Join Pete Pardo, Simon Bray, and Steven Reid for a discussion of their favorite & least favorite albums by hard rock legends KISS. #kiss 👕Order your SoT merch: www.t8cloth.co... 🖥 Visit our website: www.seaoftranq...
I feel like that was the most legitimate KISS lineup. They wanted a sound and regardless of hitting it they were like KISS and really tried what they were trying enough to make it their own
I’m an 80s kid, but I was introduced to Dressed to Kill & Asylum at the same time. They couldn’t be more different, but it showed just how diverse KISS are…and I love both albums equally.
This is my favourite UK Connection show and one of my favourite SoT shows in general. I know they’re a divisive band, but please do more Kiss content!!!
Another fine time with Simon, Steven and Pete. Geography lessons, beer tutelage an always great discussion which includes guaranteed laughs. As someone about a decade ahead of Pete, appreciate the comments that it is when you came to the band the likely affects your fondness for the band. When the Kiss debut came out, listened to it but just didn't hear anything that really caught my attention. Until Kiss Alive came out. This is where I definitely came in by playing this album regularly and even making the immediate family listen to it when we gathered at the parents' house for the annual Christmas tree decoration. That is the only Kiss album owned during all this time though you three [and other SoT episodes] keep nudging me toward listening to some of the studio albums that regularly come up for discussion. Thanks again, gents, for another outstanding episode. Cheers!
Totally dig the episodes on kiss! 1. Rock n Roll over 2. Hotter than hell 3. Love gun 4. Lick it up 5. Kiss debut 6. Destroyer 7. Dressed to kill 8. Creatures of the night 9. Dynasty 10. Unmasked 11. Asylum 12. Revenge 13. The elder 14. Animalize 15. Crazy nights 16. Hot in the shade 17. Psycho circus 18. Carnival of souls 19. Sonic boom 20. Monster The first ten can change at any time🤪🤘🏼!! Great episode guys!
Thoroughly enjoyed the show. This is consistently the most entertaining show and format on SoT. But we're running out of bands! We wanted the best, we got the best....Pete, Simon and Steve. Thank you, gentlemen.
Awesome! My first and favorite band of all time since 1980. Favorites: 01. Rock and Roll Over (1976) 02. Dynasty (1979) Least Favorites: 01. Psycho Circus (1998) 02. Carnival of Souls (1997) Wild Card: Dressed to Kill (1975)
@@TranquilityFireReid The pleasure was all mine again, Steven! But choosing ANIMALIZE as the worst album of all things, I found quite irritating. ^^ Sure, Simmons wasn't 100% into it at the time, St. John's exaggerated guitar playing didn't really suit KISS, but ANIMALIZE worse than the horribly unimaginative and artificially constructed pseudo-reunion effort PSYCHO CIRCUS or the superfluous and generic albums of the Y2K era that sound like KISS covered themselves? For me still not a big, but a solid album, beyond any doubt, that easily keeps up with everything else in the Hardrock area that was released at that time. But well, that makes this band all the more interesting that there isn't just one opinion.
@@mikevillain666 Ah, but I didn't say Animalize was their worst album, I said it was my least favourite. Splitting hairs maybe, but in reality quite a big difference. The new albums are what they are and both were probably better than I anticipated them being - which isn't saying much. Psycho Circus on the other hand has a couple of songs I really like (the title track and Into The Void) in amongst some OK stuff and a few duffers. Animalize, on the other hand, should have been brilliant, but really isn't. After two GREAT albums - and the tremendous Killers tracks - Animalize was a band dropping the ball. I much prefer Asylum to it, so it's a least favourite of mine because it was a band on top form not really caring what album they put out and I've never managed to get by that. Glad you still enjoyed the show though!
@@TranquilityFireReid Hehe, yeah, right... with "worst" i meant "your personal least favorite", but hey, at least it features some of the band's greatest lyricism ("I wanna put my log in your fireplace", "Yeah, there's no speed limit where I'm comin' from... let's hit the highway doin' 69")! I enjoy the show anytime, thanks alot! ;)
@@mikevillain666 Haha! Yes. In a catalogue filled with questionable lyrics, Animalize must be near the bottom - or at least Gene's mind was!!!!! lol!!!
Great show as ever guys! Always good fun when Steven and Simon are in the house! Here my choices... Favourite: Creatures of the Night & Asylum Least favourite: Carnival of Souls & Rock n' Roll Over. Wildcard: Paul Stanley 👍
Great episode. I love the early years as much as most KISS fans however I have a huge soft spot for the 80's era so was pleasantly surprised to see it get some props here as it usually doesn't. I was a huge extreme metal fan in my younger years but always loved 80's pop as well (go figure) KISS kinda fit into the 80's pop format with a hardish rock flavour to it such catchy and hooky songs.
Great show. The Odyssey book is a great read as it breaks down a lot of material. The most interesting part for me was the discussion of the script of the movie which tied everything together nicely.
1.) KISS (debut) 2.) Love Gun 3.) Rock and Roll Over 4.) Hotter Than Hell 5.) Destroyer 6.) Dressed to Kill 7.) Creatures of the Night 8.) Lick it Up 9.) Revenge 10.) Animalize 11.) Music From the Elder (humor value) 12.) Unmasked (humor value) 13.) Dynasty 14.) Carnival of Souls 15.) Asylum 16.) Crazy Nights 17.) Psycho Circus 18.) Hot in the Shade 19.) Sonic Boom 20.) Monster
1 - Rock & Roll Over 2 - Dynasty 3 - Love Gun 4 - Creatures of the Night 5 - Hotter than Hell 6 - Destroyer 7 - Psycho Circus 8 - Dressed to Kill 9 - Kiss 10 - Revenge 11 - The Elder 12 - Lick it Up 13 - Unmasked 14 - Animalize 15 - Asylum 16 - Hot in the Shade 17 - Crazy Nights 18 - Carnival of Souls 19 - Sonic Boom 20 - Monster Solo Albums. 1 - Ace Frehley 2 - Paul Stanley 3 - Peter Criss 4 - Gene Simmons Live Records 1 - Alive 2 - Alive 2 3 - Alive 3 4 - Symphony
I’m a massive Kiss fan. My first show was at the famed Cobo Arena in Detroit, January’77 (Uriah Heep opened!). I saw them a year later in January’78 (The Rockets opened). It was at that ‘78 show I fell out with Kiss. There were a ton of little kids in makeup at the show and the merch was going bonkers. The Kiss I loved didn’t put their likeness on lunchboxes. I didn’t reignite my relationship with Kiss until the run up to the reunion tour with Ace and Peter in makeup. I was at the show at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. My love of the band has remained intact. At any rate, my Top 2 Favorites are Destroyer and Hotter Than Hell. My wildcard is Carnival Of Souls. My Least 2 Favorites are Animalize and Hot In The Shade. I eliminated live albums from the equation because let’s face it, Kiss Alive rules the earth. 🤘
Fantastic video guys, greetings from Brighton UK. When i was 15, i spent a few years in Australia, and two concerts i will always remember fondly are 1. One of the last concerts Bon Scott did with ACDC (Best Scottish Band Ever), and i have visited his birthplace, Falmor near Perth in Ayrshire. Scotland. 2. KiSS, i saw live at Lang Park (Suncorp Stadium), Brisbane 1980. It was so loud, that the local government brought in tough noise laws, and virtually killed stadium concerts forever
Finally, i see that there are people who love their eighties albums more. I thought i was the only one. Man, those albums from creatures of the night till revenge are killer albums.
Simon, you are right , " crazy nights " is great ( my favourite studio album with " destroyer") .Paul 's voice is fantastic on melodic tunes like " my way" or " turn on the night".
The Elder was cruelled from the start because the record company released with the tracks out of order to highlight the heavier tracks. When remastered and put in the correct order to support the story it is amazing. I'm surprised the panel didn't mention this fact.
I’m proud to know who the St, Robert’s Choir is. 🙂👍 To my amazement, no one seemed to know who it was in the otherwise great Odyssey book. Great episode.
Excellent show - very entertaining. Kiss are a greatest hits and live band for me (loved the end of the road show at Manchester) but as always good to hear the chat!
Great and interesting episode. If I would pick an all time favourite band list, Kiss would probably be at the top. But I actually come to terms with that fact recently because I haven't really been interested in what the band done for the past 20 years. But the Kiss of the 70's and 80's has always meant a lot to me and still does I guess. Favourite albums: Kiss, Destroyer Least favourite: Carnival of souls, Monster Wild card: Unmasked
I enjoyed Destroyer, Creatures of the Night, Lick it Up, Kiss (self-titled debut album), Animalize, and Hotter than Hell the most. Each of those alums were filled with Paul Stanley's and Gene Simmons' strongest vocals and most memorable tracks. Dressed to Kill was also highly memorable, but underrated for the time the album was released! As for Kiss' live albums, I would go with Alive and Alive II. Kiss has proven that they are the master's of live performances. They know how to inspire!
Great show, as is the norm now i have to watch them twice, being in the chat while it premieres. My 2 faves Creatures and Rock'n'Roll Over. Least 2 are Crazy Nights and Asylum. Saying that i have a knowledge gap between Asylum and Sonic Boom. Wild card would have to be The Elder or MTV Unplugged. Saw KISS twice in the 80s. When they took the paint off it let them play smaller venues, many smaller venues wouldn't hold the full KISS show. Both times at the Apollo in Glasgow, first on Lick It Up Tour. Honestly, my ears buzzed for a week it was so loud. Other memory was Paul Stanley being treated to a Glasgow chorus of There's Only 1 Paul Stanley. That may have been at the 2nd time, on the Animalize tour but i am getting old and my memory a bit fuzzy on which show that happened.
Another great UK Connection. The first Kiss album I bought as a new release was Crazy Nights, it was also the last. I loved it at the time and relistening to it, on the whole it stands up. However, it's not in the running. So, until this week I had not heard anything after apart from Rise to It. My wildcard is Carnival of Souls. I think it is really good. Least favourites Hot in the Shade, some good songs, but it's too long. Animalize is the other one. Favourites are: well, I was hoping not to cheat. I really like the debut album except maybe Kissin' Time , but I really love Parasite and Watchin' You, She and Rock Bottom and when I want to listen to Kiss this is the one I generally put on, Kiss Alive! So that's my first favourite. And my second is Alive II as I prefer the version of the songs particularly off Destroyer without the Ezrin effect. And I really like the studio side. If I wasn't cheating my choose would be Kiss and Hotter Than Hell. I found alot of the albums I haven't mentioned upto Crazy Nights were pretty good. And the later ones start off well, but kind of lose their way at the halfway point. What I found strange about Destroyer was, I love Alice Cooper, Lou Reed's Berlin is a great album. Yet, the Ezrin treatment for Kiss didn't do it for me. Great Expectations would have been great on an Alice solo album, the sound effects and interludes just don't feel like Kiss to me. However, I quite like The Elder.
Kiss kicks arse, and thats it, period! Along with Aerosmith basically held strong the american flag against all those amazing British bands, until VH came along to give em a hand. Love kiss since I was a kid, and still do, and will do till I die... just saw em two months ago here, in Bogota Colombia, in their farewell tour, and man, they fkn killed it! This was my 4th Kiss show, I even saw em back in 94 in NYC for that cool Kiss Convention, where we witnessed that unplugged before the unplugged. Anyways, I just love Kiss from top to bottom, my two fav picks would be, Dressed to Kill and Revenge... cheers.
I think I’m a bid odd in that for many it seems Kiss were a first or early love. I actually listened to them more in later years. My favourites are the only 2 I had for a long time and 2 I still go back to often. Dynasty and Creatures of the night Least favourite would be the 2 I’ve never owned or to my knowledge heard, Monster and Hot in the shade. Wild card ,well I’ve grown to like the early classic albums and the well known tracks a lot so they should be a choice but as I didn’t grow up with those albums so much there isn’t one that sticks out. So will go for an album that includes some of the best early songs Alive ll.
Sitting here having an Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale, brewed locally in Halifax, Nova Scotia since 1820. I love the 70's stuff most but I love the 80's albums too, some more than others. That being said... Favorites - Hotter Than Hell and Rock and Roll Over Least favorites - Sonic Boom and Monster ( they aren't awful, just my least favorites ) Wildcard - Kiss debut is awesome, Deuce is still one of my favorite Kiss songs, as are most of the songs on the album! A close 3rd fave after, Rock and Roll Over. All of those '74 - '77 albums are the shit! They're one of my very favorite bands, so I don't hate any albums but everything from 94 - present day is just less appealing to me.
40th anniversary Creatures box set coming later this year. Not For The Innocent from Lick It Up is the best Kiss song that they never ever played live.
I saw kiss eight times in my lifetime. Two of those times? Was the reunions tour.. and 3 of those times were the farewell tour. I have no desire to see kiss ever again. I want to reserve my memory of that.
Favourite episode so far. Partly because I love Kiss but mainly because you all had a different take on favourite & least favourite. My favourite is Creatures of the Night. In my head this is how Kiss always sound & also because I met them (Gene, Paul, Ace & Eric) when they did an album signing at the Oxford Street Virgin Megastore. My 2nd favourite is Dynasty. I’ve always previously said Destroyer but listening to them again this week, it’s definitely this one. My least favourite are Carnival of Souls & Psycho Circus. My wild card is Killers, although mostly a compilation I really like the 4 new tracks particularly I’m a Legend Tonight & Nowhere to Run.
I couldn't wait to see this episode! and The UK Connection did not disappoint! Diverse choices and great points about each. KISS is my #1 band and I LOVE/like every album, so I decided to divide my picks into two the Make-Up and Non Make-Up eras. Favorites: Rock And Roll Over (my #1 all time favorite album) Asylum (this is KISS sounding like KISS and not follow trends) Least favorites: Monster (great sounding record but the songs don't grab me) Hot In The Shade (terrible sounding record, too many songs, cut five songs out and could be a good record) Wild Cards: Music From The Elder (needs to be remixed and re-released with the recorded dialogue and the other instrumental with Ace, Eric and Ezrin on bass) Carnival Of Souls (Great album Kulick kills on this! hate the drum sound. needs to be remixed and add the 5 bonus tracks recorded at the sessions, and the put the proposed "head" cover!
Favourites: 01 Hotter Than Hell 02 Rock And Roll Over 03 KISS 04 Unmasked 05 Creatures Of The Night Least Favourites: 01 Psycho Circus 02 Carnival Of Souls 03 Dynasty 04 Crazy Nights 05 Hot In The Shade Plus, Ace Frehley's solo album rules ass.
Enjoyed this episode a lot. It sent me back to listen to three of my top favorites - MTV Unplugged, The Elder, and the Ace Frehley solo album - which was great fun. I’m also a fan of the first album, Dynasty, Alive, and Alive II (is it the least live “live” live album ever made? Never mind - it was one of the first albums my brother and I ever had as kids, and I loved it. I recently found a used copy with a complete sheet of the Kiss temporary tattoos, and of course I had to buy it.). Cheers, gentlemen!
Great video gents, hope you're all well! My favourite two are definitely revenge and crazy nights. This is when I first got into kiss, before this I'd always been told by others that they were the crappist band ever and to avoid them, and when your a child you believe them! But from first time I heard crazy, crazy night I was hooked. Revenge came out just as I was starting to buy more and more stuff myself, rather than being given them as presents, and I got it on tape in my local Woolies. I'd seen Bill and Ted's bogus journey the previous year and God gave rock n roll to you II was on the soundtrack, so as soon as I saw it was in this I knew I had to buy it!! Least favourites have to be psycho circus, which just felt sub standard after seeing them live in 1997, and Animalize, which I bought just after loving revenge and it almost put me off kiss forever!! I though if the rest of the stuff is this bad I'm out!! Thankfully I didn't give up as there is some top stuff in the catalogue. Wildcard has to be Music from the Elder, massively underrated album. This was the album I got after Animalize, and my first kiss cd! I saw it for next to nothing in a charity shop and decided to give kiss another chance. I expected absolutely nothing but was pleasantly surprised!!
I began listening to KISS in 2013 when I was over forty years old and, being female, it was perhaps a slightly different experience from being a ten year-old boy into horror movies and pyro LOL Yeah, I got into the band due to my overall interest in American popular music culture of the 70s and... well, the young Ace Frehley caught my eye when I started watching the band's 70s live shows on RU-vid. I've known about Paul and Gene since I was a teen in the 80s and they were always more or less a laughing stock to me, but I never knew about Ace and so he was the most important member to get me into the band. Fav records: Hotter Than Hell and Dynasty. Least favorite ( and I haven't heard the more recent albums or stuff like Carnival of Souls... ): The Elder and Rock and Roll All Over. Wild Card: Lick it Up
Favourites: 1. 'Crazy Nights' (1987); 2. 'Kiss' (1974); and 3. 'Destroyer' (1976). Least favourites: Gene's song contributions between 1983 and 1989. Wild card: 'Unmasked' (1980).
I only recently got into KISS. I first heard Crazy Nights in the 80s and the cover God Gave Rock n Roll to you that was on that Bill & Ted movie. I thought KISS were a joke band and ignored them for decades. Following Sea of Tranquility over the past few years made me check KISS out properly. Too many people on this channel whose opinion I respect like them. I have now listened to 90% of their albums so I will participate. I will say I have no entry point with a particular era unless you count the Eighties- which I dislike. I have discovered the albums at about the same time. My thinking is closer to Pete Pardo’s. My 2 top favourites: KISS (the debut), Creatures of the Night My 2 least favourites: Crazy Nights, Animalize My wildcard: Kiss Alive! (1)
I put every Kiss studio album in a playlist and started going through it. For every song I heard I asked myself: ”Do I ever want to hear this song again?” If I didn't I erased it. After having gone through the whole catalog most albums were represented by a few songs. A couple of albums had no songs at all. Those have to be my least favorite, and they were Rock And Roll Over and Dynasty. A couple of albums had almost every song left in the playlist. They were obviously my favorite: Lick It Up and Monster. Monster actually surprised me. It's a great album!
Agree with Steven. The 1980 live Kiss is awesome. My parents took me to the show in Melbourne, Australia. It was like Beatlemania here. Ace seemed so engaged and enjoying himself here.
Wonderful show chaps, really enjoyed it. Favs - Hotter Than Hell/Rock And Roll Over - raw and dangerous, contains 2 of my fav deep cuts Strange Ways & Baby Driver both sung by Peter and a great solo by Ace on Strange Ways. Least Fav - Hot In The Shade too long for me, take the Paul songs and add Sword and Stone & Time Traveller and you've got a cool Paul solo album. Carnival Of Souls is my other, not a fan of the grunge sound. Wildcard - Alive and non make up Asylum, love Tears Are Falling.
My 3 favorites are Destroyer, Love Gun and Revenge. Least favorites are Crazy Nights, Hot In The Shade and Music From The Elder. Wildcard is Creatures Of the Night.
Great video Pete, Steven, and Simon here are my favorite and least favorite Kiss albums: Favorite: 1. Kiss ---- debut 2. Creatures of the Night Least favorite: Psycho Circus Hot in the Shade Wild Card: Crazy Nights
most favorites: Revenge and Crazy Nights least favorites: Psycho Circus and Animalize wildcard: Carnival of Souls And I agree with Simon, the Unplugged album is great. I actually consider it my favorite live/non-studio album by the band.
Crazy Nights had to be a favorite since it was one of the first albums I ever purchased. If not for that, my other favorite would've been Creatures though.
It’s hard to pick a favorite. Destroyer, Alive, Lick It Up, Revenge. Those are my favorite (4). My least favorite is easier. Asylum and Monster. Another great episode Pete. Love Simon and Steven. We appreciate all you do Pete. SOT IS THE BEST CHANNEL ON RU-vid.
When I first heard KISS. I thought it was a fly-by-night band. The early songs were catchy. but it was "fun" music. I was wrong. This "connection" has always been entertaining, this episode was no exception. Kudos gentlemen!!
2 favorite albums: Dressed to Kill, Hotter Than Hell 2 least favorite albums: Carnival of Souls, Monster Wild card: Music from the Elder (underrated gem)
Great show, guys! Favorites Destroyer Revenge Least favorite Crazy Nights Elder Honorable mention Dressed To Kill Creaturs Of The Night Sonic Boom Kiss
Favorites: 1 - KISS 2 - Hotter Than Hell Least favorites: Monster & Sonic Boom They’re not bad albums; I just don’t listen to them. It’s hard to compete with the old stuff I grew up on. Wildcards - Double Platinum and Revenge
I’m 28 and never would’ve thought I would like Kiss at all but after getting into Pantera and finding out Dimebag was such an Ace fan I gave a few songs a listen and did not mind them. Based on Pete’s recommendation I gave Hotter Than Hell a listen and think it’s actually a pretty good album. A Kiss fan I may become
Not the biggest Kiss fan in the land, but, glad to see two of my limited catalogue be mentioned as a favourite and a wildcard. The discussion on the tribute acts was very interesting. I’ve seen more than a few over the years-from enthusiastic hero worship to the slick Australian Pink Floyd. (Musically, I think Mac Floyd and the UKPF Experience are better-but that’s just me) I’ve also seen bands with no original members, a tribute act that sometimes supports the real thing-Straighten Out (If you know, you know)-along with an ex-band member who does covers of songs he didn’t record with the band, and covers of ex-colleagues’ material. I think, if they give a younger audience a taste of what it’s like to hear Led Zep or Free material played live as opposed to streamed or old footage on RU-vid, it’s not a bad thing. When I first saw Stillmarillion, it was like going 34 years back in the past, and seeing Marillion playing in small venues. Martin from Still… hasn’t done too badly-now sings with Steve Rothery!
I think really good tribute bands are definitely a viable option. Especially for bands, or versions of bands that don’t exist anymore. For instance, StillMarillion are excellent value.
Top 2: 1- Creatures of The Night 2- Destroyer (First Kiss/hard Rock vinyl I ever bought) Bottom 2: 1- Sonic Boom 2- Psycho Circus Wild Card: Animalize Steven, I love me some Mr. Mister, "Welcome to the Real World" album is brilliant !
Great episode, Gentlemen ! Some very interesting picks. Mine: Favorite: Destroyer, Dressed to Kill Least Favorite: Crazy Nights, Hot In the Shade Wild Card: Sonic Boom… I think it’s an incredibly well done album and quite underappreciated by the fanbase.
I was a huge KISS fan from '78 on (and would have gotten into them earlier, but I was only five in '78!), and I love most of their '80s output as well, though I can hear the flaws of "Unmasked" much more now than I did in 1980. With all of this said, I seem to be almost alone, among KISS fans, in thinking that 2012's "Monster" is a *really* good album! It's not in my top two or three KISS albums, but I do love it!
There's a lot to be said about Kiss, and they deserve to be looked down on for a lot of reasons, but one thing that is undeniable is that Ace Frehley was one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He wrote some of the best guitar solos in rock. Not flashy or fancy, just the tastiest pentatonic playing that any guitarist ever recorded. Super cool, and super stylish, every one of his solos can be sung. He never failed, and he never phoned one in.
Love that one guys. I was waiting for the punchline from Simon, surely joking about his favourite albums. They are my 2 least favourites. I have always loved Music From The Elder, from day 1. Seen them a load of times and never failed to entertain me. Without doubt my favourite show on SOT. Keep up the great work guys.
