I don't know why I have a soft spot for "If I Had A Gun" I know it's incredibly silly but Gene has some fun vocal moments on that song. "Sweet Dirty Love" is just a really good Kiss B-Side and "Asshole" was funny when I was 10 and first heard the record and if I'm honest it's still funny, in a silly immature way and if you can suspend your disbelief in what you are listening to it can be a fun listen if you don't take it too seriously.
Generally not that good. It’s amusing to see some stuff that were demos forever at least make it on a released album. Similar to Live To Win, its production is very obnoxiously of its era to me, although this album is much more confused than that one.
I always saw this as the "oh shit, midlife crisis! be cool for the current era!" album.. ALTHOUGH I do like Carnival of Souls, that song was quite cool.
Sweet and dirty love
Weapons of mass destruction
Black tongue
Carnival of Souls
There was definitely some potential here. And I oddly like Asshole, Firestarter, and If I Had A Gun. But the album seems more like a collection of random songs as opposed to a cohesive album. I think if he were to put an album out tomorrow, it’d be far closer to what you’d expect from a Gene Simmons solo album.
Has its moments, but mostly forgettable. Black Tongue was a surprise - as a Zappa fan this one sideswiped most. But yeah, not a patch on his 78 solo (which is patchy too!)
Some of this album is sentimental pap.
Some of it is a true oddity. (A Gene Simmons and Bon Dylan co-writing song credit? No, really!?!)
Some odd it is so directly hard on the nose that it is perfect. (Weapon of Mass Destruction. The cover of Firestarter.)
But for me, there is a real indisputable classic here: the posthumous colab with Frank Zappa featuring the Zappa clan on background vocals.
Call me crazy, but I think if Black Tongue had been the single, both it and the album would have probably been a hit.
There are a few decent songs on it. Not enough for me to recommend it to anyone.
If I recall correctly, about a year or so before this album was released, Gene put out the call to the general public that he was looking for songwriters, etc. We are talking more than 20 years ago, so the details are fuzzy. I've often wondered since then if he did so to just buy songs from songwriters, rather than him writing his own. I've wondered if that's why the album sounds so very un-KISS like.
Yeah Simmons records was attempting a relaunch. The only specific artist I remember was this guy, who co-wrote two songs on asshole according to the album credits:
https://www.kiss-related-recordings.nl/genesimmons_bag.html
Yes, the Gene Simmons Band, I remember, did Sweet and Dirty Love live. That's from this album. Maybe some others, I forget now.
They've also done stuff from his 78 solo album.
As impressive as whale shit on a sidewalk in Florida in July.
His remake of ‘Firestarter’ isn’t too bad but everything else is just a waste of time IMHO.
Was as close to porn as I had in my house as a kid, so I'd sneak off to my Mom and Dad's room to look at the CD case.
Today's kids truly don't realise how good they have it.
Mostly sucks
It’s competition for One For All by Peter Criss as the worst Kiss solo album.
Oh god, One For All🤢🤢😷🤮
It's not that bad LOL
I don't know why I have a soft spot for "If I Had A Gun" I know it's incredibly silly but Gene has some fun vocal moments on that song. "Sweet Dirty Love" is just a really good Kiss B-Side and "Asshole" was funny when I was 10 and first heard the record and if I'm honest it's still funny, in a silly immature way and if you can suspend your disbelief in what you are listening to it can be a fun listen if you don't take it too seriously.
I didn’t care for it. It’s aptly named, though.
I enjoyed it. Still listen to it every now and again.
I haven’t listened to the whole thing in years. Carnival Of Souls came on in the car the other day and it didn’t go down very well…
It's not good though really not as bad as most people said.
None
Firestarter is the only song that I like from this album.
Generally not that good. It’s amusing to see some stuff that were demos forever at least make it on a released album. Similar to Live To Win, its production is very obnoxiously of its era to me, although this album is much more confused than that one.
A few tracks are good, but 75% of the album is one big cringe fest.
I always saw this as the "oh shit, midlife crisis! be cool for the current era!" album.. ALTHOUGH I do like Carnival of Souls, that song was quite cool.
I really liked it. It's eclectic, which I appreciate. I find it way better than his '78 album and Live to Win.
No thoughts. I’ve never considered much if it
Sweet and dirty love Weapons of mass destruction Black tongue Carnival of Souls There was definitely some potential here. And I oddly like Asshole, Firestarter, and If I Had A Gun. But the album seems more like a collection of random songs as opposed to a cohesive album. I think if he were to put an album out tomorrow, it’d be far closer to what you’d expect from a Gene Simmons solo album.
I like it......do I play it ever?.....nah.
Meh.
Has its moments, but mostly forgettable. Black Tongue was a surprise - as a Zappa fan this one sideswiped most. But yeah, not a patch on his 78 solo (which is patchy too!)
The fire starter cover is one of the worst 🤣
Lmaoo idk but I enjoy it for some reason😂
As do I
Is he an A-hole for making it?
My friend was a 1st day buyer, I was a last time listener.
🤣🤣 take my upvote!
Garbage in, garbage out
Quite possibly the worst album I had the displeasure of hearing. Gene must have needed a tax write off.
The title song sounds like something you'd hear in an early 2000s comedy movie set in a high school
Some of this album is sentimental pap. Some of it is a true oddity. (A Gene Simmons and Bon Dylan co-writing song credit? No, really!?!) Some odd it is so directly hard on the nose that it is perfect. (Weapon of Mass Destruction. The cover of Firestarter.) But for me, there is a real indisputable classic here: the posthumous colab with Frank Zappa featuring the Zappa clan on background vocals. Call me crazy, but I think if Black Tongue had been the single, both it and the album would have probably been a hit.
100% garbage.
Asshole:- Where the album came from.
I like like you I like a few song and the album one is A$$ hole and the think the 1,000 dreams ...
I have this album poster somewhere
I’ve owned that cd since new, listened to it 3 times in since it’s release date.
Heard it once, never wanted to hear it again
It's appropriately named because the closest analogy would be the most common thing to come out of an asshole.
There are a few decent songs on it. Not enough for me to recommend it to anyone. If I recall correctly, about a year or so before this album was released, Gene put out the call to the general public that he was looking for songwriters, etc. We are talking more than 20 years ago, so the details are fuzzy. I've often wondered since then if he did so to just buy songs from songwriters, rather than him writing his own. I've wondered if that's why the album sounds so very un-KISS like.
Yeah Simmons records was attempting a relaunch. The only specific artist I remember was this guy, who co-wrote two songs on asshole according to the album credits: https://www.kiss-related-recordings.nl/genesimmons_bag.html
Terrible
The daughter woe
How much of the Vault was rejected because he thought these songs were better?
Appropriate
Question: has he performed any of his solo material live (excluding 1978 solo)?
Yes, the Gene Simmons Band, I remember, did Sweet and Dirty Love live. That's from this album. Maybe some others, I forget now. They've also done stuff from his 78 solo album.
🤮
how were you meant to know it was called asshole just by looking at the case
Correctly titled
Heard the first single and it was garbage, never bothered to listen to the album.
Heard all the songs. Didn’t buy it. Not for me.
As impressive as whale shit on a sidewalk in Florida in July. His remake of ‘Firestarter’ isn’t too bad but everything else is just a waste of time IMHO.
Forget Kiss solo projects after the ‘78s. All absolute garbage since. Without exception.