KISS member does disco...

[Jeff H]

I'm not sure which forum to post this question in, but I figured it stands the best chance of being seen here.

I remember reading somewhere about one of the members of KISS making a disco record for Casablanca that went nowhere. I think the author suggested that the record came out too late, when disco was "dying" (in the mainstream, anyway ). And I'm real sure I remember reading that this singer said very few copies of this record exist, or at least he hopes not!

Does this sound familiar to anybody?! Did I read it HERE?! For some reason I'm thinking Graham might have posted this but I can't find it. :???:

If anybody knows what the hell I'm talking about--HELP! (It's a bitch getting old! :roll: )

[Graham_Start]

Jeff, I had posted this on my personal mailing list --

The album is "Lightning" (self-titled), and features Paul Caravello (later known as Eric Carr) on drums and backing vocals. Carr replaced Peter Criss (I think) during the 80s. So he actually wasn't yet a member of KISS when the album was recorded.

This album goes for a lot of money these days, because there are so many KISS fanatics who want absolutely everything even remotely associated with the band. Carr claimed in an interview that only 5 or 6 copies existed, and when asked if there was any place for fans to find one, said "There'd better not be!". After his death, when fans had managed to find about 15 different copies, his family claimed
that there were maybe 50 or 60 in total. But given Casablanca's policy of heavily promoting their records through club DJs, it is likely that the real number is in the low hundreds. So how does it sound? Well, despite Eric's comments, the album is actually pretty good. The lyrics are total fluff, but the melodies, arrangements, and production are quite nice. One thing that distinguishes this from most disco is that the vocals sound more like a 70s rock group than a 70s dance record. Had this been released a year earlier with a strong female vocalist, I think it could have done quite well.

_________________
Or, as they say in the classics:
"Satan, your ass is gigantic and red. Who am I gonna pretend you are -- Liza Minnelli?!"

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Graham Start on 2002-07-20 09:16 ]</font>

[Jeff H]

Graham--

Well, despite my poor memory regarding much of this info, at least I remembered WHO wrote it.

But maybe my memory wasn't so bad after all: The reason I asked in the first place was that I just picked up a copy of a 12-inch by Lightning (and I didn't pay big bucks either! :grin: ), and I thought that was the group you mentioned in reference to Kiss.

The 12-inch is "Disco Symphony" b/w "Baby Without Your Love." I haven't listened to the B side yet, but your description of the record definitely applies to "Symphony": The lyrics are lame, but the orchestration is beautiful.

Thanks for your help!

[sirius]

Dear Friends!
I have this Album at home and every song
is a Must for DiscoLovers...it was released
in 1979 by CasablancaRecords.
Cosmic Love & Kisses From SIRIUS & DARKTUNES