The worst Kiss record, according to Gene Simmons
There are plenty of stories of artists congratulating themselves for their best work or crowing their favourite album, celebrating their own talent on tape. But what about when a musician holds their hands up and admits, ‘Actually, this one is rubbish’? Gene Simmons was brave enough to do just that.
There is no denying the impact that Kiss had and still has on the rock world. When they burst onto the scene in the 1970s, it was something unlike anything fans had ever seen before. In the wake of rock and roll, when stoner culture made nonchalance the ultimate currency, and as punk began to take hold of the band’s New York City home with its scrappy DIY ethos, Kiss’ all-out, maximalist approach was a burst of life. It was a necessary breath of fresh air, reigniting the rock world with a much-needed dose of theatre, drama and effort.
The second the troupe took to the stage with their painted faces, they defied any suggestion that coolness had to come from barely caring. Instead, they launched into a career powered by the joy of putting on a spectacle of a show that was exhilarating and fueled by their own excitement and effort. That also translated to their records as songs like ‘I Was Made For Lovin You’, ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ and ‘Crazy Crazy Nights’ are tunes that don’t hold back on their mission to be anthemic.
From the start, they were on a golden run to the top. But upon reflection, they went way off the path on one album, as Simmons can now admit. He’s willing to hold his hands up and say that their 1981 album, Music From ‘The Elder’, stunk.
“I take the blame for it, because it was my idea,” he admitted. “I remember telling [producer] Bob Ezrin that I was writing a movie script, we were making a concept album based on that, and he said: “Let’s do our own Tommy!”
Tommy is album constantly referenced by musicians. It saw The Who take the idea of a themed and focused concept album and run with it, essentially creating their own rock opera about Tommy, a man on a mission to become a kind of spiritual leader. The record is regularly listed as one of the best albums ever made due to its major social, musical and artistic impact.
Simmons and his band saw that and thought they’d have a go. “I said: ‘Yeah. If The Who can do it, why can’t we?’ Well, the straight answer is because we’re not The Who!” he joked sheepishly.
The result was a weak attempt at a concept album that fell flat. As they attempted to bring in orchestral elements and more elevated musical details, the band lost the energy that made them special and gripping. In an attempt to be more artsy, they let still the rock and roll artistry that had earned them their fans, leading to a commercial failure.
“There are some fans who love that record,” Simmons said, giving credit where credit is due. But he’s not too stubborn to admit when he’s gone wrote as he added, “To me it was dishonest.”
