There are two types of tribute albums out there. There are the dime-a-dozen versions which take no name bands to cover the songs of a hot or popular bands' songs - often without the approval of the original band. These discs are usually filled with lackluster performances punctuated by one or two decent tracks. Then there are those official versions, in which the band sponsors or even participates in which songs are getting covered and who is doing the covers. KISS went the latter path when they released Kiss My Ass - Classic KISS Regrooved.

In many ways, KISS was one of the most influential bands on the hard rock scene, particularly in the late 70's. Predated by the likes of Black Sabbath, KISS created a marketing scheme which thrust it to the forefront of the industry and introduced a whole generation to their brand of blues-laced hard rock, rock that included a spectacle with the music. Two generations of rock acts would count KISS among their influences.

And many of those bands are represented here on this collection. The members of KISS - Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons selected bands from a group of names, although the liner notes mention some others who were unable to perform on the disc, though they wanted to.

[ • hand me my FACE PAINT • ]
Kiss My Ass offers up some true gems for the KISS fans out there. Some, like Yoshiki's Black Diamond are complete departures from the standard that produced amazing results. Others, like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones rendition of Detroit Rock City take the tunes and make them identifiable not only with KISS but with the covering band, too - a perfect blend of original and interpretation.

But as with all sets, there are some misses. A couple of tracks ran into the cardinal sin of a cover song - simply that they did nothing with it. A cover band hopes to mimic another band, but a tribute song should have at least some of their own touch to it. One track in particular, Shandi's Addiction's Calling Dr. Love was a complete miss on all cylinders.

1. Deuce - Lenny Kravitz (♦♦♦♦)
I've never been the biggest Kravitz fan, but he hits the mark with this song. Right up his alley, he plays the blues tone of the original and adds his own flair to Paul's lyrics. Great guitar funky guitar work and harmonica add up to a great song.
2. Hard Luck Woman - Garth Brooks (♦♦♦½)
Another example of making their own mark on a song, Brooks makes the listener wonder if maybe this song wasn't his to start with. He gives it that smooth country tone that hinted at in the original, if not fully realized. Garth fans will think it's a new track that he came up with, since it blends perfectly with his repertoire as it did with that of KISS. A comfortable song to sit back and enjoy.
3. She - Anthrax (♦♦♦½)
While it's no surprise that Anthrax are fans of KISS, they were an interesting choice of band, and probably one of the least - other than Shandi's Addiction to the mainstream audience. The choice was well made as Anthrax does an excellent job at this song, keeping the original's flavor and adding an Anthrax touch. As a side note, their cover of Parasite on the Attack of the B-Sides disc is also worth checking out.
4. Christine Sixteen - Gin Blossoms (♦♦½)
While true to the original, the Gin Blossoms rendition of this song lacks what I think is a key ingredient to a good cover - originality. This sounds like a near dead-on cover, without the personality of the original.
5. Rock And Roll All Night - Toad The Wet Sprocket (♦♦♦½)
On the other hand, Toad takes the song and makes it their own completely. Slowing it significantly and putting it into a scale and tone that would fit on any of their own albums, they produce a familiar but unique rendition. I don't particularly like the pace of this cover, but I enjoy the way they put their own stamp on it.
6. Calling Dr. Love - Shandi's Addiction (♦♦)
There's a reason no one has heard of this band, and what they do to this song is the evidence. I don't know how they made it onto this disc. While they add their own style to the song, that style kills it.
7. Goin' Blind - Dinosaur Jr. (♦♦♦½)
Dinosaur Jr. pulls off a coup with this song - they keep the dramatic tone of the original but put their own vibe to it - making the cover nearly as good as the original. The lead singer's vocals add a new type of desperation to it, adding another layer to this song's almost Guns 'n Roses-like feel. Great job.
8. Strutter - Extreme (♦♦♦)
Extreme does a good job with this but it's another example of leaning too close to the original. The lead singer sounds nearly identical to Paul Stanley and although there is a slight change in pace, it's small and nearly unnoticeable unless you know the song. It does, however, have a good finale.
9. Plaster Caster - The Lemonheads (♦♦♦)
Another surprise choice of bands (wasn't this the same band that covered Mrs. Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel?), but obviously a good one. While fairly similar to the original, they mix it up enough to make it enjoyable and new.
10. Detroit Rock City - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (♦♦♦♦½)
A great choice for this song. It starts off with a nice touch of a Gene Simmons interview on the radio before the song jams into full speed. While Dicky Barrett's vocals are more guttural than the original's, it helps make it their own song, transforming it with their unique ska-blend of music, including an incredible horn section.
11. Black Diamond - Yoshiki (♦♦♦♦♦)
I'd never heard of Yoshiki, but obviously the band knew he was a winner. In a unique twist, this composer removes the lyrics from this song and turns it into an orchestral piece. The transformation is amazing, adding depth and infinite levels of feeling to an already great song. Perhaps the best song on the disc, it's beyond a doubt the most interesting.

OVERALL RATING 3.3
As a whole, this album has highs and lows, but when it's good, it's VERY good. The bad songs are pretty bad, though, and drag down this disc's overall rating. Still it's worth picking up, especially if you are a KISS fan.

[ • thank you, GOOD NIGHT • ]
As a whole, this is one of my favorite tribute albums, and one of the best that I've heard. The bands here are obviously fans of KISS, and it creates a good set of covers where that passion shows. Sure, there are a few that leave something to be desired, but that is more a testament to those bands' styles than the quality of the disc itself.

If you're a fan of KISS, this disc gives you a good sampling of some of their best tunes reinvented by new bands. The good outweighs the bad, and some of the tracks are great additions to any fans collection.

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Exercising