Lick It Up
Encyclopedia
Lick It Up is the 11th studio album
by the U.S.
band Kiss
. On the day of the album's release, Kiss appeared on MTV
without their trademark makeup. It was the first public appearance without makeup by Kiss since the very early days of the band. The album cover had bassist/band co-founder Gene Simmons
sticking out his long trademark tongue to show fans that the quartet were still Kiss, with or without makeup. Lick It Up was certified Platinum
on December 19, 1990.
While the title track remains a regular staple in on the band's live performances, the rest of the album is seldom played live.
Lick It Up was placed number 10 on Guitar World
's Readers Poll of the Top 10 Guitar Albums of 1983. Kerrang!
listed Lick It Up number 3 on list of best hard rock albums in 1983.
. But while Creatures of the Night was a commercial disappointment for Kiss, Lick It Up sold much better. It was certified gold
on December 22, 1983, the first Kiss album to achieve certification since 1980's Unmasked. This is at least partially attributable to the increased publicity the band received after their unmasking.
"Lick It Up
" and "All Hell's Breakin' Loose
" were released as the only two singles from the album. They were accompanied by a pair of similarly themed, tongue-in-cheek
videos featuring the band (along with many scantily clad women) in desolate, post-apocalyptic
settings.
This is the first Kiss album that lead guitarist Vinnie Vincent
officially contributed to; he unofficially contributed to Creatures of the Night. Also for the first time, Vincent appeared on the cover art for the album, whereas the already departed Ace Frehley
had appeared on the Creatures of the Night cover despite leaving the band after the release of their second compilation album Killers
and was not involved in the recording of the album.
Vincent, however, was not legally a member of the band. Due partly to disputes over what his role in the band and his pay would be (some reports indicated that Vincent had asked for, and was flatly denied, a percentage of the band's gross profits), Vincent never signed any contract making his employment official. These disputes, along with a growing attitude by Vincent that he was solely responsible for the resurgence of KISS, would lead to him leaving the band (or being fired, depending on the source) after the European leg of the Lick It Up tour.
With the band unable to secure a replacement guitarist on such short notice, Vincent was enticed to return for the American leg of the tour. However, his refusal to sign his contract continued to be a sore point. Additionally, a major rift developed between Vincent and the rest of the band over his guitar solos; what were once 5-8 minute solos timed to finish on a cue so that Paul Stanley
could introduce the next song suddenly expanded, in some instances leaving the rest of the band impatiently waiting on stage for Vincent to finish. At an LA Forum show in January 1984 Vincent continued playing despite Stanley's cueing him to finish the solo; the two nearly came to blows in the dressing room afterward, with Stanley accusing Vincent of showing him up and Vincent accusing the other three members of ruining his solo and trying to hold him back as a performer. They were separated by Eric Carr
and Gene Simmons
and a couple of roadies who tried to keep the peace. At a March show in Quebec, Canada, as the band prepared to close out their set, Vincent broke into an impromptu solo, leaving the other band members standing onstage with nothing to do. Vincent left (or was fired for a second time, again depending on the source) shortly thereafter. This time the break was permanent.
Although according to Simmons and Stanley, Vinnie Vincent was never "officially" a member of the band, he appears on the cover and is credited in the liner notes as the band's lead guitarist. If Vinnie Vincent was "officially" the lead guitarist, Lick It Up would be to date one of two Kiss albums in which every song is credited to only band members with no outside writers or no cover songs, the other being 2009's Sonic Boom
"All Hell's Breakin' Loose" is one of two songs in the history of the band in which all four (current at the time) members share song-writing credit, the other being "Love Theme From Kiss"
In an interview for KISSology 2
, Paul Stanley
made the statement that: "People were now listening with their eyes rather than their ears. Mainly, because Creatures of the Night was arguably a better album than Lick It Up." He also made the statement that "The only reason why I think people bought Lick It Up more than Creatures of the Night was because we had no make-up on. That was the only reason."
Other musicians:
Singles
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band Kiss
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,...
. On the day of the album's release, Kiss appeared on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
without their trademark makeup. It was the first public appearance without makeup by Kiss since the very early days of the band. The album cover had bassist/band co-founder Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene 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:...
sticking out his long trademark tongue to show fans that the quartet were still Kiss, with or without makeup. Lick It Up was certified Platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
on December 19, 1990.
While the title track remains a regular staple in on the band's live performances, the rest of the album is seldom played live.
Lick It Up was placed number 10 on Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
's Readers Poll of the Top 10 Guitar Albums of 1983. Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
listed Lick It Up number 3 on list of best hard rock albums in 1983.
Overview
Lick It Up built upon the harder sound Kiss had displayed on 1982's Creatures of the NightCreatures of the Night
Creatures of the Night is the tenth studio album by Kiss. It is the band's last album for Casablanca Records, the only label the group had ever recorded for up to that point...
. But while Creatures of the Night was a commercial disappointment for Kiss, Lick It Up sold much better. It was certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
on December 22, 1983, the first Kiss album to achieve certification since 1980's Unmasked. This is at least partially attributable to the increased publicity the band received after their unmasking.
"Lick It Up
Lick It Up (song)
"Lick It Up" is a glam metal song by the American hard rock band Kiss. It is the title track on their 1983 album of the same name.Written by guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley and guitarist Vinnie Vincent, the song was released as the first single from the album in 1983.A video was made to promote the...
" and "All Hell's Breakin' Loose
All Hell's Breakin' Loose
"All Hell's Breakin' Loose" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss, that appeared on their 1983 album Lick It Up. It was the second and final single released from the album and did not chart in the US....
" were released as the only two singles from the album. They were accompanied by a pair of similarly themed, tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
videos featuring the band (along with many scantily clad women) in desolate, post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
settings.
This is the first Kiss album that lead guitarist Vinnie Vincent
Vinnie Vincent
Vincent John Cusano, better known as Vinnie Vincent, is an American guitarist from Bridgeport, Connecticut and songwriter known for his brief membership in the band Kiss.-Replacing Ace Frehley in Kiss:...
officially contributed to; he unofficially contributed to Creatures of the Night. Also for the first time, Vincent appeared on the cover art for the album, whereas the already departed Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley
Paul 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...
had appeared on the Creatures of the Night cover despite leaving the band after the release of their second compilation album Killers
Killers (KISS album)
Killers is the second compilation album by American hard rock group Kiss. The album was released only outside the United States, but quickly became available as an import. Of the twelve songs on Killers, four were new compositions recorded specifically for the album...
and was not involved in the recording of the album.
Vincent, however, was not legally a member of the band. Due partly to disputes over what his role in the band and his pay would be (some reports indicated that Vincent had asked for, and was flatly denied, a percentage of the band's gross profits), Vincent never signed any contract making his employment official. These disputes, along with a growing attitude by Vincent that he was solely responsible for the resurgence of KISS, would lead to him leaving the band (or being fired, depending on the source) after the European leg of the Lick It Up tour.
With the band unable to secure a replacement guitarist on such short notice, Vincent was enticed to return for the American leg of the tour. However, his refusal to sign his contract continued to be a sore point. Additionally, a major rift developed between Vincent and the rest of the band over his guitar solos; what were once 5-8 minute solos timed to finish on a cue so that Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley 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...
could introduce the next song suddenly expanded, in some instances leaving the rest of the band impatiently waiting on stage for Vincent to finish. At an LA Forum show in January 1984 Vincent continued playing despite Stanley's cueing him to finish the solo; the two nearly came to blows in the dressing room afterward, with Stanley accusing Vincent of showing him up and Vincent accusing the other three members of ruining his solo and trying to hold him back as a performer. They were separated by Eric Carr
Eric Carr
Paul Charles Caravello , also known as Eric Carr, was an American musician, best known as drummer for the rock band Kiss. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after Peter Criss left in 1980...
and Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene 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:...
and a couple of roadies who tried to keep the peace. At a March show in Quebec, Canada, as the band prepared to close out their set, Vincent broke into an impromptu solo, leaving the other band members standing onstage with nothing to do. Vincent left (or was fired for a second time, again depending on the source) shortly thereafter. This time the break was permanent.
Although according to Simmons and Stanley, Vinnie Vincent was never "officially" a member of the band, he appears on the cover and is credited in the liner notes as the band's lead guitarist. If Vinnie Vincent was "officially" the lead guitarist, Lick It Up would be to date one of two Kiss albums in which every song is credited to only band members with no outside writers or no cover songs, the other being 2009's Sonic Boom
"All Hell's Breakin' Loose" is one of two songs in the history of the band in which all four (current at the time) members share song-writing credit, the other being "Love Theme From Kiss"
In an interview for KISSology 2
Kissology Volume Two: 1978-1991
Kissology Volume Two: 1978–1991 is a DVD/Home Video that was released by Kiss on August 14, 2007. It contains three discs, plus three separate bonus discs sold only within initial first pressings. Some initial packages included a replica ticket to Magic Mountain for Kiss meets the Phantom of the...
, Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley 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...
made the statement that: "People were now listening with their eyes rather than their ears. Mainly, because Creatures of the Night was arguably a better album than Lick It Up." He also made the statement that "The only reason why I think people bought Lick It Up more than Creatures of the Night was because we had no make-up on. That was the only reason."
Track listing
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:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Vinnie VincentVinnie VincentVincent John Cusano, better known as Vinnie Vincent, is an American guitarist from Bridgeport, Connecticut and songwriter known for his brief membership in the band Kiss.-Replacing Ace Frehley in Kiss:...
– 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...
, backing vocals - Eric CarrEric CarrPaul Charles Caravello , also known as Eric Carr, was an American musician, best known as drummer for the rock band Kiss. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after Peter Criss left in 1980...
– 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 ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, backing vocals
Other musicians:
- Rick DerringerRick DerringerRick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
- lead guitar on "Exciter"
Charts
Album| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Pop Albums | 24 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
7 |
Singles
| Single | Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| "Lick It Up" | US Billboard Hot 100 | 66 |
| Canada Pop Singles | 32 | |
| France Pop Singles | 58 | |
| Switzerland Pop Singles | 24 | |
| UK Pop Singles | 31 |