Dressed to Kill is the third studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on March 19, 1975. It was produced by Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart and the band itself as the label's financial situation at the time did not permit the hiring of a professional producer.[1]
Dressed to Kill | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 19, 1975 | |||
Recorded | February 1975 | |||
Studio | Electric Lady, New York City | |||
Genre | Hard rock | |||
Length | 30:07 | |||
Label | Casablanca | |||
Producer | Neil Bogart, Kiss | |||
Kiss chronology | ||||
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Singles from Dressed to Kill | ||||
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Possibly due to the short length of the album, original vinyl versions had long pauses between each track to make the sides longer than they would be based on the material they had. Each side ran just 15 minutes, and some of the song times were listed incorrectly on the vinyl versions. For example, "Two Timer" was listed at 2:59 and "Ladies in Waiting" was listed at 2:47.
While the album cover depicts Kiss in business suits, the only member of the band who owned one was Peter Criss. The suits worn on the cover by the rest of the band were owned by manager Bill Aucoin.[1] The original vinyl release of the album also had the Kiss logo embossed around the picture. The photograph of the band on the album cover was taken on the southwest corner of W23rd Street and 8th Avenue looking North in New York City. A remastered edition of Dressed to Kill was released in 1997.[2]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Blender | [4] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 7/10[5] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [6] |
Pitchfork | 9.5/10[7] |
Rolling Stone | [8] |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 5/10[9] |
The Village Voice | B[10] |
Dressed to Kill peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the US[11] and was certified gold by the RIAA on February 28, 1977.[12] "C'mon and Love Me" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" were released as singles but failed to rise up the charts. A live version of "Rock and Roll All Nite" from Alive!, issued as a single later that year, reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[11]
Hi-Fi for Pleasure said of the album:
Hopefully, the coming and going trendiness of Kiss won't leave them high and dry. We're so desperately short of showman crutch [sic] rock that albums like these feel like fresh air and just as rare. But the signs are there that they've been pronounced a bit too proficient to be really heavy.[13]
"Rock and Roll All Nite" is one of Kiss' most well-known songs – and has remained a staple in the band's concerts since 1975 – along with "Rock Bottom", "C'mon and Love Me", and "She".
All credits adapted from the original release.[14]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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1. | "Room Service" | Paul Stanley | Stanley | 2:59 |
2. | "Two Timer" | Gene Simmons | Simmons | 2:47 |
3. | "Ladies in Waiting" | Simmons | Simmons | 2:35 |
4. | "Getaway" | Ace Frehley | Peter Criss | 2:43 |
5. | "Rock Bottom" | Frehley, Stanley | Stanley | 3:54 |
6. | "C'mon and Love Me" | Stanley | Stanley | 2:57 |
7. | "Anything for My Baby" | Stanley | Stanley | 2:35 |
8. | "She" | Simmons, Stephen Coronel | Simmons, Stanley | 4:08 |
9. | "Love Her All I Can" | Stanley | Stanley | 2:40 |
10. | "Rock and Roll All Nite" | Stanley, Simmons | Simmons | 2:49 |
Total length: | 30:07 |
Kiss
Production
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[15] | 26 |
US Billboard 200[16] | 32 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[12] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |