Creatures of the Night is a 1982
albumAn album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites.-...
from
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
/
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
band
KissKiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972. Easily identified by its members' trademark face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid and late-1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. It is the band's 10th studio album and the last for
Casablanca RecordsCasablanca Records is a record label which was started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris and Buck Reingold, in 1973 after all of them left Buddah Records. The label released hits by Kiss, Donna Summer, Cher, The Village People, and Parliament featuring George Clinton...
, the only label the group had ever recorded for up to that point. The album was also dedicated to the memory of Casablanca founder and early Kiss supporter
Neil BogartNeil Bogart was an American record executive. He is perhaps best known as the founder of Casablanca Records, with Peter Guber....
, who had died of cancer during the recording sessions.
The album represented a conscious effort on Kiss's part to return to the style of
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
/
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
that had helped them achieve commercial success in the 1970s.
Creatures of the Night is a 1982
albumAn album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites.-...
from
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
/
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
band
KissKiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972. Easily identified by its members' trademark face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid and late-1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. It is the band's 10th studio album and the last for
Casablanca RecordsCasablanca Records is a record label which was started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris and Buck Reingold, in 1973 after all of them left Buddah Records. The label released hits by Kiss, Donna Summer, Cher, The Village People, and Parliament featuring George Clinton...
, the only label the group had ever recorded for up to that point. The album was also dedicated to the memory of Casablanca founder and early Kiss supporter
Neil BogartNeil Bogart was an American record executive. He is perhaps best known as the founder of Casablanca Records, with Peter Guber....
, who had died of cancer during the recording sessions.
The album represented a conscious effort on Kiss's part to return to the style of
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
/
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
that had helped them achieve commercial success in the 1970s. That success had been in decline since 1979's album
DynastyDynasty is a studio album by the American hard rock band Kiss. The album, and its subsequent tour, were billed as the "Return of Kiss." The band as a full unit had not released a studio album since 1977 and had not toured since the Spring of 1978...
and 1980's
UnmaskedUnmasked is an album by the American band Kiss released in 1980. It is the group's 8th studio album. At the time it was the last studio album from the original lineup of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, although Criss actually had no involvement with the recording of the...
. Kiss knew it needed to deliver on their earlier promise of a heavy record if they were to continue as a band. The first key ingredient was songwriter/guitarist
Vincent CusanoVincent John Cusano , better known as Vinnie Vincent, is a guitarist and songwriter most famous for his brief membership in the band Kiss. Vincent played on the album Creatures of the Night and subsequently toured with Kiss in "Ankh Warrior" makeup created by Paul Stanley, Kiss's lead singer and...
, with whom the band had recently begun writing and recording, and was soon to replace Frehley as the band's new lead guitarist. Frehley didn't perform on this album and this was Vinnie Vincent's first album with the band. On the tour, Vincent was introduced with
AnkhThe ankh was the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ˁ-n-ḫ...
warrior makeup.
Some early pressings of the album mistakenly contained one full side of John Cougar's
American FoolAmerican Fool is the sixth album by John Mellencamp, released under the stage name John Cougar, released in 1982. This was Mellencamp's last album to be released under the name John Cougar...
. Both Kiss and Cougar were under the umbrella of Mercury Records at the time. Today, those mistake albums are highly sought after by Kiss collectors.
Creatures of the Night was certified
GoldMusic recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped a certain number of copies.Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after the precious materials gold, platinum and diamond...
on May 9 1994.
"
I Love It Loud"I Love It Loud" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, released on their 1982 album Creatures of the Night. The song was written by bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and guitarist Vincent Cusano, although some versions of the album mistakenly credit the song as written by Paul Stanley and...
" remains a permanent staple on the band's live performances. "I Still Love You" and "War Machine" have been occasionally played on some of the band's more recent shows.
Album background
By 1982, Kiss' popularity in the U.S. had plummeted. This was due partly to the changing landscape of popular music, but also due to the fact that Kiss had strayed from the hard rock style that had made them popular in the first place. 1979's
DynastyDynasty is a studio album by the American hard rock band Kiss. The album, and its subsequent tour, were billed as the "Return of Kiss." The band as a full unit had not released a studio album since 1977 and had not toured since the Spring of 1978...
, while commercially successful, alienated many fans with the
discoDisco is a genre of dance music that that had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
-flavored track "
I Was Made For Lovin' You"I Was Made for Lovin' You" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss, originally released on their 1979 album Dynasty . It was released as the A-side of their first single from the album. It was the band's second Gold single, selling over 1 million copies. The single was certified Gold In the US...
". 1980's
UnmaskedUnmasked is an album by the American band Kiss released in 1980. It is the group's 8th studio album. At the time it was the last studio album from the original lineup of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, although Criss actually had no involvement with the recording of the...
fell still further into the 'pop' category and was their first not to achieve platinum status since 1975's
Dressed to KillDressed to Kill is a 1975 album from American hard rock group Kiss. It is the band's third studio album and is unique for having been produced by the president of Casablanca Records, Neil Bogart....
. The band did not even tour the US behind the album, and was soon faced with its first lineup change - founding member
Peter CrissGeorge Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American musician best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
, who had not participated in any of the
Unmasked recording sessions, officially left Kiss in 1980. He was replaced by
Eric CarrPaul Charles Caravello , better known as Eric Carr, was an American musician, best known as drummer for the rock band Kiss. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after Peter Criss left the band in 1980...
, a drummer much more in the mold of
John BonhamJohn Henry "Bonzo" Bonham was an English drummer and songwriter, best known as the drummer of the band Led Zeppelin.He was renowned for his power, fast right foot, distinctive sound and "feel" for the groove....
than Criss.
Fan hopes were raised in late 1980 when Kiss announced that they were going to record their heaviest record yet. Instead, however, the band released
Music From "The Elder" in late 1981, a concept album originally intended to complement a movie called
The Elder that was ultimately never filmed. The album was
storylineStoryline may refer to:* The plot or subplot of a story;* The narrative of a work, whether of fictional or nonfictional basis;* The narrative threads experienced by different but specific characters or sets of characters that together form a plot element or subplot in the work of fiction...
-based and had ballads, a short orchestral piece, and lyrical themes more in common with bands like
RushRush is a Canadian rock band originally formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
and
YesYes are an English progressive rock band that was formed in London in 1968. Their music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, extended song lengths, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of instrumental prowess. Yes blends symphonic and other 'classical' structures with their own brand of...
than with Kiss. The album failed to achieve gold status and, having cancelled their United States
Unmasked tour just a short time before, the band cancelled their planned tour for
Elder. Furthermore, original member
Ace FrehleyPaul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American guitarist best known as an original member and lead guitarist for the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of "The Spaceman" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
soon left the band, expressing his displeasure over the path the band had chosen and having begun to drift into heavy
alcoholismAlcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions. In common and historic usage, alcoholism is any condition that results in the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, despite health problems and negative social consequences...
.
Kiss' label situation had changed as well. Casablanca Records founder
Neil BogartNeil Bogart was an American record executive. He is perhaps best known as the founder of Casablanca Records, with Peter Guber....
had sold the label to its distributor, PolyGram, and went on to briefly form The Boardwalk Recording Company before being diagnosed with (and later succumbing to) cancer. Using a clause in their Casablanca contract that gave the band an option to leave the label if Bogart did, Kiss became free agents and signed a multi-million-dollar deal with
Mercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Music Group in the US, and are both subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal Music...
. Ironically, Mercury - a label also owned by PolyGram - reverted the band back to their "old" label, though in name only.
When recording sessions for
Creatures of the Night began in July 1982, Kiss was essentially a trio. Frehley still made appearances with the band but had ended his musical involvement with Kiss. Frehley looked completely out of sorts in promotional appearances for the album — in cases where the band was lip synching to recorded tracks, it is obvious that he did not know the material. It was only after the album was released and a short tour of
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
was completed that Frehley officially left Kiss. The lead-guitar replacement for Frehley for the
Creatures tour in the U.S. was Cusano, who by then had taken the stage name of
Vinnie VincentVincent John Cusano , better known as Vinnie Vincent, is a guitarist and songwriter most famous for his brief membership in the band Kiss. Vincent played on the album Creatures of the Night and subsequently toured with Kiss in "Ankh Warrior" makeup created by Paul Stanley, Kiss's lead singer and...
and adopted "
AnkhThe ankh was the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ˁ-n-ḫ...
Warrior" makeup.
Musically,
Creatures of the Night was the band's heaviest recording since
Love GunLove Gun is an album by the American hard rock band Kiss. It was certified Platinum on June 30, 1977 when it sold 1,000,000 copies. Love Gun was the second Kiss album to ship platinum, and would eventually achieve triple platinum status....
in 1977, and was matched later only by
RevengeRevenge is a studio album by Kiss, released in 1992. It was the band's first album after the death of long-time drummer Eric Carr in November 1991. His replacement, Eric Singer, had played with Black Sabbath, Badlands, and Alice Cooper, among others....
in 1992 and
Carnival of Souls: The Final SessionsCarnival of Souls: The Final Sessions is Kiss' last album produced before the reunion of the original Kiss members. Recorded and slated for release in 1995/early 1996, Kiss cancelled its release when they embarked on the reunion tour. However, fans located and circulated bootleg copies in fairly...
in 1997. The progressive rock stylings of
Music From "The Elder" and the pop of
Dynasty and
Unmasked were completely absent from
Creatures of the Night – which was, of course, the point. "I Still Love You", the only ballad on
Creatures, was still heavier and darker than any ballad Kiss had released in earlier years. The production values contributed to the heaviness - in particular, the drum sound was louder and heavier than on any previous Kiss album.
Creatures of the Night is the first Kiss album to have all lead vocal duties handled by either Gene Simmons or Paul Stanley exclusively. All previous studio releases, solo albums notwithstanding, contained at least one song with lead vocals by another band member.
The band released a video for "
I Love It Loud"I Love It Loud" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, released on their 1982 album Creatures of the Night. The song was written by bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and guitarist Vincent Cusano, although some versions of the album mistakenly credit the song as written by Paul Stanley and...
", which received moderate airplay on
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
. In it was a stage setup that featured Eric Carr's
drum kitA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
as a giant, metallic tank (with an exploding turret). Flames and explosions were also in abundance, as Kiss attempted to produce a video that reflected the music on
Creatures of the Night. Although Frehley had not played on the album, he did appear in the video as the rhythm guitarist, albeit Stanley is shown playing the seven-note solo.
Despite positive reviews,
Creatures of the Night did not return the band to the commercial standing they had held five years previous. Although the album charted higher than
The Elder (#45 compared to
The Elders #75), it would not attain 'Gold' status until 1994. Even more dramatically, the US tour that followed, the band's first since Dynasty
, was essentially a flop – cancelled shows and, at-best, half-full arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
s were the rule, not the exception. In later years, Kiss fans and researchers have come to regard Creatures of the Night
as one of the band's best albums, matched only by 1976's Destroyer
. However, it is clear that multiple shifts in the band's lineup, image and musical styles from 1979 through 1981 had done severe damage. As a result, though musically rich, Creatures of the Night
is still one of the major commercial disappointments for Kiss. In stark contrast, however, Creatures of the Night was a huge success in Brazil. It was certified Gold in Brazil in 1983.
Some versions of the album mistakenly credit the song, "I Love It Loud" as written by Paul Stanley and Vincent Cusano. The actual songwriters are Gene Simmons and Vincent Cusano.
Album cover
Three different covers of this album exist: the 1982 original issue, the 1985 reissue (featuring
Bruce KulickBruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously Kulick had been a long time member of the band Kiss.-Early years:...
,who was not a member of the band for 'Creatures of the night' and the rest of the band without makeup), and the 1997 remastered version (same photo as the original, but with minor variations in the logo and lettering).
However the differences do not end there. The ending of the song Creatures of the Night
is more abrupt on the 1985 non-make up release and two songs are interchanged from side to side, Saint and Sinner
and Killer.
Song uses in popular culture
- Professional wrestler Taz
Peter Senerchia is an American retired professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
used the song "War Machine" as his entrance music in ECWExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
before changing to a remixed version of the song with no lyrics and TazPeter Senerchia is an American retired professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
saying, "Survive...If I let you.".
- Professional wrestler, Lord Humongous
Lord Humongous is a professional wrestling character who was introduced in Memphis' Mid-South Wrestling by "Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart as a heel to challenge the long-time dominant Jerry "the King" Lawler. The original Lord Humongous debuted in 1984 and was portrayed by the physically massive ...
used the song "War Machine," for his ring entrance and a promo video.
Track listing
- Note: On the 1985 re-release of the album track 2 and 8 were switched. Also of note: The title track, "I Love It Loud" and "War Machine" were remixed for the 1985 reissue.
Personnel
- Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli American rock bassist, vocalist, and actor. He is best known as "The Demon", the blood-spitting, fire-breathing, and tongue-wagging bassist and one of the lead vocalists in the hard rock band Kiss, an act he co-founded in the early 1970s...
– bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
, lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitar is the use of a guitar to provide rhythmic chordal accompaniment for a singer or other instruments in a musical ensemble. In ensembles or "bands" playing within the acoustic, country, blues, rock or metal genres , a guitarist playing the rhythm part of a composition supports the...
on "War Machine"
- Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, actor, and singer, who is one of the two lead vocalists for the rock band Kiss...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitar is the use of a guitar to provide rhythmic chordal accompaniment for a singer or other instruments in a musical ensemble. In ensembles or "bands" playing within the acoustic, country, blues, rock or metal genres , a guitarist playing the rhythm part of a composition supports the...
, lead vocals
- Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American guitarist best known as an original member and lead guitarist for the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of "The Spaceman" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
– lead guitarA lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
(credited, but only appears in the music video for "I Love It Loud")
- Eric Carr
Paul Charles Caravello , better known as Eric Carr, was an American musician, best known as drummer for the rock band Kiss. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after Peter Criss left the band in 1980...
– drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
, percussionA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound by being hit with an implement, shaken, rubbed, scraped, or by any other action which sets the object into vibration...
, backing vocals, bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
on "I Still Love You"
Uncredited musicians
- Vinnie Vincent
Vincent John Cusano , better known as Vinnie Vincent, is a guitarist and songwriter most famous for his brief membership in the band Kiss. Vincent played on the album Creatures of the Night and subsequently toured with Kiss in "Ankh Warrior" makeup created by Paul Stanley, Kiss's lead singer and...
– lead guitarA lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
on "Saint and Sinner", "Keep Me Comin'", "I Love It Loud", "Killer", and "War Machine", backing vocals
- Bob Kulick
Bob Kulick is an American guitarist and Grammy Award-winning record producer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he is the older brother of former Kiss lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, and was the one to suggest Kiss hire him....
– lead guitarA lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
on "Danger"
- Robben Ford
Robben Ford is an American blues, jazz and rock guitarist.-Biography:Ford was born in Woodlake but raised in Ukiah, California, and began playing the saxophone at age 10, picking up the guitar at age 13...
– lead guitarA lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
on "Rock and Roll Hell" and "I Still Love You"
- Adam Mitchell – rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is the use of a guitar to provide rhythmic chordal accompaniment for a singer or other instruments in a musical ensemble. In ensembles or "bands" playing within the acoustic, country, blues, rock or metal genres , a guitarist playing the rhythm part of a composition supports the...
on "Creatures of the Night"
- Steve Farris – lead guitar
A lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
on "Creatures of the Night"
- Jimmy Haslip
Jimmy Haslip is an American electric bass player and record producer best known as a founding and current member of the pioneering fusion group Yellowjackets...
– bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
on "Danger"
Charts
Album
- Billboard (North America)
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1983 |
Pop Albums |
45 |
Album
- UK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
(United Kingdom)
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1982 |
UK Albums Chart |
22 |
Singles
- Billboard (United States)
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1983 |
"I Love It Loud" |
Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock stations are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981 issue...
|
22 |
Singles
- BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(Austria)
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1982 |
"I Love It Loud" |
Pop Singles |
76 |
Singles -
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(United Kingdom)
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1982 |
"Creatures Of The Night" |
Pop Singles |
34 |