Kiss “Music From The Elder." An adventure into the prog side. Through the years I never had the chutzpah to pick this up. I would like to ask the brave ones that dived into the music of The Elder what at their reactions were. Was it a mind bender or did it fall flat or somewhere in between. I would like check it out, but I thought I had better get some input first.
Prog prig
Last edited by Tim35; 08-12-2014 at 03:58 PM.
I guess it was a typo from the OP, but "prig" honestly sounds as though it should be a music genre. Perhaps we have invented a new genre, and "The Elder" is to be considered the archetypal example of Prig Rock.
It's...a strange record. It's not really "prog", not even close to it, except maybe Escape From The Island. There's some very good songs, particularly I, A World Without Heroes, Black Light, The Oath, Just A Boy...actually, the only song I don't like on the record is Mr. Blackwell.
There's various comments I've heard over the years from the guilty parties. Bob Ezrin, who produced it, said (20 years later) that he wanted to "take Kiss and their audience to a place they'd never been before, and show the critics just how smart Kiss could be". He pauses for a second, then says "I was wrong"
Paul Stanley was once asked to rate the album. He said "I give it a great big question mark". Gene said "As a Kiss album, I give an F. As a bad Genesis album, I give it a C for effort" (or something like that). There's also a bit on the Kissology II DVD where Gene says that they still get fan mail from people suggesting they do an Elder tour and play the entire album back to front. Paul then interrupts and says that he writes back to the mental hospital and says "I hope you're feeling better soon".
To me, it has it's moments, I just think things went waaaay sideways on this project. Reportedly, Ezrin let his cocaine problem take over and went AWOL part way through the sessions. Ace didn't want to have anything to do with, and insisted on doing his overdubs at his home studio, instead of joining the others in Toronto or wherever it was Bob, Gene and Paul were working. From what I gather, it was supposed to be a double LP, but that got waylaid by the record company.
It's a shame that this is the only living testament of the Gene/Paul/Ace/Eric lineup. There was talk beforehand that they were gonna go back to doing a straight hard rock record (after the poppier leanings of Dynasty and Unmasked, both of which are albums I happen to love, btw, but then you knew that already, didn't you?), but that somehow got sidetracked by this "Let's do something ambitious" maneuver. I'd have loved to have heard a hard rock album from that lineup.
There used to be a video clip on Youtube of them breaking into I think it was I on an Australian show some years back. They're sort of futzing around with it, Gene then stops after half a verse and says "I have no idea how that fucking song goes". Paul says something like "Maybe there's a reason why don't play those songs".
So it's not the best album Kiss ever made, but it's far from the total disaster some people make it out to be.
On one of our trips, I think to one of the ProgDays we went to, I played Music From The Elder for my friend Terri, only I didn't tell her what it was before I put it in, I said guess. So it goes that whole orchestral fanfare thing, then Paul Stanley starts singing, and after about a verse or so, she says "Is this Kiss?! Oh my GOD!" like she couldn't believe it was them.
Just remember, this isn't Genesis, and this isn't The Lamb Lies Down Broadway. Remember that one of these guys breathes fire onstage, and one of the other guys who used to set of smoke bombs inside his guitar, and fire rockets and ignite catherine wheels from the headstock of his guitar, and you'll be alright. I think.
Prog magazine profiled this album in their "It's Prog, Jim, but not as we know it" column. I tried to listen to it but it was rough going because I'm not at all a Kiss fan. But I give them credit for trying something ambitious. I'll have to try another listen one day.
It's not a horrible album to me... but it is pretty bizarre as a KISS album. It's like Eye in The Sky era APP, Jeff Wayne's War of The Worlds and KISS all got in a car wreck. I wouldn't say it's really proggy, more AOR really.
Typo corrected.
Prig On!
I don't think it was ever considered prog. The only thing it had in common with prog was that it was a concept album, rather than the usual Kiss assortment of songs about women and rock n' roll.
You say Mega Ultra Deluxe Special Limited Edition Extended Autographed 5-LP, 3-CD, 4-DVD, 2-BlueRay, 4-Cassette, five 8-Track, MP4 Download plus Demos, Outtakes, Booklet, T-Shirt and Guitar Pick Gold-Leafed Box Set Version like it's a bad thing...
prig1 [prig]
noun
"a person who displays or demands of others pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, especially in a self-righteous or irritating manner."
Well, the Elder has certainly come to the right place. See the various genre/subgenre threads.
Next time someone asks me what kind of music, I'm just gonna say rock music.Originally Posted by moecurlythanu
prig1 [prig]
noun
"a person who displays or demands of others pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, especially in a self-righteous or irritating manner."
When I first saw the typo I almost spewed coffee all over the place. "prig" is a new one. Years ago I remember someone typo-ing prog as "porg," and sure enough there were some hilarious followups.....
porg 1 [porg], noun
"the other white meat"
Last edited by Vic2012; 08-15-2014 at 06:05 AM.
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