Paul Stanley's prop guitars meant for smashing only.

[Blazer]

I mentioned this on other Kiss related threads before but I finally found good pictures to go with what I was stating.

Paul Stanley always ends performances by smashing a guitar, in the seventies those were surplus Gibsons he got from the endorsement deal he had with Gibson back then. Many Marauder and L6S met their demise that way.

A Marauder smashed by Stanley in 1979

But from the eighties onwards Stanley started using specially prepped Smasher guitars that had the neck cut almost clean through, ready to snap on impact. This required much less effort while still maintaining the visual impact.

The neck of an Ibanez Iceman smashed by Stanley in the nineties, the cut, through the base of the neck is clearly visible.

But sometimes the body would break before the neck did as evident in this picture.


It's clear though that Paul Stanley doesn't smash a guitar for the sound it creates, I mean just listen what cacophony the likes of Pete Townshend, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain got by smashing their guitars while it was still plugged in.

[nofi]

if kiss were around during vaudville they would be spinning plates and throwing pies at each other. i fail to see the entertainment value in destroying eqipment.

[Dave W]

There oughta be a law with no bail
Smash a guitar and you go to jail
With no chance for early parole
You don't get out untill you get some soul

[IMO, this should apply to prop guitars too]

[OldManC]

As a huge original KISS fan from the age of 10 (1975), it's sad to me to hear that even something as 'rebellious' as the guitar smashing became nothing but a fake, contrived act like Paul's lame stage raps always were. (OK, I know it was always contrived, but to the point of prepping the guitar?). Was Paul really such a puss by then that he couldn't just break the friggin' thing? I know with his new hip and all he has to take it easy these days, but damn...

And KISS fan or not, I love that quote, Dave.

[Blazer]

My guess is that he simply didn't want to injure himself himself anymore. Guitars are tough and flying debree such as bridges, pieces of body and snapped off headstocks can smack one in the face. Pete Townshend once stated in an interview found on whotabs.com that smashing guitars and Fenders in particular frequently left him with bruises. Not too hard to imagine Paul Stanley going through the same thing trying to break his guitar on stage, and there wasn't a guarantee that it would actually break at all.

Kiss in 1978, Paul Smashing a Gibson Marauder with a sawn through neck, look at how easy he snaps it in two.

With the sawn through neck, not only is the guitar sure to break but he can also do this routine of moves of swinging his guitar over his head a couple of times and slam it into the ground with the rest of the band doing "Bwam - Bwam" noises and break the thing on the final "Bwaaam" note played. Even stronger, the whole routine is actually incorporated in the rehearsals...

[Lightyear]

There oughta be a law with no bail
Smash a guitar and you go to jail
With no chance for early parole
You don't get out untill you get some soul

[IMO, this should apply to prop guitars too]

Thanks Dave,

I'd forgot all about that one!

[ack1961]

[IMO, this should apply to prop guitars too]

It should also apply to Kyle Busch, who smashed a brand new Gibson LP, designed/painted/hand-delivered by Sam Bass.
Gibson and Sam Bass apparently collaborated for months on this fully functional trophy (a trophy that used to be coveted by drivers).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qj0c1bFyck&feature=related

What a friggin' punk.

This thread just reminded me one of the reasons why I have always detested Kiss and totally loathed Nirvana.
Overrated theater.

[Blazer]

This thread just reminded me one of the reasons why I have always detested Kiss and totally loathed Nirvana.
Overrated theater.

May I ask you what your opinion is of the Who?


Are they also "Overrated Theater" or are they a band legendary because of their music and because of being the first that had a lead playing Bassplayer? And when you put on "Tommy" or "Who's next" and listen to those songs, do you go "Meh overrated crap and meaningless destruction of their gear." or do you go "Now that's a damn fine album, why don't they have bands like this anymore?"


The simple matter is that you can't see flashpots or makeup or a guitar being smashed when you put a Kiss album on, it's the music what made them big.

Same with Nirvana, put on their albums "Nevermind" and "In utero" and the fact that they wore shabby clothes and destroyed instruments on stage is irrelivant.

[Basvarken]

it's the music what made them big.

I beg to differ

[ack1961]

May I ask you what your opinion is of the Who?


Are they also "Overrated Theater" or are they a band legendary because of their music and because of being the first that had a lead playing Bassplayer? And when you put on "Tommy" or "Who's next" and listen to those songs, do you go "Meh overrated crap and meaningless destruction of their gear." or do you go "Now that's a damn fine album, why don't they have bands like this anymore?"


The simple matter is that you can't see flashpots or makeup or a guitar being smashed when you put a Kiss album on, it's the music what made them big.
 
Same with Nirvana, put on their albums "Nevermind" and "In utero" and the fact that they wore shabby clothes and destroyed instruments on stage is irrelivant.

Wow. I'm a huge Who fan. Always have been.  I based my admiration on their music first, and the fact that as a kid, I thought John Entwistle was the greatest bass player ever.  I loved the Who's rawness, power and electricity.
The Who were great because of their music. They certainly earned the right to carry on however they wanted.  They were special.  Kiss was an act.  I've tried to listen.  Some of my best friends were Kiss fans in the '70's.  I thought they were posers back then, and nothing has changed. The fact that they had to saw through the neck so that Star-man could actually break it in two is hilarious...yet sad.

Nirvana is a huge mystery, not because of smashing anything (personally, it doesn't alter the fact that I think they sucked, that's just my opinion).  I happen to like several Seattle-based bands. It's Nirvana. I'm no prude. I grew up on the Sex Pistols, The Clash, X, The Ramones.  Smashing stuff and saying stupid things doesn't alter what you put down on vinyl.

I didn't post anything that was meant to offend anyone.  Everyone has their own taste in music.  Many people would cringe at some of my favorite bands.

[Dave W]

I've always liked The Who, although never a big fan, and it's because of their music. I liked them before the guitar smashing started, and that always put me off, but I still liked the music. Especially the bass.

Kiss, never got into their music or their act, always thought it was clearly all about the show, that the music was secondary.

[Blazer]

I said it before though, make up and flashbombs can't be put on records.

[ack1961]

I said it before though, make up and flashbombs can't be put on records.

That's my point, too.
Make-up and flashbombs were the high points.  The records were the initial disappointments.

[ack1961]

That's my point, too.
Make-up and flashbombs were the high points.  The records were the initial disappointments.

OK, I admit it...I like Detroit Rock City.
There, I said it.

[uwe]

Kiss have written a handful or two memorable songs in a three decade career, Detroit Rock City being one of them though I credit much of that to Bob Ezrin who according to Gene Simmons came up with both the carcrash noises, the bass run (painstakingly shown to Gene who had a hard time getting its non-triolic feel over the shuffle rhythm) and the minor mode solo with thirds (he hummed the melody to Kiss, which at the time of recording Destroyer did not even know that you could tune a guitar via its harmonics, source for this: Gene Simmons' bio). Take those ingredients away and there is not much left of Detroit Rock City. But I'm not knocking Kiss, they were always upfront that their show was more than 50% of their concept and that the brand empire they created had little to do with their often pedestrian and heavy-handed music. But you don't need to go to someone as blatantly show-oriented as Kiss to find that a good show sells. Ever wondered why the Stones still sell out stadiums to dwindling album sales while a band such as the Yardbirds broke up decades ago? Mick Jagger is live no less of a showman than Paul Stanley and without him the Stones would be playing bars rather than stadiums.

As regards the guitar smashing thing. If it's done out of frenzy (Hendrix) or frustration (Cobain) or a ritual act like stabbing the steer at a bullfight (Blackmore) or initially just an ugly accident (Townshend), it has a different meaning to me than if it is part of the regular act (Kiss) where it is essentially just another smoke bomb going off. That doesn't make Kiss less worthy musicians though, anybody having read an interview with Paul Stanley about his signature guitars (and why he hates to have his old signature model belittled as an Iceman "when it has nothing to with an Iceman as regards quality"), knows that the guy has an appreciation for instruments. He probably flinched at destroying those guitars, but gave the people what they wanted: bread and games. How Kiss really feel about destroying things showed when according to Manfred Mann (opening act for them at the time) they threw the second opening act, an unnamed Brit band (I have a hunch it was Dr Feelgood at the time) unceremoniously off the tour for wrecking just one hotel room with Kiss profusely apologizing to the hotel management for the misdemeanor of their opening act. If you come from a less than affluent background in Queens, you don't break things on purpose unless people want you to and pay you for it!