What's on our Victrola?

Editor's Note: These are dark Football-less days where all we have to talk about is baseball or come up with greatness like PCU. (of course, Hairy Carrey can't bear to post something about his beloved Cubs for fear that he'll be the next goat-blowing Steve Bartman) So Savant has pulled this out of his ass come up with a very nice idea that WILL illicit many comments. Notice I said WILL? Not a request. We'll add in our other faves over the next couple of week. Also keep an eye out for our nominees for the first installment of the Downy Awards -- the best of our posts and some other shit. Here's Savant -- PK out.




As an editorial staff, we at down and distant agree that healthy doses of both sarcasm and politically incorrect rude internet banter are good for the soul. We do, however, like to stretch the limits of what's possible…from time-to-time. As an aside, in college (during a Hell Week "shower") Hairy Carry once tried to stretch PK's balloon knot "limits." Although all parties agreed to never speak of it again, I'd just like to say that I'm a non-judgmental person and I don't think there's anything wrong with that…but I digress…

Here now for your reading pleasure periodic break from masturbating is the first entry in our d&d staff series "Favorite Rock Albums."

Alive! - KISS, 1975 Probably the best live rock album ever (apologies to "Frampton Comes Alive" and "Live at Leeds" by The Who). This multi-platinum double-album from "The Hottest Band in The World" ushered-in an era of loud, raw stadium rock that helped balance the music industry against the "disco" phenomenon of the mid-70's. Unlike bands who planted the seeds of Heavy Metal (Blue Cheer, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin), the early music of KISS was heavy and raw, but combined this with more Beatle-esque pop riffs to create songs that were almost always less than 3 1/2 minutes, thus, appealing to the short attention span of a younger generation. Most songs were, on some level, about getting laid...with an occasional nod to partying…both topics which d&d zealously supports.

Although KISS had been around for a couple years and was quickly gaining notoriety as one of the best live acts, their first three albums (KISS, Hotter Than Hell, and Dressed To Kill) were selling pretty well, but not great. The band was such a huge live draw that Casablanca Records and KISS both wanted to produce an album that was almost like a souvenir of going to the show. Having the balls to produce not only a live album, but a DOUBLE live album (during an era when there didn't appear to be a demand for live albums) would lay the foundation to help KISS break-through and become the most popular band of the mid-70's (according to several gallop polls - most recently 1978). They recorded several shows during early 1975 (Cleveland, the OSU Pike House, Detroit, and Iowa) which would, with only minor studio overdubs, become Alive!

Despite producing more gold albums than almost any other band not named either "The Beatles" or "Jim Nabors", KISS was never popular with the critics. They would, however, influence several generations of heavier bands including Van Halen, Motley Crue, Guns-N-Roses, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pantera, and Rob Zombie. Furthermore, due to their mass-appeal in the 70's and marketing prowess, they command a faithful following unlike almost any other band.

* Editorial note - it has been rumored that Savant owns his very own KISS ball-gag

** Savant's rebuttal - Mmrruumphhh. Mmrruumphhh!!!!!

*** Editorial response - Shhh...shhh

If you're going to listen to Alive! (and I think you should), I recommend you do so with the volume cranked-up to eleven (11) with your a woman in the back seat of a '75 Camero after drinking lots of alcohol. Best cuts include the high-energy openers "Deuce" and "Strutter." the heavy classic 'Cold Gin," and, of course, "Rock-N-Roll All Night.



"Rock On, Fuckers!