Most Over-rated, U2 or KISS?

Rush.

kiss

Kiss got one great song Deuce,and one maybe OK album Destroyer.

beeebon wrote: U2 by far. Kiss are ace (some of their albums anyway)

I went out trick-or-treating with a five year old friend. An older lady giving out the candy told my friend he looked scary and asked if he was Dracula. No, I'm Ace Freshley [his sic] he replied. She looked confused and so he explained that it was a Kiss costume. She still looked confused. Up until that point I did think that Kiss was overrated, but that encounter gave me a fresh perspective.

True story and conversation from the 70s, he really did call that guitarist Ace Freshly too, but playfully posed. I never got into the Kiss thing even when it was big with many kids. Nor would I have every bought the Kiss lunchboxes, not even the one with the secret compartment to store the Kiss condoms had it existed. I don't think that lot of adults certainly took the band seriously, and I wouldn't say overrated because they weren't that serious except about commercialism and were never taken that seriously except by some youngsters and a few imbeciles. U2 is a very different kettle of fish with Bono taking his politics very seriously. I actually do quite like early U2 and enjoy some Kiss songs. I quite like the ballad Beth, to be honest, and Music From the Elder is rather fun.



And the band could be quite philosophical at times:

Gene Simmons is a complete arse, but so is Bono, just a different kind of arse.

U2 are more overated as a band though. I lie Kiss. They're fun.

doompaul wrote: both, but I voted U2

^ This

Both bands are complete ideological opposites. Grimly serious sincere U2 with some fine songs and a couple or three fine albums. Oddly roughly the same as Kiss. Simmons describes their music as "fluff". Good for 12 year old kids anywhere though. U2 have the distinction of being the singularly most awful concert I ever saw. They improved - i.e. learned to play eventually and not forget stuff midway through a song. In arenas a band has to be able to justify its ticket price and U2 failed.

Except I cannot stand Beth. Not sure whether it's a good song; it just winds me up - sentimental ballads are not my sort of thing. Unless they are Child In Time or Astronomy. And something U2 were some time after Achtung Baby was slightly horrendous. But is always good when a well crafted number moves within ear shot. and both bands do that. Mind you I've not heard Kiss since... oh, The Elder which had a couple of numbers I thought were ok.

Over rating is just the zeitgeist enthusiasm. If it lasts beyond that maybe there's something worthwhile than a summer fashion. But it seems at least in the case of Kiss a perpetual summer fashion.

Neither band have instrumental depth to be taken too seriously so they have to rely on well crafted songs. After 40 - 50 years a-piece of being around I hope they both have more than 1 - 2 80 minute CD that has their essence (musically that is). Still if they command an audience and they do, well done. Overall.

U2 by far.

dr wu23 wrote: SteveG wrote: I place kiss as unrated. Yeah....never been a fan of Kiss myself. But...overrated by whom.....the public or critics or...?

Rush owe a lot to Kiss for their early days so I can't vote against them since Rush got me into this crazy BS music. And Gene Simmons is a business mastermind. Kids shows, merchandise for all ages, and they've influenced metal bands across the spectrum.