Kiss Destroyer

2. Album number two is Kiss 'Destroyer'.

Released in 1976 this was the follow up to the mega selling Alive, that brought Kiss into the mainstream.
Destroyer showed a band full of energy and definitely in the ascendancy. The production was going forward by leaps and bounds, by bringing in Bob Ezrin
(Alice Cooper) they threw everything into the mix. Choirs, voice overs, car crashes and even classical orchestration.
This would have counted for nothing if the songwriting hadn't been up to scratch and that didn't disappoint either.
From the pop sounding 'Shout It Out Loud' the doom metal of 'God Of Thunder' to the power ballad 'Great Expections', Kiss left nothing out. Youtube Live From 1996 'Shout It Out Loud'
After seeing Kiss so many times now it's hard not to see these songs as anything else than classics, I can only hear them as a live show these days.
The pyro's that will go off during 'Detroit Rock City', The blood pouring from Gene Simmons before & during 'God Of Thunder' and Paul Stanley delivering the
line ''You Like My Seven Inch Leather Heels' to an arena of thousands of hetro men.
'Beth' is probably the best known track but I feel this is the weakest, that may be by being overplayed, I'm not sure! but that is the only gripe I have
with this album.
Also worth a mention is the cover artwork by Ken Kelly who drew Kiss as the superheroes they would become to many other musicians especially in the metal and

alternative scenes.

WHY I ♥ THIS ALBUM
As you may have guessed I am a big Kiss fan, back in 1992 during Kiss 'Revenge' tour, London held host to a 'KISS' day. A convention at the now defunct Astoria,
signing at HMV and then a show at Wembley Arena. So off I went with a very good friend of mine, Karen Ruse. At the convention (organized by Peters Criss's ex-wife) was a Kiss

disco, various sellers of Kiss memorabilia and a set by Dressed To Kill (tribute band). There we met a nice guy from Portugal, Alex, who had travelled all over Europe watching Kiss

on this particular tour.

Also in attendance was Ray Zell, who if you know your Metal, is the creator and artist for Pandora (Kerrang Vixen). There were rumours of Kiss turning up

which we all thought was out of the question, however after a little while the lights went down and the Kiss intro tape rumbled on. And then there they were about 6 feet away...Paul,

Gene, Bruce & Eric Singer. What a day!!!! The show in the evening was killer!!!! One of the best I've been to.

Also Happy Birthday Today To Paul Stanley :-)