Rock and Roll Over

Rock and Roll Over is the fifth studio album by American rock band Kiss, released in 1976. It was recorded at the Star Theatre in Nanuet, New York.

Rock and Roll Over
Cover art by Michael Doret
Studio album by
Kiss
ReleasedNovember 11, 1976 (1976-11-11)
RecordedSeptember–October 1976
StudioStar Theatre, Nanuet, New York
Genre
Length32:38
LabelCasablanca
ProducerEddie Kramer
Kiss chronology
Destroyer
(1976)		 Rock and Roll Over
(1976)		 Love Gun
(1977)
Singles from Rock and Roll Over
  1. "Hard Luck Woman"
    Released: November 1, 1976
  2. "Calling Dr. Love"
    Released: February 13, 1977

Album information

To get the proper drum sound, Peter Criss recorded his tracks in a bathroom, communicating via video-link with the rest of the band.[1] This is the first Kiss album to not feature a writing credit from Ace Frehley.

Many of the songs that appear on the album were developed before or during Destroyer. Three of Gene Simmons' songs are clear re-workings of demos from the 1975 Magna Graphics Studios demo: "Calling Dr. Love" is a re-working of "Bad, Bad Lovin'"; "Ladies Room" is based on "Don't Want Your Romance"; and "Love' Em and Leave' Em" is based on "Rock and Rolls-Royce";[2] Criss's "Baby Driver" is a rewrite of a Peter Criss/Stan Penridge demo from Criss's pre-Kiss band Lips; and "Hard Luck Woman", a song Paul Stanley originally planned to pitch to Rod Stewart, was held over to provide Criss a ballad to sing following the success of "Beth".

Release

Rock and Roll Over was released by Casablanca Records on November 11, 1976.[3] and peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200.[4]

The cover artwork is by artist Michael Doret, who worked with Kiss again on 2009's Sonic Boom.[5] Inside the sleeve was a sticker of the cover art and a glossy photo press release pamphlet. The live album Kings Among Scotland, by Anthrax, pays homage to the artwork.[6]

"Hard Luck Woman" did not equal the success of "Beth", but became another top 20 single. "Calling Dr. Love" became a concert staple.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Blender[8]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[9]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[10]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
Pitchfork7.5/10[12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[13]
Sputnikmusic4.5/5[14]

In a contemporary review of the album, Robert Christgau wrote that Kiss "write tough, catchy songs, and if they had a sly, Jagger-style singer they'd be a menace," but are diminished by appearing as a "caricature" of themselves.[9]

Modern reviews are generally positive. Greg Prato of AllMusic was largely praising of Rock and Roll Over for the band's "return to the raw hard rock of their first four albums," proclaiming it "one of Kiss' most consistent records."[7] Pitchfork reviewer made a comparison with Destroyer and found it "sonically punchier, if not just a bit lacking in complete vitality."[12] In his Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal, Martin Popoff called Rock and Roll Over "the most childish Kiss album" and "a disappointment after the amusing ambitions, diversions and excursions of Destroyer," lamenting the "return to the wee dumb hard rock cartoons of the early albums."[10]

Track listing

All credits adapted from the original release.[15]

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."I Want You"Paul StanleyStanley3:04
2."Take Me"Stanley, Sean DelaneyStanley2:56
3."Calling Dr. Love"Gene SimmonsSimmons3:44
4."Ladies Room"SimmonsSimmons3:27
5."Baby Driver"Peter Criss, Stan PenridgeCriss3:40
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
6."Love 'Em and Leave 'Em"SimmonsSimmons3:47
7."Mr. Speed"Stanley, DelaneyStanley3:18
8."See You in Your Dreams"SimmonsSimmons2:34
9."Hard Luck Woman"StanleyCriss3:35
10."Makin' Love"Stanley, DelaneyStanley3:14
Total length:33:18

Personnel
Kiss
Production

Charts

Album

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[22] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Wiederhorn, Jon (November 11, 2019). "43 Years Ago: KISS Crank It Up With 'Rock And Roll Over'". Loudwire. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  2. Linnaeus, Carl (2014). Kiss – den osminkade sanningen. ISBN 9789187301896.
  3. "KISS – Rock and Roll Over (1976)". KISSMONSTER/The KissFAQ. November 1, 2016. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  4. "Kiss Chart History: The Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  5. "The Art of Letterform & Design: Music". Michael Doret. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  6. "Kings Among Scotland | ANTHRAX". Archived from the original on January 14, 2019.
  7. Prato, Greg. "Kiss: Rock and Roll Over Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  8. Blender review
  9. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 28, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  10. Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 162–163. ISBN 978-1894959025.
  11. Larkin, Colin (2006). Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4 (4 ed.). Muze. p. 875. ISBN 0195313739.
  12. Josephes, Jason. "Kiss: Rock and Roll Over [Mercury Remasters Series]". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on April 16, 2004.
  13. "Kiss: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Rock and Roll Over. Archived from the original on June 27, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  14. "KISS Rock and Roll Over (album review 2)". sputnikmusic. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  15. Kiss (1976). Rock and Roll Over (LP Sleeve). Los Angeles, California: Casablanca Records. NBLP 7037.
  16. "The Complete KISS Album Chart Action, 1974–". The KISSFAQ. Retrieved August 6, 2007.
  17. "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 26, No. 17, January 22, 1977". Library and Archives Canada. January 22, 1977. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  18. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kiss – Rock And Roll Over" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  19. "Swedishcharts.com – Kiss – Rock and Roll Over". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  20. "Kiss Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  21. "Singles Chart positions from". Kissfaq. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  22. "American album certifications – Kiss – Rock & Roll Over". Recording Industry Association of America.
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