Tim McPhate | KissFAQ.com
Upon preparing to enter the studio in 1975 to record the follow-up to the successful “Alive!” album, KISS knew the creative ante needed to be upped considerably. KISS wanted to reach a new level, one that would seal their status as larger-than-life superstars. But they would need some assistance to attain their goal.
Enter Bob Ezrin, an erudite producer/musician who was fresh from masterminding Alice’s Cooper’s “Welcome To My Nightmare.” One-part collaborator, one-part musical wizard and one-part drill sergeant, Ezrin’s songwriting input, sharp arrangements and studio prowess helped transform rough gems such as “Detroit Rock City,” “God Of Thunder,” “Shout It Out Loud,” and “Beth” into shining diamonds.
Though initial reviews were mixed after the album’s release, after KISS appeared on the “Paul Lynde Halloween Special” and “Beth” shot into the Top 10 in late 1976, “Destroyer” had surpassed platinum sales. Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, and Paul Stanley had reached a new level, one they would elevate throughout the remainder of the ’70s.
More than 36 years later, the double-platinum “Destroyer” still stands as a classic benchmark in the KISS catalog. However, technological limitations and lingering sonic deficiencies had always irked Ezrin. True to his storied reputation, it’s fitting that Ezrin got the proverbial ball rolling on “Destroyer: Resurrected,” a project that saw him remix the entire album with the aid of the “magic of modern technology.”
With the rebooted album now confirmed for an Aug. 21 release, KissFAQ has your exclusive first preview of the resurrection of “Destroyer” and reflections on the making of the album that was, straight from the legendary producer himself.
KissFAQ: Greetings, Bob. Let’s get right to it. How did “Destroyer: Resurrected” get off the ground?
Bob Ezrin: I started the project. I basically wrote Gene and Paul and said, “What are we doing for [“Destroyer'”s] 35th anniversary?” And there was a sort of collective blank stare. I said, “Why don’t I remix it? And let’s bring the album up to modern standards, sonically, and also look to see if there’s anything new we can discover in the vaults.”
Everyone thought it was a really cool idea. So we got to work and the folks at Universal, as well as the KISS guys, were digging around in their vaults and archives. It was hard at first to find the original multitracks for the album. But finally they were located and once we knew we had them, then we got to work. It was so much fun to do, I cannot tell you, Tim.
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