KISS: Details Of Vinyl Remasters, '40' Compilation, 'Kissteria' Box Set Revealed

March 19, 2014 30 Comments

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of rock and roll giants KISS and in true KISS fashion, the band plan to make 2014 the biggest and loudest, non-stop rock and roll party of the century.

Rock legends KISS were the first signing to Neil Bogart's newly formed Casablanca Records label after he saw and recognized their talent and showmanship during their spectacular performance at a showcase concert at New York City's Le Tang's Ballet Studio in 1973, offering them a contract on the spot. Four decades after releasing their self-titled, major label debut, KISS will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April, proof of the unparalleled devotion and loyalty of the KISS Army to the "Hottest Band in the World" as they rallied together to have the band included in this year's induction ceremony.

Having earned 28 U.S. gold albums along with 40 million U.S. and 100 million in world sales, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, with longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, are stronger than ever with a legacy that continues to grow, generation after generation. Their last album, "Monster", proved that they are still at the top of their game with impressive sales and topping the charts worldwide debuting at No. 3 in the U.S. on the Billboard 200 best-selling albums chart and Top 10 in twenty other countries.

To celebrate their incredible 40-year recording career and their upcoming, long-overdue induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will kick off the celebration on April 1, 2014 with the first batch of 10 individual KISS remastered albums on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl with 18 more vinyl titles coming through the first half of 2014. In May, fans can look forward to a 2-CD "Kiss 40" compilation with one track from every major album release, live selections and an unreleased demo from 1977. And finally, starting today, the definitive KISS vinyl box set, "Kissteria - The Ultimate Vinyl Road Case", featuring 34 KISS LPs — including titles never before issued on vinyl, six exclusive albums to the box set and a plethora of collectibles only available in "Kissteria" will be available exclusively for D2C pre-order at Go to www.kissteria.kissonline.com.

Millions of people around the world originally discovered KISS when they brought home an album and put it on their turntable for the first time. Now, those original KISS albums will be available remastered and on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl prior to KISS' induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

A new compilation, "Kiss 40", a 2-CD set featuring forty tracks spanning KISS' incredible forty-year recording career. This set includes one track from every major album release (studio, "Alive" and hits collections) plus three live selections from the 2000 era and features the band's biggest songs including rock and roll anthems such as "Detroit Rock City", "Love Gun", "Beth", "Rock And Roll All Nite", "Psycho Circus", "Forever", "I Was Made For Lovin' You", "Lick It Up", "Heaven's On Fire" and "Hell Or Hallelujah". First time commercial CD release live recordings of "Deuce" (from 2004 tour), "Cold Gin" (from 2009 "Alive 35" tour), "Crazy Crazy Nights" (from 2010 "Sonic Boom Over Europe" tour) and the previously unreleased 1977 demo of "Reputation" round out the set for the KISS Army.

And for a ultimate KISS collector, with only 1000 copies being produced worldwide, "Kissteria - The Ultimate Vinyl Road Case" is a highly-collectible vinyl road case box set featuring 34 KISS LPs including nineteen studio albums, all five of the "Alive" releases, the four original KISS solo albums, each with exact replicas of the original inserts, plus six exclusive vinyl titles that will not be made available individually. All albums are pressed onto audiophile 180-gram vinyl and are newly remastered from the ultra-high definition Direct Stream Digital transfers from original analog tapes to bring out maximum fidelity of these iconic albums.

Exclusive "Kissteria" extras include eleven 11"x17" archival posters, including the band's very first promo poster; a KISS vinyl cleaning cloth; a KISS turntable mat; a set of KISS dominoes; four band lithographs highlighting four decades of the band; and a certificate of authenticity displaying the limited edition number for each of the individual box sets.

Forty years ago KISS released their eponymous debut album, which would propel the band to the top of the rock and roll hierarchy where they have reigned for the past four decades making the KISS legacy a global brand with more than 3,000 licensed merchandise products, including a recent partnership with the Arena Football League as owners of the Anaheim-based expansion team LA KISS.

KISS Vinyl

Release date: April 1, 2014

* Alive!
* Animalize
* Destroyer
* Dressed To Kill
* Dynasty
* Hotter Than Hell
* KISS
* Lick It Up
* Revenge
* Unmasked

Release date: May 6, 2014

* Asylum
* Creatures Of The Night
* Love Gun
* MTV Unplugged
* Psycho Circus *

Release date: May 27, 2014

* Rock And Roll Over
* Alive III
* Music From The Elder (first vinyl release in concept album sequence)
* Crazy Nights
* Hot In The Shade
* Alive: The Millennium Concert *
* Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions *

Release date: June 24, 2014

* Alive II
* Ace Frehley
* Gene Simmons
* Peter Criss
* Paul Stanley

* First Time on Vinyl

"Kiss 40"

Unless indicated, all selections are album versions

CD 1

01. Nothin To Lose
02. Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll
03. C'mon and Love Me
04. Rock And Roll All Nite (Live)
05. God Of Thunder (Demo)
06. Beth
07. Hard Luck Woman
08. Reputation (Demo) (previously unreleased)
09. Christine Sixteen
10. Shout It Out Loud (Live)
11. Strutter '78
12. You Matter To Me (Peter Criss)
13. Radioactive (Gene Simmons)
14. New York Groove (Ace Frehley)
15. Hold Me, Touch Me (Paul Stanley)
16. I Was Made For Lovin' You (Single Edit)
17. Shandi
18. A World Without Heroes
19. I Love It Loud
20. Down On Your Knees
21. Lick It Up
22. Heaven's On Fire

CD 2

01. Tears Are Falling
02. Reason To Live
03. Let's Put The X In Sex
04. Forever (Remix)
05. God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II
06. Unholy (Live)
07. Do You Love Me? (MTV Unplugged)
08. Room Service (Live)
09. Jungle (Radio Edit)
10. Psycho Circus
11. Nothing Can Keep Me From You
12. Detroit Rock City (Live)
13. Deuce (Live 2004) (previously unreleased commercially)
14. Firehouse (Live - 1999/2000)
15. Modern Day Delilah
16. Cold Gin (Live 2009) (previously unreleased commercially)
17. Crazy Crazy Nights (Live 2010) (previously unreleased commercially)
18. Hell Or Hallelujah

"Kissteria - The Vinyl Road Case"

Custom ANVIL Road Case to house 34 KISS LPs and a plethora of extras.

* KISS
* Hotter Than Hell
* Dressed To Kill - Includes Embossed Front & Back Jacket Covers
* Alive! - Includes 8 Page Color Booklet
* Destroyer
* Rock And Roll Over - Includes Sticker Sheet
* Love Gun - Includes Paper Gun with "Bang" Sheet
* Alive II - Includes Tattoo Sheet & 8 Page Color Booklet
* Ace Frehley (Solo Album) - Includes "Ace" Interlocking Poster
* Gene Simmons (Solo Album) - Includes "Gene" Interlocking Poster
* Peter Criss (Solo Album) - Includes "Peter" Interlocking Poster
* Paul Stanley (Solo Album) - Includes "Paul" Interlocking Poster
* Dynasty - 22" x 33" Poster
* Unmasked - 22" x 33" Poster
* Music From The Elder - First Vinyl Release in Concept Album Sequence
* Creatures Of The Night
* Lick It Up
* Animalize
* Asylum
* Crazy Nights
* Hot In The Shade
* Revenge
* Alive III
* MTV Unplugged - Includes 24" x 24" Poster
* Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions - First Vinyl Pressing Ever
* Psycho Circus - First Vinyl Pressing Ever will include a 12"x12" Lenticular Cover
* Alive: The Millennium Collection - First Vinyl Pressing Ever
* Monster

Exclusive vinyl titles for the Road Case:

* Double Platinum - Includes Embossed front & back jacket covers + Embossed platinum award insert
* Greatest Kiss - Includes First Vinyl Pressing Ever. Will combine all exclusive tracks used worldwide into one package
* Killers - Includes First U.S. Release Ever. Will combine both Japan and Australia track lists into one package
* You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best
* Smashes, Thrashes & Hits
* Kiss Symphony: Alive IV

Exclusive Bonus Items for Vinyl Box:

* Eleven 11"x17" Archival Posters in a poster tube:
* First Band Promo Poster
* Hotel Diplomat Concert Poster
* "Asylum" Promo Poster
* "Lick It Up" Promo Poster
* KISS 1984 Promo Poster
* "Alive III" Promo Poster
* "You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best" Promo Poster
* "Smashes, Thrashes & Hits" Promo Poster
* "MTV Unplugged" Promo Poster
* Live 1996 Tour Poster
* "Psycho Circus" Promo Poster
* KISS Vinyl Cleaning Cloth
* KISS Turntable Mat
* KISS Dominoes
* Four Band Photo Lithographs
* Certificate of Authenticity with Exclusive Box Number

The tune is a fairly straightforward rock song, with Summers' trademark angular riffing bringing to mind some of The Police's classic material. "Levitation" is the first single and lead track from Circa Zero's debut album, Circus Hero, which was released on March 25. A deluxe version of the album featuring a bonus DVD is available at Best Buy.

Giles, who began collaborating with Summers a while back after Andy saw him performing with his group The Rescues in Los Angeles, says he and the 71-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer bonded over the desire to make an accessible album.

"My goal is always to make something I'd like to drive around and listen to," Giles explains to USA Today. "He had the same attitude -- 'Let's just make a rock record that we love.'"

Circa Zero currently had no confirmed tour dates on its schedule, but fans can expect that to change soon. A message on the band's Twitter feed reads, "Maybe we are playing in Los Angeles in May?"

Modern American Music … Period!, released on CD, multicolored vinyl and via download, offers the unfettered 1974 Miami demo sessions for bassist Jaco Pastorius’ 1976 solo debut. These recordings, previously unissued in full, unedited form, have been in the possession of Jaco’s brother Gregory, as Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, a co-producer of the project, explains in the liner notes.

A lifelong fan, Trujillo has spent much of his time since Metallica's last album cycle shepherding and personally bankrolling new Pastorius projects. A documentary film, simply titled Jaco, is slated for release in November. And an album of never-before released Pastorius material, Modern American Music . . . Period! The Criteria Session, comes out Saturday on Omnivore Recordings. Both the movie and the album are official releases of this weekend.

It’ s safe to say that something special was created here. By fusing elements of funk, soul, jazz, pop, among others, Mad Satta provides the listener with a healthy yet compelling collage of juxtapositions, always providing something new to find and dissect on each listen. From the very start, Mad Satta gives the listener a lot to chew on. The first track on the EP, “Red Box” opens up with a simple guitar riff that instantly explodes into a hypnotic groove that you can’t help moving to; the rhythm section (Ben Carr- bass, Kevin Theodore- keys, Ted Morcaldi- guitar, Zane West- drums) lays down that robotic yet human pocket for Joanna (Joanna Teters-vocals) to soar over, which she does ever so soulfully. Not a minute of this track can be described as stagnant or boring; containing everything the listener would want, yet still leaving them wanting more…

MAD SATTA EP presents the listener with a appropriate balance of simplicity and intellectuality. The fourth track, “Beauty in Disguise” contains a pallet of dense harmony that beautifully projects that intellectual side of Mad Satta while simultaneously keeping that simple feel and approach. “Beauty in Disguise” also shows Mad Satta’s tasteful use of electronics. Personally, I would have liked to hear more of that.

While the performance by the musicians on the EP is dope, the production is also above par. Produced by Matt Hsuing and Ben Carr, mixed by Coran Henley, mastered by Carlos Perez De Anda, and vocal production by Drew Moore, MAD SATTA EP is also a record for producers to check out.

All in all, this release from Mad Satta will definitely be going on my iPod… simply due to it’s overwhelming amount of awesomeness.