Gene Simmons recently discussed KISS’ controversial concept album ‘Music from “The Elder”‘ in a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock.
“I have to take full responsibility,” Simmons said. “Bob Ezrin came by because he was going to produce that record. There was a change in the band. Peter Criss was no longer in the band, and Eric Carr came in.”
“Ace, [Frehley], you know, he was sometimes there and sometimes not,” he continued. “We just started talking generally about songs and what kind of record should we do. Ezrin happened to see my notes for ‘The Elder.’ He said, ‘Oh, I like this. How about we do a concept record where the songs mirror that?'”
“Ace refused to go to Canada, right outside of Toronto [where portions of the album were being recorded],” Simmons explained. “He wanted to stay home and record because he had a studio. We were making copies of 24-track masters and sending them to Ace. It was a very disjointed kind of record.”
“What I can say about [Music From ‘The Elder’] is it was not an honest record because we were trying to do something different,” he admitted. “And by the way, Carnival of Souls had the same thing [happening]. Before you start writing those songs, let’s try for this. It’s not what we do naturally. Some people like it, and some people don’t. It was not an honest record in terms of it being a deviation on purpose before the fact.”
Simmons’ recent confession provides new insight into this controversial album’s complex history. The album marked a significant departure from KISS’s signature sound.
Research documented by Wikipedia revealed the 1981 release’s commercial struggles. The album peaked at No. 75 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It became the first KISS album to miss gold status in the US.
Wikiwand detailed the challenging recording process. Ace Frehley’s participation remained notably limited. He contributed lead vocals to only one track, ‘Dark Light.’ He recorded his guitar parts remotely from his home studio.
KISS Timeline reported that both Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons later expressed regret about the project. They described their expectations for the album as ‘delusional.’
The album’s creation led to significant changes in the band’s lineup. Ace Frehley officially left KISS in December 1982, shortly after the album’s release.
