@@alessandrodelpierojuventus8156 what were asking would you say for Kiss studios albums that this isn't number 1 it's not top 5 it's not last place or even in the bottom 5 but is 8th place a fair position for this album? or what place would you rank this album? not including solo albums just there studios ?
To be Fair, for me anything that Is not at least least say Reign in blood heavy sounds like pop. And i'm not even a metalhead or anything. I love pop music actually
I like unmasked..I was nearly10when it came out.I bought it new on cassette tape..I played it every nite till the tape stretched. Kiss was huge in Australia in November 1980..I was glad2be part of that in my life so i have nothing terrible2say about the album love all the songs especially the intro2 Naked city
I loved the album when it came out. I was in 4th grade and these songs were right up my alley. It's Kidz Bop KISS! I especially loved how Peter's drumming really took off and blossomed...imagine my surprise some 15 years later to find out it was actually Anton Fig \o/ A very fun album to put on your head phones, sit down at your drum set, and have a ball playing along.
You are 1000% correct about Back in Black over shadowing Kiss in 1980. My buddies and I liked Unmasked because we were all KISS fans, but I think we secretly wished KISS could make songs that rocked as hard as BIB. KISS' reputation began to backslide a bit amongst my little gang of high school Metal Heads. I'm enjoying your reviews 👍
@@twikirobot6897 I had to live through it in Australia dude. At school aged 13 we were humiliated. AC/DC had Hell' s Bells, Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long. We couldn't believe it when Shandi was released 🤦♂️ . . . . We were so embarrassed! The AC/DC fans couldn't stop laughing all year as Back in Black was a huge album and each single release was heavier than the pop laden: i. Shandi ii. Talk to Me iii. She's So European
I don't understand how one can love the early albums and also this one, which sounds like candy pop music to my ears. The mistake Paul and Gene did was selling out to gain a new fanbase made of teenagers who loved "I Was Made for Lovin' You". The old fans got mad at it while the new fans quickly forgot about Kiss.
Super review. This whole period of KISS intrigues me. Why they changed styles so drastically. It's not that it's so terrible, just not what they were doing up to then. Gene and Paul definitely woke up and smelled the coffee after this period and decided to protect their source of income. After the makeup came off it just seemed like they really became KISS, INC.
The song Tomorrow is great. And remember during this era of Kiss they were playing to a much younger audience. These songs are all about connecting to this new audience. The early die hard Kiss fans felt ripped off, but aiming for the youth market of the early 80's was a very smart move by Kiss.
Dude I love your KISS reviews - I am getting back into them lately, such an interesting band, hilarious at times but also underrated for their fine rock and roll
Very well said... wrong album for the time... I was in high school at the time in 1980... Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Scorpions, Judas Priest... the list goes on... if you were in high school at the time, Kiss was definitely not the band to listen to, like they were in ‘76. Another great review
Another great review Sean, I loved this album when i was 10, looking back I suspect it was written for kids under 16, we were their core audience. I hear these songs now and i am offended and somewhat embarrassed! I bought this and Back in Black with Christmas $$ in 1980, Back in Black is still and always will be worth a nostalgic re-visit.
What really strikes me is the fact that no numbers were a group effort. We’re talking about 12 solonumbers with hired hands. Otherwise a good album. A bit to the “poppy” side, but overall good songs. Frehley had some good songs too.
I too have always had a soft spot for this album. While far from the band's best, UNMASKED is still a worthy addition to the catalogue, if only for the beautiful "Shandi" and the catchy opening stomper, "Is That You?"
Best drumming on this album Torpedo Girl. Those ghost notes are subtle and really push the song along and show great stick control as Anton brings in the bell of the ride and toms too. No surprise they didn’t try this one live with their more average drummers. Also Is that you? A non Kiss song is great. Also near the end there is a great fill which finishes with a snare roll using 32nd notes. It just works so well.
I just found these Kiss album reviews yesterday and I've already watched them all except SB and Monster. I've gotta say you do a very good job and are appropriately fair imo. Some things I agree with, some I don't and some I didn't know I did until you brought it up. You make very good points across the board. I got into Kiss in a different time (Alive II), faded out at Asylum and returned at the reunion tour. Then back out at Psycho Circus and back in around Sonic Boom, mostly just going to concerts. I never bought Monster. So our baseline is a bit different. But you do a great job being fair and not overly swayed by what albums that were closest to you heart while still letting be known which were. Funny thing about this album and Dynasty, after I got out of Kiss I felt like they were the two most embarrassing albums now that I was a metal head. But when I grew older and got back into them they are the two I listen to the most. Great production and memories. Anyway, ,just wanted to give you props on a job well done. If I could change anything, I'd enjoy it being a little more in depth on some songs and play the pieces of the song you re talking about when you do go in depth. But don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the series but hearing the solos or whatever, especially with the albums I don't know as well, would have been icing on the cake. Btw, where is the Dynasty era footage you're using come from? Thanks and keep up the great work.
Thank you so much! As far as playing more of the songs, the copyright system on RUclips is very extreme. Anything longer than five-seven seconds tends to get flagged so I do try to avoid it though I agree it would improve the videos. The footage in the Dynasty and Unmasked reviews are a live proshot of their Largo 1979 concert, the music videos for I Was Made For Lovin You, Sure Know Something and Shandi, an Australasian tv performance of Is That You and their appearance on a German tv show where they played She’s So European and Talk to Me.
I'm Australian and saw Kiss the soon to be second last time they were here. During the show, Paul started playing Shandi between songs, jokingly mumbling the lyrics to the verse. As it came time time for the chorus, he shook his head and started laughing. Although at the time of disco Shandi was the preferred single, to this day, mainstream television down here plays Talk To Me almost as often as Sure Know Something or I Loud It Loud, both played more than Detroit Rock City on TV but not radio. I think Ace has become the fan favourite down here retrospectively but was loathed at the time Unmasked came out. There was a mock interview with a fictional journalist name Norman Gunston who kept making comments about Ace's coked up sniffs asking Ace if he "had a cold". His drug problem causing publication issues for the band. It's also worth noting that when Kiss appeared on Australia's "countdown" (our Top of the Pops) they performed Talk To Me which is the video that gets airred down here. Just some random facts from this era of Kiss and how Aussies experienced it.
People usually trace Kiss' fall to "The Elder", but really, it should be traced to "Unmasked". When this album came out, I was beyond crestfallen. My heroes had put out a sub-par pop drivel album and seemed completely out of touch. I could only bear listening to the album 1.5 times before I put it on the shelf for good. It was the last time I listened to them until "Animalize" came out. As you mention, I and millions of other fans moved on to heavier fare with a little more depth to it. I guess I should thank them, though, because if not for this, I never would have gotten so deeply into bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and later Queensryche. Years later, though, I was happy to discover "Creatures of the Night" and even "The Elder" which have some great tunes on them.
The reality was that in early 1980 The Cars Reo Speedwagon Journey Etc were the big bands metal was underground new wave had started but wasn’t blowing up disco was still around the blame shouldn’t go to unmasked it should go to elder the elder has no vision despite having harder guitars and this is what paul was trying to capture pop music cars Rasberries Stars Etc and the elder was awful it is remembered for the fact they didn’t tour and where out of touch
It took me 45 years to finally listen to it. Was a huge KISS fan at the time, but heard it sucked do at 12 I believed it. Was consumed by Back in Black and Blizzard of Oz. I lime the album alot.
I used to like this album because the songs sounded so fresh for that time. The only songs that sound like KISS were Is That You, Naked City, and Talk To Me. The rest could have been on a second round of solos. I love that Ace got three songs again.
This album is very cool no it's not Destroyer, it's not Dressed to kill it's not Love gun it's an 8th place album? how many stars? how would you compare this album to the albums on my list in terms of talent not which is heavier , not which is faster not which is louder but which has better guitar playing , drumming , bass playing better tunes this album or 1. Van Halen - woman and children first 2. Judas Priest- British Steel 3. Iron Maiden- self titled 4. Def Leppard - On through the night 5. Black Sabbath - Heaven and hell 6. Ac/dc - Back in Black?
It shouldn’t be compared to any of those and the British Heavy metal scene they were focusing on the early 80s Pop Cars Etc British heavy Metal HAD NOT TAKEN OFF YET
@@MrMalkinPens71 I like to hear everybody's opinion since all of the albums came out in 1980 this isn't liked very much so I'd like to hear what everybody thinks?
@@marksantucci4230 true it’s held up better over the years was it wrong for them to do it I think so but I think I was Made for lovin you made them go that direction because if they went metal British it may have scared dynasty fans you see what I’m getting at
You said at the end...none of those fly by night hit singles only fans cared...and they had alienated so many core fans...like me ! It took me about 16 years to buy this album...only because of Unplugged & the new coming reunion about to begin...oh plus Ace had 3 songs on it !
Ace did write terrific songs for this album... but.his playing is only good on Talk to Me. It's amazing how different the guitar solo sounds on Two Sides of the Coin.
Hay brother was a fan up to this one I wAs 11 for me some bands sound can be killed with over production it's ok for madain but not kiss although this one does work cus ace hits strings with pick and finger witch keep s there sound I like like the first 3 records now obviously u r a fan and many things have been attributed to them except the most obvious one that gene have the voice to heavy metal first to sing like a demon now there's thousands doing it love your channel peace and love lloydy
Kiss changing their style of music was another reason Peter was forced to leave the band.He couldn't drum pop songs with lots of fills and his drumming on most of Dynasty and Unmasked wouldn't of worked as he didnt have the feel like Anton had and still has,what a brilliant and amazing drummer
Still the decision to fire Peter was already made if you listen to bill kiss original manager on the convention paul and Gene wanted him gone it wasn’t for lack of feel but rather he wasn’t healthy enough to play if Peter had been allowed to stay I think they wouldn’t have felt everyone is replaceable
I usually say that “Unmasked” was a good album, just not a good KISS album. I really like it musically,and it typifies 80s pop. It’s just hard to believe it’s KISS.
Other than the Frehley tracks, Talk to Me and Two Sides of the Coin, I thought the album was pretty lame. Such a shame Eric didn't play on any of it. I thought he did but Kiss made a wise decision to have Anton Fig as the replacement 👍
I love this Album. It’s not a great KISS album, but it’s a phenomenal album nevertheless. Had any other band from that time played it… it might have been more successful.
After dynasty and the unmasked album kiss fans knew that kiss was going down the tubes and then the elder proved it creatures of the night didn't do much better neither did anything else that they released after that it was album after album with usually only one good song like dark light I love it loud lick it up heavens on fire Then nothing. That's why 90% of their shows is 70s music and when they play say yeah everybody goes to take a piss.
Unmasked is my 3rd favorite Kiss album. I know that's not a popular opinion, but this album is so dang catchy. I loved the pop/ disco sound on Dynasty and Unmasked.
Not into this album. A few good tracks and i Love naked city but other than that it's just a limp pop record. I despise shandi with a burning passion. Hahaha.
KISS Unmasked is a wonderful example of a record that is embraced decades after its release without carrying the weight of the marketplace that it was originally released in. Oddly the most miscalculated 500 pound elephant in the room often gets overlooked. .. namely the cover. As stated previously KISS had a hard time maintaining a balancing act with their demographics. After years of hard work and putting in the miles both on the road and in the studio, KISS had found themselves in the limelight by 1977-1978. The success of Alive and two studio albums (Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over) gave them two top 20 hits and some street cred that meant people should pay attention to them. Unfortunately that’s when they decided to drop what they were doing that got them there and try breaking new ground by making a movie aimed at kids and put out solo records that only reminded people of how much they needed each other. It was a poor miscalculation because now the older teenagers were seeing parents bring their kids to a concert once reserved for an entirely different demographic. KISS, for all their hindsight reflections today, were not phased at that time by the divide they were building within the fan base. This is why the next two albums further cemented that separation to the point of no repair. KISS continued to dilute both their musical direction and image with disco songs and Vegas style outfits complete with superhero capes. This was not the working class band that had spent years winning over the hearts of so many. This was now a kids attraction and the final nail for many in this era was the CARTOON cover on Unmasked. As previous stated, superheroes and cartoon characters were not viewed as product consumption for older audiences (even teenagers). The industry was not keen on the subject and the vast majority of the public back then were families that were composed of parents who grew up in the 30’s and 40’s, got married in the 50’s , who had nothing in common with heroes born in the 60’s or the counter culture music that followed along with glam rock. KISS had to a very select audience to work with so making a product that was deemed kiddy by teenagers was ANOTHER bad miscalculation. These days all of that gets blended because you have parents that grew up with it. Not so back in the 70’s and early 80’s. KISS had created an album cover that quite honestly a teenager was embarrassed to see buying at the checkout counter. So even if they wanted to hear the new record, there was allot of peer pressure to just forgo the disgrace and move on. Those who did buy it paid dearly, I can assure you. KISS had become VERY uncool and Unmasked was not even heard by most when it was originally released. I never personally saw that Shandi video until many years later. MTV had not been created yet and when it was no one wanted anything to do with makeup KISS.
Well said! Thats why I love Unmasked ,because I was 8 years old in 1980! The album cover and the music was a perfect setup for a kid like me..It was at this time Kiss even showed up on a Saturday morning kiddy show Kids Are People Too, as they welcomed Eric Carr into the band ..Even though hearing Alive 2 and their debut got me into the band,it was this era(78-80) that visually gave me more excitement as a young kid with the Movie,the Solo album commercials and all their merchandise everywhere! I'm still a Kiss fan,just not huge like many years ago, but albums like Unmasked,Dressed to kill, Dynasty, Creatures, Rock and roll over and Revenge I listen to daily either on CD or RUclips..
I agree with all your points but the solo albums were a contractual obligation, not through choice. It could be argued that if all 4 had not have had that time away from each other they may have split forever irreconcileably. I TOTALLY agree with you on the albums cover. Unmasked is a great title for it but I always thought that the Double Platinum inner sleeve embossed portraits would have had a wider appeal.
@@1968spikey Oh I agree the solo albums were a necessary evil to keep the band together. But commercially speaking, it diluted their image along with the movie. What I would have given to have a cell phone back when I first heard Simmons solo record and it ended with a Disney song. The Demon who had drooled blood and breathed fire was now flying through the sky, fighting space apes, and singing Disney tunes. Rest assured Aucoin was definitely well into his crack addiction at this point. Because no one in their right mind would have agreed to that. LOL
@@Playitstraight44 i agree with your view of the sugar coating of the band, but Aucoin was a cocaine addict, Crack wasn't a thing then. The solo albums were mandatory. They could have been well received but the warped objectives and estimations of their management flooded the market cheapening the appeal.
@@1968spikey LOL! Fist pump of agreement there. Lets say Aucoin had a foreign substance in his blood stream and you're absolutely right. The decision to order that many to garner a cheap headline destroyed Casablanca with returns and forever changed the industry standard so no one could do that again.
I have never really got into Unmasked. Some good songs but as an album I agree that it wasn't a good one at the time. No where as good as any of the previous studio albums. A song (on this album) put on other albums would have been a good idea but overall it doesn't work for me. The cover is the best thing about this release.
Unmasked is in my top 3 Kiss albums and I loved it since day 1 when i was 8..I'd call it a Glammy poprock album and the songs are well written, more for radio air play and I did hear Shandi and Is that you on the radio in 1980..The UK remastered version on cd is the best sounding cd.i have the original pressing of the album and it sounds good but the cd the bass and guitars are up in the mix more making it a better listening experience, like hearing it brand new again
Sean I was curious on how your review was to be on this album. I had it the day or so when it came out. I played it to death on vinyl then made a cassette version for my van. Is that u was probably the best too bad no FM rock stations got on board with it but I really really do love the entire album yes some better than others bit totally enjoyable thanks for your efforts...
Unmasked and Dynasty is two of my favorite Kiss Albums. Some of both were poppy but also included some great rock tunes. And both feature 3 toons each from the Plumber. Paul was in a bar drinking whiskey? 😂
8:00 - "So, while AC/DC is singing, you know, *Hells Bells,* Kiss is singing, _She's So European."_ 😂 Just the way you said that nearly made me spit my drink out. 😂 I mean it's not a terrible album, but it's definitely not a very good one. For me there wasn't much that was memorable on it. "Shandi" is just okay, I like "She's So European" (which, by the way, is *NOT* about some European girl, but is about a pretentious tw@t who fancies herself as European). I honestly don't remember anything else from the album. 🤷🏻♂️ It would have been the low point had it not been for *Music From 'The Elder'* a year later (even with Eric Carr's incredible drumming on it). 🤷🏻♂️
I love Unmasked. I remember the 1980 Unmasked tour in Sydney and my next door neighbor going. She was the one who got me into KISS around 79 at an extremely young age. KISS was massive like the Beatles. Eric Carr was a breath of fresh air for the band also. Shandi is one of my favorite KISS songs from it's original release in 80'. My fist 45 was Shandi and the B side She's so European.
I love your reviews but I have to disagree with you. Tomorrow is such an awful track it isn't funny. I would say Talk To Me or You're All That I Want are the top tracks. Looking forward to watching more Kiss reviews.
Outside of Aces tunes, this album sucks. The cover is stupid, the name of the album is lame....Oye. Naked City is okay but would have been better on Dynasty. Easy As It Seems would have been a good one to give to someone like Donna Summer, not a KISS song.
Love every song. Peter winking on the poster was a hint that he was gone and didn't play on the album.
not many people are aware of that but rumours were rife at the time.
"is that you" really has one of the most underrated kiss solo. so simple yet effective.
It's an amazing cover tune
Thank you for your candor, Sean. Forty years after its release and now that I'm in my 50s, I can write without shame or irony that I love "Unmasked".
Even if sounds more pop, this album is good ! It had that American classic style
would you say 8th place?
@@marksantucci4230 Sorry, but i dont understand, what you mean ?
@@alessandrodelpierojuventus8156 what were asking would you say for Kiss studios albums that this isn't number 1 it's not top 5
it's not last place or even in the bottom 5 but is 8th place a fair position for this album? or what place would you rank
this album? not including solo albums just there studios ?
To be Fair, for me anything that Is not at least least say Reign in blood heavy sounds like pop. And i'm not even a metalhead or anything. I love pop music actually
I like unmasked..I was nearly10when it came out.I bought it new on cassette tape..I played it every nite till the tape stretched.
Kiss was huge in Australia in November 1980..I was glad2be part of that in my life so i have nothing terrible2say about the album love all the songs especially the intro2 Naked city
Been there, bro! the same situation with me. Great album, indeed.
The same for me... Just replace Australia with Italy... 🇮🇹🇦🇺🇮🇹🇦🇺
I loved the album when it came out. I was in 4th grade and these songs were right up my alley. It's Kidz Bop KISS! I especially loved how Peter's drumming really took off and blossomed...imagine my surprise some 15 years later to find out it was actually Anton Fig \o/
A very fun album to put on your head phones, sit down at your drum set, and have a ball playing along.
To this day I've never understood why Shandi wasn't a monster hit for Kiss. I think its a perfect pop song.
Paul can certainly write great ballads like Shandi and Reason To Live.
Cuz it just wasn't that good. 🤷🏻♂️
People didn’t want ballads from KISS. They wanted hard, edgy rock songs.
You are 1000% correct about Back in Black over shadowing Kiss in 1980. My buddies and I liked Unmasked because we were all KISS fans, but I think we secretly wished KISS could make songs that rocked as hard as BIB. KISS' reputation began to backslide a bit amongst my little gang of high school Metal Heads. I'm enjoying your reviews 👍
...friends were laughing at the KISS posters in my room when Back in Black came out.
@@twikirobot6897 I had to live through it in Australia dude.
At school aged 13 we were humiliated.
AC/DC had Hell' s Bells,
Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long.
We couldn't believe it when Shandi was released 🤦♂️ . . . .
We were so embarrassed!
The AC/DC fans couldn't stop laughing all year as Back in Black was a huge album and each single release was heavier than the pop laden:
i. Shandi
ii. Talk to Me
iii. She's So European
"Is That You?" is great song and I think best on the album. Great reviews Sean, I can't wait for Carnival of Souls review!
shame it's a cover though.
I don't understand how one can love the early albums and also this one, which sounds like candy pop music to my ears.
The mistake Paul and Gene did was selling out to gain a new fanbase made of teenagers who loved "I Was Made for Lovin' You".
The old fans got mad at it while the new fans quickly forgot about Kiss.
Hi Sean. Terrific review! This is my favorite KISS album. Love all of the songs. Thank you for doing this. Keep up the good work!
Super review. This whole period of KISS intrigues me. Why they changed styles so drastically. It's not that it's so terrible, just not what they were doing up to then. Gene and Paul definitely woke up and smelled the coffee after this period and decided to protect their source of income. After the makeup came off it just seemed like they really became KISS, INC.
The song Tomorrow is great. And remember during this era of Kiss they were playing to a much younger audience. These songs are all about connecting to this new audience. The early die hard Kiss fans felt ripped off, but aiming for the youth market of the early 80's was a very smart move by Kiss.
Always loved this album. The version of Shandi that is on the Symphony record is stellar.
I like this better than Crazy Nights. In matter fact this material should have Been on the Crazy Nights disc.
Love the entire album
i enjoy this album more as i have gotten older compared to back in the day
Dude I love your KISS reviews - I am getting back into them lately, such an interesting band, hilarious at times but also underrated for their fine rock and roll
Unmasked is perfect pop album 😍
Power Pop!
Very well said... wrong album for the time... I was in high school at the time in 1980... Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Scorpions, Judas Priest... the list goes on... if you were in high school at the time, Kiss was definitely not the band to listen to, like they were in ‘76. Another great review
Criminally underrated pop gem of an album, and of a KISS album!
Still have it on cassette, it's not a bad album.
Excellent review. Nice catch on the Keith Richards tuning! :)
Shandi was mostly taken from the Joe Walsh Song "Tomorrow" , it's obvious when you hear it, and Paul said so at a Kiss Kruise
Another great review Sean, I loved this album when i was 10, looking back I suspect it was written for kids under 16, we were their core audience. I hear these songs now and i am offended and somewhat embarrassed! I bought this and Back in Black with Christmas $$ in 1980, Back in Black is still and always will be worth a nostalgic re-visit.
What really strikes me is the fact that no numbers were a group effort. We’re talking about 12 solonumbers with hired hands.
Otherwise a good album. A bit to the “poppy” side, but overall good songs. Frehley had some good songs too.
I too have always had a soft spot for this album. While far from the band's best, UNMASKED is still a worthy addition to the catalogue, if only for the beautiful "Shandi" and the catchy opening stomper, "Is That You?"
Solid. Fun. Pop album !
Best drumming on this album Torpedo Girl. Those ghost notes are subtle and really push the song along and show great stick control as Anton brings in the bell of the ride and toms too. No surprise they didn’t try this one live with their more average drummers. Also Is that you? A non Kiss song is great. Also near the end there is a great fill which finishes with a snare roll using 32nd notes. It just works so well.
I just found these Kiss album reviews yesterday and I've already watched them all except SB and Monster. I've gotta say you do a very good job and are appropriately fair imo. Some things I agree with, some I don't and some I didn't know I did until you brought it up. You make very good points across the board. I got into Kiss in a different time (Alive II), faded out at Asylum and returned at the reunion tour. Then back out at Psycho Circus and back in around Sonic Boom, mostly just going to concerts. I never bought Monster. So our baseline is a bit different. But you do a great job being fair and not overly swayed by what albums that were closest to you heart while still letting be known which were. Funny thing about this album and Dynasty, after I got out of Kiss I felt like they were the two most embarrassing albums now that I was a metal head. But when I grew older and got back into them they are the two I listen to the most. Great production and memories. Anyway, ,just wanted to give you props on a job well done. If I could change anything, I'd enjoy it being a little more in depth on some songs and play the pieces of the song you re talking about when you do go in depth. But don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the series but hearing the solos or whatever, especially with the albums I don't know as well, would have been icing on the cake. Btw, where is the Dynasty era footage you're using come from? Thanks and keep up the great work.
Thank you so much! As far as playing more of the songs, the copyright system on RUclips is very extreme. Anything longer than five-seven seconds tends to get flagged so I do try to avoid it though I agree it would improve the videos.
The footage in the Dynasty and Unmasked reviews are a live proshot of their Largo 1979 concert, the music videos for I Was Made For Lovin You, Sure Know Something and Shandi, an Australasian tv performance of Is That You and their appearance on a German tv show where they played She’s So European and Talk to Me.
According to Peter's book, he was just trolling Paul & Gene with the music stand
Yeah, I guess I just don't believe him.
I'm Australian and saw Kiss the soon to be second last time they were here. During the show, Paul started playing Shandi between songs, jokingly mumbling the lyrics to the verse. As it came time time for the chorus, he shook his head and started laughing.
Although at the time of disco Shandi was the preferred single, to this day, mainstream television down here plays Talk To Me almost as often as Sure Know Something or I Loud It Loud, both played more than Detroit Rock City on TV but not radio. I think Ace has become the fan favourite down here retrospectively but was loathed at the time Unmasked came out. There was a mock interview with a fictional journalist name Norman Gunston who kept making comments about Ace's coked up sniffs asking Ace if he "had a cold". His drug problem causing publication issues for the band.
It's also worth noting that when Kiss appeared on Australia's "countdown" (our Top of the Pops) they performed Talk To Me which is the video that gets airred down here. Just some random facts from this era of Kiss and how Aussies experienced it.
People usually trace Kiss' fall to "The Elder", but really, it should be traced to "Unmasked". When this album came out, I was beyond crestfallen. My heroes had put out a sub-par pop drivel album and seemed completely out of touch. I could only bear listening to the album 1.5 times before I put it on the shelf for good. It was the last time I listened to them until "Animalize" came out. As you mention, I and millions of other fans moved on to heavier fare with a little more depth to it. I guess I should thank them, though, because if not for this, I never would have gotten so deeply into bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and later Queensryche. Years later, though, I was happy to discover "Creatures of the Night" and even "The Elder" which have some great tunes on them.
The reality was that in early 1980 The Cars Reo Speedwagon Journey Etc were the big bands metal was underground new wave had started but wasn’t blowing up disco was still around the blame shouldn’t go to unmasked it should go to elder the elder has no vision despite having harder guitars and this is what paul was trying to capture pop music cars Rasberries Stars Etc and the elder was awful it is remembered for the fact they didn’t tour and where out of touch
Still have my copy from 1980..played the heck out of it..now tucked away in my trunk!
LMAO...do Peter Criss' "One for All" next so we can all die laughing.
I love this record. I get bummed when I hear Gen or Paul put the project down or say it was their least favorite piece of work. It was great for 1980.
Love the channel ! I have that record and prob only played it twice ! But after your review will def listen to it again and analyze it !!
My favorite Kiss album, poppy however I love it.
Check out Satin cover of Easy as it Seems its a great cover in my opinion.
I've heard a lot of the Satin covers but I don't think I've heard that out; I'll check it out.
It took me 45 years to finally listen to it. Was a huge KISS fan at the time, but heard it sucked do at 12 I believed it. Was consumed by Back in Black and Blizzard of Oz. I lime the album alot.
Thanks Sean. I’ll go back and listen to this.
I used to like this album because the songs sounded so fresh for that time. The only songs that sound like KISS were Is That You, Naked City, and Talk To Me. The rest could have been on a second round of solos. I love that Ace got three songs again.
“The music video was Peter’s last appearance with the band until the 1996 reunion tour.”
TECHNICALLY it was MTV Unplugged, haha
Tomorrow borrows from Billy Joel song Its just a fantasy
Talk To Me is still tuned a half step down, so open Gb I guess. So is Two Sides of the Coin
I got the Album 1980 or so. The Album Cover was Awesome!!! The songs were good! but ..... not kiss! again.
Tomorrow is a great song!
This album is very cool no it's not Destroyer, it's not Dressed to kill it's not Love gun it's an 8th place album?
how many stars? how would you compare this album to the albums on my list in terms of talent not which is heavier , not which is faster not which is louder but which has better guitar playing , drumming , bass playing better tunes this album or
1. Van Halen - woman and children first
2. Judas Priest- British Steel
3. Iron Maiden- self titled
4. Def Leppard - On through the night
5. Black Sabbath - Heaven and hell
6. Ac/dc - Back in Black?
It shouldn’t be compared to any of those and the British Heavy metal scene they were focusing on the early 80s Pop Cars Etc British heavy Metal HAD NOT TAKEN OFF YET
@@MrMalkinPens71 I like to hear everybody's opinion since all of the albums came out in 1980 this isn't liked very much so I'd like to hear what everybody thinks?
@@marksantucci4230 true it’s held up better over the years was it wrong for them to do it I think so but I think I was Made for lovin you made them go that direction because if they went metal British it may have scared dynasty fans you see what I’m getting at
@@MrMalkinPens71 I guess so!
@@marksantucci4230 Anyway your reviews are great im Subscribed now to the channel keep up the great work
Love these reviews.
I didn't know at the time 1980 I was 13 or 14 that KISS was at a very shakey point.
Satin version of Easy As It Seems really is great.
Unmasked is great
You said at the end...none of those fly by night hit singles only fans cared...and they had alienated so many core fans...like me ! It took me about 16 years to buy this album...only because of Unplugged & the new coming reunion about to begin...oh plus Ace had 3 songs on it !
Ace did write terrific songs for this album... but.his playing is only good on Talk to Me. It's amazing how different the guitar solo sounds on Two Sides of the Coin.
One of my favorite albums. The song Tomorrow, Naked City are great songs...
My first Kiss record.
Luv it
What?! Easy As It Seems is my favorite song from this!
Anton Fig.... Wasn't he the drumming for the Letterman band?
Yes
Agreed👍THANKS!
Hay brother was a fan up to this one I wAs 11 for me some bands sound can be killed with over production it's ok for madain but not kiss although this one does work cus ace hits strings with pick and finger witch keep s there sound I like like the first 3 records now obviously u r a fan and many things have been attributed to them except the most obvious one that gene have the voice to heavy metal first to sing like a demon now there's thousands doing it love your channel peace and love lloydy
Naked City is one of my all time favorite Kiss tunes
In my opinion a great album.
Songwriting wise... Unmasked is Kiss´s best album together with Dynasty... Why? Outside writers.
Unmasked Is one of my top 5 Kiss albums
Kiss changing their style of music was another reason Peter was forced to leave the band.He couldn't drum pop songs with lots of fills and his drumming on most of Dynasty and Unmasked wouldn't of worked as he didnt have the feel like Anton had and still has,what a brilliant and amazing drummer
Still the decision to fire Peter was already made if you listen to bill kiss original manager on the convention paul and Gene wanted him gone it wasn’t for lack of feel but rather he wasn’t healthy enough to play if Peter had been allowed to stay I think they wouldn’t have felt everyone is replaceable
I usually say that “Unmasked” was a good album, just not a good KISS album. I really like it musically,and it typifies 80s pop. It’s just hard to believe it’s KISS.
Other than the Frehley tracks, Talk to Me and Two Sides of the Coin, I thought the album was pretty lame. Such a shame Eric didn't play on any of it. I thought he did but Kiss made a wise decision to have Anton Fig as the replacement 👍
I love this Album. It’s not a great KISS album, but it’s a phenomenal album nevertheless. Had any other band from that time played it… it might have been more successful.
Agree! Sugar coated KISS album. Pop album but I like it!
After dynasty and the unmasked album kiss fans knew that kiss was going down the tubes and then the elder proved it creatures of the night didn't do much better neither did anything else that they released after that it was album after album with usually only one good song like dark light I love it loud lick it up heavens on fire Then nothing. That's why 90% of their shows is 70s music and when they play say yeah everybody goes to take a piss.
Unmasked is my 3rd favorite Kiss album. I know that's not a popular opinion, but this album is so dang catchy. I loved the pop/ disco sound on Dynasty and Unmasked.
Not into this album. A few good tracks and i Love naked city but other than that it's just a limp pop record. I despise shandi with a burning passion. Hahaha.
KISS Unmasked is a wonderful example of a record that is embraced decades after its release without carrying the weight of the marketplace that it was originally released in. Oddly the most miscalculated 500 pound elephant in the room often gets overlooked. .. namely the cover.
As stated previously KISS had a hard time maintaining a balancing act with their demographics. After years of hard work and putting in the miles both on the road and in the studio, KISS had found themselves in the limelight by 1977-1978. The success of Alive and two studio albums (Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over) gave them two top 20 hits and some street cred that meant people should pay attention to them.
Unfortunately that’s when they decided to drop what they were doing that got them there and try breaking new ground by making a movie aimed at kids and put out solo records that only reminded people of how much they needed each other. It was a poor miscalculation because now the older teenagers were seeing parents bring their kids to a concert once reserved for an entirely different demographic.
KISS, for all their hindsight reflections today, were not phased at that time by the divide they were building within the fan base. This is why the next two albums further cemented that separation to the point of no repair. KISS continued to dilute both their musical direction and image with disco songs and Vegas style outfits complete with superhero capes. This was not the working class band that had spent years winning over the hearts of so many. This was now a kids attraction and the final nail for many in this era was the CARTOON cover on Unmasked.
As previous stated, superheroes and cartoon characters were not viewed as product consumption for older audiences (even teenagers). The industry was not keen on the subject and the vast majority of the public back then were families that were composed of parents who grew up in the 30’s and 40’s, got married in the 50’s , who had nothing in common with heroes born in the 60’s or the counter culture music that followed along with glam rock.
KISS had to a very select audience to work with so making a product that was deemed kiddy by teenagers was ANOTHER bad miscalculation. These days all of that gets blended because you have parents that grew up with it. Not so back in the 70’s and early 80’s. KISS had created an album cover that quite honestly a teenager was embarrassed to see buying at the checkout counter. So even if they wanted to hear the new record, there was allot of peer pressure to just forgo the disgrace and move on. Those who did buy it paid dearly, I can assure you. KISS had become VERY uncool and Unmasked was not even heard by most when it was originally released. I never personally saw that Shandi video until many years later. MTV had not been created yet and when it was no one wanted anything to do with makeup KISS.
Well said! Thats why I love Unmasked ,because I was 8 years old in 1980! The album cover and the music was a perfect setup for a kid like me..It was at this time Kiss even showed up on a Saturday morning kiddy show Kids Are People Too, as they welcomed Eric Carr into the band ..Even though hearing Alive 2 and their debut got me into the band,it was this era(78-80) that visually gave me more excitement as a young kid with the Movie,the Solo album commercials and all their merchandise everywhere! I'm still a Kiss fan,just not huge like many years ago, but albums like Unmasked,Dressed to kill, Dynasty, Creatures, Rock and roll over and Revenge I listen to daily either on CD or RUclips..
I agree with all your points but the solo albums were a contractual obligation, not through choice.
It could be argued that if all 4 had not have had that time away from each other they may have split forever irreconcileably.
I TOTALLY agree with you on the albums cover. Unmasked is a great title for it but I always thought that the Double Platinum inner sleeve embossed portraits would have had a wider appeal.
@@1968spikey Oh I agree the solo albums were a necessary evil to keep the band together. But commercially speaking, it diluted their image along with the movie. What I would have given to have a cell phone back when I first heard Simmons solo record and it ended with a Disney song. The Demon who had drooled blood and breathed fire was now flying through the sky, fighting space apes, and singing Disney tunes. Rest assured Aucoin was definitely well into his crack addiction at this point. Because no one in their right mind would have agreed to that. LOL
@@Playitstraight44 i agree with your view of the sugar coating of the band, but Aucoin was a cocaine addict, Crack wasn't a thing then.
The solo albums were mandatory. They could have been well received but the warped objectives and estimations of their management flooded the market cheapening the appeal.
@@1968spikey LOL! Fist pump of agreement there. Lets say Aucoin had a foreign substance in his blood stream and you're absolutely right. The decision to order that many to garner a cheap headline destroyed Casablanca with returns and forever changed the industry standard so no one could do that again.
your least favorite is my favorite song easy as it seems
She's so European good,easy as it seems not so great🤔
I threw this album up in the air in my dads back yard. It came down through the pool cover in the neighbors yard lmao
I have never really got into Unmasked. Some good songs but as an album I agree that it wasn't a good one at the time. No where as good as any of the previous studio albums. A song (on this album) put on other albums would have been a good idea but overall it doesn't work for me. The cover is the best thing about this release.
Here is Gerard talking about that song Is That You. . . ruclips.net/video/IhmlqUYAb18/видео.html
Unmasked is in my top 3 Kiss albums and I loved it since day 1 when i was 8..I'd call it a Glammy poprock album and the songs are well written, more for radio air play and I did hear Shandi and Is that you on the radio in 1980..The UK remastered version on cd is the best sounding cd.i have the original pressing of the album and it sounds good but the cd the bass and guitars are up in the mix more making it a better listening experience, like hearing it brand new again
An underrated album, I think so. Personally, I love it 'cause was my personal KISS entrance
Sean I was curious on how your review was to be on this album. I had it the day or so when it came out. I played it to death on vinyl then made a cassette version for my van. Is that u was probably the best too bad no FM rock stations got on board with it but I really really do love the entire album yes some better than others bit totally enjoyable thanks for your efforts...
Unmasked and Dynasty is two of my favorite Kiss Albums. Some of both were poppy but also included some great rock tunes. And both feature 3 toons each from the Plumber.
Paul was in a bar drinking whiskey? 😂
Thanks,this is the album that I stopped loving them,I'm still a fan but not the same
LOL, sheet music
we agree to disagree this is the album that should've ended their career. it was shite!
8:00 - "So, while AC/DC is singing, you know, *Hells Bells,* Kiss is singing, _She's So European."_ 😂 Just the way you said that nearly made me spit my drink out. 😂
I mean it's not a terrible album, but it's definitely not a very good one. For me there wasn't much that was memorable on it. "Shandi" is just okay, I like "She's So European" (which, by the way, is *NOT* about some European girl, but is about a pretentious tw@t who fancies herself as European). I honestly don't remember anything else from the album. 🤷🏻♂️ It would have been the low point had it not been for *Music From 'The Elder'* a year later (even with Eric Carr's incredible drumming on it). 🤷🏻♂️
Over the years, this album has grown in me a lot. Aside from Torpedo Girl, not a bad track in the bunch.
I love Unmasked. I remember the 1980 Unmasked tour in Sydney and my next door neighbor going. She was the one who got me into KISS around 79 at an extremely young age. KISS was massive like the Beatles. Eric Carr was a breath of fresh air for the band also. Shandi is one of my favorite KISS songs from it's original release in 80'. My fist 45 was Shandi and the B side She's so European.
I never liked this album...
I love your reviews but I have to disagree with you. Tomorrow is such an awful track it isn't funny. I would say Talk To Me or You're All That I Want are the top tracks. Looking forward to watching more Kiss reviews.
One of my favourite Kiss albums ruined only by the poor production. Way too tinny.
Weak album, cool cover though.
underrated record.
That album sucked
Outside of Aces tunes, this album sucks. The cover is stupid, the name of the album is lame....Oye. Naked City is okay but would have been better on Dynasty. Easy As It Seems would have been a good one to give to someone like Donna Summer, not a KISS song.
Sorry, Unmasked is an awful album. 3 so-so songs, the rest is utter bilge.
THAT'S when they should have quit.
That is when they absolutely should not have quit. That wouldve been a wimpy way to go out. And we would've gotten Creatures two years later
@@michaelracicot233 Creatures was recorded by a totally different line up to Unmasked.
@@alanfrehley1373 I know. But KISS as a band came out with some great music and shows beyond the Unmasked album
The weakest album in their catalog by far. Pure bubble gum pop crap. Embarrassing at the least.
This album sucks
The two or three kiss albums that are good are REALLY good.
The rest suck ass.