Lick it up

There is no shortage of Kiss collections out there, but, as they used to say before Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter took the stage, "You wanted the best and you got the best!". Spanning four discs, Alive! 1975-2000 makes a great time capsule for Kiss Army completists, packed with a quarter-century of pictures and band reminiscences. And then there's the music. Remastered and packaged together for the first time, the immortal hard-rock one-two punch of Alive! and Alive II together with 1993's makeup-free Alive III showcase the legendary band in their element: driving audiences wild with their thunderous riffs, bombastic ballads, and shameless showmanship. Previously unreleased, Alive: The Millennium Concert captures the reunited and remasked original lineup at the New Year's Eve 1999 stop on what appears to be a never-ending farewell tour. Kiss was never a band likely to be accused of understatement, and Alive! 1975-2000 is an appropriately exalted celebration of their excess and excellence.

Limited Availability of 500 pieces worldwide. Japan-original release from KISS featuring their footage from 1974 to 2000. Japan-exclusive box set contains 9 discs featuring Kissology Vol.1, Kissology Vol.2, and Kissology Vol.3. In addition, it includes following 9 bonus discs that were obtainable before only with separate vendor exclusive box set releases in the US.

Although he was not an original member of Kiss, drummer Eric Carr was automatically accepted and held in high regard by their legions of fans. Born Paul Caravello in Brooklyn, NY on July 15, 1950, the youngster discovered rock & roll the way many others did in the early '60s, via the Beatles…

Rooted in the campy theatrics of Alice Cooper and the sleazy hard rock of glam rockers the New York Dolls, Kiss became a favorite of American teenagers in the '70s. Most kids were infatuated with the look of Kiss, not their music. Decked out in outrageously flamboyant costumes and makeup, the band fashioned a captivating stage show featuring dry ice, smoke bombs, elaborate lighting, blood spitting, and fire breathing that captured the imaginations of thousands of kids.

To send off 2020 in their larger-than-life style on New Year’s Eve, the iconic Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, multi-platinum-selling band is reigniting the fire and roaring back to life…

Universal’s 2010 collection Icon 2 expands the simultaneously released 12-track Icon by another 12-track CD that covers the group’s '80s hits. Although this material isn’t quite as well regarded as the ‘70s hits that make up the first disc, this does make for a good overview of the band’s peak and includes such latter-day staples as “I Love It Loud,” “Lick It Up,” “Heaven’s on Fire,” “Crazy Crazy Nights,” and “God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II.”