Albums Unleashed Carnival of Souls w/Toby Wright

[WizKid]

Famed producer Toby Wright​ sits down with Chris and Aaron this week for part 1 of a 2 part Albums Unleashed special covering KISS' 1997 release Carnival of Souls.

Shelved in early 1996 by Mercury Records due to KISS​ taking a left turn at Reunionville, Carnival of Souls leaked shortly thereafter and was bootlegged in large numbers necessitating an official release in October of 1997.

In this hour-plus part 1 episode, Toby Wright recounts his initial meetings with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley about the "new direction" in which the band was deciding to head, his impressions of the songs being written for the album, and the tracking of basic tracks. The track by track discussion in this episode includes Toby's memories of the creation of songs 'Hate,' 'Rain,' 'Master & Slave,' 'Childhoods End,' ' I Will Be There,' and 'Jungle.' Discussion of tension between Simmons & Stanley over arrangements is also included as well as Wright's memories of a tense mixing session with Simmons in regards to his bass part in one of the songs and how, due to the co-production credit on the album, politics and diplomacy had to be in delicate balance.

It's the first half of deep talk about one of KISS' most polarizing albums; with many members of the KISS Army either loving it or hating it. We hope you enjoy Albums Unleashed - Carnival of Souls with Toby Wright.

http://dbgeekshow.blogspot.com/2015/03/ ... souls.html

[BigEd]

Nice jobs Guy's.... I was watching Tv one day and actually heard that "Scream"....I knew it was Paul and I believe, it was done as a favor and $$$$ for Bob Ezrin ....I swear, it was for a Honda commercial !!!

[shramiac]

Still a hard listen for me is that album.

[wolfgang161272]

I like this album verry much and listen to it a Lit. Jungle or Master and Slave or IWill Be There are great songs.
It's an underated album from KISS. And Kulick was not the right guitar player for this kind of songs.
The Vin-Man himself would be the better part
Wolfi

[WizKid]

Nice jobs Guy's.... I was watching Tv one day and actually heard that "Scream"....I knew it was Paul and I believe, it was done as a favor and $$$$ for Bob Ezrin ....I swear, it was for a Honda commercial !!!

Yep, you are right. It was in a commercial (not sure which car company). I'd love to find that commercial again. Thanks for listening!

[WizKid]

I like this album verry much and listen to it a Lit. Jungle or Master and Slave or IWill Be There are great songs.
It's an underated album from KISS. And Kulick was not the right guitar player for this kind of songs.
The Vin-Man himself would be the better part
Wolfi

While I'd love to hear what Vin would do with these songs, the album wouldn't even exist without Bruce being there to tie everything together. I, personallly, love his playing on it.

[WizKid]

Chris and Aaron return this week with the second part of their discussion with producer Toby Wright for Albums Unleashed - Carnival of Souls. Covering the second half of this controversial KISS album, Toby shares his memories of the tracking and mixing of the songs including the Gene Simmons-sung 'In My Head,' which was written by Gene along with Scott Van Zen and Jaime St. James of Black n' Blue. In this section of the discussion, Wright remembers pushing Simmons and bandmate Paul Stanley to record harmony vocals in the vein of Alice in Chains members Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley; and how the attempt would fall short by comparison.

Another track discussed in this hour-plus special is 'I Confess.' Wright reflects on a tense recording session involving a string section that was brought in to add a dark feel to the songs and how he had to get the classically-trained musicians to break convention to pull off the sound he was after.

Other tracks covered in this Albums Unleashed special include the psychadelic-tinged 'In the Mirror,' the Black Sabbath-inspired track 'It Never Goes Away,' and one of the most unusual tracks in the KISS catalog; the Middle-Eastern sounding 'Seduction of the Innocent,'

Most notably, however, is the discussion of the debut (and lone) KISS vocal of guitarist Bruce Kulick. This track had quite a history as Wright explains the numerous permutations it would take on during the tracking process (including a lead vocal take from Simmons). This track's autobiographical nature would play out as life would later imitate art in the form of the KISS reunion and guitarist Kulick and drummer Eric Singer would wind up unemployed.

Toby Wright goes into great detail in this discussion of how Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley called a meeting during the overdub sessions for Carnival of Souls to break the news that they had been solicited with a multi-million dollar offer to put on the greasepaint and reunite with original KISS drummer and guitarist Peter Criss and Ace Frehley; respectively.

The effect of the reunion announcement would have a catastrophic effect on the album; as it was immediately shelved by Mercury Records, leaked on the internet, and then, with very little fanfare, released by the record label in October of 1997.

http://dbgeekshow.blogspot.com/2015/03/ ... souls.html

[ankh]

thanks guys, great job!!

[Genebaby]

Great work. Another interesting time in Kisstory, with the guys pushing themselves to make a record they were not truly comfortable with, a very similar vibe to The Elder.

[ankh]

in my opinion, they went in the wrong direction,beyond derivative, tryng to jump on the grunge bandwagon....two years later, like they did with Crazy nights,when they tried to be as successful as Heart and Ozzy, using the same producer who used a cookie cutter production formula.....

An example:
[youtube][/youtube]

[tukoztukoz]

Carnival of souls sounds like Alice in Chains, that's a fact.
I remember Gene said in the nineties that he listened to Beck a lot (not Jeff Beck, but the Beck who sang "I'm a loser babe so why don't you kill me..."
Must not be grunge, must not be grunge, fits like a glove...
I wonderwhat Vinnie thought about that grunge turn at that time - apart from suing Kiss

[Slayer]

I know that I'm in the minority but I think Carnival of Souls was one of the best KISS Albums

[tukoztukoz]

I used to listen to this album a lot in 2001 in my car, when I went to work in a place I didn't like, 60 miles away from where I live... I think it suited the situation perfectly!

[doublev2]

I will listen to this soon. As for tv commercials I think Paul did folgers but maybe I am out of loop. I think he did butterfinger too. Hehe