Kiss - Love Gun

 

Love Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on June 30, 1977 by Casablanca Records. The album was remastered in 1997. It is notable for being their first album to feature a lead vocal performance from Ace Frehley, making it the first Kiss album to feature lead vocal performances from all four band members. It was also the last studio album to feature Peter Criss on every song, as he was replaced by session drummer Anton Fig for all but one song on 1979's Dynasty. Love Gun was certified platinum on June 30, 1977.

A cardboard "Love Gun" (assembly required) was included inside the album, along with a Kiss merchandise order form. Before Love Gun was completed, a Gallup poll indicated that Kiss was the most popular band in the United States, beating Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and the Eagles. On August 26, 27, and 28 1977, Kiss recorded three shows at the LA Forum for their next release, the live album Alive II.
The album cover was painted by fantasy artist Ken Kelly, who previously contributed the cover for 1976's Destroyer.
Love Gun was Kiss' fifth studio album in three years (and seventh release overall, peaking at number four on Billboard), and proved to be the last release that the original lineup played on. By 1977, Kiss merchandise was flooding the marketplace (lunch boxes, makeup kits, comic books, etc.), and it would ultimately lead to a Kiss backlash in the '80s. But the band was still focused on their music for Love Gun, similar in sound and approach to Rock and Roll Over, their previous straight-ahead rock release. It included Ace Frehley's lead vocals on "Shock Me," as well as one of Kiss' best and most renowned hard rockers in the thunderous title track. The album's opener, "I Stole Your Love," also served as the opening number on Kiss' ensuing tour, while "Christine Sixteen" is one of the few Kiss tracks to contain piano prominently. "Almost Human" is an underrated rocker and features a great Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar solo from Frehley (no doubt due to ex-Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer manning the boards again), while "Plaster Caster" is a tribute to the famous groupies of the same name. The only weak spots on an otherwise stellar album are an obvious "Rock and Roll All Nite" ripoff titled "Tomorrow and Tonight," and a pointless remake of the Phil Spector-penned classic "Then He Kissed Me" (reworked as "Then She Kissed Me").  


Track Listing

CD-1

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

CD-2(Bonus-2014)

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 (1977)
7. Tomorrow And Tonight (Demo)
8. I Know Who You Are (Demo)
9. Love Gun (Live In Largo, Md 1977)
10. Christine Sixteen (Live In Largo, Md 1977)
11. Shock Me (Live In Largo, Md 1977)

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Kiss - Love Gun