Kiss - Unmasked

[heaven&hell]

Yea, y'know, now that you mention it, DESTROYER is one of the few KISS cassettes that I haven't upgraded to CD yet even after all these years. I guess I burned myself out on that one too so I've never been in a huge hurry to replace the tape.

 

 

I prefer the first 2 releases to Destroyer. I liked it when they were a little heavier, you know when they were still wearing black and silver.

[Mullethead]

I just saw this excerpt from a Gene Simmons interview on Blabbermouth and thought it was worth sharing... seems that Gene doesn't like UNMASKED much either!!

 

KissOnline.com: Which KISS album are you most proud of and which KISS album are you the least proud of? Why?

 

Gene: "I suppose the album I liked least is 'Unmasked'. There were a few tunes I didn't mind, but the band by that time had lost its way. Peter didn't play on almost the entire album. He left or was asked to leave (take your pick) for health reasons and Anton Fig secretly played drums in his place. And I was as guilty as anyone. I was the one who kept insisting on the cover design concept and the title. In retrospect, a big mistake.

 

"My fave album is either 'Creatures of the Night', 'Revenge' or 'Destroyer'... for obvious reasons. Decent tunes and good playing. Interestingly enough, three albums from three different decades of our history ('70s, '80s and '90s), with different lineups."

 

 

 

That's funny because in the book I just read he said Elder. Not to mention he bashed most of the solo albums. Just proves once again that Gene's opinion doesn't mean much...

 

 

JL

[heaven&hell]

I just saw this excerpt from a Gene Simmons interview on Blabbermouth and thought it was worth sharing... seems that Gene doesn't like UNMASKED much either!!

 

KissOnline.com: Which KISS album are you most proud of and which KISS album are you the least proud of? Why?

 

Gene: "I suppose the album I liked least is 'Unmasked'. There were a few tunes I didn't mind, but the band by that time had lost its way. Peter didn't play on almost the entire album. He left or was asked to leave (take your pick) for health reasons and Anton Fig secretly played drums in his place. And I was as guilty as anyone. I was the one who kept insisting on the cover design concept and the title. In retrospect, a big mistake.

 

"My fave album is either 'Creatures of the Night', 'Revenge' or 'Destroyer'... for obvious reasons. Decent tunes and good playing. Interestingly enough, three albums from three different decades of our history ('70s, '80s and '90s), with different lineups."

 

 

 

That's funny because in the book I just read he said Elder. Not to mention he bashed most of the solo albums. Just proves once again that Gene's opinion doesn't mean much...

 

 

JL

 

 

I think we were just having this conversation at your house the other day about the solo albums. Although Gene knows that Ace's solo album killed the other 3, you know it kills him to admit something was better than his. As far as him picking Unmasked or the Elder as his least favorite, he's also mentioned his dislike of Hot in the Shade, Crazy Nights, and Dynasty.

[RichieZ]

Easy As It Seems from what i remember, although I haven't the CD in several years

[Studboy]

For Me the first 4 KISS albums are killer...then some filler... I still

love Alive II...This "UNMASKED" sucks...IMO...Freddy I got yo Back!!

 

I knew I could count on ya Metalhead!

 

Yeah, I don't much care for Unmasked either. The songs aren't bad but KISS has no business sounding like that, should have stuck with Rock N Roll, not Disco. Seeing the video for Shandi with them all decked out in their makeup singing a freaking disco song makes me want to puke. They should have stuck with

[Mullethead]

For Me the first 4 KISS albums are killer...then some filler... I still

love Alive II...This "UNMASKED" sucks...IMO...Freddy I got yo Back!!

 

I knew I could count on ya Metalhead!

 

Yeah, I don't much care for Unmasked either. The songs aren't bad but KISS has no business sounding like that, should have stuck with Rock N Roll, not Disco. Seeing the video for Shandi with them all decked out in their makeup singing a freaking disco song makes me want to puke. They should have stuck with

 

 

 

I just don't understand all the disco talk...I hear no disco at all....

 

 

JL

[heaven&hell]

For Me the first 4 KISS albums are killer...then some filler... I still

love Alive II...This "UNMASKED" sucks...IMO...Freddy I got yo Back!!

 

I knew I could count on ya Metalhead!

 

Yeah, I don't much care for Unmasked either. The songs aren't bad but KISS has no business sounding like that, should have stuck with Rock N Roll, not Disco. Seeing the video for Shandi with them all decked out in their makeup singing a freaking disco song makes me want to puke. They should have stuck with

 

 

 

I just don't understand all the disco talk...I hear no disco at all....

 

 

JL

 

 

If you buy the remastered version of Unmasked the writer who wrote the liner notes calls the sound "Disco Pop". You know that they wouldn't release those remasters without Gene & Pauls approval so they must agree that the sound was "Disco Pop" also.

[Mullethead]

For Me the first 4 KISS albums are killer...then some filler... I still

love Alive II...This "UNMASKED" sucks...IMO...Freddy I got yo Back!!

 

I knew I could count on ya Metalhead!

 

Yeah, I don't much care for Unmasked either. The songs aren't bad but KISS has no business sounding like that, should have stuck with Rock N Roll, not Disco. Seeing the video for Shandi with them all decked out in their makeup singing a freaking disco song makes me want to puke. They should have stuck with

 

 

 

I just don't understand all the disco talk...I hear no disco at all....

 

 

JL

 

 

If you buy the remastered version of Unmasked the writer who wrote the liner notes calls the sound "Disco Pop". You know that they wouldn't release those remasters without Gene & Pauls approval so they must agree that the sound was "Disco Pop" also.

 

 

 

That doesn't mean I agree

 

 

JL

[Studboy]

For Me the first 4 KISS albums are killer...then some filler... I still

love Alive II...This "UNMASKED" sucks...IMO...Freddy I got yo Back!!

 

I knew I could count on ya Metalhead!

 

Yeah, I don't much care for Unmasked either. The songs aren't bad but KISS has no business sounding like that, should have stuck with Rock N Roll, not Disco. Seeing the video for Shandi with them all decked out in their makeup singing a freaking disco song makes me want to puke. They should have stuck with

 

 

 

I just don't understand all the disco talk...I hear no disco at all....

 

 

JL

 

 

If you buy the remastered version of Unmasked the writer who wrote the liner notes calls the sound "Disco Pop". You know that they wouldn't release those remasters without Gene & Pauls approval so they must agree that the sound was "Disco Pop" also.

 

 

 

That doesn't mean I agree

 

 

JL

 

That's cool, to each his own

 

But you can't tell me that I Was Made For Lovin' You and Shandi don't sound a hell of a lot alike.

[Mullethead]

For Me the first 4 KISS albums are killer...then some filler... I still

love Alive II...This "UNMASKED" sucks...IMO...Freddy I got yo Back!!

 

I knew I could count on ya Metalhead!

 

Yeah, I don't much care for Unmasked either. The songs aren't bad but KISS has no business sounding like that, should have stuck with Rock N Roll, not Disco. Seeing the video for Shandi with them all decked out in their makeup singing a freaking disco song makes me want to puke. They should have stuck with

 

 

 

I just don't understand all the disco talk...I hear no disco at all....

 

 

JL

 

 

If you buy the remastered version of Unmasked the writer who wrote the liner notes calls the sound "Disco Pop". You know that they wouldn't release those remasters without Gene & Pauls approval so they must agree that the sound was "Disco Pop" also.

 

 

 

That doesn't mean I agree

 

 

JL

 

That's cool, to each his own

 

But you can't tell me that I Was Made For Lovin' You and Shandi don't sound a hell of a lot alike.

 

 

 

There's something different about them because I love Shandi but can't stand I was made....dunno

 

 

JL

[heaven&hell]

For Me the first 4 KISS albums are killer...then some filler... I still

love Alive II...This "UNMASKED" sucks...IMO...Freddy I got yo Back!!

 

I knew I could count on ya Metalhead!

 

Yeah, I don't much care for Unmasked either. The songs aren't bad but KISS has no business sounding like that, should have stuck with Rock N Roll, not Disco. Seeing the video for Shandi with them all decked out in their makeup singing a freaking disco song makes me want to puke. They should have stuck with

 

 

 

I just don't understand all the disco talk...I hear no disco at all....

 

 

JL

 

 

If you buy the remastered version of Unmasked the writer who wrote the liner notes calls the sound "Disco Pop". You know that they wouldn't release those remasters without Gene & Pauls approval so they must agree that the sound was "Disco Pop" also.

 

 

 

That doesn't mean I agree

 

 

JL

 

That's cool, to each his own

 

But you can't tell me that I Was Made For Lovin' You and Shandi don't sound a hell of a lot alike.

 

 

 

There's something different about them because I love Shandi but can't stand I was made....dunno

 

 

JL

 

 

Stop listening to this cd and give "Creatures of the Night" or "Revenge" a spin.

[TYG]

I went with Tomorrow .. However Two sides of the coin , What makes the world go round , & Talk to Me are all great as well ... i remember buying the lp as a kid thinking that it had the best album cover ever ..... Ace with his cape held up like wings ... These guys were Rock n Roll Superhero's ... Shame how things have turned out

[HighNDryRulz]

Tomorrow is an excellent song. It is the only one that has stood out to me, however. Maybe I will have to give it another listen.

[marksherrer]

My favorites are Tomorrow,shandi and............. naked city because Gene was in a tone in the vocals in this song ,....this was a polished Kiss.

[rob62972]

Reading this thread inspired me to dust off my "UNMASKED" CD for the first time in at least five years (!) and listen to it on the way to work this AM... and with all due respect to Kiss and the folks here who dig this album, I wished I hadn't bothered. I will still stand by my vote for Ace's "Talk To Me" as the best song, but trying to pick the best song on UNMASKED is kinda like trying to name the best player on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays... because there is so LITTLE to work with!! Parts of this album almost sound like they were trying to jump on the early 80s new-wave bandwagon (the verses in "Is That You?" could've come from an early Cars album for Chrissake), and the production is waaaaayyyy too slick and poppy for my tastes. So this one will go back on my shelf for another five years until I get another jones to hear "Talk To Me," I guess. Hell, I'd rather listen to CRAZY NIGHTS for 24 hours straight than listen to this one again and I HATE Crazy Nights too. When it comes to "atypical" Kiss albums, give me THE ELDER or DYNASTY over UNMASKED any day.

I agree 150%!! I tried to listen to this. I really tried. Just horrible IMO.

[Chris]

Believe it or not, I prefer THE ELDER...

 

 

I also prefer "THE ELDER". Yeah the concept was stupid but at least most of the songs were heavy.

"I", "The Oath", "Only You", "Mr. Blackwell", "Dark Light", "Under the Rose", and "Escape from the Island" were all kick ass stuff. If only they would of left off "Oddesey", "Fanfare", and "Just a Boy".

 

Eric Carr's drumming also kicked ass on "THE ELDER".

 

I have never understood the concept behind THE ELDER. The story certainly doesn't make a lot of sense to me, although I understand that when they did the KISS remasters in 1997 or 98 they actually put the songs in a different order (apparently when the album was first released, the record company changed the songs around to put what they thought were the "potential singles" farther up in the running order) and my CD is one of the older copies. Even if I had one of the remastered copies, I'm still not sure it would make much sense. I even have a KISS magazine special with a comic book adaptation of THE ELDER in it and that didn't help much either. Maybe it was just a crappy concept and I should quit trying to find meaning in it. Although I STILL like it better than UNMASKED dammit!

C'mon the concept is spelled out in the liner notes. The Elder rule the world at this time but their time is ending soon. The Boy is one that Morpheus, the caretaker, considers worthy of carrying the torch, if you will and continuing their legacy but if he doesn't take the reins or The Elder doesn't consider him worthy then all bets are off and evil will rule...

[Dark Star]

UNMASKED is not exactly at the top of my list of favorite KISS albums either, but I went with "Talk To Me," I actually heard Ace perform this one live at one of his solo gigs in the early 90s... I think maybe me and one other person in the room even knew the song, everyone else had these looks on their faces like "????"

 

I always liked the comic strip on the album cover though...

 

 

Yea I went with Talk to Me too, although I was tempted to pick Torpedo Girl....

 

And yea, that comic book cover IS pretty damn cool..*G*

[Fat Freddy]

C'mon the concept is spelled out in the liner notes. The Elder rule the world at this time but their time is ending soon. The Boy is one that Morpheus, the caretaker, considers worthy of carrying the torch, if you will and continuing their legacy but if he doesn't take the reins or The Elder doesn't consider him worthy then all bets are off and evil will rule...

 

Yea, it's spelled out in the liner notes, but if it weren't for that, would you be able to follow the storyline based on the songs alone? I can't, never could. KISS had no business doing a concept album anyway. Not only was the concept album format all but dead by 1981, KISS were not exactly the ideal band to try and bring it back to the forefront.

[heaven&hell]

I thought this thread was dead forever.

[Mullethead]

I thought this thread was dead forever.

 

 

Not as long as I'm alive!

 

JL

[Fat Freddy]

It's my fault... I brought it back from the dead. Sorry Wes.

 

By the way, Jarred? "Unmasked" STILL bites.

[Dark Star]

Yea ok I agree, Unmasked is not Kiss's finest album,. not by a LONG shot.... But, it WAS the very first album I ever heard by Kiss, SO it's got a special place in My metal heart....*S*

[Fat Freddy]

Yea ok I agree, Unmasked is not Kiss's finest album,. not by a LONG shot.... But, it WAS the very first album I ever heard by Kiss, SO it's got a special place in My metal heart....*S*

 

It was the first KISS record you ever heard?? And yet you liked them anyway??

[heaven&hell]

Yea ok I agree, Unmasked is not Kiss's finest album,. not by a LONG shot.... But, it WAS the very first album I ever heard by Kiss, SO it's got a special place in My metal heart....*S*

 

 

If this album has anyplace in your heart than your heart really isn't that METAL.

[Mullethead]

Yea ok I agree, Unmasked is not Kiss's finest album,. not by a LONG shot.... But, it WAS the very first album I ever heard by Kiss, SO it's got a special place in My metal heart....*S*

 

 

If this album has anyplace in your heart than your heart really isn't that METAL.

 

 

 

 

Man, I haven't slapped anybody today but I can feel it comin on

 

 

Let's keep in mind Wes, at least I am not jamming to Winger's brilliant album "IV" and you make fun of me bro? Unmasked is not my favorite Kiss album, but I do really like it. To be honest, I can't really say I totally dislike any of their albums though. Just a big 'ol Kiss fan I guess

 

 

JL