Two things I don’t do anymore are write about music and write for free; I’ve made an exception for the recently released Kiss box set. My thoughts, exclusive to watershedcentral.com:

When Gene is on, he’s on. Going Blind and Nothing to Lose are great, great songs. He’s like a bridge between Mountain and Screaming Trees. (On the second thought, Mountain and Screaming Trees don’t need a bridge.)

The mid-’80s period up holds better than expected, though Crazy Nights really sucks. Hot in the Shade is a sleeper. Colin’s often made the point that Paul carried the band on his back for the better part of the decade. Between Creatures of the Night and Revenge, Simmons showed up only for the photo shoots.

Gene’s and Paul’s personalities show through in the liner notes. Paul comes off as well-meaning and earnest. He finds things to like about Shandi, God love him. Simmons is a cock. He demands credit for anything that bears the slightest trace of his fingerprints, and he’s never critical of himself. Note how he blames Paul for inspiring him to write a dumb song like Christine Sixteen. Yeah, Gene, you were really channeling Kierkegaard there. To know Simmons, I imagine, would be not to like him.

Wisely the band didn’t allow Peter Criss to write many liner notes: He’s borderline retarded. Paul and Gene seem to regard Ace as some kind of savant, which is kind of cool. He’s the band’s Garbo.

Why Take Me was left off this set is beyond me. If I were in band, we’d cover that.

T.L. has noted the irony that Love Gun is so good musically, so insipid lyrically. He’s right.

Quintessential Ace solo: Got to Choose, though it’s tough to pick just one.

Finally, I’m not one to fuss about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Kiss should be in. My thinking is, if you welcome the Grateful Dead (a band with suspect material but a rabid fan base), then Kiss should be there, too.

- David Martin