Kiss Symphony: Alive IV

Kiss Symphony: Alive IV is a 2003 live album from the American rock band Kiss, performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO). The arrangements were made by David Campbell, who also conducted the MSO. It is the group's fourth album in the Alive series and first release under Kiss Records and Sanctuary Records.

Kiss Symphony: Alive IV
Live album by
ReleasedJuly 22, 2003 (2-disc edition)
October 7, 2003 (single-disc edition)
RecordedFebruary 28, 2003
GenreSymphonic metal
Length1:36:15
LabelKiss
Sanctuary
Kiss chronology
The Very Best of Kiss'
(2002)
Kiss Symphony: Alive IV
(2003)
The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kiss
(2003)
Alternative cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Sputnikmusic[2]

Album information

The concert from which the album is taken featured original Kiss members Peter Criss, Paul Stanley, and Gene Simmons. All three appeared at a press conference announcing the show. "The result will be no less than a symphonic sonic boom," promised Stanley. "Beethoven and Mozart will rise up dancing with fists raised as we unleash a spectacle that will be both classic and classical. This time it's black tie and black leather."[3] Members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra who accompanied Kiss during this performance wore Kiss makeup and tuxedos.

Although Stanley said, "We're hoping Ace will be at this spectacular concert," guitarist Frehley once again left the band. The show instead introduced new member Tommy Thayer as the "Spaceman". The resultant album was Kiss's last to feature Criss – who would leave the band officially in 2004, to be replaced once again by Eric Singer. (Singer had previously rejoined the band to replace Criss in 2001 after the band's first Farewell Tour.)

In 2000, Kiss had planned to release the original Alive IV (featuring the reunited original lineup), but this was nixed by label politics and contracts. Artwork was revealed[4] and its version of "Rock and Roll All Nite" was added to The Box Set, but the album was shelved. The band moved labels from Universal/Island to Sanctuary Music and issued Kiss Symphony: Alive IV. The original Alive IV belatedly appeared – as Alive! The Millennium Concert – in a 2006 box set of all the Alive albums, Kiss Alive! 1975-2000.

10,000 limited numbered copies were released on vinyl in the US.

Unlike past Alive releases, the songs on the album appear in the order they were performed, with the concert split into three acts. In Act One, Kiss performed six songs by themselves. In Act Two, they performed a five-song acoustic set with the Melbourne Symphony Ensemble. Act Three featured the band and the full 60-piece orchestra on all tracks.

The live versions of "Rock and Roll All Nite", "God of Thunder" and "Lick It Up" were featured on the soundtrack of the video game Tony Hawk's Underground. The game also featured a bonus level, entitled "Hotter Than Hell", which takes place where the performance was done in Melbourne.

Track listing

All tracks recorded at Marvel Stadium (known at the time as Telstra Dome) in Melbourne, Australia, on February 28, 2003.

Disc 1

Act One - Kiss
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Deuce"Gene SimmonsSimmons4:14
2."Strutter"Paul Stanley, SimmonsStanley3:22
3."Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"Stanley, SimmonsSimmons6:09
4."Lick It Up"Vinnie Vincent, StanleyStanley4:13
5."Calling Dr. Love"SimmonsSimmons3:30
6."Psycho Circus"Stanley, Curtis CuomoStanley5:13
Act Two - Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Ensemble
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
7."Beth"Peter Criss, Stan Penridge, Bob EzrinCriss3:41
8."Forever"Stanley, Michael BoltonStanley3:50
9."Goin' Blind"Simmons, Stephen CoronelSimmons3:38
10."Sure Know Something"Stanley, Vini PonciaStanley4:20
11."Shandi"Stanley, PonciaStanley3:39

Disc 2

Act Three - Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Detroit Rock City"Stanley, EzrinStanley4:43
2."King of the Night Time World"Stanley, Ezrin, Kim Fowley, Mark AnthonyStanley3:30
3."Do You Love Me?"Stanley, Ezrin, FowleyStanley4:10
4."Shout It Out Loud"Simmons, Stanley, EzrinSimmons, Stanley4:10
5."God of Thunder"StanleySimmons4:27
6."Love Gun"StanleyStanley4:26
7."Black Diamond"StanleyCriss, intro by Stanley7:11
8."Great Expectations" (featuring the Australian Children's Choir)Simmons, EzrinSimmons4:20
9."I Was Made for Lovin' You"Stanley, Desmond Child, PonciaStanley5:00
10."Rock and Roll All Nite"Simmons, StanleySimmons7:20

Single disc edition

Act One - Kiss
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Deuce"Gene SimmonsSimmons4:14
2."Lick It Up"Vinnie Vincent, StanleyStanley4:13
3."Calling Dr. Love"SimmonsSimmons3:30
Act Two - Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Ensemble
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
4."Beth"Peter Criss, Stan Penridge, Bob EzrinCriss3:41
5."Goin' Blind"Simmons, Stephen CoronelSimmons3:38
6."Shandi"Stanley, PonciaStanley3:39
Act Three - Kiss with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
7."Detroit Rock City"Stanley, EzrinStanley4:43
8."King of the Night Time World"Stanley, Ezrin, Kim Fowley, Mark AnthonyStanley3:30
9."Do You Love Me?"Stanley, Ezrin, FowleyStanley4:10
10."Shout It Out Loud"Simmons, StanleySimmons, Stanley4:10
11."God of Thunder"StanleySimmons4:27
12."Love Gun"StanleyStanley4:26
13."Black Diamond"StanleyCriss, intro by Stanley7:11
14."Great Expectations" (featuring the Australian Children's Choir)Simmons, EzrinSimmons4:20
15."Rock and Roll All Nite"Simmons, StanleySimmons7:20
16."Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" (Bonus track)Joey RamoneSimmons, Stanley3:35

Personnel

with:

Charts

Album - ARIA (Australia)

Year Chart Position
2003 Australian ARIA Aalbum Chart 14[5]

Album - Billboard 200 (United States)

Year Chart Position
2003 Billboard 200 18[6]

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[7] Gold 50,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. Kiss Symphony: Alive IV at AllMusic
  2. Sputnikmusic review
  3. Ling, Dave (editor): "Beethoven reincarnated"; Classic Rock #48, Christmas 2002, p15
  4. "Alive4Japan". Kiss Asylum. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  5. "ARIA chart history-Kiss albums database". Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  6. "The Billboard 200-Symphony: Alive IV". Archived from the original on July 1, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
  7. "Canadian album certifications – Kiss – Symphony: Alive IV". Music Canada.
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