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Music from "The Elder" vs. Kilroy Was Here


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Answer the questions!  

13 members have voted

  1. 1. Which album do you honestly prefer

    • Music from "The Elder" - KISS
    • Kilroy Was Here - Styx
  2. 2. Which one bombed harder

    • Music from "The Elder" - KISS
    • Kilroy Was Here - Styx
  3. 3. Do you think either of these albums are underrated?

    • Yes, they both are!
    • Yes, The Elder is.
    • Yes, Kilroy is.
    • NO!


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Two totally different bands from almost the same era in two rather different branches of what is now grouped together as "classic rock." In the early 80s, both bands had the same, rather controversial, idea: "let's do an epic concept album with a story and everything!" So they did, without all the band members being on board in either camp, and the results were widely panned by fans and critics in both cases. But, Kilroy spawned some mega hit singles and was no chart dud. And The Elder gained a cult following after its initial commercial and critical failure. The question remains, which band did it better, or worse, or whatever, in your opinion?

 

I love Styx, but a lot of Kilroy is pretty cringey, and not in a good way. Some great singles don't quite save the deep cuts.

 

The Elder is corny as heck and doesn't sound like KISS most of the time, and the concept is really too vague to take off... but it doesn't really weigh the record down either in my opinion, and none of the songs really turn me off. If I pretend it isn't KISS, I wonder why it isn't talked about more often. Sounds to me like the 80s prog-tinged metal bands were still taking notes on this record. My vote's for The Elder, though it definitely bombed harder.

 

Both are probably underrated though. Kilroy does have a couple killer singles going for it.

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Neither.

 

Hate Kilroy and KISS is not my thing.

 

Mick

 

I'm no fan of Kiss but I played The Elder after Lucas raved about it and was quite happy with it whilst it played.

 

Kilroy was career suicide. Both the albun and the tour deservedly bombed. Shame as they had a ten album streak that was absolutely amazing

Edited by Segue Myles
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Neither.

 

Hate Kilroy and KISS is not my thing.

 

Mick

 

I'm no fan of Kiss but I played The Elder after Lucas raved about it and was quite happy with it whilst it played.

 

Kilroy was career suicide. Both the albun and the tour deservedly bombed. Shame as they had a ten album streak that was absolutely amazing

 

Kiilroy is what happens when you let a man who's heart is more in musical theater run things. and he couldn't even write GOOD theatrical stuff at that point.

 

just look at that tour. granted it wasn't the whole show. but what was there was an abortion.

 

Mick

Edited by bluefox4000
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Neither.

 

Hate Kilroy and KISS is not my thing.

 

Mick

 

I'm no fan of Kiss but I played The Elder after Lucas raved about it and was quite happy with it whilst it played.

 

Kilroy was career suicide. Both the albun and the tour deservedly bombed. Shame as they had a ten album streak that was absolutely amazing

 

Kiilroy is what happens when you let a man who's heart is more in musical theater run things. and he couldn't even write GOOD theatrical stuff at that point.

 

just look at that tour. granted it wasn't the whole show. but what was there was an abortion.

 

Mick

 

I still prefer this to Dream Theater's attempt

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Neither.

 

Hate Kilroy and KISS is not my thing.

 

Mick

 

I'm no fan of Kiss but I played The Elder after Lucas raved about it and was quite happy with it whilst it played.

 

Kilroy was career suicide. Both the albun and the tour deservedly bombed. Shame as they had a ten album streak that was absolutely amazing

 

Kiilroy is what happens when you let a man who's heart is more in musical theater run things. and he couldn't even write GOOD theatrical stuff at that point.

 

just look at that tour. granted it wasn't the whole show. but what was there was an abortion.

 

Mick

 

I still prefer this to Dream Theater's attempt

 

i hate em both equally.

 

Mick

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The Elder has aged better for me, probably because I had such a love/hate thing for it when it first came out .. Plus, the blow of The Elder was softened a bit when Kiss followed it up with Creatures Of The Night ..

 

There is also a mystique around that album because of the grandiose tour plans that fell apart before any of it got off the ground -- the only live performance being that three song set on the TV show Fridays in 1982 ...

 

I really don;t remember a lot about Kilroy, and I should go back and listen to it in its entirety ..

 

I'll say this : the concept thing was popular at the time, and looking back, I really have grown to like that era .. and speaking of time, ELO's Time is a favorite of mine .... Not sure if Alan Parson's Eye In The Sky is considered a concept alum, but that's another from that wonderful moment in history ..

 

Heck, I even love Neil Young's "Trans"

 

anyways, as predictable as it is, Music From The Elder win this one for me

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The Elder has aged better for me, probably because I had such a love/hate thing for it when it first came out .. Plus, the blow of The Elder was softened a bit when Kiss followed it up with Creatures Of The Night ..

 

There is also a mystique around that album because of the grandiose tour plans that fell apart before any of it got off the ground -- the only live performance being that three song set on the TV show Fridays in 1982 ...

 

I really don;t remember a lot about Kilroy, and I should go back and listen to it in its entirety ..

 

I'll say this : the concept thing was popular at the time, and looking back, I really have grown to like that era .. and speaking of time, ELO's Time is a favorite of mine .... Not sure if Alan Parson's Eye In The Sky is considered a concept alum, but that's another from that wonderful moment in history ..

 

Heck, I even love Neil Young's "Trans"

 

anyways, as predictable as it is, Music From The Elder win this one for me

 

The Elder is a 7/10 from me. Kilroy is if I feel generous, a 2/10.

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Stynx Stink!

 

Kansas are better

Aye, wayyyyy better!

 

I like Styx. I love Kansas.

 

If they had more of a balance between DeYoung and the rest of the band I'd like them more

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Great poll buddy! I don't care what the haters say or type. I love both albums!

 

I saw STYX a few months ago and they played "Mr Roboto" for the first time since that tour! Loved it! Otherwise the guys in STYX are now simply robotic. Sad.

 

That being said, I know "The Elder" gets a lot of shit too.

 

To me it's a fuckking masterpiece.

 

 

I feel sorry for humans who just can't get it.

 

Probably the same people who masturbate to "Tom Sawyer" every night before bed.

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The Elder is absolutely brilliant. I love that album. Massively underrated & takes a good deal of abuse from music fans generally. Yes it's mad & straight out of left field but so what? If Kiss did a show where they played this all the way through (for which there is a Kiss Army petition!) I would travel anywhere in the world to see it.

 

I also like Kilroy & think that was unfairly treated by the fans too, but The Elder is one of the great unfairly maligned gems of rock!

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Stynx Stink!

 

Kansas are better

 

Love both!

 

Musically Kansas.

 

However to write an inside joke to Pat and 73.....

 

 

Blue Oyster Cult blows Kansas AWAY!!!!!!!!! LOL!!

 

No.

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I saw Styx perform Kilroy Was Here in concert!

 

I'm sorry.

 

As am I.

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I dig The Elder. Its not the greatest album but it has some good moments. If "I" had been on any other KISS album it would be hailed as a KISS classic.

 

As for Styx, I like Styx too but Kilroy was a disaster. I like "Mr. Roboto" and "Don't Let it End". The rest is off-putting.

Edited by Wil1972
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