I would say KISS have no legit songs. Personally, I've always felt KISS was never able to live up to their image, especially with all the fire breathing and blood spewing. If you took out Gene Simmons, maybe it'd make a little more sense. But for the most part, their music feels very poppy and tame. Safe, even. Seems so contradictory to their reputation, especially back in the day with all the "Knights in Satan's Service" hubbub and such. Then again, their music and image is so inseparable that it's hard to say for sure. Not to mention a ton of awesome bands wouldn't exist if not for KISS.

Whatever. My $0.03.

Yep, he loves his delay alright, that's what he always gets credited for, revolutionising the technique and that's undisputed. I'm not one for guitar masturbation but I do appreciate fast, technical playing to an extent as well as more soulful, tonal lead. I just find the Edge's playing rather boring, repetitive and uninspired but he's got his (very large) audience out there so it works for him.

I actually seen U2 live back in 01 headlining a one day festival and while they put on a great show full of pyrotechnics, bright colours & big screens, the music itself has always left me cold.

I've heard the 360 tour is supposed to be breathtaking but again, it’s more for the visual experience then the aural.

92.38% of all KISS songs suck...

Just kidding.  KISS rocks!


Phil

Wow, we must be really desperate for conversation here if we dug this one up - first the 92.38% thread, and now this!

DJS,

Peter Criss' solo album? Seriously? I have the other 3 on vinyl, purchased way back when you could join Columbia House record club and get 13 records for a penny. Gene's album sucks - pompous and over the top, just like him. Ace had some good moments, particularly with "Rip it Out", and of course he had the biggest hit of all them with "New York Groove", but he's the absolute worst vocalist that has ever stood in front of a microphone.

(incidentally, Ace was invited to play "New York Groove" live at Madison Square Garden at the NY Rangers home opener this year. He was so awful that halfway through the director threw it back to the announcers, who both looked like deer in the headlights because they weren't expecting it.)

Paul's album is actually a really, really good one, if you take it for what it is, which is late 70's AOR. It has a ballad on it that I believe could play on top 40 radio today, and a few decent three chord rockers. In fact, I'm trying to obtain the licenses for two of the songs from that album for my feature (and I have a meeting with the guy who produced it, with the hope that he'll sign on as music supervisor).

But Peter Criss' album? Never even crossed my mind to buy it.

Anthony

Yep, guess we are desperate for conversation!  HaHa...

Anyways, although I was a KISS fan back in the day, and have seen them live 2 or 3 times, I don't own any of their music on CD.  I did own numerous albums/cassettes/even an 8 track, but for now, I definitely don't need to listen to them.

BUT, I will definitely say this..IMO, there are way more than 10 tunes that easily come to mind after all these years that I could sing along with word for word, if it came on the radio or whatever.  What does that mean?  Well, if nothing else, it means that KISS wrote and played catchy songs that for one reason or another, became not only hits, but "classics" even.

I bet it's the same for people who weren't ever even into them.  Beth is a song that pretty much everyone knows.  Rock n Roll All Night's another one for sure.  They're anthems for a lost generation. Are they simple little songs?  Sure they are, but for what they were, they sure worked.

So, I definitely wouldn't include KISS in my list of 50 favorite bands, but I bet ya I could pull out at least 50 KISS songs that IMO are good, I'd enjoy hearing, and cold sing along with at the drop of a hat.