Tim McPhate | KissFAQ
KissFAQ has launched Back In The Solo Album Groove: The KISS Albums. 35 Years Later…, an ambitious multi-week retrospective dedicated to arguably the biggest milestone in KISStory: the 1978 KISS solo albums. Today, the site has published an interview with renowned R&B/jazz guitarist John Tropea, who added his six-string talents to select tracks on Peter Criss’ 1978 solo album.
The following are excerpts from Tropea’s interview with KissFAQ’s Tim McPhate:
On the direction of the material
KF: Peter’s solo album draws heavily upon R&B and traditional rock and roll flavors. And of course, KISS are very much straight-ahead hard rock. Do you recall that the material on this project reflecting a different direction than KISS’ typical musical blueprint?
JT: Oh, I absolutely was aware of that. I mean, playing acoustic guitar on Peter Criss’ record definitely takes it out of a hard rock kind of thing. It was definitely understood that it was not the same thing as a KISS record. It was his solo album. Today, we would call it a vanity project. But not a vanity project that’s vanity like, but for somebody who’s a star.
Recollections of the tracking process
KF: You’ve mentioned some of the other musicians on the tracks you played on were drummer Allan Schwartzberg and bassist Neil Jason. At these session, I believe there was also guitarist Elliott Randall, and pianist Richard T. Bear. Do you recall tracking with the band live? Or were your parts an overdub situation?
JT: As I remember, I think it was Elliott and myself together with the rhythm section. There may have been a day when we went in and either fixed guitars or did some acoustics on top of what we did. I’m sure there was a day like that because we usually did the rhythm section first with the percussion and then we would sweeten it with any additional guitar solos, doubling and whatever.
His impression of the tracks he played on:
KF: John, I sent you the three tracks you played on: “I Can’t Stop The Rain,” “Easy Thing” and “Rock Me Baby.” In listening back to these tracks 35 years later, what’s your take?
JT: My first impression is their really good. I think going into digital recording today, they really had a nice production. Everything was good. I was proud to be on it.
KF: Peter’s album takes a lot of heat with KISS fans given it was outside the standard KISS fare. And to be candid, some fans simply think Peter’s album is lackluster. In listening to these tracks, do you hear anything deficient from a musical perspective to your ears?
JT: I really didn’t get that far into it. I would have to listen to the whole album and evaluate it that way. But nothing jumped out at me that it was lacking. Is it the best album with the best choice songs in the world? I just thought it was a successful drummer with a successful group coming out and doing some of his songs and some of the things he wanted to do as a solo artist. And it was his first record. I don’t know how many records he did after that.
Full John Tropea interview:
http://kissfaq.com/78/interview_john_tropea.php
About Back In The Solo Album Groove:
As KISS celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2013, KissFAQ.com has launched Back In The Solo Album Groove: The KISS Albums. 35 Years Later…, an ambitious multi-week retrospective dedicated to arguably the biggest milestone in KISStory: the 1978 KISS solo albums. More than 30 brand-new interviews were conducted with various individuals who either worked directly on the solo albums or have a strong connection of sorts. The interviews will offer readers fresh first-hand perspectives straight from studio musicians, producers, engineers, and collaborators, and the creative professionals working in the KISS camp at the time. Topical features will shed more light on KISS’ activity in 1978 while dissecting the albums and offering in-depth analysis and biographical information on the albums’ participants. Also featured will be a 1978 KISS calendar, a roundup of other notable album releases in the rock genre in 1978, a spotlight on “Double Platinum,” and much more. Back In The Solo Album Groove will put the four 1978 KISS solo albums center stage like never before.