EPISODE 286: "LICK IT UP"
This week Tom & Zeus review the 1983 pivotal album, "Lick It Up" This was KISS' 11th studio album and the 23rd KISS studio album reviewed by SIOL.
Lick It Up was the first studio album from KISS without the makeup. Before the release, the band was on MTV and unmasked with MTV VJ the late great J.J. Jackson and premiered the video for Lick It Up. This was the first (and last) credited album with Vinnie Vincent as a member. First not to have Ace Frehley credited as a member. First KISS album without any outside songwriters credited on an album. The album was produced by Michael James Jackson, who had just produced the previous album, Creatures Of The Night and the four original tracks on the compilation Killers.
This was a critical point in KISStory. The band taking off the makeup was a big gamble. However, Paul kept thinking the audience was listening to KISS with their eyes and they needed to make this change. Now without the makeup, KISS was competing with their contemporaries on a even playing field. How did they do? Well, the album brought them back to not just gold status, but platinum.
The addition of Vinnie Vincent was a difference maker. His guitar playing was great, but the energy he brought with his songwriting was just so evident. He co-wrote 8 of the 10 songs on the album, including the legendary title track, Lick It Up.
The guys discuss the album cover, the videos and make a few bold statements about the album and the band with Vinnie Vincent.
As usual the guys breakdown and analyze the tracks and rank the songs SIOL style. As always, they then compare the album and album cover and rank it against the previous studio albums reviewed.
So tune in to find out if All Hell's Breakin' Loose after this album gets discussed and ranked and if the partnership of Frehley & Cusano have to file Chapter 11...