In the last two weeks, I have talked about special Kiss albums or singles in my Big Box of Vinyl and that continues one more time. This time in my big box of vinyl there was one more special Kiss album. Now I bring you ‘The Originals’. This was released on July 21st, 1976 which actually turns out to be 44 years ago just two days ago! Why didn’t I schedule this for Tuesday…who knows. Sometimes I am stupid.
‘The Originals’, as noted on the album cover, are “the albums that touched off a Rock & Roll explosion.” It was a special edition re-release of the albums ‘Kiss’, ‘Hotter Than Hell’ and “Dressed to Kill” in one package. With the overwhelming success of the live album ‘Kiss Alive!’ and ‘Destroyer’, Casablanca Records wanted to take advantage of that success and re-release the albums in one glorious package.
The album comes with a 16-page history booklet, a color Kiss Army sticker, and a sheet of six trading cards. It looks something like this…
Mine, however, looks nothing like that. I do not have the 16-page history booklet, a color Kiss Army Sticker or a sheet of six trading cards. Mine looks like this…don’t you love the album rings on the cover!!
The paper sleeves holding each album are actually duplicates of the original album covers which is cool. One problem, mine are not. Mine look something like this…
I was curious as to why this version was so very different. There are many possible reasons. First, my brothers were really crappy at taking care of their albums and they lost everything and then tried to get creative with the album sleeves (which looks like something I could have done at 8 years old). Or the other possibility is that this was a promotional copy and didn’t have all the nice to have items.
The correct answer is probably a little of both, but it actually is a promotional copy of the set which was not for sale. I know this because on each album, a black marker has scratched over the phrase “promotional copy not for resale”. And the album jacket has the corner sliced off.
All three of the Kiss special albums I have talked about on this site have been promotional copies. I find that interesting and I need to get to the bottom of why my brother had all these promotional copies. I don’t think he worked for a radio station.
Here are the all the albums included…(you can plainly see the black markers on each side). I guess if you cover up the phrase “promotional copy not for resale” then you can actually sell them…good to know.
KISS:
HOTTER THAN HELL:
DRESSED TO KILL:
The whole package isn’t in great condition and isn’t even close to being complete, but the albums do play and for me that is all that matters. There was one little bonus when I opened the album jacket to pull out the albums, a copy of ‘KISS’ was actually included but no album sleeve or cover. So, this set gave me two copies of the first, original album.
And that is my copy of the Originals. Someday, I will pick up a nice, pristine copy, but for now, this will do. Even if I get a new one, this one will stay with me forever since it is a family copy from 1976. It is still too cool to part with.
Next Up: Kiss – ‘Rock And Roll Over’ (1976)
Check out the rest of the series if you have time!!
The Kiss Review Series:
- Wicked Lester and the Progeny Demo Sessions (Bootleg)
- Kiss – Kiss (1974)
- Kiss – Hotter Than Hell (1974)
- Kiss – Dressed to Kill (1975)
- Kiss – Alive! (1975)
- Kiss – Destroyer (1976)
- Kiss – “Flaming Youth” 45 Promo Single – Bonus Edition (1976)
- Kiss – Special Kiss Album For Their Summer Tour (1976)
- Kiss – The Originals (1976)
- Kiss – Rock & Roll Over (1976)
- Kiss – Love Gun (1977)
- Kiss – Alive II (1977)
- Kiss – Double Platinum (1978)
- Kiss – Paul Stanley (1978)
- Kiss – Gene Simmons (1978)
- Kiss – Peter Criss (1978)
- Kiss – Ace Frehley (1978)
- Kiss – Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park Movie (1978)
- Kiss – Dynasty (1979)
- Kiss – “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” (1979) – 12″ & 7″ Singles (Bonus Edition)
- Kiss – Unmasked (1980)
- Peter Criss – Out of Control (1980)
- Kiss – Music From The Elder (1981)
- Kiss – Killers (1982)
- Kiss – Creatures of the Night (1982)
- Kiss – Lick It Up (1983)
- Kiss – Animalize (1984)
- Wendy O. Williams – WOW (1984) (Bonus Edition)
- Kiss – Animalize Live Uncensored (1985)
- Kiss – Asylum (1985)
- Kiss – “Tears Are Falling” 7″ Single (Bonus Edition) (1985)
- Kiss – Creatures of the Night (1985 Re-Issue)
- Vinnie Vincent Invasion – Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986)
- Black N’ Blue – Nasty Nasty (1986)
- Ace Frehley – Frehley’s Comet (1987)
- Kiss – Exposed VHS (1987)
- Kiss – Crazy Nights (1987)
The Bootleg Series:
- Kiss – ‘Accept No Imitations’ (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ASYLUM TOUR)
- Kiss – Look Wot You Dun to Me (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (CRAZY NIGHTS TOUR)
- Kiss – The Summer of Satan: The Devils Ride Out! (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DESTROYER TOUR)
- Kiss – Return to Capital Center (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DYNASTY TOUR)
- Kiss – With Fire & Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (HOTTER THAN HELL TOUR)
- Kiss – Northhampton PA March 19th, 1975 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DRESSED TO KILL TOUR)
- Kiss – The Hottest Show On Earth (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE HOTTEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR 2010)
- Kiss – All the Way to the Ball Room (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (Australian Tour 1995)
- Kiss – Kiss of Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (The Rising Sun Tour 2006)
- Kiss – Agora Ballroom 1974: The Cleveland Broadcast plus Bonus Cuts (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE KISS TOUR)
- Kiss – Hotter Than Hell: Radio Broadcast 1976 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ROCK & ROLL OVER TOUR)
- Kiss – The Tickler (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (LICK IT UP TOUR 1983)
- Kiss – Barbarize (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ANIMALIZE WORLD TOUR 1984 – North American Tour)
- Kiss – They Only Come Out At Night (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ANIMALIZE WORLD TOUR 1984 – EUROPEAN TOUR)
- Wicked Lester and the Progeny Demo Sessions (Bootleg)
Kiss – The Box Set:
- The Box Set (Part 1 of 6)
- The Box Set – Disc One 1966-1975 (Part 2 of 6)
- The Box Set – Disc Two 1975-1977 (Part 3 of 6)
- The Box Set – Disc Three 1976-1982 (Part 4 of 6)
- The Box Set – Disc Four 1983-1989 (Part 5 of 6)
- The Box Set – Disc Five 1992-1999 (Part 6 of 6)
Gene Simmons – The Vault:
- Part 1 – The Grand Opening
- Part 2 – Disk 1
- Part 3 – Disk 2
- Part 4 – Disk 3
- Part 5 – Disk 4
- Part 6 – Disk 5
- Part 7 – Disk 6
- Part 8 – Disk 7
- Part 9 – Disk 8
- Part 10 – Disk 9
- Part 11 – Disk 10
- Part 12 – The Bonus Disk
- Part 13 – The Best Songs of the Vault
- Part 14 – The Worst Songs of the Vault
- Part 15 – The Final Verdict
2 Loud 2 Old Music 
John….this is a real cool post! I first seen the Originals and KISS for the first time back in 1977 at my pal John’s place….That crazy cover hooked me and the packaging inside as well! I never scored this pkg at all and Now that I think of it I cannot believe Demon and Starchild have not reissued this bit of they come across this post watch out John they may do it…
I enjoyed this read…way to go!
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Thanks. I love it, but wish it was in better shape. And to think…40 years later and it is technically still at John’s place!
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HAHAHA…..that is so true
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Regardless of it not being complete and being a little scruffy, that’s a really neat set. Definitely a cool thing to have in the collection!
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Agreed. It is something I will keep for a very long time.
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Interesting item dude! My copy is similar to yours in one way — it’s missing all the goodies and inserts. However mine is NOT a promo, and even though it’s got the slice in the corner, I think yours is way more interesting. You can find copies like mine everywhere — incomplete, a little beat up. I’ve never seen a promo copy that I can think of. Sweet one dude.
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Thanks. I still wish it was in better shape, but I will keep it.
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For sure, it’s a conversation piece!
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LMAO at the “it’s supposed to look like this” but mine looks nothing like that, it actually looks like this.
Great writing.
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Thanks. Glad you enjoyed. Mine is not the most attractive copy. I will upgrade eventually, but never get rid of my original copy.
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Fun write up! Nice job.
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Thanks.
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That is one hell of a list of Kiss posts. Makes me feel guilty and embarrassed about the 100 word ‘Introduction’ I wrote on them for my paying gig!
And John, it really would be fascinating to know the provenance of this one. Discogs offers this:
https://www.discogs.com/Kiss-The-Originals/release/7198390
Cheers,
-Bruce
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Yes, the Kiss list is growing and when this review series itself will be over 50 albums and take the better part of a year to complete. I’m quite excited about it.
I wish my brother could remember as he had 3 promo items from Kiss all from 1976…something happened that year for him to get them. Yes, Discogs was helpful in piecing together what should’ve been included which is why I know it wasn’t supposed to look like mine copy. Thanks your Bruce!!
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Nice to know you Could sell – but doesn’t mean you Should, like you, I’d find it tough to part with one that’s been in the family for decades!
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Cool stuff… I like holding history in my hand.
One question…you mentioned it the other day…do you have any of the original comic books that had their blood in the ink? I’ve kept my eye out for them at flea markets.
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My brother had one I am sure of it, but it is gone now. No idea what happens to it.
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It’s interesting to read my comment from before and seeing that I was going to say the exact same thing today!
This is still my only vinyl copy of the first three Kiss. However after speaking to Deke I think I’m going to try to get em all on vinyl, the regular albums from 74-87 anyway.
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I have been watching Kiss May Wax podcasts and I think I am going to start collecting as many different versions of their albums I can get. I realized after watching these that I am a huge Kiss nerd and that stuff fascinates me.
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