August 28, 2019 Playlist

"KISS" by KISS (1973)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
KISS "KISS"  1974 (USA) 
Gene Simmons turns 70 years old this week, so our CAOTW is the debut album by his masculine glam kabuki clown b(r)and KISS. They didn't really become popular until their fourth album in 1975, the classic concert recording KISS Alive!, but they had their formula down from day one. Although they did stray from boot-stomping hard rock songs about sex from time to time (most notably on the proggy concept album (Music From) The Elder in 1981), overall KISS had a remarkably consistent career that has lasted more than 40 years. Their most recent album came out in 2012; during 2019, they have been doing a 111-date "End Of The Road World Tour" which is scheduled to end in Japan in December (fittingly, since Japan loved them from the start, even before they made it in America). Will that be the end of KISS? In Paul Stanley's autobiography (I listened to the audio book he narrated himself; it's hilarious) he suggests that "The Starchild", "The Demon" and the rest of the band's personas are not unique to the members who created them and there's no reason KISS can't continue forever with new members! There is precedent in that for the last decade or more Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer have worn the "Cat Man" and "Space Ace" makeup originated by Peter Criss and Ace Frehley on their debut album way back in 1974.
Also on the show this week: new tunes from the forthcoming first solo album ever from Kim Gordon (ex-Sonic Youth), a new bubblegum metal jam from Poppy, and the cool Japanese dames of Tricot and Wednesday Campanella. And (oh lord help me) my latest J-Pop obessesion: the wacky denpa idol band Dempagumi.inc - here's two of their nationalist bubblegum anthems (most of their songs seem to reference "Japaneseness" in some way) from 2015 (both top 10 hits in Japan) - "Bari3 Republic" (no clue what that title means) is the sound of anime and video games while "Sakura Apparition" ("Cherry Blossom Apparition") is girly pink happy funtime music. And oh yeah by the way - did you know KISS did a collaboration with a J-Pop idol band in 2015?! (The imagery in that video seems based on the Japan-themed album cover of Hotter Than Hell).
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Spooky ToothBubblesIt's All About1968UK
RamasesBalloonSpace Hymns1971UK
The Small FacesHere Come The NiceSmall Faces1966UK
Curved AirThe Purple Speed QueenAir Cut1973UK
Cheer-Accident Plea BargainChicago XX (N)2019 (Complacency)USA
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Planet BInfest The Rats' Nest (N)2019 (ATO)Australia
 
 
Oh Sees The ExperimenterFace Stabber (N)2019 (Castle Face)USA
POW! DisobeyShift (N)2019 (Castle Face)USA
Prettiest Eyes It Costs To Be AustereVol. 3 (N)2019 (Castle Face)USA
Kim Gordon Sketch ArtistNo Home Record (N - forthcoming album)2019 (Matador)USA
Poppy Concretesingle (N)2019 (Sumerian)USA
Wednesday Campanella & Yahyel Survive Tokyosingle (N)2019 (Warner Japan)Japan
Tricot BUTTERRepeat EP (N)2019 (Bakuretsu)Japan
   
 
KISSStrutterKISS
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1974USA
KISSDeuceKISS
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1974USA
KISSCold GinKISS
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1974USA
KISSBlack Diamond (live)KISS Alive!1975USA
Judas PriestVictim Of Changes (live)Unleashed In The East1979UK
   
 
Taras Bulba Moroccan WavesOne (N)2019 (Riot Season)UK
75 Dollar Bill WZN3I Was Real (N)2019 (Thin Wrist)USA
Chris Forsyth (Livin' On) Cubist TimeAll Time Present (N)2019 (No Quarter)USA
FaustSo FarSo Far1972Germany
Sun Ra & His Astro Infinity ArkestraWorlds ApproachingStrange Strings1967USA
   
 
Charlie ParkerCrazeologyThe Legendary Dial Masters (compilation)rec. 1947USA
Miles DavisAh-Leu-Cha (Charlie Parker)Round About Midnight1956USA
Charlie Parker & Dizzy GillespieBloomdidoBird And Diz1950USA
Eric Dolphy & Booker LittleMrs. Parker of K.C. (Bird's Mother)Far Cry1960USA
Charlie ParkerHot House (live)Giants Of Jazz (live recordings with minimal liner notes)rec. 1940's?USA
Charlie ParkerAnthropology (live)Best Of The Complete Live Performances On Savoy (compilation)rec. 1948USA
   
 
Dempagumi.incBari3 RepublicWWDD2015Japan
Dempagumi.incSakura ApparitionWWDD2015Japan
      
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