I'm no grizzled veteran rock journo, but I like to think I'm streetwise enough to know what to expect when I slam a classic rock icon; even if I didn't know it before, the flood of vitriol directed at my Neil Diamond review last year would have been more than enough to clue me in on this fact of life.
So here I am, beginning a review on the defensive. I like, and even respect, Paul Stanley. Maybe not as a human being (I wouldn't know), and, aside from a few ironic giggles, certainly not as a publicity-constructed individual (his stage banter on last year's KISS Rock the Nation Live DVD was enough to make even the most ardent KISS fan crawl under a rock and die), but as a songwriter and performer, I consider him a truly underrated force in hard rock music. If you don't believe me, just look at his credits: "Love Gun," "Detroit Rock City," "Shout It Out Loud," and "Got to Choose," for Christ's sake. So before the hate mail comes flowing in, people, let me get this off my chest: I'm not about to slam Live to Win because I have it in for Paul Stanley. I'm about to slam Live to Win because it's an absolutely unforgivable, unlistenable load of tripe.
See, none of the songwriting chops or sheer rockosity of the nuggets listed above are in evidence on Paul Stanley's solo "debut" (actually, his second solo album, if you count his fourth of the self-titled KISS orgy of 1978). Instead, we get what sounds like bad Linkin Park, with vocals overdubbed by a 54-year-old, whose top range is disappearing about as rapidly as his famous rug of chest hair is going grey. What's more, the old queen didn't even have the cojones to write these songs himself; the bulk are co-written with soft-rock crossover whore Desmond Child, whose credits include most of Aerosmith's worst songs as well as '80s KISS "classics" like "Heaven's on Fire," "Uh! All Night," and "Let's Put the X in Sex."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Pete from Philadelphia
What an absurd, over the top review. You didn't like it, fine...but to label any album in the history of mankind as WORSE than Gene Simmons solo effort "Asshole" is beyond the pale.
I am a Paul Stanley fan and I liked it. If you like Paul Stanley, you probably like his ballads, and there are 3 world class ballads on here, as well as multiple rockers that are very melodic and have cool arrangments, like "Wake Up Screaming,", "Live to Win", and "Bulletproof". Is it a re-hash of Destroyer, or even Crazy Nights? No, but if it were, this Mr. Hoskins, something tells me, would be ripping it is a "dinosaur CD that shows no growth from Paul Stanley."
Paul, you just can't win. Keep rocking'!
2 - Brady Israel
What a worthless review.
Seemed like the whole review was a personal attack on Paul Stanley and his age. How about reviewing the music?
Forget Zach. Here's my review. A GREAT new CD from the #1 frontman in rock and roll history.
3 - DJRadiohead
Clearly Pete and Brady offer much more balanced reviews of the album than Zach.
4 - Rick
This guy must be a Dave Mattews fan ... Why don't you go an review one of his his cd's
I am lucky enough to have tickets to one of Paul's SOLD OUT shows.
Paul Stanley is a rock god period!!
5 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
I think it would've been more interesting to hear Paul Stanley play with Dave Matthews BAND. AND,I mean the actual musicians because God knows Dave Matthews can't sing for sh!t and the backing band on Mr. Stanley's album sux major a$$!!
As for this album, you can file it next to Avril Lavigne right under 'T' for Tramp & Trash.
6 - Jeff Spector
Ok, so when was the last time a "Death Cab for Cutie" CD made someone feel good when listening to it?? So many albums that make music critics end-of-year top ten lists are virtually unlistenable (Cat Power anybody??) Tell me when was the last time you put any post-OK Computer Radiohead CD on and said to yourself, "Damn I FEEL GREAT...This is the best music ever!!" Probably hasn't happened....Rock stopped being fun around 1990 and the majority of their fans either stopped listening or moved on to pop country. "Live To Win" wasn't written to win over the rock snob cognoscenti.
While Paul Stanley certainly hasn't touched upon the genius of "Destroyer" (or even "Lick It Up"), "Live To Win" isn't the travesty Mr.Hoskins makes it out to be. Critics never "got" KISS and why should they start now? This is a harmless modern heavy-rock record made by one of metal's most inspired originators.
It does what exactly it's supposed to do. It ROCKS. And this is coming from a guy who owns as many Belle and Sebastian records as he does KISS albums.
7 - Zach
Now hoooooooold on just a second, Jeff. I can understand a little feather-ruffling over this - hell, if you'll all read my first paragraph again, you'll find that I even EXPECTED it. But how exactly do you "know" the precise ratio of Belle & Sebastian to KISS records in my library? And where in my entire body of work have I indicated that I own a Death Cab for Cutie CD?
Now I'll admit to a little indie rock/pop in my musical diet (Cat Power ain't unlistenable, she's sublime - check out "The Greatest" if you don't believe me), but with no more or less pride than I would admit to loving garage rock, funk, country, soul, folk, hip-hop, etc., etc., up to and including KISS. Thing is, though, "Live to Win" ain't "Destroyer." Nor is it "Hotter Than Hell," "Alive," "Love Gun" or the self-titled debut. It's more like the watered-down bullshit that KISS put out after the makeup came off and the world stopped caring, and that is precisely why I find it to be such garbage. So please, refrain from the sallow indie-rocker schtick; last I checked, I didn't write for Pitchfork. And for that matter, to everyone else, enough with the Dave Matthews accusations...yuck, talk about libel.
That said, let the hate mail continue. Seriously, is this all the KISS Army's got?
8 - Jeff Spector
Zach -
A little clarification:
1. I was not referring that you had Death Cab for Cutie in your library, rather I was referring to the fact that the majority of rock journalists list bands like Death Cab on their best-of-the-year wrap-ups and the fact that most "indie" bands do not make music that inspire people to sing along with. It was not intended as an attack on your CD library.
2. I acknowledge quite cleary in my second paragraph that "Live to Win" is not among Mr.Stanley's best work.
3. I will never be impressed with Cat Power. She stormed off stage when I saw her at UCLA a couple years back. That's unprofessional, not sublime.
4. In my last paragraph I was referring to myself as "the guy who owns as many KISS records as he does Belle and Sebastian albums". That statement was not about you nor your musical taste. Belle and Sebastian may be one of those so-called critical darlings, but they know how to write good pop music and that's why I made the comparison.
5. Dave Matthews sucks. On that, I wholeheartedly agree.
Jeff
9 - Zach
OK, that makes a WORLD more sense. I was utterly flabbergasted that you might be claiming knowledge of my record collection; now I just see that you have some pretty well-rounded tastes, making you a hell of a lot more believable than the KISS Army footsoldiers on this thread.
Cat Power live is a pretty shaky prospect, I agree; I saw her this summer and she stayed for the whole show, but ironically, I didn't (it was a free festival). I find her a lot more interesting on record, frankly, and I'm not even really a big fan. Her voice, though, is utterly gorgeous at its best (i.e. "The Greatest," most of "The Covers Record"), which is why I had to take issue with her being called "unlistenable."
10 - Vern Halen
I haven't heard this album but I suspect your review will turn out to be accurate. It's tough to get one's mojo back when trying to recapture that spirit of yoot that goes into you early recordings, and very few artists seem to be able to get back to their true roots. Knowing that Desmond Child cowrote many of these tunes is the giveaway - Kiss began distancing their sound from its rock roots when they began working with him years ago.
On the other hand, when Springsteen needed a change, he got a sympathetic producer in BRendan O'Brien, who helped Bruce update his sound but kept it rock hard just the same. Heck, maybe he should do the next Kiss album, if Gene & Paul don't ruin the franchise's good name first.
11 - Zach
"If Gene and Paul don't ruin the franchise's good name first."
Part of me - I'll admit, a very big part - thinks it's already too late. I saw what passes for KISS (Gene, Paul, and two no-names in Ace and Peter makeup) perform at some VH1 event and it came off like bad costume drama; Stanley couldn't make the high notes on "Love Gun," and then there was the obligatory shower of fireworks, just self-parody. I feel like it's gotten to the point where the KISS thing just doesn't work for these guys anymore. Their show is everything it narrowly avoided in the '70s: overblown, ridiculous and more about the camp showmanship than the music. Maybe it's time for the torch to be passed...hopefully to a band without manboobs hanging out of their spangled leotards.
12 - Mark Saleski
1. i've always loved Paul's voice
2. i only like Radiohead post-OK Computer
3. i would rather listen to the worst Kiss record than anything by Belle & Sebastian
4. ruin the franchise's good name? uh, Kiss Kaskets anybody?
13 - DJRadiohead
I'm not a big B&S fan, but I'll take one of their records over Elders.
14 - fandark
One of the great strenghts of "Live to Win" is the lyrics, which are very fresh and actual, especially coming from a "dinosaur" of rock. If you are gonna slam a record you might as well do it in all honesty and concede it's high points.
Let's face it the songs on here are catchy and to the point, and Paul Stanley lives up to his rock god status despite having never been a critic's pet.
15 - fandark
And by the way Dave Matthews RULES, and who the hell is Belle and Sebastian anyway?
16 - brad schader
Kiss was a legendary band that has been on auto-pilot since the Vinnie Vincent mess. He should never have joined they should not have taken off the make up during his reign.
They are now a travelling joke of what they were. Oh look, fireworks! Oh gee, Gene is blowing fire. Do you think they will close with Rock and Roll all Night?
17 - Adam Weaver
Interesting how the rule just above this space to post says "Personal attacks are NOT allowed.."
I'd say your review was nothing less. I saw Paul's show in Orlando. He hit every note better than I had ever heard him. Some will say he missed a note at the VH1 awards, but he hadn't sung in months at that time. You compare his album to a Kiss album, but it isn't and wasn't supposed to be a Kiss album. It's all Paul. LIFT is a great song. The line in Where Angels Dare "Some people live in darkness and give up just before the light" is awesome.
Paul has been the best front man in Rock for 30 years. He works the crowd better than anyone ever has and probably ever will. Sure some of his raps are corny, so what, the crowd always gets it.
Kiss has influenced every great rock band that followed them in one way or another and that is undeniable.
What great accomplishment have you done?
18 - Zach
I can shatter glass with sheer force of will.
19 - DJRadiohead
Congratulations, Zach, your review has been selected as an Editor's Pick by Asst. Music Editor DJRadiohead.
Shattering glass with sheer force of will is a big bowl of cool.
20 - Pico
Big freakin' deal, my farts can wilt flowers, so where the hell is my Editor's Pick?
OK seriously, big props to ya', Zach!
-P
21 - ralph
just saw PS's show last week. The album hits rocks, the classics roll , and the voice reached highs. Living legend delivered better than peers
22 - Patrick DuGrenier
I feel this album is typical Stanley,some good tunes here, some not so good, its what I expected. Overall a good effort.As for this reviewer,I just have one question..How long did it take you to come up with "Every song just bleeds together into a mush of embarrassing, out-of-touch musical self-flagellation."?
23 - Peter Lanyon
Ahhh, those who can do... those who can't criticise.
Seriously, Zach, what exactly are you taking ?
Live To Win is exactly what Paul Stanley fans have been hoping for and is superior to A**Hole in every way.
It's anthemic, it's hearfelt, and yeah maybe a little cheesy too... but it's fun ! And that is exactly what it is meant to be.
24 - Morrow
Those who can do (Paul at any age!). Those who can't sit around on the computer and criticize others.
25 - Mark
I am tired of KISS but I loved "Live to Win" ... Songs like "Bulletproof", "Lift" and "Live to win" are excellent songs.
This is an excellent CD and will make a KISS fan proud.