CHAPTER 17 - Alive!
(1975)
“KISS Alive!” Album Notes:
Produced, engineered, and
mixed by Eddie Kramer, assisted by Neal Teeman. Recorded live during the
“Dressed To Kill” tour. Overdubbed and mixed at
Electric Lady Studios,
Interestingly, the band was
not even being introduced on stage with the famed “You wanted the best....”
introduction when
That five shows were
recorded for “Alive!” is something of a moot point, since it has long been
known that “Alive!” is not a “live” album, by the strict definition of the word.
Eddie Kramer explains, “When we listened to the tapes there were just so many
mistakes that all the guitars had to be replaced and, most of all, the vocals
had to be replaced. I basically had to create the audience out of existing
audience tracks that I had” (Music Today). Eddie expands on the sessions, “We
had a lot of fun with that ‘Alive!’ album, basically because it was all done in
the studio. We just kept a little bit of the drums, and a little bit of Peter’s
vocals, and we mixed the LP twice” (KISS Sacrifice #3). Sean Delaney would
“stage” each of the members of the band, like mannequins, during the album
cover’s photo shoot. Neal Teeman, Paul Stanley’s pre-KISS band Uncle Joe’s
drummer, would be working at Electric Lady as an assistant engineer while KISS
was working on the album. Neal recalled, “Eddie would be in Studio A mixing while I was in studio B recording the touch-ups.
There were little spots here and there. When we finished a tune I’d give the
tape to Eddie and he’d mix it. It was last minute so when I asked Paul if I
would get a credit on the album he said ‘sorry,’ but the album jackets were
already printed up!’” (JG).
17.01. Introduction
The first man to shout “You
wanted the best...” on a KISS “live” recording was Jr. Smalling, KISS’ road
manager a the time. Jr. came up with the band’s new
introduction after being inspired by a Toyota commercial that had a similar
sell line (Gooch, Suhs – KISS Alive Forever)! However, Sean Delaney has also
claimed that it was he who originally came up with that introduction, having
ad-libbed the line when introducing the band on stage at the
Unfortunately, the current
existing audience recordings of that show begin with the start of “Deuce,” so
there is currently no way to validate Sean’s claims. Prior to the “You wanted
the best…” introduction the band were introduced either with a simple “please
welcome KISS” or “give a warm [Insert City Name] welcome to KISS.” A more
standardized intro would sometimes be used with something that went along the
lines of “Put your two lips together for KISS.”
17.02. Deuce
17.03. Strutter
17.04. Got To Choose
17.05. Hotter Than Hell
17.06. Firehouse
Tracks 17.02-17.06 were
probably primarily constructed from the audience parts of the Wildwood show
according to studio notes published in KISStory.
17.07. Nothin’ To Lose
17.08. C’mon And Love Me
Tracks 17.07 & 17.08
probably primarily constructed from parts of the
17.09. Parasite
Probably
constructed from parts of the
17.10. She
Probably
constructed from parts of the Wildwood and
17.11. Watchin’ You
Probably
constructed from parts of the
17.12. 100,000 Years
Probably
constructed from parts of the
17.13. Black Diamond
Probably
constructed from parts of the Wildwood show.
17.14. Rock Bottom
Probably
constructed from parts of the
17.15. Cold Gin
17.16. Rock And Roll All Nite
Tracks 17.15 & 17.16
probably primarily constructed from parts of the
17.17. Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll
One of the few songs to
include any reference to the source it may have been comprised of, at least the
raps that is! Gene can be heard shouting “c’mon
17.18. Rock And Roll All Nite (Radio Single Mix)
There are a number of
interesting differences on the
“King Biscuit
Alive!” Radio Show Notes:
Tracks 17.19-23 originally
broadcast in November 1975 on the King Biscuit Flower Hour in a split show with
a set from the Average White Band. It's always fun to compare this broadcast
with the recordings used on the actual “Alive!” album. It is likely,
considering the number of
17.19. Hotter Than Hell
There’s a completely
different rap prior to this song, than the one used on the “Alive!” album: “How
ya all feel? Alright! I got this feelin'. I got this feelin' when we came
flying in this afternoon it was so sunny I thought we were gonna fry alive. And
I got that feelin' here tonight. I just know if we work hard enough on our rock
and roll we gotta get this place... Hotter than hell!”
However, the rest of the track is essentially the same as the “Alive!” version
with a different audience track.
17.20. Firehouse
Just as on the “Alive!”
album “Hotter Than Hell” segues into “Firehouse.” The
rest of the track is essentially the same as the “Alive!” version with a
different audience track, right down to the ending rap: “Firehouse. Whoo! Oh yeah!”
17.21. Black Diamond
Right down to an audio artifacts at 53 seconds (Remaster, 1997 version)
this track is very similar to the “Alive!” version with a different audience
track. However, the song misses Peter’s drum stick counting-off at the start
and Paul’s “hit it” over-dub. This version ends with “You want one more?”
17.22. Let Me Know
Like “Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll” on “Alive!” this song
makes a reference to the source it may have been comprised of, in
this case Paul shouts “Goodnight Cleveland!” at the end of the song. Since “Let
Me Know” wasn’t included on “Alive!” comparing this with the so-called out-take
released on “You Wanted The Best” in 1996 is difficult
with the vocals being re-recorded and other “tweaks.” However, excluding those
“changes,” the base tracks are essentially the same.
17.23. Rock And
Roll All Nite
Introduced with another
city reference: “Aw yeah. Don't anyone ever say that