ALBUM OF THE WEEK #178 GENE SIMMONS - GENE SIMMONS (1978 - 35TH ANNIVERSARY)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Gene Simmons

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: United States

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No

Album: Gene Simmons 

Released: 1978

Producer: Gene Simmons/Sean Delaney

Disclaimer:  All "facts" come from wikipedia.com unless otherwise noted.

So Scott says Jon and I are stuck in the South but we should be celebrating Halloween. Well, I'll celebrate Halloween with the most dressed as rock star ever.  It's the Demon, which screams Halloween as well.  You know you've dressed as Gene at least once on Halloween.  You enjoyed doing the makeup.  But the costume was more difficult.  Especially the boots.  But you did it.  And so did your friends.  People, kids and adults, still do it.  Gene was a down right scary creature back in 1978.  Until this album came out.  Then he lost his edge.  But this album is better than you think.  And you all have Scott to blame for having to listen to it this week.  

• This album was one of four solo albums released, one by each band member, on September 18, 1978.  
• Gene didn't play much bass at all on the album.  He did contribute guitar work.
• The guest list is a veritable who's who: Joe Perry, Bob Seger, Rick Nielsen, Cher, Katy Sagal (Peg Bundy), Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Donna Summer, Helen Reddy, Janis Ian and Michael Des Barres.
• Gene wanted John and Paul from the Beatles, but had to settle for Mitch Weissman and Joe Pecorino from Beatlemania ( a Beatles tribute I believe).
• See You In Your Dreams was re-recorded as Gene didn't like the way it came out on Rock And Roll Over (RARO's version is much better if you ask me).
• The album reached #22 on the Billboard chart, the highest of the four solo albums.
• It is certified Platinum by the RIAA.
• Radioactive reached #47 on the pop chart.
• Burning Up With Fever is vastly underrated.  One of the female backing vocalists really sounds like Baby Jean Kennedy from Mother's Finest.
• How 'bout that Beatles vibe in See You Tonite and Mr. Make Believe?
• Hmmm.  I wonder what Tunnel Of Love is about?
• Although I personally think the first half of the record is better than the second half, the only real missteps for me are the re-recorded See You In Your Dreams and When You Wish Upon A Star (don't get me wrong, Gene does a great job on it vocally, but it's really out of place for the DEMON).  And although the album isn't up to the level that Ace Frehley and Paul Stanley's solo albums, it beats the crap out of Peter Criss' album.

Side One:

1. Radioactive

2. Burning Up With Fever

3. See You Tonite

4. Tunnel Of Love

5. True Confessions

 

Side Two:

6. Living In Sin

7. Always Near You/Nowhere To Hide

8. Man Of 1,000 Faces

9. Mr. Make Believe

10. See You In Your Dreams

11. When You Wish Upon A Star

 

[Scott]

From his X-Ray eyes

[Jon]

 "You know you've dressed as Gene at least once on Halloween.  You enjoyed doing the makeup.  But the costume was more difficult.  Especially the boots.  But you did it.  And so did your friends."

Ummm....no. Not once did I even think about dressing up as a member of Kiss. Never have and never will. Unless it's Kiss during "The Elder" phase. That wold be cool. Hell, I would even dress up as someone from "The Elder" movie.  

Wow, I have never heard a countup so out of place at the beginning of a song. Until now.

"True Confessions" sounds like something from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Not really a good movie so this song would fit in perfectly.

Oh boy. Now he's talking. Oh double boy. This is bad. "Living In Sin" is now the worst song on this album.

My one question (right now), is what was he thinking? And you say Peter Criss' album is WORSE than this? Is that possible?

I have to pause this. My bladder is full.

Whew.

Is he singing out of tune on "Always Near You"? Or is he just trying to sound sexy?

On the previous song there was a nice bass "blump". Yeah, that's the only good thing I can say about this album at this moment.

And then the high pitched singing followed by higher-pitched singing. NICE!

Something must have happened. "Man Of 1,000 Faces" must have played because I'm now on track 9. I don't get a Beatles vibe from it, I get a 70's soft rock vibe. Something that The Captain & Tennille could have made into a monster hit.

Cowbell?

#10 isn't too bad. THat's two songs in a row that are pretty decent. I dread hearing the last track......

Yes. Jeez. You have got to be kidding.

So, he finished this album and thought it was good? Really? This makes Frehley's album look like one of the greatest albums ever. Wow. I'm sorry, but this was mostly horrid. 

I'm listening to that countup part again. Now it's funny. Because it's bad.

Sorry Rjhog, this just did nothing for me except for those two songs.

Oh......THANKS, SCOTT!

[Scott]

For whatever reason, I was immediately drawn to Aces and Paul's releases. So they were purchased first. Wisely so, and I think most kiss fans did the exact same thing. Both of which get played considerably often still to this day...

My original intent was to go back and pick up this and peters at a later date, that date has yet to come. The only buzz about genes album was the When You Wish upon a Star tune, that I recall anyway. And that did little to help me want this.

Through the years I've heard several cuts from this, Radioactive obviously was intended to be the hit song, and then See you Tonite when unplugged was broadcast, and the retake of See You in Your Dreams, which I agree was not as good as the original. Other than that this is entirely new to me.

Long story short... It's a rough listen and not that interesting beyond the tracks I've already mentioned. However, I will give you kudos for hitting the Halloween theme nicely and adding an entry to my 70s column in this month challenge