Anyone else love the Creatures era?

[Tito]

I sure do; BUT - I only wish they would’ve told us about the guitar player switch right up front. There’s no shame in doing that. As a fan I felt frauded, belittled, disrespected, unworthy, unimportant, useless, helpless, hopeless and completely insignificant. You shoulda told us man; you shoulda told us. Both Frehley and Cusano deserved the decency of a proper acknowledgement. You should have told us.

They couldn't. Having at least three original guys was a record contract thing at the time. They had to keep up appearances.

[MarshallG]

With close to 40 years since the era, analysis of it can be a bit over done, especially with everything that happened following it.

It kinda clouds things.

If I go back and remember what I thought back then, back when it was actually happening, I was stoked.

My ears kinda liked Dynasty.

They were totally deaf to Unmasked, too poppy.

I was kinda embarrassed by the concept album.

Creatures made me smile.

I remember coming home in the train staring at the cover, it looked so cool.

I remember looking at the song titles, they sounded hard/heavy.

I remember hearing the opening beats to track1 side 1 and thinking holt crap.

Yeah, made me smile.

Then, it was not an era, it was 'now' and I was happy, so happy with my band Kiss.

[ManOf1000Faces]

Besides the phenomenal album, I also loved the intensity with which KISS presented themselves during the Creatures era. They had become their characters.

"Every broad in the North Woods knows Old Andy." Battle Cry (1955)

[Hotter Than Heck]

I love it! First Kiss concert (first concert overall actually) was the Cobo Creatures show. I have the show on bootleg vinyl as "Loudest Band in Motor City"

I love the whole thing about the Creatures tour & the Vinnie/Creatures era & even tho I love it, I love its brevity too. Kind of makes it pop, make it a little more special that it was only one tour with the Wizard & the Fox, and also that so few people actually saw the thing in the US

Great stuff

[FiveCardStud]

Calling Dr Love at Rio is by far the best they ever played it

Gene looks like he’s about to eat a baby, Vinnie plays that ripping solo and with Paul has that real dirty Jimmy page tone for the rhythm and Eric as usual is kicking ass

Great era great album wished they stayed a bit longer

[steve]

Calling Dr Love at Rio is by far the best they ever played it.

Aye, sir. The song did nothing for me until I heard that version.

Vinnie's Jeff Beck inspired outro to Black Diamond is also a huge improvement.

[DubaiRockCity]

KISS on steroids. Love it.

[HOFCity]

Loved it.

They were raw and hungry again....like when they first started out.

That era had so much energy and power to go along with a heavy album.

Honestly, it's close to being my favorite era.

[Strutter67]

Absolutely!!! My first KISS concert Jan 1983. Great show. The band was on fire. The album is my favorite album. Top notch songs, consistent, almost perfect production and Eric's drums sound amazing and his playing was amazing. They finally got their heads screwed on right (not that i dislike Dynasty, Unmasked or The Elder they were just not the right direction musically for KISS), and they delivered the goods. Killer stage as well. They were focused again and determined to be KISS again and i love everything about that era.

[Four-Who-Are-One]

COTN was a decent album, but it really needed more medieval flute tunes.

I'm a product of the Alive II to Elder era, which I loved, but COTN was a welcome return to a harder edge.

[sneed78]

Yes, the Creatures era was awesome...

I think I feel nauseous!

[Much Too Soon]

Loved the Creatures era. Felt the band got back in a good groove. Got the Mojo back....
Then the makeup came off and the 80’s really hit .....and that was it for me.

[Strutterer]

I like the Creatures era, however I wonder if it's been a bit fetished over the years with the benefit of hindsight and the entire '80s catalog to pick from in 2020.

The music from Creatures was great, and the band felt a bit more raw after years of average performances. Some good live examples exist on YouTube and in trading circles. Can't say I consider it "peak" live Kiss, though.

In the pantheon of Kiss, Creatures will always have a special place. It's probably just outside of my personal top five. I'm not going to believe Creatures is anywhere near as good as the classic era. As an album, Revenge is more my taste. Lick it Up could give the record a run for its money. I prefer Creatures songs over almost everything from the Kulick years.

[acesmiddlefinger]

38 years ago today I was freezing my nuts off at the London Megastore promo appearance. Just a magical day, being in the store when the band arrived, flashbulbs going off everywhere, the Hilton hotel after the signing. Getting to spend time with Eric Carr, Gene giving us a gateaux, Ace blind drunk but in a great mood. Good times. I loved the album, it was surreal being in the store and the album playing with the band stood in front of me.
Sadly we didn't get the Creatures tour in the UK and by the time they came back here the warpaint had gone.

[That 70s Guy]

yes

[KissCannibal]

Always liked it.

[Destroyer72]

No. It's a hodgepodge era. The whole idea of being in a BAND is that the band members write the songs, play the instruments.. that's the way it is with Sabbath, Priest, Van Halen etc etc.

The COTN album was good.. as a stand alone album. But too call it a KISS album is a bit of a stretch.

[KissCannibal]

No. It's a hodgepodge era. The whole idea of being in a BAND is that the band members write the songs, play the instruments.. that's the way it is with Sabbath, Priest, Van Halen etc etc.

The COTN album was good.. as a stand alone album. But too call it a KISS album is a bit of a stretch.

"But too call it a KISS album is a bit of a stretch."

Then what is it then?

[Destroyer72]

No. It's a hodgepodge era. The whole idea of being in a BAND is that the band members write the songs, play the instruments.. that's the way it is with Sabbath, Priest, Van Halen etc etc.

The COTN album was good.. as a stand alone album. But too call it a KISS album is a bit of a stretch.

"But too call it a KISS album is a bit of a stretch."

Then what is it then?

It's more like a solo album of sorts. Full of outside writers. Ghost musicians galore. Just happens to have Gene and Paul singing on it.

[KissCannibal]

No. It's a hodgepodge era. The whole idea of being in a BAND is that the band members write the songs, play the instruments.. that's the way it is with Sabbath, Priest, Van Halen etc etc.

The COTN album was good.. as a stand alone album. But too call it a KISS album is a bit of a stretch.

"But too call it a KISS album is a bit of a stretch."

Then what is it then?

It's more like a solo album of sorts. Full of outside writers. Ghost musicians galore. Just happens to have Gene and Paul singing on it.

By that logic, Pet Sounds isn't a Beach Boys album then.

[KLP68]

In my make believe Universe their next album after Love Gun and Alive 2 was COTN.

[KissRMe4life]

What I LOVE about the creatures era is the poster with them standing with a black and blue background. It’s like a reimagining of the Destroyer cover

[Allamericanman]

In my make believe Universe their next album after Love Gun and Alive 2 was COTN.

[Bruce]

I think Vinnie & Eric's makeups look great, in the promo shots the band took togethet & actually look better to me than the original lineup. I'm a fan of I Love It Loud, especially ...

[Miss Kitty]

I like some songs from that era.

[ManOf1000Faces]

I like the Creatures era, however I wonder if it's been a bit fetished over the years with the benefit of hindsight and the entire '80s catalog to pick from in 2020.

The music from Creatures was great, and the band felt a bit more raw after years of average performances. Some good live examples exist on YouTube and in trading circles. Can't say I consider it "peak" live Kiss, though.

In the pantheon of Kiss, Creatures will always have a special place. It's probably just outside of my personal top five. I'm not going to believe Creatures is anywhere near as good as the classic era. As an album, Revenge is more my taste. Lick it Up could give the record a run for its money. I prefer Creatures songs over almost everything from the Kulick years.

What part of KISS fandom is not a fetish?

[Strutterer]

I like the Creatures era, however I wonder if it's been a bit fetished over the years with the benefit of hindsight and the entire '80s catalog to pick from in 2020.

The music from Creatures was great, and the band felt a bit more raw after years of average performances. Some good live examples exist on YouTube and in trading circles. Can't say I consider it "peak" live Kiss, though.

In the pantheon of Kiss, Creatures will always have a special place. It's probably just outside of my personal top five. I'm not going to believe Creatures is anywhere near as good as the classic era. As an album, Revenge is more my taste. Lick it Up could give the record a run for its money. I prefer Creatures songs over almost everything from the Kulick years.

What part of KISS fandom is not a fetish?

Hahaha, good point!

[KISS#1]

I love this era.

[AliveIIside4]

Great era! Sad they were at the bottom of the barrel.

[Rockandrolloverman]

I didn’t really care for it that much it That was also the first time I saw them live


It was exciting to see them return to a more kiss look and a heavy sound, but the song writing on the album was not that impressive. It had a few decent songs on it but most of it was rather weak


and overall the stage show was impressive at first sight, but didn’t have much to offer as far as theatrics and impressive movement


It did look cool when you first saw it yes.....but it just wasn’t very impressive as far as live spectacle. The canon fired, and the pipes smoke but that was all it did for the entire show