Just shitty shitty music. Aside from that they've merchandised everything to death, it was treated as a business first from the start. You can buy Kiss coffins. Gene Simmons is also a massive massive prick.
I dated someone who's dad had been a roadie forever so we could get into any big show for free, so because I didn't have to pay I actually saw them live and it was embarrassing. They had a ten minute break for a "guitar solo" that was just buddy running his hand up and down the neck like a child would do. It sucked
Simmons is also immensely pro-Israel and supported it during during its war against Lebanon (though, he was against the most recent campaign in 2021, for what its worth).
Early era of modern arena rock, they were one of the first in the door with a few huge hits ("Rock and Roll All Night" being the big one), absolutely lit the touring scene on fire with big, highly produced live shows, had a striking look (for the time) that made them very, very marketable on top of their music being easy-to-digest and very popular. As far as musicality or innovation on the genre they performed within, there's not much to speak of, they just managed to land some huge radio hits, lean in on the moral panic stuff just enough to make them "marketable" taboo for younger kids and adults, went full-press on the merch and branding, and there you have it.
Especially Kiss. They're fucking terrible.
Never been into that band, why are they particularly terrible anyways? Boomers like them so that's a big red flag.
they make the crowd recite the pledge of allegiance before encores
Good lord
Just shitty shitty music. Aside from that they've merchandised everything to death, it was treated as a business first from the start. You can buy Kiss coffins. Gene Simmons is also a massive massive prick.
I dated someone who's dad had been a roadie forever so we could get into any big show for free, so because I didn't have to pay I actually saw them live and it was embarrassing. They had a ten minute break for a "guitar solo" that was just buddy running his hand up and down the neck like a child would do. It sucked
Simmons is also immensely pro-Israel and supported it during during its war against Lebanon (though, he was against the most recent campaign in 2021, for what its worth).
Not at all shocking
Early era of modern arena rock, they were one of the first in the door with a few huge hits ("Rock and Roll All Night" being the big one), absolutely lit the touring scene on fire with big, highly produced live shows, had a striking look (for the time) that made them very, very marketable on top of their music being easy-to-digest and very popular. As far as musicality or innovation on the genre they performed within, there's not much to speak of, they just managed to land some huge radio hits, lean in on the moral panic stuff just enough to make them "marketable" taboo for younger kids and adults, went full-press on the merch and branding, and there you have it.
I'm not saying you have to like Kiss, but the snobbery that comes out whenever they enter the conversation is gross. They're pop-rock, which is fine.
They suck because of stuff like this: making the crowd do the pledge of allegiance before an encore
No, they're worse than most pop rock.
no they’re poop rock & so sheety it rocks