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Psycho Circus is a 1998 album by the American hard rock band KISS.
Controversy
Following KISS' hugely successful 1996-1997 reunion tour, Psycho Circus was touted as the first album by the band's original lineup since 1979's Dynasty. As with Dynasty and 1980's Unmasked, however, a lot of the songs were recorded by uncredited players. It is now known that guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss were used sparingly, with Criss only playing drums on "Into the Void." (He had also played on only one Dynasty track). Frehley only played on two songs from the album (not including vocals).
The replacement of Criss and Frehley on a KISS album was nothing new. Frehley had been replaced on songs as early as 1976's Destroyer. Criss was entirely absent from Unmasked, despite being pictured on the album's cover. The same was true for Frehley on 1982's Creatures of the Night. But at the time of those albums, KISS managed to keep a lid on the personnel changes. With Psycho Circus, rumors concerning who played what were circulating prior to the album's release. Many KISS fans voiced disappointment at the ruse.
Despite the controversy, Psycho Circus was the band's first Top 10 album since 1993's Alive III and was certified gold.
Track listing
- "Psycho Circus" (Curtus Cuomo, Paul Stanley) - 5:30
- Lead Vocals - Paul Stanley
- "Within" (Gene Simmons) - 5:10
- Lead Vocals - Gene Simmons
- "I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll" (Cuomo, Holly Knight, Stanley) - 3:32
- Lead Vocals - Paul Stanley
- "Into the Void" (Karl Cochran, Ace Frehley) - 4:22
- Lead Vocals - Ace Frehley
- "We Are One" (Simmons) - 4:41
- Lead Vocals - Gene Simmons
- "You Wanted the Best" (Simmons) - 4:15
- Lead Vocals - Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehely & Peter Criss
- "Raise Your Glasses" (Knight, Stanley) - 4:14
- Lead Vocals - Paul Stanley
- "I Finally Found My Way" (Bob Ezrin, Stanley) - 3:40
- Lead Vocals - Peter Criss
- "Dreamin'" (Bruce Kulick, Stanley) - 4:12
- Lead Vocals - Paul Stanley
- "Journey of 1,000 Years" (Simmons) - 4:49
- Lead Vocals - Gene Simmons
Personnel
- Gene Simmons - Bass; rhythm guitar on 5; vocals
- Paul Stanley - Rhythm guitar; lead guitar on 1, 3, & 6; bass on 5, 7, & 8; vocals
- Ace Frehley - Lead & rhythm guitars on 4; lead guitar on 6; vocals
- Peter Criss - Drums on 4; vocals
- Additional Musicians:
- Bruce Kulick - Lead guitar on 2 (intro)
- Tommy Thayer - Lead & rhythm guitars
- Kevin Valentine - Drums
- Bob Ezrin - Fender Rhodes on 8
- Shelly Berg - Piano on 8 & 10
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Billboard 200 | 3 |
| 1998 | Top Canadian Albums | 2 |
External link
- KISS FAQ - Psycho Circus, Accessed on September 11, 2005.
"Psycho Circus"