The Things You Need To Debate As A KISS Fan
By: Marc

Ok, ok. I've read all the submissions so far. "I hate KISS because of this... I hate KISS because of that... But I still love KISS." This to me me sounds like a contradiction. You can love the band, or you can hate them... but not both. I have an evaluation scale that you can use to measure your devotion to this band which is KISS.

First of all, a little background, so no one thinks that I'm coming from the "magical reuinion" days. I became a KISS fan at the age of three (1980) after hearing RARAN for the first time. First piece of merchandise was the 1976 guitar. First record I bought was Crazy Nights. I have been to 5 shows ( H.I.T.S. tour, 1990, Reunion Tour, 1996, 1997, P.C. tour twice in '98.)

So, here are the things you need to debate as a KISS fan:

Music: Is Psycho Circus really that bad? Of course some songs don't measure up to others, but that comes with all albums. I personally think that P.C. was a pretty good record (more on that later) with some exceptions.

Merchandise: Don't like it? Don't buy it. Myself, I have a collection well over the $5000.00 mark, and continue to collect what I see fit to buy. Do I think that everything they put out is good? Absolutly not. Do I buy everything they put out? No way. As much of a collector that I consider myself to be, I will not pay $100 for a phone, or $80 for a stien. But do I want KISS to stop merchandising? No way! One of the great things about KISS is that they've been able to market anything and everything that the fans could want. Do we want all of it? Of course not. But shouldn't we be grateful for the fact that what we do want is out there?

Set List: My opinion... the setlist for the P.C. tour sucked. I understand that the curious fans, as well as the die-hards, had to be satisfied on the Reunion Tour, but after that it's just us at the shows and we need to know that we haven't bought 16 albums to hear only one album's worth of graeatest hits material (and for God's sake, drop Love Gun!!).

Studio Players: Here's where I'll agree with all the other "Sound Off's." If I buy a KISS album, I want a KISS album. I don't want to hear who else was in the studio. Where were your heads guys?

80's Stuff: I, as a fan in the 80's, suffered throught the same ridicule you did for loving an "outdated" band. I count Crazy Nights as one of my favorite KISS records. But, c'mon... "Heaven's On Fire," in makeup? Wouldn't work. However, I do agree with some sort of Eric Carr tribute.

Current Status Of KISS: Do I think it's cool that Paul is on Broadway? Yep. But that's about as far as it goes. I do not want to see an Ace solo album. Remember what happened after the last one? I do not want to see Gene get back into movies. Runaway was cool, but who else saw "Never Too Young To Die"? I want KISS to be plainly and simply KISS. I won't sit here and say that the Reunion Tour was the beginning of the end, and any "fan" who does is full of crap. Tell me that you didn't sit iin your bedroom listning to Alive 2, praying for that tour. I did, and I for one was ecstatic to see it. But if I'm gonna fork out $0 to see my favorite band live, I want to see something different than what I can get by putting on "You wanted the best...".

Bottom Line: I'm a KISS fan. No matter what shady things they may pull, I'll always be a KISS fan. I do not want to see a Farewell Tour. I want KISS come out and prove to their skeptics (and their "fans") that they can still produce the magic.

And by the way... I hate wrestling.

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