It was 50 years ago — Sept. 10, 1975 — that KISS released their first-ever live album, Alive!, which helped them skyrocket to superstardom.
Before Alive!, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley weren’t having much success. While their live shows helped them gain a cult following, their first three albums — KISS, Hotter Than Hell and Dressed to Kill — failed to take off commercially.
But that all changed after the release of Alive!, a double album featuring live performances recorded at select shows on their 1975 tour.
In fact, Stanley credits Alive! for their success, telling ABC Audio it was because of that album that the public began to discover their songs like “Strutter,” “Deuce” and “Black Diamond.”
“KISS Alive! was really where those songs came to life,” he says. “The first three albums really didn’t sell particularly well. We were becoming well-known for our live show, but our record sales didn’t reflect that until KISS Alive!”
Alive! went on to hit #9 on the Billboard Albums chart and helped the band’s now signature tune, “Rock & Roll All Nite,” take off. The studio version only made it to #68 on the Billboard singles chart, but the live version reached #12.
Not only would the album save KISS’ career, but it also saved their label, Casablanca Records, which was having major money problems at the time.
The album went on to be certified Gold in the U.S. and has since sold more than 9 million copies worldwide.
As part of KISS’ celebration of the Alive! anniversary they’re sharing the story of the making of the album on their website, Kissonline.com. As the article notes, the album “cemented the group’s enduring legacy and 50 years on, it’s regarded as one of the greatest live albums of all time.”
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