When The Original Members of KISS Each Released Solo Albums on The Same Day

My reviews of ‘Paul Stanley,’ ‘Gene Simmons,’ ‘Peter Criss,’ and ‘Ace Frehley’

On September 18, 1978, Casablanca Records released eponymously-named solo albums from each of the members of KISS — Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley.

Before then, as a band, KISS had released six studio albums and two live albums with Casablanca Records. At the time of the release of their solo albums, KISS was one of the most successful bands in the world.

Although I was only 12 years old at the time, I was already a big fan of KISS. I can still easily remember how big of a deal it was that the members were each releasing solo albums on the same day back then. I’m paraphrasing here, but I recall an advertisement for the albums that said something like:

“Imagine if, ten years ago, each member of The Beatles, the biggest band in the world then, had released solo albums on the same day. KISS, the current biggest band in the world, is doing that RIGHT NOW!”

Although I was excited about the solo albums at the time, I didn’t buy any of them back then. The closest I got was purchasing (and loving) Ace Frehley’s single, “New York Groove.”

I never heard any of those KISS solo albums until just a few weeks ago. I’ve now listened to each of them multiple times.

Here are three of my favorite songs from each of the albums and my short reviews of the albums.

Paul Stanley

Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me

A very catchy-sounding song that doesn’t sound all that different from a lot of the music KISS was releasing in the late 1970s.

It’s Alright

This great pop/rock tune is probably my favorite song on the album. I was driving around earlier with it on. I had my windows down and the music turned up loud and the whole experience was…well, it was a whole lot of fun!

Love In Chains

A great rocker here. I especially love the instrumental jam towards the end of it.

My review of the Paul Stanley album: I was initially going to give it 3 stars, but I like it more and more each time I listen to it. Out of 5 possible stars, I give it…4 stars!

Gene Simmons

See You Tonite

A friend of mine once told me he thinks that “See You Tonite” is “the best George Harrison song that George Harrison didn’t write or sing.” I can see why he said that because it really does sound quite a bit like a George Harrison song!

I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. I think that “See You Tonight” is outstanding.

Man of 1,000 Faces

“Man of 1,000 Faces” was inspired, at least in part, by film star Lon Chaney. Chaney was known as “the man of a thousand faces,” because of how his face often looked drastically different throughout the many classic movies he starred in, such as The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

I don’t know much about Chaney, but I do know that I like this song a lot. It’s a bit of an “earworm,” though — so don’t be surprised if the chorus gets stuck playing in your head after you listen to it!

Mr. Make-Believe

“See You Tonight” may have sounded like a George Harrison song, but I think “Mr. Make Believe” sounds a bit like something George’s mates John Lennon and Paul McCartney might have written together. In the cases of both songs, I’m not surprised a bit, because I know Gene Simmons loved and was heavily influenced by The Beatles.

Regardless, I think “Mr. Make Believe” is great. It’s probably my favorite song on the album.

My review of the Gene Simmons album: Even though I love a lot of Gene’s songs as a member of KISS, some of his songs have disappointed me over the years. Because of that, this was the solo album I was least looking forward to listening to.

However, I ended up liking it a lot. There’s a nice mixture of KISS-like rock songs on it, but also great “softer” songs like the ones I shared above.

I give the album…3 and 1/2 stars.

You Matter To Me

In researching this album, I discovered that “You Matter To Me” was released as a single and didn’t do very well. I don’t remember hearing it on radio stations back then — and I think that’s kind of a shame. It’s a good pop song that has a very similar kind of sound and feel to it that a lot of successful Top 40 songs had back then. I think it could of and should of been a hit song back then.

That’s The Kind Of Sugar Papa Likes

Like most of the songs on this album, this one does not at all sound like a typical KISS song. It’s definitely much more of a pop song than a rock song. It seems to me like the kind of song a band like K.C. and the Sunshine Band might have released in the late 1970s.

I say that as neither an insult to K.C. or Peter. Despite the song’s title, which I’m sure a lot of people would think sounds kind of creepy, I think it’s a fun song to listen to. I especially enjoy the beat of it and the background vocals in it.

Rock Me Baby

Another pop song that very much sounds like a lot of other popular music from the era it was released in. Certainly not a “deep” song lyrically…but who cares? It’s got fun music and vocals in it.

It’s catchy-sounding and I dig it!

My review of the Peter Criss album: As I said above, most of the songs on this album don’t sound anything like KISS songs. It’s very much a pop album and not a hard rocking one — and I’m completely okay with that. I wasn’t expecting much from this album, but I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I instantly liked it.

I give it…4 stars!

Ace Frehley

Rip It Out

From a lot of what I’ve heard and read over the years, it seems like many KISS fans consider the Ace Frehley album to be the best of the solo albums released by the band members in 1978 — mainly because they think it’s the hardest rocking album of the four.

I’m not sure if it’s “the best” of these four solo albums, but I definitely agree with how it’s the most rocking of them. “Rip It Out,” which is the first song on the album, is a perfect example of how great Ace Frehley rocks on the album.

What’s On Your Mind

I like this song a lot. It rocks, but it also has some very nice “pop” elements to it. I wish this song had been released as a single. I think it would have been a fine follow-up to….

New York Groove

“New York Groove” was, by far, the most successful of all of the singles released from the four solo KISS albums from 1978. It reached #13 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

I loved it back then and I still love it now.

My review of the Ace Frehley album: Even though I wrote above that I wasn’t sure if this was “the best” of the albums I’m reviewing today, I think it’s my favorite of the four albums — in large part because I love Ace Frehley’s vocals and great guitar playing on it.

I give it….4 stars!

Here’s a playlist of my favorite songs from the solo KISS albums from above. In addition to the songs I’ve already mentioned in this article, there are an additional two songs from each of the albums — adding up to a total of 20 songs on the playlist:

The solo KISS albums I reviewed here are each a part of a ‘100 New-To-Me Albums in 2022’ challenge I’ve been participating in this year.

To see all of the albums that I’ve “discovered” during 2022, please click below:

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