Music from "The Elder" is the 9th studio album released by the American band Kiss. It was an attempt on the part of the group to establish Kiss as credible artists, and also to reverse the trend of declining album sales and commercial popularity that had begun in 1979. Instead, the album further served to alienate the group's fan base and represents the lowest point commercially for the group.[citation needed]
To date, Music from "The Elder" is one of only two Kiss studio albums to fail to earn any US sales certification (the other is 1997's Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions). Album sales were so poor that Kiss did not embark on a supporting tour for the first time in its eight-year history, opting instead to make a handful of promotional appearances.[1]
Music from "The Elder" was the last Kiss album on which lead guitarist Ace Frehley appeared until the 1996 Reunion Tour. Frehley, disgruntled with the band's creative direction as well as with the production of Bob Ezrin, stopped actively participating in the Kiss operation by early 1982, and officially quit the group by November that same year.[2][3]
While "A World Without Heroes" was later performed on the band's 1995 MTV Unplugged appearance, the entire album has been largely ignored in live performances. During a 2004 Australia show, the band attempted to perform "I", but bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons had long forgotten the lyrics.[4]
The song "Escape from the Island" can be heard at the conclusion of the home games of the Florida Everblades, a minor league hockey team that plays in the ECHL.
RIAA: Gold
Track listing
International version
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fanfare" | Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin | (instrumental) | 1:00 |
| 2. | "Just a Boy" | Stanley, Ezrin | Stanley | 2:37 |
| 3. | "Odyssey" | Tony Powers | Stanley | 5:49 |
| 4. | "Only You" | Gene Simmons | Gene Simmons, Stanley | 4:17 |
| 5. | "Under the Rose" | Simmons, Eric Carr | Simmons | 4:52 |
| 6. | "Dark Light" | Ace Frehley, Simmons, Anton Fig, Lou Reed | Ace Frehley | 4:16 |
| 7. | "A World Without Heroes" | Stanley, Simmons, Ezrin, Reed | Simmons | 2:39 |
| 8. | "The Oath" | Stanley, Ezrin, Powers | Stanley | 4:33 |
| 9. | "Mr. Blackwell" | Simmons, Reed | Simmons | 4:53 |
| 10. | "Escape from the Island" | Frehley, Carr, Ezrin | (instrumental) | 2:51 |
| 11. | "I" | Simmons, Ezrin | Stanley, Simmons | 5:04 |
US/European version[]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Oath" | Stanley, Ezrin, Powers | Stanley | 4:33 |
| 2. | "Fanfare" | Stanley, Ezrin | (instrumental) | 1:00 |
| 3. | "Just a Boy" | Stanley, Ezrin | Stanley | 2:37 |
| 4. | "Dark Light" | Frehley, Simmons, Fig, Reed | Frehley | 4:16 |
| 5. | "Only You" | Simmons | Simmons, Stanley | 4:17 |
| 6. | "Under the Rose" | Simmons, Carr | Simmons | 4:52 |
| 7. | "A World Without Heroes" | Stanley, Simmons, Ezrin, Reed | Simmons | 2:39 |
| 8. | "Mr. Blackwell" | Simmons, Reed | Simmons | 4:53 |
| 9. | "Escape from the Island" | Frehley, Carr, Ezrin | (instrumental) | 2:51 |
| 10. | "Odyssey" | Tony Powers | Stanley | 5:49 |
| 11. | "I" | Simmons, Ezrin | Stanley, Simmons | 3:54 |
| 12. | "Finale" | (instrumental) |
1:23 |
Personnel
- Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar; vocals
- Gene Simmons - bass guitar; vocals
- Ace Frehley - lead guitar; vocals
- Eric Carr - drums; percussion, backing vocals
with
- Bob Ezrin - producer; keyboards; bass guitar on "The Oath", "Dark Light" and "Escape from the Island"[3][6]
- Allan Schwartzberg - drums on "I" and "Odyssey"