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Kiss "Rock the Nation" DVD review

fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
edited December 2005 in Other Music
Note: I know a lot of you don't like Kiss, and that's fine. If you feel the need to bitch, then I prefer you go do it somewhere else, or maybe go listen to Emo with your depressed friends. I don't bitch in your threads about bands I don't like. So, anyway.

I'm supposed to be working at this moment, but I'm gonna stick to the man today in the name of Rock & Roll.....

I received the new Kiss DVD "Rock the Nation" yesterday from deepdiscountdvd.com (arrived exactly on the release date!), and let me tell you this thing ROCKS.

It looks & sounds gorgeous, and it's great to finally have a full "real" Kiss concert in makeup on DVD (I don't count that Symphy dvd because that wasn't a typical Kiss show). It was filmed in later 2004 on their "Rock the Nation" tour, with the Paul/Gene/Eric/Tommy lineup. Additionally, this is the lineup that offered those "Instant Live" cd's that you could buy of the show about 30 minutes after it ended. For Kiss to do that, they had to have confidence in their playing and for that reason you have to reason that this dvd is fairly "really live," lol.

It is in widescreen format, which suits my new TV well. :)

The setlist is kick ass. They play Unholy, Tears Are Falling, Parasite, She, God Gave Rock & Roll To You, Love Her All I Can (!!!), Got To Choose, & War Machine, plus the regulars. There's a neat feature called KissVision where you can watch one member exclusively. Sounds corny at first, but it's cool; watching Eric Singer's drumming during Parasite is killer.

The stage is typical Kiss. Huge. Great overshots of it so you can take it all in. Kiss' stage show is like no other. But, I could do without all the close-ups of Paul Stanley's bulge in his leather pants, thanks.

I haven't watched all the extras yet, but they show soundchecks, photosessions, candid stuff. Lots of out-of-makeup footage of them looking old, shit like that. It has them onstage soundchecking and you hear them play Two Timer, The Oath (from The Elder), Comin Home, Mr. Speed, and others I'm not thinking of. Basically they do the normal Kiss schtick of saying how "this lineup kicks ass more than other ones" because this lineup can play any song, anytime. These guys do seem to get along well.

The show is also a bit raunchier and racier than recent Kiss tours, both in what the chicks in the audience are doing and the stuff that Paul says. This chick in the front row is pulling her skirt up for Paul, and Paul tells her "If I was looking for a fur coat, I'd want it made from shaved beaver" or something. LOL. Lots of hot chicks posing for the camera and periodic banter from Paul to them. It's not like the '92 Revenge tour where everything out of Paul's mouth was "fuck," but this at least feels like a rock and roll show instead of Spongebob Leatherpants.

Anyway, it's great. If you're thinking of getting it, deepdiscountdvd.com has it for $5 cheaper than Best Buy (shipping is free). I recommend this show to anyone who is a die-hard like me, or a casual rock and roll fan who may wanna kick it to a rock and roll show.
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Comments

  • chromiamchromiam Posts: 4,114
    Hey what's wrong with emo??? ;)

    The DVD sounds unbelievable.. I'm not a huge KISS fan but enjoy a kick ass rock show anytime. Might just have to check this out... and I like the fact that its in letterbox.. I hate that shows are cut to fit regular size screens.
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  • mrwalkerbmrwalkerb Posts: 1,015
    becasue of your "emo" disclaimer I will resist the urge to say that outside of Motely Crue I think KISS might be the worst band ever, but seriously don;t you see them as the total opposite of pearl jam in terms of integrity? like people bitch about Bono all the time but no one complains about KISS becasue Mike likes them, what's up with that?
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  • fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
    They're 50-something year old men who wear makeup and costumes on a stage where shit blows up while they play rock&roll songs.

    If I wanted substance, I wouldn't be reading Spiderman; but i wanted a little escape from work or wanted to ccelebrate how hot that chick in the cube across from me, maybe I'd wanna read Spiderman. Not every song has to be about changing the world or the plight of the whales.
    Do you remember Rock & Roll Radio?
  • moemoe6434moemoe6434 Posts: 467
    What's the correlation between hating Kiss and liking sad emo? Way to start off a thread by not bashing other people's music.

    BTW I don't think putting on makeup and lipstick with your friends is much better than hanging out with "sad" emo friends.
    "If she don't love me no more, i know her sister will" Jimi Hendrix
  • PissBottleManPissBottleMan Posts: 4,154
    Granted, I don't like the fact that Gene and Paul have sold their soul to profit off the Kiss name.

    However, I've been a pretty big fan since '94. I've seen them 3 times including a convention at Cobo Hall in '95.

    They write straight up rock and roll songs. Nothing more, nothing less.

    PBM
    "We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"

    Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
  • EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    I thought it was just the kids nowadays, but it turns out even most adults don't know what emo is. Or at least, what the term originally meant before it was adopted by a bunch of pop acts.
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  • china dollchina doll Posts: 46
    Doesn't Emo mean Emotional? And doesn't it refer to Emotional Rock or Punk? So wouldn't that go back to power ballads? Like Bon Jovi and even farther? Anyways... I am done with explaining EMO. I have never really been into Kiss... I like a few songs yes but I think I was in the off Generation.
    Thanks harrison. Maybe you should take your beatbox down the street and eat some acid you silly pervert.

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  • chromiamchromiam Posts: 4,114
    PissBottleMan wrote:
    They write straight up rock and roll songs. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Exactly.. and they make no apologies for it...
    Like fanch said not everything has to be about changing the world... sometimes you just have to say fuck everything and let your eardrums bleed alittle and listen to some great rock and roll

    And how did this turn into an emo explanation thread?? ;) Emo is like every other title that has been given to forms of music so that the industry can box and package every little thing to the consumer and say well if you like them.. then you'll like this band as well... It's all bullshit.. music is music.. some bands have good songs and terrible ones on the same album. Some bands kick ass every time and others just blow... to each his own.
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  • EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    Well, emo was orginally coined in the mid 80's to describe the "emotional hardcore" punk scene, where more singers in hardcore bands were singing about new topics, which were often more personal, and becoming very emotional involved at concerts. The sound was very influenced by Husker Du's Zen Arcade, and one of the major players in the 80's emo scene was Ian Mckaye, who went on to form Fugazi, I believe. Around 2003/2004, the term was adopted to mean pop acts like Dashboeard COnfessional and a million other clones that aren't so good, and I guess it is a much larger subculture now, one that gets a LOT of derision.

    (Although it probably doesn't matter to you, there was a second wave of emo influenced by bands like Fugazi that start around 94 with bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Braid, Elliot, The Promise Ring, and Weezer)
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  • moemoe6434moemoe6434 Posts: 467
    chromiam wrote:
    And how did this turn into an emo explanation thread?? ;) Emo is like every other title that has been given to forms of music so that the industry can box and package every little thing to the consumer and say well if you like them.. then you'll like this band as well... It's all bullshit.. music is music.. some bands have good songs and terrible ones on the same album. Some bands kick ass every time and others just blow... to each his own.


    Amen brother!
    "If she don't love me no more, i know her sister will" Jimi Hendrix
  • fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
    I make a light-hearted comment and suddenly we're in an Emo 101 course.

    Music is music. If I liked a song, whether it's the Backstreet Boys (although I don't) or Emo, I'd listen to the damn thing.
    Do you remember Rock & Roll Radio?
  • even flow?even flow? Posts: 8,066
    Emo Phillips???? :)


    Anyhow..........this would excite me if it were with the real band. Never could get into the "replacement" act they tried to call Kiss when Kiss was already dead and gone. If Ace ain't around, it ain't much.

    I was also expecting a good drunk review and then I get the "I'm at work and don't have time" line. Geez, Fanch. I have come to rely on your drunk reviews. :)
    You've changed your place in this world!
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 16,925
    PissBottleMan wrote:
    Granted, I don't like the fact that Gene and Paul have sold their soul to profit off the Kiss name.
    While there is no arguing this point, they also have never pretended that they are not doing what they do for money. They've never hidden behind any false pretenses as many other musicians have.
    They aren't deceitful...they put on a good, entertaining rock show, and expect you to pay them to see it. They market their memorabilia well, and obviously there are plenty who are willing to pay for it.

    I've seen them live 10 or so times, with and without makeup, and have always felt I got my money's worth, though the last time, I didn't really care for the Tommy Thayer in Ace makeup factor (Peter was still with them), just give Tommy his own makeup (Eric now too), and leave Ace's persona for Ace only should he ever play with Gene and Paul again.
    And just take the music at its face value: good, fun rock and roll.
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  • china dollchina doll Posts: 46
    Echoes wrote:
    Well, emo was orginally coined in the mid 80's to describe the "emotional hardcore" punk scene, where more singers in hardcore bands were singing about new topics, which were often more personal, and becoming very emotional involved at concerts. The sound was very influenced by Husker Du's Zen Arcade, and one of the major players in the 80's emo scene was Ian Mckaye, who went on to form Fugazi, I believe. Around 2003/2004, the term was adopted to mean pop acts like Dashboeard COnfessional and a million other clones that aren't so good, and I guess it is a much larger subculture now, one that gets a LOT of derision.

    (Although it probably doesn't matter to you, there was a second wave of emo influenced by bands like Fugazi that start around 94 with bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Braid, Elliot, The Promise Ring, and Weezer)

    Were you saying it wouldn't matter to me?
    Thanks harrison. Maybe you should take your beatbox down the street and eat some acid you silly pervert.

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  • fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
    I don't like Thayer in the band either, and I wish ACE was still in there. He has always been the "loose canon" factor in Kiss.

    I'll take Eric Singer over Peter Criss anyday.

    They haven't created new makeup "characters" for Thayer & Singer because at this point in their career it just doesn't matter. Thayer looks silly, has zero stage presence but he is a technically superior player to ACE. However, Thayer is playing the riffs that ACE wrote.

    However, the band does sound good with this lineup. I think it may have a lot to do with the fact taht these guys get along and can probably actually get through rehearsals without fighting each other. The originals were probably one of teh most dysfunctional bands in rock history.
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  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 16,925
    fanch75 wrote:
    Thayer looks silly, has zero stage presence .
    He really looks like a fish out of water.
    I've seen them with the Kulick/Carr combo and Kulick/Singer combo in the past, and musically those lineups are superior to the modern day Ace/Peter (especially Peter), but there's just something magical about the original 4 together in full makeup and fiery, explosive glory.
    And Ace is a master showman worthy of sharing the stage with Gene, they play off each other well.
    Plus the Ace guitar pick I got during the "farewell" tour is by far the coolest looking pick in my collection.
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  • PissBottleManPissBottleMan Posts: 4,154
    Without Ace & Peter, the makeup isn't necessary. I liked the nostolgic of it all back in '96, but don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.

    You can still be Kiss without the makeup.

    PBM
    "We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"

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  • tucker carlsontucker carlson Posts: 66
    mrwalkerb wrote:
    becasue of your "emo" disclaimer I will resist the urge to say that outside of Motely Crue I think KISS might be the worst band ever, but seriously don;t you see them as the total opposite of pearl jam in terms of integrity? like people bitch about Bono all the time but no one complains about KISS becasue Mike likes them, what's up with that?

    SOMETIMES MUSIC IS ABOUT FUN.........IT'S NOT ALWAYS RELIGION,POLOTICS AND LIFE AND DEATH SHIT.....THESE GUYS ARE ALL ABOUT FUN AND I JUST RECENTLY REVISITED SOME OF THEIR MUSIC FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIFTEEN YEARS AND I MUST SAY I ENJOYED IT.....ALMOST A GUILTY PLEASURE BUT FUCK FEELING GUILTY
  • thatgirlthatgirl Posts: 3,671
    personally, i would have enjoyed a "fanch's drunk while im at work" review but nonetheless this will do....
    "I hear Fanch has a Pimp Cup and loves Kiss. I think that's all that really matters."
  • mrwalkerbmrwalkerb Posts: 1,015
    tucker carlson wrote:
    SOMETIMES MUSIC IS ABOUT FUN.........IT'S NOT ALWAYS RELIGION,POLOTICS AND LIFE AND DEATH SHIT.....THESE GUYS ARE ALL ABOUT FUN AND I JUST RECENTLY REVISITED SOME OF THEIR MUSIC FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIFTEEN YEARS AND I MUST SAY I ENJOYED IT.....ALMOST A GUILTY PLEASURE BUT FUCK FEELING GUILTY

    I love how everybody jumps on my back for a coment on how KISS sucks, k here's the deal if you want fun straight up rck and roll listen to teh Supersuckers or Danko Jones bands who can kick out teh jams without sucking, although I guess I shouldn't use teh expression kick out the jams since the MC5 were about more then just that.
    "I'm not suicidal, except when I drink. That's why we don't all drink at the same time, there'd be no-one alive to drive home..."
    Chris Cornell

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  • even flow?even flow? Posts: 8,066
    mrwalkerb wrote:
    I love how everybody jumps on my back for a coment on how KISS sucks, k here's the deal if you want fun straight up rck and roll listen to teh Supersuckers or Danko Jones bands who can kick out teh jams without sucking, although I guess I shouldn't use teh expression kick out the jams since the MC5 were about more then just that.



    This may be the first time I have seen Danko Jones' name on this board. Nice reference!!!!
    You've changed your place in this world!
  • fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
    If you don't like Kiss, that's fine. I don't get posting about it in a thread about their new dvd though.

    For example, I think Radiohead is horrid. Stupid. Shitty. I hate them. There are lots of threads about Radiohead, and people talk abouttheir cd's when they come out. Yet, I don't go into the thread reviewing the new Radiohead disc, entitled "How Do Snails Feel When They Are Stepped On?" and talk about how I think they suck.

    They like it, cool, whatever, rock & roll moves forward. Rock the fuck on
    Do you remember Rock & Roll Radio?
  • chromiamchromiam Posts: 4,114
    fanch75 wrote:
    If you don't like Kiss, that's fine. I don't get posting about it in a thread about their new dvd though.

    For example, I think Radiohead is horrid. Stupid. Shitty. I hate them. There are lots of threads about Radiohead, and people talk abouttheir cd's when they come out. Yet, I don't go into the "A Review of Radiohead's 'How Do Snails Feel When They Are Stepped On?'" thread and talk about how they suck.

    They like it, cool, whatever, rock & roll moves forward. Rock the fuck on

    Oasis sucks too.. ;)
    Actually I just d/l the new Oasis and fucking incredible.. I think the boys might be back on track. I have to listen to it at least once a night...
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  • tucker carlsontucker carlson Posts: 66
    kiss are a major influence of the danko jones winnepeg rockers according to their lead singer and didn't mcready have ace on stage at borgota..........not jumping on anbodys back just saying it's ok to like kiss......
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    I picked this up as part of my Dad's Xmas gift. He loves kiss. I think he will enjoy the dvd based on your review. Thanks for sharing.
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  • fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
    intodeep said:

    I picked this up as part of my Dad's Xmas gift. He loves kiss. I think he will enjoy the dvd based on your review. Thanks for sharing.

    Here we are ten years later. I bet your father still loves it!
    Do you remember Rock & Roll Radio?
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Posts: 36,982
    tucker carlson said:

    kiss are a major influence of the danko jones winnepeg rockers according to their lead singer and didn't mcready have ace on stage at borgota..........not jumping on anbodys back just saying it's ok to like kiss......

    danko is from toronto, not winnipeg.

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  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    lol!

    I was reading this and thinking KISS had a new dvd out. What's with the bumping of all these old threads lately?
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 30,525
    fanch75 said:

    They're 50-something year old men who wear makeup and costumes on a stage where shit blows up while they play rock&roll songs.



    If I wanted substance, I wouldn't be reading Spiderman; but i wanted a little escape from work or wanted to ccelebrate how hot that chick in the cube across from me, maybe I'd wanna read Spiderman. Not every song has to be about changing the world or the plight of the whales.

    In what way does Spiderman lack substance?

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  • fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
    Announced today - the final Kiss show will be July 17, 2021 in their hometown New York City.
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