Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
Forty years ago tonight in a divey club called Popcorn's in Queens in front of an audience of three people, a young band of New York Dolls wannabes called KISS made its debut. Few outside of the band could have predicted that they would become the biggest live act of the '70s and go on to sale 100 million records worldwide In honor of that anniversary, I thought I'd create a thread in honor of one of my all time favorites.
As evidenced by their debut gig, KISS' road to success wasn't without its stumbling blocks. After ditching the blouses and mascara for leather studs and greasepaint and forming a dynamic stage act, they were the first act signed to Casablanca Records in the Fall of '73. Casablanca spared no expenses in promoting the group, getting the band appearances on The Mike Douglas Show and Dick Clark's In Concert and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a Casablanca themed record release party. Rock luminaries such as Alice Cooper and Rod Stewart attended the show as did executives from Casablanca's distributor, Warner Brothers Records. The executives were not thrilled by KISS' loud and bombastic stage show and demanded that KISS remove their make up or else they would end their distribution deal with Casablanca. KISS and their manager, ex-game show producer Bill Aucoin refused. Casablanca's distribution deal was dropped but undeterred, Casablanca founder Neil Bogart was certain KISS' self titled debut would become the biggest hit of 1974...
The record would go on to initially sell 75,000 copies and be a massive financial failure. However, KISS' live act was quickly gaining a reputation. They blew the well more established bands they were opening for off the stage and got thrown off countless tours in the process. KISS also had the ingenious strategy of playing many small cities in the Midwest and South that were passed over by other touring acts, gaining a rabid cult following of fans that in short time would dub themselves "The KISS Army".
Although the record was hated by critics and ignored by the general public, no less than five of its nine songs (a cover of Bobby Rydell's "Kissin' Time" would later be added to the record as a tenth track in an unsuccessful attempt to launch a hit single to bring the track number up to ten) would become staples of the KISS live set to this day.
KISS - "ABC In Concert" Dick Clark - UNCUT 1974 (Nothin' To Lose, Firehouse & Black Diamond)
Kiss - Deuce + Lyrics
Kiss Cold Gin + Lyrics
Next: KISS goes out West and gets heavy for their second album, Hotter Than Hell
As evidenced by their debut gig, KISS' road to success wasn't without its stumbling blocks. After ditching the blouses and mascara for leather studs and greasepaint and forming a dynamic stage act, they were the first act signed to Casablanca Records in the Fall of '73. Casablanca spared no expenses in promoting the group, getting the band appearances on The Mike Douglas Show and Dick Clark's In Concert and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a Casablanca themed record release party. Rock luminaries such as Alice Cooper and Rod Stewart attended the show as did executives from Casablanca's distributor, Warner Brothers Records. The executives were not thrilled by KISS' loud and bombastic stage show and demanded that KISS remove their make up or else they would end their distribution deal with Casablanca. KISS and their manager, ex-game show producer Bill Aucoin refused. Casablanca's distribution deal was dropped but undeterred, Casablanca founder Neil Bogart was certain KISS' self titled debut would become the biggest hit of 1974...
The record would go on to initially sell 75,000 copies and be a massive financial failure. However, KISS' live act was quickly gaining a reputation. They blew the well more established bands they were opening for off the stage and got thrown off countless tours in the process. KISS also had the ingenious strategy of playing many small cities in the Midwest and South that were passed over by other touring acts, gaining a rabid cult following of fans that in short time would dub themselves "The KISS Army".
Although the record was hated by critics and ignored by the general public, no less than five of its nine songs (a cover of Bobby Rydell's "Kissin' Time" would later be added to the record as a tenth track in an unsuccessful attempt to launch a hit single to bring the track number up to ten) would become staples of the KISS live set to this day.
KISS - "ABC In Concert" Dick Clark - UNCUT 1974 (Nothin' To Lose, Firehouse & Black Diamond)
Kiss - Deuce + Lyrics
Kiss Cold Gin + Lyrics
Next: KISS goes out West and gets heavy for their second album, Hotter Than Hell