On 18. September 1978, Kiss released four solo albums, one by each member.
In 1978, the world saw one of the most extravagant album launch campaigns ever: the simultaneous release of solo albums by all four members of Kiss.
Kiss has claimed that the solo albums were intended to ease rising tensions within the band, also their 1976 record contract did in fact call for four solo records, each of them counting as half an album toward the group’s five-record commitment. Each album was a solo effort (none of the group appeared on another’s album), however all were released and marketed as Kiss albums (with similar cover art and poster inserts). It was the first time that all current members of a rock band had released solo albums on the same day.
It was a chance to showcase their individual musical styles and tastes outside of Kiss, and in some cases to collaborate with contemporary artists. Stanley’s and Frehley’s albums were most similar to Kiss’ hard rock style, while Criss’ album featured an R&B style with multiple ballads. Simmons’ was the most diverse of the four, featuring hard rock, ballads, Beatles-influenced pop and a cover version of “When You Wish Upon a Star” from the Disney film Pinocchio.
Despite the large shipments, none of the albums sold particularly well and were later sold as cut-outs. Of the four, Simmons’s album charted the highest in the U.S., peaking at #22, while Frehley’s spawned the only resulting Top Forty hit single, a cover of “New York Groove”. Frehley’s album has gone on to be the biggest seller since the introduction of Soundscan in 1991.
Studios: (Ace) The Mansion (Connecticut) and Plaza Sound Studios (New York); (Paul) Electric Lady and The Record Plant, (New York) and The Village Recorder, (LA); (Peter) Electric Lady Studios, (New York) and Burbank Studios (California) and Sunset Sound (Hollywood); (Gene) The Manor (Oxfordshire), Cherokee (Hollywood) and Blue Rock (New York).
Kiss solo albums sketch by Daniel Mafia.
Art director Dennis Woloch:
The story I always tell about Eraldo (Carugati, cover painter) is Gene didn’t always have the dribble of blood when he first brought it in. Now, I’ll be perfectly honest, I don’t remember who or how that suggestion came out, that Gene needed a little something extra. Maybe it was Bill Aucoin, who was standing there looking at them. I don’t think it was me, but it was a long time ago (laughs). [Someone] said, “Well, Gene needs a little something extra. He spits blood onstage.” And so Eraldo actually had, in his pocket, a little piece of cardboard. It was a palette where he had dried up globs of paint on it. You know, they were dry. They come alive when you add water. And he had a tiny skinny brush in his pocket. And Eraldo always wore a jacket and a tie. He was a real gentleman. Even when he worked, I think he just rolled up his sleeves, and he had a tie on. Old-school, very European in a way. And he takes out the brush and he said, “Can I have a little water?” We gave him a little thing full of water and he dips it in. He had some red on the palette, he brought that back to life with the water. And he just starts painting right on the painting. I mean, he doesn’t do like a little pencil outline. Oh my God. I’m walking away, looking out the window. I’m saying, “Oh, fuck me. He’s going to screw it up now.” And I kept walking back and taking a peek at it. And like a magician, out of nowhere, boom, this beautiful little drop of blood with the shadow and the highlight on it. I said, “Oh, man. This is too good.”
– Kissconcerthistory.com
