Helping my Moms today with her spring cleaning I stumbled upon a box of old lps. Beneath the Saturday Night Fever and Grease soundtracks, Foreigner 4, Pat Benetar, April Wine, Roger Whittaker and AC/DC I found them. My KISS records. More specifically Alive II. The first album I ever bought with my own money. I have no idea what it cost. I'm not sure whether it is embarrassing or not to admit that the first band I ever loved was KISS. I don't care that KISS has become the Rolling Stones of Glam Rock (let it go already boys) and that Gene Simmons may be one of the greasiest people on the planet. Not that I ever have a problem discussing my most embarrassing moments(ie. multiple shitting pants episodes, farting mid-stroke during sex and yelling simultaneously to mask the sound. Damn I wish I knew how to put sound effects on this thing). I just love(d) this album.
Maybe it was because I was born in Winnipeg, who knows? It was 1977, I was five years old and just fell in love with KISS. I think it was one of our neighbours in the old apartment that introduced me to the band. The songs, the album jacket(front, back and inside), but the best part for a five year old were the temporary tattoos that were inside. Talk about gift with purchase. I can remember spending hours listening to that record while drawing, tracing and colouring the images from that album jacket. Before Luke Skywalker took me to a galaxy far, far away, there was Paul, Gene, Ace and Peter. The fire, the blood, the make-up and costumes provided me with endless ideas for my imagination to run wild with. I'm sure I had no idea what the lyrics meant but I know if I hear any of those songs now I could belt out a pretty damn good rendition.
It is only fitting and of great personal satisfaction to me that there is a scene in one of my favourite books, Never Mind Nirvana, that the patrons in a well-known Seattle bar bust out in a spontaneous and rousing rendition of the song Beth, the first ballad I ever memorized the words to. I can hear Peter Criss right now...
Beth, I hear you callin'
But I can't come home right now
4 comments:
I have thought and thought about it, but I just can't remember that scene in the book.
Gene Simmons is disgusting. And I don't even get the whole KISS thing. What's the attraction?
I was 5.
So then you can honestly say you've never had any taste.
When I was little I was scared shitless of Gene Simmons. My cousin had his poster on her bedroom door and I wouldn't even ascend the stairs to her room, let alone go in it and see the poster.
Yes, Peter Criss with that scratchy voice: "Me and the boys'll be playin...all niiiiiiiiiight". Ugh!
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