Showing posts with label carnival of souls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carnival of souls. Show all posts

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Albums Unleashed Carnival of Souls w/Toby Wright Part 2 - Ep180

0 comments
We're back this week to talk about the second half of a very polarizing album.

Chris and Aaron return this week with the second part of their discussion with producer Toby Wright for Albums Unleashed - Carnival of Souls. Covering the second half of this controversial KISS album, Toby shares his memories of the tracking and mixing of the songs including the Gene Simmons-sung 'In My Head,' which was written by Gene along with Scott Van Zen and Jaime St. James of Black n' Blue. In this section of the discussion, Wright remembers pushing Simmons and bandmate Paul Stanley to record harmony vocals in the vein of Alice in Chains members Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley; and how the attempt would fall short by comparison.

Another track discussed in this hour-plus special is 'I Confess.' Wright reflects on a tense recording session involving a string section that was brought in to add a dark feel to the songs and how he had to get the classically-trained musicians to break convention to pull off the sound he was after.

Other tracks covered in this Albums Unleashed special include the psychadelic-tinged 'In the Mirror,' the Black Sabbath-inspired track 'It Never Goes Away,' and one of the most unusual tracks in the KISS catalog; the Middle-Eastern sounding 'Seduction of the Innocent,'

Most notably, however, is the discussion of the debut (and lone) KISS vocal of guitarist Bruce Kulick. This track had quite a history as Wright explains the numerous permutations it would take on during the tracking process (including a lead vocal take from Simmons). This track's autobiographical nature would play out as life would later imitate art in the form of the KISS reunion and guitarist Kulick and drummer Eric Singer would wind up unemployed.

Toby Wright goes into great detail in this discussion of how Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley called a meeting during the overdub sessions for Carnival of Souls to break the news that they had been solicited with a multi-million dollar offer to put on the greasepaint and reunite with original KISS drummer and guitarist Peter Criss and Ace Frehley; respectively.

The effect of the reunion announcement would have a catastrophic effect on the album; as it was immediately shelved by Mercury Records, leaked on the internet, and then, with very little fanfare, released by the record label in October of 1997.

The Decibel Geek Podcast wants to thank Toby Wright for giving so much time in discussing a controversion, yet bittersweet, album in his massively successful discography. We hope you enjoy this 2 part Albums Unleashed special on KISS' Carnival of Souls.

More Toby Wright!

Official Website

More COS Info!

Bruce Kulick COS Retrospective


Geeks of the Week:
Devin Fox, Rob Harris, David Alpizar, Craig Cohen, Warren Money, Marc Alden Taylor, Shane Hebert, Mark Lo, James Brendon Dunn, Robin Bennett ($20.00 donation), Allen Tate, Brad Kalmanson, Mike Blount, Derik Novak, Colin Francis, Justin Hayes, Joe Lascon, Corey Nowlin, PJ Brown, Brent Walter, Ian Wadley (Rock & Metal Combat Podcast), Dan Chaput, Jeff Hogland, Ryan Sessions, Wally Norton, Eddie Golatka, Brandt Cattell, Mike Stewart, Brian Knapp, RAW Magazine, Hot Metal Magazine, Loudmouth, Faces Rocks Magazine, Steve Cunningham, hoops, Jack Broad, Shawn Franklin, Stephen Atchison, Rockorama, Joel Hebensperger, Nick Rose, MusicMagsAndWax, Joel DeLorge, Toby Wright


Contact Us!

Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes
Join the Facebook Fan Page
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Instagram
Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 324-3351

Support Us!

Shop on Amazon!---------->>>>>>>>>
(a percentage of sales from that link to the right goes back to supporting Decibel Geek!)

Stream Us!



Comment Below

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Albums Unleashed - KISS Carnival of Souls Pt 1 w/Toby Wright

0 comments

We wanted to get into something polarizing and divisive this week. Mission accomplised...

Famed producer Toby Wright sits down with Chris and Aaron this week for part 1 of a 2 part Albums Unleashed special covering KISS' 1997 release Carnival of Souls.

Shelved in early 1996 by Mercury Records due to KISS taking a left turn at Reunionville, Carnival of Souls leaked shortly thereafter and was bootlegged in large numbers necessitating an official release in October of 1997.

In this hour-plus part 1 episode, Toby Wright recounts his initial meetings with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley about the "new direction" in which the band was deciding to head, his impressions of the songs being written for the album, and the tracking of basic tracks. The track by track discussion in this episode includes Toby's memories of the creation of songs 'Hate,' 'Rain,' 'Master & Slave,' 'Childhoods End,' ' I Will Be There,' and 'Jungle.' Discussion of tension between Simmons & Stanley over arrangements is also included as well as Wright's memories of a tense mixing session with Simmons in regards to his bass part in one of the songs and how, due to the co-production credit on the album, politics and diplomacy had to be in delicate balance.

It's the first half of deep talk about one of KISS' most polarizing albums; with many members of the KISS Army either loving it or hating it. We hope you enjoy Albums Unleashed - Carnival of Souls with Toby Wright.
Toby Wright @Work

EDITOR NOTE: Much of the source material for questions presented in this 2 part special from Bruce Kulick's fantastic Carnival of Souls Retrospective. Click HERE to check it out!




More Toby Wright!

Official Website

Buy Music!
(click artist name to purchase via Amazon)

KISS

Contact Us!

Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes
Join the Facebook Fan Page
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Instagram
Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 324-3351

Support Us!

Shop on Amazon!---------->>>>>>>>>
(a percentage of sales from that link to the right goes back to supporting Decibel Geek!)

Stream Us!


Comment Below

Direct Download
Blogger Template by Clairvo