KISS – KISS 40
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 including Australia.
To celebrate their incredible 40-year recording career and their upcoming, long-overdue induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Universal Music have kicked off the celebration 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 double album KISS 40 compilation – with one track from every major album release, live selections and an unreleased demo from 1977.
And finally, 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.
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 double album featuring forty tracks spanning KISS’s incredible forty-year recording career. This set includes one track from every major album release (studio, Alive & 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,” “Beth,” “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 180g 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 40’ is available now.