We are now to one of the greatest things Kiss has ever released. In 2006 and through to 2007, Kiss released the Kissology: The Ultimate Kiss Collection over a 3 Volume set. This set was amazing as it brought Kiss in living color to your screen. Each set covers a different era of Kiss and each is filled with interviews, promotional videos and tons and tons of live shows. It is more Kiss than you could ever absorb in a day. And we aren’t going to babble on any more as this is too good to wait, let’s jump right in to it!!!

KISSOLOGY: THE ULTIMATE KISS COLLECTION VOL. 1 – 1974-1977:

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First up is Volume One which covers the years 1974-1977 the classic years of Kiss. This is Kiss in their prime and there is so much goodness in this set as there are around 380 minutes of Kiss. This set only had 2 Discs (only, because the other 2 sets have more). The first disc has so memorable and historic Kiss moments and kicks off with the earliest recorded video from February 17, 1974 of the band playing the song ‘Acrobat’ which was never released prior to this set. It also includes some TV appearances on ABC’s In Convert and their appearance on the Mike Douglas Show which has the most hilarious interview with Gene. The disc also has two full live shows with one from the Hotter Than Hell Tour from 1975 and a set for the Alive! Tour from Cobo Hall in 1976.

The second disc is just as great as it has another memorable TV appearance was a lot of people’s gateway in to Kiss which is the appearance on The Paul Lynn Halloween Special recorded October 19-20 of 1976. And then you get two more entirely full shows with one from Rock And Roll Over Tour from April 1977 and the Love Gun Tour from September 1977. Having a show from so many different tours is wonderful as you get to see how the band has grown and changed and how much bigger the stage setup got with each tour. More money, bigger stage shows!!

And since this was 2006, Kiss was trying to get you to buy this set 3 times. Yep, they offered a different bonus disc depending on where you bought the disc. If you bought it at Wal-mart, you got the Capitol Centre show from Largo Maryland and the Kiss Alive II on December 20, 1977. If you bought it from Amazon or other retailers, you got snippet of the Madison Square Garden, New York City on February 18, 1977 – Rock & Roll Over Tour. My version is from Best Buy which gives you a second Cobo Hall Show the day before the other Cabo Hall show on this disc that was mentioned above. Maybe someday, I will try and get the other two discs…maybe!!

You also get a 20 page booklet and a replica backstage pass from their Spring tour 1975. And as you can see below, it is a stellar looking set!! And this is only the begging!!

KISSOLOGY: THE ULTIMATE KISS COLLECTION VOL. 2 – 1978-1991:

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Next up, is Volume 2 which was released on August 14, 2007 which covers the years 1978-1991 and that is a lot of time to cover. You go from the fall of Make-up Era Kiss and cover most of the Non Make-up ear Kiss and a lot of line-up changes. This release has 3 discs which add up to shy of 7 hours worth of viewing pleasure. Wow!!

The first disc is made up of a couple of interviews and TV appearances but it is mostly the European version of the infamous Kiss movie from 1979 of the horribly bad, yet campy goodness of Kiss in Attack of the Phantom. Of course the US version is called Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park. The movie is cringe worthy and if you want to see what I have to say about it, just click on the movie title above.

Disc two has a music video for “Shandi” and a lot of promotional stuff for the album ‘Unmasked’ in 1980 and then we get an amazing show from November 22, 1980 which was from the Unmasked Tour. It was a killer show and one I am trying to get on bootleg vinyl which is from Sydney Australia. Then we get the Fridays performances for The Elder and then a Top of the Pop performance for “I Love It Loud” which takes us up to 1982.

Disc Three has more live shows with first being a bunch of songs from a 1983 show in Brazil for the Creatures Tour and then we get the MTV Special from September 1983 where Kiss is finally unmasked. I remember watching this live on MTV when I was a kid. It was must see TV for me. Then we get several small pieces from a Lick it Up Show and the Crazy Nights Tour which skips several albums, but we already have the Kiss Animalize Live Uncensored years and years earlier. The big full show on this disc is from October 14, 1990 the Hot In The Shade Tour at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit, Michigan. You get a small piece on Eric Carr and then an easter egg of a Gene and Mark St. John interview. Lots of fun stuff.

Like with Volume 1, we get another opportunity to buy three versions so you can get each bonus disc. If you get from Wal-mart, Sam’s or Amazon, you get the Capital Centre, Largo, MD – July 8, 1979 – Dynasty Tour (Now I do have a vinyl Bootleg of this show…yeah me). All other retailers you get Nippon Budokan – Tokyo, Japan April 21, 1988 – Crazy Nights Tour (I have a bootleg of a show from 3 days earlier…so close). Mine is from Best Buy (again) and this show is The Ritz in New York City on August 13, 1988 for the Crazy Nights Tour.

Like the first, you get another booklet and a replica ticket to Magic Mountain in Kiss and the Phantom of the Park. I mean look below at all that you get. It is another beautiful set!!!

KISSOLOGY: THE ULTIMATE KISS COLLECTION VOL. 3 – 1992-2000:

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Volume 3 was released on December 18, 2007 and this time we get around 9 hours of Kiss mania and it is as just as good as the rest. It covers 1992-2000 and captures the return to make-up and the return of Ace and Peter. This set consists of four discs and with each release you keep getting more and more.

The first disc is only two shows…only…ha!! The is 3 hours which includes the full show The Palace of Auburn Hills: Detroit, MI November 27, 1992 and is basically the Kiss Alive III show and was from the Revenge Tour. It is outstanding. And then we get the MTV Unplugged Show in full glory with all the unreleased songs as well as the behind the scenes shots. I have the original video, but I didn’t have the extra songs. A great set and the start of something big.

Disc two gives us a show from the Kiss Reunion with Ace & Peter and the Tiger Stadium show from Detroit, MI on June 28, 1996. I saw this tour when they rolled through Atlanta and was the first time I ever saw them in Make-up because my first show was Lick It Up tour when they first dropped the make-up. Bucket list finally checked!! We then get the Kiss performance below the Brooklyn Bridge for the 1996 MTV Music Awards on September 4, 1996. And then we Part 1 of the Dodger Stadium show in L.A. on October 31, 1998.

Disc three starts off with Part 2 of the Dodger Stadium show and then goes in to the mini-show Kiss played for the World Premier of the Detroit Rock City Movie premiere on August 8, 1999. We then get a full show which was the “Last KISS” Pay-Per-View Event: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey June 27, 2000. Tons of great music.

Disc four has the famous and historical Kiss show at the Coventry – Queens, NY December 22, 1973 which is the earliest video footage we have ever seen of Kiss playing live. Totally awesome. Now there is a bonus disc but for some reason I don’t have one with my set. I do not know why. The three choices you have were the general release having the show at the KROQ Weenie Roast: Irvine Meadows, CA June 15, 1996 (Reunion Tour opener). And from Best Buy you get the Pacaembú Stadium”, São Paulo, Brazil August 27, 1994 (Revenge/Alive III tour with Sphinx stage). If you bought from Wal-mart you get the show at Madison Square Garden: New York City, NY July 27, 1996 (Reunion Tour) and there was even a fourth bonus disc if you pre-ordered the DVD set during VH1 Classic’s 24 Hours of KISSmas marathon, which aired on December 7 and 8, 2007 and that would then have the movie ‘Detroit Rock City’. Man, too many options!! But look how beautiful this set was. They were all stunning.

And this rating is really easy. All three sets get a 5.0 out of 5.0 Stars. Now, if the rumors are true, then there is a Volume 4 in the works (it has been for years) that will bring us up to today, hopefully!!

Next Up: Kiss – Jigoku-Retsuden (2008)

Check out the rest of the series if you have time!!

The Kiss Review Series:

1. Wicked Lester and the Progeny Demo Sessions (Bootleg)
2. Kiss – Kiss (1974)
3. Kiss – Hotter Than Hell (1974)
4. Kiss – Dressed to Kill (1975)
5. Kiss – Alive! (1975)
6. Kiss – Destroyer (1976)
7. Kiss – “Flaming Youth” 45 Promo Single – Bonus Edition (1976)
8. Kiss – Special Kiss Album For Their Summer Tour (1976)
9. Kiss – The Originals (1976)
10. Kiss – Rock & Roll Over (1976)
11. Kiss – Love Gun (1977)
12. Kiss – Alive II (1977)
13. Kiss – Double Platinum (1978)
14. Kiss – Paul Stanley (1978)
15. Kiss – Gene Simmons (1978)
16. Kiss – Peter Criss (1978)
17. Kiss – Ace Frehley (1978)
18. Kiss – Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park Movie (1978)
19. Kiss – Dynasty (1979)
20. Kiss – “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” (1979) – 12″ & 7″ Singles (Bonus Edition)
21. Kiss – Unmasked (1980)
22. Peter Criss – Out of Control (1980)
23. Kiss – Music From The Elder (1981)
24. Kiss – Killers (1982)
25. Kiss – Creatures of the Night (1982)
26. Kiss – Lick It Up (1983)
27. Kiss – Animalize (1984)
28. Wendy O. Williams – WOW (1984) (Bonus Edition)
29. Kiss – Animalize Live Uncensored (1985)
30. Kiss – Asylum (1985)
31. Kiss – “Tears Are Falling” 7″ Single (Bonus Edition) (1985)
32. Kiss – Creatures of the Night (1985 Re-Issue)
33. Vinnie Vincent Invasion – Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986)
34. Black N’ Blue – Nasty Nasty (1986)
35. Ace Frehley – Frehley’s Comet (1987)
36. Kiss – Exposed VHS (1987)
37. Kiss – Crazy Nights (1987)
38. Kiss – “Crazy Crazy Nights” – 12″ Single (Bonus Edition)
39. Kiss – “Reason To Live” – 12″ Picture Disc (Bonus Edition)
40. Kiss – Chikara (1988)
41. Kiss – Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988)
42. Kiss – Hot In The Shade (1989)
43. Kiss – “God Gave Rock And Roll To You II” (1991) – 12″ Picture Disc
44. Kiss – Revenge (1992)
45. Kiss – Alive III (1993)
46. Kiss – Konfidential VHS (1993)
47. Kiss – Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved (1994)
48. Kiss – MTV Unplugged (1996)
49. Kiss – You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! (1996)
50. Kiss – Greatest Kiss (1997)
51. Kiss – Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)
52. Kiss – Psycho Circus (1998)
53. Kiss – The Second Coming Documentary (1998)
54. Eric Carr – Rockology (1999)
55. Mark St. John – Mark St. John Project (1999)
56. Eric Singer Project – ESP (1999)
57. Bruce Kulick – Audiodog (2001)
58. Kiss – Kiss Symphony: Alive IV (2003)
59. Gene Simmons – Asshole (2004)
60. Kiss – Rock the Nation Live! DVD (2005)
61. Kiss – Alive! The Millennium Concert (2006)
62. Paul Stanley – Live to Win (2006)
63. Kiss – Kissology: Volumes 1 to 3 (2006-2007)

The Bootleg Series:

1. Kiss – ‘Accept No Imitations’ (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ASYLUM TOUR)
2. Kiss – Look Wot You Dun to Me (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (CRAZY NIGHTS TOUR)
3. Kiss – The Summer of Satan: The Devils Ride Out! (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DESTROYER TOUR)
4. Kiss – Return to Capital Center (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DYNASTY TOUR)
5. Kiss – With Fire & Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (HOTTER THAN HELL TOUR)
6. Kiss – Northhampton PA March 19th, 1975 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DRESSED TO KILL TOUR)
7. Kiss – The Hottest Show On Earth (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE HOTTEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR 2010)
8. Kiss – All the Way to the Ball Room (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (Australian Tour 1995)
9. Kiss – Kiss of Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (The Rising Sun Tour 2006)
10. Kiss – Agora Ballroom 1974: The Cleveland Broadcast plus Bonus Cuts (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE KISS TOUR)
11. Kiss – Hotter Than Hell: Radio Broadcast 1976 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ROCK & ROLL OVER TOUR)
12. Kiss – The Tickler (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (LICK IT UP TOUR 1983)
13. Kiss – Barbarize (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ANIMALIZE WORLD TOUR 1984 – North American Tour)
14. Kiss – They Only Come Out At Night (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ANIMALIZE WORLD TOUR 1984 – EUROPEAN TOUR)
15. Wicked Lester and the Progeny Demo Sessions (Bootleg)

Kiss – The Box Set:

1. The Box Set (Part 1 of 6)
2. The Box Set – Disc One 1966-1975 (Part 2 of 6)
3. The Box Set – Disc Two 1975-1977 (Part 3 of 6)
4. The Box Set – Disc Three 1976-1982 (Part 4 of 6)
5. The Box Set – Disc Four 1983-1989 (Part 5 of 6)
6. The Box Set – Disc Five 1992-1999 (Part 6 of 6)

Gene Simmons – The Vault:

1. Part 1 – The Grand Opening
2. Part 2 – Disk 1
3. Part 3 – Disk 2
4. Part 4 – Disk 3
5. Part 5 – Disk 4
6. Part 6 – Disk 5
7. Part 7 – Disk 6
8. Part 8 – Disk 7
9. Part 9 – Disk 8
10. Part 10 – Disk 9
11. Part 11 – Disk 10
12. Part 12 – The Bonus Disk
13. Part 13 – The Best Songs of the Vault
14. Part 14 – The Worst Songs of the Vault
15. Part 15 – The Final Verdict