Kiss

 Today in 1988 Kiss released the album Smashes, Thrashes & Hits

New York City, New York Hard rock, heavy metal

Status:Active

Years active 1973–present

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. But Kiss' music shouldn't be dismissed -- it was a commercially potent mix of anthemic, fist-pounding hard rock driven by sleek hooks and ballads powered by loud guitars, cloying melodies, and sweeping strings. It was a sound that laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop-metal that dominated rock in the late '80s.

Mercury

Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar, bass on "Let's Put the X in Sex", "(You Make Me) Rock Hard", "Love Gun", "Tears are Falling", "I Was Made for Lovin' You"

Gene Simmons – vocals, bass

Bruce Kulick – lead guitars on "Let's Put the X in Sex", (You Make Me) Rock Hard", "Crazy Crazy Nights", "Tears Are Falling" and "Reason to Live"

Eric Carr(R.I.P.1991) – drums on "Let's Put the X in Sex", "(You Make Me) Rock Hard, "I Love it Loud", "Lick it Up", "Heaven's on Fire", "Tears are Falling", "Crazy Crazy Nights" and "Reason to Live", Vocals on "Beth"

Additional Personnel

Ace Frehley – lead guitars on "Love Gun, "Detroit Rock City", "Deuce", "Calling Dr. Love", Strutter", "I Was Made for Lovin' You", "Rock and Roll All Nite", "Shout it Out Loud"

Peter Criss – drums on "Love Gun, "Detroit Rock City", "Deuce", "Calling Dr. Love", Strutter", "Rock and Roll All Nite", "Shout it Out Loud"

Vinnie Vincent – lead guitars on "I Love it Loud and "Lick it Up"

Mark St. John (R.I.P.2007)– lead guitars on "Heaven's on Fire"

Anton Fig – drums on "I Was Made for Lovin' You"

Vini Poncia – keyboards on "I Was Made for Lovin' You"

Dick Wagner (R.I.P.2014)– acoustic guitar on "Beth"

Bob Ezrin – piano on "Beth"

Phil Ashley – keyboards on "Let's Put the X in Sex" and "(You Make Me) Rock Hard"

North American Edition

No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length

1. "Let's Put the X in Sex" Paul Stanley, Desmond Child 1988 ~ Previously Unreleased 3:48

2. "(You Make Me) Rock Hard" Stanley, Child, Diane Warren 1988 ~ Previously Unreleased 3:26

3. "Love Gun" (Remix) Stanley 1977 ~ Love Gun 3:31

4. "Detroit Rock City" (Remix) Stanley, Bob Ezrin 1976 ~ Destroyer 3:45

5. "I Love It Loud" (Remix) Gene Simmons, Vinnie Vincent 1982 ~ Creatures of the Night 3:48

6. "Deuce" (Remix) Simmons 1974 ~ KISS 3:20

7. "Lick It Up" Vincent, Stanley 1983 ~ Lick It Up 3:53

8. "Heaven's on Fire" Stanley, Child 1984 ~ Animalize 3:19

9. "Calling Dr. Love" (Remix) Simmons 1976 ~ Rock and Roll Over 3:38

10. "Strutter" (Remix) Stanley, Simmons 1974 ~ KISS 3:38

11. "Beth" (Eric Carr vocal) Peter Criss, Stan Penridge, Ezrin 1988 ~ Re-recording. Original from Destroyer 2:46

12. "Tears Are Falling" Stanley 1985 ~ Asylum 3:54

13. "I Was Made for Lovin' You" Stanley, Child, Vini Poncia 1979 ~ Dynasty 4:29

14. "Rock and Roll All Nite" (Remix) Stanley, Simmons 1975 ~ Dressed to Kill 2:56

15. "Shout It Out Loud" (Remix) Stanley, Simmons, Ezrin 1976 ~ Destroyer 3:07

Total length: 51:54

United Kingdom Edition

No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length

1. "Let's Put the X in Sex" Stanley, Child 1988 ~ Previously Unreleased 3:48

2. "Crazy Crazy Nights" Stanley, Adam Mitchell 1987 ~ Crazy Nights 3:45

3. "(You Make Me) Rock Hard" Stanley, Child, Warren 1988 ~ Previously Unreleased 3:26

4. "Love Gun" (Remix) Stanley 1977 ~ Love Gun 3:31

5. "Detroit Rock City" (Remix) Stanley, Ezrin 1976 ~ Destroyer 3:45

6. "I Love It Loud" (Remix) Simmons, Vincent 1982 ~ Creatures of the Night 3:48

7. "Reason to Live" Stanley, Child 1987 ~ Crazy Nights 3:59

8. "Lick It Up" Vincent, Stanley 1983 ~ Lick It Up 3:53

9. "Heaven's on Fire" Stanley, Child 1984 ~ Animalize 3:19

10. "Calling Dr. Love" (Remix) Simmons 1976 ~ Rock and Roll Over 3:38

11. "Strutter" (Remix) Stanley, Simmons 1974 ~ KISS 3:38

12. "Beth" (Eric Carr Vocal) Criss, Penridge, Ezrin 1976 ~ Destroyer 2:46

13. "Tears Are Falling" Stanley 1985 ~ Asylum 3:54

14. "I Was Made for Lovin' You" Stanley, Child, Poncia 1979 ~ Dynasty 4:29

15. "Rock and Roll All Nite" (Remix) Stanley, Simmons 1975 ~ Dressed to Kill 2:56

16. "Shout It Out Loud" (Remix) Stanley, Simmons, Ezrin 1976 ~ Destroyer 3:07

Total length: 56:18

Smashes, Thrashes & Hits is a compilation album by the American hard rock band Kiss. It was the fourth hits album overall but the second album released by the band in the United States (Killers and Chikara were not released there originally). Of the 15 songs on the album, two were new compositions, and three were released after the band's unmasking in 1983. The remaining 10 were all released during the band's years in make-up.

The two new songs on Smashes, Thrashes & Hits were "Let's Put the X in Sex" and "(You Make Me) Rock Hard," which featured a similar polished production style as 1987's Crazy Nights. They were both produced and co-written by guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, and were accompanied by videos that received moderate airplay on MTV. Unusual for Kiss videos, Paul Stanley never plays a guitar in either video for the new songs.

Nearly all of the songs recorded by the band's original lineup were altered in one way or another. "Beth" was re-recorded with lead vocals by drummer Eric Carr, who had replaced the original drummer Peter Criss in 1980. It was Carr's first lead vocal on a Kiss album. The cover was designed and art directed by Mitchell Kanner.