Vie’s Verses – Which Album Should Kiss Perform In Its Entirety?
It’s happened a lot lately. Currently, Rush is performing Moving Pictures in its entirety on their Time Machine Tour. Aerosmith performed Toys In The Attic during their 2009 summer tour. Springsteen, Iron Maiden, and Roger Waters all have done it, and the trend seems to becoming even more and more popular. Performing an album in its entirety has almost become cliché, yet the fans still love it when it happens.
Technically, Kiss has already done this as well. On their Alive 35 tour, Kiss played their first live album, Alive, in its entirety, but personally, I don’t think that really counts. However, what it would be like if Kiss decided to play an entire studio album while out on tour? Which album would they choose? Which album would the fans want to hear? What album would you want to hear?
Personally, it would be my dream come true to hear all of Destroyer. Not only is it the best Kiss album ever recorded, it also contains the one Kiss song that I have always wanted to hear in concert, “Sweet Pain”. With the exception of a failed acoustical attempt at a couple of the 1995 Kiss Kon performances, this song has never been played live by the band.” Sweet Pain” is the only song from Destroyer that has never been performed.” Great Expectations” was played during the Alive IV Symphony concert and “Flaming Youth” was a staple of the Destroyer tour. Good bootlegs of this song live can be found just about anywhere.
If the band ever were to play Destroyer in its entirety, they would have to include the introduction to the album too. You know, where the newscaster is discussing the head on collision in Detroit, and then (presumably Ace) gets into his car, blares “Rock And Roll All Nite” and heads out on the highway. If Kiss chose to open the concert with this full album performance, that would be the best band introduction ever, and could even trump the usual “You wanted the best… you got the best” line they’ve used forever.
Packed with some of their greatest (and timeless) hits, Destroyer is the logical choice for Kiss to perform in its entirety. Not only are “Detroit Rock City”, “God Of Thunder”, and “Do You Love Me” on this album, but there is also “King Of The Nighttime World”, “Beth”, and “Shout It Out Loud”. Most of these songs are played on almost every Kiss tour. And anyone who knows Kiss well, knows that Gene does not like to learn songs for tours (hence every Kiss tour containing similar setlists). This would alleviate most of that concern, as Kiss would only have to practice “Sweet Pain”, “Flaming Youth”, and “Great Expectations”.
While this may never happen, it is something worth speculating. The current rumor is that Kiss is going back into the studio at the end of this tour to record a new album. However, should something arise to delay that, performing an entire album on next summer’s tour would be an incredible substitute for a brand new studio album. And with Kiss, we all know that anything is possible.
C’mon guys, “(Music from) The Elder” ….In it’s original intended track order is every KISS freaks ultimate wet dream.
Am I the only one who’s got “The Elder” in mind???
As a very long-time KISS fan, I’ve always found Destroyer to be too bombastic for my taste. It got away from the raw rock and roll sound they had been famous for in favor of overblown production…Great Expectations?…Please!
Personally, I’d love to see Rock and Roll over performed in its entirety. that album really got back to the down and dirty rock sound they had all but abandoned on Destroyer.
“Destroyer” is a great choice, only the “hits” should not come into play so much. “Hotter Than Hell” is a great KISS album, as well as “Love Gun” and “Rock And Roll Over”. Sure, I’ll concede, “Destroyer” might seem to be the “logical” choice because it has the most recognizable songs. It’s a tough decision to make, in all Metal honesty.
Stone
Destroyer – no contest really.