Kiss – ‘Ikons’ (2008) – Album Review (The Kiss Review Series)

I know, I know. I’ve done a lot of Kiss compilations lately. Hopefully, you have it in you for another one. This one is a little different then the others, believe it or not. It is a 4 CD set called ‘Ikons’ and it contains one CD for each member of the band. That is right. The songs on each CD are sung by the band member the CD is named after. Funny thing is, growing up, I would do the exact same thing. I would make a cassette, or later CDs, that were band member specific. The Ace and Peter ones were easy as they barely had enough songs to make a CD. However, Gene’s and Paul’s were more difficult as they had a lot more to choose from.

The ‘Ikon’ box set came out on October 21, 2008 and was included in a gatefold case that folded out to have 5 sections. It also came with a slip cover to go over it. It contained a different image then what was on the case itself which is awesome. You get a picture of each band member along with a slot for each members album specifically designed for each member with their famous ‘icon’ stamped on it. It was a nicely put together set. Each Disc contains 14 tracks so you do the math on how many songs you get (don’t forget to carry the one).

DISC 1 (Red) – The Demon:

The first disc is of course, Gene! For Gene and Paul’s discs, the song choices are only up to ‘Dynasty’. Nothing from the 80’s or the later era albums. Which is fine. They have so many songs between them, there is definitely a lot to choose from. Each disc also pulls songs from the respective solo albums. This one has some classic Gene songs you’d expect most especially “God of Thunder” and “Calling Dr. Love”. I don’t know if I would’ve picked “Rock And Roll All Nite” like they did as Paul sings on that one too. But songs like “Deuce”, “Cold Gin” and “Parasite” are solid choices for Gene. They only picked one from his solo album and that is “Radioactive”. There were others they should’ve pulled as well and I would’ve loved to have seen “Naked City” from ‘Unmasked’. We are limited to only 14 so it is an impossible choice to please everyone.

Disc 2 (Purple) – The Star Child:

Paul’s disc kicks off with “Detroit Rock City” and that is probably the right song to kick off this disc. I was surprised by the song the picked off his solo album, “Wouldn’t You Like to Know Me” as that is not the one I would’ve picked. But they got it right with so many others including “I Was Made For Loving You”, “Love Gun”, “Strutter” and “Hotter Than Hell”. I also thought it was great they picked one of the studio tracks from ‘Alive II’ with “All-American Man”. I’ve always loved that song. Paul’s for me is a really tough one to pick songs for as he has so many great ones. I would’ve picked a few differently myself, but for the most part it is a solid choice.

Disc 3 (Blue) – Space Ace:

Ace’s and Peter’s selections are really very easy. They don’t have a bunch of songs so basically you pick every song they’ve done and put it on here. Take those and add more than one choice from their solo album and you are done. There are no decisions to be made other than what songs to pick from the solo. Easy-peasy! So, the songs on here are all fantastic because honestly, Ace never did a band song. The first two songs are the right ones to kick off the album with “New York Groove” his big solo hit and “Shock Me” his very first song he sang on an album (and one of his best). They picked 5 songs from his solo album and all good choices. For Ace, they did go outside the 70’s with “Two Sides of the Coin” from Unmasked, “Dark Light” from ‘Music From the Elder’ and “Into the Void” from 1998’s ‘Psycho Circus’. The Ace one is my favorite disc of the four!

Disc 4 (Green) – The Cat Man:

The final disc is Peter’s and like Ace, easy to pick his songs as he barely has enough to make a disc as well. That is why we get four from his solo album. They kicked his off with “Hard Luck Woman” which isn’t what I would’ve done but it was a big hit for him. I personally might have done “Black Diamond”. You do get “Beth” as you would expect and then everything else he did from the 70’s. They do pick one from ‘Psycho Circus’ with “I Finally Found My Way”. The four songs from the solo album are probably the decent tracks to pick. I didn’t are for his solo album…sorry Peter, still love you though. Out of the four, the Ace and Peter one I will probably listen to the most as I like to just hear their stuff every now and again.

And that is the set. I think this was a cooler, out of the box thinking type set. Heck, I bet you all Kiss fans made their own disc of their favorite band member’s songs. Like I said earlier, I did that many times. I give them props for being more creative this time around. Now, I want to go do a Gene and Paul one for all their 80’s stuff too. I don’t know if this box set is for the casual fan since, but a cool piece for the Kiss Collector. My Overall Score is a 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars. It doesn’t get a perfect rating only because the Gene and Paul song choices aren’t necessarily where I would’ve gone. Thanks for hanging around…

The Kiss Review Series:

1. Wicked Lester and the Progeny Demo Sessions (Bootleg)
2. Kiss – Kiss (1974)
3. Kiss – Hotter Than Hell (1974)
4. Kiss – Dressed to Kill (1975)
5. Kiss – Alive! (1975)
6. Kiss – Destroyer (1976)
7. Kiss – “Flaming Youth” 45 Promo Single – Bonus Edition (1976)
8. Kiss – “Beth” – 7″ Single – Bonus Edition (1976)
9. Kiss – Special Kiss Album For Their Summer Tour (1976)
10. Kiss – The Originals (1976)
11. Kiss – Rock & Roll Over (1976)
12. Kiss – “Calling Dr. Love” – 7″ Single – Bonus Edition (1977)
13. Kiss – Love Gun (1977)
14. Kiss – “Christine Sixteen” – 7″ Single – Bonus Edition (1977)
15. Kiss – Alive II (1977)
16. Kiss – Double Platinum (1978)
17. Kiss – Paul Stanley (1978)
18. Kiss – Gene Simmons (1978)
19. Kiss – Peter Criss (1978)
20. Kiss – Ace Frehley (1978)
21. Kiss – Best of Solo Albums (1978)
22. Kiss – Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park Movie (1978)
23. Kiss – Dynasty (1979)
24. Kiss – “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” (1979) – 12″ & 7″ Singles (Bonus Edition)
25. Kiss – Unmasked (1980)
26. Peter Criss – Out of Control (1980)
27. Kiss – Music From The Elder (1981)
28. Kiss – Killers (1982)
29. Kiss – Creatures of the Night (1982)
30. Kiss – Lick It Up (1983)
31. Kiss – Animalize (1984)
32. Wendy O. Williams – WOW (1984) (Bonus Edition)
33. Kiss – Animalize Live Uncensored (1985)
34. Kiss – Asylum (1985)
35. Kiss – “Tears Are Falling” 7″ Single (Bonus Edition) (1985)
36. Kiss – Creatures of the Night (1985 Re-Issue)
37. Vinnie Vincent Invasion – Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986)
38. Black N’ Blue – Nasty Nasty (1986)
39. Ace Frehley – Frehley’s Comet (1987)
40. Kiss – Exposed VHS (1987)
41. Kiss – Crazy Nights (1987)
42. Kiss – “Crazy Crazy Nights” – 12″ Single (Bonus Edition)
43. Kiss – “Reason To Live” – 12″ Picture Disc (Bonus Edition)
44. Kiss – Chikara (1988)
45. Kiss – Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988)
46. Kiss – Hot In The Shade (1989)
47. Kiss – “God Gave Rock And Roll To You II” (1991) – 12″ Picture Disc
48. Kiss – Revenge (1992)
49. Kiss – Alive III (1993)
50. Kiss – “I Was Made For Lovin’ You (Live)” (1993) – CD Maxi Single (Bonus Edition)
51. Kiss – Konfidential VHS (1993)
52. Kiss – Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved (1994)
53. Kiss – MTV Unplugged (1996)
54. Kiss – You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! (1996)
55. Kiss – Greatest Kiss (1997)
56. Kiss – Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)
57. Kiss – Psycho Circus (1998)
58. Kiss – The Second Coming Documentary (1998)
59. Eric Carr – Rockology (1999)
60. Mark St. John – Mark St. John Project (1999)
61. Eric Singer Project – ESP (1999)
62. Bruce Kulick – Audiodog (2001)
63. Kiss – Kiss Symphony: Alive IV (2003)
64. Kiss – The Best of Kiss: The Millennium Collection (1974-1982) (2003)
65. Gene Simmons – Asshole (2004)
66. Kiss – Rock the Nation 2004 World Tour: Instant Live (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte, NC 7/28/04) (2004)
67. Kiss – The Best of Kiss: Volume 2 – The Millennium Collection (1982-1989) (2004)
68. Kiss – Rock the Nation Live! DVD (2005)
69. Kiss – Gold (2005)
70. Kiss – The Best of Kiss: Volume 3 – The Millennium Collection (The 90’s) (2006)
71. Kiss – Alive! The Millennium Concert (2006)
72. Kiss – Kiss Alive! 1975-2000 Box Set (2006)
73. Paul Stanley – Live to Win (2006)
74. Kiss – Kissology: Volumes 1 to 3 (2006-2007)
75. Kiss – Jigoku-Retsuden (2008)
76. Kiss – Ikons (2008)
77. Kiss – Sonic Boom (2009)
78. Kiss – Monster (2012)
79. Kiss – The Casablanca Singles 1973-1982 (2012)
80. Kiss – Kiss 40 (2014) – 2 CD Set
81. Kiss – Kiss 40 (2014) – Japanese Edition
82. Kiss – Kiss Rocks Vegas (2016)
83. Kiss – Kissworld: The Best of Kiss (2017)
84. Kiss – Off the Soundboard: Tokyo 2001 (2021)
85. Kiss – Off the Soundboard: Live in Virginia Beach July 24, 2004 (2022)
86. Kiss – The Albums Ranked From Worst to First (2021)
87. Kiss – Destroyer: 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition (2021)
88. Kiss – Destroyer: 45th Anniversary 2-LP Deluxe Edition (Colored Vinyl) (2021)
89. Kiss – Creatures of the Night: 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition (2022)
90. Kiss – Creatures of the Night: 40th Anniversary 3-LP Deluxe Edition (Colored Vinyl) (2022)
91. Kiss – Off the Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, NY Mid Hudson Civic Arena, November 28, 1984 (2023)
92. Kiss – Icon (2010 / 2023)
93. Kiss – Lick it Up (40th Anniversary Picture Disc) (2023)

The Bootleg Series:

1. Kiss – ‘Accept No Imitations’ (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ASYLUM TOUR)
2. Kiss – Look Wot You Dun to Me (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (CRAZY NIGHTS TOUR)
3. Kiss – The Summer of Satan: The Devils Ride Out! (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DESTROYER TOUR)
4. Kiss – Return to Capital Center (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DYNASTY TOUR)
5. Kiss – With Fire & Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (HOTTER THAN HELL TOUR)
6. Kiss – Northhampton PA March 19th, 1975 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DRESSED TO KILL TOUR)
7. Kiss – The Hottest Show On Earth (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE HOTTEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR 2010)
8. Kiss – All the Way to the Ball Room (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (Australian Tour 1995)
9. Kiss – Kiss of Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (The Rising Sun Tour 2006)
10. Kiss – Agora Ballroom 1974: The Cleveland Broadcast plus Bonus Cuts (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE KISS TOUR)
11. Kiss – Hotter Than Hell: Radio Broadcast 1976 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ROCK & ROLL OVER TOUR)
12. Kiss – The Tickler (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (LICK IT UP TOUR 1983)
13. Kiss – Barbarize (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ANIMALIZE WORLD TOUR 1984 – North American Tour)
14. Kiss – They Only Come Out At Night (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ANIMALIZE WORLD TOUR 1984 – EUROPEAN TOUR)
15. Wicked Lester and the Progeny Demo Sessions (Bootleg)
16. Kiss – Black Diamond: Lafayette Music Room, Memphis, TN April 18th, 1974 – FM Broadcast
17. Kiss – End of the Road: In Allentown 2020 (PPL Center, Allentown, PA, 4th February 2020) (End of the Road Tour) – Blu-Ray
18. Kiss – ‘Monster Tour: Simpsonville 2013’ (Charter Amphitheatre at Heritage Park, Simpsonville, C – 13th August 2013) – Blu-Ray
19. Wicked Lester – The Original Wicked Lester Sessions (Bootleg)
20. Kiss – The Ritz on Fire (August 12, 1988, The Ritz, New York City. A radio broadcast – Crazy Nights Tour)
21. Kiss – Kiss My Axe 1978: Live from the Los Angeles Forum in California, August 25, 1977 (Love Gun Tour)
22. Kiss – Gods of Thunder: The Legendary Concert Broadcast – Sao Paulo, August 27, 1994′
23. Kiss – Black Diamond: Lafayette Music Room, Memphis, TN April 18th, 1974 – FM Broadcast (Alternate Cover)
24. Kiss -Alive! in Amityville: June 1973 – (2021)
25. Kiss – Set the World On Fire: Live (10 CD Box Set – Radio Broadcasts 1974-1994)
26. Kiss – Diamonds in the Dust (2022)