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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The fact that Alive! is arguably Kiss's best album highlights the fact that they are performers first, musicians second. There's nothing wrong with that, especially when a live album sounds this good. Stuffed to bursting with classic tracks, Alive!, originally released in 1975, is a classic metal album. "Deuce," "Strutter," "Hotter than Hell," "Black Diamond," "100,000 Years," and especially "Rock and Roll All Nite" (probably the most well-known party song in existence)--they're all here, and wonder of wonders, they still sound fresh after all these years. The success of Kiss's 1996 tour shows that they've still got plenty of fans; Alive! is one album no Kiss fan should be without. --Genevieve Williams
Product Description
2CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I received this LP as my 9th birthday present when it had just come out, and recently bought a used copy of the remaster of it.
All the complaints about how artificially-enhanced this album is are spurious, as if 3/4 of the "live albums" in history aren't re-constructed and optimized for maximum effect in the post-production. Eddie Kramer did an amazing job, and his role was central in making this one of the ear-splatteringest, heaviest records of all time. I listened to the remaster in headphones on 11 and afterwards I had to lie down it was so head-crushingly loud.
The versions of the tunes on this make their studio counterparts sound like "Alvin and the Chipmunks Play Kiss". Every song just completely obliterates its corresponding appearance on the first 3 albums that preceded it, as if their studio records were just a run-through and the live one was meant to be "here's our songs played by Satan on steroids" by comparison.
What's telling is that there are no visuals, and despite this band's reliance on the poly-pyrotechnic stage show and all the criticism about how the theatrics were there to conceal the crappy music, the tunes stand up just fine. The truth is that without good tunes nobody would have cared that the drumkit was levitating or that the bass player was breathing fire. Someone said that in the '70s even the bad music was great, and the very worst twaddle on this album is like Vivaldi compared with the crap that passes for music today. Jessica Simpson couldn't write songs this good, even if she were to receive Brian Wilson's brain in a transplant... that's how hopeless things have gotten.
This record just roars and blows your head off from start to finish, every song just builds and builds the momentum... let's just say it's worth a Deuce, even if it does put yet more money into the misogynistic, greedy hands of Gene Simmons.
All the complaints about how artificially-enhanced this album is are spurious, as if 3/4 of the "live albums" in history aren't re-constructed and optimized for maximum effect in the post-production. Eddie Kramer did an amazing job, and his role was central in making this one of the ear-splatteringest, heaviest records of all time. I listened to the remaster in headphones on 11 and afterwards I had to lie down it was so head-crushingly loud.
The versions of the tunes on this make their studio counterparts sound like "Alvin and the Chipmunks Play Kiss". Every song just completely obliterates its corresponding appearance on the first 3 albums that preceded it, as if their studio records were just a run-through and the live one was meant to be "here's our songs played by Satan on steroids" by comparison.
What's telling is that there are no visuals, and despite this band's reliance on the poly-pyrotechnic stage show and all the criticism about how the theatrics were there to conceal the crappy music, the tunes stand up just fine. The truth is that without good tunes nobody would have cared that the drumkit was levitating or that the bass player was breathing fire. Someone said that in the '70s even the bad music was great, and the very worst twaddle on this album is like Vivaldi compared with the crap that passes for music today. Jessica Simpson couldn't write songs this good, even if she were to receive Brian Wilson's brain in a transplant... that's how hopeless things have gotten.
This record just roars and blows your head off from start to finish, every song just builds and builds the momentum... let's just say it's worth a Deuce, even if it does put yet more money into the misogynistic, greedy hands of Gene Simmons.
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
THE BAND: Gene Simmons (bass), Paul Stanley (guitars), Ace Frehley (guitars), Peter Criss (drums & percussion).
THE DISC(S): (1975) Recorded during the '75 tour. 16 total songs on 2 discs clocking in at just under 79 minutes (35+ minutes on disc-1, 42+ minutes on disc-2). Classic album cover photo. Originally released on Casablanca Records in 1975; this remastered edition was released in 1997 on Mercury's label. Much improved sound in my book (deeper bass guitars and crisper highs). Included with the discs is a 10-page booklet with all original artwork and photos, song titles, writing credits and times. Underneath the disc on the inside cover, there's an informative 4 paragraph history of what the band was going through at the time.
COMMENTS: Start your KISS collection with "Alive!". Classic album - electrifying live show(s) captured. Classic songs. Even the lesser played tunes like "Parasite", "C'mon And Love Me", "Got to Choose", "Cold Gin" and one of my personal favorites "Watchin' You" sound brilliant. KISS' first 3 studio albums had a very raw sound and each suffered from extremely flat production. Seven songs from their debut made it this live album; five songs taken from "Hotter Than Hell"; and four songs taken from "Dressed To Kill". Along comes "Alive!" and these songs simply jump to life. Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter were on top of their game during these recordings. To me, KISS was never really known for their great muscial prowness... but, they were known for delivering a grandiose show - they were performers, they were entertainers. This live album established Ace Frehley as a guitar God (check out his blistering solo's on "Parasite", "Cold Gin" and "Let Me Go, Rock And Roll"). The sound production is great considering it was done in the mid 1970's. Any rock & roll fan can turn this up loud and feel the emotion, energy and excitment that KISS brings to a concert (anyone who has seen this band LIVE knows the feeling). Several great 'live' albums were released by classic bands in the 1970's (Frampton, UFO, Deep Purple, etc) and KISS' "Alive!" is easily set on the same lofty perch as all of them. One of the great live rock concerts captured on tape during the 1970's! An absolute classic album (5 stars).
THE DISC(S): (1975) Recorded during the '75 tour. 16 total songs on 2 discs clocking in at just under 79 minutes (35+ minutes on disc-1, 42+ minutes on disc-2). Classic album cover photo. Originally released on Casablanca Records in 1975; this remastered edition was released in 1997 on Mercury's label. Much improved sound in my book (deeper bass guitars and crisper highs). Included with the discs is a 10-page booklet with all original artwork and photos, song titles, writing credits and times. Underneath the disc on the inside cover, there's an informative 4 paragraph history of what the band was going through at the time.
COMMENTS: Start your KISS collection with "Alive!". Classic album - electrifying live show(s) captured. Classic songs. Even the lesser played tunes like "Parasite", "C'mon And Love Me", "Got to Choose", "Cold Gin" and one of my personal favorites "Watchin' You" sound brilliant. KISS' first 3 studio albums had a very raw sound and each suffered from extremely flat production. Seven songs from their debut made it this live album; five songs taken from "Hotter Than Hell"; and four songs taken from "Dressed To Kill". Along comes "Alive!" and these songs simply jump to life. Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter were on top of their game during these recordings. To me, KISS was never really known for their great muscial prowness... but, they were known for delivering a grandiose show - they were performers, they were entertainers. This live album established Ace Frehley as a guitar God (check out his blistering solo's on "Parasite", "Cold Gin" and "Let Me Go, Rock And Roll"). The sound production is great considering it was done in the mid 1970's. Any rock & roll fan can turn this up loud and feel the emotion, energy and excitment that KISS brings to a concert (anyone who has seen this band LIVE knows the feeling). Several great 'live' albums were released by classic bands in the 1970's (Frampton, UFO, Deep Purple, etc) and KISS' "Alive!" is easily set on the same lofty perch as all of them. One of the great live rock concerts captured on tape during the 1970's! An absolute classic album (5 stars).
23 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By "The Woj"
Format:Audio CD
Having released 3 poorly produced studio records and one step away from the poor house...Kiss went into the studio to enhance (overdub) some recently recorded live performances. Kiss's first three albums contained some of the best rocks songs ever written, unfortunately the albums failed to capture the energy Kiss was able to produce on stage. Kiss's entire existence was riding on the sales of a double vinyl "live" album..... The result? Kiss's best album and arguably one of the best rock records ever released. An album that vaulted Kiss into the Pantheon of hard rock music forever. The songs recorded on Kiss's first 3 studio albums pale by comparison to the power, punch and sonic impact to the versions recorded on "Alive!". "Deuce" & "Strutter" begin the assault and there is no let up whatsoever. The best of it all? Ace Frehley's guitar. There is not one song here without a memorable solo or classic riffage. I could go on, but take my word for it...I bought this album over 25 years ago on vinyl and it still holds up to repeated listenings today in 2003. I would give this album 100 stars if I could. With the remastering, these songs have never sounded better. ADD TO CART NOW! "Ace Frehly lead guitar!"
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Album
I really don't care if it is "Live" or "Studio" or a little of both -- it is a fun listen with great performances, and brings back great memories of cruising around town with the... Read more
Published 3 days ago by MJH
4.0 out of 5 stars
100,000 BEERS
KISS-ALIVE!: KISS' breakthrough double concert platter ALIVE! was a culmination of the hooky bubble-metal anthems and shoulda-been smashes from the gruesome foursome's first trio... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jukebox Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars
KISS Classic
Of course, this is KISS' breakthrough LP, so I needed it to complete a CD collection. It brings me back to when I first heard it and rocked out to it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Hodge
5.0 out of 5 stars
KISS fan since birth
It's a great live sound. I had the album in the 80's but it was stolen. Any KISS fan has to own a copy of Alive!
Published 1 month ago by Kent
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rock and Roll!
Kiss made their reputation as a live act and this album captures all the fun and excitement of a Kiss concert. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Savonarola
3.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Kiss
This is the reissue and it is on 180g vinyl. But the sound is just ok to me. I do not have the greatest turntable at the moment so maybe that has something to do it, as well as... Read more
Published 3 months ago by John C. Snow
3.0 out of 5 stars
Legendary live album doesn't quite live up to the legend
I'd knock the rating here up a star if this was a single-disc with just the stronger tracks instead the music being spread thin over two discs. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Inkstained Wretch
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enough LIVE to matter to me
I listened to this almost to no end in 1976 as a kid too young to go to concerts. I just stared at the album cover and booklet and let my imagination run wild. Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. Kaley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Frampton move over...THIS is the greatest live album of all time!
If you love the energy and rawness of live albums as I do, this 1975, sixteen-song masterpiece just might hold a special place in your heart. If it doesn't, it OUGHT to! Read more
Published 11 months ago by Rocky D.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The hottest band in the land...Kiss!
As Kiss entered the summer of 1975, two things had become clear. Kiss was a knockout live spectacle and yet their album sales were sluggish. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jeff "a reviewer"
Listmania!
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