Ranking the KISS Lineups WORST to BEST

[@Artress357]

You cant give Ace credit for Creatures... I'd consider that Vinnie era.

[@Rd61372]

Kinda but it several other players as well

[@jasongoad1084]

I am so glad to see the Bruce lineups ranked so high! Bruce is my favorite Kiss guitarist. Love Eric Carr too. But.... you have to rank the original band as number 1. It was just magic.

[@SirManfly]

Bruce really did save the makeup less KISS in the 80's in my opinion!

[@teldar2009]

mine too!

[@liberte456]

Probably my favorite lineup as a teenager for studio albums. I still prefer their non makeup albums then studio recordings fillers on Alive 2 and Classic stuff on Rock n roll over and. Love Gun.

[@haraldsletterod]

I have always felt Eric Carr was a little overrated. Yes, he brought a lot of technical stuff into Kiss but he had no feel or swing. He was all over the place and that's what was cool about him. He was the Muppet Animal. But did it sound great live? To me, no.

[@paulusrumanouw3176]

Ace wasn't involved in the making of Creatures album so the Creatures line up was actually with VV already.

[@JustK009]

Best: Original lineup Worst: Mark St. John Most interesting : Vinnie Vincent and Eric Carr Disappointing but it’s “business”: Current lineup --- Damn good post & channel sir🍻🍻

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thank you so much!

[@kevinchandler179]

Original lineup is all that matters, and legendary

[@RockinRobin411]

7. Mark & Eric 6. Tommy & Eric (tribute band to themselves) 5. Ace & Eric (pretty good) 4. Vinnie & Eric (I really like Vinnie Vincent) 3 & 2 (tied). Bruce & Eric 1. Ace & Peter (ORIGINAL)

[@apocositilln]

Mark is best

[@kevinchandler179]

Peter Criss and Ace were the best ever in the band in general!!! Enough said

[@matthewward5813]

@@kevinchandler179 OG's not best...

[@Leveer13]

There is something critical about Peter you didn't mention. Peter was by far one of the better singers in the band. And absolutely a better singer then Eric or Eric.

[@stevelongmusic880]

That's true, Peter is a great singer! Thanks for watching!

[@shawnwomack6907]

Right.

[@markparent5112]

Right, If you like finger nails on a black board. LOL!

[@BadNewsDave]

Peter had a unique voice that was perfect for Black Diamond and Nothing to Lose. But, Paul is on an entirely different level. Gene is a better singer and so was Ace. Peter was limited in what he could play, so unlike the other members who kept getting better, he wasn’t. Plus, his drug use and how he acted was the primary reason for everything falling apart. This is from independent sources. Not Paul and Gene. They Seem so Weird, Kiss and Sell, Kiss and Tell, and so on.

[@BadNewsDave]

There are two reaction videos to Let Me Go, Rock n Roll. One with Peter Criss and one with Eric Singer. You’ll notice that Ace is still better than Thayer and Singer is better than Criss.

[@SurviveTheDay]

I’ve worked at a number companies and they all want to create high performance teams. Hey there’s lots of advice how to do it, but there’s no recipe with specific ingredients. The Original KISS lineup is pure gold. The right time, people and situation. When that happens grab hold of it because it won’t last.

[@Geddy2112]

I was positivelly surprised to see the Bruce/Carr-Lineup so high! It's my favorite lineup and Crazy Nights is really one of their greatest (and most underrated) record!

[@72seasonsofwither]

The best and most musically tight version of Kiss was with Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick. They were well-rehearsed and took the old Kiss catalog to a whole new level. Gene created a tight rhythm section with Eric, and Bruce's leads were a great combination of shred and melody. He know when to let loose and when to use some restraint.

[@stevelongmusic880]

I can't argue with that, I love Bruce, and Eric Singer is a great drummer. There's something about Eric Carr that I thought was awesome. Maybe its just because I saw him so many times in concert, I dunno. Thanks for watching!

[@nathanhubbard7591]

Agree with Ya seasons… my favorite lineup of them too. And the points you brought up are really good too!

[@markparent5112]

I couldn't agree more.

[@rustyblades2566]

Any line up containing Eric Carr is AWESOME!!.

[@haraldsletterod]

Agreem although the originals back in the mid 70s sounded awesome, as a musician, the Revenge lineup was the best.

[@thepizzaveteran]

I think you nailed the ranking order, I’ve been a KISS fan since the mid 70’s and would have come to the same conclusion. When it comes to Revenge vs Carnival of Souls, I actually think Carnival of Souls is the better of the two. On Bruce, he’s my favorite guitarist next to Ace. He is humble even though he’s incredibly talented and just a super nice guy. I had the pleasure of meeting him while he was still in the band and he was just the easiest guy to talk to and very generous with his time.

[@74Batigol]

I love Bruce years

[@vegasaxeman]

Steve, my friend, just turning 60 this January, my Rock-N-Roll stage antic days are far behind me. I fall in the "almost made it" category as do most musicians who ever picked up an instrument. I did, however, do many things that I to this day am very proud of. Three days after my 21st birthday, I was on a plane out of Indiana and on my way to land at LAX in LA to be a Rockstar. I first picked up a guitar because I heard KISS Alive at a friend's house. Long story short, I not only played up and down the Sunset Strip in Hollywood and up and down the Vegas Strip in Las Vegas (because I ended up moving away from Hollywood to become a "big fish in a small pond" in Vegas and it was close enough to drive a Hollywood and play) and wound up opening for many of the bands that I used to watch on MTV and got to know a lot of them as close friends. I even got to not only meet but eventually work with my musical heroes, KISS! Just when we were getting serious label interest, the "grunge" scene hit and slammed the door on "good time party Rock-N-Roll music" and the clock ran out on my Rockstar dreams but I couldn't let go of my love of music so I became a professional audio engineer and worked in Vegas with everyone from KISS to James Brown, Mariah Carey to Prince, Motley Crue to Christina Aguilera, etc... you get the picture... Anyway, sorry that my comment was so winded, but I agree with your evaluation 100%! (Great minds think alike!) New sub here my friend! I look forward to binge watching your channel and seeing new content also! God bless and take care...

[@stevelongmusic880]

Hey man, thanks, that's awesome! I followed a similar path, although from my then homebase Portland, Oregon, but never made it far, but we tried :) Love hearing stories like this, reminds me of a more carefree time. Thanks for sharing, sounds like we have a lot of common ground :) God bless man!

[@TheWorldwidetour]

well done, i never get so far......but I m on the "almost made it" club too.

[@kevinatkinson636]

Wow....!! Rock on.... You've been there done that wore the tee shirt wow and respect .....kiss alive best live album for me ,

[@haywoodyoudome]

Completely agree on the order. I always thought the Ace, Eric, Gene, Paul lineup would've awesome if it wasn't for Ace being all but checked out at that point.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Agreed. Thanks for watching!

[@kevinchandler179]

Saying better, is always a slippery slope, because different types of drummers, don't always mean better!!! Peter Criss came from a jazz and blues and big band swing background, but instilled it into Rock and Roll, and Peter had a unique jungle rhythm and jazz filled riffs and unique style, and by far best voice and powerful and soulful voice in Kiss!!!@

[@stevelongmusic880]

Well, better is always subjective for sure. Peter's style was perfect for the original line up and music, and yeah, I thought he had a great voice. Thanks for watching!

[@mickeygklug]

Cool video. There were two other lineups that never recorded: 2001-Paul, Gene, Ace, Eric S; 2002-Paul, Gene, Peter, Tommy. I saw the 2001 lineup at Tokyo Dome in 2001. They really rocked. That was actually my last Kiss concert since I lost interest in the band after Ace departed for the second time. If they had brought Bruce back, I might’ve gone out and seen them again.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thank you! Yeah, didn’t realize Eric took over for Peter when his contract ran out. Thanks for watching!

[@ozzyace71]

Correct. I saw them on the Australian 🇦🇺 leg of the “Farewell Tour” in 2001. The Japan/Australia leg happened just after contract negotiations fell through with Peter Criss & his manager. I actually have a cassette tape of my phone conversation with Paul on a Sydney radio station where I asked him why Eric S did not have his own makeup / costume & persona. All part of the contract agreement with our Promoter. The whole makeup debate for Tommy & Eric is another topic though !

[@EPCoachTom]

Yeah, I was wondering about those 2 line ups, as well.

[@TheJohnnyCotts]

Paul, Gene, Peter and Tommy did Alive 4, the orchestra show, but I can understand if it doesn't count because they didn't do an album of new material.

[@stevelongmusic880]

@@TheJohnnyCotts It counts, I missed it :( Thanks for watching!

[@cesarolivares6200]

The best is the original, they created KISS, none of the others created the impact that the original line up did

[@Benjiraccoon]

It's nice to know that someone likes the Crazy Nights album

[@stevelongmusic880]

@@Benjiraccoon apparently I’m in the minority:). Thanks for watching!

[@EricCeaglske]

Crazy nights was awesome. I like it.

[@perseusjoppa426]

I love that album!

[@Steve_Mallon]

I love it

[@jeffrailey]

Thank you, Steve. As a true KISS fan, I definitely agree with you. In my opinion, musicianship-wise and technique or technician-wise, the best line up is Paul Stanley (awesome musician), Gene Simmons (awesome musician), Bruce Kulick (best musician guitarist of KISS that’s humble), and Eric Carr (R.I.P.- in my opinion The Fox 🦊 was the heaviest KISS drummer 🥁 like Bonham of Led Zeppelin). However, I agree the best classic KISS line up is the original lineup: Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss. As a musician, Peter Criss is a jazz-influenced drummer. In fact, Gene Krupa (R.I.P.) was a member of the KISS Army. The greatest proof that the original line up of KISS is #1 🥊💖🥇 is the song “Love Her All I Can” off Dressed To Kill. Just listen to Ace Frehley’s phenomenal guitar 🎸 work. That musicianship chemistry of the original KISS line up cannot be touched! 🥊🥊🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾💖✝️

[@Frehley4000]

Nice video. I think you forgot about the line up Gene, Paul, Ace and Eric Singer. This was a short period timeline during the farewell tour around Japan. In my opinion it was an excellent one.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah I missed it and Peter and Tommy with the Kiss Symphony. Thanks for watching!

[@lmethom]

Yes, I liked this line-up on their "Off the Soundboard" album. At this point, Ace could still play well enough, but the band needed a boost of energy, which Eric Singer brought to the band.

[@soulsin97]

My favorite kiss lineup will always be the original with Paul,gene,peter & ace!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Mine too! Thanks for watching!

[@XtheLostGen]

You nailed it. 100%. I thought about whether Vinnie should be higher than Ace w/ Eric bc they barely did anything together, but I sawVinnie live with Kiss & the Invasion & it was a train wreck both times. With the original lineup, the song was always more important than the player, which makes it #1 in my book.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thanks man! Thanks for watching!

[@allendean9807]

The thing that made Pete perfect for the early music was the fact he wasn’t a rock drummer. He was the Gene Krupa, big band/jazz school, and the way he swings on those tracks gives them a dirty, garage band vibe that the hitters like Carr and Singer just don’t have. I’ve always known the best way to tell if Pete is playing on later tracks is by the use of his high hats. A standard drum theme in music is high hats for verses, and pre choruses, and rides for choruses and bridges. Pete uses his high hats almost exclusively, using his ride as more cymbal like than bell like, which gives Anton fig away instantly on the later recordings. Peter Criss was also a fantastic vocalist. His only issue was, he couldn’t write songs. And once cocaine came into the picture, it derailed him, feeling somehow he didn’t get enough of the spotlight as a songwriter. Remember, back then, as now, songwriters get the biggest piece of royalty monies. So the incentive to be a major writer in the band fueled his jealousy for Gene and Paul.

[@kevinchandler179]

As a die hard Peter Criss fan, very realistic comment!!!

[@haraldsletterod]

It fit the 70s KISS perfect. But would Peter be able to adapt to the changes the band did after the solo albums? No. Drugs or not, he wouldn't be able to play the songs on Unmasked or Creatures++

[@allendean9807]

@@haraldsletterod honestly, i think it was less about whether or not he was a capable drummer, but more that he kind of checked out once he saw how lopsided the money was. Stanley/simmons got the biggest share of royalties. In the world of units sold, royalties were huge. Beth made him a multimillionaire. But the lion’s share of royalties, as well as merchandising went to Stanley and Simmons. By the time love gun came round, those two were passing over criss and Frehley’ songs, giving them one per album. There was no incentive to try, be a better player, or even show up, when you weren’t making but a fraction of the other two. Ace and peter have said so on numerous occasions. Hell, even with the reunion, they were paid a wage. Not percentages, a wage. And it was done as a way to put them in their place. Kiss was a nothing band by the 90’s. The reunion was a 4 year tour that made hundreds of millions of dollars. For Stanley and Simmons.

[@PierreLampron]

The Frehley/Singer Line Up ans Criss/Thayer lineup... Where Do you rank them?

[@stevelongmusic880]

Well, I know I didn't include either in my list. Singer played like 15 dates with Ace, but I would probably put them right before the Eric Carr/Ace, just because Ace was not at his best during the Elder, and they were all but broken up. As for Criss and Thayer, well I would rate that lower again because it was short lived and Peter wasn't up to his original ability at the time. I dunno. What do you think? Thanks for watching!

[@marcfrank590]

I’m glad that you put the original 4 as #1. That was my favorite lineup.

[@stevelongmusic880]

They were great weren't they? Thanks for watching!

[@Gigan75pcp]

Where would you place the quick lineups of Paul Gene Tommy and Peter, and Paul Gene Ace and Eric?

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah I left those off. Probably, hate to admit it, Tommy and Peter at the bottom. Ace and Eric probably closer just above the last lineup. Thanks for watching!

[@adamfox9245]

I agree on the most part.. The KISS WITH KULICK AND SINGER kicked butt live!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah, I love Bruce for sure, that line up was great. Thanks for watching!

[@adamfox9245]

@@stevelongmusic880 I saw KISS about 15 times. I'm glad to see someone who can see past the makeup and appreciate THE MUSIC..

[@Noctz_Art]

In the 90s Eric Singer was an unleashed beast.

[@mattharriss3835]

I've seen every lineup... more than once. KISS concert total 36 as of today. I have to say I would push Vinnie version up to #3. I know Dude is a whacko but he wrote Lick it Up and that did a lot for KISS. I 100% agree with every other placement you made... you'll never beat the original but that goes for most things. I am the guy the looking forward to the AI version. I mean Gene will fly without strings now! LOL! Great Video! But... I can sit and talk KISS all day... and NO I don't live in my parents basement. ROCK ON EVERYBODY!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Wow, you got me beat :) I get ya on Vinnie he was a great player, great songs, just never felt right to me, but hey thats just MHO. Thanks for watching man!

[@matskindell4130]

Both Ace and Peter are sloppy players

[@billyf2833]

​@@matskindell4130 ...that fit like a glove.

[@RazzleRox]

Your number 3 is my number 2. I loved when Revenge came out. It was like a total "come back" album for me. Anything with Vinnie gets my total thumbs down and is last on my list. The rest I agree.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah, I was listening to Revenge today. Pretty darn good album. Thanks for watching!

[@ghostlygent]

Best Kiss line up? The original. End of story.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yep, totally agree! Thanks for watching!

[@gabriel1913]

What about Gene Paul Tommy and Peter, the lineup of The Symphony Concert and the 2003 Tour

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah I missed that one and the one with Ace and Eric Singer. My bad. Thanks for watching!

[@benmauceri2148]

Sorry dude but Ace did not play in Creatures. It was Vinny He was in the original cover but that was because Kiss was afraid that would really hurt them since they already lost Peter. The second version of Creatures had Vinny on the cover

[@TheJohnnyCotts]

The re-release of COTN in 1985 has Bruce Kulick on the cover, as Vinnie was out of the band by then.

[@benmauceri2148]

@@TheJohnnyCotts nope. Mark St. John was after vinnie

[@hunt2727]

Love your video, you do it greatly. And I ´d like to take some beers often with you, man! Even with that, for me 1981 lineup is almost as magic or at least as exciting as the original lineup. 1974 and 1981 lineups are unbeatable!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thanks so much, I really appreciate that! Thanks for watching!

[@grantrichards7746]

Awesome review. I agree. The original magic can never be beaten. The chemistry in the rock lab is inspirational

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thank you, and thanks for watching!!!

[@mikejohnson7225]

Okay, gene & paul were in every lineup so just listing the lead guitar/ drummer combos. I’m not counting the random one offs but am including the touring lineups. There were nine that I know of. Let me know if I missed any. 1. Ace & Peter 2. Bruce & Eric Carr 3. Bruce & Eric Singer 4. Ace & Eric Carr 5. Vinnie & Eric Carr 6. Mark & Eric Carr 7. Tommy & Eric Singer 8. Ace & Eric Singer 9. Tommy & Peter Saw them in 2004 when Peter briefly rejoined the group. Ace left in 2002 so Tommy was on guitar. Probably the strangest lineup. Just seemed to lack the chemistry and excitement of the other lineups.

[@Gd1ddy29]

Spot on about the original 4 being the best lineup.

[@andreasandreas9291]

00:56 He/Mark actually did a tour with them. Although he almost never played live. At one point Bruce and Mark were on stage for half a show each, and as far as i know he only did 1 full show with them in Poughkeepsie 1984. It's up on KZbin and Spotify, etc. So listen to it if you haven't already. My guess is that if you have a hard time with Vinnie you're gonna have a real hard time with Mark. I'd put the last lineup last on the list. Thayer is the only Kiss member out of everybody that doesn't have his own style, and i can't go for that. Lastly you forgot two lineups. 2001-2002 Kiss was Eric, Ace, Paul and Gene. And 2003 Kiss was Peter, Tommy, Gene and Paul. They even released Kiss Alive IV together. Nice video. Always fun with a chart.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thanks, yeah I didn't include those. Thanks for watching, I appreciate it!

[@sodapop8408]

Gonna say Eric Carr,Peter Criss,Eric Singer

[@robcaiger1781]

100% Steve. Great commentary. Saw 1 - classic. But for me, 2 live was exceptional. The energy was incredible, the movement on stage & the playing. Wonderful gigs. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@aisforapple2494]

Good thing you had the original lineup as best.

[@CharlesLamoureux-o4v]

Have to agree 100% with your rankings.

[@liberte456]

I saw them on the Farewell tour in 2000 and it indeed magic with the 4 guys. Just look at the last Kiss DVD available on KZbin and it's just purely awesome. Some tours after their departure were okay but never the same and soon started to be a tribute band. Dor me as well, Sonic Boom and monster aren't real Kiss albums. Could be categorized same as carnival of soul as semi official albums. Psycho-Circus was their final album for years and the 2 others are like demo compilation or just extra stuff like Win to win and Asshole. A few good songs here and there . That's it.

[@luxdico]

well, interestin' topic, Vinnie V. wrote some gr8 tunes with Kiss, so in my opinion the line-up with him should be higher. As a live act one cannot deny the powerhouse Tommy/Eric/Gene/Paul was.But of course I agree with you, the original line-up is nr.1, no question about it, because they created most of the classic songs, the personas, the stage act.

[@marcotuliopadilha5256]

Paul, Gene, Bruce & Eric, the best lineup

[@maria-lena5919]

Agree 💯 per cent with U! The original lineup just worked the best!

[@mikeclary147]

Have to put the Vinnie line up ahead of the Thayer line up. Lick It Up is far better than anything they did with Thayer.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Actually thats a good point. I just didn't care for him live, guess it jaded me. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelking2582]

Great job, great list, great narrative. Well done sir.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thank you so much, I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!

[@GamezOfWar]

Spot on

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thanks and thanks for watching!

[@proudgarbomum5362]

I've not listened to any albums after The Elder..(which I don't like). In my heart it was only Original Kiss. Now enjoying renewed passion for (original) Kiss and also now absolutely love Peter Criss's 🥁🎶 vocals. How did I miss that in my teenage years?!!

[@tgguitarguy]

I feel like the original lineup in the 70s and the original lineup in the Reunion should be 2 different tiers, cause one is significantly worse than the other lol

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah, that makes since, they were definitely at different levels. Thanks for watching!

[@Ingwerbrot]

1. 🥇Paul, Gene, Eric, Bruce 2. 🥈Paul, Gene, Peter, Ace 3. 🥉Paul, Gene, Eric, Ace Love these

[@stevelongmusic880]

Good choices, thanks for watching!

[@kevinchandler179]

Only one choice!!!! Original lineup, the rest of them would've never had a chance to shine, if the fantastic four wasn't legends!!!!!

[@haraldsletterod]

Vinnie did his on take on the solos. The same did Mark and Bruce. That was probably something Gene and Paul wanted. The best lineup, musically was the Revenge lineup. The original lineup in 1975, after a few tours had a swing no lineup has been able to do again, but listen to the Unplugged set. That's pretty tight.

[@poeslanding]

I actually completely agree with you on the list. The top two I think we’re interchangeable but yes the magic was undeniable. What you failed to mention though was that sonic boom was also quite a subpar album. I listen to it once and gave it away. The most talented lineup was number two.

[@stevelongmusic880]

You are right, I didn't mention Sonic Boom, and I should have. Thanks for watching!

[@rogerbennett6117]

I agree with you on #1 and #2

[@majorwedgie8166]

The two best players left early, after that I don't care what Gene and Paul did.

[@dbrito96]

Boohoo😂😂

[@kevinchandler179]

Agreed, Peter Criss and Ace best by far!!!!

[@michaelmares3452]

Is that a Guild Songbird in the background? I had one of those. Nice.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Actually its a 2002 Taylor 714CE. LOVE this guitar :) Thanks for watching!

[@tArchStantont]

Vinnie live was horrible. Those creatures soundboards paint a picture of a man who operated in his own world...painting way outside the lines.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah, he had the chops, but it looked like he didn't understand how all of it worked, and got in his own way. Thanks for watching!

[@jamesseibert9061]

Where did the line up of Gene, Paul, Peter, and Tommy rate?

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah I left that one off as well as Ace and Eric Singer, my bad. They were so short-lived I didn’t consider them :/ thanks for watching!

[@databasedan6833]

Although Psycho Circus is not one of the great albums, Kevin Valentine did a terrific job on drums….

[@jvidalw]

but he wasn't an official member.

[@databasedan6833]

vinnie vincent wasn’t either..he never signed a contract…but here he is in this video….,

[@jvidalw]

@@databasedan6833 you're not very bright, right? Vinnie vincent composed and performed on two albums. Appeared on album covers, official photographs, played a lot of concerts, etc. He wasn't a session musician, like Valentine . For all purposes he was a band member, even though he didn't sign a contract.

[@databasedan6833]

Ok apparently your tin foil hat has to be adjusted kiss fan boy! I was just saying a guy was a good drummer…..lol

[@danthaman03]

Thanks for posting this. I remember asking you to make this video.

[@danthaman03]

My ranking. 1st the original line up due to the dirty raw no nonsense rock and roll they produced on 6 albums. 2nd the eric ace Paul gene line up. I am tempted to rate this as the best and you will understand why if you see Sydney 1980 footage. 3rd the revenge line up. I saw them play and I think with the Revenge album they definitely were on the right track. The look the sound. Everything. Back to rick n roll. 4th vinnie Paul eruc gene. I think creatures was one of their best albums and lick it up was their last good album until revenge. Yeah he was crazy on stage but I still like the look and sound of the band based on bootleg recordings. 5th eric carr Paul gene Bruce. Live they were good but they never toured Australia with this line up so I have to rely on bootlegs. Asylum and hot in the shade are simply not good albums. Crazy nights is a good pop album but the fact no songs get played on tour tells you something. I blame Paul and gene for the poor productivity from 1984 to 1989. 6th the sonic boom line up. Its a cover band. I refused to watch them. Monster is forgettable. Sonic boom I like but I can't help listening to it and thinking it would be much better with the real space Ace licks and new York vocals. 7th mark eric Paul Peter. Animalize has only a few good tracks and they only performed 3 shows. My ranking is much different to yours. That's why Australia is the land down under.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Hey that's all good. In reality, its all subjective, that's what's cool. We can all have different opinions and share them. You make good points. We agree on number 1 so that's all that matters huh? 😀

[@danthaman03]

@@stevelongmusic880 yes us Australians actually consider Eric Carr the real kiss drummer. Where Americans shunned Dynasty and Unmasked we had kiss hysteria during that period.

[@stevelongmusic880]

I loved Eric, great drummer! And don't tell anyone, I loved the Dynasty and Unmasked albums :)

[@danthaman03]

@@stevelongmusic880 do yourself a big favour and look at the 1980 Sydney concert here on KZbin. The Dynasty and unmasked tracks are heavier with Eric's savage drumming.

[@spontaneousremarks1719]

agree 100%- except for monster... I'll the album- I do hear the similarities you mentioned though... Paul wrote those 4 songs you mentioned so the probably sound so similar because of that. Pretty interesting though. Great Job

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@Joe-wo7rg]

The original lineup was the best!!!!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Amen! Thanks for watching!

[@BeauWorldWinnipeg]

Fans have always been curious about if the lineup of Paul/Gene/Ace/Eric Carr had stayed together, how would that have affected the non-makeup '80s. Would we have still had the outrageous videos like "Who Wants to Be Lonely?" Or would they have been closer to Frehley's Comet's "Into The Night?" For sure, Kiss Exposed would have been more fun!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah, no kidding! That definitely would have been interesting to see. Thanks for watching!

[@GazHogan]

The rawness,guts and balls of the original four is magic and could never be duplicated,,,,hell,,,, this is what got us all into Kiss in the first place. I've been a fan since '77, I was 10 years old, I've seen Kiss live 8 times and the only member I never saw live was Mark St John as he only ever played 3 dates,November 27, 28, and 29,I have seen the Animalize live DVD though. Great video btw and I agree with your selections.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Ha k you so much, I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!

[@Rd61372]

My list :1) Ace/Peter 2) Ace/Eric, 3)Vinnie/Eric 4) Bruce /Eric 5) Bruce Singer 6)St.John/ Carr 7) Thayer/Criss 8) Thayer/singer. But, here is the deal- I am ranking these in order of how I feel they served the Kiss Sound. I'd Rank Kulick and Singer and the best band skill wise

[@Claytoonzcom]

Hasn't it been revealed that the health issue given for Mark St. John not playing on the majority of the tour and only lasting for one album was a cover story?

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yes, I did talk about it a bit in the video. He developed reactive arthritis and it became difficult for him to play. He did tour with them, but most of the shows, playing only 2 1/2 shows with Bruce Kulick playing the other 117 1/2 shows.

[@loganheidel5008]

Good vid But forgot the line up of Peter and Tommy from 03. Also Ace and Eric singer did a couple shows outside the US, but I wouldn’t really count it as a lineup

[@michaelhendricks6991]

I like the ranking. Good point on #1. 70’ s kiss is awesome. Some 80’s albums are good.

[@hatchetjackphillips]

There’re is only one lineup as far as I’m concerned! Gene, Paul,Ace & Peter!

[@CaptainVelveeta]

Nice job...actually agree 100%. You should do an "Ozzy Lineups WORST to BEST" video.

[@stevelongmusic880]

That's not a bad idea, I'll do it. Thanks for watching!

[@calzabbath]

I'm Argentine, a Kiss follower since '78. I'm really sorry about Mark St John's short stint and fate; apparently his West Coast personality didn't fit well with the rest, all of them New Yorkers. He also was a bit arrogant apparently, and maybe the recent memories of Vinnie's similar attitude had something to do with the little patience Gene and Paul had toward him. Mark himself expressed once that the reactive arthritis thing (a condition that recedes) was an excuse for his replacement. Animalize is in my opinion the best album they put out between Creatures and Revenge. Good content, thanks.

[@stevelongmusic880]

I loved Animalized, I thought it was a great album. Thank you so much and thanks for watching!

[@slasherdope8065]

Also. You missed the lineup of Gene, Paul, Ace and Eric Singer and the lineup with Tommy and Peter

[@breal1183]

Vinnie's makeup & character was AWESOME. Vinnie & Eric Carr made KISS sound as metal & heavy as we always wanted them to be. I'd put Thayer & Singer last. Total POSERS!!

[@marksky5326]

Gene,Paul, Ace,Peter were the best!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yep, thanks for watching!

[@nathanhubbard7591]

I enjoyed the video. Thank you for posting! I liked your lineup and respect all the reasons you gave too. And I agree that the original is hard to beat and the reason you gave for that is because of the good times, attitude, and era it all began in. Agreed 💯 But if you were to ask me who my favorite lineup is, it’s Paul, Gene, Singer, and Kulick. Their sound was just more raw in my opinion, like in Alive III, and I truly believe that Singer and Kulick are better, more talented musicians. I like Kulick’s riffs more as he added some variations in songs that gave a scream kind of sound, and I think Singer hits the drums harder and can play faster with more variation than Criss. He could sing better than Carr too. And I also think he can sing just as well if not better than Criss🤷🏻 I just saw them in concert this year and they’re still killing it. Singer sang Beth and you could tell there was no added background artificial made sound aiding his vocals. It was Awesome ❤

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thanks man, and I you are right, Kulick and Singer are both monsters, great players and Eric does have a great voice! Thanks for watching!😀

[@joe666b]

1:03 already there is a mistake… Mark Toured with KISS…together with Bruce, there were Shows when KISS had both of them in the same stage the same show…with both of them playing 50% of the show each… Also I miss the Paul/Gene/EricS/Ace Lineup, I Miss the Paul/Gene/Peter/Tommy Lineup here too… And if we are getting picky, there also would be the 3 different 3 Person lineups, that sometime happened… and also there was the Paul/Gene/Eddie/Ace show

[@stevelongmusic880]

True, Mark did play like 3 shows with Bruce covering a chunk, you are right. And yeahI did miss the short-lived lineups. Thanks for watching!

[@sethrohl1997]

The Paul Stanley/Michael Jackson bit feels like a South Park skit.

[@stevelongmusic880]

No doubt! Thanks for watching!

[@l.salisbury1253]

6:40 - I'd include the Who (1964-78) on that list...

[@SeeCSeesCC]

Look at you!! 745 subs Steve!!!!!❤

[@stevelongmusic880]

Hey, thanks! I'm so appreciative of all the support!

[@charlesbronson4282]

KISS was always best when they had 4 vocalists...

[@stevelongmusic880]

Agreed, thanks for watching!

[@jessesmith5501]

The original ! They were by far the most successful !

[@BradH2024]

I agree that the opening of “All for the Love of Rock & Roll” sounds like the opening of “Mr. Speed”, but the opening to “Hell or Hallelujah” sounds nothing like the opening to “I Stole Your Love”. At least that’s my opinion… As far as your list, flip 1 and 2. Maybe I say that because Simmons-Stanley-Carr-Kulick was the lineup I first heard and got into, but I still think they were the best lineup - with the Simmons-Stanley-Frehley-Carr lineup leaving one to wonder what could have been had it held together. Worst? That’s easy. THE AVATARS. By the looks of things, the avatar “lineup” is strictly Simmons-Stanley-Singer-Thayer. Someone feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but it almost seems like they’re erasing Criss, Frehley, Carr and Kulick altogether. Not involving St. John (who wasn’t there that long), or especially Vincent (who’d likely file lawsuit #1,000,000 if they DID include his makeup character) is one thing. But leaving out the originals and the two that really got the band through the 80s? Give me a break!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Well it’s subjective so it may just be what I hear. I get you on the lineup, I was into the original from the beginning. You are right about the avatars, they are ignoring the other members who helped them achieve the success the did. Thanks for watching!

[@alphakub]

I'm grateful I got to see Ace with Eric Singer in Japan. Hot damn, that lineup was excellent.

[@stevelongmusic880]

I bet that was cool! Thanks for watching!

[@javimarulu4247]

I love the energy Gene & Paul Carr-Singer & Bruce

[@stevelongmusic880]

Yeah, I did enjoy them too, thanks for watching!

[@johnpatterson4272]

To honestly say who the best or worst KISS lineup was needs some context for 1) the best sounding live, 2) the best studio band, and 3) the most appealing lineup for the fans. 1)Does anyone remember the very brief lineup of Gene, Paul, Ace and Eric? To me that was the KISS sound of the 80s albeit I've only heard 'The Oath' from the early 80s show 'Fridays' with that version of the band playing live. Imagine if that band had toured? 2) In the studio KISS did their best work with the Gene, Paul, Eric and Bruce lineup. 3) Bottom-line is the original KISS will always be true KISS fans' favourites.

[@lymer2158]

as much magic as the original line up has, i still put it at 2, the bruce, eric carr lineup is 1000% my fave, the energy is un matched, and as much as i love revenge as an album,, those parts were written for eric carr

[@jjbast]

100%! Bravo!

[@kevinchandler179]

Eric Singer couldn't hold Peter's drumsticks!!! Peter Criss had a great jungle rhythm and jazz filled riffs and unique style and voice was by far the best in Kiss ever!!! Original lineup is the only one that truly matters!!!

[@stevelongmusic880]

Well you are right. They are a totally different style of drummer, and Peter has more feel, the chops and the voice. Eric is pretty much a straight ahead rock drummer. Thanks for watching!

[@paulmoore-LPC-LMFT-NCC]

Is it ignorance or apathy?

[@kevinchandler179]

Ignorance, is being dumb enough to have the illusion that anyone can replace Peter Criss and Ace!!!! Legends

[@paulmoore-LPC-LMFT-NCC]

@@kevinchandler179 but they did, and did well.

[@stf259]

I would argue they didn't replace Ace with studio musicians quite a bit--more like "a few times." He wasn't on creatures at all nor did he want to- that was when he was quitting. I can only really think of the studio songs on Killers, Alive 2, Sweet pain and a couple solos on unmasked that Paul did

[@stillbrian9448]

Who here surprised of number of 1?… No one, makes these videos kind of boring

[@ericcarr1648]

I think Vinnie look better with the makeup on. Lol

[@pilsking1976]

I agree with most of your opinions here. The first KISS album is killer, and unique. I also agree with you, that Crazy Nights is a great album. But I know most KISS fans rank it as one of their weakest efforts. Apart from the debut, and a few songs here and there, I like the 80's KISS best.

[@michaelhembree4167]

Mark did go on tour .he did a couple of shows..

[@stevelongmusic880]

You are right, however Bruce did cover him quite a bit until they let him go. Thanks for watching!

[@keithsowder4308]

I loved why you had the original band as number one. As an old front man for a number of metal bands in the 80's....a lot of times ( and the same is true in athletics ) the WHOLE is greater than the sum of it's parts. I played with some technically great musicians...many of whom were ( I lived in the Greater Cincinnati area at the time ) the VERY best in the Tri - State area....but the CHEMISTRY wasn't there...and you KNOW when you have that chemistry...just because you have the 4 or 5 best musicians playing together...doesn't mean you're gonna be the best band !

[@danielthenorwegianguy]

One line up your forgot is the one with Paul, Gene, Ace and Eric Singer

[@ericfox4461]

Great list - Personally, I would switch #3 and #2 but agreed with everything else.

[@stevelongmusic880]

That's cool, I can see that. Thanks for watching!

[@motorcitywestauto4674]

Ive seen kiss a dozen times, first time was in '82 at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The Plasmatics opened up and Wendy O was wild as hell. But Kiss felt off even then, and i was 12. I kept going to concerts and was disturbed by all the "final" tours. I went to 3 final tours before i gave up. They went from looking like superheroes to old men in drag. Last time i went was around 2014, and they were not rhe same band.

[@stevelongmusic880]

That's the last time I saw them too, took my daughter. She had a hard time with a 62ish year old Paul Stanley shaking his butt - haha

[@motorcitywestauto4674]

@@stevelongmusic880 It is a little weird that Paul still sees himself as a 25 year old sex symbol.

[@larsgustavsson4891]

I agree to a large degree. I would perhaps have ranked Ace+Carr a bit higher, based on the Unmasked Tour. The live recordings from that one rock.

[@russellj.s.257]

Least favorite lineup for me Gene, Paul, Eric S. and Tommy Thayer,second favorite is Gene, Paul,Eric C. and Bruce Kulick(I can't count Vinnie Vincent and Mark St. John because their time in the band was short lived) of course my number one favorite lineup Gene, Paul,Peter and Ace.

[@cooltheengines]

This is really simple, anybody who doesn’t think the original lineup was the best is wrong. KISS was first and foremost, a 1970’s phenomenon. By the time they had their first member change, The band already had their most prolific and groundbreaking years behind them.

[@stevelongmusic880]

Haha, well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I agree with you :) Thanks for watching!

[@SwitchFoot2007]

Best in terms of what? Is the question not being asked. This is more about authenticity rather than who was the best lineup. The only KISS I accept is Ace, Paul, Gene and Peter. But thats just me.