Kiss - Kissology: The Ultimate Kiss Collection Vol. 1 1974-1977 (2006) [2xDVD-9 + 3xDVD-5, Japan]

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.

~ discogs

Longtime Kiss fans have been clamoring for decades for the group to clear out their video vaults and start releasing classic performances. And while such past video/DVD releases as Exposed and Kiss My Ass: The Video included a few nuggets, it never seemed to satisfy the entire vast legion of the Kiss Army. The Kiss chaps finally got wise in 2006, and issued the two-DVD set, Kissology: The Ultimate Kiss Collection, Vol. 1: 1974-1977. As the title suggests, the set comprises TV and concert footage from this four-year period, which just happens to be the group at their prime. Included are concerts from 1975 at Winterland, 1976 at Cobo Hall, and 1977 at the Budokan Hall and the Summit, as well as such TV performances (which served as the primary introduction to the group for many fans) as ABC's In Concert, The Mike Douglas Show, The Midnight Special, and the Paul Lynde Halloween Special. Admittedly, many Kiss fans will have had bootleg copies of much of this material for years by this point, but the picture and sound quality certainly exceed what has been passed around over the years. That said, there are a few flubs. Since some of the footage was over 30 years old at the time of the DVD's release, the picture and sound quality vary – especially on the 1974 and 1975 footage (this is evident during the two songs from The Midnight Special performance – one in color, one in black and white). Also, the source seems to have been off of video tape for much of the material here – which is puzzling, since some of the same footage was included on Exposed with better picture quality. But honestly, these complaints are insignificant when you consider the quality of the actual footage and performances included here. Again, this is Kiss at the peak of their powers, back when they were packing arenas worldwide with stage shows that had simply never been taken on the road before. Additionally, Kiss' best songs were from this period – resulting in some of the strongest set lists of their career (which mixes the expected – "Detroit Rock City," "Deuce," etc., with the unexpected – "Ladies Room," "Take Me," etc.). And while the majority of this material has been viewed in collector's circles, there are several bits that have never been widely circulated, including a performance of the unreleased song "Acrobat" from early 1974 and footage of their first Euro tour on the U.K. TV show So It Goes. There's also a pair of Easter Eggs that turn out to be two of the rarest Kiss video items to ever surface (good luck hunting!). Overall, Kissology Vol. 1: 1974-1977 definitely lives up to its lofty billing. [Note: ever the kings of merchandising, there is a third bonus disc included with initial copies of Kissology for a limited time. However, there's a catch. If you purchase the set at Best Buy, the bonus disc is "Cobo Hall 1/25/76" – which was a night before the Cobo Hall performance included on Kissology.

by Greg Prato, allmusic

Tracklist DVD1:

Long Beach Auditorium, Long Beach, CA (February 17, 1974)
1. "Acrobat"
ABC's In Concert (recorded February 21, 1974, aired March 29)
2."Nothin' to Lose"
3."Firehouse"
4."Black Diamond"
The Mike Douglas Show (recorded April 29, 1974, aired May 21)
5. Gene Simmons interview
6. "Firehouse"
Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA (January 31, 1975)
7."Deuce"
8."Strutter"
9."Got to Choose"
10."Hotter than Hell"
11."Firehouse"
12."Watchin' You"
13."Nothin' to Lose"
14."Parasite"
15."100,000 Years"
16."Stanley's Solo + Black Diamond"
17."Cold Gin"
18."Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"(Incomplete)
The Midnight Special (April 1, 1975)
19."She"
20."Black Diamond"
Alive! promotional videos (1975)
21."C'mon and Love Me"
22."Rock and Roll All Nite"
Documentary: Cadillac, Michigan (October 1975)
Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI (January 26, 1976)
23."Deuce"
24."Strutter"
25."C'mon and Love Me"
26."Hotter than Hell"
27."Firehouse"
28."She"
29."Parasite"
30."Nothin' to Lose"
31."100,000 Years"
32."Black Diamond"
33."Cold Gin"
34."Rock and Roll All Nite"
35."Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"
EASTER EGG: Deuce Live at Coventry (1973)


Tracklist DVD2:

So It Goes
1.Interview
2."Black Diamond" (partial)
The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (recorded October 19–20, 1976, aired October 31)
Interview
3."King of the Night Time World"
Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan (April 2, 1977)
4."Detroit Rock City"
5."Take Me"
6."Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"
7."Ladies Room"
8."Firehouse"
9."Makin' Love"
10."I Want You"
11."Cold Gin"
12."Do You Love Me?"
13."Nothin' to Lose"
14."God of Thunder"
15."Rock & Roll All Nite"
16."Shout It Out Loud"
17."Beth"
18."Black Diamond"
Don Kirshner's Rock Concert (May 28, 1977)
19."I Want You"
20."Hard Luck Woman"
21."Love 'Em And Leave 'Em"
The Summit, Houston, TX (September 2, 1977)
22."I Stole Your Love"
23."Take Me"
24."Ladies Room"
25."Firehouse"
26."Love Gun"
27."Hooligan"
28."Makin' Love"
29."Christine Sixteen"
30."Shock Me"
31."I Want You"
32."Calling Dr. Love"
33."Shout It Out Loud"
34."God of Thunder"
35."Rock and Roll All Nite"
36."Detroit Rock City"
37."Beth"
38."Black Diamond"
EASTER EGG: Ace Frehley Wedding Performance (1976)


Tracklist DVD3:

Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI (January 25, 1976)
1."Deuce"
2."Strutter"
3."C'mon and Love Me"
4."Hotter than Hell"
5."Firehouse"
6."She"
7."Ladies in Waiting"
8."Nothin' to Lose"
9."100,000 Years"
10."Black Diamond"


Tracklist DVD4:

Madison Square Garden, New York City February 18, 1977
1."Detroit Rock City"
2."Take Me"
3."Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll"
4."Firehouse"
5."Nothin' To Lose"
6."Shout It Out Loud"
7."Black Diamond"


Tracklist DVD5:

Capitol Centre, Largo, MD (December 20, 1977)
1."I Stole Your Love"
2."Ladies Room"
3."Firehouse"
4."Love Gun"
5."Makin' Love"
6."Christine Sixteen"
7."I Want You"
8."Calling Dr. Love"
9."Shout It Out Loud"
10."God of Thunder"
11."Rock and Roll All Nite"
12."Black Diamond"







All thanks go to the original releaser