I thought it was going to be a hard rocking album after Is That You, but then I heard the rest of it and….well…. Not bad pop rock but nothing special 🤷🏻♂️
@@MrManfly This never felt like a real KISS album. It just showed up at the record store one day with no foreknowledge, no fanfare. And I was disappointed n confused by it.. summer of 1980.. The next album extended the confusion :(
Anton Fig together with Ace is totally killing it on this album. In my opinion Fig's drumming is impressively masterful and perfectly suited to every track. So glad Vini voted for Fig in 79 and 80 as a gost drummer for KISS, perfect match.
He did play on a few others. Of course, Shandi and Is That You feature Paul on Lead Guitar. Sure Know Something from Dynasty features good lead from Paul.
In addition, Ace had great chops in playing on the album. I just wish he never quit when he did. I think if KISS was more easy going in terms of meeting album deadlines by Casablanca and took some time off before and during tours, Ace would have stayed. He needed breathing room but Bill (Aucoin) just kept pushing the band very hard and demanding. I don't blame Ace for his decisions. I'd have done the same.
@@opaque4742 I agree. I like Gene's and Paul's songs more on Unmasked but Ace's songs are better on Dynasty. But I like Talk to me more than all 3 of his tunes on Dynasty so I like Unmasked a bit more. Dynasty is still in my top 5 favorite Kiss albums though
@@josephprice4095 That is why it feels one sided and not true group KISS, such as Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun and before. Others got in the mix and ruined it. Typical Hollywood - they ruin the kids. Always have.
@@user-wf4fv4oc1h Can't really blame them when they have a contract obligation and half the band doesn't show up. It's survival. Get someone to fill in or loose the recording contract. No-brainer there.
yeah, I like a couple songs, too, but it aint KISS.. It's a vini poncia album this album was the 1st confusing album they made- the album cover didnt help things either
The record did great in Europe and Australia, a definite international hit, so it's not an album to be tossed aside. Kiss fans love Shandi, and it should have sailed up the charts, along with the punchy Tomorrow. Hard working NY band showcasing rhythmic, medolic tunes...
Just had a KISS moment with my youngest daughter, she came down the stairs. Just as Shandi came on here, i wrapped her in a hug. And sang Shandi to her 😁❤️
The Unmasked Album was the last KISS record 😮I bought and was a diehard KISS fan since 77. That album was horrible and I couldn't even stand to play it...maybe a couple songs..maybe. That was it for me and was very saddening to me and seeing where the band was negatively heading and then Ace and Peter departing , yeah I was fine. But when the reunited I went to the first two shows with center floor tickets one in the 7th row center floor. Fucking awesome and I was creaming my jeans..7th heaven. I could stand in my seat and almost touch their boots. They gave me some spectacular camera shots.
Unmasked is in my top 3 favorite Kiss albums. 1 of the few albums that i never get tired of listening to. Every song is well written and so damn catchy.
I was 9 when I got Unmasked and just figured Peter was getting to be a better drummer. Same as when I got Dynasty. It was obvious to me the drumming was different, but I NEVER would've guessed it wasn't Peter. As far as the music...I was a 9 year old KISS fan, I couldn't be disappointed. Is That You is still my favourite song...regardless of the songwriter. Something about that tune was naughty to me at 9. lol
Unmasked has really grown on me. I remember having an original copy with the poster in my early 20s, around 15 years ago, and selling it because I thought it sucked then. Big mistake obviously. You never know how your tastes change.
I was born in 1971. As a kid in the 70s, KISS was my band. I had the albums, the posters, lunchbox, etc. As a fan, because of my age, I was losing interest in KISS around 1979 (Dynasty). By The Elder, I had moved on to Van Halen Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, etc. I did come back to KISS around Lick it Up. And then lost interest again in 1988 (Crazy Nights).
Ageed Count,Naked City ,Is that you? Are very very good also some other pretty strong tracks but to my ears those are the head and rest are shoulder material my opinion .love the chronicles/diaries wish there were a in order download able version somewhere in its interest though KISS forever!love the community all the fans all love albums and ALL the members past and current and im saddened we will never get another Kiss record release new material ,and my favorite lineup is the creatures/elder /lick-it /eras..
The best songs on "Unmasked" are Ace's. Peter was obviously completely whacked-out by 1980, and he got himself thrown out. They tried everything to keep him for the sake of continuity.
i remember my local radio station WCOZ FM boston playing unmasked in it's entirety then talking to the only kid i knew who liked them in school... (sophomore year)...... and saying...wow.. peter's finally using ALL his drums !....i was impressed 😂 only years later I learned he didn't even play on it ! 🤪
I noticed that in the early 80s some rock bands went through an identity crisis of sorts. Kiss during the Fox and Ankh years is a good example. Post Ozzy Black Sabbath with Dio trying to find their new way. Alice Cooper was in his blackout period then There were others as well. The same thing happened 10 years later to hair metal bands when the scene imploded.
Buying Codeine Syrup together on the road! Haha, they got into some crazy $hit. I have a feeling it was the South African accent they weren't into, but I could be wrong. One thing about Peter and Carr was that they were both great singers. Peter Criss coulda been a solo artist (if he had his $hit together) because his voice is just awesome. I don't know if Anton is much of a singer?
@@Redhotlugnut- You think that's insane? One time Ace was with his friend hanging out drinking. The hotel room had a jacuzzi. Ace's friend went downstairs to the bar. He managed to find two women that wanted to party. When they found out Ace Frehley of KISS was there, they jumped onto the invitation. Ace wanted the blonde. They were all in the jacuzzi drinking champagne and snorting cocaine. Ace poured pine scent into the water. As they were in the jacuzzi the girls went underwater to give them blowjobs. Turns out the one girl was a bottle blonde and her hair turned green! She freaked out and left. I'm sure Ace and his friend were laughing all night. Ace was definitely the party animal and fun to be with. He reminds me a lot like Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. He loved to party, but was always the most fun to hang around with.
In America unmasked was pushed of as a flop but it was an album for Australian fans and did amazing down under kiss was met with a Beatles like welcome
I like “Shandi” the way it is. Though when I first heard it, not knowing Peter had been fired, I remember thinking how much better the band, particularly “Peter “ sounded on that song. Except for Paul’s vocals and guitar, there isn’t a single KISS member on it. Gene’s material was the weakest. Ace had more songs than Gene on “Unmasked “.
Gene: he got a cavity search Paul: he played piano and they let him go I don’t think I have ever seen a piano at any airport I’ve been in and I’ve been to several. On the other hand I never had cavity search either.
Naked city was also a hell of a song. Too bad they never incorporated into the show. I always felt they should have replaced Rock and Roll all night with... I, from The Elder or at least start playing it live 🔥💋
It's no wonder that Paul and Gene never mention bill aucouin involvement . 100 mil in kiss merchandise, every thing from programs, t shirts to dolls and lunchboxes and bill kept 97 % and the remaining kiss members 3%. Once paul and gene figured that out, they killed their management deal will bill and took control of the business side of kiss
"A music stand".....lol You know I get the "Peter Loyalty"......Kiss was a huge influence in my life starting in 1976, ended up having a Gibson Les Paul/Marshall Amp addiction because of them......Peter flat drug this band down! His skills and health were way too diminished as were Ace's in this period of time. So many hates for Gene and Paul, but if wasn't for them it would have been completely over in 1979.
John: I could not afford A Gibson back then! I still have a coo! "Lawsuit" Les Paul Copy that I did lots of mods to. The "Electra" logo is even perfectly stylized like the Gibson logo!
John the reality is paul And Genes Egos Can’t Take they didn’t know what they were doing either yes gene and paul kept kids going but kiss was bankrupt by 1987
@Coogan Kiss Was Bankrupt Read Kiss and Sell by Ck Lendt the Bands Money Manager from Destroyer on All the Original members Filed for Bankruptcy by the Time Of 1995 and the Reunion They Were Operating on Credit After Crazy Nights and not much and were Bankrupt its why the 1996 reunion Happened
Gene and paul have been the core of kiss. You cant have kiss without them however Kiss's foundation no matter what was with Ace and Peter. Thats the sound. Yes some albums were better than others. Now Eric carr and Vinnie were the rebirth foundations of kiss. Their sound was their sound of the 80s along with Bruce kulick. All 3 played an important piece in kiss. Now Eric singer to me is a phenomenal drummer and kiss's most refined drummer. All members are vital
The "Dynasty" tour had such poor ticket sales that they had to end that tour early. So it surprises me that they went back to "Vini Poncia" who produced "Dynasty, Peter Criss" solo album, then was asked to produce "Unmasked" where they had him not only Produce "Unmasked" but he co-wrote almost all of its tracks. "Kiss" had lost so much of their fan base that Ace Frehley considered quitting. Then they hired "Bob Ezrin" to come in and record the album "Music From The Elder" Ace once stated that after first hearing that album, he threw in across the room, and smashed it against the wall, and said "I quit!" So, I'm in the frame of mind as think Vini Poncia and Bob Ezrin were a huge reason for Ace Frehley leaving "Kiss" Kiss never recovered fully again, Until the reunion tour. "Psycho Circus" sucked ass IMO. It did have a couple good tunes, but over all it was trash. Kiss hasn't worked together as a band since the mid 70's. I liked "Dynasty, but that was the last album they did that I liked. I love several tunes after that album, but I can't say any of their albums after "Dynasty" were great.
@@centralpete6044 Yes, and "You Wanted The Best" was a decent tune. But not a single song on that album could compete with "Unholy" or "Domino" off the "Revenge" album. And I thought 90% of that was trash too. I wish I could have heard Ace's lyrics on the original take of that song. But Into The Void was the best song on that album IMO.
As a drummer myself,I knew it wasn't Peter. There were certain fills,licks that Anton played,and I knew Peter couldn't pull that off. He wasn't that kind of drummer. He wanted to replicate Gene Krupa,and play like Ringo/Charlie Watts. Plus he had other stuff going on at the time...
Hearing the same stories from both P n G is cool.. It's like hearing stories about Jesus from luke n john- u get a little different perspective slightly from both
According to most theologians, Dr. Luke was the only Non-Jew writer in the Bible! There has always been disagreement as to whether or no Dr. Luke was a Jew.
Although Anton did an amazing job, it's too bad that Eric wasn't there soon enough to participate. Aside from that, there could not have been a better choice to replace Peter. Indeed, Eric was a definite improvement! It would have been awesome if Eric had been there for Dynasty! But that's just my opinion. Even when Vinnie stepped in, KISS was still KISS 100% but now with a virtuoso lead guitarist. Too bad that Vinnie had so many issues. His talent was undeniable. But Vinnie just had a stink attitude. His departure was my biggest disappointment in KISStory. Personally, I thought that Vinnie looked great too! Paul designed his makeup, his costume was cool and that Jackson Rhoads was the icing on the cake. IMHO, LIU is probably their best, musically. Yes, I've always been a big fan of Vinnie. Since 2003, KISS has been Stanley, Simmons, Singer and Thayer and I've been A-OK with it! I've been a fan since seeing this weird band on In Concert in 1974! I'm 64 now and KISS will.always be my #1 Band!! Other favs are Heart, Boston, Queen, AC\DC, and of course, Alice Cooper! I also love 80s stuff like Eurythmics, Madonna, Animotion, Flock of Seagulls,U2 and many others. May God Bless all you other KISS fans out there! Love to all of You!!
The books, by Paul and Gene, tell me the story of KISS from a sober person perspective. It is clear and smooth and sometimes boring. Ace Frehley did depart the band but he made a huge difference. His music and writing were amazing and some of the most important riffs in the KISS catalog. Unfortunately he let aspects outside the band ruin his decision making and almost ended his life. Some of the material Ace Frehley wrote and played with his solo band, Frehley's Comet, was some of his strongest and better than some of the KisS material.p
@@dwightrenfield2241 You got to be mentally retarded to think that Asylum, Animalize, Lick it up, Crazy Nights and Hot in the Shade consists of better drumming and background singing than Love Gun, Rock and Roll Over, Alive, Alive 2, Destroyer, the first records etc.
I was impressed with the love and kind words that Gene said about Eric. Paul just seemed so I'm better than each one of you and will tell the world all you're flaws and diseases. Very unkind most of his book of course the parts about him being superior and a Rockstar. The fans want the Original band no matter the cost of money or bickering we are the fans its what we want. Always saying it's for the fans. Bullshit Kiss. It's about the unbelievable amount of money. 500 dollar tickets. 1000 dollar for meet and greet. Thats hypocritical. Sign for poor people give them meet and greet. Lower ticket cost. Remember it's all about the fans.
Paul does come across as very bitter and petty and he doesn’t need to: fantastic songwriter and vocalist. He seems to vent the most at Peter. I can understand him being pissed off around this time as Peter was next to useless, but Paul bashes him now from the beginning saying he was never a very good drummer and he couldn’t sing. Why didn’t he say anything at the time? And why did he agree to get the band back together in 96? Peter could have a very valid point that Paul was jealous he wrote their biggest hit, Beth, and Paul never really got over it.
@@nickgodfrey1148 Paul wrote dozens of better songs than Beth, which was barely played by Peter. Bottom line is Peter is a lost cause and the only reason he got back in '96 was because of the oldschool feel. He never changed never wanted to, same old useless and bitchy catman.
@@InspiredFortunes oh I agree with you about Paul’s songwriting abilities - I say that at the top of my post - and he has written some fantastic songs, much better than Beth (Sure Know Something is one of my favourites - brilliant) but my post was more about his constant bitching about Peter. Saying that he could never keep time - that definitely isn’t true. He was pretty solid in the early days, especially when Paul and Gene were hitting the wrong chords and If Criss was that shit from the beginning, surely they would have replaced him???? That’s more what my post was about.
Gene says that they made up a typical rock n roll excuse to explain why Peter was no longer a member,They didn't want to expose him as a drug addict. They wanted to protect his reputation. So at what point did he and Paul decide that it was ok to air Peter's dirty laundry? And why?
Both Gene and Paul were stars and owners of KISS, had all the money in the world, yet neither had a single friend nor a female companion that wasn’t there for the sex, money and limousines. Poor, sad, bastards.
The Only reason Any woman has been with Gene Including Shannon Tweed is as Gene has said Yes, I'm one ugly Man but it doesn't matter because I'm one really rich bastard.
Unmasked was the 1st very confusing KISS album Easy as it Seems n Shandi were as bad as Hold Me, Touch Me n Peter n Genes solo lps ugh Shandi aint bad but very confusing for KISS fans at the time 1980
Especially, without Ace and to a large extent Peter, Kiss would not not have made it. I saw Kiss live in 75 and 76 ,,, Ace was incredible. And Peter played the only drum solos that I have ever enjoyed. Really sad that Paul and Gene continue to denigrate Ace an Peter. In addition muther'fing Eric Carr.
Am I the only red blooded American male kiss fan that finds the ace freely comments about making out with the guys a little disturbing especially if you have read Peter Chris’s comments about Ace making out with hisBuddy like it’s a joke where I grew up kissing A dude is no joke it’s disgusting. Having said all of that. I love kiss and I love ace. He may be straight but the kissing guy thing got admit kind of weird. Ironically he’s not the one we thought was a little light in the loafers anyway I wonder which one of the three I’m referring to.?But go figure I’m still reeling from the fact Rob Halford’s not a lover of the ladies apparently can’t say that I dig that but the dude can sing
You just laid out every Kiss album. Don’t get me wrong - I love and have them all, but sometimes you gotta wonder what they were thinking with some songs.
😮 How can a guy be a drummer for 6 years with a famous band ! Then all of a sudden he just cant play anymore ??? I mean unless he was paralyzed its impossible
Peter was soooo full of shit in that first interview he gave "after leaving KISS" 😿 Beth...a number one hit?? Up for two Grammy's....?? Ya...whatever catman. He must've sniffed too much catnip that day 😛
Paul is quik to tell very personal details about someone else, but funny he didnt have any cheap perverted things happen to him, just others. He was just looking for Love
are you mentally ill? Paul went full detail on his personal issues, his depression and moreover his own struggles as and invidividual throughout his book.
With all respect and compared to their past, it's a pretty lame album. Just way too poppy and goofy. They were reaching way too deep into the pop and disco crowd. They should have let Dynasty have it's success (or whatever it did) and moved on to the hard rock they were good at. It's just a weak soft album that a lot of fans saw as the downfall.
The first 5 songs on “Unmasked “ are good, but on side B, the following 6 are all crap. Really shit. Half baked, back burner material that should have never been recorded. Too weak to even be the B side of a single.
I like the album but I gotta agree with you. I do like Tomorrow and Easy as it Seems but the rest on side 2 are not that good. You're all that I Want is listenable but weak . The demo is 10 times better. Torpedo Girl is an odd song but a fun 1 if you're a musician playing it. Side 1 is great and sounds like a continuation from side 2 of Dynasty. Anton Fig has stated most of the songs were written while they were recording the album. It definitely shows but Figs drumming is 1 reason why the album is listenable to me.
@@CrazyLG72 I remember back in 1980, when I first heard the album on vinyl, 2 things popped into my head: (1) WOW, KISS really got better at playing their instruments, especially Peter!! (2) The songs sound a bit light, and not as satisfying as the previous albums.... Let me see... "Produced by Vini Poncia"... Isn't that the same guy from Peter's album?... Dynasty too? ... Why did they get him and not... Eddie Kramer?....Wow, no wonder it sounds "light"....I'm trying to like this album but it's not as easy as the previous one.... or maybe the songs are not that good to begin with?... No... NO MY KISS....Shit....And I spent $8.98 on this?.....
@@manolokonosko2868 haha. Naked city and Is that You were the heaviest songs on the album. Tomorrow sounds like a Rick Springfield song, Your al that I want sounds unfinished and What makes the world go round sounds like a Motown song but I actually like it lol. Yep , thank Poncia for Pop Kiss
@@CrazyLG72 The flood of KISS merch, "Kissing Time", hiring Peter Criss, Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise - then Neil Bogart - as KISS album producers, "Destroyer" over-produced by Bob Ezrin, "KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park", Vini Poncia for "Dynasty", "I was Made For Loving You", Vini Poncia for "Unmasked" (1980).... Just a short list of major fuckups by KISS from 1973-1980. Some of them - particularly the record producers for the first 3 albums, is not their fault. If you boil it down to only 2 key major problems faced by the band, I'd say (1) Wrong album producers (2) Hiring Peter Criss as a drummer. I cannot say that "Gene and Paul were innocent and inexperienced" when they had already recorded an album and been in bands. By then they should have realized, particularly at the Chinese restaurant ("I've got a 9 inch dick", "if you don't like it, I'm quitting the band!"), that Peter was and still is, an unstable man and someone impossible to work with. Gene and Paul should have auditioned and interviewed, tried out, other drummers instead of just falling for that Rolling Stone ad.
We never get the whole story of why they used Vini Poncia instead of a real rock album producer. Why is this album almost full of weak songs . Who pushed the idea of making it sound so poppy instead of rocking hard - the label? Gene and Paul? Bill Aucoin? “Dynasty” was a successful album for all the wrong reasons. They traded a solid, hardcore loyal fan base for the quick disco buck and became a disco duck band. “Dynasty” was a “hard” album compared to the limp dick that is “Unmasked”.
@@manolokonosko2868 They wanted to replicate the success of "Dynasty" so went even further into over-produced, radio-friendly slick....the only good songs on this record are the ones Ace wrote and sang...the rest are unbearable...this is by far my least-fave Kiss record (aside from some of the garbage they put out in the mid-to-late 1980s)
@@joeanthony7759 Before "Dynasty" KISS had released 6 studio albums, 2 live albums and 1 "greatest hits" ("Double Platinum"). The root cause fo their problems were not that the "demographics" were changing and because of it, that they had to "soften or pop-up" their sound. Like in Rocky III, what trainer "Mickey" says to "Rocky" - that the worst thing that could happen, occurred: they got successful, rich, and then they went soft. Many people to blame for this trifecta (Dynasty-Unmasked-The Elder) of fiasco: Gene, Paul, Bill and Neil, primarily. When you sell a product, you check out the competition so that you can be better. Bill Aucoin fell asleep at the wheel. He should have been replaced in 1978.
I think kisses Greatest Albums was Kiss Alive 2 Destroyer Revenge maybe Dressed to Kill everything else was weak Papi overproduced happy songs are just songs that made no sense
wow can they ever say anything good about peter. ive never heard it, and they also kind of shit on eric. ya i have my memories of kiss in the 70's that was good, but hearing paul and gene just always putting down peter and ace. also they have put down eric , and yet they still trying to go with fake ace and peter. lip synk now wow i lost so much respect for them
Not to defend them by any stretch or make any excuses but Gene and Paul had extreme work ethics that Ace and Peter didn't have. Once it affected their stage performances or their ability to record anything that was worthy, Gene and Paul told it like it was and had to make very tough decisions to benefit the monster that was KISS. It's very similar to having a co worker come in intoxicated or abusive to customers. The big wigs, managers and so forth have to answer to it. Only in this case, Gene and Paul and millions of fans to contracts had to answer to it. They protected what was magical and the times that it wasn't, they had to figure out how to repair it. They cared too much to let that get in the way of the final product. On the surface, it seems like a lot of bitching and ego control bashing. But the reality of it, is that they did everything to keep the toxins out of a productive environment. Neither being in a band, the business, and having millions and millions of fans that monitor every move is never, never easy.
The condescending way Gene and Paul talk about Peter and others is nauseating to me. I can't stand people who act like that. 😕 Gene especially talks in a way that makes it seem like he's looking down at you. Like he's more important than you. Like if a fire suddenly started in the building you were in, he'd expect you to let him leave first... and for you to hold the door open for him too!
