Alive!

KISS | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: July 15, 1997
• Release Date: July 15, 1997
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Island Def Jam
• Copyright: (C) 1997 Kiss Catalog, Ltd.
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 1:16:05
• Genres:
• ASIN: B000WT67XI
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (245 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,505 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars get your grandma outta here, July 17, 2006

By 

emperor nobody "il mio nome e nessuno" (california, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alive! (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.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars KISS at their best - alive on stage!, April 27, 2000

By 

R. Gorham "RCG2" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alive! (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).

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Wanted The Best? This Is What Started It All..., November 16, 2003

By 

"The Woj" (Downers Grove, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alive! (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!"