In a brand new interview with PipemanRadio, drummer Mike Portnoy of progressive steel giants DREAM THEATER was requested what prompted him to change into a musician. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Nicely, it was most likely seeing KISS at Madison Sq. Backyard in 1977 on the ‘Alive II’ tour. I used to be solely 10 years previous, however being in that viewers, even earlier than the present began, and seeing the large KISS [logo] mild up, no matter you’ll name that, the backdrop, seeing it not lit within the enviornment, smelling the pot smoke within the air and simply the joy of the lights taking place and [hearing], ‘You needed the most effective, you bought the most effective. The most well liked band on the planet — KISS,’ simply that pleasure and the bombs going off and the pyro, and that was it. From that time on, I knew that is what I needed to do.”
After interviewer Pipeman famous that the quilt artwork of the primary KISS album is what introduced him to the place he’s now, Portnoy stated: “It is so humorous, as a result of that album cowl, for the primary album cowl, is so iconic, however when you concentrate on it, it is actually simply an up to date model of THE BEATLES‘ ‘Meet The Beatles’ album cowl. So it was like taking the identical album cowl and simply taking it for a decade later to a brand new era.”
Highlighting among the different parallels between THE BEATLES and KISS, Portnoy added: “Paul Stanley is the Paul McCartney character. Gene Simmons was the John Lennon character. Ace Frehley was the George Harrison character. They align even. You had 4 guys that each one sing and all create and contribute. When THE BEATLES got here round, it was the primary time there was a band of 4 characters. Up till then, you simply had Elvis Presleys or Chuck Berrys, however when THE BEATLES got here round, you lastly had 4 distinctive characters. And it was the identical with KISS, when KISS got here round — you had 4 characters, they usually have been all bringing one thing to picture of the band.”
5 years in the past, Portnoy talked about his love of KISS whereas going via his vinyl assortment for a video on his YouTube channel. He stated on the time:  ”Sure, I nonetheless, to at the present time, am a KISS freak and a KISS fanatic. This simply brings me again to my childhood. That is my childhood. I grew up with these albums. I’ve all the unique ones in my assortment nonetheless, however I needed to rebuy the entire assortment of all of the early ’70 stuff… Round ’75, ’76, ’77, ’78, they have been my greatest heroes. I used to be the largest KISS fanatic you could possibly meet. I began with THE BEATLES. Late ’60, early ’70s, THE BEATLES, that was my factor — I used to be fanatical about them — however then, as soon as I used to be round 9, 10 years previous, no matter, KISS was like the brand new BEATLES to me. And there are lots of parallels between THE BEATLES and KISS, consider it or not. I at all times pictured Paul Stanley because the Paul McCartney stereotype, Gene is the John Lennon stereotype, Ace is the George Harrison and Peter [Criss] is the Ringo [Starr]. So I believe there was lots of similarities between KISS and THE BEATLES once they got here round. And like THE BEATLES, [KISS] had 4 very distinctive personalities. It was like 4 superstars, 4 superheroes in the identical band. So very comparable idea as THE BEATLES, however for a 10-year-old child within the ’70s, it was magical.
“The primary KISS album [self-titled 1974 effort] — legendary. So many nice songs: ‘Strutter’, ‘Deuce’. The manufacturing was not so nice. The manufacturing, I believe, was even worse on [1974’s] ‘Hotter Than Hell’ — the combo is basically exhausting to hearken to — however so many nice songs. I really like ‘All The Approach’. I nonetheless wanna cowl that one today. ‘Watching You’ and ‘Goin’ Blind’, ‘Obtained To Select’, ‘Parasite’.
“[1975’s ‘Dressed To Kill’] is my favourite of the primary three. I really like ‘Dressed To Kill’. I really like the deep cuts. I really like ‘Room Service’ and ‘Getaway’, ‘Love Her All I Can’, ‘Something For My Child’, ‘C’mon And Love Me’. I imply, it’s simply music after music after music.
“Then [1975 live album ‘Alive!’] was the large one. And I even have my previous ‘Alive!’ hanging on the wall, signed by all 4 of them via the years. However I purchased the reissue, and it comes with all the identical stuff and the booklets and every little thing from the unique. However [it’s] one of many nice reside albums of all time, which most likely wasn’t even recorded reside, nevertheless it would not matter. This captured every little thing concerning the band that was nice and all the most effective songs from the primary three albums.
“[1976’s] ‘Destroyer’ — most likely their masterpiece of this period. Not my favourite, however most likely the masterpiece. Produced by Bob Ezrin, who went on to do [PINK FLOYD‘s] ‘The Wall’. In fact, ‘Detroit Rock Metropolis’. I really like ‘Do You Love Me’, I really like ‘King Of The Evening Time World’. ‘Beth’ is on right here, ‘God Of Thunder’, ‘Shout It Out Loud’. So, somewhat little bit of every little thing, one thing for everybody on this album.
“[1976’s ‘Rock And Roll Over’] might be my favourite of the center three. I’d say ‘Dressed To Kill’ is my favourite of the primary three, [and ‘Rock And Roll Over’] is my favourite of the the subsequent three. I really like ‘Rock And Roll Over’. I believe it is one of many best-sounding of the previous KISS albums. And as soon as once more, I really like the deep cuts. I really like ‘Take Me’. I’ve at all times needed to cowl ‘Take Me’. ‘I Need You’, ‘Mr. Velocity’, ‘Women Room’. ‘Calling Dr. Love’ — what a music. That got here up on my iTunes shuffle a couple of months in the past, and I used to be, like, ‘What an ideal, excellent music.’ Superb.
“[1977’s] ‘Love Gun’. This was the tour that I noticed them on for the primary time. Truly, I noticed ’em in December 77, so that they have been nonetheless touring on ‘Love Gun’, however I believe ‘Alive II’ had simply come out. And that is the primary time I noticed them — at Madison Sq. Backyard, December 14th, ’77. So, principally, this was the present I noticed, the primary time I noticed KISS. And I bear in mind they opened with ‘I Stole Your Love’. Oh, it was simply wonderful to be in that room — even earlier than the present began, to only see the KISS brand on stage all metallic, however not lit up but, and to scent the pot smoke within the room. And it was simply magical, unbelievable. And that was like a type of BEATLES ‘Ed Sullivan’ moments for me once I was a child. And I taped it —I snuck in a tape recorder and taped it. And I’ve a bootleg of it someplace on cassette nonetheless to at the present time.
“[1981’s ‘Music from ‘The Elder”] is among the most hated albums of their catalog, particularly by Gene and Paul. I really like this album. I believe that is an extremely underrated album. I do know they regarded corny on the time.
“Once I fell in love with [early] KISS, by the point [‘The Elder’] got here out, I used to be transferring on to different issues and listening to stuff like MOTÖRHEAD and AC/DC. So my style was altering, and all of their younger children have been rising up, beginning to transfer on to various things. However wanting again now, I believe this was an important album. I really like the songs on right here. It is Eric Carr on drums. I really like ‘Odyssey’. [That’s] one other music I have been desirous to cowl without end. However I believe there’s nice stuff on right here. ‘A World With out Heroes’ is gorgeous. ‘Solely You’. I imply, nice stuff. So I am nonetheless an ‘Elder’ fan.”
