KISS - Lick It Up - (1983) - (Mercury 814-297-1) - Vinyl - {First US Pressing} 24-Bit/96kHz + 16-Bit/44kHz

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KISS - Lick It Up - (1983) - (Mercury 814-297-1) - Vinyl - {First US Pressing} 24-Bit/96kHz + 16-Bit/44kHz

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This is the eleveth studio album from KISS. Released September 18, 1983 on Mercury Records. It is the band’s first album for Mercury Records. On the day of the album’s release, Kiss appeared on MTV without their trademark makeup. It was the first public appearance without makeup by KISS. The album cover had bassist/band co-founder Gene Simmons sticking out his long trademark tongue to show fans that the quartet were still KISS, with or without makeup. And so we say goodbye to Casablanca Records forever, sadly. Now we usher in the non-makeup/80′s metal era of KISS. The band had dropped the makeup so now the music really did have to do the talking. Enter Vinnie Vincent, songwriter & guitarist to replace Ace Frehley. As a die-hard Ace fan, I was sad to see him go. Having said that, Vinnie Vincent was a guitar playing force to be reckoned with. Vincent, however, was not legally a member of the band. Due partly to disputes over what his role in the band and his pay would be (some reports indicated that Vincent had asked for, and was flatly denied, a percentage of the band’s gross profits), Vincent never signed any contract making his employment official. These disputes, along with a growing attitude by Vincent that he was solely responsible for the resurgence of KISS, would lead to him leaving the band (or being fired, depending on the source) after the European leg of the Lick It Up tour. With the band unable to secure a replacement guitarist on such short notice, Vincent was enticed to return for the American leg of the tour. However, his refusal to sign his contract continued to be a sore point. Additionally, a major rift developed between Vincent and the rest of the band over his guitar solos; what were once 5-8 minute solos timed to finish on a cue so that Paul Stanley could introduce the next song suddenly expanded, in some instances leaving the rest of the band impatiently waiting on stage for Vincent to finish. At an LA Forum show in January 1984 Vincent continued playing despite Stanley’s cueing him to finish the solo; the two nearly came to blows in the dressing room afterward, with Stanley accusing Vincent of showing him up and Vincent accusing the other three members of ruining his solo and trying to hold him back as a performer. They were separated by Eric Carr and Gene Simmons and a couple of roadies who tried to keep the peace. At a March show in Quebec, Canada, as the band prepared to close out their set, Vincent broke into an impromptu solo, leaving the other band members standing onstage with nothing to do. Vincent left (or was fired for a second time, again depending on the source) shortly thereafter. This time the break was permanent. Too this day, Vinnie Vincent has never officially been a member of KISS. I have included complete scans from the original US pressing.

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KISS - Lick It Up - (1983) - (Mercury 814-297-1) - Vinyl - {First US Pressing} 24-Bit/96kHz + 16-Bit/44kHz

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The files are interchangeable!!!

Please enjoy hearing Lick It Up as it should be heard from the original vinyl!!!