I’m still reeling over Ace Frehley’s passing, so I haven’t gotten around to writing anything on that yet. But his music lives on. Dressed To Kill has always been my favorite KISS album. It has the clearest crispest sound, great energy, great attitude, and incredible songs. So when the 50th Anniversary Box set was announced (on the best of days, but also the worst of days), it was a must have. I got the digital version as I am waiting for the price on the actual box set to come down.
We all know the album. It’s amazing. But there’s quite a few bonuses here. Including a disk of demos, outtakes, and alt versions. And not one, but TWO of the concerts that were recorded on this tour for the Alive! album.
In regards to the demos, outtakes, and alt version disk: First up is a song called “Mistake”. Total country-ish song. It’s like Garth Brooks. I can see why it was left off the album. It totally doesn’t fit with “Dressed To Kill”. It’s a little bit like “Hard Luck Woman”, but not as good, and goes on for quite a bit. Repetitive. Still, it’s a good song nonetheless. Just out of place. Even more out of place with a honky tonk ending. But it’s just not really “KISS”.
The other new demo song is the song they released as a teaser for this box set. “Burning Up With Fever”, a song that was later released on Gene Simmons’ solo album. This earlier version is a groovy version of the song with some smokin’ leads from Ace. Still, while a good song (like “Mistake”), it seems a little out of place in the classic KISS world.
The demo for “Rock n Roll All Nite” is pretty rockin’! Some different handclaps in there. I like it.
The demo for “Anything For My Baby” is like the “Rock n Roll All Nite” demo in that it’s slightly different version than what we’re used to. Not as well recorded as the actual album track, but hey, that what demos are for: laying down the song before going into the studio to make it better.
Rounding up the demos are two more versions of “Rock n Roll All Nite”. One is a “party version” which has some voices from a “party” in the background throughout the whole song. Totally unnecessary. Sounds just like the demo but with a bunch of people talking over it. The other version is an “alt vocal take” version, which seems like it has more cowbell, more drumbeats and different dual background vocals. But one thing’s for sure: you can tell they put a lot of work while writing and recording this song to make it the classic anthem that it is.
The extended outtake of “Room Service” is different! Seems more like a demo, as it has some different lyrics thrown in there and is quite different than the album. Longer guitar solo too. Seems like an alt take, rather than an extended outtake. The engineer says “I think you can do better” at the end. And they did.
The “Two Timer” alt mix is a more acoustic version. Wouldn’t have been out of place being on Unplugged. It’s not a different mix. It’s a completely different version.
“Ladies In Waiting” (alt ending) is actually as advertised! Basically the same version with some differences in the guitar solo sound and a longer fade out.
“Cmon And Love Me” alt mix takes out the guitars we’re so used to, and like “Two Timer”, is more of an acoustic version.
“Anything For My Baby” (alt mix) is again, an acoustic version.
At this point, I’m beginning to wonder if all these “alt mixes” are just the electric guitars taken out with some newly re-recorded acoustic guitars. It’s hard to believe they tried all these takes of songs with acoustic guitars at the time, when the band was known for being a completely hard rock band.
“Love Her All I Can” (alt mix)… yep. Acoustic, for the most part. They just took out the electric guitars and added acoustic guitars. Seems out of place.
“Two Timer” extended alt mix actually sounds like a completely different recording. A little more mellow than the album version. Pretty cool.
“Anything For My Baby” extended alt mix is actually that! Sounds like a “first take” they did when recording the album.
“Rock n Roll All Nite super fast outtake” is not really “super fast”. It is faster, but not really fast for the verses, but then speeds up a bit for the chorus. If anything, it sounds like the version on Alive! without the audience.
The instrumental outtakes of the album are just that: the album without vocals, with the exception of RnR All Nite which sounds like a different take. Some differences here and there. No fadeouts. Kind of cool. They also highlight how great of a drummer that Peter Criss is.
And now for what we’re REALLY interested in: TWO vintage live shows that have been newly remixed from a series of five professionally recorded concerts that were recently found. These aren’t some cheap ass audience recordings. These are the real thing. And we get two of them! Any KISS fan should be extremely grateful to have these newly released recordings! Both shows were the first two of 5 shows that were recorded for KISS Alive!, and I’m assuming the other 3 will be used for the Alive! box set which is expected to be announced next month.
First up is Cobo Hall in Detroit, 5/16/75 in front of a sold out crowd of over 12,000 people, which was pretty impressive for a band of their stature at this time in their career. They didn’t really explode in popularity until Alive! came out, but the people in Detroit knew what was up! This is a totally different setlist from what they were known for doing at the time, opening up the show with “Rock Bottom”, the only time they have ever done that. And it also includes “Two Timer” and “Let Me Know”. Unfortunately, with the digital version, we’re missing half of this show. I don’t know if that’s an error with the listings or something that was done to get people to buy the box set. But this is KISS warts and all, and there’s hardly any warts, despite what internet naysayers like to proclaim. Yeah, there’s some sloppiness here and there, but that’s the beauty of live concerts. I just wish this wasn’t incomplete.
The other set is from Davenport Iowa, 7/20/75, and one of two shows that were recorded there this night. Much smaller audience than the Detroit show with 4,673 total people attending both of these shows, so they probably played to a little over 2,300 people at this one. This is more like the version of Alive! that we’re used to with the song presentation and energy. They had a couple months of gigs between these shows to get the songs and banter down, and it shows.
All in all, this is an excellent box set.
🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
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