Asshole

I bought this as a gift, as I already have one myself. If you're a Gene Simmons fan you will love this CD! There's a little bit of everything in here. One cut includes Frank Zappa, other ones his famiy members sing backup. There are two different covers, one with the name on the cover and one with only Gene's name, which I appreciated, as I have so many grandchildren who would perchance be reading it. I gave it a 5 star rating for all the above reasons.

My dad loved it. It came new and as a gift he was pleased and so was I because he loved it.

Not the CD I wanted!

First of all, you may be wondering what a dual disc is. It is a 2-sided disc, one side is CD and the other side is DVD audio. Basically this disc will play in your conventional CD player or alternatively you can play it, in Dolby Digital on your DVD player. If you have a set of 5.1 surround speakers you get to hear this album in surround sound. (Note: You do not need to have a DVD-audio player to enjoy the surround sound - this plays on DVD-video players in surround).If you already have this on CD and do not have a surround sound speaker set up it is really not worth buying again on Dual Disc, unless that is you want to watch the promo video of Firestarter which is also included.I already owned this on CD, and I think this is a very good album, not an all time classic, but a collection of, for the most part, enjoyable Simmons songs with a great variety of styles, from hard rock to ballads, drum'n'bass, metal, rock'n'roll - all done with a pretty modern production, albeit a weakish production on certain songs.I bought the dual disc version so that I could listen to it in surround sound - and it does sound great coming out of my DVD 5.1 speaker setup. The Firestarter video is pretty ridiculous, Gene acting like a loony pimp surrounded by dozens of LA bimbo's in bikini's - but well shot. Shame that the title track wasn't the single from the album, because it is far more commercial than the dreadful Firestarter song.All in all I'm glad I purchased this again on dual disc and think the format is a great idea. I get to play the disc in surround sound at home, and still get to be able to play it in the car stereo !Highly recommended if you enjoy 5.1 dolby digital surround.Not highly recommended if you do not. But you may find it worth while if you want to watch the Firestarter video.

I have never been a fan of Kiss, I although I have enjoyed listening to them a few times.With an approach to listening to this CD as an artist, and music lover, a Kiss "outsider" who knows very little about Kiss's history, I will add my "shenanigans" for your open perusal, hoping to provoke and cajole a few, into a more open-hearted evaluation of this CD.What I am going to suggest is that you listen to a few songs as an outsider like myselfmight. I think that Gene is examining himself and trying to share some of his personal meme (hypothesis?) with the broad stroke of his world at this time, his middle years as a male in Los Angeles, and all that means.. SO~ Beyond judgement I find a few jewels worth listening to and examining on this new CD. Beautiful, sort of reminds me of my former house-mate, (in Silverlake) rocker-gal Corey Parks (who formerly played bass/sang in the band Nashville Pussy) of Die Hunns, and rocker gear fame. and I do love a good memory, so that was song was pretty good, ya ask me. So, yeah that one sort of won me over. I had to listen to it first to see if he was doing Beautiful, by Christina Aqulerra, which might have been, I dunno...refreshing?There is something of Lou Reeds sound on the softer 1000 DreaMS, for me anyway, and you JUST can't not love Lou's riffs and heavy emoting so I liked that one too. It is sort of like Gene's been listening to Fleet Foxes of late ? I caught a haunting "alternative rock" flare to the tune and to be honest "Now that You're Gone" seems a bit (John) Lennon-ish and I found, it was thoughtful/colorful to boot.Sweet & Dirty...what can I say, a conventional rocker ballad about Love, it was fairly decent, though I prefer something a little more Bad Motor Scooter, or Hot Sweet & Stickymyself from that genre (Montrose)."Dog"...I liked the song well enough, although I felt for his wife...but also for the man who has been led down a trail of illusions about 'how to be' in the world. It's odd how one can be so filled with compassion for another soul, when only knowing small bits and starts about the fellow and his life's circumstances.Needless to say, while listening, my heart went out to him as well. Just knowing that Gene is perhaps very (overly?) interested in certain (long-lived) experiences beyond his ability (to live-out-loud with, without) being judged by societal mores, or without being judged and sentenced by even his"lady" (Love) and the family, la familia.The fact that Gene's probably feeling trapped in that hindered-sexuality position called a steady relationship, (something we humans sometimes go through over time on this planet), I feel compassion for this trapped feeling in nature. Given the knowledge that he is probably sex addicted, poor chap! I sure do hope wrestling his personal demons onstage in and through through his music will cure what ails him. We all must unleash the beast, in order to give it a good thrashing, no?. "If I Had a Gun" seems depressive and genuine while subtly (self-depreciating and) hateful as well, it's as if Gene has chosen to open up more fully, and is sharing his heart beyond the norm for him. Although it may be slightly mean-spirited and cynical, he is certainly to be given strokes for the honesty, it is either (1) A real authenticity gem for all who relate, OR a Piece for those who relate, I just hope no dire consequenses spring forth of which he would be broken-hearted to find he had caused or influenced through his music. If authentically written about his psyche (at the moment of said "thrust") it is at least interesting to think about and when one understands emotional flow and flux one knows that emotions are passing ships, day or night)... so the song relates just a momentary whim or impulse and seems to be about whats wrong with the world, (or rather an agnst-ridden solution) when a negative outlook is triggered? Then again, Who knows...maybe it is just an easily quickly worked piece, written in order to keep the cash box opening?KAH~CHING~OLA!!! and Geshundheit...my friend!Overall, er...LASTLY, (am a bit verbose) Gene's life has become a book wide open since the series about parts of tHAT LIFE, are splashed all over, and for all to see, a bit American Beauty meets Zapp comics, er...Heavy Metal Magazine one. A show that appears to be about a wealthy, semi-lucid? (somewhat rational) family in conflict (and some happiness) living "the good life" in the 90210 district and what it entails, and tells, in the tale of RocK- Stardom...all pretty interesting stuff, and Pretty healthy for the imagination, if you think about the behind the scenes actions that are obviously taking place in the human drama...beyond that which is shown in media circles. Pretty heady stuff to contemplate when listening to his CD, minus those songs you cant tolerate...of course. I neither reccomend anyone buy it, or don't buy it, but if you listen, do listen carefully for said nuances.~PeaCe from L.A.~Auf Wiedersehen, Aloha and C'ya PeOPlefrom dreamingTikay

This, as with his other musical contributions is excellent work. I have been a Kiss fan since their inception. Having collected all of their musical and video works, I would say this is Gene's best work to date. Can't wait for "Monster" to be released.

Probably the lamest of his solo works to date. The Demon needs to go back to his early KISS roots and find himself!

The first album in 26 years from Gene Simmons somewhat amazingly does not disappoint. Who would have thought the old demon still had it in him to produce a great album ?Let's put it all in context. In the early to mid-70's Gene released with KISS some of rock's all time classics in songs such as Calling Dr. Love, Deuce, Christine Sixteen and many more. His pinnacle of creative genius was definitely his 1978 solo album - a simply brilliant work which showcased both his trademark cock-rocktastic formula songs like Radioactive, Burning Up With Fever and Living in Sin, as well as more subtle and well crafted, and often Beatlesque songs like See You Tonight, Man of 1,000 Faces, Mr. Make-believe and the awesome Always Near You.The 1978 album stands up against any other album ever released. If you don't own it yet - buy it.Now, after a couple more interesting contributions to KISS, most notably The Elder, Gene went downhill, or more accurately, nose-dived in the mid 80's as he metamorphosised from God of Thunder to silly old bassist in pop-metal band still sticking his tongue out and wearing a syrup. His songs over the course of several albums from Animalize to Hot In The Shade, were dreadful, shocking, pathetic. The thought of Gene ever releasing another solo album was a joke. He had died in about 1983 as far as I was concerned.But, as you probably know the story, Gene steadily improved from Revenge through to Psycho Circus and is now pretty much back to being a credible musician again...well almost.This solo album however seals it. Simmons is back !Shocking is it not ?This is an album I will play and play - I am confident of that. Does it compare to his 1978 solo ? Obviously not, you cannot expect a man in his 50's, in the 2000's to come up with something a man in his 20's did in the 70's. Having said that, this is miles better than you could really expect, and what's more, miles better than 99.9% of all other music released in the last couple of decades. This is a great album for 2004, but also a great album in any era.That's enough of the background....here are the details.1. Sweet and Dirty Love - Turn it up loud and you are forgiven for believing that it's 1977 again. Fabulous classic seventies rock with all the balls and cocksure attitude of Simmons of yesteryear. If only the tasty slide guitar had instead been the even more tasty lead of one Ace Frehley. Classic KISS. Turn it up.2. Firestarter. Absolutely dreadful, painful song. Give it a miss. Unless of course you have no taste in music and like stuff like the Prodigy.3. Weapons of Mass Destruction. Unholy meets Hate meets Boomerang. Very heavy and pretty bad...but not that bad. Metal heads might like it but it's a bit too scary stuff for me.4. Waiting For The Morning Light. Light-hearted, soothing, mellow pop song - so unlike the rubbish Gene spouted in the 80's. A good little tune.5. Beautiful. A really beautiful song, slightly Beatlesy, a bit Cheryl Crow. Very, very good.6. A**hole. Would you believe it - a song in the US-College band genre (which I detest) that is absolutely corking good fun. Quite possibly the best song on the album, great production, big chorus, silly lyrics - great delivery. Should be a hit - but don't hold your breath.7. Now You're Gone. Great Beatlsey type of ballad with Oasis overtones.8. Whatever Turns You On. Cool old school rock with big party sing-along chorus. Enjoyable.9. Dog. Fantastic, groovin' hip Gene doing drum'n'bass, hilarious vocals, cool singing and backing vocals. Top drawer.10. Black Tongue. Good rocker, somewhat spoiled by pathetic drum machine - but tasty nonetheless.11. Carnival of Souls. Much as I thought I would dislike this one, it's actually pretty good and better than 90% of the songs on the KISS album of the same name. Although heavy in a Revenge/COS mode, it's also has a funky strut via the Ritchie Kotzen chords, and boasts a huge nasty chorus and wicked widdlefest of a guitar solo.12. If I Had a Gun. Another great modern sounding, well crafted, song, that could be from Cheryl Crow, if it wasn't for the dodgy deep voice.13. I Dream 1,000 Dreams. The When You Wish Upon a Star of the album. An interesting mix crossing Walt Disney, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Hawaiian hula all in one. Only Gene can pull that lot together and come up with a great song and apt ending to an album. He even goes as far as to reprise his falsetto crooning to end the album, as in 1978. Haha.All in all this album is great fun, something you will like, something your wife will like too, a few headbangers for old times sake, and a few nods of the hat to his classic '70s album. You can't really ask for more.Sure the production is slightly inconsistent, and it sounds more like a collection of songs than a single production, but hey - this is beyond all expectations that I had. I'll be playing this in 25 years from now I am sure. When was the last time I thought that of a new album ?

It arrived with a damaged cover...What I didn't realise was that the CD was damaged too! ...So when I loaded onto my computer the CD exploded and broke my DVD/CD driver...but I got a refund of £2.00...Shame my repair bill was £44.00...Great!!!

I am a huge KISS fan and so did not even think twice about buying this album. Gene has assembled it from pickings of many random songs of many different genres written over the years - and it shows! The album is terribly disjointed with most of the materials not making it onto earlier KISS albums because it simpy was not good enough. As with his first solo effort in 1978, Gene has taken a stab at a new kind of music and showing fans an alternative side to the big bad demon. And just like before one is left wondering when he will go back to sticking his tongue out, spitting blood and growling his way through God of Thunder. Aside from the title track which rocks, the album is not terrible but is not good enough.

Not a very good album. Bought this as it was cheap and I'm a fan of Kiss but the album isn't very great. Many fillers

This is not a Kiss album (obviously). Neither do I think Gene was trying to make one nor sound anything like one.Like his 1978 solo album Gene has given each of the songs a very diverse production sound - and there are some VERY good songs on the album.The influence of other artists is very obvious, Zappa, Dylan, the Beatles and ... errr ... The Prodigy (a cover version of Firestarter is tackled).Overall, I loved it. Brilliant title track (***hole). 'If I Had A Gun' is as good as Simmons' song-writing gets.I dropped off a Star for the inclusion of Carnival Of Souls. The song was (obviously) made for inclusion on the Kiss album of the same name and it's recording quality doesn't quite match the rest of the album - weird.Aside from the actual record, Gene is looking scarier than ever in the album photography! If you buy it, check out the image of him on the rear cover - it keeps reminding me of the final few seconds of Angel Heart (shudder).