Musc From The Elder
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28655
Printed Date: April 27 2024 at 09:35
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Topic: Musc From The Elder
Posted By: E-Dub
Subject: Musc From The Elder
Date Posted: September 16 2006 at 10:49
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I was a huge KISS fan when I was a kid. I even followed them through their unmasked years. Then, I wised up and drifted away (probably because of U2). In 1982 they released a concept album called Music From The Elder. Paul Stanley called it "...a good album; but, not a good KISS album". By a band who were pretty one dimensional, I thought it was pretty adventurous for them. I haven't had it or listened to it for a while, but I thought it was (somewhat) progressive. Thoughts? E ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 16 2006 at 10:52
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From allmusic.com: By the end of 1980, Kiss knew that their next album had to be a strong one -- a glorious return to hard rock ā la their classic Destroyer. New drummer Eric Carr had refueled the band's desire to rock, and the quartet began working on a straight-ahead rock album in early 1981. Midway through, the band felt that they were rewriting past songs, and the sessions were aborted. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley then came up with the idea of recording a concept album, based on a mythical original story by Simmons. Destroyer producer Bob Ezrin was back and encouraged the band's concept album idea (against both Ace Frehley's and Carr's wishes). Simmons and Stanley had high hopes for The Elder (such as a movie, an elaborate tour, a follow-up record, etc.), but it completely bombed upon release. The reason? The music is totally uncharacteristic of Kiss -- it resembles heavy prog rock for the most part. Some of the songs could have been classics if the pompous and/or hard-to-decipher lyrics were replaced, such as "The Oath," "Only You," "I," and "Just a Boy." Only two tracks resemble the Kiss of old (Frehley's "Dark Light" and the instrumental "Escape From the Island"), while the rest is downright embarrassing ("Odyssey," "A World Without Heroes," "Under the Rose"). The Elder was the final straw for Frehley, who would leave the band in 1982. -------------
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Posted By: Proteus
Date Posted: September 16 2006 at 12:52
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I was a huge Kiss fan as a kid. I almost lost life and limb at a stampede trying to get into one of their concerts. I soon lost interest in them, however, and have never heard of The Elder. But I must admit, I'm curous now. Not enough to run out and buy it though.
P
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 16 2006 at 13:07
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If you go to Half.com, it's on there for pretty cheap. If I remember correctly, it was OK. If anything, it's nice to hear KISS with a great drummer behind them...and Eric Carr was far better than Peter Criss. Too bad his life was cut short. The highlight was Frehley's "Dark Light", complete with a pretty fine guitar solo. There's also a proggish instrumental called "Escape From The Island" that's not too bad. It's pretty interesting to hear KISS do something a bit different. Oh, and The Elder came out between the borish Unmasked and Creatures Of The Night album. E -------------
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Posted By: Proteus
Date Posted: September 16 2006 at 14:17
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As much as I see Kiss now as a novelty act, I must admit that their flair for melodrama and out of the ordinary antics primed this once young, highly suggestable kid very well for what I was then about to hear for the very first time - Rush's A Farewell to Kings, Permanent Waves, and Yes's Fragile and Drama. I always preferred the harder more 'complex' guitar solos of Ace, and, of course, the power chord. Ah, thems was the days! P |
Posted By: tdreamer
Date Posted: September 16 2006 at 14:36
| I still have a soft spot for Kiss. The Elder is a different album from their norm. Good? maybe but not a typical Kiss album and it flopped on release. I do like it but don't often dig it out. |
Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 16 2006 at 14:51
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KISS have become the 'Jimmy Buffett' of classic rock-- more style over substance. In all seriousness, however, I thought they were musically a much tighter and complex band when Carr and Kulick came on. That's more of a knock against Peter Criss than Ace (as I agree that Ace was an outstanding guitarist who always referred to himself as a musician first, and an entertainer second [more than what I can say about Simmons and Stanley]). KISS and Molly Hatchet was my first concert. It was the Creatures Of The Night tour, so Ace had just left and Vinnie Vincent was his replacement. That entire tour pretty much was a flop and they cancelled the rest of their concerts halfway through. What really sticks in my mind about that show was Stanley running across the stage, going into a dramatic slide on the knees, only to have his knees catch on the stage's surface and he goes a topplin' over in a heap of hair, black and white face paint, and tight satin drawers. Whoops. E -------------
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Posted By: Forkface
Date Posted: September 19 2006 at 14:16
| Well, it did have more prog elements than any of their other albums. Songs like "Just A Boy" and "Odyssey" were really prog for a band like KISS. But on the other hand, I just don't think tracks like "The Dark Light" or "Mr. Blackwell" would be good on any prog album. But it does have some great KISS songs on it like "The Oath" and "Only You". I give KISS credit for trying, but a prog album it isn't. |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: September 19 2006 at 16:07
Other thoughts... Kiss sucks
------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 19 2006 at 16:57
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20 years ago, I'd argue with that; however, I'd have to agree with you. Studio hired guns, marginal musicians at best, and a live album that's overdubbed so much it's almost considered a studio album. I can't even take 'em seriously any longer. E iTunes: "Mad/The Opium Den/The Slide" from Marillion's Made Again (live) -------------
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Posted By: markosherrera
Date Posted: October 12 2006 at 21:31
| I ONLY LIKE JUST A BOY. |