Artist: KISS
Album: MUSIC FROM THE ELDER REMASTERED (CD)

Year: 1981/ 1997
Media type: CD

Music from "The Elder" is a 1981 concept album released by the American hard rock band Kiss. It was an attempt on the part of the group to establish Kiss as credible artists, and also to reverse the trend of declining album sales and commercial popularity that had begun in 1979. Instead, the album further served to alienate the group's fan base and represents the commercial nadir of the group.

To date, Music from "The Elder" is one of only two Kiss studio albums to fail to earn any US certification (the other is 1997's Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions). Album sales were so poor that Kiss did not embark on a supporting tour for the first time in its eight-year history, opting instead to make a handful of promotional appearances.

Music from "The Elder" was the last Kiss album that lead guitarist Ace Frehley participated in until the 1996 reunion. Frehley, who was frustrated with the band's creative direction, as well as with the production of Bob Ezrin, stopped actively participating in Kiss by early 1982 and was officially out of the group by November 1982.

TRACKLIST:

01 "Fanfare" (Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin) – 1:21
Instrumental

02 "Just A Boy" (Stanley, Ezrin) – 2:25
Lead vocals - Paul Stanley

03 "Odyssey" (Tony Powers) – 5:36
Lead vocals - Paul Stanley

04 "Only You" (Gene Simmons) – 4:17
Lead vocals - Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley

05 "Under the Rose" (Simmons, Eric Carr) – 4:51
Lead vocals - Gene Simmons

06 "Dark Light" (Ace Frehley, Simmons, Anton Fig, Lou Reed) – 4:18
Lead vocals - Ace Frehley

07 "A World Without Heroes" (Stanley, Simmons, Ezrin, Reed) – 2:40
Lead vocals - Gene Simmons

08 "The Oath" (Stanley, Ezrin, Powers) – 4:31
Lead vocals - Paul Stanley

09 "Mr. Blackwell" (Simmons, Reed) – 4:52
Lead vocals - Gene Simmons

10 "Escape from the Island" (Frehley, Carr, Ezrin) – 2:52
Instrumental

11 "I" (Simmons, Ezrin) – 5:03
Lead vocals - Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons


LINE-UP:

Gene Simmons - bass guitar; rhythm guitar on "Only You"; lead vocals
Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar; lead vocals
Ace Frehley - lead guitar; vocals
Eric Carr - drums; percussion, backing vocals

with

Bob Ezrin - producer; bass guitar on "Mr. Blackwell", "Escape from the Island" and "Dark Light"
Allan Schwartzberg - drums on "Odyssey" and "I"