Tim McPhate | KissFAQ

For a rock band that once proclaimed themselves “the loudest band in the world,” KISS sure have an interesting history with orchestras. Of course, there is the 1976 classic ballad “Beth,” a song offering the first taste of an orchestrally sweetened KISS. The mixture of lush symphonic touches, a perfect Bob Ezrin arrangement and Peter Criss’ street-wise crooning yielded a monumental hit.

In 2003 KISS married black tie with black leather for “KISS Symphony: Alive IV,” a concert that coated nuggets such as “Forever,” “Sure Know Something” and “Shandi” and electrified classics such as “Black Diamond” and “Love Gun” with a powerful orchestral makeover, courtesy of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Sandwiched in between these orchestral bookends is 1981’s “Music From The Elder.” For this grandiose concept album, Ezrin and KISS contracted the services of the New York-based American Symphony Orchestra. Ezrin collaborated with late award-winning composer Michael Kamen for a set of dynamic arrangements that were meticulously

performed by the ASO. The results added rich instrumental depth and sonic color to tracks such as “Odyssey,” “A World Without Heroes” and “fanfare.”

KissFAQ tracked down current ASO principal bassoonist Charles McCracken, who played contrabassoon during the orchestra’s recording sessions for “The Elder” more than 30 years ago.

“I remember a little about that session,” says McCracken. “It was scored for a huge orchestra [and] I was one of two contrabassoons on that session. We were squeezed into one of the larger recording studios in New York — I don’t remember which one, and I’m certain it doesn’t exist anymore. I remember the music as being loud and repetitive. And that’s about it. I’m not sure if any of the members of KISS were there; if they were they probably stayed in the booth and kept a low profile.

That’s about all I remember, it was a long time ago and a lot of the record/jingle/film recordings I did from the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s sort of run together.

But I do get to say that I recorded with KISS! Not too many bassoonists can claim that!”