I have a dirty little secret, I don't really like KISS. I never have. Sure they have a couple of songs that I can sing along to, but overall, I couldn't care less. I also haven't given a hoot about anything Bruce Springsteen has done in a real long time. Seems I'm not the only one. This Lefsetz Letter post, really kind of sums it all up, quite nicely.
Outlaw Pete-Bob Lefsetz
"I saw Gene Simmons yesterday in the Hagstrom booth at NAMM. I’d like to tell you there were groupies, clamoring to be added to the tongued-one’s Polaroid collection, but there were just a few geeks, looking at this intelligent man not quite as smart as he’d like us to believe who’s great at selling and mediocre at music.
Gene didn’t need to be a rock star. He was once a teacher. He can sell ice to Inuits. But timing is everything, as Malcolm Gladwell says. Rock was making all the money in the seventies, so that’s what Gene created, an over the top rock and roll circus. With one certifiable hit, "Rock And Roll All Nite". But as the seventies wore on, the band had no luck with anybody other than its acne-scarred fans, so it did what every loser act does when it gets desperate…IT FOLLOWED THE TREND! KISS went DISCO!
The result was "I Was Made For Lovin’ You". KISS’ highest charting single ever! It peaked at number 11 in 1979.
There was a bit of MTV fame thereafter, with different players and no makeup, but ever since KISS has been running on fumes. Mr. Simmons boasting how great they are as they reunite with the old players, put the makeup back on, twist the little cred they’ve got with their nitwit fans into a new concoction and then sell the same fourth-rate rock one more time.
Maybe if you were prepubescent in the seventies you got KISS. Anybody whose testicles had descended scratched his head and ignored the act. Figuring if they wanted theatrics, they’d at least go for Alice Cooper, who wasn’t purely about entertainment, who was truly testing limits, whose songs had something to say.
Yes, Alice Cooper deserves to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. KISS? We’ve been living in a Simmons-free zone for eons. Gene’s the only one who doesn’t know it. With the Internet and a zillion cable TV stations we can avoid him, let him grub for his money. After all, Gene’s no Bruce Springsteen.
Then again, is Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen anymore?"
Click here for the full post.
Who is this nut?
- kired
- "You need to believe in things that aren't true. How else can they become?" T. Pratchett
2 comments:
Never been a huge KISS fan but that guy is totally wrong if he thinks KISS has not been successful since the 70's - they sell more merchandise then ever with over 2500 licensees - I should know I am one of them (who has made a nice living off their merch). Also their 2008 European Tour drew over 700,000 fans at an average ticket price of $100..do the math. You don't have to be a KISS fan ,,but please stop with the bullshit. I like Alice Cooper too, but he draws 1000-2000 a night at around $30 a head.
I find it interesting that so often the success and relevance of musical acts are based on financial considerations. Not surprising, mind you, because as a society we judge everything by the almighty dollar.
I believe the point the author was trying to make, is that both of these acts have compromised the music in order to make bank. That's his opinion, which he is entitled to.
My opinion, is that Kiss has always been a solid serviceable rock group, which I never connected to. The points Lefsetz makes, may have something to do with why. As far as the Boss is concerned? He seems to have lost that fire in the belly that made him an icon. He's not alone in that. Anyway, just an observation and an opinion.
Post a Comment