hair metal with Cinderella and their early hit “Nobody’s Fool” from 1986. On tape, the ballad sounds thicker and heavier. It also appears to be the full length version and not a single edit. Up next, it’s the non-metal of The Alarm, but “Rain in the Summertime” fits like a glove. It’s really no softer than “Living on a Prayer” when you think about it. Unfortunately the cassette has a warbly spot right in the middle of the song. Kiss close the side with the softest one yet: “Reason to Live” from Crazy Nights.
Flipping the tape, side two opens with a hit just about equal to the one that commenced side one. The keyboards sound carpet-deep on tape, as you recognise “The Final Countdown” by Europe. If there were only two bands battling for rock supremacy in 1987, it was Bon Jovi vs. Europe. Side one vs side two!
Our first Canadian content is predictably by Rush. Hey, it had to be either Rush or Bryan Adams. “Time Stand Still” featuring Aimee Mann was the kind of mainstream hit perfect for a tape like this. Less predictable is the presence of Yngwie Malmsteen with “Fire” from Trilogy, a song totally out of character for a tape with The Alarm and Cinderella. Deep Purple are next to crash the party with 1987’s Bad Attitude. Once again, it was my first time owning a song. I imagine Deep Purple with a little less shocking next to Yngwie, though probably just as unfamiliar to an unsuspecting buyer.
Why not a little Christian content, since so many styles of rock are represented here? Stryper’s “Honestly” may sound like a romance, but it’s a cleverly disguised prayer. And finally, because why not? It’s “Hourglass” by Squeeze! I was 17 years old, and I hated it! Different story today.
30 years down the road, Rulers of Rock was a delightfully entertaining listen with twists, turns and surprises. And it’s still the only place I own those Squeeze and Alarm songs!
Kiss frontman Paul Stanley seems emboldened by the monumental success of their End of the Road tour. Why “emboldened”? Because they’re pulling it off with only half the original band. Ace Frehley has not shown up to sing “Shock Me” and Peter Criss seems happily retired. Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer remain in the greasepaint and the spotlight. It’s proof that the majority of the masses don’t know or don’t care who is in a band anymore. The “fans” who refer to Thayer and Singer as “scabs” have had no impact on ticket sales with their boycotts.
Many bands have toured successfully in recent years without key members. AC/DC made headlines by replacing Brian Johnson with Axl Rose. Deep Purple are going strong with only one original member. Queen sell out with Adam Lambert taking Freddie Mercury’s place on stage, and bring home terrific reviews to prove it. Kiss too are doing just fine.
Would they be able to do it with even fewer original members? Like, say, none? Paul Stanley thinks so. He’s said so before and recently he raised the idea again:
“I think that Kiss has served a huge purpose and brings incredible joy to people on the End Of The Road tour. The shows are packed, and not only with the early followers of the band, but people who have heard the legend of what this band does live. And it’s something that’s more than music. It really is a preaching of self-empowerment and the idea that anything that you’re willing to work hard for, you can probably attain. And the idea of celebrating life. Things that may seem simplistic or overtly simplistic, but actually have a timeless depth to them. So when bands continue, ultimately the people in ’em need to change or have to, because of circumstances.
“So that’s a long explanation for me feeling that I would have an enormous amount of pride in knowing that we can continue the band once I’m not there anymore. That would be the ultimate test of its credibility and the role, I think, that it serves.
“I didn’t invent the wheel. I am the product of all the people who I looked up to, all the musicians who I respected, and it was kind of like a stew, and then I added my own ingredients to it. But there are other people who are out there who wouldn’t necessarily imitate me any more than I imitated my heroes. But there are people out there, I’m sure, who are well equipped to pick up the flag and run with it.”
Paul is correct to say that bands must sometimes change out of necessity. He is actually the best proof of this. Paul cannot sing anymore and has been miming a huge percentage of his lead vocals on this tour. We won’t go down that rabbit hole this time. Suffice to say, if this wasn’t the End of the Road, Paul couldn’t really continue singing lead in Kiss.
But replacing him? That’s a whole other bowl of Cheerios.
The idea of Kiss going on without Paul and Gene – let’s call the hypothetical band “Kiss II” – would certainly cross a line with me. Bands with one or two original members is one thing. Many bands have replacement members far more important than the originals. Phil Collen is a key member of Def Leppard, vastly more so than his predecessor Pete Willis. Same with Roger Glover and Ian Gillan in Deep Purple. Adrian Smith in Iron Maiden. The list goes on and on.
Could a Kiss II be a viable prospect with Eric Singer the longest serving member? With Tommy Thayer as band leader?
No. Paul and Gene control Kiss. The other guys have just been hired guns ever since the originals left. Kiss may have started as four guys, but for the last few decades it’s the vision of just two. (In the 80s, just one, as Gene went Hollywood.) You could imagine Paul and Gene controlling a Kiss II band from behind the scenes, but that is a hollow prospect. Imagine Stanley and Simmons discussing new costumes and approving setlists for a Kiss II tour without them. Would you pay to see that?
I wouldn’t.
Kiss have already gone down in history, many times, for their accomplishments. Making the band immortal with all parts replaceable might also be historic, but not in a good way. There are guys out there who can sing better than Paul, and play better than Gene. Tribute bands have all the moves down pat. But you can go see a tribute band for $10. Kiss II would be, in essence, an “official” tribute band and with Paul and Gene behind the scenes they’d be charging a hell of a lot more than $10 per ticket.
I think Paul has lost perspective. Kiss has been successful, against the odds, in replacing Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. But there was precedent for that. Kiss made fantastic albums without either. That doesn’t mean you can remove Paul or Gene from the picture and still call it Kiss. Paul and Gene have always been the ones with the drive and the vision. They are not so easy to replace. Can you picture some replacement guy imitating Paul’s stage raps? There might have been a brief window in the late 80s when Kiss could have gone on without Gene, only Paul, since he had become the captain of the ship for a while. However that ship sailed long ago and it’s all but impossible to imagine the band without them both.
No, Kiss II is a lousy idea. It’s just a way to milk naïve fans in this era of hologram and nostalgia tours. Would they sell tickets? Sure, they’d sell some. These hologram tours are proof that people will pay to see anything. Would it be good? Hell, no!
UNCLE MEAT: Well…I guess tonight I experience the controversy head on.
LeBRAIN: What’s tonight?
MEAT: Members of Black N’ Blue and Badlands.
LB: Kiss? You are going? If so you are REQUIRED to write something for me. Or else!!
MEAT: Old buddy, Scott Hunter, who I saw Kiss with twice in 1982 and 1983, messages me out of nowhere and has a paid-for ticket. Him and his buddy have VIP but only two, but who cares. They had the Vault Experience with Gene last year too.
LB: Go go go.
MEAT: Only been 36 years since I saw Kiss live. Mid-arena, 20 rows up.
LB: It’s gonna be sad I think. Just my feeling.
MEAT: Fairly good tickets. But yeah. The spectacle is the part to enjoy I guess.
LB: I hope you have a good time. But seriously if you don’t write this up for me, I am going to probably hurt you very badly. You won’t see it coming. Maybe we will be driving to the farm and I will punch your nuts so hard that you bleed from your ears. Just saying. Not that you “owe” me anything, you just have to. Or have your nuts tenderised. Your choice! You won’t see it coming but it will happen!
– Toronto – Scotiabank Arena, March 20 2019 Review by Uncle Meat
Kiss in 2019 was the best “show” I have ever seen. Easily.
What about the singing? I had watched a cool video the other day, where a guy pointed out in each song where Paul is lip syncing and where he is actually singing. Which was good because before that I thought it was pretty much all tape. That being said, I could notice both last night. It’s like he is trying some songs’ verses (or what have you) on different nights. But, 60% of the vocals (at least) were the same as they had been on other stops. I have heard the “Love Gun” track several times, how the verses have been re-recorded, and he does exactly the same inflections within the verses.
BUT!!!
Truth is? 20 seconds in, and I didn’t give a shit. And while I hold the same opinion about it, it literally took ZERO away from a show I can only describe as almost perfect.
Gene sings 100% of his vocals, at least on the verses, and was kinda goofy all night. More aloof than he usually is. Less Demon. More Mike Myers. He is getting fat in the face though, wow…he looked like Bea Arthur in Gene makeup.
Paul still is on the very top shelf of frontmen, as per between-song banter. He had me right in the trenches, clapping along, laughing out loud several times, just fuckin’ entertaining.
Eric Singer was a great drummer. LOVED his voice in “Black Diamond”, and really really enjoyed “Beth”. Like alot. Surprising.
I was really blown away by Tommy Thayer’s guitar tone. Fucking powerful, and creamy. He changed just enough of the Ace solos to put his mark on it, but leaving the important parts of the solo in to suit the songs. Great set list too. “100,000 Years” and “Let Me Go, Rock and Roll” were serious highlights.
4.5/5 steaks
The missing 1/2 steak only because of the lip-sync stuff.
Gene Simmons and Bruce Kulick of visited MuchMusic in May of ’92 for an interview, and to host the Power 30. There are some real moments of sincerity, such as when they are asked about Eric Carr. However the clips you are about to watch are also notable for showing how the Power 30 was a drop in quality from the Power Hour.
Unlike previous MuchMusic visits, this one was broadcast in separate segments. First is an interview by Teresa Roncon; the best part. Then there is a Power 30 co-hosting gig, and a smattering of interview outtakes from the Kiss Spotlight. All filmed the same day, but split apart since the Power 30 was too short.
I’ve recently given you two great Power Hour shows with guest hosts. Rik Emmett from Triumph was a fabulous co-host and also played music in addition to a substantial interview. Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P. picked the tunes for his co-hosting gig, and the candid interview made it one of the best episodes of the entire run of the Power Hour. Now, here is Kiss co-hosting the shorter Power 30, and there is very little substance. A bad joke by Gene that went too far and got censored is the only particularly notable moment. Well, that and Gene’s advice to “fat girls”. Bruce Kulick seems far more engaged, but it’s jokey and short compared to what the Power Hour used to do.
Stuff to look for:
Cool live footage from the Phoenix club in Toronto
Gene’s Canadian jokes, which Bruce eventually apologises for
Talking about the club tour and playing obscure songs
A brief clip from the famed Creatures-era limo interview with Jeanne Bekker
Another brief clip from a 1992 Peter Criss interview
I remember when the Kiss spotlight aired, my mom really liked when Gene compared Kiss to “electric church”. Yeah, my mom loved that….
This one required a bit of editing to make it cohesive; I hope you enjoy.
I was going to put this video online myself, but a more complete version already exists. No point in duplicating it, but I still wanted to make a post for it. I had this in my VHS collection on one of my 1985 tapes.
I didn’t know what show this was from, since it came from the “Balasz Tapes” recorded off my next door neighbour. I watched and treasured it, because it was the only video I had of Peter Criss as a kid. My only Catman footage. Not to mention it was Kiss! Kiss in makeup too, and there wasn’t much of that in the mid-80s.
This was from a TV show called 3-2-1 Contact, and it’s a pretty cool demonstration of what goes in to putting on a Kiss concert.
George used to complain about one detail. The sound tech shows how he can use a harmonizer to create the Gene Simmons “God of Thunder” monster voice. “He does that with his own voice!” protested George. As for me, I’m more upset that the sound tech thinks it was Darth Vader who says “My the Force be with you”.
From way back on the Dynasty tour, check out this really cool Kiss clip.
When I was a kid buying new Kiss albums likes Crazy Nights, I used to say “Kiss should go back and make a full album that sounds like Side Four of Alive II.” Either that or Kiss Killers. I thought either direction was worthy of re-visiting, since they were small collections of songs, not full albums.
The guys who created the original band Klassik ’78 read my mind, and decided to do something about it. In the spirit of the Kiss sound circa Alive II, Klassik ’78 took it upon themselves to write and record a “lost” Kiss studio record that could have followed Love Gun. Imagine Kiss didn’t split to make solo albums or return with a Disco record. Original Kiss, not ghost musicians. Klassik ’78 aimed to create an album from that exact year in that precise alternate universe. The remarkable thing is that they actually succeeded.
The Side One EP has a bangin’ opener: the Paul-styled “Standin’ Tall”. Paul-vocalist “Joe” nails the Starchild’s mannerisms, while the riff mimics that kind that Paul was writing around the time of Rock And Roll Over. A slaying Kiss-like chorus drives it home. Klassik ’78 member “Tom” rolls out a Gene-like song as authentic as the Demon’s long tongue. “Please n’ Tease” is a “Love ‘Em Leave ‘Em” styled sleaze rocker just like Simmons used to write them. There’s even an Ace-y solo that burns like the Spaceman’s rockets. “Mean Business” definitely nails the Alive II vibe, kind of like a sequel to “Larger Than Life” with a guy who’s doing his best to sound raspy like Peter Criss. Another perfect faux-Frehley solo is the ideal topping. “Passion & Love” is obviously a “Paul” song, a mirror image of “Mr. Speed” and a nearly perfect vocal. Every “Ooh yeah!” is spot-on. There’s a good chance you could fool any casual fan into thinking “Passion & Love” is an actual lost Kiss song from 1977. “Rock and Roll You” is another Gene-like vehicle, right in that Kiss pocket. Finally, with a title like “Streetwise”, you’re probably already expecting a track like Ace Frehley. That’s exactly what you get, with a crunchy Ace-like riff, sharp licks, and the same kind of spacey vocals (also by “Tom”). “I grew up in the city, spent my time on the street.” Every lyric on Side One is crafted to fit the Kiss member it’s for. The attention to detail is remarkable. Certain moments of the “Ace” guitar solo have bits inspired by Frehley’s 1978 solo album. It’s uncanny.
The important thing is that these are not just tracks that sound exactly like Kiss songs. These are songs that sound exactly like good Kiss songs. Could Klassik ’78 deliver another six tracks to make it a full, good album?
“Joe” in the Paul Stanley guise opens Side Two with a stunning “World on Fire”. It is in the style of Stanley’s ’78 solo disc, but with the Frehley guitar fills of Kiss instead of Bob Kulick. Time for a “Gene” song next with “Ain’t No Fool”, kinda similar to “Mad Dog” as released on the Box Set. Another obvious Ace title is “Jendell”; I say “obvious” because hard core fans know that Ace Frehley supposedly comes from planet Jendell. “I was sent on a mission, light years ago. To help the human condition, for how long I didn’t know.” Yep, it’s a “Space Ace” track and a good one at that, once again with tones inspired directly from the Frehley solo album. Back to Alive II (think “Rockin’ in the USA”), it’s another “Gene” song with “American Made”. The title alone is perfectly Simmons. “I”m American Made, and all my dues have been paid.” In the vibe of “Makin’ Love”, it’s a Stanley-like “Hot On Her Heels” next. Once again, you could easily fool friends into thinking this is actually Kiss. Closing Side Two is “Victims (Nosferatu)”, implying a Kiss Demon epic. Think “Almost Human” from Love Gun, but with more heft. Klassik kloser, pardon the pun.
I’m not going to bullshit you. If the Klassik ’78 album was a real Kiss album from 1978, it would be considered one of their best, with the original six. Obviously Kiss have no intention of ever making an album like this, so why not let Klassik ’78 have some fun with it? Clearly the fans responded, because the limited run of CDs (re-titled The Un-Originals) sold out immediately.
Check out Klassik ’78 on iTunes, put on your old jean jacket and set your time machine back to 1978. This album will transport you back.
In 1992, MuchMusic introduced a new Saturday show called Start Me Up that focused on rock. It helped make up for the diminished Power 30. It got to the point that Start Me Up was the show to watch for rock and metal, since the Power 30 detoured into grunge and thrash.
Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer of KISS dropped in one afternoon on the Revenge tour. It’s a strange, stiff interview compared to past KISS appearances on MuchMusic. Paul Stanley seems to want to answer all of Eric’s questions and aside from Bruce, everyone’s awkward.
By request of reader KK, enjoy this strange Kiss interview from 1992!
Crocs – Classic Kiss clog (2019)
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