Kranium krunching kash-in kompilation from KISS..

KISS: the band that brought you babywear and band logo engraved Coffins (the KISS KASKET TM price: approx $3000) to be buried in... the band that virtually invented audience exploitation, continue to piss on their chips and legacy with yet another cash in ‘Best of’ .

Having recently split from Mercury records, their record label of 28 years plus, KISS fulfil their contractual obligation with the 'The Very Best Of Kiss'. Apparently, the band are now nosing around such low-profile labels as Spitfire Records and Koch; how about that for business suss from a band whose bass player has just started a 'porno' mag called "Tongue"?? Oh well. Here’s the list of tracks you probably already own that be gonna be on this cash-in.

01 'Strutter' ('Kiss', 1974)
02 'Deuce' ('Kiss', 1974)
03 'Got To Choose' ('Hotter Than Hell', 1974)
04 'Hotter Than Hell' ('Hotter Than Hell', 1974)
05 'C'mon And Love Me' ('Dressed To Kill', 1974)
06 'Rock And Roll All Nite Live' ('Alive', 1975)
07 'Detroit Rock City' ('Destroyer', 1976)
08 'Shout It Out Loud' ('Destroyer', 1976)
09 'Beth' ('Destroyer', 1976)
10 'I Want You' ('Rock And Roll Over', 1976)
11 'Calling Dr Love' ('Rock And Roll Over', 1976)
12 'Hard Luck Woman' ('Rock And Roll Over', 1976)
13 'I Stole Your Love' ('Love Gun', 1977)
14 'Christine Sixteen' ('Love Gun', 1977)
15 'Love Gun' ('Love Gun', 1977)
16 'New York Groove' ('Ace Frehley', 1978)
17 'I Was Made For Loving You' ('Dynasty', 1979)
18 'I Love It Loud' ('Creatures Of The Night', 1982)
19 'Lick It Up' ('Lick It Up', 1983)
20 'Forever' ('Hot In The Shade', 1989)
21 'God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II' ('Revenge', 1992)

Aside from almost completely ignoring anything after when the make up came off; which would make a pretty good compilation album in its own right no matter what the purists say - and their biggest UK hit (‘Crazy Crazy Nights’) – but anything that does not include tracks such as “God of Thunder”, ”Cold Gin”, “Sure Know Something”, or “Black Diamond” hardly qualifies as a best of. Especially coming after the huge 6CD box set release late last year...

The real question for many Kiss fans though is, What’s happening to “Alive IV”? Despite being fully finished with sleeve art, Kiss think their fans would much rather buy yet another redundant compilation of tracks they already own;why not one that collects together all the non-album b-side tracks (as not on the box set)?And why do they think fans wnat a new studio album with another ersatz line-up including Tommy Thayer (on guitars), recorded just for money, rather than record with the classic line up of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. The cash-in continues... but who’s buying?

Kiss it seems are. They'll do anything for money. If you've got $750,00 they'll even play your beach party. Tell them what you think. Kiss ... off.