I Always Liked Gene The Best... Until Now
By: John

I have read all these "Sound Off" essays, and I have to agree. In the 70's it was fun to watch KISS they were young aggressive and raw. Then fame came along and everything changed. The became the "sluts" of the music business. If someone in the KISS camp had an idea, no matter what it was, mechandise it. This helped to destroy KISS. By 1980, KISS was not cool at all by the public. They sold out and became a joke.

I remember KISS going from the tough mean street band to the band that was a bunch of clowns in circus make up. In 1982, Creatures of the Night tour, the arena was not even half full, and Paul said something about how people say they suck, but you should stand up for what you believe in. The sad thing about it was they had dug such a hole for themselves, that when they came up with a great album ("Creatures of the Night" ) it didn't matter to the public, they already been labeled. Unless they would have come up with a mega huge type album (Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or AC/DC's "Back in Black") they were toast.

They regained some of their fans when they took the make up off with Lick it up, however, it was nowhere near the magnitude of the 70's. For the rest of the 80's,KISS had become boring, and I kind of lost interest. They had become a bubble gum pop 80's band. They tried to become a Poison, or a Cinderella; they were lost. I regained interest in KISS when Revenge came out. I thought this was the first good album since Lick It Up. It sparked a renewed interst in KISS. Then, when I heard about Unpluged on MTV I was excited like a little kid again. My wife thought what is the big deal? I thought in the back of my head for years, if KISS would only do this or that, then finally they were getting back together for the tour.

At first I didn't know how the public was going to respond to KISS. The public went crazy, and suddenly it was cool to like KISS again. The Reunion Tour was the best. I was older, I had a lot more money, so when KISS came to town, I shelled out cash to see them close. It was the best money I had ever spent. When Psycho Circus came out I noticed Gene started to change just like he did before, started saying ridiculous things I couldn't stand. As for Psycho Circus, well I thought it sucked! If that was the best they could do, then they should not have done an album. I always liked Gene the best, until now. He has become an arrogant jerk, and if this is how he was when Peter and Ace talked about him, I don't blame them. He has sold KISS out again.

In order for KISS To rise to the top again, they will have to put out a mega album, probally bigger then any album before. As far as music goes I thought they were on the right track with COS, except not so dark and depressing but the overall sound was good. That's my thoughts.

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