KISS – Love Gun (Deluxe)

1977 was the year KISS released their sixth studio album titled Love Gun. Their line-up was Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley , Gene Simmons and Peter Criss. This album was the last studio album to feature all of the original line-up, on all tracks. It was produced by KISS and Eddie Kramer and recorded and mixed in New York and came with a self assembly ‘Love Gun’ !!…

Fast forward all these years, KISS are still going strong (although with a line-up that has changed a few times..) They have ‘newly remastered’ the original album and released it as part of their fortieth anniversary celebrations. The new release comes with the original album as disc1 together with second disc which includes live tracks recorded from 1977, demos and an interview with Gene Simmons. The CD bundle also comes with glossy booklet with a write-up about each of the original songs and an intro write-up by Joe Elliot from Def Leppard, who have been on tour with KISS in America this year.

The original album still sounds great, but now sounds even better on CD format as opposed to the original release on 12” vinyl and cassette. With both the rhythm and lead guitars having two similar but distinct sounds. Gene’s bass has an ever so slight echo to it (Most noticeably on ‘Christine Sixteen’ and ‘Almost Human’) and the drums on this album have a very typical sound from that era. All of this give most the tracks on the album a very full and wholesome sound. The tone of the album carries on through the album, with very little deviation from the set theme. Lyrically, the songs on the album are not fantastic, but not too cheesy either and catchy enough for them to stick in your head…

My favourite tracks have always been the title track (Love gun), Christine Sixteen and Plaster Caster.

The second disc is the best part of this release with rare, previously unreleased demos, three never-before-available live tracks from the KISS show at the Capitol Centre, Landover in Maryland U.S.A. from December 20, 1977 as well as a Radio interview with Gene back in 1977, where he is asked if KISS would ever play without make-up on…’anything is possible’ was his reply…

The first track on the second disc is a demo version of ‘Much too Soon’, which along with ‘Reputation’ ( track 3) make up quite a rare release of these two songs. Track 2 and track 5 are also demos of ‘Plaster caster’ and ‘Love gun’. Track 4 is a teaching demo of ‘Love gun’ with Paul Stanley going through the chords that make up the song. This is OK to listen to a home, but not really ideal for playing on that long road trip, so a quick fast forward and pass over the interview of Gene to the great live tracks of ‘Love Gun’, ‘Christine Sixteen’ and ‘Shook me’ complete the second disc.

My rating for this album is 5 stars. Love Gun (Deluxe) is a must have for any KISS fan. (However, no cardboard “Love Gun” is included in this release…)

Track Listing:

CD1: -Original album

1: I stole your love

2: Christine Sixteen

3: Got love for sale

4: Shock me

5: Tomorrow and tonight

6: Love gun

7: Hooligan

8: Almost human

9: Plaster caster

10: Then she kissed me

CD2: -Demos, Interview and Live

1: Much too soon –demo

2: Plaster caster –demo

3: Reputation –demo

4: Love gun –teaching demo

5: Love gun –demo

6: Gene Simmons interview

7: Tomorrow and tonight –demo

8: I know who you are –demo

9: Love gun –live

10: Christine sixteen –live

11: Shock me -live

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