Sunday, December 8, 2013

Who Needs To Dry Clean Their Tuxedos? - Warning KISS Content

4 comments
So it seems that this might just be the year that KISS finally make it into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (fingers, toes, legs and eyes crossed that it actually does happen this time). For years I have watched the nominee lists completely dumbfounded as artists like Madonna (wtf?), ABBA (amazing pop band but rock n roll?), Donna Summer (a talented disco artist yes, but wasn't disco the antithesis of rock n roll?) and even Guns and Roses (c'mon? I love them but break it down, they only recorded one amazing album) all sailed into the RRHOF before KISS and for that matter, before Deep Purple (but that's another issue altogether)!

The possibility of KISS finally getting the nod got me to thinking. How will this play out on the night of the show? Who will actually walk up onto that stage to receive the honor? Who will take the stage to perform? There are a number of ways that this evening could go down and time will tell but I choose to look at three. The question remains, who should take their tuxedo to the dry cleaners for induction night? Feel free to let me know what you think you will see on induction night...

Current KISS: With no disrespect to Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, this unfortunately just might be how we see KISS at the RRHOF. As of late many things have been said in the press to distance Gene and Paul from the original lineup and tensions seem high as the mudslinging continues. It also wouldn't be the first time that Paul and Gene chose to ignore parts of their career. The non-makeup years have been relegated to basically three songs (Lick it Up, Heavens on Fire and Tears are Fallin) live. That's an entire decade of albums overlooked each and every time they tour. So don't be surprised if Ace and Peter are absent and appear as part of a video montage including Eric Carr(RIP) and the rest of the family. Personally, I truly hope this isn't the case.


Original KISS: Wouldn't the "purists" be happy if we were to see Gene, Paul, Peter and Ace walk out onstage to accept the honor. I can understand this point of view and I would love to see the guys play together again with or without the makeup it doesn't even matter. There really is a chemistry that these four have together and the 96/97 reunion tour proved that point in spades. I understand that for many, this is the only KISS that matters but not all of us were lucky enough to be around for the original lineup, myself included. My teenage years in the eighties were spent as a rabid KISS fan all through the non-makeup tours/albums and lineup changes and for many, KISS remained every bit as valid as those original years. The reunion tour of 96/97 focused completely on the original four but the RRHOF is honoring KISS's entire 40 year career which did not end when Peter and Ace left the band.

ALL KISS: Could we see the entire KISS family Bruce and Vinnie included get up onstage? For many fans that chose to stand by the band through all the incarnations, this would be the ultimate solution and in my humble opinion the right move for KISS to make. KISS is Destroyer, KISS is Love Gun, Kiss is Lick it UP, KISS is Revenge and KISS is Monster. To ignore any part of their legacy would be a shame and not including everyone that took the stage as a member of KISS would alienate some fan, somewhere who found something special within the music they created. To not include Bruce Kulick on this big night would be exactly like the Eagles not including Joe Walsh. Go ahead tell me Joe Walsh isn't an Eagle?

The induction speeches are one thing, but if the band hits the stage live they have the chance to create an incredible moment of rock n roll history. For me, the coolest part of the MTV Unplugged concert was when all six (Gene, Paul, Ace, Peter, Bruce and Eric) rocked together as one. That moment made me proud to be a KISS fan. Add to that Tommy and Vinnie (YES VINNIE!) onstage for a song or three and that would be something truly special, truly memorable and a true KISS spectacle. Unfortunately I just don't see it happening, it's probably just a dream but Gene once sang to me to "When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true".



4 comments:

Brian J. Kramp said...

If they are inducted it will only be the original four, I highly doubt Vinnie Vincent will even be in the audience. Oh, and ABBA are most certainly rock and roll!

Wallygator said...

I love ABBA, incredible songwriters but we disagree on the rock n roll definition and I agree that Vinnie most likely wont even be invited, let alone be in attendance but I WOULD LOVE IT if he was. Cheers BJ, and btw LOVED your Canadian Podcast part One....eagerly awaiting part two!

RJhog (Classic Rock Bottom) said...

I really think that the RARHOF should be renamed the Pop Music Hall Of Fame. Like WallyG says, rap and disco are not rock 'n' roll. But they are/were very popular styles of music. But then you have to define rock 'n' roll. Are the blues a form of' rock 'n' roll? Who would actually be allowed in? How about Journey? I consider them a rock band, but weren't they really a pop band searching for hits through the late 70's and early 80's? Neal Schon would probably give his left nut to have a bonafide pop hit in 2013. What about The Beatles? Didn't they revolutionize pop music? Weren't they a rock band? And why punish pop artists that consider themselves rock bands? All they are doing is lookin' for a hit. That's what pop artists have been doing since the dawn of pop radio. Thing is, Wenner or whoever it is that started the RARHOF owns the trademark, so whatever he and his "board" say goes. The only way to fix this is for someone to start a true hall of fame. And promote it past this organization.

Brian J. Kramp said...

I don't know what definition of rock and roll would exclude Abba. I would assert that disco was rock and roll as well.

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