I remember watching The Mike Douglas Show with my parents every afternoon after school, but they must have shielded me from this evil KISS appearance in 1974. Oh how our parents hated KISS. I still remember my best friend's mother making him destroy his Love Gun album — not give it away — Destroy It! About half of the interview with Gene Simmons was missing as well as the "KISSing" contest, but the minute or so you do get is pretty fascinating. It was hilarious to watch Gene ogle 1960s comedy icon Totie Fields as she first stares in bewilderment and then proceeds to rip him with her droll one-liners, "he's just a nice Jewish boy... you can't hide the hook." Shows like Mike's always relied on lip-synched performances back then, which were usually pretty lame, but watching KISS unleash "Firehouse" on the world in 1974 was still quite a treat.
KISS showed up on a few other music-based TV shows of the era including The Midnight Special in 1975, and Don Kirsher's Rock Concert in 1977. The Midnight Special appearance came on the heals of their Dressed To Kill album, when they were still a struggling band looking to break out. According to Gene, they were still each only making about $75 per week at that point. The show features a killer early performance of "She", from the new album, as well as their now legendary anthem "Black Diamond", which appears a total of seven times on my three-disk set. Over the course of two short years, KISS went on to release three hugely successful albums, Alive!, Destroyer, and Rock & Roll Over, which finally launched them to superstardome. The Rock Concert appearance promoted the new Rock & Roll Over release, and they lip-synched their way through three of that album's best songs, "Hard Luck Woman", "Love Em & Leave Em", and "I Want You".
One of the KISS TV appearances that I do fondly remember as a kid, was when they showed up on the Paul Lynde Halloween Special in October of 1976. KISS was the perfect Halloween guests along with Margaret Hamilton, who played the wicked witch of the west in The Wizard of Oz and was also in full costume. Lynde was the forever center square on the classic game show, Hollywood Squares, and his quick wit was the perfect antidote to the band's purposely menacing demeanor, which made for a hilarious episode. Although KISS lip-synched three songs during the actual broadcast, only one, an abbreviated "King Of The Night Time World", is presented here.
Article comments
1 - tink
Just when I thought I had all the KISS in my collection that I needed, partially due in fact to their constant 'final' tours and repackaging, this review made me change my mind. Even if it's just to see them on that Paul Lynde special!!!
I like the idea that the production values weren't tweaked via the technology available today. Makes it seem like what it would have been like to actually see these performances in the time/space that they originally came from.
I remember the Phantom of the Park vividly. They used the Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, Ca for filming the live sequences and I was there as part of the audience. It was the first time that I saw them live...but certainly not the last.
Nice work!!!
2 - Vern Halen
I took them seriously until Destroyer - it sounded like a disco pop album to me - what happened to all that great rock and roll from the first three studio albums plus Alive!? Replaced with screaming babies, glockenspiels, youth anthems, and - gasp! a ballad!! good thing I stumbled onto the MC5, the Dolls, Television etc etc etc to restore my faith in r'n'r.
I'd be alright, though, with Kiss doing one more butt kicking rock album before calling it a day. Sometimes the old foxes still have a few more tricks to play.
3 - Timmy
When I was young, I was as ate up with Kiss as you still appear to be. I even got a thank you in the Dynasty tour book for all the fan mail I sent them over the years. It wasn't until about a couple of years after their first reunion tour that I realized they aren't that great. In fact, as a band they are mediocre. It was a profit deal all along. The music was just a tool, and a secondary one at that. That's not to say it's all bad. I still enjoy Dynasty and Unmasked, Peter Criss (solo), Kiss (self-titled), and some songs not on those albums, including "Comin' Home," "Rock Bottom," "Mr. Speed," and "Larger Than Life."
4 - Paul Roy
Don't forget the car crash in "Detroit Rock City". I'm with you Vern. Kiss lost me after Destroyer, and REALLY lost me with "The Elder". I wonder if they will put their "Friday's" TV appearance on Vol. 2? And Timmy, I am certainly not "ate up with Kiss". You sound like a scorned lover. This DVD was just a great nostalgic trip for me.
5 - Vern Halen
I posted this months ago, but I still think it's funny - back when I was a lad, when Kiss first came out, a friend said to me, "Kiss? How's any band gonna make it with a name like that???"
6 - Devin
I got this DVD boxset for christmas and i was really amazed on how much rare footage they bunched up into these dvd's. The 4 concerts in the 2 dvd's were incredible also, but i'd have to say the Tokyo one was my favourite.
7 - Curly
I don't know if you still read this review's comments, or if you've been clued in to this yet but, there are 2 fantastic "easter eggs" - as I believe they're called - on these discs. On each of the 2 main discs, in the main menu screen, if you highlight and 'PLAY' on the KISS logo, you will be treated to: (Disc 1) a 4-5 minute video clip w/sound of the earliest known live footage of the band, playing "Deuce" at their 2nd to last show as a club band 12/21/73 at Coventry in NYC. (Disc 2) a 6-7 minute home movie w/sound of the guys' impromptu performance at Ace's wedding in May '76, complete in tuxedos and with the hired bands' instruments.
8 - Paul Roy
Thanks for bringing that up Curly, since I didn't mention it in my review. That's some pretty cool stuff to watch if you are a big Kiss fan.