Random Record Revisited:
Hotter Than Hell – Kiss [1974]
In 1979, my friend
Mark Lederman introduced me to Kiss with the Alive! and Alive II
albums. How “live” these albums are remains a point of debate but whatever. In
short order, the debut, Dressed To Kill, Destroyer and Love Gun joined
my own copy of Alive II. I’m not sure why Rock And Roll Over never found
it’s way into the collection but I remember putting Hotter Than Hell back in
the rack for either the Rolling Stones Some Girls or the Blues Brothers Briefcase
Full Of Blues. And neither entered my collection until I acquired the to Oiginals
collections from Tracey’s hard drive.
The problem in trying to review this record is
that the versions on Alive! are permanently burned into my brain. I
consider them definitive. But I think I can be fair here.
For example, the
lead track Got To Choose is just as tasty as it is on Alive!,
just a little slower. Paul Stanely’s vocals are clearer. The bass is audible
and more defined. The solo? Ace plays it almost note for note on the live
record – that was by design, his solos were supposed to hummable and memorable.
Ace Frehley’s first track Parasite [sung by Gene Simmons] is just as fast
paced as the live record, just a nice Yardbirds inspired little riff to ride on
for three minutes. Gene’s Goin’ Blind is different for Kiss. Some call
it a ‘ballad’ but it’s not really. A 93 year old man addressing a 16 year old
girl? I don’t know what it’s about. Nice solo by Ace. If I had this when I was
12 and just listened to the album I probably just would have accepted it as one
of those album filler tracks [like Love Theme From Kiss] though I doubt
it would have been a favorite. It does appear to be on a lot of Kiss fan polls
of best tracks so maybe I’m crazy.] The title track follows. I don’t like Paul’s
voice - it’s like he’s TRYING to sing instead of just letting it fly like he normally
does. Still a good song but I prefer the live album’s take. The Stanley –
Simmons collaboration Let Me Go, Rock ‘N’ Roll ends side 1 with 2:15 of purely
joyous rock & roll along the lines of Nothin’ To Lose from the
debut.
Simmons has the
first two tracks on the second side. All the Way starts a string of Simmons
songs down on women. Great solo by Ace can’t rescue this filler track. Watchin’
You might be about a stripper or a street walker but it’s an awesome riff
[Simmons is said to have been inspired by Mountain’s Mississippi Queen.I
can see that]. Paul Stanley’s Mainline [sung by drummer Peter Criss with
his very Rod Stewart like voice] follows. A nice little basic rock and roll
track, once that might become one of those deep cut favorites. A rare Stanley –
Frehley collaboration follows with Comin’ Home. Paul sings this standard
road song – ‘it’s been forever, I’m comin’ home to you.’ Better than my description sounds and better
than All the Way. Ace’s Strange Ways [sung by Criss] end the
album with a bit of heaviness and twisty oddity. Frehely’s treated solo is one
of the best on the album. But I can certainly see why a lot of Kiss fans like
it.
The Kiss Army may
put a price on my head but I’d say it’s an average hard rock album for the
time. There was a reason none of those first three albums lit the world on fire
[besides poor distribution and poor promotion]. They have their high points but
they’re not front to back classics.
