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defrogNow that I’ve posted the Kiss 45s, the next logical question is:
“How about the Ace Frehley solo song? Bet you had that one too.”
Yes I did.
As history has recorded, everyone in Kiss released a solo album at the same time in 1978. I’m not sure of the exact reasons for this – supposedly their 1976 contract with Casablanca included four solo albums, which would count as half an album each towards their five-album deal, so I guess it was about maximum exposure.
To be honest, I’ve never listened to any of them, so I can’t really tell you how they measure up to each other and to Kiss’ back catalogue. I don’t think I really made the association between this song and Kiss until a little later. (I said I liked Kiss at the time – I didn't say I’d memorized all the names of the band members.)
It’s pretty well understood that Frehley’s solo album was the most successful in terms of chart singles and sales (though that depends on whether yr asking Gene Simmons or someone other than Gene Simmons). They’ve all been certified platinum, and by some accounts have sold at least as many copies as Love Gun. In any case, Frehley was the only one to have a hit single – which, interestingly, was a cover version of a song recorded by glam-rock also-rans Hello, and written by Russ Ballard.
Which makes it the third time Ballard has been represented in this series.
Here’s the original.
Obviously Frehley didn’t take too many liberties with the formula.
Here I am in this city with a fistful of dollars,
This is dF
“How about the Ace Frehley solo song? Bet you had that one too.”
Yes I did.
As history has recorded, everyone in Kiss released a solo album at the same time in 1978. I’m not sure of the exact reasons for this – supposedly their 1976 contract with Casablanca included four solo albums, which would count as half an album each towards their five-album deal, so I guess it was about maximum exposure.
To be honest, I’ve never listened to any of them, so I can’t really tell you how they measure up to each other and to Kiss’ back catalogue. I don’t think I really made the association between this song and Kiss until a little later. (I said I liked Kiss at the time – I didn't say I’d memorized all the names of the band members.)
It’s pretty well understood that Frehley’s solo album was the most successful in terms of chart singles and sales (though that depends on whether yr asking Gene Simmons or someone other than Gene Simmons). They’ve all been certified platinum, and by some accounts have sold at least as many copies as Love Gun. In any case, Frehley was the only one to have a hit single – which, interestingly, was a cover version of a song recorded by glam-rock also-rans Hello, and written by Russ Ballard.
Which makes it the third time Ballard has been represented in this series.
Here’s the original.
Obviously Frehley didn’t take too many liberties with the formula.
Here I am in this city with a fistful of dollars,
This is dF
