People can say what they want about ACE and PETER but after watching this again , shows how much they were needed to make KISS the band they were . Great drumming and singing from Peter , and what can I say about ACE . He is THE man .
You're so right man! Most of these commentors weren't around when the Midnight Special was on NBC on Saturday nights back in the '70s. It was a showcase for music, not much of that around today. MTV had it for a while but that has denigrated into a toxic mess of shit.
Whatever the comments......singing, guitar or singing is great..this is it. And let me say, I adore Frehley but I learned over the years, Gene is a special guy and lemme tell you he rocks on Bass and his vocals are great. Kiss..all of them, legendary band!
This is the Kiss we all know. A band that wasn't very good but was able to sell shows based on their theatrics, makeup and breathing fire. One hit wonders !!
Me too. I would go to Godfather's Pizza. I would order a large Canadian bacon and mushroom pizza. I would get $5 worth of quarters to put into the juke box and Firepower pinball machine. I would order a cold draft beer, play pinball and listen to the juke box while waiting for the best pizza that ever existed
What if I told you he painted it black, turned it into a double cutaway, proceeded to never use again, and then sold it? Yeah, I love Ace but he's not the brightest bulb.
@ralphhowing3473 That's not a JR. It's an L6S. Gibson introduced those back around 73 but they weren't very popular. They're actually kind of rare to find these days. You don't see them very often.
Yeah man Ace was cool .. Actually he is still a great player. and influenced countless rock guitar players. Do you guys know that the 3 pick up custom Les Paul's he played........ The middle pick up was never hooked up ? Ace mostly used the bridge pick up.
Yes... early Kiss, hungry for success and all of them at their prime!!! Ace and Peter rock as hell. Gene with no tongue all the time and Paul with fantastic vocals. What a quality... awesome !..!
Why couldn't all concerts sound this good - - this is awesome ! I was about 7 or 8 when this came out. I'm 56 and KISS is still my favorite band. Thanks for the memories Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter !!!! 🤟
Yea I’m 54. Had every album by 10. Then i discovered Van Halen, sabbath, zepplin, kiss was on the back shelf. But I was so young and just killed em for the whole persona, i never saw em live or anything, but after seeing this they were bad ass and deserve a place at the top. The songs are actually really good too. I feel like i missed out on kn owing, understanding and being a real kiss fan. I was a kid fan and didn’t know shit. That was a great performance
I was 9 in Oct that year and stayed up late just to watch this at the time in 1975. The Peak of their power, creativity and hungry to make it one heck of a Great time.. awesome show. The Best years '74-'77 I can't not lie after Peter and Ace left they really Sucked Out Loud.
@@wilE6764 Same. Parents bought a big pool table back in the day and I'd invite 1-3 friends over and we'd have tournaments or winner keeps playing (usually me) and I played the Alive 1 & 2 album all during. I knew Ace's jams by heart and timed his solos and simulated guitar with the pool stick. My "finger-sync" was top notch! Then I discovered Van Halen 1 and Nugent's Weekend Warriors album (an underrated gem with great jams) and they also made the rotation. Great fun back then before CCATI (Cable, Computers and the internet).
This is THE BEST period of KISS’ career. Young, broke, and very hungry to succeed, and honestly, a bit scary! 1974 up to Love Gun in 1977 is my favorite era. After that, the money, egos, corporate mindset and over-saturation took over. Some good stuff post ‘77, but hit and miss the rest of the way.
@@markcruce-h3ncame to say THIS. No doubt, this is a badass performance (and I'm indifferent on KISS) but James Brown at the TAMI Show set the bar for mind blowing stage shows. And it set the bar incredibly high.
They definitely had the best stage show. I remember seeing them in the later 70"s(still original line up) and there was no one else on the planet that put it on like them.
You should watch the video of Sam Cooke singing blowing in the wind. The one where he walks into the audience. I had goosebumps and cried the first time I saw it
I was never a huge Kiss fan but the Midnight Special brought out the best or the worst in bands by featuring live performances. Kiss definitely rose to the occasion. This is smokin'!
Interesting that Ace was doing neck tapping way before Eddie Van Halen (05:52). From 1973 through about 1976-77 KISS was absolutely one of the greatest bands in rock music. Great video!
@@rogerstoned2592 There's a video on YT, taken from an Italian TV show, with Vittorio Camardese demonstrating his finger-tapping technique on an acoustic guitar, in 1965.
I remember around that era it was technically considered “cheating” by my guitar-loving friends- that was high school days. Even when Van Halen came to town a couple years later there were rumblings of “cheating” - the paradigm shifted rapidly after that. I was actually shocked by 1979 to hear guitar friends raving about EVH
Wow! This is excellent! I remember the Midnight Special as a kid. Peter Criss made such an impression on me that I been playing drums ever since. I have a few KISS songs on my channel. Long, live, live music and rock n roll.
This is THE KISS I was introduced to way back when they were doing their Kiss Ablive tour. I saw them at the Forum in Montreal, Quebec Canada on April 26, 1976 and I will never forget the pure raw energy and excitement and power that that concert left impression on me.
Omg I can't believe I'm watching this Like I'm in a time machine.. ❤❤❤ I know every single riff of this song. Kiss, a live one changed my life and I had no walls showing in my bedroom because it was all kiss, posters, and newspaper clippings and magazines. Lol. Thank you for posting this It's giving great joy. ❤
@laslalal8451 No doubt! I stopped listening to them after Love Gun. CAn't even stomach anything after that with all due respect. Just not the same darkness and vibe they had in the early days. But I never was a bubble gum radio rock guy and still ain't 🤮
@@emach07 I was recently turned on to Turn on the Night, and I can't deny that I like it. I'm glad I can appreciate the different dimensions of this band.
Excellent performance. Ace was two-handed tapping near the end. If this was filmed in 1975, that's 3 years before Van Halen's debut album. I wonder if Eddie saw Ace do this in concert?
Kiss was Kiss here. Hungry, raw, tight and creative. There was no stage show before then that even came close and the music is still to this day exemplary. All four original members were on point and incredible! Thank you for sharing!@
Can I keep my Rock 'N Roll credit card? Just kidding. This vid is a great tape of KISS, have to say. And I was never a big KISS fan. But this is impressive.
I mean there's a reason there one of the most popular bands in the world to this day. The vocals, the choreography, the showmanship. These guys put on a show!
many players had been tapping long before EVH. He just revised it, mastered it, and made it a style of his own. Many can tap, it was just more of how he was able to throw leads in that seemed to never really fit, but it worked with that swing style they had.
Steve Hackett of Genesis was doing it Pre Ace. And there were guitarists before Hackett that utilized it. Eddie made it popular. For good reason as he was amazing and took the technique to new heights.
Wow great harmonies on this one. This is the Kiss I want to remember. Imagine the impact they had in the 70s on the music audiences, they were truly like no other band when music and bands had mystique and mystery. Never knew who they were behind the make up.
Just think, they were faking performances then just like they are now. Hell, more of today's "live" shows is more legitimate than anything off of kiss alive or alive II.
I love Peter's laid back drum style. I don't get why Paul and Gene talks so much shit about him. Ace's solos are outstanding. Not because they're advanced it's because it's all about melody. I know all his solos by heart. I can sing them and play them. KISS 4 Ever 🤘🖤
Technical? No. Intricate? No, again. In your face from the street rock and roll? Absolutely!!! It was melodic, raw music and that's what made them popular; in my opinion.
You have to give it to them on this one, especially Ace...taping pre-Van Halen! Very tight band...I know they are not Led Zeppelin but there is great talent there and a decent song.
I used to watch MIDNIGHT SPECIAL all the time throughout the 1970's late Friday nights. It was the greatest time in music with the very familiar sounds of radio legend "Wolfman Jack" that made U feel like this was the best place to be at on a Friday night! Watching this from almost 50yrs ago proves that it wasn't just over glamorized memories that made me think KISS was so great back then...but that they REALLY were!! This also proves U don't need $1,000,000's in multi big rig loads of props & equipment with massive floating stages, lasers, explosions, mega giant screens. NON of that can create the millions of volts of pure raw explosive energy that comes from within that comes thru their REAL non-lip synched performance seen right here when this was the "REAL" KISS of Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter on a tiny little stage without all the mega massive production. This is the KISS I remembered & loved long before the now long distant watered down "Bud Light" version of "half" KISS that finally went out with a whimper MINUS Ace & Peter a couple months ago on the never ending give us all ur $$ "End of the Road" tour which incredibly was 24yrs AFTER I saw them on the supposed "Farewell Tour"!lol If anyone starts doubting themselves when hearing Paul Stanley's biased account trashing Ace & Peter's playing...all U need to do is watch them in action right here on MIDNIGHT SPECIAL when they all played for REAL & sang for REAL to hear & feel the unbelievable explosive energy that once upon a time really did make KISS the greatest band in the world!!
I've always said, Gene is the face, Paul is, well, was the voice, Peter, I guess the attitude, but Ace, he is the heart, soul, and mind of KISS. To me, he's the most talented of the four. Without him, it's not KISS. Grant it, the original KISS is Paul, Gene, Peter, and Ace. But KISS without Ace, nah, I don't know who they are. He had the best solo album in 1978, when all four had solo albums, not only that but the solo albums he released ensuing were remarkable. Which shows how underrated he is as a guitarist and musician but unfortunately, he's considered overrated because he is always associated with Gene and Paul's band. That used to be KISS. But then again, since day one, KISS has always been Gene and Paul's band.
Ace Frehley was the first guitar hero of my childhood. Totally agree with Adam; Ace IS KISS. I made my own Ace costume for Halloween when I was in the sixth grade. I thought I was the coolest! Saw the 1996 Reunion Tour show in ATL. Ace WAS the show that night! I come back to KISS music every now and then. It’s always like catching up with an old friend. This video is a reminder of how good they were and how hard they rocked. Good times!
Primera vez que escucho esta canción de Kiss. ¡ Que tal manera de tocar ! ... es como si la música cobrara vida con sus gestos y movimientos. Privilegiados los que estuvieron en ese concierto, es ARTE PURO.
First time I heard of KISS was from my uncle in a Spencer’s Gift store in the mall when I was 6 years old in 1976. I was looking for stuff I wanted and he said “how about this KISS poster (the Alive album poster). Without knowing what he was talking about, I was thinking about two lovers kissing…bleh! Then I saw the poster and it was the coolest thing I ever saw. I was hooked before I heard their first song \m/
If you'll notice when Ace is playing his solo he's doing hammer on's long before Vanhalen ever came on the scene. He might not be the best guitarist in the world, but he is definitely an original in many ways, and a guitar hero to many including me!
Long before? This was shot in 1975 and Van Halen's debut album came out only three years later. Anyway, Eddie Van Halen never claimed to have invented tapping... in fact here's a clip of guitarist Vittorio Camardese tapping in 1965. ua-cam.com/video/fgIgdiOQCl4/v-deo.html
@@stephenhawkingsfootballboo7885 Yup. No one ever said EVH invented tapping. And nothing against Ace, his abilities perfectly suited KISS. But, it's pointless to compare his primitive tapping skills to the guy who turned it into an artform that influenced every guitar god who followed.
So as a young black kid on the southside of Chicago...my uncle was a kiss fan and I rode with him. So I heard all the albums and we all picked a band member. I picked ACE. I remember every one of his riffs. This performance is incredible
this is still so F(ing) amazing. its so over the top. incredibly courageous and creative for a band to look and sound like they did in the 70's and the seismic impact and impression this would leave on millions of musicians everywhere. ive never stopped listening to them since I bought "Dressed to Kill" with my brother at a military grocery store in Virginia when I was like 8 or 9. I have so much KISS stuff its crazy. my only wish as a long time 40 year fan is that they stop ripping on each other in books, interviews, magazine articles , etc. its painful to hear how they are hating on each other. we dont want to hear it. its really put a damper on their legacy.you all four are still alive. one more tour with original members and figure out how to get along and share that magic with us and yourselves one more go round and end it together not in a court room.
This is an outstanding tight band. Ace solos with melody. Peters drums are with it. The whole band is legendary here. With the crowd on their feet at the end.
I watched this show all the time some & often phenomenal performances & look no lipsyncing or laptops or autotune. When bands were real & so where the musicians.
I’m so glad I saw them on their 96 Reunion Tour. It was a party! They put on quite a live show and knew their roles like well oiled machine. And it was great to see my hero Ace up front playing live in front of me finally and to see Peter play. They were wearing the Destroyer Costumes! My favorite Tour and album!
Their live act was truly one of a kind.... that raw power & stage presence was truly incredible... this is what Kiss were all about... that blistering in your face rock & roll .... ✌🤘👊👍
You really have to appreciate the context of the times when watching early Kiss. Most bands would just walk out in jeans and plug in their guitars. Kiss redefined the definition of stage show.
@@chevyboomer62 They invented their own look, their own sound, their own lyrics. Inspired by others and branched out to form their own vision. Clown. 🤡
Wow, this is from 1975! That's Ace tapping on the neck Van Halen style, a few years before Van Halen came out with their first album. I knew I heard tapping before Eddie on Kiss Alive II, Shock Me. Now I see it with my own eyes. Wow.
@@salbro5985 Gene and Paul have a commentary track on the KISSology box set and they say that was planned, except when he threw his bass drum into the crowd!
It definitely had an early 70's stoner rock groove thing going. They just drifted away from that style as most bands did through the decade. But to me early Kiss was the best era.
One of the few American metal bands who stood the test of time. They understood performance and inspired subsequent generations of musicians worldwide.
This never gets old! I wish today's music had more of this feel...and Ace playing hammer-on's this way in 75...nice! High octane Rock'n Roll!!! Thank you for posting!!!!
Ace should be up there with the best. But I'm afraid he will never get that recognition. Critics need to listen not look. Take away all the makeup and theatrics and you have four very talented musicians.
Back in the day. When KISS was KISS. I remember watching this episode of Midnight Special and the next day, ALL of us high school "wanna be" rockstars were talking about them. NOBODY ever saw anything like them before. Early KISS will always be the real KISS !
I don't care what anyone says, the original line up of this band had a GREAT chemistry, and Peter Criss was just as much a part of it as the other three.
An incredible proto punk song. Together with Strange Ways, arguably Kiss’s best song (adapted from the slower folksy Wicked Lester version) and Ace’s guitar is absolutely phenomenal in that extended bridge at 4:04 and onward.
I still remember when this first aired I was just a little kid that already owned the Dressed to kill record and wanted to see them live really bad! This show aired Late to a 9 year old back then so I had to fight to stay awake to see them! Well worth it!
God damn that was awesome! Dressed to kill / Alive 75 era Kiss is just untouchable! I wasn't even born yet ( the following year I was ) and I fell in love with them in 80 / 81 being a Aussie kid and Kiss being the biggest thing ever down under I didn't even know about early Kiss till the late 80s and my introduction was Unmasked and Dynasty, that's what I thought Kiss was , it wasn't till I found a second hand record store in my town that had pretty much every album from the debut up to Asylum that I got to hear songs like She. My love for this band has only gotten more intense over the years and I still get full body goose bumps watching stuff like this ! Incredible performance of a hungry band ready to take over the world!
Man alive, I remember being in Kids Inc. track & soccer in 75-76 and being introduced to KISS by my 5-6yrs. best friends older brother. He was 10-12yrs. and had the coolest bedroom with a wall of KISS posters that seemed to come Alive like this whenever he'd put a KISS record on.... What a time to be a kid a the 1970's was
Back then, Kiss did show the talent without all the lightning and stage affects. Didn't know Ace did the finger tapping back then, and he didn't try claiming he did it when Eddie got all the credit for it. Good job Ace!
KISStory at it's finest . Young and hungry and ready for the next step(s) in their stage show. Hopefully, their "C'mon and Love Me" performance is in the vaults and to be shared soon. Thank you!
Incredible performance. I was 7 yrs old in 1976, wearing out Detroit Rock City on a portable 8 track!!! This is the KISS that started it all for me. Still rocking 48 yers later
There's a reason that KISS ruled the world in the 70s. They were completely in sync and looked like they were having a blast (as opposed to now when Paul's voice is shot and Gene looks like he'd rather be anywhere else).
Wow,I’ve been a kiss fan for over forty years and have never seen video quality from this time period so perfect! They were kicking on 8 cylinders,this is Kiss in all there glory
@@FOXLIES I am 52 and I started LISTENING TO KISS when I was 6 Didnt see any live footage for a few years. They were superheroes to me just from the album covers and the music was awesome. You are calling a band that people will speak of decades after they are gone as average doesnt make any sense.
@@FOXLIES lol yes a band you only watched in the days when there was no MTV and this exact clip we see no was shown ONCE at 1am in 1975. No. I, and tens of millions of people all over the world love the MUSIC of KISS, not just the “glitz”. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean nobody else does. You have your favorites, we have ours.
Just found my new favorite Kiss video… this rocks!! Amps on stage turned up and just jamming!! In front of a crowd of ppl in seats quiet and tuned in!!
People can say what they want about ACE and PETER but after watching this again , shows how much they were needed to make KISS the band they were . Great drumming and singing from Peter , and what can I say about ACE . He is THE man .
Drugs killed Ace and Peter as performers - their later work is nothing compared to this
Gene is singing this time not criss
@@richardlawson6787 if you watched the video, you an clearly see Paul, Gene, _and_ Peter doing doing the vocals.
@@EdwardAlexander-ABF if you watch the video you see gene singing it and the others doing backing vocals
@@richardlawson6787 LOL! You are blind
The Midnight Special was awesome! No lip syncing bs!
☮️❤️
You're so right man! Most of these commentors weren't around when the Midnight Special was on NBC on Saturday nights back in the '70s. It was a showcase for music, not much of that around today. MTV had it for a while but that has denigrated into a toxic mess of shit.
Exactly
THIS is KISS...the original lineup is untouchable.
Cocaine said hold my beer
So heavy in early 70s....great vid
No DOUBT!!!!
Whatever the comments......singing, guitar or singing is great..this is it. And let me say, I adore Frehley but I learned over the years, Gene is a special guy and lemme tell you he rocks on Bass and his vocals are great. Kiss..all of them, legendary band!
Parasite, She, Firehouse: I groove the deepest, while listening to these epic cuts!
This is the real deal KISS. I'm 68 and still rockin to it.
It's shite mate
@@TheJoshAyour life is shite mate if you have to hate what someone loves ,
@@TheJoshAAussie goof
So you are admitting retardation? I was done wirh Kiss after "Love Gun"
@@TheJoshA You're a m0r0n mate....
That’s the Kiss I knew and the Kiss that grabbed me forever! The golden years 74-77. Raw, unpolished, a bit savage and pretty damn good live band.
I agree 💙💜❤💚
Same here, only I would extend it up through 81 or whenever Unmasked came out. I saw them in 77 and 79 - nothing on earth like it.
at that time they were motivated and passionate about music not money and fame
This is the Kiss we all know. A band that wasn't very good but was able to sell shows based on their theatrics, makeup and breathing fire. One hit wonders !!
My favorite KISS era.
That drum sound can't be beat with bass line, ace, and Paul orginal kiss was best.
This is a top shelf performance. They sound super tight. This was Kiss in their true form. What a band!
Before the drugs and alcohol took effect on two of them 😔
This is early Kiss when they were hungry and at their best. Went downhill after Alive I.
Yup I agree I'm an 80s honky and I'm going down hill to but still love my music
@@NathanSmith-xf7rkand the love of money and ego on the other two
@@briweeks71yep
The original lineup was a great band 74-78. Melodic hard rock with an incredible stage show.
🤘💯⚡⚡👍
My Kiss: 74-78
I saw them in Omaha in 1980 Original lineup...PURE CELEBRATIONS Of Rock N Roll!
They were struggling with the money. By 78, they became extremely commercial. And messed with their sound.
YARITE. So melodic they had hundreds of hits. LMAO
The 70's was a different time that's for sure.🌼 I know I was there..
If I had a time machine I'd go back and visit.
✌️😎
Me too. I would go to Godfather's Pizza. I would order a large Canadian bacon and mushroom pizza. I would get $5 worth of quarters to put into the juke box and Firepower pinball machine. I would order a cold draft beer, play pinball and listen to the juke box while waiting for the best pizza that ever existed
I’d go back to stay!
Man, there was so MUCH pubic hair!!!!!
But on the plus side, we didn't need condoms.
@@MicktaylorifyI’m totally with ya 🤘👍
Me too!
Unapologetically raw rock n roll. Music that inspired generations and we get to view it in 2023!!!
Ace is my guitar hero he the reason why i picked up a guitar
So true !
Absolutely one of their best and heaviest songs!
And it originated as a sort of Jethro Tull knock off complete with flute solos.
@@thrashmetaljay666 Thank you the Doors for the solo
I've never had heard this one until now but I really like it.
This is an outstanding performance and why I love Rock and Roll. I’m not really huge a Kiss fan, but credit to where it’s due.
@@ScottChase-f3r r u from KZ ?
Ace's LesPaul sound just AWESOME!!!!
funny, Stanly plays a Les Paul JR.
What if I told you he painted it black, turned it into a double cutaway, proceeded to never use again, and then sold it? Yeah, I love Ace but he's not the brightest bulb.
@ralphhowing3473 That's not a JR. It's an L6S. Gibson introduced those back around 73 but they weren't very popular. They're actually kind of rare to find these days. You don't see them very often.
Huzzah,, Rock'n'Roll !
Yeah man Ace was cool .. Actually he is still a great player. and influenced countless rock guitar players.
Do you guys know that the 3 pick up custom Les Paul's he played........
The middle pick up was never hooked up ? Ace mostly used the bridge pick up.
The boys were on top of their game here.
They were still hungey lol shits slaps
Yes... early Kiss, hungry for success and all of them at their prime!!! Ace and Peter rock as hell. Gene with no tongue all the time and Paul with fantastic vocals. What a quality... awesome !..!
I remember this, I was 13yrs old. I fell in love with Ace’s Gibson Les Paul. Now I have one just like it.
Why couldn't all concerts sound this good - - this is awesome ! I was about 7 or 8 when this came out. I'm 56 and KISS is still my favorite band. Thanks for the memories Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter !!!! 🤟
Ikr I'm 59 and we played the fk out of kiss alive 2..actually bought the album twice😂
Yea I’m 54. Had every album by 10. Then i discovered Van Halen, sabbath, zepplin, kiss was on the back shelf. But I was so young and just killed em for the whole persona, i never saw em live or anything, but after seeing this they were bad ass and deserve a place at the top. The songs are actually really good too. I feel like i missed out on kn owing, understanding and being a real kiss fan. I was a kid fan and didn’t know shit. That was a great performance
Ace & Peter my Heroes!
I was 9 in Oct that year and stayed up late just to watch this at the time in 1975. The Peak of their power, creativity and hungry to make it one heck of a Great time.. awesome show. The Best years '74-'77 I can't not lie after Peter and Ace left they really Sucked Out Loud.
@@wilE6764 Same. Parents bought a big pool table back in the day and I'd invite 1-3 friends over and we'd have tournaments or winner keeps playing (usually me) and I played the Alive 1 & 2 album all during. I knew Ace's jams by heart and timed his solos and simulated guitar with the pool stick. My "finger-sync" was top notch! Then I discovered Van Halen 1 and Nugent's Weekend Warriors album (an underrated gem with great jams) and they also made the rotation. Great fun back then before CCATI (Cable, Computers and the internet).
This is THE BEST period of KISS’ career. Young, broke, and very hungry to succeed, and honestly, a bit scary! 1974 up to Love Gun in 1977 is my favorite era. After that, the money, egos, corporate mindset and over-saturation took over. Some good stuff post ‘77, but hit and miss the rest of the way.
They look like they're possessed! Those Kids in Satan's Service are just evil
Killer riffing and groove in this song.
Budgie influenced
Door’s inspired
Foxy Lady Hendrix
OH, How I remember those days. And had the privilege of seeing them in concert many times. One of the best concerts ever.
They invented the stage show . Best concert I've ever been to all four original members.
As much as I love this, folks like James Brown, Little Richard, the Temptations were known long before for amazing stage shows:)…
@@markcruce-h3ncame to say THIS. No doubt, this is a badass performance (and I'm indifferent on KISS) but James Brown at the TAMI Show set the bar for mind blowing stage shows. And it set the bar incredibly high.
They definitely had the best stage show. I remember seeing them in the later 70"s(still original line up) and there was no one else on the planet that put it on like them.
You should watch the video of Sam Cooke singing blowing in the wind. The one where he walks into the audience. I had goosebumps and cried the first time I saw it
Alice Cooper was the first one that put on very Theatrical stage shows.
I was never a huge Kiss fan but the Midnight Special brought out the best or the worst in bands by featuring live performances. Kiss definitely rose to the occasion. This is smokin'!
Spot-on, Bill!
This is not even close to tapping
Gene brought his manora
@@CheaplaffsJohnson LOL. Don't ever let Liberace hear you call it that.
@MEDIA PYRITE Some bands I didn't care for, for-sure. But, I can't really recall any bad performances. Burt Sugarman wouldn't allow it.
Interesting that Ace was doing neck tapping way before Eddie Van Halen (05:52). From 1973 through about 1976-77 KISS was absolutely one of the greatest bands in rock music. Great video!
EXACTLY!!!!! Ace is Surely on camera in that segment Finger Tapping for sure!!!!!!! Awesomeness Ace!!!!
Rory Gallagher actually
I may be wrong..however I dont think Eddie ever claimed to inventing tapping technique...it was more he was the one who made it popular.
@@rogerstoned2592
There's a video on YT, taken from an Italian TV show, with Vittorio Camardese demonstrating his finger-tapping technique on an acoustic guitar, in 1965.
I remember around that era it was technically considered “cheating” by my guitar-loving friends- that was high school days. Even when Van Halen came to town a couple years later there were rumblings of “cheating” - the paradigm shifted rapidly after that. I was actually shocked by 1979 to hear guitar friends raving about EVH
Totally awesome..and Ace firing a rocket in the solo at the end.... Blew my mind totally.... Kiss in the true Hardrock pioneer style 👍🔥🤟
Wow! This is excellent! I remember the Midnight Special as a kid. Peter Criss made such an impression on me that I been playing drums ever since. I have a few KISS songs on my channel. Long, live, live music and rock n roll.
CHECK OUT MY MUSIC AND YOU'LL HEAR KISS INFLUENCE AS I PLAY ALL MUSIC AND VOCALS.
This is THE KISS I was introduced to way back when they were doing their Kiss Ablive tour. I saw them at the Forum in Montreal, Quebec Canada on April 26, 1976 and I will never forget the pure raw energy and excitement and power that that concert left impression on me.
Omg I can't believe I'm watching this
Like I'm in a time machine..
❤❤❤
I know every single riff of this song. Kiss, a live one changed my life and I had no walls showing in my bedroom because it was all kiss, posters, and newspaper clippings and magazines. Lol. Thank you for posting this
It's giving great joy. ❤
I'm 56,me too 😊
Same ❤
Ditto! I was in the Kiss Army and had their huge posters cover my walls.
Let’s be honest, 70s KISS is the best KISS
well yes they were young...with more energy...its life!
Totally
😂😂😂😢
@laslalal8451 No doubt! I stopped listening to them after Love Gun. CAn't even stomach anything after that with all due respect. Just not the same darkness and vibe they had in the early days. But I never was a bubble gum radio rock guy and still ain't 🤮
@@emach07 I was recently turned on to Turn on the Night, and I can't deny that I like it. I'm glad I can appreciate the different dimensions of this band.
They absolutely killed this one! The vocals, the music, the stage show, everything…. And Ace…so dang cool!!
Excellent performance. Ace was two-handed tapping near the end. If this was filmed in 1975, that's 3 years before Van Halen's debut album. I wonder if Eddie saw Ace do this in concert?
I think Eddie got it from Steve Hackett in Genesis.
@@seed_drill7135 probably Ace too
He said it was Jimmy Page in Heartbreaker but that seams like a cop-out to me lol
Steve hackett was doing tapping with genesis back in 71, and he wasn't even the first one
Kiss was Kiss here. Hungry, raw, tight and creative. There was no stage show before then that even came close and the music is still to this day exemplary. All four original members were on point and incredible! Thank you for sharing!@
They changed the music landscape in terms of the show. The visual part of the show can be incredibly important.
6:05 Anytime you see Ace Freeley wearing that triangle space collar around his neck, Those were the golden years of his playing awesome guitar riffs.
True dat.....
Yep. Love that costume. The circles in the front remind me of Tinker Toys! (I’m a kid from the 70’s).
If you don't like this, turn in your Rock N Roll card. This era of KISS will never die.
Can I keep my Rock 'N Roll credit card? Just kidding. This vid is a great tape of KISS, have to say. And I was never a big KISS fan. But this is impressive.
I mean there's a reason there one of the most popular bands in the world to this day. The vocals, the choreography, the showmanship. These guys put on a show!
*they're
@@snakedoktor6020 not for there is
@@johnrowland1919 I agree 100% with that. But that wasn't its use in your sentence.
@@snakedoktor6020 oops. good catch
Those 3 first albums and the original alive were the real deal!.
FANTASTIC STUFF
I always thought their live performances where better then studio versions.
The live shows really brought out their best.
I always thought Destroyer, Rock N Roll Over & Love Gun were even better.
Destroyer is my favorite one
ACE doing fret tapping...... pre-EVH. ha !
many players had been tapping long before EVH. He just revised it, mastered it, and made it a style of his own. Many can tap, it was just more of how he was able to throw leads in that seemed to never really fit, but it worked with that swing style they had.
Steve Hackett of Genesis was doing it Pre Ace. And there were guitarists before Hackett that utilized it. Eddie made it popular. For good reason as he was amazing and took the technique to new heights.
EVH claimed over and over that he “invented” tapping.
Um bro, this isn't pre EVH. Roflmao
@@terrymeyer7084no he never did once, if you did any research at all you'd only find interviews where he claims he didn't invent it.
Wow great harmonies on this one. This is the Kiss I want to remember. Imagine the impact they had in the 70s on the music audiences, they were truly like no other band when music and bands had mystique and mystery. Never knew who they were behind the make up.
Yup..I saw them in 1976 on the Destroyer Tour...I was 15 and this is the KISS I knew and loved.
Just think, they were faking performances then just like they are now. Hell, more of today's "live" shows is more legitimate than anything off of kiss alive or alive II.
@@NewKillerStar_34 that's completely overblown. Nothing fake about this performance. Alive! is an iconic live album.
The harmonies are awful
@@michaelsuder486 disagree, they fit the song perfectly
I love that synchronized neck slide that Gene & Paul do. It makes it sound even more badass
I know eh..its wicked and if you listen to Alive! its all through that show...every song has it!
@@Randy-ul5hy the first Alive album, not II?
@@kloozman Correct...first Alive album released in September 1975.
@@Randy-ul5hy i haven't listened to it forever, I'll have to check it out again
@@kloozman trop génial 🤘🔥
God what a great band! They are grinding out. One of the best KISS I HAVE SEEN.
I love Peter's laid back drum style. I don't get why Paul and Gene talks so much shit about him. Ace's solos are outstanding. Not because they're advanced it's because it's all about melody. I know all his solos by heart. I can sing them and play them. KISS 4 Ever 🤘🖤
Peter became complacent and his playing therefore suffered.
Jealousy...lol
Yes….great performances all around.
Paul's just always been jealous of his voice and how the song beth made them the BIG bucks
It's more Paul who talks smack about Peter. He wanted a Bonham and got a student of Krupa
Young. Hungry. Inspiring. They were so tight in this performance. They looked awesome!!
Outstanding performance!
Technical? No. Intricate? No, again. In your face from the street rock and roll? Absolutely!!! It was melodic, raw music and that's what made them popular; in my opinion.
You have to give it to them on this one, especially Ace...taping pre-Van Halen! Very tight band...I know they are not Led Zeppelin but there is great talent there and a decent song.
@@TonysMusic1974 Towards the end.
Roy Smeck was guitar tapping in the 1930s.
AND with a phaser on
Yeah I caught that too. Go Ace!
Just made the same comment about Ace, didn't read far enough down!
I used to watch MIDNIGHT SPECIAL all the time throughout the 1970's late Friday nights. It was the greatest time in music with the very familiar sounds of radio legend "Wolfman Jack" that made U feel like this was the best place to be at on a Friday night! Watching this from almost 50yrs ago proves that it wasn't just over glamorized memories that made me think KISS was so great back then...but that they REALLY were!! This also proves U don't need $1,000,000's in multi big rig loads of props & equipment with massive floating stages, lasers, explosions, mega giant screens. NON of that can create the millions of volts of pure raw explosive energy that comes from within that comes thru their REAL non-lip synched performance seen right here when this was the "REAL" KISS of Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter on a tiny little stage without all the mega massive production. This is the KISS I remembered & loved long before the now long distant watered down "Bud Light" version of "half" KISS that finally went out with a whimper MINUS Ace & Peter a couple months ago on the never ending give us all ur $$ "End of the Road" tour which incredibly was 24yrs AFTER I saw them on the supposed "Farewell Tour"!lol If anyone starts doubting themselves when hearing Paul Stanley's biased account trashing Ace & Peter's playing...all U need to do is watch them in action right here on MIDNIGHT SPECIAL when they all played for REAL & sang for REAL to hear & feel the unbelievable explosive energy that once upon a time really did make KISS the greatest band in the world!!
There is just no denying Ace Frehley. Period. 👏
Yep 👍
Notice Ace Tapping on fret board at end solo….he told me he tapped before Ed. Wow 🤟🏼⚡️
I've always said, Gene is the face, Paul is, well, was the voice, Peter, I guess the attitude, but Ace, he is the heart, soul, and mind of KISS. To me, he's the most talented of the four. Without him, it's not KISS. Grant it, the original KISS is Paul, Gene, Peter, and Ace. But KISS without Ace, nah, I don't know who they are. He had the best solo album in 1978, when all four had solo albums, not only that but the solo albums he released ensuing were remarkable. Which shows how underrated he is as a guitarist and musician but unfortunately, he's considered overrated because he is always associated with Gene and Paul's band. That used to be KISS. But then again, since day one, KISS has always been Gene and Paul's band.
@@SteveBrownROCKS Yeah wow I never saw/noticed Ace doing the two-handed tapping thing like this before....pretty cool!
Ace Frehley was the first guitar hero of my childhood. Totally agree with Adam; Ace IS KISS. I made my own Ace costume for Halloween when I was in the sixth grade. I thought I was the coolest! Saw the 1996 Reunion Tour show in ATL. Ace WAS the show that night! I come back to KISS music every now and then. It’s always like catching up with an old friend. This video is a reminder of how good they were and how hard they rocked. Good times!
Primera vez que escucho esta canción de Kiss. ¡ Que tal manera de tocar ! ... es como si la música cobrara vida con sus gestos y movimientos. Privilegiados los que estuvieron en ese concierto, es ARTE PURO.
Antiga.
Y a Ace, se le olvida el intro. Es una joya este vídeo.
@@nazareschwenck5340 un jour viendra ça passe très vite les années
This might be the most solid performance I've ever seen from them with mad energy to boot!
My 1st concert! My Dad took me to see Kiss! I was 10 years old! Changed my life! Kiss and Randy Rhoads are why I play guitar to this day!
Me too mate.
First time I heard of KISS was from my uncle in a Spencer’s Gift store in the mall when I was 6 years old in 1976. I was looking for stuff I wanted and he said “how about this KISS poster (the Alive album poster). Without knowing what he was talking about, I was thinking about two lovers kissing…bleh! Then I saw the poster and it was the coolest thing I ever saw. I was hooked before I heard their first song \m/
If you'll notice when Ace is playing his solo he's doing hammer on's long before Vanhalen ever came on the scene. He might not be the best guitarist in the world, but he is definitely an original in many ways, and a guitar hero to many including me!
Long before? This was shot in 1975 and Van Halen's debut album came out only three years later. Anyway, Eddie Van Halen never claimed to have invented tapping... in fact here's a clip of guitarist Vittorio Camardese tapping in 1965.
ua-cam.com/video/fgIgdiOQCl4/v-deo.html
Rory Gallagher as well
@@stephenhawkingsfootballboo7885 Yup. No one ever said EVH invented tapping. And nothing against Ace, his abilities perfectly suited KISS. But, it's pointless to compare his primitive tapping skills to the guy who turned it into an artform that influenced every guitar god who followed.
@@stephenhawkingsfootballboo7885yes, but he did copyright it!
Yes Sir
One of the best known vintage KISS preformance ever! it doesn't get any better than this..... Gene, Peter, Paul, Ace......KISSSSSSSSS!
The time KISS were like a family. Grew up with this band, they will always be one of the greatest bands in rock history.
Me too😉🇨🇵🎸
So as a young black kid on the southside of Chicago...my uncle was a kiss fan and I rode with him. So I heard all the albums and we all picked a band member. I picked ACE. I remember every one of his riffs. This performance is incredible
this is still so F(ing) amazing. its so over the top. incredibly courageous and creative for a band to look and sound like they did in the 70's and the seismic impact and impression this would leave on millions of musicians everywhere. ive never stopped listening to them since I bought "Dressed to Kill" with my brother at a military grocery store in Virginia when I was like 8 or 9. I have so much KISS stuff its crazy. my only wish as a long time 40 year fan is that they stop ripping on each other in books, interviews, magazine articles , etc. its painful to hear how they are hating on each other. we dont want to hear it. its really put a damper on their legacy.you all four are still alive. one more tour with original members and figure out how to get along and share that magic with us and yourselves one more go round and end it together not in a court room.
Gene and Paul need to loosen up and quit being Dicks!
I don't know where I was when this was on TV, and I am sure damn glad I'm able to see it now..... you can just feel the energy from this performance.
Straight UP, I saw this tour!! Got pushed through the Arena door, and still had the ticket in my hand. Rock and Roll still got it
Still have my ticket stub from Thanksgiving Day, 1976. The price? 6 bucks! You wanted the best and you got it!
I’m glad to see that every video people are defending Ace and Peter. You just can’t replace the originals no matter how hard you try.
Ace and Peter
@@robheflin5639 Thanks. 🐀
Exactly
Ace and Peter were the only thing that made that gean semon demon so his pothetic nonsense
Eric Carr was far superior to Peter Chris.
Back to the basics, what I love about these guy's the awesome raw sound they make with no multi effects boards on the stage. It's all them folks!
KISS were so hungry, you can see it and feel it. Great vintage footage.
My first concert-KISS! What a great way to begin my rock n roll life. One of the best live shows that I have ever seen! (And, I’ve seen quite a few)
One of my favorite songs from Kiss.
This one and Let me go rock and roll from Alive.
@@100hooker lmgrnr favorite KISS song
This is an outstanding tight band. Ace solos with melody. Peters drums are with it. The whole band is legendary here. With the crowd on their feet at the end.
pretty easy to be tight considering how rudimentary this is. A 5th grade band could pull this off no prob
@@markfrost2707 🤡
@@markfrost2707sounds like you volunteered your skills
Still play through this all the time, love it! Probably one of my favorite songs ever!
I watched this show all the time some & often phenomenal performances & look no lipsyncing or laptops or autotune. When bands were real & so where the musicians.
You got that right Muchacho!!😁🤟
I’m so glad I saw them on their 96 Reunion Tour. It was a party! They put on quite a live show and knew their roles like well oiled machine.
And it was great to see my hero Ace up front playing live in front of me finally and to see Peter play.
They were wearing the Destroyer Costumes! My favorite Tour and album!
Their live act was truly one of a kind.... that raw power & stage presence was truly incredible... this is what Kiss were all about... that blistering in your face rock & roll .... ✌🤘👊👍
You really have to appreciate the context of the times when watching early Kiss. Most bands would just walk out in jeans and plug in their guitars. Kiss redefined the definition of stage show.
AND NOBODY PLAYED THE TYPE OF MUSIC KISS INVENTED! NOBODY!
@@elvinposey5251 they didn’t invent anything lmao
@@chevyboomer62 They invented their own look, their own sound, their own lyrics. Inspired by others and branched out to form their own vision. Clown. 🤡
Wow, this is from 1975! That's Ace tapping on the neck Van Halen style, a few years before Van Halen came out with their first album. I knew I heard tapping before Eddie on Kiss Alive II, Shock Me. Now I see it with my own eyes. Wow.
This video totally encapsulates why people love the original four so much. The early Catman is such a treat to watch and listen to.
Oh yes 👍
The original four will always be the best lineup.
I can’t wait to see the other tunes from this performance!! Probably their greatest live performance recording I’ve seen and heard!
They're easy to find. Definitely check out 'Black Diamond', where Peter's kit starts falling apart and he just goes with it!
@@salbro5985 Gene and Paul have a commentary track on the KISSology box set and they say that was planned, except when he threw his bass drum into the crowd!
THE ORIGINAL LINE-UP WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEST. JUST LIKE THE SUPER 70'S ROCK MUSIC. CLASS OF ROCKIN 84 HERE. ROCK ON GEN XER'S FOREVER !!!.
KISS never jammed like this ever again. None of their later songs had this kind of groove.
It definitely had an early 70's stoner rock groove thing going. They just drifted away from that style as most bands
did through the decade. But to me early Kiss was the best era.
And earlier versions of She were done live well before the DTK album was recorded.
Parasite and She are two of my favorites. Early, raw rock and roll with no apologies.
Watching you #3
One of the few American metal bands who stood the test of time. They understood performance and inspired subsequent generations of musicians worldwide.
Kiss was my favorite band in Middle School. Then when I heard Rush in High School it changed my life forever.
HELL YES
Geek squad!
I liked them in middle school too. Outgrew them later
Rush opened for them on a tour, right?
@@jonnuanez7183couple of tours
Gene was amazing he was always a great bassist & stage present
That deep thumping sound too!
Before DESTROYER they were a real gritty rock n roll band. I saw them several times around this period and it was always killer.
SHE was one of my favorite tunes back then. I remember as a kid, I was so excited when I saved enough money to buy the DRESS TO KILL LP.
This never gets old! I wish today's music had more of this feel...and Ace playing hammer-on's this way in 75...nice! High octane Rock'n Roll!!! Thank you for posting!!!!
Seeing the audience start giving them a standing ovation during Ace's solo gives me chills.
he deserved it.... ;)
They gave a standing ovation because they thought the song was ending. Had nothing to do with the solo. Though the solo was badass.
Ace was allright.
@@keviningles5580 OH stop, he was awesome!!
Ace should be up there with the best. But I'm afraid he will never get that recognition. Critics need to listen not look. Take away all the makeup and theatrics and you have four very talented musicians.
I'm 65 and remember seeing this show on the midnight special, I've been to many Kiss shows, this was the Kiss we all knew and loved.
Back in the day. When KISS was KISS. I remember watching this episode of Midnight Special and the next day, ALL of us high school "wanna be" rockstars were talking about them. NOBODY ever saw anything like them before. Early KISS will always be the real KISS !
I don't care what anyone says, the original line up of this band had a GREAT chemistry, and Peter Criss was just as much a part of it as the other three.
An incredible proto punk song. Together with Strange Ways, arguably Kiss’s best song (adapted from the slower folksy Wicked Lester version) and Ace’s guitar is absolutely phenomenal in that extended bridge at 4:04 and onward.
Strange ways is they’re most underrated song written by Ace sung by Peter but that was after Wicked Lester when Ace & Peter joined.
by far one of there best tunes, i'm, not there biggest fan, but when they are on..they Rock
KISS is a real legend and their music will always be beautiful!
I still remember when this first aired I was just a little kid that already owned the Dressed to kill record and wanted to see them live really bad! This show aired Late to a 9 year old back then so I had to fight to stay awake to see them! Well worth it!
God damn that was awesome! Dressed to kill / Alive 75 era Kiss is just untouchable!
I wasn't even born yet ( the following year I was ) and I fell in love with them in 80 / 81 being a Aussie kid and Kiss being the biggest thing ever down under
I didn't even know about early Kiss till the late 80s and my introduction was Unmasked and Dynasty, that's what I thought Kiss was , it wasn't till I found a second hand record store in my town that had pretty much every album from the debut up to Asylum that I got to hear songs like She.
My love for this band has only gotten more intense over the years and I still get full body goose bumps watching stuff like this !
Incredible performance of a hungry band ready to take over the world!
Now that's a show!!! Real rock. Just good stuff...classic!!!
Man alive, I remember being in Kids Inc. track & soccer in 75-76 and being introduced to KISS by my 5-6yrs. best friends older brother. He was 10-12yrs. and had the coolest bedroom with a wall of KISS posters that seemed to come Alive like this whenever he'd put a KISS record on.... What a time to be a kid a the 1970's was
Back then, Kiss did show the talent without all the lightning and stage affects. Didn't know Ace did the finger tapping back then, and he didn't try claiming he did it when Eddie got all the credit for it. Good job Ace!
KISStory at it's finest . Young and hungry and ready for the next step(s) in their stage show. Hopefully, their "C'mon and Love Me" performance is in the vaults and to be shared soon. Thank you!
Have you ever seen the footage?
@@KISStributeNYC97 NO...I wish, It has always been rumored as 'lost'. If anyone has it, these Midnight Special archives would.
They only played only 4 songs?? Including c'mon and love me?
@@romelovesdan Gotcha. Hope it surfaces!
@@diegosauco2565 Yes, that’s what I’m hearing. Did t know about C’Mon and Love Me…always thought it was just the 3 songs we’ve seen all these years.
Incredible performance. I was 7 yrs old in 1976, wearing out Detroit Rock City on a portable 8 track!!! This is the KISS that started it all for me. Still rocking 48 yers later
There's a reason that KISS ruled the world in the 70s. They were completely in sync and looked like they were having a blast (as opposed to now when Paul's voice is shot and Gene looks like he'd rather be anywhere else).
Wow,I’ve been a kiss fan for over forty years and have never seen video quality from this time period so perfect! They were kicking on 8 cylinders,this is Kiss in all there glory
Back then, Ace was easily the best musician on the stage in Kiss.
I don't think even Gene or Paul would actually argue that Ace wasn't the best player in the group. Ace was certainly the virtuoso of the group.
So please let us know what is so wrong about Peters, Genes or Pauls playing?
@@iloveitallhave another beer bro
@@hankworden3850 Have another 5 cent for trolling on yt.
Not to mention the "Pre-Van Halen" finger-tapping solo!
This entire performance shows the pinnacle of KISS. They included a low quality excerpt on their KISSology Box Set DVD, but this is unbelievable!
@@FOXLIES Wrong on every level. They had to be seen at a large scale and garage band guys dont have any presence on stage hence being a garage band,
@@FOXLIES I am 52 and I started LISTENING TO KISS when I was 6 Didnt see any live footage for a few years. They were superheroes to me just from the album covers and the music was awesome. You are calling a band that people will speak of decades after they are gone as average doesnt make any sense.
@@FOXLIES lol yes a band you only watched in the days when there was no MTV and this exact clip we see no was shown ONCE at 1am in 1975. No. I, and tens of millions of people all over the world love the MUSIC of KISS, not just the “glitz”. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean nobody else does. You have your favorites, we have ours.
@Phalanx Strings almost zero chance a 15 year old is commenting on this clip.😂
@@FOXLIES lol disagree. Look at this song. You don’t even dig THIS song?? Why are you wasting your time here? 😂😂
Just found my new favorite Kiss video… this rocks!! Amps on stage turned up and just jamming!! In front of a crowd of ppl in seats quiet and tuned in!!
like millions have over the years, fantastic!!!!
Phenomenal performance.