From: Steven Swidler

I am 34 years old and have been a Kiss fan since 1976. I have never written a review, or for that matter, I have never written to the Kiss Asylum. But now I must speak as one of the elder statesmen.

I will give you my quick opinion of Psycho Circus and then I would like to address all of the so-called Kiss fans who have nothing better to do than bad mouth the band they love.

First my review of Psycho Circus. It ROCKS! Yeah, that's right. Has anyone listened to it on their car CD player at unheard of volumes? Well, that's how you are supposed to listen to it! No Kiss album has ever been as well produced. The guitars and drums are so beefy I can almost taste them coming through my speakers. And the songs kick ass. I won't go through every song but some are standouts: Psycho Circus, I Pledge Allegiance, Into The Void, You Wanted The Best, Raise Your Glasses. And even Within is a great guitar crunching song. What about the other songs you say. Well, that leads to me to my next concern.

For all of the Kiss fans who have posted the most ridiculous criticisms of the band, from the Reunion Tour to this album, I say, "chill out." I am tired of the fans who nick pick at every clitch in a concert or every time Kiss doesn't do what "they" want. I have read some reviews which look at every song on Circus with a microscope. What are you looking for? It's rock and roll not Brahms. I can just imagine if the Internet was around in 1976. Imagine the on-line reviews fans would have given for Destroyer. It might have been something like this; "What is this crap. This is nothing like their first 3 albums." "I can't beleive Kiss put a song like Beth on one of their records. Who are they, The Bay City Rollers?" "A Kiss album with strings, a boy's choir, and a grand piano. This sucks. Kiss has sold out. I'm listening to Foghat from now on."

See my point. Every Kiss album has cetain songs which may not be your cup of tea. Some songs will be downright disappointing. But this is our band. Just picture this possible moment on the upcoming tour. House lights go down as the Psycho Circus curtain draps the stage with the circus music playing (like the very beginning of the album). Opening notes of Pyscho Circus and the curtain drops revealing Kiss in their Destroyer costumes amid the sounds of bombs,a smoke filled stage and the best lighting effects you'll ever see. As the crowd stands on its feet in extasy for the "new" classic Kiss opener, the band whips the crowd into a frenzy and as soon as Paul sings the final line, "Welcome to the Show", Ace breaks into the opening chords of Deuce. Before the crowd has a chance to soak up what's happening they are immediately taken back to the beginning of the Kiss era. Get it critics? It all comes full circle. Today's new songs are tommorrows classics. I remember when I Was Made For Loving You came out in 1979 and every Kiss fan's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Kiss has gone disco?" people gasped. Well 17 years later, I Was Made For Loving You was one of the highlights for many Kiss fans during the reunion tour.

I'm sorry if I have gone on too long or digreesed during my review. I just had to get this off my chest. Enjoy the album and the upcoming tour. Remember, You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best.

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