CHAPTER 38 - Smashes,
Thrashes, & Hits (1988)
“Smashes, Thrashes, And Hits”
Album notes:
New album tracks produced
by Paul Stanley. Recorded at Right Track Studios, New
York City, New York,
and at The Townhouse, London,
England,
June 1988. For other credits see original releases. The US
version of the album had 15 tracks versus the UK
version which had 16 songs, with “Crazy Crazy Nights”
and “Reason To Live” replacing “Deuce.” Also released as a picture disc in
gatefold sleeve with subtitle “15 Years Of KISStory.”
38.01. Let’s Put The X In Sex
The first of two new tracks
Paul wrote for inclusion on the compilation album, this song was one of the
last Paul would write with Desmond Child. Recording of the song would be done
at Right Track Studios in New York
in July 1988 during the band’s break from touring. Paul would record the vocals
for the song in London
while the band was in Europe
for the continuation of their “Crazy Nights” tour and “Monsters Of Rock”
appearances. Nearly universally the members of the band do not look back fondly
on this track, though Paul has suggested that it was the best that he could
come up with at the time.
It is interesting to note
that Bruce Kulick had produced a demo for the Los
Angeles band Electric Angels at Amigo Studios
in April 1988 for RCA Records. This band included bassist Jonathan Daniels with
whom he and Eric Carr would write material. Another member of the band, also
with KISS connections, was guitarist Ryan Roxie who would later work with Eric
Singer in Glamnation and Alice Cooper. One of the
songs on this demo was called “You Put The X In Sex” which provides a
tantalizing suggestion of where the idea for the song came from. According to
Ryan, “You got to remember that the similarity between the Electric Angel song
and the KISS song was only the title. Bruce played the demo for Gene and Paul
and Paul liked the title, so he used it in ‘Smashes, Thrashes and Hits.’ The
thing is that you can’t copyright the title of a song… But, he just ripped the
song title…There’s nothing we could do” (rockpages.gr).
The song would be issued as
the first single from the album, backed with “Calling Dr. Love,” while the
video would be produced by Rebecca Blake. The video was filmed soon after the
band returned from Europe
in early October 1988 at “a building owned by Sage Realty” (DS –BD p.214).
Dealings with the owner became highly amusing when he sued Rebecca Blake
Studios for failing to pay the rent for the video shoot. The publicity worked
both ways resulting in the owner of the building being paid and the providing
the band with some extra exposure through the silly statements made by the
owners in their suit. According to Dale Sherman part of the complaint had
detailed, “that the studio had misled him into believing the building was being
used for fashion videos and not for a heavy metal band’s music video. Perhaps
the most bizarre moment in Kaufman’s complaint was his comment that the
building was used as a phallic symbol” (DS – BD p.214).
38.02. Crazy, Crazy Nights
Included only on the United Kingdom release of the album a
result of the song being something of a hit (reaching #4 on the UK charts) during the Summer
of ‘87. This version is the same as was released on the
“Crazy Nights” album.
38.03. (You Make Me) Rock Hard
Paul’s teaming with Diane
Warren and Desmond Child. This song would be released as the second single from
the album and a video would be produced and directed by Rebecca Blake.
38.04. Love Gun (Remix)
At 3:21 the “Smashes, Thrashes
& Hits” remix of “Love Gun” is 8 seconds longer than the original 1977
album version. With some minor compression the 1988 remix even runs slightly
fast for a while. During the drum break prior to Ace’s guitar solo one can
clearly hear Paul’s use of the ebow. At the beginning
of the guitar solo, Paul’s shout of “Love Gun” has an echo effect added to it.
While the original recording has the chorus on top of Ace’s solo, this is
removed, for the most part, while Paul’s ebow is
clearly audible behind Ace’s lead guitar. Finally, the fade out at the end of
the song is not as drastic as on the original version.
38.05. Detroit Rock City (Remix)
Presenting less of a hatchet job than the previous
“remix” for “Double Platinum” had done, the 1988 remix restored 10 seconds of
the guitar break section which follows the second chorus. Like the 1978 “remix”
the 1988 version also deletes all of the audio storytelling sound-effects,
except slightly during that guitar break where in the original 1976 recording
further acceleration of the car could be heard. On the 1988 version this has
been muted and as a result almost sounds like rain. Ace’s guitar solo is
restored to its full 1976 version, unlike the 1978 “remix” which cut it down in
length by 10 seconds and then flowed into the chorus at the end rather than the
third verse.
Like the “Double Platinum” version the song omits the
car crash and ends with a modified chorus: “Get up / Everybody’s gonna move their feet / (Gene) Get Down // Get up /
Everybody’s gonna leave their seat / (Gene) Get
Down.” As a result of the modifications, the 1988 remix is something of a
better attempt than the 1978 version had been, retaining more of the structure
of the original recording without the additional effects. As a result the track
length is 3:45 versus 3:35 for the “Double Platinum”
version, and 3:42 for the original “Destroyer” recording with the
sound effects at start and end manually removed.
38.06. I Love It Loud (Remix)
The version of this song utilizes the 1985 remix that
tones down the drum volume somewhat. However, some of the echo effect on Gene’s
vocals is also removed. One final difference is that the song’s structure is
similar to the “short-version” which had been released on the promotional US single in 1982. The
fade-out followed by the chant fading back in at the end of the song is
completely omitted, resulting in a track length of 3:37.
38.07. Deuce (Remix)
The “remix” of “Deuce”
would restore to the recording some 15 seconds of outro
lead-guitar that was hidden by the fade on the original 1974 recording. This
results in a track length of 3:18.
38.08. Reason To Live
Included only on the United Kingdom release of the album
though the song had only been a minor hit reaching #33 on the UK charts. This
version is the same as was released on the “Crazy Nights” album.
38.09. Lick It Up
This version is the same as
was released on the “Lick It Up” album.
38.10. Heaven’s On Fire
This version is the same as
was released on the “Animalize” album.
38.11. Calling Dr. Love (Remix)
Described as a “CD bonus track” on the UK release of the album this
song would be 12 seconds shorter than the original album version. While not
losing as much as the song had during remixing in 1978 the differences are
noticeable. The introduction to the song is shorter than the album version, and
while not beginning with the “demonic” sound effects present on the 1978
“remix” a “God Of Thunder” sound effect is added to part of the introduction
chords. In the transition between the second and third verses some additional
lead guitar is added over the “don’t you know it’s true” lyric just as was the
case with the “Double Platinum” version. Following the guitar solo the second
repetition of the chorus is removed. This version is similar, but not quite the
same as the 1976 “Radio Single Mix.”
38.12. Strutter (Remix)
This “remix” version is some 10 seconds longer than
the original album version. The major difference is the addition of a third
repetition of the song’s riff following the first chorus prior to the start of
the second verse. One additional minor change is a slightly longer fade period
(~1 second) prior to the last note (and end) of the song being struck. These
changes result in a track length of 3:18, but really beg the
question, “why?”
38.13. Beth (Eric Carr Version)
First there was the
original, then the live version, then the acoustic version for “KISS Meets The
Phantom Of The Park,” and then this version 4. Without a doubt this recording
is one of the most uncomfortable in the whole KISS catalog with drummer Eric
Carr replacing original drummer Peter Criss’ vocals on KISS’ biggest US
hit. Not only was the same orchestra backing tape used, but it was recorded in
the same studio as the original had been done twelve years earlier. Paul
Stanley recalled, “we actually ended up doing it in the same room that we did
the original in! It was wild we brought up the tapes of ‘Beth’ and Eric sang it
in the very same studio. It was kinda nice, 12 years
later, to be in the same band in the same studio, working on the same song”
(Strike #27).
Eric Carr had been
desperate to sing a lead vocal on a KISS album, and had for years only
contributed lead vocals when the band played live or on backing vocals in the
studio. However, he was not totally happy at doing this track. Eric recalled,
“at first I was real nervous about what the reaction would be (after all, it’s
Peter’s song). I knew I’d do a great job and I got really into it and luckily I
have not had one single letter complaining about it” (KISS Crazy #3). Many fans
consider this track to be highly disrespectful to Peter. Peter was displeased
by the inclusion of the remake, “they’ve almost tried to bury me and Ace as if
we never existed. You can see that a little by the release of the new
compilation album and the remixed versions of songs like ‘Strutter’
and ‘Detroit
Rock City.’
It’s really ridiculous, it’s sad.... Gene called me about that record but he
didn’t tell me they were gonna redo ‘Beth’ with Eric
on vocals. I mean, I have nothing against Eric at all, I don’t really know him
that well, but I thought that if they planned on doing a Greatest Hits record
they were going to give the fans the hits, the originals” (Kerrang #226). Peter
did, however, talk to Eric about the re-recording of the song: According to
Peter, “he actually called me when he had to re-sing ‘Beth.’ And he was all in
tears and said, ‘Please forgive me. I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to
touch this song, but they really want me to do this so I’ve got to sing it. Do
you mind?’ And I’m like Eric,
OK,
just do what you’ve got to do” (Eddie Trunk).
38.14. Tears Are Falling
This version is the same as
was released on the “Asylum” album.
38.15. I Was Made For Lovin’ You
This version is the same as
was released on the “Dynasty” album.
38.16. Rock And Roll All Nite (Remix)
At nearly 10 seconds longer than the original version
the most striking difference can immediately be heard in the sound of the drums
at the beginning of the song. The difference in the sound of the drums
continues throughout the whole song presenting what is a different style.
During the first chorus two repetitions of “I wanna
rock and roll all nite... and party every day” are
cut. Instead, three repetitions of that line are pasted onto the end of the
song.
38.17. Shout It Out Loud (Remix)
The 1988 “remix” is 16 seconds longer than the
original album version of the song. For most of the duration of the song the
two versions remain identical. Where the 1976 version ends on “Shout it, shout
it, shout it out loud / Awww!” the “remix” continues
with the chorus: “Awww! / Shout it, shout it, shout
it out loud / I hear it gettin’ louder / Shout it,
shout it, shout it out loud / And everybody shout it now / Shout it!”
38.18. Let’s Put The X In Sex (Sex-A-Pella Remix)
This 4:37 remix version features
primarily drums and keyboards with a very little guitar on the verse. This
version was only released on the promotional 12-inch single (Mercury/PolyGram
PRO-693-1DJ).
38.19. Let’s Put The X In Sex (Hot Urban Mix)
This 3:58 version simply adds some
additional keyboards and echo to the song. The difference in track length is
the result of the addition of an echo introduction to the song. Whomever did
the remix also added a touch of the Steve Miller “The Joker” wolf-whistle
guitar to the track’s guitar solo.
38.20. Let’s Put The X In Sex (Hot Rock Mix)
This 3:42 song is the essentially
same as the album version with the sub-title only being used on the promotion
7” remix single for the song (PRO-694-7). Minor differences can be found on
this single version, notably the cymbals being lower in the mix.
38.21. Let’s Put The X In Sex (X-Cessive Mix)
The longest remix of the
song running to 7:33.
This remix has extended periods of just the song’s riff with keyboard overdubs.
This version was only released on the promotional 12-inch single
(Mercury/PolyGram PRO-693-1DJ). The 4 remixes of this song, tracks 40.12-15,
were engineered by Gary Hellman assisted by John
Magnusson. Additional keyboards were performed on the tracks by Phil Ashley and
Jay Miles. Produced by Paul Stanley and mixed and edited by John Luongo.
38.22. Let’s Put The X In Sex (Video Mix)
38.23. (You Make Me) Rock Hard (Video Mix)
Both of the videos included
extended “musical” introductions, of 20 seconds or more, not present on the
album versions of the song. In the case of “Rock Hard” the introduction is some
guitar noise with drums overlayed and looped for 26
seconds before the beginning of the song.