KISSology: The Ultimate Kiss Collection, Vol. 1: 1974-1977
Product Description
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Genre: Music Video – Pop/Rock
Rating: NR
Release Date: 31-OCT-2006
Media Type: DVDAmazon.com
As KISSology – Vol. 1 (1974-1977) announces loudly, all the chutzpah and bombast that made KISS so huge–the fire-breathing, the blood-dripping, the kabuki-mask make-up and platform shoes, the synchronized head-bobs–were in place from the very beginning. KISS’s 1974 concert in San Francisco is virtually identical to their 1977 concerts in Japan and Houston, at the peak of their popularity. For hardcore fans, this opportunity to bask in the nuances of five performances of “Black Diamond” and six performances of “Firehouse” is essential vi… More >>
KISSology: The Ultimate Kiss Collection, Vol. 1: 1974-1977
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In the 70s Kiss was it. It was cool to be into Kiss. In the 80s, it was the exact opposite. By the late 80s and early 90s the makeup was off and Kiss were a (no pun intended) washed up “bunch of posers.”
This DVD dispels the myth that Kiss were ever posers. They indeed were always great musicians and they were the inspiration for many metal bands rocking your world today (rumor has it that while backstage at a 70s Kiss show Eddie Van Halen’s signature guitar tapping was inspired while seeing Ace Frehley do it). And Kiss so happen to have put on one of the most theatrical shows in rock and roll history.
And that history is captured on this 2-disk DVD, albeit mostly with terrible video quality.
Man, did I ever enjoy being able to see the original line-up of Kiss perform on these disks. The thing is that the awesome performances on these disks are mostly footage from 1974 – 1977 live shows, so the quality is early 70s video…and that ain’t good. Often times in the live performances there are major reminders that the video is dated: horizontal lines across the picture, complete picture blackouts and just plain old low quality video.
On the other hand, the audio on the first two disks is a completely different story. The audio wizards cleaned up the sound on Disks 1 & 2 and they’ve offered it with a terrific 5.1 Dolby mix.
After enjoying what was more of a front row seat experience with the quality HD video and surround sound on the awesome, 5-star Rock the Nation 2004 DVD by Kiss, the live performances in the Kissology set were reduced to mere DVD viewings. However, it was great to reminisce and watch as Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter went through their classics of the era. And the Kissology set that I got included a 3rd bonus disk that to my surprise was a show from Madison Square Garden in February 1977 THAT I WAS AT! (Bonus disks were limited with various versions when this was released in 2006, so check the set at point of purchase if possible.)
They give you:
DISK 1
Long Beach, CA (absolutely atrocious audio & video, but interesting to watch)
2/17/74
“Acrobat”
(previously unreleased track)
ABC “In Concert” (terrible video for a television production)
3/29/74
“Nothing to Lose”
“Firehouse”
“Black Diamond”
The Mike Douglas Show
4/29/74
Interview (comical exchange between Gene and Totie Fields)
“Firehouse” (Not lip-synced!)
Winterland – San Francisco, CA (in Black & White)
1/31/75
“Deuce”
“Strutter”
“Got to Choose”
“Hotter than Hell”
“Firehouse”
“Watchin’ You”
“Nothin’ to Lose”
“Parasite”
“100,000 Years”
“Black Diamond”
“Cold Gin”
“Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll”
“The Midnight Special”
4/1/75
“She”
“Black Diamond”
Kiss Alive Promo Clips 1975
“Come On and Love Me”
“Rock and Roll All Night”
Documentary: Cadillace, Michigan October 1975
Cobo Hall Detroit, MI
1/26/76
“Deuce”
“Strutter”
“C’mon and Love Me”
“Hotter than Hell”
“Firehouse”
“She”
“Parasite”
“Nothin’ To Lose”
“100,000 Years”
“Black Diamond”
“Cold Gin”
“Rock & Roll All Nite”
“Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll”
DISK 2
“So It Goes”
Interview
“Black Diamond”
The Paul Lynde Halloween Special
10/29/76
Interview
“King of the Night Time World”
Budokan Hall – Tokyo, Japan
4/2/77
“Detroit Rock City”
“Take Me”
“Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll”
“Ladies Room”
“Firehouse”
“Makin’ Love”
“I Want You”
“Cold Gin”
“Do You Love Me?”
“Nothin’ to Lose”
“God of Thunder”
“Rock & Roll All Nite”
“Shout it Out Loud”
“Beth”
“Black Diamond”
Don Kirshner’s “Rock Concert”
5/28/77
“I Want You”
“Love `em & Leave `em”
“Hard Luck Woman”
The Summit – Houston, TX (The best video quality of all the live performances in the set)
9/2/77
“I Stole Your Love”
“Take Me”
“Ladies Room”
“Firehouse”
“Love Gun”
“Hooligan”
“Makin’ Love”
“Christine Sixteen”
“Shock Me”
“I Want You”
“Calling Dr. Love”
“Shout It Out Loud”
“God of Thunder”
“Rock & Roll All Nite”
“Detroit Rock City”
“Beth”
“Black Diamond”
BONUS DISK 3 (Limited offer that came with purchase at Amazon in Oct 2006)
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY (Atrocious A/V, NOT remixed in Dolby)
2/18/77
“Detroit Rock City”
“Take Me”
“Let Me Go Rock and Roll”
“Firehouse”
“Nothin’ to Lose”
“Shout It Out Loud”
“Black Diamond”
Regardless of the horrible video, all of the performances reflect the great show that Kiss put on: clear, effortlessly powerful vocals, some of the coolest guitar work of the time, Gene’s signature bass and Peter’s 101 Hard Rock drumming sound.
If you were/are a fan of Kiss…especially the early days…don’t pass on this. Just be sure that your expectations are set for a view into the past with the past’s picture quality. The performances are 5 stars; the audio is 4 stars; the picture quality is 2 stars. The opportunity to have this set on DVD and the nostalgia the set offers are 5 stars.
Rating: 5 / 5
Most KISS-o-holics, like me, probably know most of the content featured on this DVD set. But here is the reason why you should consider to buy this:
1. The quality (Video & Audio) is far better than on any of the bootlegs of these concerts that have been circulating for quite some years.
2. It is way cheaper! Look at it this way: You get 4 complete concerts and 4 rare TV appearences (of the early years). You can not get the same amount of material for that price if you buy bootlegs.
One must consider though, that the recording technology that has been used at that time can not be measured by today’s standards.But that’s okay, because for us KISS fans it’s about collecting a document of the early years and to see the development of the KISS show, isn’t it?
Rating: 5 / 5
KISSology Vol. 1, 1974-1977 shows just what a powerhouse of a band KISS was in the early days. Peter Criss and Ace Frehley – who later became liabilities in the band musically – were in top form in this period. Peter plays with reckless abandon, and Ace plays with style and flair. This also happens to show that their earliest material (from their first 3 albums) was arguably their strongest up until Revenge in 1992.
The concerts in this set are shows that have been widely bootlegged, but the bootlegs were of poor audio and video quality, and here they are shows in the best possible quality. Sadly, a couple of the original master tapes have some deterioration (Cobo Hall, 1976 especially), but it’s never all that bad, and the imperfections in the original master tape never last that long.
It’s interesting to see the KISS stage show deveop from the very early days until the “peak” on the Love Gun tour. They keep adding to the stage set, and it gets bigger and bigger until you see what made the band’s reputation back in 1976/1977.
The TV appearances are nice bonuses, and the “easter eggs” are fantastic lost gems, too.
All in all, exactly the set most KISS fans wanted. If they can release further volumes as comprehensive as this one (hopefully no eras will be left out – they need to include the Hot In The Shade tour, and the Revenge tour as well on future releases) then KISS fans will finally have the concert collection that they’ve requested from the band for years.
Rating: 5 / 5
The Houston show is such a legendary show that for me, it’s the Holy Grail of KISS concerts, at least in the classic era. That concert specifically has it all. It has “God of Thunder” which began with Gene’s blood-spitting bass solo, and had Peter Criss’s jazzy drum solo. Ace Frehley did an awesome guitar solo with smoke coming out of a pickup. It has Peter Criss singing “Beth” and Paul Stanley was very high in energy.
The other moments are also great. I feel that the first disc represents KISS when they were just developing into this band. That disc was the early years. It shows a couple of concerts that were very similar, but they have different aspects. It also has a live performance from their Alive tour, where they performed the album all the way through. I guess that’s the way to do things when you’re doing a tour of a live album. What else can you do in that situation?
The second disc showed them during the height of their career, but when watching some of these moments with the commentary from Paul and Gene, I learn things that make me not like things as much. However, the shows here are some of the best. The film quality is also pretty good. Again, the highlighting point is definitely the concert in Houston, but the rest of the set is also pretty good.
The second KISSology boxed set continues from where this one leaves off.
Rating: 5 / 5
Because of performances like the ones captured here, millions of people became diehard fans of four guys from New York who wore more make-up than your Mom. The shows here capture the band at their zenith. All four original members, all the bombastic power and some great, great rock and roll.
Shortly after the ‘77 show recorded here, the band began to implode into disco, identity issues and a revolving door policy for guitarists. Yes, they made a brief comeback but greed quickly turned the band into a joke…a tribute band to itself.
There will never be a band like the original KISS again and Kissology is a testament to Ace, Peter, Paul and Gene…the hottest band in the world. Buy this DVD and see us old guys remember KISS so fondly.
Rating: 5 / 5