#mr. speed

[bunch-of-random-fandoms]

On Saturday, the moment my dad and I stepped into the main merch room, Mr. Speed was set up off to the right. I immediately turned to him and said I wanted a picture—they’re the only cover band I’ve ever seen with someone portraying Eric Carr, and that meant something to me.

I ended up speaking first with Rich Kosak, who plays Paul Stanley. The very first thing he said to me was, “You’ve got a thread above your head.”

I froze. For a second, I couldn’t move or even think straight. I knew exactly what he meant—but I didn’t know how he could possibly know it, or if he’d even believe me if I said anything.

“How did you—” I started quietly, my voice catching as tears filled my eyes.

He stepped a little closer, and Rich Hattery—who portrays Eric Carr—joined him. There was a gentleness in the way they both looked at me.

“I can tell something’s weighing on you,” Kosak said softly. “You can tell me.”

The words came out before I could stop them. “Eric Carr says thank you—for honoring his memory. He’s proud. So proud. He came to me… he came to me before Russ and Lori’s wedding, too. He told me to tell Russ he’s proud of him for getting married.”

Kosak pulled me into a tight hug. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “Just breathe.”

I tried. I really did. And as I steadied myself, I heard a quiet whisper in my mind—clear as anything.

“Ace says hi.”

When we pulled apart, I leaned in slightly and whispered it to him before stepping back, wiping the tears from my face.

Tagging: @sluttery-withoutshame @mindofotherstars @alixxthayer @ravenh37 @probably2zjeb @starry-eyed-never-satisfied @ericsingermycat @ericsingerbuthesbald @spacedoutman @boundbyeclipse @starstruck-thetraveler @0the-bunker0 @aces-curly @silvervinespiderwebs @okgatorhereicome @youmakemerock @trinitymarch @c3l3st31973 @bonbonburgerpants @love-my-little-universe @whateverhappenedididnotdoit @j0s3phin4 @eric-carrs-wife @alittlebeautifulkitty

[rolandrockover]

Speed Taken Secretly

For many years now, there has been this band circulating on the Internet that had made it their mission to, more or less successfully, transfer Gene's Secretly Cruel into the 70s sound of our favorite band (1).

Despite the laudability and inherent fun factor of this endeavor, however, I take the adamant position that this circumstance would not really have been necessary, simply considering that Secretly Cruel is the most '70s Kiss sounding Gene song on Asylum (1985) (2) anyway, probably even of the band's entire '80s period. If they had tried their hand at Any Way You Slice It or maybe even Love's a Deadly Weapon, that would have been something completely different.

But let's better focus on Gene himself, because he's also no one's fool when it comes to this song, except a little bit of Rock and Roll Over's (1976) Mr. Speed one should assume. And when Gene gets straight to the point he routinely tells us something about Shake, Rattle and Roll (1954) (3), which again goes really well with grabbing into pocket's rockets and stuff. So we also throw in a good shot of Take me, because a few riffs of it are bouncing around there anyway.

Now all you have to do is shake the whole thing diligently and the milkshake is ready - if you have the right touch, if you know what I mean (4).

Anyway, who's thirsty?

Side Notes:

(1) Including a Plaster Caster-esque pulsating bass intro and borrowings from Christine Sixteen's piano. Double Virgo was the name of this cheerful outfit, if I'm not mistaken.

(2) The album that can easily be described as Rock and Roll Over of the 80s without causing great humiliation in front of the fan community, spiced up with a generous dash of Creatures of the Night (1982) and Unmasked (1980), as I never tire of throwing into the round table.

(3) Compliments to Bill Haley & His Comets.

(4) Sometimes I have fallen prey to the thought that I was working on a huge multidimensional Kiss Puzzle that keeps piling up in front of me, and which will someday take the form of a huge erect male sex organ. What an insanely perfidious stroke of genius, calculated from front to back, that would be.

No highlighted links this time, just as there is no silly text line attached:

Secretly Cruel (1985)

Mr. Speed (1976)

Take me (1976)

[we-will-swallow-your-soul]

[gh0stfl0ra]

[dodinaslesavage]

Kiss - Mr. Speed (1976)

[doraemonmon]

Kiss - Hard Luck Woman

[rolandrockover]

Mr. It

With It's Alright from Paul's '78 Solo Album, it's hard to resist the impression that there might be more than just a little bit of Rock and Roll Over (1976) standing behind it.

I don't know if it's just me, but it sounds to me as if Mr. Speed had himself cloned, only to be reunited with this clone later on, whereby this clone has unfortunately let himself go a bit in the meantime and has put on some weight. As a result, of course, his girth and range of movement differ somewhat from that of the original Mr. Speed, and this of course leaves noticeable traces in the re-merge. Oh, those Mr. Speed clones.

Whatever you think of it's Alright, for me it's a terrific example of how Paul's '78 solo album not only exerts its influence on most subsequent Kiss albums, especially those of the first half of the 80s, but also draws on previous 70's albums to the same extent.

It's almost as if '78 Paul had himself cloned twice, sending one of them to the 80s and the other back to the earlier 70s.

Can anyone really rule this out?

Side Note:

I could, of course, briefly mention that It's Alright got itself a time machine in the meantime and took a short trip to 1989, but that would of course be a completely different story, which you can read about right here, as it happens.

It's Alright (1978)

Mr. Speed (1976)

[rolandrockover]

Speed Timer

When listening to Mr. Speed (1976), I've often had a vague feeling that there's another song stubbornly hiding in there, refusing to reveal itself.

And because I don't see myself as a meanie who wants to impose on someone or something that he, she or even it doesn't want, I've always just let this feeling go without ever taking the extra minute to find out what exactly it might actually be about.

I believe pretty much every one of my entries could confidently begin with words like these.

And continuing to indulge in the formulaic nature of my own linguistic habits, I would like to add to the above that one day I also had a very similar feeling when I stumbled across Two Timer (1975) at a time when I was actually trying to deal with something completely different. And et voila, which two songs do you think it's all about today?

So let's get straight to the point and take a quick look at the two guitar solos and the one feeling that connect Mr. Speed and Two Timer like a drawn-out, highly sticky piece of chewing gum.

What comes across as rather straightforward and wisely balanced with Mr. Speed appears a lot dirtier and, above all, much sloppier in Two Timer, but it is also exactly what creates the charm and character of Two Timer, all in one so high that it should actually be enough for two songs.

Who can blame Mr. Speed for profiting from it?

The links are highlighted and both start at the guitar solos.

If you are looking for a rather unusual stereo effect, just start both links at the same time with two different headphones in both ears. I have no idea what will happen, but maybe you could tell me afterwards:

Two Timer (1975)

Mr. Speed (1976)