Kritical KISS | Episode 2 | Was KISS trying to make a Black Sabbath album with “Hotter Than Hell”?

[@mdsmithcomics]

Whoooo-hoooo! I won! I’ve been so bogged down with work and Christmas stuff, I was waiting to listen to this on my long car ride to the airport! Great video, as expected! Love the Christmas memories, that was a nice touch. I’ll be in touch about the sticker!

[@KriticalKISS]

Congratulations! 🤘 glad you enjoyed it!

[@JohnBGood-ry9wj]

I’m really digging this show and the way you’re setting up the content. I definitely have to listen to your shows on a Friday night because I came up with a game where I take a shot of Bacardi everytime one of you says the word critical. 🤣🤣🤣 Seriously though, I’m loving the show!! Keep up the great work 👍🏻. One thought on “Let me go, rock and roll” : whenever KISS did a Chuck Berryish song which wasn’t often it was always great!!! And definitely critical (takes a shot) to KISSTORY because it was KISS’s original rock and roll anthem for the first 2 tours⚡️

[@KriticalKISS]

I thought about throwing up a prompt to take a shot every time we said Alive or Unplugged on this one. lol thanks for the kind words. We all appreciate it!

[@ItsAllForYouDemon]

Thank you so much for the kind words. Means a lot to me. This was a great discussion. HTH has always been a weird one for me….one of the last CDs I ever added to the collection as a high schooler. But it is also one of those albums I okay, when I really want to hear “full on” KISS. Right up there with ALIVE!, R&RO, and LIU for me. Awesome video! Love what you guys are doing. Merry Christmas to you all. Stay safe. Much love - Ric 🙏🤘🙏

[@KriticalKISS]

We love you, Ric! Merry Christmas! Get Ric’s KISS journal on Amazon: www.amazon.com/ROCK-ROLL-NITE-JOURNAL-EVERY/dp/B0DJKXJ41S/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=IMT1841C0RBD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MRsZE2s2TgRX8ZpHGc9qrTzF2yiR0y9a_4gOYsdVE9PhOW9Q7VijgjtLeEbvHek-NH4OJDdoc7Pl0LEB_lFGe3XI-QgGYHZsRBonBKOwUr_FeGgIHNo_dKXVwCSqSFm7hOJdwynGXeqsS_AHBs4hQTnDzZDQheyCKOwNQE7FHZ46L8JLj4lF3SbjhjprYPukctKs16H0D0Js55WJIINqRw.hW_53Gtjh76k7HbQy5gq72NcyLdjQahSBeaAAsSfi6w&dib_tag=se&keywords=kiss+journal&qid=1733936231&sprefix=kiss+jornu%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-2

[@VitalSignsTexas]

Definitely their darkest and one of my very favorites.

[@KriticalKISS]

🤘🤘

[@NevadaRock]

Parasite is my favorite KISS Song 🎶

[@KriticalKISS]

@@NevadaRock it rocks!

[@Rigosson]

Good Choice 👍🤘

[@KriticalKISS]

@ 🚀

[@InMyHead]

Great song

[@kirksmith4026]

Was so dark hearing this in 1978 at my dads friends party .. I was given It to take home and love this album . To this day it a favourite

[@KriticalKISS]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@TomTobin67]

Thanks for mentioning me, guys. As for HTH, I think it's a fantastic album and I listen to it at least once every 3 months. I have a copy for my truck and one for the house. My wife 😍 got the gold vinyl bundle under the tree for me.

[@KriticalKISS]

That’s awesome! Your wife rules!

[@InMyHead]

Merry Christmas to you

[@terjeweum3677]

It is the Gene and Ace written songs that are just brilliant on this album / This album is my favorite of those 3 first albums and those 3 albums made Kiss Alive ⭐

[@KriticalKISS]

We still gotta do Dressed to Kill 🤷 lol

[@InMyHead]

I agree Aces songs and genes songs shine on this album

[@dannykgould3606]

Just discovered you guys, really enjoying the KISS banter 🤘🏻 Subscribed and looking forward to future episodes. 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻 This album ranks pretty high on my fav KISS records. The dark grungy sound makes this record unique, I love it just as is. Fav tracks are Parasite and Goin Blind. It all rules but I love those two tracks! 🤘🏻😁🤘🏻

[@KriticalKISS]

Welcome my friend! Glad you enjoyed! 🤘thanks for sharing!

[@javierboster6040]

“Watchin’ You” was the song preformed @ the Coventry.

[@KriticalKISS]

🤙🏻

[@Flapperdame16]

I think Comin home was a great mtv opener. Got to choose could have been a closer. I love the MTV unplugged got to choose! That is my childhood!!

[@KriticalKISS]

On the vinyl it technically is the closer 🤷

[@Flapperdame16]

Parasite was famously played on the 2004 Rock the nation tour. It may have been the last time it was played on tour, not counting the Kruise. Ace will play it in his solo shows, even to this day.

[@KriticalKISS]

Wow we were all wrong they played it on first leg of End of the Road lol through the New Years show.

[@Flapperdame16]

@KriticalKISS ohh wow, I forgot they played it on the final tour!!!! It didnt last long!!!!

[@sobfatrick]

Sorry, absolutely love Got to choose. I see the opening lick as the early dawn. Somethings coming over the hill. You can hear a siren in the distance. And then you see the truck coming with the hard guitar lick. And harmonies were awesome

[@KriticalKISS]

KISS doesn’t get enough love for the harmonies in general!

[@Daiv-l9g]

My favorite Kiss album next to Kiss Alive. A lot of people knock it's production. I love it's dark, dirty, recorded in a basement sound. I love every song on it. Peter Criss was a fantastic drummer regardless of what his hater's say. Most of them probably can't play drums anyway. Listen to his 100,000 years drum solo off of the "Stoned in Paris" bootleg. It's even better than the one on Kiss Alive ! He also had the best voice in Kiss along with Paul. Ace was a phenomenal player back in the 70's and 80's too ! Not only did he write songs like Parasite, Shock me, and Cold gin but he also created the most memorable solo's of all the Kiss guitarists that came after him ! Paul and Gene were great song writers and underrated as players too. They had a great work ethic and drive for success. HTH was a Kick ass album !! The original Kiss was a force to be reckoned with between 1973 and 1977 !!! 🔥🤘🎸🎸🎸🥁

[@KriticalKISS]

🤘nailed it! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@Daiv-l9g]

​@@KriticalKISSAbsolutely ! 🤘

[@Flapperdame16]

Aww thanks for the mini shout out! Also: Deutschland ist sehr toll, ja!!! Ich kann klein Deutsch sprechen. Mein Onkel kann perfekt Deutsch sprechen. Meine Mutter ist Deutsch.

[@KriticalKISS]

Of course! Awesome! I took 3 years in high school. Mainly only remember the swear words.

[@danthaman03]

Brilliant album. Ordinary tracks such as All the way and Mainline but it has marvellous songs like Goin blind Strange ways Got to choose and Coming home. I think the first 2 albums on their own show the music stands up on its own and its not just a show

[@KriticalKISS]

Preach it, Dan!

[@danthaman03]

@@KriticalKISS ok i will preach it. I'm from Melbourne Australia and we experienced Beatlemania when Kiss toured in 1980. To us Kiss was prime with Dynasty and Unmasked. And Eric Carr was the true drummer. Its with retrospect I got to listen to the earlier music. I find the first 2 albums down and dirty and hungry.

[@Rigosson]

Great show guys!👍👍👍 Hotter than hell is probably my favorite Kiss-Album. Ace Frehley smokes! 🤘🤘🎸 Genes and Peters Vocals are great. 🤘🤘 My list: Parasite Strange ways Watchin' you Going blind Let me go Rock n Roll Hotter than hell All the way Got to choose Coming home Mainline Keep on rocking and greetings from Germany 🇩🇪👍🤘🎸🍻🌍

[@KriticalKISS]

@@Rigosson Danke! Glad you enjoyed!

[@InMyHead]

Thanks for watching. Nice list

[@Starman2112ofKings]

Love the show guys!!! For me HTH not a favorite but definitely in my top 10 I would rank….. Parasite Watchin’ You Strange Ways Hotter Than Hell All The Way Let Me Go Rock n’ Roll Goin’ Blind Got To Choose Comin’ Home Mainline

[@KriticalKISS]

Thanks Starman! Glad you are enjoying it. Nice list!

[@InMyHead]

Awesome list

[@Rigosson]

Solid list.👍🤘

[@VitalSignsTexas]

Parasite is critical to Hotter Than Hell, Alive and Kisstory. Parasite gave KISS street cred to the band in its heaviness. I wouldn’t underestimate this especially how important Alive is to Kisstory.

[@KriticalKISS]

You make a great case!

[@ThomDust]

I’ve always considered DTK to be my favourite KISS album (and cover art too) but lately HTH has been a serious contender for my top spot. ‘Goin’ Blind’ and ‘Parasite’ get “Kritical KISS” status to any KISS fan who hit their teens in the 90’s, thanks to the Melvins and Anthrax 🤘 ‘All The Way’ may be the deepest of makeup era deep cuts (and a great one too) and the anomaly that is Gene’s costume on the back cover is fascinating to me.

[@KriticalKISS]

I’m excited to see how DTK stacks up in comparison to this one with the 3 of us. A man of class and taste, “All The Way” is a catchy tune. I don’t know why it’s so overlooked.

[@botboy6977]

Differently their heaviest album of the 70’s with Ace Frehley solo a close second. Arguably the best deep tracks of any KISS album! This album has moved up on my ranking list over time.

[@KriticalKISS]

It’s a killer one! 🤘

[@Rigosson]

A few more notes on your heading: I do think that the songs sung by Gene and "Strange Ways" are pretty much the darkest songs Kiss have ever released on an album. Black Sabbath's influence can hardly be denied. The songs written and sung by Paul and "Mainline" don't come across as dark to me and (like Let me go Rock N Roll) have a different character. But I think both are good because they make the album special and varied. Many people don't like the production, the sound of the album. Personally, I think the production is better than the debut, but I could also have easily imagined a production by Eddie Kramer, like "Rock n Roll Over". But I'm happy with the album! I'm always happy when I put it on...the band is on fire!🔥🤘🤘 Cheers to all of you!🎸🍻🥃

[@KriticalKISS]

@@Rigosson I agree with you. The production gives the album personality.

[@InMyHead]

Awesome thoughts!

[@tedharrington5432]

Who wrote and performed the theme song? Trivia - I believe the song was "Watchin' You" if I remember correctly. Wasn't something like only 10 or 12 individuals at the the concert? Or do I have my facts wrong? Also, was the venue called Popcorn Club when Kiss played there in 1973?

[@KriticalKISS]

It’s actually AI. Thought it was a catchy little number.

[@charlesbronson4282]

We have a Yankee fan in the house!!! Someone call out the FIREHOUSE!!! Your wearing my hat G-DOG....haha

[@KriticalKISS]

Good man!

[@tonyp8849]

Love the Hotter Than Hell album, wish the production was a little better, specifically the drums. They sound so flat and in the background to me. All that said, I wouldn't want them to remix or re-record it, it's classic as-is warts and all. Always thought "Comin' Home" should have been the opening track, Got to Choose is an odd choice IMO

[@KriticalKISS]

Thanks, Tony! Yeah after 50 years it is what it is. However, @franKENstein Creations did a cool remix of it

[@Rigosson]

@InMyHead Thank you for quoting me. Thanks also to the others for the nice greetings. Rock on!🤘🤘🤘

[@KriticalKISS]

Any time!

[@InMyHead]

Thanks for watching and commenting