Forever - Kiss

After 'Unmasked', Kiss went through hard times. Peter Criss left the band, the remaining members worked with a replacement for a while and then decided to really put down their masks. They struggled with their fanbase and identity for years. In 1989, they released the album 'Hot in the shade'. This single, 'Forever', was written by Paul Stanley with Michael Bolton and features the kind of melodrama you would expect from the latter, but not from Kiss. It is a hard-edged rock ballad, which appealed to me a lot at the time. Despite the success of 'Forever', 'Hot in the Shade' became the first Kiss album to fail to reach platinum status since 'Creatures of the night' (1982). A live version appeared on 'Kiss Symphony: Alive IV' (2003).

My collection: 7" single no. 1261

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, July 14, 1990

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Forever' / 'The street giveth and the street taketh away'

Download: Album 'Hot in the shade', including both tracks (password: heavyrock4life.blogspot )