Dynasty (Kiss album)

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Dynasty is a studio album by the American hard rock band Kiss. It was released less than a year after the four solo albums, which were commercial disappointments. The album, and its subsequent tour, were billed as the "Return of Kiss." The band as a full unit had not released a studio album since 1977 and had not toured since the Spring of 1978. The album would restore the band to commercial prominence, reaching # 9 on the US Billboard album chart.

Kiss enlisted Vini Poncia, who produced Peter Criss's solo album, to produce Dynasty. After pre-production and rehearsals were completed, Poncia decided to exclude Criss from most of the recording, judging him unable to drum well enough. Criss, by this time, had fallen deep into substance abuse and was also recovering from an automobile accident. He performed on only one song, "Dirty Livin'." The rest of the drums were recorded by Anton Fig, who played drums on Ace Frehley's 1978 solo album.

The first single from the album, "I Was Made For Lovin' You," marked a rather drastic stylistic departure for Kiss. It had a pronounced disco beat, and was a success at a time when disco was at its peak popularity. The song, however, alienated many longtime Kiss fans. It should be noted that while many fans consider Dynasty to be a disco album, it was only "I Was Made For Lovin' You" that employed the style.

After waiting nearly three years to record lead vocals for a Kiss song (1977's "Shock Me"), Ace Frehley contributed three to Dynasty - "2,000 Man," "Hard Times" and "Save Your Love." "2,000 Man," a cover of the 1967 Rolling Stones song, would become a concert staple for Kiss and one of Frehley's signature songs. "Hard Times" and "Save Your Love" were recorded in the same hard rock style as Frehley's solo album. This was the only Kiss album where Frehley sang as many songs as Paul Stanley and more than Gene Simmons. Simmons, one of the band's primary songwriters, sings only two.

It was certified Platinum on July 10, 1979, when it sold 1,000,000 copies

Track listing

1. "I Was Made for Lovin' You" (Paul Stanley, Vini Poncia, Desmond Child) – 4:33
   • Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
2. "2,000 Man" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 4:53
   • Lead vocals - Ace Frehley
3. "Sure Know Something" (Stanley, Poncia) – 3:58
   • Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
4. "Dirty Livin'" (Peter Criss, Poncia, Stan Penridge) – 4:27
   • Lead vocals - Peter Criss
5. "Charisma" (Gene Simmons, Howard Marks) – 4:26
   • Lead vocals - Gene Simmons
6. "Magic Touch" (Stanley) – 4:42
   • Lead vocals - Paul Stanley
7. "Hard Times" (Ace Frehley) – 3:29
   • Lead vocals - Ace Frehley
8. "X-Ray Eyes" (Simmons) – 3:42
   • Lead vocals - Gene Simmons
9. "Save Your Love" (Frehley) – 4:40
   • Lead vocals - Ace Frehley

Personnel

• Gene Simmons – bass guitar, lead vocals
• Paul Stanley – rhythm guitar, lead vocals, guitar solo on "Sure Know Something,name="who">Gill, Julian. "Who Played What On What?". The KISSFAQ. Retrieved July 10, 2006.</ref>
• Ace Frehley – lead guitar, lead vocals, "Who Played What On What?". The KISSFAQ. Retrieved July 10, 2006.</ref>
• Peter Criss – drums, vocals

with

• Anton Fig – drums (1-3, 5-9) (uncredited)
• Vini Poncia – producer, keyboards and backing vocals on "I Was Made For Lovin' You," backing vocals on "Sure Know Something"

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1979	Pop Albums	9

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	11
1979	"Sure Know Something"	Pop Singles	44

Singles - Billboard (Australia)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	6

Singles - Billboard (Austria)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	2
1979	"Sure Know Something"	Pop Singles	5

Singles - Billboard (Canada)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	1
1979	"Sure Know Something"	Pop Singles	48

Singles - Billboard (France)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	2

Singles - Billboard (Germany)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	2
1979	"Dirty Livin'"	Pop Singles	25
1979	"Sure Know Something"	Pop Singles	28

Singles - Billboard (Holland)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	1
1979	"Sure Know Something"	Pop Singles	3

Singles - Billboard (Norway)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	10

Singles - Billboard (New Zealand)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	1
1979	"Sure Know Something"	Pop Singles	11

Singles - Billboard (Sweden)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	19

Singles - Billboard (Switzerland)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	2

Singles - Billboard (United Kingdom)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Was Made For Lovin' You"	Pop Singles	50

External links

• Kiss FAQ - Dynasty, Accessed on July 14, 2005.