Kiss / Hot in the Shade Sessions Complete

*Hot in the Shade* stands as a major work that marked a return to the band’s roots and was the final album to feature Eric Carr. Now, we present the definitive collection, compiling demos and outtakes from these sessions in superb audio quality. This release preserves a total of 17 takes—spanning approximately 65 minutes—of studio recordings. We have previously introduced demo albums that complement classic releases like *Dressed to Kill*, *Destroyer*, and *Love Gun*; this release serves as the *Hot in the Shade* equivalent in that series. *Hot in the Shade* was the culmination of KISS’s 1980s era, ultimately comprising a massive 15 tracks. Naturally, the sessions produced a wealth of material that didn’t make the final cut, as well as numerous alternate takes and arrangements. This collection reveals the full scope of those sessions. While the tracks here are organized by their recording source, we will categorize them for clarity into “Album Tracks,” “Songs Reused for Other Projects,” and “Unreleased Songs.” **Album Track Demos (4 songs, 6 takes):** “Betrayed” – A rough demo version of the album track. It sounds remarkably close to the finished product, revealing that the blueprint for the song was already largely established at this stage. “Hide Your Heart” (2 takes) – Included here are two alternate versions of the song that became the album’s lead single. “Hide Your Heart” was originally written in 1987—under the working title “Who Dares Wins”—for the *Crazy Nights* album; after being road-tested during Paul Stanley’s solo tour in early 1989, it was re-recorded for *Hot in the Shade*. “Ain’t That Peculiar” / “Little Caesar” – “Ain’t That Peculiar” is the original version of “Little Caesar,” a song Eric Carr wrote for the album. It is a heavy metal-style cover based on the Marvin Gaye song of the same name, recorded in the spring of 1989. Gene wasn’t happy with the flow of this track and changed the title to “Little Caesar.” The version here is, of course, distinct from the album release, featuring completely different lyrics and vocal melodies compared to the finished track. Aside from Bruce playing guitar, Eric performed all the instrumentation on both versions. “The Street Giveth And The Street Taketh Away”: Another rough demo that closely resembles the final version. Like “Betrayed,” it demonstrates how the song’s framework was already solidified during the session stage. Songs repurposed for other projects (4 tracks): “Have Mercy”—one of many songs Gene submitted for the album. Although rejected for *Hot in the Shade*, it was later retitled “Shout Mercy” and included on the 2012 album *Monster*. “Rain Keeps Fallin'”—another powerful Gene track that didn’t make the cut. It was later re-recorded during the *Psycho Circus* sessions, but the version here is an earlier take. “(She’s Got Me) Paralyzed”—recorded at Fortress Studios in Los Angeles, this track came very close to making the album. Notable credits include Gene Simmons on guitar and bass, with Bob Ezrin contributing backing vocals. It was later reworked and included on *Revenge*. “Suspicious”—recorded in late 1987 and revisited during the *Hot in the Shade* sessions. While it also appeared on Black ‘n Blue’s 1988 album *In Heat*, this version is a demo featuring Gene on lead vocals. Jamie St. James of Black ‘n Blue is clearly audible on backing vocals, raising the possibility that Gene’s lead vocals were overdubbed onto a Black ‘n Blue demo. Unreleased outtakes (6 songs, 7 takes): “Chrome Heart”—co-written by Gene Simmons and Howard Rice; the initial demo dates back to 1983. “The Hunger”: A song with an anecdote claiming that, during the filming of the movie *Runaway*, a demo cassette of this track somehow ended up mixed in with material from the British band Heavy Pettin’. The version included here was recorded in 1988—after the *Crazy Nights* album—reusing the title and incorporating a guitar riff by Bruce Kulick. “The Hunger” (Atlanta Version): Recorded in Atlanta on New Year’s Eve 1986. Featuring Eric Carr and Bruce Kulick, it is possible that this track was once considered for inclusion on *Crazy Nights*. Gene often revisited past demos when preparing new material, and this song resurfaced in 1989; the version included here is that original recording. “Something Wicked This Way Comes” (2 Takes): Named after Ray Bradbury’s gothic novel, this song is a “lost gem” that was seriously considered for the album—even appearing on the promotional tracklist—only to be dropped at the last minute. It was recorded in 1988 at Artisan Sound Recorders Studio C with engineer Mikey Davis. Listeners can compare two full-scale studio takes featuring Bruce Kulick on lead guitar: a demo version and a “final” version with the repeating sections tightened up. “Street Legal”: Another strong contender for the album. It was later re-recorded for a Doro solo album but suffered the double misfortune of being cut from the final tracklist there as well. “Promise The Moon”: Originally written in the 1970s by Gene Simmons and Bob Kulick as “Sentimental Fool.” Gene later recorded a demo of it with members of the band Black ‘n Blue while producing them, but the version included here features Gene on lead vocals. “Piece Of My Heart”: Also known as “All You Want Is A Piece Of My Heart,” this song is a collaboration between Gene and Adam Mitchell. In addition to Gene’s vocals, Tommy Thayer—a member of Black ‘n Blue at the time—contributes guitar and backing vocals. This collection features a total of 17 takes, ranging from early versions of album tracks and songs that eventually saw the light of day on other albums to legendary “lost” tracks that were dropped at the last minute despite appearing on promotional lists. It is the definitive release covering the *Hot in the Shade* sessions with the highest audio quality ever achieved—a “shadow” masterpiece that belongs in your collection alongside the official *Hot in the Shade* album. This is the ultimate, comprehensive collection of *Hot in the Shade* demos and outtakes. All 17 tracks are sourced from top-tier master recordings obtained via exclusive insider channels. Packed with hidden gems, this “Shadow *Hot in the Shade*” includes “Something Wicked This Way Comes” (which vanished despite being on the promo list), a track featuring Eric Carr on lead vocals, songs involving Bob Ezrin, and more. (65:34) 1. Chrome Heart 2. Betrayed 3. Hide Your Heart (Take 1) 4. Hide Your Heart (Take 2) 5. Have Mercy 6. Ain’t That Peculiar 7. Little Caesar 8. Rain Keeps Fallin’ 9. The Hunger 10. The Street Giveth And The Street Taketh Away (Note: The spelling is unusual, but that is the actual title) 11. Something Wicked This Way Comes 12. Something Wicked This Way Comes (Final Version) 13. Street Legal 14. Promise The Moon 15. (She’s Got Me) Paralyzed 16. Suspicious 17. Piece Of My Heart