Guitarist believes that the band’s story could have been different if colleagues had opted for another direction
The discography of Kiss It is much more varied than it may seem to those who only know the classics. And, as expected, such direction changes have positive and negative moments.
For most members, there is a disc that stands out negatively compared to others. Ace Frehleyfor example, it simply considers it a mistake.
In 2018, the band’s original guitarist spoke to Hollywood’s Music Institute in a conversation transcribed by Blabberouth (via American Songwriter), about the controversial Music from “The Elder”(1981), your last album with the Kiss before the meeting. Frehley He guarantees that he knew from the beginning that the record, conceptual and influenced by progressive rock, would not work – which actually happened.
He said:
I spoke to those guys: ‘This is the wrong album for this time.’ I thought the fans wanted to hear a heavy hard rock album. But they didn’t hear me. I said, ‘It won’t work’, and of course the album was a bomb. I think I had an idea of what was happening. Those guys never had any street sense. I always had an idea of what was going on and I knew all the time – I would bet a million dollars that the album was going to go wrong. ”
There were several problems with Music from “The Elder”. The idea of making a conceptual, progressive and lighter album was very far than the Kiss had produced so far, either from the beginning, the height of popularity or the “disco” adventure of direct predecessors Dynasty (1979) and Unmasked(1980).
In addition, the band had just lost their first member of the original formation: the drummer Peter Crisswhich came out in 1980. its replacement, Eric Carrthere was still no room to express any opinion.
The situation of Ace It was specifically bad from the beginning. Apart from the fact that the guitarist was having problems with alcohol and drugs, the production of the material was signed by Bob Ezrindisaffection of Frehley and responsible for the successful Destroyer (1976).
In 1993, the musician told the Guitar world what Music from “The Elder” He was responsible for his departure the year following the launch.
That album was really the icing on the cake about my departure from the band. To start, they brought Bob Ezrin To produce, with whom I do not get along. Also, I felt that the song on that album was not where we should be at that point. ”
Frehley He also said that many of his soils were cut from the album, which irritated him deeply. He assumes vocals in just one song, “Dark Light”retreating in the space it had in the albums direct predecessors.
Curiously, in the next work, the Kiss I would adopt a more direct and heavy sound – just as the guitarist would like it to be. However, he does not participate in the recordings: Creatures of the Night (1982) only brings it on the cover.
Gene Simmons and Kiss’s most dishonest album
Gene Simmons assumes the blame for Music from “The Elder”. In an interview with Classic Rock (via website Igor Miranda), the singer and bassist explains that the idea – somewhat megalomaniac – was his. The inspiration emerged in another classic band, but the end result went far from expected.
In the words of itself:
I assume the blame, because it was my idea. I remember saying Bob Ezrin that I was writing a script for a movie that we were doing a conceptual album based on this, and he said: ‘Let’s make our own Tommy(1969)! ‘ And I said, ‘Yes. If the The Who You can do it, why can’t we? ‘ Well, the direct answer is because we are not the The Who!
To Simmonsthe 1981 album is a “dishonest” work, although it has fallen in favor of some fans over the years. But it is not the greatest deserving of such an adjective. This title falls on another album, made at a very different moment of the career. Gene Explain:
There are some fans who love that record (Music from ‘The Elder’). For me it is dishonest. But really, the most dishonest album we have ever done was CARNIVAL OF SOULSwhen we were trying to follow a fashion instead of being ourselves. ”
Last album of the group without makeup, CARNIVAL OF SOULS (The Final Sessions) (1997) already left during the original training meeting. It was virtually not disclosed: it was only released to suppress pirate versions circulating. The sound is supported in grunge.
The work marked the farewell of the drummer Eric Singerwhich returned in the 2000s already as the character “Catman”, previously used by Peter Criss. Was also the last with the guitarist Bruce Kulickwhich came out definitively.
+++ Read more: What was it like to work with “controllers” at Kiss, according to Ace Frehley
Collaborated: André Luiz Fernandes.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
