Credit Paul and Tommy for KISS’s Sonic Boom

I’ve found myself digging certain parts of KISS’s new Sonic Boom CD, and realizing (or re-realizing) a few things, which are:

Paul Stanley is KISS

Not that Gene and other other guys aren’t, including Ace and Pete…but Paul is – and has been – the captain of the ship. Unlike Gene, he’s not distracted by a bunch of other stuff. For Paul it’s all KISS, and for this album he kept his eye squarely on the ball.

Paul apparently orchestrated all the songwriting on this album, with Tommy sort of his lieutenant in that regard. Plus he’s listed as the producer.

Sonic Boom Has WoodyTone!

Sonic Boom has good, old-school guitar tone all over it. I’ll probably find out later it’s a dang Pod, but…to me it sounds like the bee-yoo-teeful cutting mids and upper-mids of a Super-type Marshall.

Specifically NOT on Sonic Boom is any over-produced, super-saturated guitar. None, even on the leads.

And since Paul produced the album (recorded, mixed and co-produced by Greg Collins), the credit goes to him.

Tommy Thayer Can Play

Why was this somewhat of a surprise to me? I really dug Tommy’s old band, Black ‘n Blue. And he obviously does a great job with Ace’s solos. So…?

Well, that I guess was part of the problem…my problem, that is. Tommy has only ever played Ace’s stuff, and only live – he hadn’t been on a studio KISS album. After hearing him, I’m impressed. Why?

First, he doesn’t overplay.

Second, he plays tastefully, though admittedly that might be because he plays a lot of Ace riffs which I happen to like!

And third, his solos are interesting.

Listen to the Modern Day Delilah solo. That’s 16 bars, 35 seconds, of great, classic solo. Like all classic solos, I find myself looking forward to it when it arrives, and can’t imagine a different lead in that space.

The best part about it, for me, is that it’s distinctive. It sounds like Tommy – meaning it doesn’t sound like Ace.

And it sounds like it’s double-tracked?

More about Tommy in future posts, but here’s the bottom line: Tommy may be my second-favorite KISS lead guitarist.

(Full review of Sonic Boom coming soon!)

Category: KISS, Tommy Thayer