It’s a KQ KISS Off Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, and since we are giving away a ton of tickets to see them perform one last time in the Twin Cities, I thought it would be fun to write something aimed at getting us all in the mood for THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD!
Check out my Top 5 Favorite KISS songs of all time below, then turn the volume up to eleven in excitement for the big farewell show happening on Monday, March 4th at the Target Center!
#5 Shock Me
Ace Frehley is one of my favorite humans on the planet. On stage, he\’s an absolute joy to watch play guitar, and I think it\’s so cool how he taught himself to play without even learning how to read music. In person, the Spaceman is just a trip. When he came to visit the KQ studios last year in support for a big time charity event, he was super sweet and kind. As a solo artist, he\’s turned me into a fan for life, but my favorite song he\’s ever written has to originate from his time in KISS. Shock Me is a masterpiece, especially the KISS Alive II version included below. Ace is actually a really great singer, and I don\’t think he gets enough credit for that. I love singing along to all of the band\’s funky, complimentary vocals in this song, and that\’s why it had to make my list.
#4 Calling Dr. Love
\”Alright… is everyone ready to get their prescription filled?!\”
I sure am! Calling Dr. Love is in my opinion, the most fun KISS song there is. I love singing it at karaoke because it makes everyone feel fun and flirty. I love how Gene Simmons is especially riled up in this 1977 live version from The Capital Centre in Largo, MD. What it must have been like to be there in the flesh! Overall, this song is a KISS staple, and if your as weird as I am deep down, you have a serious deep affection for this silly type of rock and roll.
#3 Detroit Rock City
Detroit Rock City is simultaneously one of my favorite KISS songs AND movies. Both take us through an euphoric live music experience. The end scene from the 1999 Detroit Rock City film pretty much displays how insane KISS fans become when we see them live in concert. I strongly advise watching this movie before heading to the big show in March. If you don\’t quite get the fascination with this band yet, you will after watching this classic, and you might even be prompted to enlist in the KISS Army yourself!
#2 Duece
Deuce ROCKS HARD and that\’s simply why I love it so much. It\’s a song that was invented to be performed live. You just can\’t be in a bad mood when you\’re listening to this gem. My favorite thing about KISS as a whole, is how amazing they sound live. The version below from Alive! is one of their best live recordings in my opinion — especially Ace\’s solo midway through and at the end. It really puts me in a mood to have fun, and that\’s what makes Deuce a perfect representation of the spirit of this band.
#1 Black Diamond
By now you must be thinking I\’m a huge freak that likes every KISS song and couldn\’t possibly pick my number one favorite. Wrong! I think that Black Diamond is one of the greatest songs ever made! It is beautifully composed and each element of the song is synced up together perfectly. My favorite version comes from Symphony Alive Ⅳ in Australia. Having an actual live orchestra included in this performance makes it so intensely cool. Make sure you listen to this performance all the way until the end so you don\’t miss any of the loud ass applause from the crowd. I plan to make this my Wedding song if I ever get hitched one day, and if I\’m lucky, I\’ll be proposed to by my rock and roll lover with a big ol\’ BLACK DIAMOND!