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Getting back to Double Penetration, er, uh... Double Platinum, I heretofore have never owned the Delaney remix festival in the CD format. I have the original vinyl version of the album, complete with the mock platinum award it came with. Just prior to childhood's end I personalized it by signing my name to it, framed it, and put it on the wall next to my bed. Of course, I already had the 1978 edition of the official KISS Army certificate on display. Between these credentials, and the many issues of 16 Magazine (the definitive 70's KISS source) scattered about the floor, my sleeping quarters was a veritable KISS office, suburban branch.
I took my job seriously as a KISS office worker. I never had any parties or news crews filming me at work, like other KISS headquarters did. I did not dilly-dally around organizing KISS tours, or blitzing the media. No, my one-man office had an important purpose: defending The Loudest Band in the World against the late '70's punks on my street. By '79, KISS' name was mud in those parts. Day after day I waved the KISS flag on Whitaker Place. I was indefatigable in carrying out my mission. After each long day I would proudly ride back to my KISS bunker on my Huffy Bandit to recharge, knowing I was doing my part to raise KISS' record sales in West Caldwell, New Jersey. Then I discovered girls.....
Getting back Double Platinum again, KISS' first "greatest hits" package is often overlooked by fans, who generally dismiss it as just being a collection of vintage songs that were neutered and spayed for no good reason. As a result it is an album whose reputation belies its value; Double Platinum has enough positive attributes to make it worth its weight in silver.
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In spite of it being odd per se, for me there are actually just three facets of Double Platinum that beg immediate investigation. First there is its track listing. The album's 21 selections favor the Paul Stanley pen heavily. In 1978 the group (at least publicly) was still the four musketeers. So much, in fact, that at the time of DP's release (early 1978) the KISS machine was gearing up to cash in on that ideal big time by releasing solo albums from each member together as one unified product. Casablanca, Aucoin, and everyone else was hoping that the all-for-one, one-for-all concept would make sales history and essentially create quadruple KISS.
So, how come Paul dominates Double Platinum? Because his KISS songs are the best? While I may contend the previous, it is quite possible that Lady Coincidence or Lady Luck simply was at work here. Perhaps Lady We-Are-Too-Busy-To-Care. Whatever the reason(s), Double Platinum is really Paul Stanley's Greatest Hits, 1974-77. The figures don't lie:
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Paul: Eight written by himself (he owns what was once side two on vinyl), five more penned with other band members, and three collaborations with outside writers. TOTAL: 16
Gene: A deuce authored by himself, four penned with Paul, one done with an outside writer. TOTAL: 7
Ace: Two written by himself - counting "Rock Bottom (intro)." TOTAL: 2.
Peter: The Cat barely blipped the radar with one co-write, "Beth." TOTAL: 1
Let's backpedal a bit. If you are not asking, "Why so much Paul?" then how about, "Why the Album?" No, not White Tiger, Double Platinum ! It was obviously an attempt on the part of Casablanca to milk more money from the KISS cash cow, but why? The album shipped not too long after the chart topping Alive II, which closely followed the brisk selling Love Gun, which... get the picture? Also, DP popped up in the middle of a maelstrom of other KISS releases, which ranged from pillowcases to comic books, all of which yielded hefty licensing profits. Additionally, KISS tours at the time had evolved into "double tours," caravans that usually set up shop for at least two nights in every city. Money was plentiful. But with KISS, the modus operandi has always been more, more, more! 1978 was no exception, and actually serves as the dominant paradigm of the band's guiding principle.
Lucky for everyone then, that in spite of its makeup (hee hee), Double Platinum went Double Platinum! If it did not, perhaps the album that "honors KISS" would have went the way of The Originals. And although it is a "real" album, it still looks funny up there next to Love Gun, Rock and Roll Over, etc. Full of Paul, strange remixes and all, the album is the ultimate '70's KISS anomaly. To their credit, KISS managed to avoid (at least in America) releasing another of its type for ten years. Sadly, all of those years of repression must have finally snapped the band; beginning in 1993, a flood of compilations came down the pike that didn't subside until 1997!
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The following is a selected list of songs that benefitted from the Double Platinum treatment:
While Double Platinum has managed to befuddle and confound me endlessly by way of its track listing and its existence in general, it also has another feature that drives me nuts....
Double Lies?
I have forever been in debate with myself, other KISS fans, and my mailman over the exactly how new "Strutter 78" was when first released. I contend that it was not "brand-new" (as the record's advertisements said, although the word brand covers all bases nicely), or done by the entire lineup of KISS. It has been a tough call to make - clues are few and far between. Double Platinum's "remaster" liner notes state that the tune was recorded from scratch expressly for the 1978 album. What a bunch of crap. That reminds me - let me tell ya' somethin' - do not waste your time with ill reputable KISS sources folks! When getting information, always look to see who is doing the reporting and/or holding the pen. Double check sources. Some take it upon themselves to rewrite KISStory for self-serving purposes. Sometimes I wish some "historian's" pens would explode in their faces....
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Call me a doubting Thomas, but I say "Strutter '78" was basically a primitive (but interesting) remix job, augmented by a few fresh tracks, performed by (with one exception) by STARFACE.
A enormous clue is inside the album in black and white (silver and black). The original liner notes list Trident Studios in England as the album's mixing site. Around the same time, "the ruby red lipped, pouting, Lover" happened to mix his solo material at the same place! And if he was not there at exactly the same time, someone was who worked on both "Strutter '78" and the purple record: Mike Stone! He mixed Paul's solo stuff, and engineered Double Platinum. Uncanny!
After listening to "Strutter '78" a gazillion times, I think Paul:
1) Recorded new vocals, such as the lead, and the tags at the end (which run from "I know she'll just make you cry" through to "hot").
2) Supplied all-new rhythm guitar tracks - listen to the guitar work. It sounds different from than the original "Strutter" not only from mixing, but by what it was played through and by whom; "78" is more modern than its predecessor, and a tad crunchier.
3) Redid the bass. The "Strutter" bass line is perfect for the song, but is a basic rock part that does not require a full-time four stringer. Paul can play bass.
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Take Peter, for example. Here is a guy who was so burnt out (ha-ha-hardy har har) by 1978 that he did not even care that his voice had to be replaced with Plasticman's in KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park due only to his attitude about showing up to do overdubs. Would you suggest that he would be particularly eager to rerecord the drums to "Strutter?"
So where did the drums come from? The original drum tracks may have been used as a foundation. Bells were dubbed in as well as a new hi-hat track, which was either played by a human, or a stone age drum machine. Do not rule out technology - Gene used a drum machine extensively on his solo album demos during the same year this song was worked on. There is a fill (a two hit on the toms) that ends both the first chorus and solo that sounds like a primitive sample. The sound of the drums and cymbal crash sounds as though they were pulled from the original "Strutter."
An important correlative arises when discussing the drums on this song. If indeed Peter did not play on it, and a drum machine was not used, then who did? If a substitute was used, it would be the true first time Peter did not play every song on a KISS album, beating Dynasty by a year. Of course, there are those who say "Rocket Ride" on Alive II was Cat-free, but not me.
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Okay, what about Gene? He was busy immersing himself in the greater Hollywood area, and Cher.
I will be the first to admit that my theorizing is not bulletproof. But you must admit, son of "Strutter" is one unique song. Its new twists on the original are a hoot; the squeaks during the "everybody says..." section will have you checking your bed springs. The Village People approved bells throughout the song will make you buy you own so you can play along with every KISS tune - try it with "Under the Gun." If I am wrong about how it came to be, fine. If I am right, I will call the album TRIPLE STANLEY.
"Strutter '78" is also notable since it was the first of only three KISS studio songs that have been revamped for rerelease. There is the sacrilegious "Beth" on 1988's Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits (is it me, or is that album title absurd?). Except for Eric Carr's lead vocal, it was not significantly different than the ballad's first appearance on 1976's Destroyer. "Partners in Crime" was given a quick going over and new drum (machine) track in 1989, which definitely made it different but not as worthwhile as the original found on the Killers (see Thought Vault #2 for more).
Related Double Platinum releases:
"Strutter '78" was released as a single in many parts of the world, and pretty much bombed. A television commercial for the album, which appeared on two home videos in 1994, KISS My Ass, and a Casablanca Records retrospective.
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While prone to image damage, Mylar was the perfect material for KISS posters around Double Platinum. A horizontal group shot (from Barry Levine's early Love Gun photo session) was issued in additional to a poster of each member. Paul, Ace, and Peter were represented from the cover of Alive II, while Gene was depicted from a Levine session. I guess that blood, sweat, and tears photo of Simmons on Alive II could not translate well to the Mylar medium. As a side note, there also were other KISS Mylar posters issued before this series. An official Destroyer era group shot was produced, as were the Destroyer and Love Gun album covers. The latter two were not "pure" Mylar, but a mix of regular paper and the silver stuff. Barring the 1976 group one, all of the Mylar posters are great collectibles.
*Asterisk Zone: (sarcasm) Who knows, maybe everything really was not rosy or at least green ($) in the KISS finance world in 1978. Maybe untold millions were spent getting Peter's drum sound on Hotter Than Hell- Tupperware can be pricey - and KISS product overkill was a necessary evil. Perhaps the lightning machine used during some early Destroyer shows was not energy efficient, and enormous electric bills piled up, throwing numerous budgets off balance.....
Side Thought Zone: I once owned the 8-track version of Double Platinum . Its two tapes were housed in off-white plastic. As you may or may not know, it was issued in a black casing as well. Can you name all of the shell colors used for KISS 8-tracks? While the following list is not finite, in addition to the above, hues I have seen include black, orange (I had this one with Rock and Roll Over), and red. Along with Casablanca, mail order distributors sometimes used a variety of colors, often with no rhyme or reason, but sometimes to astounding effect. The 8-track was so severely limited packaging wise that changing the color of the casing became an effective way of enhancing an album's appearance. Think about it - Creatures of the Night would have looked great with a blue shell, sticking out of a dashboard, or Panasonic dynamite box.
Ron Responds
What's on your mind about KISS? Let me know.... we'll figure it out together!
I noticed in the new installment of "Thought Vault" that you said you would be discussing the European Animalize stage... I thought I was the only person on Earth who wondered about that. In all my years as a KISS fan, I swear I have never seen a photo of KISS live in Europe in 1984. I know that in '88 they brought with them a totally different, small-as-hell stage set. Anyway, at the Cleveland KISS-a-rama I came across a bootleg of KISS live in London in '84, with the cover photo appearing to be KISS on a scaled-down version of the Dynasty/Unmasked stage, with animal fur print on the ramps that went up around the drum riser. I assume this is indeed the infamous European Animalize stage. I look forward to hearing your insight on this little interesting piece of KISStory. ty d. tatman
That stage on that bootleg (what is a bootleg? One half of some cowboy's pants?) cover must have been the Euro Animalize stage. It is one that has always been shrouded in mystery as well as an animal fur pattern. While the Lick It Up tour was semi-hot in Europe, Animalize was only marginally successful. It is a shame too, because as a result there is a big aperture in most fan's KISS stage memory for 1984. The missing link is this stage.
As far as I know, the stage used was the one from the Unmasked European tour, freshened up with an animal stripe theme (in orange and black) via an airbrush. The KISS logo was present too, and the "SS" variation part was hung up in Germany. Visual proof has never been easy to come by. In England, Kerrang magazine ran a review that was accompanied by a couple of photos, one of the group's front line and one of Paul. The group shot was done with either a fish-eye or wide-angle lens, and has a curve to it. A majority of the stage is visible, particularly the ramps and Eric's drum riser. Unmasked's drum platform design was masked with what appears to be black cardboard! In the book KISS and Sell by C. K. Lendt, this stage may have been referred to mistakenly by the author when recounting a tale of Paul complaining during the European Lick It Up Tour that the stage resembled a cigarette filter (page 292, top paragraph). It must have been, because the tank stage was toted across the Atlantic in Fall 1983, and Eric's riser during the Euro Animalize era was total Pall Mall. Besides, the tank rules.
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Actually, when compared with the Lick It Up World Tour (who were they kidding - almost every KISS "world" tour consisted of just Europe and America), the Animalize world excursion falls short in terms of continuity. When KISS went East (of Kansas when looking at it on a map) without Stein's White for the first time the tank stage was in tow, and remained in use for the U.S. road jaunt. Same for the group's look at the time - the David Lee shreds and black licorice lace ups (what else would you call that stuff Gene wore on his arms?). As for Animalize, member countries of the EU (look it up) saw KISS live differently than American fans later would. Take Gene's "hair" for example. In Europe it was quite medieval looking, and fancied him a sire. Or at least a supporting character on Hercules - The Legendary Journeys. In America it was more Incredible Hulkish.
While KISS danced, wiggled, and pranced all over the refurbished cost-cutting Unmasked stage in France, Germany, and the rest of Europe's countries, when Animalizing the U.S. the boys performed on an all-new (except for the by then super-'70's logo) set. One that was described by Paul in a Canadian press release as being "a combination of steel and animal... the Tank has gone to the big tank yard in the sky." Geez, at least what was arguably KISS' best stage environment was given reverence, even if somewhat offhandedly. Hmm..... I wonder what Paul said (or the publicist wrote) for the press package in Belgium for the Animalize tour in Europe - "The new stage is a combination of Unmasked and Dutchboy, featuring an arabesque of stripes." The band didn't seem to have everything ready by the time the Europe leg was commencing in '84. Using the Unmasked stage pinched pennies, I am sure: it's last known location was Australia, and shipping it from there to the greater North probably saved a heap of dough-ray-me for the group.
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If you have never seen this Lick it Up show, I recommend hunting it down for another couple of reasons. First of all, it contains "All Hell's Breakin' Loose," which in and of itself is a rarity, but the song also showcases some odd choreography on the parts of Gene and Paul, which has lead me to rethink the songs title. "Breakin'" must have been short for break dancing! KISS' fearless leaders certainly "Jam On It" during this tune. The moves they did here have to rank in the top three of KISS' weirdest and funniest stage moves of all time. Other contenders are (of course) are the end of "Cold Gin" in 1988 (Hopscotch meets Jane Fonda) and the middle of "Bang, Bang You" during the same show, which features more left to right physical madness.
I hope this answer helps, and if you or anyone else has any more pictures of the Euro Animalize stage, or even video, please contact me!
Hi Ron,
First of all, great idea with the KISS Thought Vault on KISS
Asylum. I have a couple of quick questions.
1) Who is Reginald Van Helsing? Is that an alias that Gene uses
periodically?
2) Who is the older guy (mid 50's) sitting on the bed on the phone while
the guys roll around with women in the "Heaven's on Fire" video? Darin
Lynch
Hey Darin-
Re: The "Heaven's" video - Gene is not in his mid 50's! Seriously,
I think I once heard that the person whom you are referring to was a
Polygram representative, or perhaps one of the Glickman/Marks boys.
Reginald Van Helsing is a name from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Gene went under this pseudonym to avoid record company hassles when performing on WOW. He has never officially gone under the name since.
Thanks,
Reginald Van Albanese
Issue two was even better than issue one. Great reading. Are you sure track two of Killers is really called "Down on My Knees?" Jeff Falk
You are you right, Jeff. What has always thrown me off about the song's
title is its fade-out, wherein Paul sings "I'm down on MY knees." This
last-second change in pronouns has always caused me to have proactive
amnesia about the tune's title.
BTW, you were not the only one who caught my error!
I have never heard anyone talk about KISS like this, besides me. It gives me a good feeling inside to know I am not the only one. They are a part of my life. I am 30 years old and have been into KISS since 1976, and have never stopped loving and praising. Adam Schaffer
Here's a funny story: I got married in August of '97...stop laughing, that is not the funny part! What is, is that at the end of the greatest day of my life I found myself nestled tightly... in a group of attendees discussing KISS! That's right! In sharp-looking tuxedos, we talked about Carnival of Souls, Paul Stanley, and some other popular KISS topics. One of the KISS-crazy revelers is in his late thirties and a father of four!
So, I know how you feel when you say that KISS is inextricably tied to your life. I accepted it myself years ago.
Dear Ron,
Didn't it drive you nuts that the gloves Peter wore during the initial
Reunion era had Easton logos prominently displayed on them? As if the
company even existed twenty years ago! And why would KISS display a brand
name like that? Did Ace have a Sears and Roebuck logo on the back of his
"Michelin Man" Love Gun era replica? Did Paul's choker say
Accessory Palace on it? Did Gene's hair say property of Cy Sperling on it?
No, no, and NO! Of course not! They are superheroes! They are not
mortals, and certainly are not on deck! So what was the deal with Pete's
hands? Ron Albanese
Perhaps the gloves were given to Pe-tah on the condition that he showed the brand name or somethin'. Maybe it was just an oversight. Another appearance-related annoyance for me during the reunion was Ace's eyes, or his use of blue eye shadow around them. If KISS' goal was to come back looking the way they did in '77, blue was not an option for him. Ace's face was shades of black, white and grey until 1979. However, Peter Criss (Balls of Fire, The Keep) started using green eye shadow sometime in early 1977, so he was O.K. On a related endorsements note, for all the times it has been rumored that KISS would have a tour underwritten by some giant brand or company (example: Coca Cola in early '96), it has never come to be. Nabisco, where are you?
Ron
The KISS Thought Vault is a creative writing "magazine" that strives to entertain KISS fans and spur discussions about and related to the KISS phenomenon that the author sees fit to explore. It is not intended to be a fact sheet or an insider's view. It is simply the product of one devoted fan's opinion. The Vault is non-profit, and appears exclusively at the KISS Asylum web page. That is, until I put out the Thought Vault book!
What's next? This is the space where I attempt to tease readers with coming attractions for future Vaults. Unfortunately, I am running out of feet to put in my mouth, so I will not say what's next. I am leaning toward 1977, however...
Special thanks to Mike Casale for the Double Stanley graphic - you saved me about ten hours of learning Photoshop! You are now on Thought Vault retainer, along with Byron Fogle, whose readily available video collection has proven invaluable in helping to jog my memory.
KISS Thought Vault Picture Credits: