Alive! by Kiss is without question a huge breakthrough for the band and one of the best live albums ever made. Obviously there are a lot of controversy on how much of it was overdubbed in the studio, regardless of it, there`s no denying that this double album really showcases Kiss` explosive live shows on any recording formats. Favorite songs: Rock And Roll All Night, Deuce, Firehouse, 100,000 Years and Black Diamond.

ITS INTERESTING READING THE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THIS LP AS TO WHETHER ITS LIVE OR NOT , I TAKE THE VIEW THAT IF IT SOUNDS LIVE
IT IS LIVE ! BY THE WAY THE LP IS CALLED KISS ALIVE ! NOT KISS LIVE ! AND THIS PLAY ON WORDS PROBABLY SUMS UP THE LP .ITS
A FAITHFULL REPESENTATION OF KISS LIVE WITH THE ODD MISTAKE RE RECORDED ,IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE MONEY WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO RECORD THE WHOLE LP IN THE STUDIO , HAVING SAID THAT THIS IS THE
BEST ALIVE (LIVE) LP OF ALL TIME AND IS CERTAINLY ONE THE GREATEST ROCK LPS EVER !! i WONT GO INTO DETAILS SONGWISE AS A LOT OF THE PREVIOUS REVIEWERS HAVE DONE IT ALOT BETTER ALREADY !

This is my favorite recording of all-time. Period!

There aren't many bands that cause such a "love 'em or hate 'em" mentality as does Kiss. Suffice to say, I don't care about any reviews from people who hate the band anyway! And trust me...you are as transparent as a hooker at a nurse's convention. So..if you hate Kiss...we don't need your opinions. It isn't like we haven't dealt with people hating the band in the past!

So let's talk about this recording. Let's get to the heart of the complaints from others.

1) The album is full of overdubs - OMG really? Call the police! Thin Lizzy's "Live and Dangerous" (considered by many as one of the greatest live recordings of all-time) is full of overdubs. I don't hear anyone slamming that recording. I would much rather hear mistakes corrected then listen to a recording (many Led Zeppelin bootlegs come to mind) with horrible vocals and sloppy playing.
Also, who did the overdubs? KISS DID!! So it was them anyway.

2)They aren't musicians. I love this one. Then what are they? The Monkees? Hum..that was really Peter on drums...Ace on Lead...Gene on bass...and Paul on vocals and guitar. No wait...they were pretending to backing tracks recorded by studio cats. That would explain it!

Just because something is simple and direct doesn't mean it sucks or that they are bad musicians. I have heard dozens of Kiss tribute bands and almost done of them get it close to sounding correct. How can that be? Doesn't Kiss suck at their instruments? Hummm maybe it isn't as easy as you think and they might, just might..know what they are doing and can actually play?

3) The crowd was piped in and made louder then normal. Well this is the dumbest reason to hate this album I have ever heard. Have you ever even been to a Kiss show back then? The crowd WAS that loud. I know, I was there! Eddie Kramer just made it louder in the mix is all...so what!!! So...this excuse just blows!

4) Other bands are better..Deep Purple...Led Zeppelin..etc. Well, surprise, I love ALL those bands and everyone offers something amazing and unique. Deep Purple's "MADE IN JAPAN" is my second favorite recording of all-time. They are an amazing band and the musicianship is first rate..Hell I even named my oldest boy Ian...after Ian Paice. But I also love Kiss...how can that be? Hum...having an open mind helps!

So...now the best stuff! The sound of this recording is second to none. Not so much the indivdual instruments, although I do love that, it is a collective thing. Never before or since has a band as a whole projected as much raw power and energy as on "Alive". You do actually "feel" the band's sweat and volume in each song! It is incredible. When I first put on "Deuce" I was floored! It just went from strength to strength. There isn't one bad moment in this! Not one! Even all these years later, if I am having a bad day, all I have to do is put on "100,000 Years" and listen to Paul Stanley's intense vocals and I feel like I can take on the world.

And isn't this the real point here? That is the essence of Kiss..the ability to lift one up..to empower..to create an emotional wall of sound that is bigger then the song itself and even larger then the band itself! It has never be captured by any other band in history.

So...go ahead and hate it if you want. We don't care. Bad mouth it..we don't care! We fans all know that it is the ultimate in emotion, power, energy and raw rock n roll! So if you don't like it...TOO DARN BAD!

The album that made KISS huge. The album that paved the way for everything come in the next few years for Kiss. It changed everything. Recorded live at various concerts in 1975 this album by 1976 went on too become Mega Platnium. Every song on here is extremly great versions live and everything sounds great.

This album influenced so many bands and still is a great album. buy today

The staple party record from the 70's. Forget that it's not exactly live, alot of it is live and what's not sounds like it is anyway. Many reviews mention Ace's playing, and you'll hear why, he's clear as a bell. Although many get bored with it, Peter's drum solo is timeless, just a solid flow that puts groove over showing off. Listen for Gene yelling "come on quad cities" (alot of this record recorded in Davenport, IA).