Around 1970 was a period of profound metamorphoses in rock music. After the breakup of the Beatles at the beginning of the decade, the metal and progressive rock genres blazed the trail until punk reared its contemptuous head to shake up the system and refresh the counterculture cry for a new generation. In the middle of this fertile unrest were "Kiss", a band born from glam rock and forged in the fires of heavy metal, reports "Far Out" magazine.
As their heavy makeup and bold, imposing costumes suggest, Kiss have always found value in live presence. Beyond aesthetics, however, they established the impression of mature musicians and skilled composers during the mid-1970s.
When "Kiss" embarked on their first tour in 1974, the glam era was at its height, and its early creator David Bowie would soon turn to his "soul album" "Young Americans". "Being in Kiss from the beginning and touring across the United States, it was an amazing feeling," bassist and singer Gene Simmons said after the End of the Road World Tour.
He added: "It was like being pushed into the deep end of a pool whether you could swim or not. The early years of 'Kiss' weren't the least bit glamorous. We traveled hundreds of miles every day in a station wagon."
"We would take turns driving and sleeping in the back," he continued. "We ate hamburgers at roadside country taverns. We stopped and defecated on the side of long stretches of highway when we couldn't find a town anywhere near. We ate beans and hot dogs because we couldn't afford better food because we were getting paid $85 a week! Become rock stars was better than anything and beyond anything I had ever imagined. There were times when I doubted whether we would make it."
In 2018, Simmons appeared as a guest on Sirius XM Radio to reveal the songs he "can't live without". With choices from "Thin Lizzy," "Led Zeppelin," "Cheap Trick" and Lou Reed, it wasn't hard to see where "Kiss" drew inspiration for its sound.
One of Simmons' most enthusiastic selections was Mott the Hoople's signature glam anthem, "All the Young Dudes," a song written and later re-recorded by Bowie. "I've always loved 'Mott The Hoople,' starting with the name. I thought, 'What a weird thing,'" Simmons said, announcing the song.
Continuing, the "Kissa" bassist explained how Bowie came to the rescue of "Mott the Hoople" just as they were about to break up. "So they were about to collapse, their career was over. They just couldn't make it," he explained. "David Bowie knew them because they were from the same town. He met Ian Hunter and the boys."
He added: "They were saying, 'Yes, thank you very much. It was great meeting you. When are you playing?' And they say, 'No, we're breaking up. We can't get our heads together. We can't make a hit.' He says, 'Well, you know. I've got two songs that I'm not going to record. Listen to them and see if you like them'."
"One of them was 'Suffragette City,' and they say, 'No, we don't like that. What else is there?' 'All The Young Dudes', where David Bowie sings lead vocals, is amazing because it immediately says there's something big going on.
Well, when I heard 'All The Young Dudes' by "Motto", it wasn't just a career saver for them. It was one of those songs that carved its own thread in what a great song can be."
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