Prior to the release of their next studio album, Kiss was asked to due a song for a movie. That movie was Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. Yes, one of cinema’s finest movies, I know. The song was a cover of “God Gave Rock And Roll To You” by the band Argent, but the lyrics were changed up so much, they added the “II” at the end to signify it was a little different than the original. So that meant, not only was Russ Ballard’s name on the credits, it now had Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and producer Bob Ezrin who the band was working with at the time for the new album. The single was released on August 22, 1991.
What was special about this song and release is that is the last Kiss single to feature Eric Carr. Eric wasn’t healthy enough to do the drums at the time, but he is featured in the background vocals. And luckily he was healthy enough to be in the video. Eric was extremely ill as he had been diagnosed with heart cancer. He had become so ill, he was no longer able to play, so the drum work on the song was handled by Eric Singer, who also did the drum work on the band’s next album, ‘Revenge’. Eric Carr made his last public appearance with the band shortly after the video at the MTV Musis Awards in September 1991. Shortly thereafter, Carr suffered an aneurysm then a brain hemorrhage and never regained consciousness. He later died on November 24, 1991 which was sadly, the same day Freddie Mercury of Queen had died and that overshadowed his death.
The picture disc of this release is really awesome. I do love the picture of Bill & Ted with Death on the A-Side. That alone is worth getting this release. What is also cool is the insert has “A Non-Bogus Guide To A Whole New Language”. Basically it tells you what each of the stupid Bill & Ted quotes in the movie mean. It is just as stupid as the movie and yet most excellent dudes!!
The song “God Gave Rock And Roll To You II” is the first time since the song “I” from Music From the Elder that both Gene and Paul actually shared lead vocals. That is 10 years and way too long of a gap. It is a pure rock anthem. It isn’t as heavy and bombastic as “Shout it Out Loud” or “Rock And Roll All Nite”, but it has it heavier moments. It has more of nostalgic feel to it thus the Kiss version of the video has old clips of the band to give a shout out to the band’s history. The video below is the movie version. There is a point where Paul speaks and preaches his rock & roll faith. Kinda corny, kinda cool. The band still plays it today, but usually at the end of the show as the crowd is leaving…so not a live performance, but still at least they play it even if it is the recorded version some times.
Now of note on the “God Gave Rock & Roll To You II”, the version in the movie is different as it has about a 40 second guitar solo that was done by none other than the great Steve Vai. Too bad this didn’t have that version!!
Next up is the B-Side. This side is full of Kiss pictures and is a cool looking picture. However, the B-Sde doesn’t feature Kiss at all. Instead it includes two other songs from the ‘Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey’ Soundtrack. The first track is from King’s X called “Juniors Gone Wild” which is featured in the scene when the Evil Bill & Ted still the Porsche. The song is playing the on stereo. The Song is quite Triumphant.
The next track was by Slaughter and it was called “Shout It Out”, but it wasn’t a cover of “Shout it Out Loud” by Kiss unfortunately. This one was played in the scene where Evil Bill & Ted were trashing the Good Bill & Ted’s apartment. If you know the band Slaughter, then you know what this sounds like. This would’ve fit nicely on either of their first two bells. Plus, the song has a lot of cowbell and you can never have too much cowbell. Out of the three songs, this was the only one to reference anything from the movie which definitely dates the track, which sounding like early 90’s Slaughter doesn’t date it on its own. Still an Outstanding track.
And that is the 12″ Picture Disc. I love collecting the singles when I can find them and to get a picture disc is quite Righteous…wait, I think that is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and not Bill & Ted. I have to say this was very good…oh sorry…Most Excellent! Go forth and Be Excellent to Each Other!! Oh yeah…Party On Dudes!!
Next Up: Kiss – Revenge (1992)
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)
- Kiss – “Crazy Crazy Nights” – 12″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Kiss – “Reason To Live” – 12″ Picture Disc (Bonus Edition)
- Kiss – Chikara (1988)
- Kiss – Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988)
- Kiss – Hot In The Shade (1989)
- Kiss – “God Gave Rock And Roll To You II” (1991) – 12″ Picture Disc
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 
Wow, heart cancer. Never heard of that before. Some people probably found out weeks even months later that he died.
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It was on the news, but because Freddie Mercury died the same day it was completely overshadowed.
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I preferred the 40 second Vai solo version and then the song. It worked for me.
The picture disk looks cool especially the B side.
Sad about Eric. Seriously how much more did he have to endure. Cancer of the heart and then the aneurysm and hemorrhage
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That solo would’ve been sweet to have. I don’t know if there is an available version out there, I need to look. And yeah, brutal battle for Eric. Its awful.
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Dude the VH1 video labelled the song “Shout It Out Loud,” what the heck? On the bright side, I have a new song to obsess over. I watched the Animalize concert on youtube and saw Eric play and was mind-blown by his energy! So sad his life was taken away too soon and even more unfortunate it was the same day as Freddie’s passing. Two legends dying on the same day is too much to handle!
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I’ll need to double check that I put the right video on there. Thanks.
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That was all VH1’s fault. They should get their facts right!
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Never knew the Vai deal about him adding guitar on the movie version. I bought this soundtrack as it had some decent stuff on it as I was never big into soundtracks. But this one was pretty good along with the soundtrack to Last Action Hero.
Cool writeup John..
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Oh yeah, the Last Action Hero one was great too. There were some good soundtracks back in the day.
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What a coincidence. Just bought the Blu-ray combo pack of both films today.
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Awesome! Perfect timing!
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Haha we watched Bill & Ted with the kids a while back, they loved it. And for all these years, knowing that song, I never knew it was a cover. Clearly I have not been paying attention.
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Ha! My youngest loved them as well. We still need to watch the new one, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. I don’t think I knew it was a cover until a few years after the album came out. I didn’t bother reading the credits.
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My lovely wife got the new one for Christmas. We still need to get to it, as well.
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Yasss! God Gave Rock And Roll To You II is Kiss’ best song. Though I wasn’t aware that the version in the movie is different (I’ve only ever really heard it as part of the movie). Also, I was never aware that King’s X was on the soundtrack. Anyhoo, this is a cool item!
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That is sad their best song is a cover!! Ha!! Honestly, I wasn’t aware of the Vai solo and now I want to find a version with the solo other than what is in the movie. For some reason I don’t really remember that part in the movie.
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Seems that Vai’s solo appears on his The Elusive Light And Sound, Vol. 1. So there’s bound to be an edit kicking around at least.
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Cool. Maybe I’ll piece them together.
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“The song was a cover of “God Gave Rock And Roll To You” by the band Argent” – I did not know this was a cover. You just made my day. One less Kiss tune I’d have to admit is pretty good. Thank you!
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LOL!!! I am so glad I could help!
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I’ve always enjoyed the Bill and Ted films, though I prefer the first one. However, I do love the soundtrack from Bogus Journey, especially Tommy the Cat from Primus. Rest in Peace, Eric Carr.
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The first one was the best. Even my daughter thinks so. But we enjoyed them both. Now need to watch 3.
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Dang!! I thought I was happy with my CD single of this. But no…I mean, beautiful disc aside, you get the “A Non-Bogus Guide To A Whole New Language” thing too! Yeah, definitely buying this if I find one in the wild. Nice one John. Your Kiss vinyl collection is truly enviable!
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Thanks! This is a sweet one Mike so do grab it if you see it. I’ve been able to pick up so cool stuff this past year and the collection has grown, but I still have so many that I still want. However, I do enjoy my collection though. It has been a lot of fun finding the rarer pieces.
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