KISS: 1976
“
*BUZZ: Newspaper Article: Oct- Nov 2013 (#31-kD) ”
Almost everyone remembers where they were when The Beatles played the ED Sullivan Show 9 Feb 1964.
But where were you when KISS played the Paul Lynde Halloween Special 29 Oct 1976? I have decided to cover the album that hooked me on one of my all time favorite bands KISS. Now, I had heard “Rock And Roll All Nite” & “Beth” & I was not impressed. Back then I lived on 410 Martin Rd. Brandon/ Jackson, MS. & 1 summer day in ’76 me & some friends were hanging out in the front yard with our neighbor Jimmy Smith, when he said “Hey, I just got KISS Destroyer” I said “Yea so …” Jimmy said “Have you heard Detroit Rock City?” I replied “No, but I have heard Beth, so who cares” he said you need to hear this & he put the speakers to the stereo in the window & proceeded to play the LP, out into the front yard. Now I was intrigued by “God Of Thunder” but then I heard “Sweet Pain” & that was it, I didn’t know what that meant & it kinda made me laugh … but once I heard Gene’s voice, well that was the sound I had been waiting all my life to hear, I asked “Can I see the album cover?” then I saw Ken Kelly’s painting & I was hooked! So this round I have decided to cover the 1st part of 1976, I remember it well….
>The 4th Studio LP
Prior to their 4th studio LP KISS had released a double “A” side single of”Rock And Roll All Nite:Live (edit)” an alternate take from “Alive” released on Oct 1975. Their 5th LP “Destroyer” was released on15 March 1976.
Recording for this LP started in Sep 1975 @ Electric Lady in NYC, then was completed in Jan 1976. The band thought they needed to move in a new direction so producer Bob Ezrin (Robert Alan Ezrin: 25 Mar1949 Toronto, Ontario) was brought in to craft the band’s sound. Ezrin had been involved with Alice Cooper, & Cooper was a huge influence on KISS’ stage act. In addition to Ezrin, Cooper’s Guitarist Dick Wagner (14 Dec 1942 Oelwein, Iowa) was brought in to play on 2 songs on this LP “Sweet Pain” & “Beth” as Ace was having some trouble laying down a flawless lead solo & informed Simmons “Can we hurry this up I have a card game to get to” Simmons “Then you better get going” interesting note Ace’s original solo was finally released in 2012 on “Destroyer Resurrected” what’s so interesting is that Dick Wagner played the same solo Ace wrote, just a little tighter.
In 2012 the rumor was there was a 2-CD Set of “Destroyer” coming out. Instead we got a remixed, reissue with the original album art & the 1 bonus track mentioned, being a KISS fan of 37 years I have grown used to disappointment from my heroes. So I’d like to inform you of what could have been on the 2nd disc.
>The Cover Songs:
“Ain’t None Of Your Business” By: Detective (w/Michael Des Barres) 1977 Swan Song By: B.Hobbs/ L. Anderson
“King Of The Nighttime World” & “Do You Love Me” By: Kim Fowley & Mark Anthony &
“The Hollywood Stars” 1974 Arista (probably unreleased)
“Beck” By: “Lips” 1971 Buddah (Peter plays bongos & Stan Penridge sings)
“I Wanna Shout” By: The Hollies: By: Clarke/Sylvester “Confessions of the Mind” (Nov) 1970 Parlophone (UK only)
>The Demos:
“King Of The Nighttime World” (Basic Instrumental)
“Beth” (Instrumental)
“Sweet Pain” (Acoustic Guitar & Guide Vocal)
“God Of Thunder” (LP Version Instrumental)
“Great Expectations” with different lyrics referring to each band member “You watch Paul singing along, you see what his mouth can do” “You watch Ace playing guitar, you see what his fingers can do” “You watch Peter playing his drums, you see what his hands can do”
“See You Tonight” “True Confessions” & “Burnin Up With Fever” are rumored to have been submitted in 1975 for this LP.
“Beth” (Instrumental Version)
>The Outtakes:
“Ain’t None Of Your Business” (By: B.Hobbs/ L. Anderson) Sung By: Peter also an instrumental version
“Don’t Cha Hesitate” Paul Stanley (unused)
“Smoke” Paul Stanley (unused & unreleased)
“God of Thunder” Paul Stanley (fast version sung by Paul) Rearranged by Ezrin
“Detroit Rock City” Stanley (fast version different lyrics) Rearranged by Ezrin
“Mad Dog” Frehley/Simmons (music by Ace & lyrics by Gene) Re-written into “Flaming Youth”
>In The Studio:
“Flaming Youth” was created from “Mad Dog” the name came from a local NYC band who were friend’s of Ace
“Shout It Out Loud” was created from “I Wanna Shout” at breakfast one morning, by Gene, Paul & Ezrin
“Rock N Roll Party” was created at a dubbing session for “Alive” & “Great Expectations”
> The Stories:
“Detroit Rock City” was written about a KISS fan that died in a car accident on the way to a KISS concert. Detroit was chosen because KISS’ had the largest fan base there. The intro riff is from “Acrobat/Much Too Young”written by Simmons in 1973.
“Beth” written for Mike Brand’s wife Becky, while Criss was in “Chelsea” (not Lydia Criss as rumored)
“Do You Love Me” though not written by KISS, rumor is Paul felt it summed up Lydia Criss (Lydia Di Leonardo: 1948 Brooklyn, NYC, Peter’s wife from 1970- 79)
>The Singles:
An unprecedented total of four 45 Singles were released from this LP. Those being;
“Shout It Out Loud (edit)” b/w “Sweet Pain” Mar 1976 Billboard Hit #31
“Flaming Youth (edit)” b/w “God Of Thunder” Apr 1976 also 1st Picture sleeve (only the 2nd in Makeup) #74 Hit on Billboard.
“Detroit Rock City (completely re-arranged)” b/w “Beth” Jul 1976
“Beth” b/w “Detroit Rock City (edit)” re-released Aug 1976 Billboard #7 Hit. KISS’ biggest hit to date.
>The Cover:
The original idea came from Gene who wanted a comic book type cover to represent the new musical direction of the LP. Ken W. Kelly (1946: New London, Conn.) the nephew of Frank Frazetta was contracted to create a painting of the cover. However by the time Kelly was done with the original, KISS had new costumes made in Jan 1976 & Kelly’s 1st painting was deemed too violent, & was required to create a new painting. This was the 1st KISS LP to have a KISS inner sleeve, on 1 side the lyrics to “Detroit Rock City” & on the other side information on the “KISS Army” founded in Terre Haute, ID. Sometime in Jan. 1975 when Bill Starkey & Jay Evans began petitioning WVTS a local radio station to play KISS music on their station.
>The Tour:
The Tour kicked off 11 Apr 1976 Fort Wayne, Indiana to 1 Oct 1976 NYC for a total of 67 shows. While on tour Ace married his longtime girlfriend Jeanette (Trerotola June 1952, NYC) on 1 May 1976 in NYC @ the Americana, & KISS takes the stage Sans- Makeup & performs “Rock & Roll All Nite” & “Shout It Out Loud” as a wedding gift.
At the beginning of the tour the band were using their 1975 “Dressed To Kill- Alive” costumes until June 1976 where all 4 members received their “Destroyer” costumes, interesting note Gene & Ace received their costumes 1st & did a photo shoot with just the 2 of them in their “New Clothes” & Paul was the last member to receive his new costume.
The band at this time was using these guitars Paul: Gibson Flying V: Black. Ace: Les Paul Standard: Tobacco 20th Anniversary Edition & Les Paul Custom: Black & Ibanez Explorer: Korina. Gene: LeBou Custom Bass & Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass: Black.
*Locally:
6 February 1976
St. Paul Civic Center Theatre
2 Shows with opener “Point Blank”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
> The Concert:
3 July 1976 Norfolk, Virginia @ The Scope
With Bob Segar & Silver Bullet Band
Detroit Rock City
King Of The Nighttime World
Let Me Go Rock N Roll
*Simmons Bass Solo
God Of Thunder
Sweet Pain
*Frehley Guitar Solo
Shout It Out Loud
Strutter
Nothin To Lose
Watchin You
*Criss Drum Solo
Do You Love Me
Flaming Youth
Deuce
Firehouse
Black Diamond
Rock And Roll All Nite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
*Noteworthy:
20 Aug 1976 Anaheim, CA. @ The Stadium
With Ted Nugent, Montrose, Bob Segar & Flo & Eddie (Turtles)
This show was up until that point the largest crowd they had played to. There was a street side billboard ad created for this show in CA.. The show was videotaped in house by the stadium & at the soundboard by the promoter. It is one of the most common & popular bootlegs on Video & Audio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
> On TV:
13 May 1976 “So It Goes” BBC
Interview
God Of Thunder
Flaming Youth
Black Diamond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Jul 1976 :30 Commercial for:
“The Originals” released in Jul 1976 a release of the 1st 3 LPs with a booklet, sticker & 5 trading cards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
29 Oct 1976 “Paul Lynde Halloween Special”
Detroit Rock City
Beth
Interview
King Of The Nighttime World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
So there you have the highlights of the “Destroyer” LP. I wrote an article on the LP “Hotter Than Hell” a couple years ago you can find that on www.MrZeros.Com “BLOG”
Trick Or Treat & Happy Halloween.
This just in; Nov 2013
Recently several demos surfaced from 1975 that were submitted for the “Destroyer” album recorded at the same session as “Mad Dog” so it’s probably Ace on Lead Guitar
Magna Graphics Studio: August 1975
“It Ain’t The Smoke That Burns Ya” By: Paul Stanley
“Love Is Alright” By: Gene Simmons
“Bad, Bad Lovin” (calling dr love) By: Gene Simmons
“Man Of 1,000 Faces” By: Gene Simmons
“Don’t Want Your Romance” (ladies room) By: Gene Simmons
“Burning Up With Fever” By: Gene Simmons
“Rock and Rolls Royce” (love em and leave em) By: Gene Simmons
“Night Fly” (sweet pain) By: Gene Simmons
“I’m A Star” By: Gene Simmons
“Howling For Your Love” By: Gene Simmons
“True Confessions” By: Gene Simmons
MrZERo aka: RLSchwinden
Leave a Reply