KISSology, Volume Three (KISS: 1992 – 2000)
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: B Concerts: B-
The
extensive trilogy of KISSology DVD sets concludes with KISSology, Volume Three covering the band’s seemingly unlikely
comeback period from 1992 to 2000. This
time period is interesting as it starts with the year that Grunge Rock rises
and falls, than ends with what turns out to be the last peak year of Hip Hop
before an unexpected decline. So much
for “taking over” in the face of the Bush II Years.
So what
happened and how did it happen. Next to
The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, fans of KISS are as hardcore
about their band as Sci-Fi TV fans from Space:
1999, knowing their favorite choice is not as restricted by time as it
would seem. This includes memorabilia,
which in the case of KISS is as good as a blue-chip stock, always rising in
value year after year. The band took
advantage of that and seeing the sales and constant increase of value in items
like the 12” Mego Toys action figures of the original line up, they decided to
strike out in a new series of concerts all the way to MTV Unplugged and backed
fan film Detroit Rock City) not
included in this set) and rode a wave of 1970s Rock comeback glory. However, for the band, it transformed them
from merely a legacy act to a fully active entity as enjoyed and as energetic
as ever.
KISS was
back for good as a major force and no one was ever going to keep them down
again.
The five
concerts featured are Detroit/The Palace at Auburn Hills – 1992, Detroit/Tiger
Stadium – 1996, Los Angeles/Dodgers Stadium – 1998, New Jersey/continental
Airlines Arena - 2000 and Queens, NY/Coventry – 1973, plus you get the 1995 MTV
Unplugged performance, a behind the scenes of that show and 1996 MTV VMA performance. Please note that the 1973 concert is only
available on sets that feature a fifth bonus disc included in the same pocket
with another colorful booklet of notes and illustrations.
By this
point, however, all the footage is NTSC analog taped 1.33 X 1 video footage
which tends to reduce the band’s greatness by cutting into their glorious,
gaudy showiness, despite the clean and colorful good shape of most of it (save
the 1973 show in old black and white tape).
It is nice to see the make-up back, but they proved they are also about
their music the way Elton John did when he dumped his crazy outfits. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes do what they can
to expand the stereo sound that exists, but has as many limits as older
material from the previous sets when it should not.
Besides
the bonus disc and booklet, the only other extra is more fun audio commentary
on all the programs (save the bonus disc) from Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons,
Bruce Kulick and Tommy Thayer. More than
any other disc, I wanted to see and hear more, but it is not here. Diehard fans will be surprised there is not a
stills section for memorabilia or even album covers. Why? Who
knows, but the result is flatter than previous sets. Fans will still love what is here, but for a
concluding volume, it just does not offer the closure it should considering how
good the previous releases were.
Check out
more on the previous volumes at these links:
V. 1
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4816/KISSology,+Volume+One+(KISS+1974
V. 2
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6135/KISSology,+Volume+Two+(KISS
- Nicholas Sheffo
