Alive II
Encyclopedia
Alive II is a 1977 live album from Kiss
. It is the group's eighth album and second live album.
Most of the live tracks on Alive II were recorded during the band's August 26–28 residency at the Los Angeles Forum while on the Love Gun
tour. The 3:00 PM soundchecks at the August 26 & 27 shows were recorded, and later used on the album (i.e. "Tomorrow And Tonight") with crowd noise being dubbed in later. "Beth" and "I Want You" were lifted from the aborted Japanese live album and used on the finished Alive II.
As the band did not want to duplicate songs included on Alive!, the songs chosen for the three live sides of the album were all drawn from Kiss' three preceding studio albums - Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over
and Love Gun
.
On the original double album, the songs on side 4 (tracks #6-10 on the second CD) are studio tracks. Although Ace Frehley was originally credited for lead guitar on the studio tracks, the remastered version released in 1997 confirmed what had been speculated by Kiss fans for years - Bob Kulick
actually played lead guitar on three tracks ("All American Man", "Rockin' In The U.S.A." and "Larger Than Life"), not Frehley. Frehley's sole involvement for the studio songs was "Rocket Ride
" which he originally wrote for a solo album; Ace sang the lead vocals and played both the guitar and bass on this song . Paul Stanley played all guitars on "Anyway You Want It
" which was originally recorded by the Dave Clark Five in 1965.
s in a cartoon-style. The tattoos depicted the band logo, Kiss Army logo, band member heads, member signatures and symbols. The symbols were meant to represent the four personas of the group and included a skull and crossbones for Simmons, a rose
and star with eye for Stanley, a Saturn
-like planet and block print-style 'ACE' for Frehley and a drum and cat's head for Criss. The rose and 'ACE' are copies of Stanley and Frehley's actual tattoos, respectively.
A merchandise order form was also included with the album. It listed an array of official Kiss merchandise, as well as a chance to "enlist" in the Kiss Army.
Jacket sleeve, picture of crazed KISS fans, in a confetti storm and, "GOLD and PLATINUM" shows the records that were released, in that time frame.
KISS were well known for their Live Albums and performances and KISS Alive II proved that the band could put on a great performance Live.
Most recently, Alive II was re-released in 2006 as part of the Kiss Alive! 1975-2000
box set (also featuring Alive!, Alive III
and Alive! The Millennium Concert). It includes Rock And Roll All Nite
(Single Edit Version) as a bonus track. The short running-time of Alive II allowed for a single CD edition in this latest release.
Several early copies of the album's cover feature a rare misprint of 3 additional songs ("Take Me," "Hooligan," and "Do You Love Me") with a slightly altered song order. None of these additional songs, however, appear on the LP. On this misprint, "Take Me" is after "Detroit Rock City," with "King of the Night Time World" appearing after "Ladies Room" on Side 1. Side 2 features "Hooligan" after the song "Shock Me," which is placed after "Hard Luck Woman." On Side 3, "Do You Love Me" appears after "God of Thunder," with "Beth" sandwiched between "I Want You" and "Shout It Out Loud." "Hooligan" and "Take Me" were performed on the Love Gun Tour of 1977, and "Do You Love Me" was performed on the Japanese tour of 1977 making their consideration for inclusion with the second live album possible.
with
Singles – Billboard (North America)
Singles – Billboard (Canada)
International album charts
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. It is the group's eighth album and second live album.
The songs
The origins of Alive II go back to early 1977 when the band's manager, Bill Aucoin, had the idea to have Eddie Kramer record a live album during the evening show at Budokan Hall in Tokyo on April 2, 1977. The plan was to release a live album to give KISS some much deserved time off before recording the album that would become Love Gun later that Fall. Kramer finished work on the album, but Casablanca Records and KISS deemed it unusable, and the band forged ahead with the Love Gun sessions.Most of the live tracks on Alive II were recorded during the band's August 26–28 residency at the Los Angeles Forum while on the Love Gun
Love Gun
Love Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss. It was certified platinum on June 30, 1977, just two weeks after the album's release....
tour. The 3:00 PM soundchecks at the August 26 & 27 shows were recorded, and later used on the album (i.e. "Tomorrow And Tonight") with crowd noise being dubbed in later. "Beth" and "I Want You" were lifted from the aborted Japanese live album and used on the finished Alive II.
As the band did not want to duplicate songs included on Alive!, the songs chosen for the three live sides of the album were all drawn from Kiss' three preceding studio albums - Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over
Rock and Roll Over
-Personnel:*Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar , vocals*Gene Simmons - bass guitar, vocals, rhythm guitar on "Ladies Room"*Ace Frehley - lead guitar, backing vocals*Peter Criss - drums, percussion, vocals-Charts:-Certifications:...
and Love Gun
Love Gun
Love Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss. It was certified platinum on June 30, 1977, just two weeks after the album's release....
.
On the original double album, the songs on side 4 (tracks #6-10 on the second CD) are studio tracks. Although Ace Frehley was originally credited for lead guitar on the studio tracks, the remastered version released in 1997 confirmed what had been speculated by Kiss fans for years - Bob Kulick
Bob Kulick
Bob Kulick is an American guitarist and Grammy Award-winning record producer, best known for his studio work with Kiss. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and is the older brother of former Kiss lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, whom he suggested Kiss hire....
actually played lead guitar on three tracks ("All American Man", "Rockin' In The U.S.A." and "Larger Than Life"), not Frehley. Frehley's sole involvement for the studio songs was "Rocket Ride
Rocket Ride (song)
"Rocket Ride" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss originally featured on their 1977 album Alive II. A studio recording written by Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and Sean Delaney, it was the second Kiss single to feature Frehley on lead vocals, and peaked at #39 on the American Billboard Hot...
" which he originally wrote for a solo album; Ace sang the lead vocals and played both the guitar and bass on this song . Paul Stanley played all guitars on "Anyway You Want It
Anyway You Want It (Dave Clark Five)
Anyway You Want It is a single by The Dave Clark Five from the US album Coast To Coast . It hit number #25 in the UK and #14 in the US...
" which was originally recorded by the Dave Clark Five in 1965.
Promotional items
The original vinyl issue of Alive II was a 2LP set, in a gatefold sleeve, with picture LP-liners. Continuing the Kiss tradition of including promotional items with their albums, Alive II was packaged with a full color booklet entitled "The Evolution of Kiss" and a set of temporary transfer tattooTattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
s in a cartoon-style. The tattoos depicted the band logo, Kiss Army logo, band member heads, member signatures and symbols. The symbols were meant to represent the four personas of the group and included a skull and crossbones for Simmons, a rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
and star with eye for Stanley, a Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
-like planet and block print-style 'ACE' for Frehley and a drum and cat's head for Criss. The rose and 'ACE' are copies of Stanley and Frehley's actual tattoos, respectively.
A merchandise order form was also included with the album. It listed an array of official Kiss merchandise, as well as a chance to "enlist" in the Kiss Army.
Jacket sleeve, picture of crazed KISS fans, in a confetti storm and, "GOLD and PLATINUM" shows the records that were released, in that time frame.
KISS were well known for their Live Albums and performances and KISS Alive II proved that the band could put on a great performance Live.
Re-release
Alive II was issued as a 2CD set in what has now become known as a 'fatboy' 2CD case. When the Kiss back-catalog was remastered it was housed in a slimline 2CD case and, in keeping with the rest of the reissue program, had the artwork restored. This included the set of tattoos. The booklet 'The Evolution Of Kiss' and the picture-liners were now incorporated as part of the CD booklet.Most recently, Alive II was re-released in 2006 as part of the Kiss Alive! 1975-2000
Kiss Alive! 1975-2000
Kiss Alive! 1975–2000 is a collection of live recordings from American hard rock band Kiss. It was released by Universal Music on November 21, 2006....
box set (also featuring Alive!, Alive III
Alive III
"Take It Off" originally was a bonus track on the Japanese, European and South American CD releases and the US vinyl release only, being placed between "Forever" and "I Love It Loud"...
and Alive! The Millennium Concert). It includes Rock And Roll All Nite
Rock and Roll All Nite
"Rock and Roll All Nite" is a song by Kiss, originally released on their 1975 album Dressed to Kill. It was released as the A-side of their fifth single, with the album track "Getaway." The studio version of the song peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard singles chart, besting the band's previous...
(Single Edit Version) as a bonus track. The short running-time of Alive II allowed for a single CD edition in this latest release.
Side one
- "Detroit Rock CityDetroit Rock City (song)"Detroit Rock City" is a song by the American hard rock group Kiss featured on their 1976 album, Destroyer. The song was written by Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin and is about a real Kiss fan who was killed in a car accident on his way to a Kiss concert...
" (Paul StanleyPaul StanleyStanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
, Bob EzrinBob EzrinRobert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
) – 3:58- Recorded at The ForumThe Forum (Inglewood, California)The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
, Los Angeles, CALos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, August 25–28, 1977
- Recorded at The Forum
- "King of the Night Time World" (Stanley, Ezrin, Kim FowleyKim FowleyKim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
, Mark Anthony) – 3:06- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA August 25–28, 1977
- "Ladies Room" (Gene SimmonsGene SimmonsGene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
) – 3:11- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–28, 1977
- "Makin' Love" (Stanley, Sean Delaney) – 3:13
- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–28, 1977
- "Love GunLove Gun (song)"Love Gun" is a song by the American hard rock band KISS released on their 1977 album of the same name. The B-side is the album track "Hooligan", a song written by drummer Peter Criss.The secret to the musical longevity of Kiss is its ability to marry the sonic muscle of hard rock to songs full of...
" (Stanley) – 3:34- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–28, 1977
Side two
- "Calling Dr. LoveCalling Dr. Love"Calling Dr. Love" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, originally released on their 1976 album Rock and Roll Over. The song was written by Kiss bassist/lead vocalist Gene Simmons at a Holiday Inn in Evansville, Indiana. It was the second single released from the album, and the group's...
" (Simmons) – 3:32- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–28, 1977
- "Christine SixteenChristine Sixteen"Christine Sixteen" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss. The song originally appeared on their 1977 album Love Gun. Released as a single in the United States in 1977, the single peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year, and would do well in Canada, peaking at number...
" (Simmons) – 2:45- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–28, 1977
- "Shock MeShock Me"Shock Me" is a song released by American hard rock band Kiss on their 1977 album Love Gun. It was written by lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who made his lead vocal debut on the track. The song was inspired by an event that took place during Kiss' Rock and Roll Over tour, when Frehley was nearly...
" (Ace FrehleyAce FrehleyPaul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
) – 5:51- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–28, 1977
- "Hard Luck WomanHard Luck Woman"Hard Luck Woman" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss and the lead single from their 1976 album, Rock and Roll Over. The song was originally written by Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley as a possible track for Rod Stewart, but when Stewart showed no interest in singing it, Kiss decided to keep...
" (Stanley) – 3:06- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJPassaic, New JerseyPassaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
and Electric Lady StudiosElectric Lady StudiosElectric Lady Studios, at 52 West 8th Street, in New York City's Greenwich Village, is a recording studio originally built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by John Storyk in 1970...
, New York City, NYNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, September 1977
- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ
- "Tomorrow and Tonight" (Stanley) – 3:20
- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ and Electric Lady Studios, NYC, NY, September 1977
Side three
- "I Stole Your Love" (Stanley) – 3:36
- Recorded at soundcheck, The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–26, 1977
- "BethBeth (song)"Beth" is a song by Kiss, originally released on their 1976 album, Destroyer. To date, it is their highest-charting single, reaching #7 on Billboard's American charts. It is one of only two Gold selling singles for the band , and their first of two Top Ten singles...
" (Peter CrissPeter CrissGeorge Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
, Ezrin, Stan Penridge) – 2:24- Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan, April 2, 1977
- "God of ThunderGod of Thunder (song)"God of Thunder" is a heavy metal song by the group Kiss from their album Destroyer. The song has also been featured on many of Kiss's live albums, including an up-tempo version on Alive II. Many various sound effects were used to make the song including explosions, clapping, zippers, overdubbed...
" (Stanley) – 5:16- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA August 25–28, 1977
- "I Want You" (Stanley) – 4:14
- Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan, April 2, 1977
- "Shout It Out LoudShout It Out Loud (KISS song)"Shout It Out Loud" is a song by the American hard rock group Kiss originally released on their 1976 album, Destroyer.-Overview:Released as a single in 1976, the band and their record company, Casablanca Records, were trying to cash in on the success of their previous single, the live version of...
" (Stanley, Simmons, Ezrin) – 3:37- Recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA, August 25–28, 1977
Side four
(New studio tracks)- "All American Man" (Stanley, Sean DelaneySean Delaney (KISS)Prentice John Delaney Jr. , better known as Sean Delaney, was an American musician, producer, road manager and songwriter, best known for his work with the rock band KISS from the early 1970s until the early 1980s...
) – 3:13 (Lead vocals – Paul Stanley)- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ and Electric Lady Studios, NYC, NY, September 1977
- "Rockin' in the U.S.A." (Simmons) – 2:44 (Lead vocals – Gene Simmons)
- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ and Electric Lady Studios, NYC, NY, September 1977
- "Larger Than Life" (Simmons) – 3:55 (Lead vocals – Gene Simmons)
- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ and Electric Lady Studios, NYC, NY, September 1977
- "Rocket RideRocket Ride (song)"Rocket Ride" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss originally featured on their 1977 album Alive II. A studio recording written by Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and Sean Delaney, it was the second Kiss single to feature Frehley on lead vocals, and peaked at #39 on the American Billboard Hot...
" (Frehley, DelaneySean Delaney (KISS)Prentice John Delaney Jr. , better known as Sean Delaney, was an American musician, producer, road manager and songwriter, best known for his work with the rock band KISS from the early 1970s until the early 1980s...
) – 4:07 (Lead vocals – Ace Frehley)- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ and Electric Lady Studios, NYC, NY, September 1977
- "Anyway You Want ItAnyway You Want It (Dave Clark Five)Anyway You Want It is a single by The Dave Clark Five from the US album Coast To Coast . It hit number #25 in the UK and #14 in the US...
" (Dave ClarkDave Clark (musician)David 'Dave' Clark is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the leader and drummer of the 1960s beat group The Dave Clark Five, the first big British Invasion band to follow The Beatles to America in 1964....
) – 2:33 (Lead vocals – Paul Stanley)- Recorded at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ and Electric Lady Studios, NYC, NY, September 1977
Several early copies of the album's cover feature a rare misprint of 3 additional songs ("Take Me," "Hooligan," and "Do You Love Me") with a slightly altered song order. None of these additional songs, however, appear on the LP. On this misprint, "Take Me" is after "Detroit Rock City," with "King of the Night Time World" appearing after "Ladies Room" on Side 1. Side 2 features "Hooligan" after the song "Shock Me," which is placed after "Hard Luck Woman." On Side 3, "Do You Love Me" appears after "God of Thunder," with "Beth" sandwiched between "I Want You" and "Shout It Out Loud." "Hooligan" and "Take Me" were performed on the Love Gun Tour of 1977, and "Do You Love Me" was performed on the Japanese tour of 1977 making their consideration for inclusion with the second live album possible.
Personnel
- Paul StanleyPaul StanleyStanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, vocals - Gene SimmonsGene SimmonsGene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Ace FrehleyAce FrehleyPaul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals - Peter CrissPeter CrissGeorge Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals
with
- Ed Balandas – The Introduction "Voice"
Charts
Album – Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Pop Albums | 7 |
Singles – Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | "Rocket Ride" | Pop Singles | 39 |
Singles – Billboard (Canada)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | "Shout It Out Loud" (Live) | Pop Singles | 74 |
International album charts
| Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S.A. | 7 |
| Japan | 10 |
| New Zealand | 13 |
| Austria | 17 |
| Canada | 5 |
| Sweden | 28 |
| U.K. | 60 |