The Kiss song inspired by The Three Stooges
After The Beatles disbanded in the early 1970s, the music scene transitioned from metal to glam and prog-rock, gradually evolving into punk, sparking a mid-decade revolution. Amid this transformation, Kiss emerged – a band blending glam rock roots with heavy metal influences – channelling the countercultural spirit of the hippie era for a new generation.
With their elaborate makeup and striking costumes, Kiss has thrived on the power of live performances. Yet, beyond their visual flair, the band showcased their prowess as skilled musicians and adept songwriters throughout the mid-1970s.
When discussing influences, it might seem odd to associate The Three Stooges with Kiss, much less consider them a significant inspiration. Yet, a key success of Kiss originated from a short film involving the band. What’s more, Gene Simmons recognised that the final version of the song deviated notably from his initial concept.
According to the Encyclopedia of Kiss book, the band’s inspiration for one particular song came from The Three Stooges’ short titled Men in Black. In Men in Black, an intercom voice says: “Calling Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine.” This line inspired the title of Kiss’ song, ‘Calling Dr. Love’, a line which is also repeated within the track.
The initial version of ‘Calling Dr. Love’ was a joint effort involving Simmons and three other musicians, but it was only afterwards that Simmons recorded the song with his band. As Simmons explained in Kiss: Behind the Mask – The Official Authorized Biography: “I cut the demo with me playing guitar and Katey Sagal singing harmony, I found Katey in a trio, the Group with No Name. They recorded an album for Casablanca Records. So it was Gene Simmons with three girls singing. That was the original idea behind ‘Calling Dr. Love’.”
However, Simmons felt disappointed with the final rendition of the song as he believed it didn’t match the quality of the demo. On the other hand, Ace Frehley appreciated the song, particularly praising his guitar solo featured in the track. Regarding favourite tracks, however, Simmons is instead drawn to ones he wrote in the earlier days, like ‘Goin’ Blind’.
“‘Goin’ Blind’ was a song I wrote with my school chum Stephen Parnell,” Simmons said of the song. “In those days, I didn’t think much about lyrics. I have no clue about why I sat down and wrote a letter called, ‘I think I’m going blind.’ Except I thought it was terribly romantic.”
