Happy 50th, DRESSED TO KILL (“C’mon and Love Me” franKENstein video/remix)

[Wiseacre]

DRESSED TO KILL was released March 19, 1975. Full album remix coming VERY SOON.

“C’mon and Love Me” VIDEO
https://youtu.be/XnMM7Tir6-8?si=ELjVhWf3I_SrF5SI

[Jason Jennifer Leigh]

Perfection!

Thanks

[Wiseacre]

Perfection!

Thanks

Thanks! Someone should post it over at the KISS FAQ.

[Jason Jennifer Leigh]

I’m banned.

[Wiseacre]

I’m banned.

a badge of honor

[rockker]

The chorus sounds a bit muddy/ busy but otherwise I like it a lot. I especially like the ending

[Wiseacre]

The chorus sounds a bit muddy/ busy but otherwise I like it a lot. I especially like the ending

I've edited Peter's drums to more closely mimic the way he plays it live. LOTS of ghost notes through those sections which makes them "move". The album drums are so basic on the album because he had never even heard the song yet and Peter was a guy who "played to the song". No accents, no fills, etc.

Thanks for listening! \m/ \m/

[endstand]

The chorus sounds a bit muddy/ busy but otherwise I like it a lot. I especially like the ending

I've edited Peter's drums to more closely mimic the way he plays it live. LOTS of ghost notes through those sections which makes them "move". The album drums are so basic on the album because he had never even heard the song yet and Peter was a guy who "played to the song". No accents, no fills, etc.

Thanks for listening! \m/ \m/

Thank you for this, great and cool work as always!

However personally Dressed to Kill is the only KISS album which I would not change anything. I love the crisp, clear and dry production and especially how the drums sound. My favorite KISS album and C’mon And Love Me is prolly my all time favorite KISS song. So touching that is…too much for me.

Have you done anything from Love Gun? I was just yesterday thinking how horrible sounding album that is from the production perspective, especially considering that popularity wise they were at their peak. The drums sound just awful.

[endstand]

The chorus sounds a bit muddy/ busy but otherwise I like it a lot. I especially like the ending

I've edited Peter's drums to more closely mimic the way he plays it live. LOTS of ghost notes through those sections which makes them "move". The album drums are so basic on the album because he had never even heard the song yet and Peter was a guy who "played to the song". No accents, no fills, etc.

Thanks for listening! \m/ \m/

Thank you for this, great and cool work as always!

However personally Dressed to Kill is the only KISS album which I would not change anything. I love the crisp, clear and dry production and especially how the drums sound. My favorite KISS album and C’mon And Love Me is prolly my all time favorite KISS song. So touching that is…too much for me.

Have you done anything from Love Gun? I was just yesterday thinking how horrible sounding album that is from the production perspective, especially considering that popularity wise they were at their peak. The drums are just awful.

[Wiseacre]

The chorus sounds a bit muddy/ busy but otherwise I like it a lot. I especially like the ending

I've edited Peter's drums to more closely mimic the way he plays it live. LOTS of ghost notes through those sections which makes them "move". The album drums are so basic on the album because he had never even heard the song yet and Peter was a guy who "played to the song". No accents, no fills, etc.

Thanks for listening! \m/ \m/

Thank you for this, great and cool work as always!

However personally Dressed to Kill is the only KISS album which I would not change anything. I love the crisp, clear and dry production and especially how the drums sound. My favorite KISS album and C’mon And Love Me is prolly my all time favorite KISS song. So touching that is…too much for me.

Have you done anything from Love Gun? I was just yesterday thinking how horrible sounding album that is from the production perspective, especially considering that popularity wise they were at their peak. The drums are just awful.

Everyone thinks DTK sounds "awesome" mainly because the first 2 sound relatively much worse. It is a really, really thin/little sounding album though, even for the time. Yes, you can "hear" everything, but the drums are really thin and the toms sound like a kid's drum set to me. I still love it like all KISS fans, but I think you'll be very surprised at how it sounds beefed up. I've also taken liberties with the arrangements a bit (really just the endings) because so many of the songs are verse/chorus/verse/chorus/solo/chorus to fade. I've extended a few of them and added hard endings to most of them. I will probably include "bonus" versions of them with the original ending since no one bitches like KISS fans bitch. The purists hate ANY changes, so I really can't worry about them. It's not like Ozzy where you can never find the originals if you want to hear them. They did a total rush job on this album, so I am playing a bit of "fantasy producer" here.

RARAN is extended to be like the live arrangement including an Ace solo (not the exact Alive! one). There will also album-sounding version of "Dontcha Hesitate", "It's the Fire" and a Wicked Lester version of "She". The first two will be in the album track listing since the whole thing is only like 30 minutes originally. Now the album will be more like 40 minutes not including the bonus version of "She".

[endstand]

I've edited Peter's drums to more closely mimic the way he plays it live. LOTS of ghost notes through those sections which makes them "move". The album drums are so basic on the album because he had never even heard the song yet and Peter was a guy who "played to the song". No accents, no fills, etc.

Thanks for listening! \m/ \m/

Thank you for this, great and cool work as always!

However personally Dressed to Kill is the only KISS album which I would not change anything. I love the crisp, clear and dry production and especially how the drums sound. My favorite KISS album and C’mon And Love Me is prolly my all time favorite KISS song. So touching that is…too much for me.

Have you done anything from Love Gun? I was just yesterday thinking how horrible sounding album that is from the production perspective, especially considering that popularity wise they were at their peak. The drums are just awful.

Everyone thinks DTK sounds "awesome" mainly because the first 2 sound relatively much worse. It is a really, really thin/little sounding album though, even for the time. Yes, you can "hear" everything, but the drums are really thin and the toms sound like a kid's drum set to me. I still love it like all KISS fans, but I think you'll be very surprised at how it sounds beefed up. I've also taken liberties with the arrangements a bit (really just the endings) because so many of the songs are verse/chorus/verse/chorus/solo/chorus to fade. I've extended a few of them and added hard endings to most of them. I will probably include "bonus" versions of them with the original ending since no one bitches like KISS fans bitch. The purists hate ANY changes, so I really can't worry about them. It's not like Ozzy where you can never find the originals if you want to hear them. They did a total rush job on this album, so I am playing a bit of "fantasy producer" here.

RARAN is extended to be like the live arrangement including an Ace solo (not the exact Alive! one). There will also album-sounding version of "Dontcha Hesitate", "It's the Fire" and a Wicked Lester version of "She". The first two will be in the album track listing since the whole thing is only like 30 minutes originally. Now the album will be more like 40 minutes not including the bonus version of "She".

Gotcha. Well, DTK is a thin sounding for sure and lacks bottom, I agee. I do like the ”kid’s drum set” toms, especially since the fills and the snare work is so audible. But I do get why it is actually fun to ”produce” it a bit.

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

But keep up with the good work, looking forward to hearing Dontcha Hesitate and It’s the Fire (which both are fun songs).

[Wiseacre]

Gotcha. Well, DTK is a thin sounding for sure and lacks bottom, I agee. I do like the ”kid’s drum set” toms, especially since the fills and the snare work is so audible. But I do get why it is actually fun to ”produce” it a bit.

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

But keep up with the good work, looking forward to hearing Dontcha Hesitate and It’s the Fire (which both are fun songs).

Have you hear this?
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXlQ ... FwXfWr2xS-

[endstand]

Gotcha. Well, DTK is a thin sounding for sure and lacks bottom, I agee. I do like the ”kid’s drum set” toms, especially since the fills and the snare work is so audible. But I do get why it is actually fun to ”produce” it a bit.

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

But keep up with the good work, looking forward to hearing Dontcha Hesitate and It’s the Fire (which both are fun songs).

Have you hear this?
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXlQ ... FwXfWr2xS-

Yes! #thankyouformakingcominghomedrumsaudible

[Wild Obsession]

That was cool! Thank you!

Slightly OT, but it must have been fucking awesome to see a KISS concert in their 70's prime.

[LSD69]

9.75/10

[VinnieVincentsVag]

That was cool! Thank you!

Slightly OT, but it must have been fucking awesome to see a KISS concert in their 70's prime.

Saw them in 77.
I was 11.
They could’ve farted into the microphones and i would’ve thought it was awesome.

[Dyslexicheart]

I appreciate the work and skill involved in putting this together. It looks and sounds great. Having said that, I prefer the sound of the original recording, especially the drums.

[Hatchets Molly]

That was cool! Thank you!

Slightly OT, but it must have been fucking awesome to see a KISS concert in their 70's prime.

Saw them in 79 on the Dynasty tour. I loved it as a 12 year old though they were an album past peak status. But got to hear to solo tunes, IWMFLY, and at 12 I thought Genes monster costume was cool AF. Lakeland, FL.

[Wiseacre]

Since I am banned at the AndrewFAQ, I thought I'd post this here. It's not really aimed at anyone on this thread though, but some of you might be interested in how some of the remixing works.

The WORST thing is always the "guys who know stuff" offering their "expert opinions" on the technical stuff. Some is valid (and unavoidable), much is NOT (at least with the mixes they are talking about).

I don't have the original multi-tracks and never claim I can get 100% consumer-quality results with what I am working with. I do my very best though. Add to that 100 people will give you 100 opinions about what "sounds great". I remember when I used to bug the shit out of my friends back in the '80s talking about the "production" of albums. They'd look at me like I was nuts and all they cared about if how it sounded cranked in the car stereo. Not everyone is suddenly Mutt Fucking Lange.

The AI separation is FAR from perfect, and I have been working constantly for a couple years to find tricks and technical ways to overcome that with MUCH better results currently. If someone wants to give me access to the Peter Jackson/NASA-level shit, I would be as happy as a pig in shit, but STFU about "high-end transients" that only a canine can hear. I go out of my way to correct that stuff manually with every single high-hat and vocal sibilance in many cases. It "is what it is" until the consumer-level stuff gets WAY better. It's probably the same guy(s) saying the same shit based on "fantasy" remix/mashups I did 2 years ago. The Elder and HTH and the newest stuff has virtually NONE of that.

Part of the problem was that in the early stuff I often used the iTunes tracks, assuming they would be the "best" sources which I later discovered had a LOT of sonic compression and weird high-end stuff going on. I now ONLY the '97 remasters directly to start with because it was pre-loudness-wars and they are very clean in that way. Also, some people erroneously say that it is because the software can't differentiate between cymbals/vocals, etc. That was/is true if you strip the entire thing at once. It's not going to double-stack the sounds that are shared so it will give each bit to only one "instrument". If you then listen to the individual instruments, there are lots of "drop-outs" where high end or whatever went to something else. I discovered this VERY early-on and solved most of this by ALWAYS separating only one thing at a time. If I am only separating drums, it doesn't give a shit about anything else and gives it ALL to the drums. Likewise for vocals and everything else. The results are MUCH better that way. Hours and hours of experimenting have led to figuring out the best software and/or settings for each different instrument to get the best results and this varies based on the recordings. Keep in mind that some of the audio sources are complete ass-quality to start with, especially the demos and live stuff.

FACTS about my remixes:

I NEVER use a drum machine or drum software to re-create the drums at all. I SAMPLE the original tracks/playing using REAL samples I create from actual KISS album drums and blend several for the sounds I am looking for. I deliberately attempt to make the mixes sound punchy in a "modern" sense, but I'm not putting Pantera drums on KISS songs or shit like that.

I NEVER "align things to a grid". That is just BS. Everything is right on top of the original playing unless I edit a few parts (against the original section/tempos). In the live shows, they are right from the show or perfectly synced with it if I use A! or A2 tracks instead.

I run the guitars through amp modelers, including the bass and blend them with the original guitars. I do this to thicken their often-anemic studio guitar tone, but I don't make them sound like Hetfield. I also and the distortion/grit to the bass which makes them SO MUCH heavier live. Maybe the audiophiles are hearing this extra (intentional) distorting and misunderstanding that it is?

The vocals always crips and clear and I use multiple different apps and settings to get the best results, focusing on those high frequencies. Shit recorded in 1974 is just not as crisp as 2024, sorry. I'll be honest too...KISS' vocals are LOUD AS FUCK for my taste on most of the old albums. Almost comically so. I do let them sit in the mix a bit moreso the "band" sounds bigger around them.

[HueyRamone]

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

I fucking hate the first album, due to the tempos and pussyass performances.

I think a good project for Wiseacre would be to take the crowd noise/drum solo/paul's raps off of Alive!, and match up Let me Know and call it the reworked debut. I dont give a fuck about Love Theme from Kissin Time, but if he feels they have to be on there, I could live with it.

[endstand]

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

I fucking hate the first album, due to the tempos and pussyass performances.

I think a good project for Wiseacre would be to take the crowd noise/drum solo/paul's raps off of Alive!, and match up Let me Know and call it the reworked debut. I dont give a fuck about Love Theme from Kissin Time, but if he feels they have to be on there, I could live with it.

To each its own.

I personally don’t like how the songs were executed on Alive! Definitely prefer the studio versions.

[pieceofme]

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

I fucking hate the first album, due to the tempos and pussyass performances.

I think a good project for Wiseacre would be to take the crowd noise/drum solo/paul's raps off of Alive!, and match up Let me Know and call it the reworked debut. I dont give a fuck about Love Theme from Kissin Time, but if he feels they have to be on there, I could live with it.

To each its own.

I personally don’t like how the songs were executed on Alive! Definitely prefer the studio versions.

Yeah same here for the most part.

I think the only alive versions I definitely prefer are let me go rock and roll and rock and roll all night.

[Fat_Elvis]

However personally Dressed to Kill is the only KISS album which I would not change anything. I love the crisp, clear and dry production

I'm with you. DTK is the perfect KISS album. The songs, the sound, the cover.

[pieceofme]

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

I fucking hate the first album, due to the tempos and pussyass performances.

I think a good project for Wiseacre would be to take the crowd noise/drum solo/paul's raps off of Alive!, and match up Let me Know and call it the reworked debut. I dont give a fuck about Love Theme from Kissin Time, but if he feels they have to be on there, I could live with it.

To each its own.

I personally don’t like how the songs were executed on Alive! Definitely prefer the studio versions.

Yeah same here for the most part.

I think the only alive versions I definitely prefer are let me go rock and roll and rock and roll all night.

[fret123]

And yeah, the debut and HTH are obviously considered sounding bad. But for my ears the first album actually has always sounded good. Sure the tempos drag a bit and yadda yadda, otherwise I’ve never had any issues with it.

I fucking hate the first album, due to the tempos and pussyass performances.

I think a good project for Wiseacre would be to take the crowd noise/drum solo/paul's raps off of Alive!, and match up Let me Know and call it the reworked debut. I dont give a fuck about Love Theme from Kissin Time, but if he feels they have to be on there, I could live with it.

To each its own.

I personally don’t like how the songs were executed on Alive! Definitely prefer the studio versions.

I don’t like live albums in general and I really don’t care for Alive at all. I like Alive 2 better even. I also love the production on the first Kiss album and on Hotter Than Hell. That’s what was cool about 70s albums and particularly Kiss albums. Each album was unique and had different production values. With modern production every thing sounds the same.

[Wiseacre]

I fucking hate the first album, due to the tempos and pussyass performances.

I think a good project for Wiseacre would be to take the crowd noise/drum solo/paul's raps off of Alive!, and match up Let me Know and call it the reworked debut. I dont give a fuck about Love Theme from Kissin Time, but if he feels they have to be on there, I could live with it.

To each its own.

I personally don’t like how the songs were executed on Alive! Definitely prefer the studio versions.

Yeah same here for the most part.

I think the only alive versions I definitely prefer are let me go rock and roll and rock and roll all night.

HTH and Firehouse are a bit quick on Alive! but IMO, just about everything else is better than the studio versions and not just the tempos. Deuce, Strutter, Cold Gin, Rock Bottom, 100K Years, Nothin To Lose, Black Diamond, Watchin You, She, Got To Choose…all SMOKE the album versions.

[Wiseacre]

I don’t like live albums in general and I really don’t care for Alive at all. I like Alive 2 better even. I also love the production on the first Kiss album and on Hotter Than Hell. That’s what was cool about 70s albums and particularly Kiss albums. Each album was unique and had different production values. With modern production every thing sounds the same.

What was “unique” about their albums was that they sounded good to terrible. With good/great production they would have been WAY better since the material changed so much as they went along. They would not have been like AC/DC. Imagine if every KISS studio album sounded like Ace’78 mix. Their album quality ranged from good to a reason to tour to terrible. They do each have their charm, but if they had been recorded with the energy of the live band and great sound quality I doubt anyone would have wished they hadn’t been.

No one in the ‘70s, not the band, not producers, not the label, not management, not any fans I knew thought HTH sounded like anything but dog shit. Yes, the songs are GREAT, but it’s OK to admit it was nearly unlistenable on old ‘70s turntables and has old aged even more poorly over time.

[fret123]

I don’t like live albums in general and I really don’t care for Alive at all. I like Alive 2 better even. I also love the production on the first Kiss album and on Hotter Than Hell. That’s what was cool about 70s albums and particularly Kiss albums. Each album was unique and had different production values. With modern production every thing sounds the same.

What was “unique” about their albums was that they sounded good to terrible. With good/great production they would have been WAY better since the material changed so much as they went along. They would not have been like AC/DC. Imagine if every KISS studio album sounded like Ace’78 mix. Their album quality ranged from good to a reason to tour to terrible. They do each have their charm, but if they had been recorded with the energy of the live band and great sound quality I doubt anyone would have wished they hadn’t been.

No one in the ‘70s, not the band, not producers, not the label, not management, not any fans I knew thought HTH sounded like anything but dog shit. Yes, the songs are GREAT, but it’s OK to admit it was nearly unlistenable on old ‘70s turntables and has old aged even more poorly over time.

You’ll never change my opinion of them. Perfect the way they are and I wouldn’t change a thing.

[Wiseacre]

I don’t like live albums in general and I really don’t care for Alive at all. I like Alive 2 better even. I also love the production on the first Kiss album and on Hotter Than Hell. That’s what was cool about 70s albums and particularly Kiss albums. Each album was unique and had different production values. With modern production every thing sounds the same.

What was “unique” about their albums was that they sounded good to terrible. With good/great production they would have been WAY better since the material changed so much as they went along. They would not have been like AC/DC. Imagine if every KISS studio album sounded like Ace’78 mix. Their album quality ranged from good to a reason to tour to terrible. They do each have their charm, but if they had been recorded with the energy of the live band and great sound quality I doubt anyone would have wished they hadn’t been.

No one in the ‘70s, not the band, not producers, not the label, not management, not any fans I knew thought HTH sounded like anything but dog shit. Yes, the songs are GREAT, but it’s OK to admit it was nearly unlistenable on old ‘70s turntables and has old aged even more poorly over time.

You’ll never change my opinion of them. Perfect the way they are and I wouldn’t change a thing.

What will you do if pophouse/KISS do official remixes? Ignore them? Hate them? Why are fans so weird about this stuff? Liking a band’s shit sounding album doesn’t make you more or less of a fan. I am curious if you heard the debut remix from a while back? Or is everything just “perfect” even though it was mixed for AM car stereos 50 years ago? I suppose you dislike Destroyer Resurrected even thought he guy who did it originally “fixed” it.

[Whatever Happened To…]

Approved by this KISS nerd. Great work!