KISS Unplugged
Encyclopedia
Kiss Unplugged is a Kiss
album featuring the group performance in MTV Unplugged
.
On August 9, 1995, hard rock band Kiss performed on MTV Unplugged in what fans consider the beginning of the eventual Kiss Reunion Tour. Paul Stanley
and Gene Simmons
contacted former members Peter Criss
and Ace Frehley
and invited them to participate in the event. Fan reaction to Criss and Frehley at the Unplugged show was so positive that, in 1996, the original lineup of Kiss reunited, with all four original members together for the first time since 1980. It also marked the only time the original lineup performed live without their trademark makeup, other than at Ace Frehley's wedding, and was also the only time Frehley and Criss shared a stage with Eric Singer
and Bruce Kulick
. Further, it was the first time Eric Singer had part of a lead vocal (shared with Peter Criss on Nothin' To Lose).
On March 12, 1996, the concert was released on CD, and on the Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000
DVD set, which was released December 18, 2007. This included the original DVD release of the concert plus five previously unreleased songs: "Hard Luck Woman
" (with Paul Stanley on vocals), "Heaven's on Fire
", "Spit
", "C'mon and Love Me
" and the infamous country
version of "God of Thunder
".
The LP version of this album includes a poster
and some were pressed on yellow marbled vinyl
.
and on volume 3 of the The Best of Kiss, Volume 3: The Millennium Collection
and The Box Set.
with
Singles
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
album featuring the group performance in MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
.
On August 9, 1995, hard rock band Kiss performed on MTV Unplugged in what fans consider the beginning of the eventual Kiss Reunion Tour. Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
and Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
contacted former members Peter Criss
Peter Criss
George Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
and Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
and invited them to participate in the event. Fan reaction to Criss and Frehley at the Unplugged show was so positive that, in 1996, the original lineup of Kiss reunited, with all four original members together for the first time since 1980. It also marked the only time the original lineup performed live without their trademark makeup, other than at Ace Frehley's wedding, and was also the only time Frehley and Criss shared a stage with Eric Singer
Eric Singer
Eric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
and Bruce Kulick
Bruce Kulick
Bruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist, musician and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick had been a longtime member of the band Kiss....
. Further, it was the first time Eric Singer had part of a lead vocal (shared with Peter Criss on Nothin' To Lose).
On March 12, 1996, the concert was released on CD, and on the Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000
Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000
Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000 is a DVD/Home Video released by Kiss and VH1 Classic Records. It was released on December 18, 2007.Kissology Vol. 3 is the third installment of the Kiss archival video series...
DVD set, which was released December 18, 2007. This included the original DVD release of the concert plus five previously unreleased songs: "Hard Luck Woman
Hard Luck Woman
"Hard Luck Woman" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss and the lead single from their 1976 album, Rock and Roll Over. The song was originally written by Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley as a possible track for Rod Stewart, but when Stewart showed no interest in singing it, Kiss decided to keep...
" (with Paul Stanley on vocals), "Heaven's on Fire
Heaven's on Fire
"Heaven's on Fire" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss, first released on their 1984 album Animalize. Written by vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley and songwriter Desmond Child, it was the first single released off of the album....
", "Spit
Revenge (KISS album)
Revenge is the 16th studio album by American heavy metal band Kiss, released on May 19, 1992. It was the band's first album after the death of long-time drummer Eric Carr in November 1991. His replacement, Eric Singer, had played with Black Sabbath, Brian May, Alice Cooper and even Paul Stanley,...
", "C'mon and Love Me
Dressed to Kill (album)
Dressed to Kill is the third studio album from American hard rock band Kiss. It is unique for having been produced by Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart, as the financial situation of the label at the time did not allow the hiring of a professional producer."C'mon and Love Me" and "Rock and...
" and the infamous country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
version of "God of Thunder
God of Thunder (song)
"God of Thunder" is a heavy metal song by the group Kiss from their album Destroyer. The song has also been featured on many of Kiss's live albums, including an up-tempo version on Alive II. Many various sound effects were used to make the song including explosions, clapping, zippers, overdubbed...
".
The LP version of this album includes a poster
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
and some were pressed on yellow marbled vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
.
Track listing
"Got to Choose" is only available on vinyl and on CD releases in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and on volume 3 of the The Best of Kiss, Volume 3: The Millennium Collection
The Best of KISS, Volume 3: The Millennium Collection
-Personnel:*Paul Stanley - Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitar*Gene Simmons - Bass, Lead Vocals, Back-Up Vocals*Bruce Kulick - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Back-Up Vocals*Eric Singer - Drums, Back-Up Vocals*Eric Carr - Back-Up Vocals...
and The Box Set.
Personnel
- Paul StanleyPaul StanleyStanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
- acoustic guitar, lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... - Gene SimmonsGene SimmonsGene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
- acoustic bass guitarAcoustic bass guitarThe acoustic bass guitar is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to, though usually somewhat larger than a steel-string acoustic guitar...
, lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... - Bruce KulickBruce KulickBruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist, musician and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick had been a longtime member of the band Kiss....
- acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound... - Eric SingerEric SingerEric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals
with
- Ace FrehleyAce FrehleyPaul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
- acoustic guitar, vocals - Peter CrissPeter CrissGeorge Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals - Phillip Ashley - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on "Every Time I Look at You" - Jon Grindstaff - conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, string arrangements on "Every Time I Look at You"
Charts
Album| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia ARIA Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
4 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
15 |
Singles
| Single | Chart (1996) | Position |
|---|---|---|
| "Rock and Roll All Nite" | US Mainstream Rock Tracks | 13 |