When conversations arise about the best hard rock debut albums, the usual picks immediately come to mind for many: offerings from Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, and Guns N' Roses, to name a few. But one debut that seems to get overlooked quite often is KISS' 1974 self-titled album.
At the time, glam rock was beginning to fade: David Bowie would soon stop shaving his eyebrows and stop wearing makeup for his stylized “Thin White Duke” character; Alice Cooper was about to go solo and embrace ballads; and the New York Dolls were about to implode. Therefore, 1974 would not have been the most ideal time to release a debut album by a band that used makeup.
Although singer-guitarist Paul Stanley and singer-bassist Gene Simmons had been playing together for a while in the New York City area, it wasn't until 1973 that they finally crossed paths with two other like-minded musicians: the first drummer Peter Criss, and then lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who is part of the classic KISS lineup.
After gaining a local following, attracting manager Bill Aucoin and signing with the fledgling Casablanca Records, the group, who performed with their faces disguised in makeup and dressed in costumes and platform boots, were not as “femme” as the other glamorous acts. aforementioned. , and also, rocked a lot harder (okay, okay… besides Alice Cooper from 1970-1973).
So when the quartet arrived at Bell Sound studios in New York City during October-November 1973 to record what would become their debut album, they curiously decided not to hire the famous producer who oversaw an early demo (Eddie Kramer), but rather, hooked up with the lesser-known production duo of Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise.
speaking to Song Facts In 2013, Wise recalled the sessions. “I remember being in the studio with them trying to find better arrangements for the songs, making them more accessible to the listener, putting the verses, choruses, bridges, repeats, whatever, in the right places.”
“I worked very closely with Ace playing guitar,” he continued, “because as a guitarist I was able to put together some good guitar solos for him and work with him on some of that stuff. The vocals were very fluid. I don't have any negative feelings at all. The first album was very easy to make. I think we recorded it in six days and mixed it in six or seven days. It took about 13 days from start to finish to make it. It was done quickly and I am very happy about it.”
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