Kiss Solo [Import]

"Radioactive" is the most KISS-like song, easily fitting on either the debut album or Love Gun, but it's got too much of that early 70's (read classic rock) sound. Radioactive is definitely one way to describe a real hot woman, but beware that radiation! Bob Seger and Aerosmith's Joe Perry help out.

"Burning Up With Fever" starts with a nice guitar played in a kind of Oriental style, before going into rock mode. One of the backing vocalist here is Donna Summer, also a Casablanca Records alumnus like KISS back then.

"See You Tonite" is one of a few songs with a Beatles influence, say a mid-tempo version of their Help! period, maybe even pre-Hard Day's Night era and it's a mid-tempo number with symphonic arrangements, courtesy of members of the NY and LA Philharmonics.

Per the innuendo "Tunnel of Love" means what it says, especially with the "you are the lock I am the key" line, meaning that the demon hasn't lost his satyr-like aspects. Joe Perry contributes here.

"True Confessions" has a slowed down 60's-type soul/pop with a melange of backing vocalists, Helen "I Am Woman" Reddy, the Azusa Citrus College Choir (my favourite part of the song), and a piano boogie.

"Living In Sin" shows the tried and true demon KISS fans know. Bob Seger and Cher guest here. The soul piano and backing vocalists again make this a quick soulful number that could easily fit on Peter Criss's album, except that the electric guitar adds a rock dimension not too present on the Criss one, and Peter wouldn't have a woman going into fast-talking hysteria and then gasping in ecstasy while talking to him on the phone.

"Man of 1,000 Faces" is an ode to the James Cagney movie about silent movie star Lon Chaney, whose myriad disguises gave him that monicker. The symphonic arrangements are present here.

Probably my favourite mellow song is "Mr. Make Believe" as it too has a Beatles influence, Rubber Soul era, maybe earlier, but with Phil Spector's symphonic wall of sound.

Of the KISS members, Gene's the only one to reprise a KISS song, and he takes Rock And Roll Over's "See You In Your Dreams" with the backing section of female singers making a difference.

That segues into a cover of the schmaltzy Walt Disney standard "When You Wish Upon A Star", the last song I'd expect him to cover.

The number of soft songs is amazing for the demon, whose human side comes out, and it's those I like more. And the more rocking numbers fit more into conventional 70's rock than the glam metal familiar to KISS, so proving that he could do more than sing about his conquests or rock and roll, displayed his creativity and diverse influences. For that reason, Gene Simmons' solo album ties for second with Ace's.

On September 18, 1978, KISS did something no other rock band has ever done to this day - all four members released a solo album on the same day. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss would now not only be recognized for their music-making abilities as a group, but also as solo artists.

Gene Simmons is the most popular member of KISS, so many long time fans of the band had high hopes for his solo album. For his 1978 solo release, he did an album that consisted of rock ballads, as well as rock songs that closely followed the stylings of the day. Did he succeed? Read on for my review of the album.

Radioactive (NOT the Bad Company song) kicks off the album. It features a very nice orchestral opening, and then it becomes an excellent blues rock song. Gene couldn't have started the album off better. We get more excellent blues-based rock in Burning Up With Fever and True Confessions. In the latter track, the piano is a very nice touch. With that sinister look on Gene's face, you wouldn't expect him to create ballads very well, but you'd be surprised! See You In Your Dreams should shatter any doubts you have about his ballad-creating abilities. A number of other awesome rockers can be found here, such as Always Near You/Nowhere To Hide, which sounds like a cross between Pink Floyd and David Bowie, and Mr. Make Believe, which is the closest thing on the album to a KISS song. The album closes with When You Wish Upon A Star, which is a cover of the song popularized by the Disney corporation. Although the album is excellent, this concluding track made me sick. Why in the hell would Gene cover THAT song!? Still, that doesn't make it a bad album.

I have noticed that this album gets VERY mixed reviews. Why? This is a solid classic rock album through and through. Okay, maybe it's not perfect, or up to the quality of Paul Stanley's solo album from the same year, but it's still a great album. I recommend this to any fan of KISS or classic hard rock. However, due to all the mixed opinions, I recommend you listen before you buy.

On September 18, 1978, KISS did something no other rock band has ever done to this day - all four members released a solo album on the same day. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss would now not only be recognized for their music-making abilities as a group, but also as solo artists.

Gene Simmons is the most popular member of KISS, so many long time fans of the band had high hopes for his solo album. For his 1978 solo release, he did an album that consisted of rock ballads, as well as rock songs that closely followed the stylings of the day. Did he succeed? Read on for my review of the album.

Radioactive (NOT the Bad Company song) kicks off the album. It features a very nice orchestral opening, and then it becomes an excellent blues rock song. Gene couldn't have started the album off better. We get more excellent blues-based rock in Burning Up With Fever and True Confessions. In the latter track, the piano is a very nice touch. With that sinister look on Gene's face, you wouldn't expect him to create ballads very well, but you'd be surprised! See You In Your Dreams should shatter any doubts you have about his ballad-creating abilities. A number of other awesome rockers can be found here, such as Always Near You/Nowhere To Hide, which sounds like a cross between Pink Floyd and David Bowie, and Mr. Make Believe, which is the closest thing on the album to a KISS song. The album closes with When You Wish Upon A Star, which is a cover of the song popularized by the Disney corporation. Although the album is excellent, this concluding track made me sick. Why in the hell would Gene cover THAT song!? Still, that doesn't make it a bad album.

I have noticed that this album gets VERY mixed reviews. Why? This is a solid classic rock album through and through. Okay, maybe it's not perfect, or up to the quality of Paul Stanley's solo album from the same year, but it's still a great album. I recommend this to any fan of KISS or classic hard rock. However, due to all the mixed opinions, I recommend you listen before you buy.