Ep. 293 - KISS Asylum: A Look Back

[@jamiesvideos6154]

My biggest memory about Asylum is going to see the concert and I knew they were going to play Won't Get Fooled Again for the encore so I wanted to stay til it was over. I didn't have a car (I had just turned 16) and my dad offered to pick me up but insisted I be outside the arena at 11 pm. I said I'd catch the last bus instead. Long story short, the bus didn't show and I walked 10 miles home on a cold, snowy December night. Worth it though!

[@BobbyMitchellMusic]

You guys are the best- ty for another look back on the awesome Asylum!!

[@kencooke8139]

Really enjoying your "look back" series. Your difference in opinions about each topic is interesting too. I learn a lot from these episodes, especially the Boston debut album podcast! Cheers

[@johnpatterson4272]

The Asylum show played in Toronto at the end of that tour in '86. I'm curious to know what incarnation of the three Asylum stages were used for that concert. I was fond of that album at the time yet it was still not achieving the glory days of the late 70s. That didn't matter to me then as it was another KISS album with Eric Carr. If Pophouse has reached-out to you Mike, your conversation however it happened with them would be an awesome Rock Experience episode in the future.

[@soundofindividual]

Asylum was the first album that I ever bought and it have a special place in my heart. It leads me to collect every other Kiss album. As you say, the best songs is that you sing along to. King Of A Mountain, Who Wants To Be Lonely, Tears Are Falling and Uh All Night! was nearly perfect 8,5/10 sing along material to me. Crazy Nights was a little disappointment after Asylum but Kiss has already made many great albums/songs in a row. The Elder to Asylum is my favourite albums.

[@ALF.Argentina]

Watching the beginning, I want to point out that in the USA, Asylum is much more appreciated than Revenge. In Argentina, it’s completely the other way around.

[@davidalejandrotabachnik1780]

Being a longtime KISS fan from Argentina, I have to agree with @ALF.Argentina. However, I personally have Asylum as a favorite album for its freshness while Revenge is a more thought-out effort to these ears, an album with polished production that highly benefits from Vinnie Vincent's contribution in the songwriting department.

[@zboraymiklos]

Did you made a same talkshoe on the Animalize too?

[@chrisbohner1092]

Still looking good mike...keep the weight off....your looking great!....love you and Vincent's feedback on albums!

[@jojjeoskarsson784]

Thnx Mike and Vinnie for looking back on this album, really appreciate it. I absolutely love Tears Are Falling, Who Wants To Be Lonely; Uh All Night and King Of the Mountain. Love the music videos they did to. They should have done an live album for that tour. To bad there isnt a time machine:) Looking forward to Hot In The Shade album look back. The demos Kiss did in the 80s were really great to. So many possible Hits that were shelved or was given to other artists.

[@davidgarcia4579]

This store was my very first concert of Kiss. It was a great show not crazy about the costumes. I saw them down in New Orleans at the UNO Arena. My friend got drunk and ate a cigarette, but it was a great show. I was drunk also, but I don’t remember much of it. I rate this album. I divide eight theme songs are so so balls are much better I think.

[@cabowabodude]

my favorite unmasked album!!

[@coachlarry6773]

Mike you guys should do a deep dive on Animalize Live Uncensored, or Exposed. That’s all we had for SO LONG!

[@jojjeoskarsson784]

Yeah that would be good:)

[@therockexperiencewithmikeb8365]

Great call out! I’m Going to mention that to Vin for us to add to our list!

[@iancocks9408]

Exposed was pretty junk. Animalize is great. I don’t think kiss had anything to do with releasing it as there was no vinyl. And never released in top quality on dvd.

[@charlesbronson4282]

Oh yeah...if you do Animalize Uncensored, you should do a comparison between the video and the mtv version...and the live off the radio version

[@TheAntman1265]

What up Vincent. I like Asylum. Every track is strong with the exceptions of Loves A Deadly Weapon and Uh All Night. Those two never worked for me. But like the album.

[@marclehmann1940]

One positive fact on “Asylum” is that the Gene Simmons songs have become a bit better again as they were a year earlier on “Animalize”. "King Of The Mountain" is a killer opener.

[@JCStorm76]

Yep all his songs are better on this album than what they’re rating them. Especially on the first half. Much improved over Animalize. But as soon as they only gave a killer track like King Of The Mountain only a 6 or a 6.5 which I’d give an easy 8, they gave themselves nowhere to go

[@Starman2112ofKings]

1. King of The Mountain- 8 2. Anyway You Slice It-7 3. Who Wants To Be Lonely- 6 (Middle and solo only thing saving it from being lower) 4. Trial By Fire- 6 5. I’m Alive- 5 6. Love’s A Deadly Weapon- 8 7. Tears Are Falling- 7 8. Secretly Cruel- 7 9. Radar For Love- 6 10. Uh! All Night- 7 Total= 67 6.7/10 Didn’t like it much in 85 but probably the last 10 years I put it my top 10 KISS

[@martymartin2894]

I never noticed until now, that Vincent might be a relation to the karate kid danny larussa.

[@therockexperiencewithmikeb8365]

lol…..thanks for that laugh! Happy New Year!!

[@martymartin2894]

@therockexperiencewithmikeb8365 same to you mike I'm enjoying rewatching a lot of your videos, heavy snow promised here in Ireland for the next few days but hopefully it won't be too bad.

[@charlesbronson4282]

I think everybody feels bad for Gene during this period

[@ALF.Argentina]

1985 and they had the lips with the original colors… the first step until we saw Eric Singer in catman makeup in 2001. I think they already knew it was a mistake to make new characters while loosing their audience.

[@mmurphy3608]

Overall, I’d probably give it a 7.5, maybe a little higher. I like it quite a bit. I’m not a fan of the cover-it feels lazy and too simplistic. When I first saw it, I thought “another cover with the four faces?” With the album title they could have done something really cool and interesting. But overall, one of my favorite Kiss records.

[@j.reveille6815]

Bothered me because if it wasn’t Ace I loved vinnie and he should have been their only other guitar player until Ace and Peter come back for the necessary reunion

[@W4rM4chine82]

Should have signed his contract

[@iancocks9408]

Turned into an asshole and St John couldn’t play medically. Bruce did a pretty good job on some good not great kiss albums and some average kiss albums. Revenge being the band and Bruce’s high point after lick it Up. Paul Stanley is the best kiss guitarist.

[@charlesbronson4282]

It was a failed follow up to Animalize....but was a far superior album overall. The head of the creative department should have been fired for the artwork. The album concept should have involved KISS in straight jackets...hence the name ASYLUM

[@jojjeoskarsson784]

Yeah kind of like Quiet Riots Metal Health

[@LEIFanevret]

Only couple of tunes in an otherwise weak album what an ugly album cover! Huh! King of the mountain! Wow what an opener!

[@danthaman03]

Only one good song on this album.