11/11: KISS “LOVE GUN” DELUXE EDITION REVIEW
Just got a copy of the recently released special edition of Kiss Love Gun. So many of the many reissues that I get are pretty pointless. Many times the remastering is not even done well and the artist is not even involved. Not the case with this one. This truly is a great reissue and worth the purchase. Everyone knows by now I am still a huge fan of CDs and they are very much by far still my favorite format. When CDs are produced like this it’s another reason why I love them so much. This deluxe edition of Love Gun has great packaging, photos, liner notes by Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, a great booklet and even a magnetic love gun (the original album had a cardboard one which broke after a few snaps!). The remastered original album sounds crisp and punchy without the over compression and volume that plagues some of these remasters these days. The bonus disc has some cool gems including a demo for a Simmons song call “I Know Who You Are” which hardcore fans will recognize as the song it became on his solo album the next year “Living In Sin”. There is also a real interesting recording of a young Paul Stanley explaining how a song goes that he just wrote called “Love Gun” which is a learning demo. I also found the 1977 Montreal radio interview with Simmons interesting when he talks about the band not taking any major turns in their music or being so pompous to make a concept record. Fascinating when you consider the next album had a disco song and The Elder would come shortly after! Love Gun was the bands sixth studio album and for the most part the final ever studio record from the original band (Anton Fig would play on Dynasty and Unmasked despite Peter being pictured). It holds a special place for many because it was when Kiss was on top of the world, firing on all cylinders, featured the vocal debut of Ace Frehley, and featured a tour and stage show unlike anything anyone had seen. It was Kiss at their peak. I saw Kiss for the first time in December of 1977 and it was a game changer for me and so many. This special edition really took me back to ’77 again, being that kid in my bedroom with Kiss posters all over the wall and dropping the needle on the start of “I Stole Your Love”. It encompasses all that was so great about being a kid and being lost in the music and mystique of Kiss while staring at the album jacket. Tommy Thayer worked on this reissue and regardless of how you feel about his current role in Kiss he was a fan first and foremost and he certainly has always done a great job when it comes to capturing the history the right way. I hope the rest of the bands catalog eventually gets this treatment on CD.
The first disc is identical to the ’97 remaster.
Wasn’t sure I was going to get this, but there were a lot of positive reviews on Amazon, so I went for it and am glad I did. I haven’t listened to the first disc yet, but the second was full of gems – especially the demos and the interview. Sometimes these bonus discs are anything but; however, the stuff in this particular package is definitely worth it.
Listened to it on Spotify and will purchase it soon. It’s amazing how listening to it takes you back to when you were a kid. Yes, time travel is for real. I’m also glad that KISS is still performing and making new music. Whether it’s old or new, it’s KISS, and it’s awesome.
Love everything about the remaster except they go and ruin it once again by using snare drum triggers on the live tracks….totally ruins the performances. LEAVE THE ORIGINAL LIVE TRACKS ALONE!!! Mix them to sound good, fine, but replacing parts and vocals(like on the You Wanted The Best comp), and using fake sounding drum samples on recordings from 1977 is a d**k move in my book.
Eddie, you also didn’t chuckle a little during the Gene interview on the bonus disc where he states not to trust people who tell you how to think and tell you how to feel? I kinda raised my eyebrow and smirked a little bit at that. I thought to myself “Geez, when did this kick as* dude that I’m listening to here become the cranky old “shake your fist at the kids on the lawn” guy we hear now today?”. That being said I did get this deluxe edition and it was worth every penny. “Love Gun” is the one KISS album that instantly transports me to a kick-as* childhood time in my life.