In Praise of...Destroyer by Kiss

Originally posted on ILM 08/02/2003:

Somewhat inspired by all the recent Kiss threads of late (KISS Music from the Elder: Brilliant or Trash, Kiss Symphony: Alive IV, etc.) I returned today to the definite article and slapped a tape of Destroyer in the ol' walkman whilst yutzin' around town running errands. I have to say, there are precious few albums like it. Let's review, shall we?

It must've seemed like a huge leap at the time from the garagey sound of the first three records and the whallop of Alive to the über-production of Destroyer (and I believe they claim they even lost fans over it), but twenty-someodd years later, it still sounds like nothing else on earth (though the band themselves certainly tried to replicate its sound, to no avail). From the echoey expanse of the sound, to the vast arsenal of theretofore taboo instrumentation (pianos all over the place, organs, female back-up vocals, church choirs and all those strings, oboes, french horns and woodwinds on "Beth".....and is that a calliope on "Flaming Youth"?) it's a ridiculously herculean effort. Original pressings even came appended with a mysterious coda track reminiscent of the fabled "inner groove" of Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, featuring Paul Stanley ruminating about having parties to an obviously receptive audience while the choir from "Great Expectations" warble said silly song's chorus angelically). What an opus!

The songs themselves, of course, are the stars of the show. Arguably their finest selections are here, notably the epic "Detroit Rock City", the genuinely sinister sounding "God of Thunder" (written, somewhat incongruously, by Paul Stanley and not Gene Simmons), the anthemic "Shout It Out Loud" (which I've always preferred over "Rock'n'Roll All Night") and, of course, their power ballad-minus-the-power, "Beth." Maybe not "something for everyone," but it's a pretty wide array of offerings all the same.

Once again, though, what really sets it apart is storied producer Bob Ezrin's touch. Lending the band so much sonic space to work within, it sounds as if it were recorded in the apse of the Cathedral of St.John the Divine in Upper Manhattan. Ace's guitars wail mournfully from far off corners of the huge room. Peter's drumming reverberates up from some dank lower chamber. Booming piano keys augment Gene's bass. Children's voices like demonic cherubim with leather bat wings flap and giggle all over "God of Thunder." It's a masterpiece, by gosh!

The track that struck me recently is one I've normally never given a great deal of thought to, but it just seemed so wonderfully ludicrous that I thought it was worth mentioning. "Great Expectations" is inflated with so much needless pomp and circumstance, that it's hard to believe it was recorded with a straight face. Basically an entirely presumptious excercise in self-mythologizing (written by Gene, naturally), painstaking detailing the hopes, dreams and aspirations of every self-(dis)respecting groupie ("you know what my fingers can do, and you wish you were the one I was doin' it to!"), Ezrin forgives Simmons' laughably pretentious preenings (I'm sure Ezrin was paid handsomely enough to overlook the band's ego problems) and bolsters proceedings with lilting pianos, drama-drenched surges of guitar and hauls in some innocent church choir of eunuched choir boys to chime in on the Dickens-pilfering chorus (is Gene suggesting that it is indeed a great thing to expect sexual favors from the band?) Such hubris wouldn't rear its head some clumsily again until the unforgivable "Charisma" on the Dynasty album. But dressed up in Ezrin's magic, it's practically a hymn.

I could go on and on, and already have. I haven't even touched on the cover, which remains one of my very favorite single images of all time. But just what the hell is going on there? Are they running? Are they dancing? Are they celebrating in the wake of the destruction their unbriddled display of RÖCK wreaked on the smouldering city behind them? Also, what's with the gestures? Paul looks like he's doing the hokey-pokey. Peter's steering an imaginary bicycle, Gene is shadow-boxing, but....what's up with Ace? One finger feyly points at you, whereas the other hand holds four fingers up...signifying that it's their fourth studio album? Signifying the four members? Fingers extended to catch a descending pop fly?

Regardless, Destroyer is, was and ever shall be one of my favorite albums.

Comments

[september29th]

Can't tell you how great it is to see your blog get updated so regularly! I too am an unapologetic fan of Kiss (pre-Dynasty) and your write up on Destroyer is simply "tits".

.mCr.

[PW]

It is unethical and just plain wrong to have a Killing joke album cover on the same page as a kiss album cover. One of them has to go. Choose one Alex, KJ or Kiss.......you cant have both.