IDK why, but Kiss has some of the coolest album art ever!!!!
Studio albums
KISS
-Feb. 18, 1974
-Debut album of the band. This album features a lot of the music Gene and Paul made as Wicked Lester
Hotter Than Hell
-Oct. 22, 1974
-The album is best known for its cover art. It features a very eye catching, striking Japanese manga-inspired picture of the band.
-During the recording of this in Los Angeles, Paul's guitar was stolen
Dressed to Kill
-March 19, 1975
-While the cover depicts the band in business suits, the only person who actually owned one was Peter Criss. The rest of the guys had suits lent to them by Bill Aucoin. The photo was taken at the southwest corner of 23rd street and 8th avenue looking north
Destroyer
-March 15, 1976
-This album marked a point in Kiss history when they would go away from their normal heavy metal sound and include more harmonic sounds, like an orchestra
Rock and Roll Over
-Nov. 11, 1976
-In order to get good sound on his drums, Peter Criss recorded his drum solos in a bathroom and kept in contact with the other band members via video link. But he had fun with the people watching these TVs, by putting pieces of paper in front of the screens with images of flying saucers or monsters. Also, a poster of the album is briefly seen in the movie Monsters University
Love Gun
-June 30, 1977
-The last album to have the original lineup of Kiss. Peter Criss would be replaced by drummer Anton Fig on the album Dynasty.
Dynasty
-May 23, 1979
-South African-born drummer Anton Fig replaced Peter Criss on this album, who was suffering from injuries to his hands. This album also produced their first disco themed song "I Was Made For Loving You", to cash in on the whole disco craze that was sweeping the nation then
Unmasked
-May 20, 1980
-The last studio album to feature Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss or Ace Frehley until the band reunited
Music from "The Elder"
-Nov. 16, 1981
-For the first time, an album was released with out featuring the band on the cover. This album did not do so well, as it featured multiple kinds of instruments, including harps. The costumes were also different, along with the hairstyles, for Stanley and Simmons in particular. Gene's hair, which was normally long, was cut very short and Stanley's hair was wrapped in a headband
Creatures of the Night
-Oct. 13, 1982
-Was dedicated to Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart, who died of cancer during the recording sessions. This album promised a return to the hard rock sound they were known for. During this time, Eddie Van Halen of the hard rock band Van Halen wanted to join up with Kiss, due to heated tension between him and singer David Lee Roth
Lick It Up
-Sept. 18, 1983
-On the day of the album's release, the band appeared on MTV without makeup. This is the first album with replacement Vinnie Vincent. Soon, tensions between Vincent and the rest of the band started building. Vincent took long guitar solos, leaving Simmons and Stanley clueless as to when to start playing
Animalize
-Sept. 13, 1984
-At the time, Gene was doing a little acting, leaving his good buddy Paul in charge of the band. This album marked the only appearance of Mark St. John, who would play guitar in place of Frehley. Soon after, he was diagnosed with Reiter's Syndrome, leaving him unable to play guitar
Asylum
-Sept. 16, 1985
-This album marked a new lineup: Paul Stanley, Bruce Kulick, Gene Simmons and Eric Carr. This would last until Carr's death in 1991. The colors on the lips mimic the colors used on the 1978 solo releases: red for Simmons, purple for Stanley, blue for the lead guitarist, which in this case would be Bruce Kulick, and green for the drummer, here it's Carr, not Criss
Crazy Nights
-Sept. 18, 1987
-This album marked a venture into a light metal sound. And Paul Stanley got tired of Simmons lack of commitment and he told him one day "We were in the parking lot one day, and I said to Gene: "Look – you're off doing all these other things while still reaping the benefits of this band, and I'm getting screwed. It's not fair for me to put in this kind of time, while somebody else who is supposed to be my partner, is not." And Gene looked at me and said: "That's fair." I could have used Gene's input. But my attitude at that point was that I certainly wasn't going to listen to a guy who's off managing cabaret singers, and producing five bands, while I was trying to make an album"
Hot in the Shade
-Oct. 17, 1989
-First album to feature Carr, especially him singing on "Little Caesar". In the video for "Rise To It" Gene and Paul are in makeup once again; the video takes place in 1975, but the costumes are era-incorrect. Gene is in Unmasked (1980) era costume while Paul was in Love Gun(1977) era costume
Revenge
-May 19, 1992
-The band's first album after the death of Eric Carr, and the first album with replacement drummer Eric Singer. The year this album was made, the band was approached by the producers of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure to record a song, "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You", which was originally done by English rock band Argent. Kiss' original plan was for Singer to play drums until Carr could come back. On the song featured above, Carr sang it and in the photo shoot, had to wear a wig since he lost all his hair due to the chemotherapy
Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
-Oct. 28, 1997
-The band's final album with Bruce Kulick. Two former members of Black 'N Blue played on here. Vocalist Jamie St. James co-wrote "In My Head" and guitarist Tommy Thayer played on "Childhood's End"
Psycho Circus
-Sept. 22, 1998
-Features a 3D cover switching from the Kiss logo to a clown
Sonic Boom
-Oct. 6, 2009
-The first album to be released with the new lineup of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer
Monster
-Oct. 9, 2012
-Produced by Paul Stanley. According to Simmons, this album is a combination of the Destroyer, Revenge, Sonic Boom albums
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