I was listening to Hair Nation the other day (The Howard Stern Show was probably on a commercial break), and they played, "Hate" by KISS, off of the Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions album, and the song really got me thinking. Obviously, this was an attempt by KISS to latch on to the grunge era and to try to stay relevant and sell some albums. The problem was that the effort was so disingenuous, and it just didn't sound like KISS. Now I understand a band changing and growing, but I do not think that occurred here. Lyrics like, "Tell me what you want me to be, I can't stand myself anymore" just did not make sense. Were we to believe that Paul Stanley (the Star Child from the 1970s that was able to shoot lasers out of his eye and defeat the androids that had taken over Magic Mountain in Southern California) was suddenly a member of the disenfranchised youth? Did KISS believe that this segment of the music buying population would be able to relate to their music? To me, it appeared to be more of a desperate ploy to 'hang with the cool kids,' and it made me feel bad for the band.
The whole song got me thinking about KISS' career once the make-up came off. Creatures of the Night and Lick it Up were both great rock albums. Animalize was a decent album as well, and no one can deny the brilliance that is "Heavens on Fire" (though the rest of the album is hit or miss, including the classic lyric about the log and the fireplace). From there you go to Asylum (which had a number of catchy singles) and then Crazy Nights (which, admittedly, the band was trying for a Bon Jovi-type sound, heavy on the keyboards).
KISS were innovators when they debuted on the scene in the early/mid 1970s, and they put on a show that was second to none. But without the make-up, they really lost their identity, and were like a rudderless ship, simply chasing fads in music and trying to keep up with the other, more successful artists. That isn't to say they didn't put out some great music, but they really lost their status as leaders, and were clearly followers during this time period. Carnival of Souls, to me, is the culmination of this lack of direction, as they recorded an album is just reaching for something that was not there. But of course, as with any KISS album, there are always bright spots, and to this day, I say the song "Childhood's End" is an amazing song from the KISS catalog that unfortunately was buried on this album that is bypassed by most.
Am I wrong, or is this the worst KISS album ever recorded?
The M3 Festival in Columbia, Maryland is less than two weeks away. The festival takes place on May 14, 2011, with a shorter "Kix-Off" party on May 13, 2011. Personally, I cannot wait to attend this year's event, and I am expecting a completly different experience than last year.
Last year, on the day tickets went on sale, I got extremely lucky, in that I pulled front row center tickets to the event. Real, legitimate front row center seats. Never in my life have I been in the front row, so to land such amazing seats for an all-day festival of amazing bands was unbelievable. As such, it goes without saying that I spent the majority of the day in my seat, watching the sets on the main stage from only a couple of feet away. I remember being less than five feet from Tom Keifer while he was singing "Coming Home" and thinking how amazing those seats were. Far and away, it was my best concert experience to date.
However, as great as that day was, I cannot help but think that I missed out on so many other aspects of the festival environment. I only ventured away from my seats for a short while, to briefly check out the grounds and to visit with Allyson, her husband, and Christian. I didn't experience the freak show nor did I watch any of the second stage bands. I didn't walk the lawn and talk to random people. To me, the day was based solely on the music, because I know the odds of me ever getting seats like that again are slim (to say the least).
This year, I am hoping to get an entirely different experience. I did not opt for the VIP tickets this year, so I plan to walk the grounds, hang out with friends, and meet some new and interesting people. Next weekend should be a great weekend full of fun and 80s rock. Long live the 80s!
Oh, and if you still want to attend the event - tickets are still available! Come say "hi" to the Bring Back Glam! crew.
The good news is that I'm giving away a copy of Does the Noise In My Head Bother You? to one very lucky BBG! reader. Want it? All you need to do is email me your legal name, address and phone number to allyson@bringbackglam.com. You'll need to put "Tyler book" in the subject line to be eligible. Enter by Friday, May 6 at 11:59 pm EST to be eligible. Any incomplete or late entries will be discarded. Good luck and tell your friends.
The headline says it all: Candlebox and Filter were just added to Shiprocked 2011. They join Buckcherry, Queensryche, Hinder, Hellyeah, Sevendust, Living Colour, In This Moment, Lynam, Broken Teeth and Rival Sons on the lineup. Shiprocked sails November 14-19 out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The cruise goes to ports in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
Cabins are still available, if you'd like to book. Be warned: it's a non-stop party, and you will not sleep for a week.
The song below was one of my favorites in high school. Candlebox, "Far Behind"
The one album I've most been looking forward to this year is the new SIXX: A.M. disc, This Is Gonna Hurt. I love the single "Lies of the Beautiful People" and I have high hopes for the rest of the record. While it is released officially May 3, I can do you one better.
Want to win an autographed copy of the new SIXX:A.M. record This Is Gonna Hurt? All you need to do is email me your legal name, address and phone number to allyson@bringbackglam.com. You'll need to put "autographed SIXX: A.M." in the subject line to be eligible. Enter by Wednesday, May 4 at 11:59 pm EST to be eligible. Any incomplete or late entries will be discarded. Good luck and tell your friends.
Does anyone remember the charity single by Mark Slaughter called "I Can Do Anything?" Mark did the song for One Less Tear, a cancer fighting music charity. It had been awhile since I heard the song and when I saw it mentioned in a random web forum post, I thought I should check it out again.
I have to admit, Mark's voice sounds different on "I Can Do Anything" than it does on the Slaughter records. It was pretty refreshing, actually. Like discovering a new song all over again and I really love when that happens. Maybe you've noticed that lately: I'm trying to rediscover lost gems or new bands altogether.
By the way, Vince Neil and many other musicians have been involved in One Less Tear over the years. Check out some of the song clips from the One Less Tear album.
Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 12:01AM 
