You guys rock!! I wanted everyone to see all of this amazing artwork that listeners are sharing, this deserves all of our attention. I have also posted a few of the write ups as well. Amazing job, you blew my mind with all of the great ideas. (Tommy)- 1)Telescreen KISS - Radioactive Released September 18, 1978 Produced by Robert John Mutt Lange and Paul Stanley Highest Chart Position: 1978 - UK Top 40 - #1 1978 - US Billboard 200 - #2 1978 - Australian ARIA Albums Chart - #1 Sales: United States - RIAA - 12× Platinum Canada - CRIA - 10× Platinum United Kingdom - BPI - 2× Platinum Australia - ARIA - 4× Platinum (Side One) Wouldnt You Like to Know Me New York Groove Man of 1,000 Faces Tonight You Belong to Me Always Near You/Nowhere to Hide (Side Two) Rip It Out See You Tonite Its Alright You Matter to Me Goodbye Released as KISSs studio follow-up to Alive II, Radioactive spawned three hit singles from three different members and delivered the mainstream radio success that had eluded the band for over 4 years. Despite mixed to dismissive critical reviews, the album remains their highest charting, best selling album to date, and laid the groundwork for a more pop-oriented, if less successful, trajectory on following albums. The only album to feature all four original members and outside studio musicians on every track (at the insistence of co-producer Robert John Mutt Lange), Radioactive represents the plataeu of success and a high watermark never again matched in the bands prolific studio output. KISSs popularity reached a fever pitch in America (even among some formerly disapproving parents), and many have noted that by the time 1979s Dynasty hit the stores, despite a sleek pop veneer and their second hit disco single I Was Made For Lovin You, the band had nowhere to go but down. Fans of the band routinely cite Radioactive as the definitive KISS album, with all four members contributing strong material, and producer Lange giving most tracks a fully developed hard edge that went missing on successive efforts. Paul Stanley remarks, We had no idea when we called the album Radioactive that we would actually be regarded as radioactive in just a few years. Singles: New Your Groove (Ballard) - #13 Billboard While not the highest charting single at the time, New York Groove has proven to be one of the bands most enduring songs, and is still a staple at New York sporting events. Despite failing to chart, Rip It Out, Frehleys blistering rocker, would also become a well known heavy metal anthem. Tonight You Belong to Me (Stanley) - #11 Billboard Perhaps no other track on Radioactive benefited more from Langes impeccable production (which he would next put to work on AC/DCs Back in Black). The song is still in heavy rotation on classic rock stations. You Matter to Me (Poncia, Morgan, Vastano) - #2 Billboard No single in the KISS catalog did more to expand their audience as You Matter to Me. The surprise Peter Criss disco single rocketed to #2 on the charts, and garnered airplay on easy listening and top 40 stations alike. Often mistaken for a Rod Stewart track to this day, the song helped Radioactive find a home in the collections of millions of unlikely KISS fans, filed between their Elton John and Neil Diamond records. Longtime fans continue to reject the song, blaming it for the bands resulting Super KISS disco-pop period, and concertgoers stunned the band early on by turning to face the back of the arena any time they attempted to play it. The band and Lange had both rejected the song during recording, only to find Criss outside a window and threatening to jump if the track was not included and released as a single... and if Stevie Wonder was not secured to contribute keyboard parts. While Wonder was ultimately unavailable, Herbie Hancock made an appearance on the song. The success of the single and its accompanying inclusion in film soundtracks, combined with its utter incompatability with the bands genre, propelled Criss out of the band within a year. Note: Gene Simmons remained undiminished as the public face of KISS, but his failure to contribute a hit single on Radioactive is often cited as the impetus for what was then a new focus on acting and films. While Man of 1,000 Faces sports the usual Simmons bravado, See You Tonight seemed ready for radio, and the dark menace of Always Near You/Nowhere to Hide (often identified as the bands heaviest, most bone-crushing song prior to 1982s Creatures of the Night and the first true grunge song), the demon found himself alone in his lack of Billboard chart success. The album title came from a demo I brought in, which was consequently rejected by the band, says Simmons. We should have recorded that song. Trivia: The rare 45 rpm single promotional pressing for Tonight You Belong to Me contained an unreleased track as a B-side, Ace Frehleys excellent Whats On Your Mind. 2) Camerön Ghaffarian I guess that I did the homework early, as I typed a pretty long post on this subject last week as soon as you hinted as to what this episode would be about. However, after listening to the show on Spreaker yesterday, I found myself thinking that I should have waited, since Tommy and I had a similar idea. As such, I am going to paste some parts of what I had previously posted, followed by my fictional Kiss album, some notes and my thoughts on the show: Recently, I heard a batch of responses to a series of pre-determined interview questions used to promote the solo records. In his segment, Gene stated that the band would be following the solo discs with a double-album. Considering that Gene only contributed two tracks to Dynasty, he was clearly talking out of his ass, but the idea was in his head. A double-LP from Kiss may sound ridiculous, but does it sound as ridiculous as four simultaneously-released solo discs? Kiss have spent most of their existence trying to recapture or retain their success, but in 78, they were at their peak and looking to outdo themselves. If Neil Bogart had turned down the idea of releasing four solo records at the same time, it is likely that a double-album would have been a consideration/compromise. Inspired by this idea, I was finally able to put together my version of the non-existent group effort by making a lot of assumptions. As Gene has stated that his favorite Beatles record was The White Album (specifically for its variety), a double-disc from Kiss would lend itself to the nature of his solo material. Paul would likely want to use the opportunity to stretch out with his compositions, while countering the extravagance of Genes songs by delivering material that was closer to home. Ace would get more tracks on the record than usual, but it would be more out of the necessity to fill four sides than for the ass-kickery of his material. As far as Peter goes...he would get one ballad and one rock song, facing alterations of arrangements, lyrics and/or titles. KISS Together As One (or perhaps Fantasy Made Real) Side 1: Tonight You Belong To Me Burning Up With Fever Speedin Back To My Baby Wouldnt You Like To Know Me Thats The Kind Of Sugar Papa Likes Side 2: Rip It Out Move On Tunnel Of Love Ozone True Confessions Side 3: Radioactive See You Tonite Snow Blind Its Alright Take Me Away (Together As One) Side 4: Easy Thing New York Groove Always Near You/Nowhere To Hide Love In Chains Goodbye NOTES: The track selection is as close as I can get to what I think this two-disc set would have been like if it had actually been made from this material. It is not a reflection of my favorite cuts from the solo albums. Even if I could take on the role of the producer, I am certain that much would go the bands way (if I were to make it suit me, it could include anything else from Aces effort, as well as material that I cannot see making the cut, such as Aint Quite Right, Mr. Make Believe, Im Gonna Love You and I Cant Stop The Rain). Also, as was usual for the time period, Paul gets the first track, but for fun, each member gets to open a side. THOUGHTS ON THE SHOW: The idea of being the executive producer was an interesting premise. In fact, I am certain that both of your results are better than what would have come from an executive producer from Casablanca Records at the time (perhaps everything would have been disco-fied). Also, the decision to consider the perspective of a producer was a great way to both weed out the junk material and to salvage potential jewels (a helluva way to go with a What if...? scenario). However, it made me wonder if the band would have been willing to accept that kind of treatment in 78. Bob Kulick has stated that Jeff Glixman was a really nice guy, but that did not stop Paul from showing him the door. Perhaps the band would still be willing to take shit from Bob Ezrin, but anybody else might have ended up with a seven-inch leather heel up their ass. Something tells me that, no matter what, the follow-up to the Hanna-Barbera film was going to be excessive and ridiculous, but regardless of whatever path they chose, I agree that probably nothing would have fixed the situations within the group. If anything, the lack of the solo efforts would have cost Ace the attention and respect that he gained from his own. As always, thanks a lot for the show, guys.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 16:34:37 +0000