Kiss-Alive II (1977)


Artist: Kiss

Title: Alive II

Label: Casablanca

Format: 2LP

Cat: NBLP 7076-2

Year of Release: 1977

Country and Year of Edition: US 1977 gatefold

Sell Price: $10.99 1/14/23  VG+/G+ no tattoos

Discogs Last Sold: 1/10/23 NM/G+ $53.00

Low:$5.99 G+/VG

Median: $17.07

Average: $19.77

High: $59.00

Current low price: $9.99 G+/G+

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 18

Have/Want: 971/151

Where Sold: Hidaldo, TX

Time it took to sell:  8 years

Where and When Purchased:  1978 Christmas Gift

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A

Sad To See It Go: No

 A few days into the new year my German Grandmother Erna passed at 95.  It's only fitting that an album she bought for me for Christmas in 1978 would sell shortly after.  It's a sign!

Kiss Alive II was a requested gift to 8 year old me.  This was the era of the solo albums and Kiss Meets The Phantom of the Park.    Her boyfriend Earnest got into the Kiss giving mix as well and got me the Peter Criss solo album because I liked cats.   What I really wanted was the "Blip Blip Kill and Destroy" song the robots did in the movie, but it wasn't released anywhere.  Christmas 1978 was rock all around under the Christmas tree--my other grandmother was tipped to get me Aerosmith's Live Bootleg and my mother stuck with the more familiar Rolling Stones new one Some Girls.

More than the first Alive that I took out of the library as a rare pop record in the children's section a couple years earlier, Alive II introduced me to the bands mid-70's material that remains my favorite to this day.   Hand down the absolute best Kiss song back then was "God Of Thunder."  I loved that thing and this version holds for me a little more than the Destroyer studio version.  It's a little faster and without the distracting Bob Ezrin sound effects. 

Pound for pound however, the best side is the opening side kicking off with the intro: "you wanted the best! you got the best! The hottest band in the world...KISS!!!!!!"  Then they go into "Detroit Rock City," "King Of The Night Time World," "Ladies Room," "Makin' Love" and "Love Gun."  You can't go wrong with any of that.

Side two gives us lecherous Gene Simmons’ "Christine Sixteen", Ace's "Shock Me" with guitar solo and Peter Criss' "Hard Luck Woman." Side three has the aforementioned "God Of Thunder" coming after "Beth" drowned in teenage cheers and a wrap of "Shout It Out Loud."  

Side 4 is a studio side.  While I know all 4 sides cold, this was always my least favorite, but I still like the side.   I couldn’t resist a Paul Stanley line like "Six Foot Hot Look All American Man!"  At least I’m six foot!  They save the best two for last: "Rocket Ride" is a top form Ace song (possibly the song I enjoyed hearing the most today)  and the Dave Clark Five cover "Any Way You Want It" closes the album (and has nothing to do with the Journey hit that came a few years later).

I've got the Rocket and you want to Ride!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Various Artists-Mojo Presents The Roots of Bob Dylan (2006)

Image
Artist: Various Artists (Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Julia Lee, Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Karen Dalton, Richie Havens, Josh White, Hank Williams, The Country Gentlemen, Cisco Houston, Charlie Poole with The North, Carolina Ramblers, The Staple Singers, The Highway Q.C.'s, Big Bill Broonzy, Thelonious Monk) Title: Mojo Presents The Roots of Bob Dylan 1 Sonny Terry And Brownie McGhee – You'd Better Mind Written-By –  McGhee ,  Terry Written-By –  McGhee * ,  Terry * 2:07 2 Julia Lee – Mama Don't Allow It Written-By –  'Cow Cow' Davenport Written-By –  'Cow Cow' Davenport * 2:53 3 Lightnin' Hopkins – Baby Please Don't Go Written-By –  Williams Written-By –  Williams * 2:48 4 Muddy Waters – Rollin' Stone Written-By –  McKinley Morganfield Written-By –  McKinley Morganfield 3:04 5 Karen Dalton – How Did The Feeling Feel To You Written-By –  Tim Hardin Written-By –  Tim Hardin 2:50 6 Richie Havens – High Flying Bird Written-By –  Billy
Read more

Bob Dylan-New Morning (1970)

Image
  Artist: Bob Dylan Title:  New Morning Label: Columbia Format: LP Catalog Number: KC 30290 Year of Release:  1970 Country and Year  of Edition: US 1970 Santa Maria Pressing Sell Price: $6.20 Sell Date: 5/2/24 Condition: VG+/G+ Discogs Last Sold  4/29/24 NM/NM $32.26 Low: $3.00 VG/VG Median: $3.42 Average: $8.56 High: $36.46 Current  low price:  $4.44 Current Number on  Sale at Discogs: 31 Have/Want: 1994/264 Where Sold: Minneapolis, MN Time It Took  To Sell: 9 years Where and When  Bought: early 80's Al Bums Worcester $3.99 Gwiz-gau Letter Grade:  A Sad To See It Go: No "So happy just to see you smile/underneath that sky of Blue...." Nobody really listens to Bob for blind spiritual uplift or at least I didn't.  The Christian records were the voice of a wrathful God and everybody ripped "Wiggle Wiggle" apart when Bob just wanted you to enjoy life and dance. For me, I look to Bob to push intellectual, sonic or my own nostalgic buttons, if I'm gonna be hon
Read more

Deep Purple-Stormbringer (1974)

Image
  Artist: Deep Purple Title: Stormbringer Label: Warner Bros./Purple Format: LP Cat: PR 2832 Year of Release: 1974 Country and Year of Edition: US 1974 Date of Sale: 8/23/23 Sell Price: $9.94 Condition: VG+/VG+ Discogs Last Sold: 7/8/23 NM/NM $23.31 Low:  5/18/21 VG/VG+ $2.56 Median: $9.47 Average: $9.55 High:  $23.31 Current low price: $4.00 G+/G+, $10.00 VG/VG Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 10 Have/Want: 234/108 Where Sold: Matthews, NC Time It Took To Sell:  2  years Where and When Bought: internet lot Gwiz-gau Letter Grade:  B+ Sad To See It Go: No Mach 3 for Deep Purple Blackmore/Lord/Paice brought in David Coverdale on vocals and Glenn Hughes from Trapeze on bass and more vocals to replace the Superstar Ian Gillan.   Coincidentally, I witness Mr. Hughes live opening for Yngwie Malmsteen last week at the Times Square Palladium doing an all Deep Purple opening set. I have to admit that I ignored everything after Burn until Perfect Strangers brought back Gillan, but listening t
Read more