Vince Vance & the Valiants?

I'm a huge KISS fan, and Lick it Up and Creatures of the Night are great albums only because of VV's contributions, but I have yet to hear the VVI album. Wasn't his band originally the guys from Slaughter?

I remember seeing a video or two on Headbangers Ball back in the day....

No more remarkable than Frehley's Comet if memory serves.

Is this a new album?


If I recall correctly VVI had two solo albums before the singer and the bassist jumped ship to form Slaughter.





Also, I think VV worked with Gene Simmons at one point afterwards on their disappointing "Revenge" album. Check out this old makeup photo:


Vinnie Vincent was born Vincent Cusano in Bridgeport, CT. in 1952. Possessing a considerable rock resume, Vinnie is most famous as the guitarist who replaced Ace Frehley in KISS in 1982. His Egyptian Warrior character was created by Paul Stanley in late 1982 and is arguably the least recognizable of the KISS characters. He recorded with KISS on Creatures Of The Night -- standing in for a befuddled, drug-addled Frehley before Frehley left the band. Vinnie made his debut as an official member of KISS on the "Creatures of the Night" World Tour, the last tour during which band performed in full make-up. He was formally introduced to the world on the Lick It Up album (when the make-up finally came off). Friction between Vincent and KISS led to his firing after the "Lick It Up Tour."

After leaving Kiss, he formed the Vinnie Vincent Invasion with future members of the much more successful hair metal band Slaughter. Vinnie was not just a pyro-shredding guitar god - oh no - he was also a much in demand pop songwriter. In addition to his days in the questionable spotlight, Vinnie Vincent has been a force behind the scenes of American music for decades, playing and writing on albums by Laura Nero, John Waite, The Bangles and Dan Hartman. Before joining Kiss he wrote the song "Our Love Is Meant To Be" for the Happy Days spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Dude this band has been the butt of SEVERAL jokes over the years between Bloor and I.

I mean, WHO THE FUCK LISTENS TO THIS SHIT!!!

I LOVE, I mean LOVE KISS, but this is just:

Jail?....Gar?

This thread is so weird because just yesterday I was thinking about this band and how I don't have any of their albums on CD.


A friend of mine though has EVERY SINGLE ALBUM released by KISS or an ex-KISS member ON CD.

That's right..including stuff like WHITE TIGER.

Revenge disappointing? Hardly. It's probably a little overrated by KISS fans because of the albums released before and after it, but it's easily the best KISS record released since Lick It Up. VV's presence on that album made the songs "Unholy" and "Heart of Chrome" juggernauts.

bwahahahahaha.

i just mentioned the vinnie vincent invasion the other day talking about 'nightmare on elm street pt. 4'.

It was inevitable that this was going to be turned into a KISS thread.



Really though, KISS disappointed me time and time again after their 1985 Asylum album with the lone exception of the pop metal Hot In the Shade.

Asylum is the worst album in the canon and Hot in the Shade is a collection of demos that weren't really even properly finished...

I'm a huge KISS fan myself...my friends and I even did a KISS themed show in college. In any event, those VVI just got remastered like 1-2 years ago. They aren't bad, they fit with the period. He was actually one of, if not the most skilled guitar players to grace KISS's lineup.

I wasn't part of the whole VV debacle a few years back either where VV apparently set up a website promising fans a boxset with a bunch of goodies inside if they sent him money, of course he never did, and well, a bunch of KISS fans got ripped off...but whats new?

Oh ho ho. Are we forgetting Unmasked or The Elder?

Bruce Kulick and Desmond Child are the top two reasons why Kiss faded into suckitude IMO. However, Bruce's inspired solo on the song, Tears Are Falling is arguably his best effort. After that he was incredibly lame. Don't make me bring up, "Let's Put The X In Sex". One of the great things about Hot In The Shade is that it finally gave Eric Carr a chance to shine as he always had such a stellar voice. I really like that album, the only one among Kiss's later efforts. It doesn't sound like a demo and many of the songs are very good.

Here's something I caught from a review about Asylum that says it all:

Following the departure of Ace Frehley in 1982, a revolving door of lead guitarists began which concluded with Bruce Kulick, whose tenure in the group lasted longer than Ace's. Bruce had played with a younger, harder edged Michael Bolton and his style of speedy yet emotive playing fit right in with Kiss' style. Produced by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, ASYLUM retains the raw power of the previous 80's Kiss records, yet also contains a pop element that those records did not.

I've never heard it but I am somewhat curious about hearing it after reading Fargo Rock City. It's one of Klosterman's favourite metal albums from the '80s.

Asylum?...Favorite?...Really?

No I meant the Vinnie Vincent Invasion debut from '86.

Elder isn't bad, if you listen to it in the mindset it was intended. I think Animalize is the least listened to KISS record I own. I pull out Elder probably several times a year. See, I don't blame anyone except for Paul and Gene for the demise of the band. For guitarists they were given talent that most bands would've drooled at: VV, Mark St. John, Bruce Kulick--these guys aren't slouches, and nor were their output. The songs just got boring because they became a parody of themselves, it happens. Let's put it this way, to me at least, Gene's big head has gotten in the way of KISS being remembered as a good band. And trust me, if they could get over themselves and tour seriously I would once again have no qualms at paying $50+ dollars a tix to see them as I did on the reunion and Psycho Circus tours. I would love to see an makeup-less farewell tour.

I think I had his debut album whenever it came out. It was alright.

:post:

:controversy:

That first VVI album is one of the goofiest in my collection. It's soooo friggin' over-the-top, "shredding" wise. Vinnie's all "wheeeeedley deeeedly wheeeeeeee" for 39 minutes on every song.

I've got both of the VVI albums on CD, & the 2nd one's a little more sedate if I remember right. Gawd knows I haven't listened to them lately, so my memory might be a little fuzzy.

Oh, & the video for "Boys R Gonna Rock" is one of the funniest things you'll ever see. A guys catches on fire while the band rocks on, fer Gawdssakes.

BTW : I have the White Tiger album on vinyl, bitches.

I had em all on cassette and loved em, but havent had the urge to dig em out in over 10 years, but strangely dont want to part with em either.