KISS in '96 = Led Sabbath for the Undiscerning Masses

I've been a KISS fan since 1976. My favorite era will forever be that first run by the original line up, spanning from 1973 to 1979. I've seen the band many times, I own most of their records, and my collection includes a number of bootleg recordings and DVDs. "KISS From The Soundboard 1996 Donington" represents the live album by the classic incarnation I never dreamed they would release. Compared to the band's shameless and prolific four-plus decades of marketing and merchandising just about any product you can slap a KISS logo on, they are relatively tardy to the archival release game that is now so popular with legacy acts in the music world. Better late than never. Their 1996 reunion was one of the most anticipated concert tours in history. The magic didn't last long but before the wheels fell off (again) the band was sounding better than ever. The performance of "Watchin' You" from the new archival release is probably the best I have ever heard this band sound. The ensemble playing of these four musicians on this track is easily on a par with anything by Black Sabbath, or Led Zeppelin for that matter. It is well known that the band's first two live records, Alive! from '75 and Alive II from '77, contain many overdubs. But this release is as advertised, as is, live from the soundboard, warts and all. Only drummer Peter Criss ever had a decent singing voice. And fire-breathing bass player Gene Simmons in particular sounds like he has a cold on this recording. The excitement of the Donington Festival crowd is palpable here. Even a 12-minute version of "Shock Me" featuring an extended and somewhat rambling guitar solo from lead guitarist Ace Frehley sounds authentically like a performance genuinely whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Master of ceremonies Paul Stanley is in good voice throughout, proving that the vocal overdubs added to their previous live albums all those many years ago were probably unnecessary in the first place. But his between song banter and onstage persona remain as grating and tiresome as ever. Thankfully, he limits himself to only one reference to the size of his dick. If you are one of the legion of non-fans who vociferously proclaim, "KISS sucks!", I urge you to check out "Watchin' You" from this release before you utter those words again. It just might change your mind. This band has always placed a higher priority on their live presentation than they ever did on the quality of their material. But after all those years of performing together they reached a point where they actually could play. I don't think that's been noted or pointed out nearly enough over the years. Maybe not always, but sometimes? These guys, not necessarily known for their chops, sounded pretty fucking good.