Kiss / Lick It Up Complete Sessions

*Lick It Up* (1983) marked a pivotal turning point for the band—a comeback effort performed without makeup and the first full album to feature Vinnie Vincent. Now, the definitive collection containing the complete set of demos and outtakes from that era has arrived. Preserved here are studio recordings spanning 28 tracks and approximately 77 minutes. While we have previously offered demo albums complementing classic releases like *Creatures of the Night*, *Hot in the Shade*, and *Revenge*, this release serves as the *Lick It Up* counterpart. It captures the full scope of that momentous first session with Vinnie Vincent, ranging from early versions of songs that made the final cut to “lost” tracks that never saw the light of day. Although portions of these sessions had circulated among collectors since the mid-1980s via poor-quality cassette copies, this release features audio unearthed through exclusive insider channels. Offering a level of sound quality and content far superior to anything previously available, it reveals the true nature of the sessions. While the tracks are presented in the order of the original tapes, we will outline them here by categorizing them into “Album Tracks” and “Non-Album Tracks.” Regarding the album tracks—featuring alternate takes and mixes (7 songs, 21 takes)—we begin with the lead single and title track, “Lick It Up” (2 takes). Introduced by a raw, spoken-word note from the engineer, the first take captures the moment this immortal anthem takes shape from a “raw” state—before the band had fully warmed up. We also include both a warm-up take and a demo take. Next are two fascinating tracks: “Fits Like A Glove” and “So Many Girls, So Little Time.” Interestingly, “So Many Girls” was actually the original working title for “Fits Like A Glove.” This release includes both the original version of “So Many Girls, So Little Time” and an instrumental take (featuring guide vocals) where Gene improvised the lyrics on the spot. It is a valuable pairing that captures the raw “labor pains” of creation before the classic song even had its final title. “A Million To One” (7 takes): A major highlight of this release. It features alternate takes of the classic ballad found on the album, each distinct from the others. The collection includes various stages—instrumental, Take 9, 11, 12, and 17—as well as two takes featuring Vinnie Vincent’s guide vocals. It is a fascinating section that allows you to experience, step-by-step, the process of trial and error used to polish a single ballad into its final form. “Gimme More” (4 takes): “Gimme More” appeared on the album and became a staple of the 1983/84 concert tours. Here, you can enjoy four different takes: Take 1, Take 9, Insert 2, and Take 13. “Young And Wasted”: An early demo of the classic “Young And Wasted.” On the original tape, it was recorded in the intervals between takes of “Gimme More”; this gives you a tangible sense of how a live anthem was taking shape while another classic was born in the very same session. “Exciter” (5 takes): Five rough, heavy takes that make up the album track “Exciter.” Instrumental, bridge rehearsal, a solo outtake, a rehearsal with a botched ending, and the ending itself… by listening to these disparate parts, you can appreciate the “blueprint-like” fascination of watching a rock song being assembled. Songs that didn’t make the album (6 tracks): “We Won’t Take It Anymore” (1983 Version)—a Gene-led track that was considered for the album but ultimately rejected. Gene re-recorded this song years later for the *Asylum* album, though it ultimately didn’t make the cut there either. It is a track Gene strangely kept coming back to—perhaps he was hoping the third time would be the charm? “Take It Like A Man (1983 Version)” is another song that is quintessentially Gene and was also re-recorded during the *Asylum* sessions. However, the two versions turned out quite differently, allowing the 1983 version heard here to be enjoyed as a distinct entity. “My Babe” is a unique track for Gene, unlike anything else in his repertoire; he is truly a “man of a thousand faces,” and this song serves as a reminder of his impressive versatility. “Lonely Is The Hunter (1983 Version)” is an early take that differs significantly from the version later released on *Animalize*; fans familiar with the final version will be captivated by the differences in approach. “Untitled Instrumental” is—as the name suggests—an instrumental piece without a title. It is a track that will delight die-hard fans, as it is actually a continuation of a song first introduced during the *Music from “The Elder”* sessions—a testament to an idea that lived on across multiple albums. “You, It Was You Who Left Me” stands as the emotional highlight of this collection. This song was originally intended to be the main ballad for *Lick It Up*. Paul Stanley penned it to express his feelings for his beloved Donna Dixon, who had left him; it serves as a poignant follow-up to “I Still Love You”—a second, heart-wrenching tribute from Paul to her. It is a moving, hidden gem that captures the raw pain of heartbreak in musical form. That concludes the 28-track collection—a release that captures, in superb quality, the entire creative process behind *Lick It Up*, the landmark first album to feature Vinnie Vincent. This release offers an in-depth look at the *Lick It Up* era—the turning point that revealed the band’s unmasked look—by comprehensively compiling demos and outtakes with state-of-the-art sound quality. It features a total of 28 takes from the summer of 1983, sourced from newly discovered master tapes obtained through exclusive insider channels. Highlights include seven takes of “A Million To One,” “Fits Like A Glove” (presented under its original working title), and the elusive ballad “You, It Was You Who Left Me”—a song in which Paul poured out his feelings for Donna Dixon. This is the definitive collection for a rare glimpse behind the scenes of KISS during the Vinnie Vincent era. (77:25) 1. Engineer Notes 2. Lick It Up (warm up) 3. Lick It Up (Demo) 4. We Won’t Take It Anymore (1983 Version) 5. Take It Like A Man (1983 Version) 6. My Babe 7. Lonely Is The Hunter (1983 Version) 8. Fits Like A Glove (Instrumental with Gene guiding vocals) 9. So Many Girls, So Little Time 10. A Million To One (Instrumental) 11. A Million To One (Take 9) 12. A Million To One (Take 11) 13. A Million To One (Take 12) 14. A Million To One (Take 17) 15. A Million To One (Vinnie guiding vocals 1) 16. A Million To One (Vinnie guiding vocals 2) 17. Gimme More Take 1 18. Gimme More Take 9 19. Young And Wasted 20. Gimme More (Insert 2) 21. Gimme More (Take 13) 22. Untitled Instrumental 23. You, It Was You Who Left Me 24. Exciter (instrumental) 25. Exciter (Bridge Rehearsal) 26. Exciter (Solo outtake) 27. Exciter (Rehearsal with botched ending) 28. Exciter (Ending)