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Post #1292444

Author
nightstalkerpoet
Parent topic
You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best Version of Every Album - KISS Discography Project (Released)
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1292444/action/topic#1292444
Date created
13-Aug-2019, 3:52 AM

With all of the Star Wars completionists around here, I thought there might be some KISS fans mixed in that could enjoy this. I’ve set out over the past few months to compile a complete set of Albums in their best available forms. After so many years here watching LD, CED, VCD, VHS, etc versions of Star Wars and seeing how incredibly different the experience could be, I found myself wondering if the same was true for audio recordings. Not only was it true, but the difference from one release to the next of the exact same album could be so different you’d think they were different recordings.

I heavily researched the KISS community opinion on every album, located the 2 favorite versions of each, then compared them myself (so yes, there is a small amount of personal bias, but I only varied from the general consensus on a few.) I’ve also completely reordered The Elder to make narrative sense.

As of now (I still have Symphony to work with and potentially reorder) I have the following set:

  1. (Self Titled) - Japanese P33C CD

  2. Hotter than Hell - Japanese P33C CD

  3. Dressed to Kill - Japanese 2013 SACD I re-mixed the intro to Rock Bottom to remove an annoying hum.

  4. Alive! - Mick E. Gee Vinyl

  5. Destroyer - Japanese P33C CD

  6. Rock and Roll Over - Japanese P33C CD

  7. Love Gun - Mick E. Gee Vinyl

  8. Alive II - Mick E. Gee Vinyl w/ Studio Tracks from Japanese P33C CD

  9. Ace Frehley - West German CD

  10. Paul Stanley - 95 UK CD

  11. Gene Simmons - Mastered for Itunes

  12. Peter Criss - Mastered for Itunes

  13. Dynasty - Japanese P33C CD

  14. Unmasked - West German CD

  15. Music from the Elder - Japanese P33C CD, Reordered and Mixed for Narrative flow by me. Escape from the Island from Killers Japanese PPD CD

  16. Creatures of the Night - Japanese P33C CD, War Machine (Remix) from Chikara Japanese P33C CD

  17. Lick it Up - US Remaster

  18. Animalize - Japanese SACD

  19. Asylum - US CD

  20. Crazy Nights - Japanese P33C CD

  21. Hot in the Shade - Mick E. Gee Vinyl, This was a tough one. The CDs are clearer, but since it wasn’t mixed well and many of the songs were just polished demos, I find that the vinyl evens the sound out nicely. The Japanese 2012 SACD is the best mixed and most professional sounding, but the feel of the album changed in doing so - the raw edge just isn’t there.

  22. Revenge - US CD

  23. MTV Unplugged - Mick E. Gee DVD

  24. Alive III - 1995 Australian CD

  25. Carnival of Souls - US CD

  26. Psycho Circus - Japanese CD (includes In Your Face)

  27. Symphony Alive IV - *NSP AC3 Mixdown/Remaster"

  28. Sonic Boom - US CD

  29. Monster - International Tour CD

  30. An “Album” of New Tracks found on Compilation Albums:
    Strutter '78 - Double Platinum
    Nowhere to Run - Killers
    Down on Your Knees - Killers
    I’m a Legend Tonight - Killers
    Partners in Crime - Killers
    Time Traveler - Box Set
    (You Make Me) Rock Hard - Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits
    Let’s Put the X in Sex - Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits
    Beth (Eric Carr Vocal) - Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits
    It’s My Life - Box Set
    Nothing Can Keep Me From You - Detroit Rock City Soundtrack
    Do You Remember Rock n Roll Radio - Ramones Cover

My Elder Reorder is
Fanfare
A World Without Heroes
Just a Boy
Mr Blackwell
The Summons
Only You
Under the Rose
The Oath
Dark Light
Odyssey
Escape from the Island
I
Outro

My thought on Symphony reordering is:
Psycho Circus
Strutter
Lick it Up
Calling Dr. Love
Deuce
Let Me Go, Rock 'n Roll

Shandi
Forever
Sure Know Something
Goin’ Blind
Beth

I Was Made for Loving You
King of the Nighttime World
Great Expectations
Love Gun
Do You Love Me
Shout it Out Loud
God of Thunder
Detroit Rock City
Black Diamond
Rock and Roll All Night

(Paul’s talking to the audience will be rearranged to fit the new song order, and recut to be appropriate for an audio only release.)

I’d love to hear any thoughts or opinions here.