The Story Behind KISS Unplugged 

I remember the excitement when Ace and Peter came out. I'm not ashamed to admit I actually shed a few tears.

Who didn't watch this live on MTV? It was epic.

Yeah, I really love Unplugged. Rolling Stone’s review was no surprise. They had it in for KISS since day one. Even if they liked something KISS did, they wouldn’t admit it. It’s like getting a Democrat to admit they like something the Republicans are doing and vice versa.

Unplugged was awesome those of us of a certain age were geeking out over this show . I hoped for a reunion tour with the make -up and retro shows and thats what we got .

I saw Ace and Peter on their Bad Boys of KISS tour in 95. At the time I never dreamed there would be a KISS Reunion Tour the following year. What a magical time for a lifelong KISS fanatic like myself. I could only compare it to a Beatles fan hearing the news John Lennon had come back to life, reconciled with Paul, and the band was getting back together. I’m so glad I got to see the original 4!

I still can remember watching i stood up and starting yelling. my wife thought i lost my mine.

One of the best things Kiss ever did. They had a chance to prove that didn’t need makeup nor any stage spectacle to put on a great show and they nailed it. It could’ve been a perfect ending to the band too

I watched it on MTV it was absolute perfection seeing Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Ferhley, Peter Criss, Bruce Kurlick, And Eric Singer play was awesome bought the CD for Christmas and played it non stop

I love unplugged. It gets the most play time on my turntable.

As a KISS fan for my whole life when I saw this it made me SOOOO Happy!!!

AMAZING album! I think it’s a killer combination of a terrific line-up and great selection of material. Songs like “Goin’ Blind” and “Sure Know Something” absolutely shine when done this way.

Based. No American magazine would print that headline.

Congratulations on the KISSTARD article. 🎉

In reality, this ( and the reunion tour)was the best time to be a fan - at least for me. I was just too young to see them in their hey day and in the early 90's the nostalgia for the original band was palpable. Magazine were always running articles about the makeup years and I must have seen 3 or 4 different tribute bands ( including Cold Gin) back in 92-94. So when they announced the unplugged recording on MTV it was really pretty big and of course, the lead up to the Reunion tour was just incredible! I went to 5 or 6 concerts up and down the east coast - starting at both shows at Boston and finally seeing the last one in Roanoke VA. Kiss could do no wrong in my eyes the first 2 or three years. What a GREAT time to be a KISS fan!! ❤

I was fortunate to see one of the first few ever Kiss Conventions here in Australia 🇦🇺 and they certainly disappoint. Great displays of old costumes & merchandise. Kiss unplugged segments where we got to choose the songs. These were 1 day before the full concert. Great times

Had the MTV Unplugged show not happened I would say it’s questionable whether KISS would have continued another 27 years

Unplugged is my favorite KISS live album.. they played amazing that night

"Respect Deez Nuts" - Dr. Fruit, 2024 FUCKING PROUD of you my Dude! Never fail to impress! Ps, Unplugged is one of my Favorite Kiss Albums!

Thanks Ralph for your words.

Gene and Paul's wigs looked perfect.

I absolutely love this album! I never ever thought I would have gotten to see my childhood heroes. I honestely believe that the Convention tour led to the Unplugged appearance on MTV that then led to the eventual reunion. It was a great time to be a KISS fan, they were everywhere, just like when I was a child in the 70's. It was awesome! 🤘😁🤘

Other than finishing up my time in the Military in late 1995 this was one of the best moments for me that decade in time

Congratulations on the magazine spread! It has an ultra rare foreign country collectors item feel to it. That's The Only News That Matters today. Schmakamagob!

At the Hall of Fame, Peter and Ace got the loudest cheers just having their names read. You know that had to chap Paul's ass lol

I have a bootleg DVD of the show. They did multiple takes of the songs and goofed around a bit. The album and official video release/airing were both heavily edited but I believe it’s the best live recording Kiss ever did (Alive wasn’t really live except for Peter and I’m not sure about Alive II.)

because of the reunion my brother got eric singer,bruce kulick and corabi to come to the conventions he had in 97 and 98.

Someone tell me if my memory is correct..After Ace and Peter played, they brought back Bruce and Eric..the crowd yelled BRUUUUUUCE and Ace thought they were booing and made a comment in the mic about excepting everyone. It was weird.

The best live of all the MTV unplugged !!!!! In quebec, Canada, the most harsh and tough rock critic, Claude Rajotte, gave a good review because he now could ear all the good vocal and music of the band…

Unplugged was great. I had the uncut footage somewhere, and it took multiple tries to get Beth, 2000 Man, Rock n Roll All Nite & Every Time I Look At You.

I watched it live with my wife and we had some drinks and danced while watching and we loved it. Still listen to the CD to this day. As a man that saw Kiss in concert with the original 4,with Bruce and Eric Singer,again with the reunion and again with Tommy and Eric. I can honestly say that they sounded the best without makeup with Bruce and Eric. I know everybody loves Ace and Peter but they sounded the best live with Bruce and Eric on the Revenge tour. Just better musicians I think. Paul’s drumming never impressed me but Bruce is a very underrated guitar player.

Great video as always. I don’t know how true it is, but I’ve heard that the live crowd booed when Eric and Bruce came back out after the original 4 played.

Still one of my favorite albums. I loved it when I came out. I have the DVD and the VCR tape then the reunion tour the timing was perfect for the reunion tour. I was 27 and in 96. There was no good music at all I don’t think people realize how big kiss was in the late 90s they were everywhere

Ralph am a kiss fan my favorite band but unplugged is awesome I love it glad it was recorded

You are right Ralf. I wanted to put together a full acoustic band after seeing this show. It was great. And I never was an acoustic fan.

"Me and the boys will be playing all night" That's when I knew KISS was going to get back together.

Great review Doc✌️

Ralph, did you get the centerfold in the magazine? Did ya flash any pink?

Excellent job, Ralph. Great summary of that part of their history. KISS with Kulick and Singer was a strong lineup musicianship-wise, but they were still starting to circle the drain as a band. The "grunge" album wasn't going to pull them out of that tailspin because, once again, Gene and Paul were simply out of ideas other than try to copycat Nirvana/Pearljam/"the bald guy from Smashing Pumpkins"/etc. In other words, morph from an average Hair Band into an average Grunge Band. It's a shame that lineup was wasted with just 2 studio albums (which were good but not great, IMO). I think the strength of that lineup and what they COULD have done with better leadership/creativity from Paul and Gene is shown on the Unplugged album. They were very good with those old songs and Unplugged was their only great album in that era (I think), but it was clear the only thing KISS had left in them was to revert back to an "Oldies Reunion Band" to recapture success instead of fading away. By reuniting, Ace and Peter resuscitated the careers of Paul and Gene. And vice versa. Without the reunion, they all would have been playing at the club level in short order. If Paul and Gene have ever fully acknowledged this, I've not seen or heard it.

Take this with a grain of salt, but rumors I've heard were the purpose of the reunion at Unplugged was a test run for a full reunion. Paul & Gene knew a reunion would sell, but they wanted to see if Ace & Peter were able to put the work in and still had their playing chops.

I was going to screenshot your interview to read about Kisstards until I saw it was in Spanish.

Paul at his best.

Revenge great album...That tour they played in Chicago suburb big stadium and almost sold out.. Unplugged great video/ CD

Unplugged was awesome

I saw the VHS get unpacked in a CD Store and grabbed it immediately. I didnt know anything about it. I didnt even look at the Video slick. I had no idea the originals were involved. When Ace came out, i cried like a little baby. It was and is so epic. I used it to convert a guy who hated KISS but now worships them. I cant stand any version of Beth except this one. Ace's guitar solo is sublime.

This was/is one of my favorite VHS tapes of all time...i even enjoy the songs with Bruce and Eric...(except "Everytime I look at you")...but that's just before Paul says hes bringing out part of the family "Peter Criss and Ace Frehley"... I'd watch it over and over ...then after hearing about them making a appearance on the Grammys was it ? I knew it was just a matter of time...! It was the greatest feeling and my favorite song on it is "2000 man" with Ace and Peter... it's just the 4 guys ...yeah "Beth" is ok too... but when they bring the other two guys back it's an invasion in my opinion...i remember getting up either get a drink or hit the bathroom when Bruce or especially when Eric starts talking...during the interview sections...😂

in a cool rock magazine, nice

The country version of God of Thunder was great

What happened to the kiss Wednesday intro? That shit ruled

I remember when KISS Unplugged originally aired on MTV. I thought it sucked, so I only watched a few bits and pieces. Back then, I considered hard rock and metal on acoustic instruments as WEAK! Now? I LOVE IT! It's one of my favorite KISS albums. But I agree: the country version of "God of Thunder" does blow! SHMACKEMAGOB!

Anyone who doubts Gene after watching this version of Going Blind, is deaf. And a total and utter......

I said it asede the poison unplugged is my favorite

"Respect these nutz!" sez the Doctor. Dude, U kill me :)

Congrats, you are international now, just remember where you came from and us guys who were there from the early days :)

JAJAJAJAA!!!! RESPECT THIS NUTTS!!! YOU RULE!!!!

It was a great Unplugged, one of the best. Breathed new life into some of the deep cuts and sounds great. Alice In Chains tops my list of all time Unplugged.Nirvana’s performance is overrated but understand why it’s usually the top of the list, Clapton is a snoozer, Rod and Ronnie were better. Lauren Hill was unhinged on a Britney level so that was fun. LL Cool J and the chunks of deodorant hanging off his armpits was memorable. Latin MTV had a lot of really good Unplugged shows.

The hottest band in the world... BLACK SABBATH !!!!!! ™ Ralph Vierra Listen to the Only News that Smatters, on my moms face !!! And the RMCP !!!! Stay heavy !!!! 🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟

Ich finde Kiss kazn toll und super und spitze cool sehr gut Unglaubliche Person Sänger Besondere Bend Lieblingsband und 4 Lieblingssänger Peter criss Gene Simmons Ace Frehley Paul Stanley ich Englische Lieder finde ich besser sehr gut sehr toll super und spitze

Paul thanley of kith lol 😂

Sounds like WWE promo 😂

I can't believe that KISS actually stuck it out and managed to somehow stay afloat as a functioning band after the failed album after album in the 80s and 90s

Unplugged was a great show and with out ace and Peter joining them on stage your right kiss would have had to play really small venues the worst crowd for kids I witnessed was the asylum tour at the cow palice it wasn't even a quarter full maybe 3-4 thousand peaple

The makeup allowed them to be relevant for a long time. Nobody wants to see a bunch of old men playing stadiums. Coloring their hair and a little cardio goes a long way. Add the makeup and you can actually pull it off.

Watching the show, Gene used the worst made acoustic bass guitar ever - a Kramer Ferrington. Absolute junk. He should have used a Martin acoustic bass.