SOTW -- Classic KISS -- "Calling Dr. Love"

This week, we are dusting off a 1977 45 rpm record, featuring KISS and "Calling Dr. Love."

This is an original disc from my collection, purchased during my "Kiss Phase" when growing up. I had my favorite KISS character, of course. I really liked Peter Criss and drew his face everywhere. I had a Paul Stanley poster in my "area" in the crawlspace (which, incidentally, was still there when my parents moved a few years ago.)

My Junior High, in 1976, won a contests and KISS even played a show in the gym. That was a few years before I was a student there, but everybody was talking about it.

Photo by Ken Jenks

If you haven't seen the new A&E Biography special, KISStory, do it. It is a great trip down memory lane.

"Calling Dr. Love" premieres at 11am July 7, 2021 and repeats again at 11pm (Eastern). Plus, catch it throughout the week.

K-Tel's Disco/Non-Disco Album--Disco Mania, 1976

This month on AiV, we are going back to 1976 for K-Tel's Disco Mania.

As a kid, I loved this album.  And the main reason I loved this album were for two songs:

"Rock and Roll All Nite" by Kiss and "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas

There are some bonafide disco hits on this album.  But there are many other decidely non-disco songs, too.  Along with Kiss, Styx also appears on this album.  As does Bachman Turner Overdrive.

Listen to this entire album on Adventures in Vinyl, the only radio show dedicated to the lost art of the K-Tel record compilation.

Saturday, 12:30 pm
Sunday, 4 pm
Tuesday, 1 pm
Wednesday, 2 am
Thursday, 10 am

1977, the Year of the Robot and the year of "Music Machine"

In 1977, robots invaded pop culture with the release of Star Wars.  And K-Tel jumped on that bandwagon big-time.  Music Machine features one of the most famous robots in history on its cover: Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet.  How K-Tel was able to feature that robot on the cover AND in the commercial is beyond me:


The album features an eclectic mix (as usual) of music from the time:  the disco hits of Andy Gibb, ABBA and K.C. and the Sunshine Band, a Kiss ballad, Kenny Rogers, Alice Cooper and the theme from Rocky.  K-tel spared no expense with this album.  It even has bonus Andy Gibb and K.C. and the Sunshine Band posters!

Music Machine from 1977 is the featured K-Tel album this month on Adventures in Vinyl, the only radio show dedicated to the glory of the K-Tel record compilation.  We will listen to the album in its entirety and even flip the record for you. Adventures in Vinyl can be heard at the following times (central):

Sunday 4 pm
Tuesday 1:30 pm
Wednesday 2 am
Thursday 10 am
Saturday 12:30 pm

This month on AiV: K-Tel's "Star Power" from '78

This month on Adventures in Vinyl we are taking a trip back to early 1978 for K-Tel's Star Power.

This is a good one. And it's mostly because the "Theme from Star Wars" by Meco starts off the album.  I was turning 10 in 1978 when this album came out and Star Wars was my life.  Of course, I had all of the figures, bought trading cards on a weekly basis, wrote George Lucas telling him I'd work for free in his next movie.  That didn't happen.

Meco was actually Domenico Monardo, a record producer and musician. Star Wars made him big, at least for a while, in the late 70s.  He put together a band and they played in disco clubs across the country. He recorded several albums, mostly of movie themes. Star Wars figured prominently in his repertoire.  He even produced a Star Wars-themed Christmas album in 1980.  I have never heard this album, but it features a song entitled, "What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)"

And here's the really weird thing.  That Christmas album features the first ever song recorded by Jon Bon Jovi, who went by his given name John Bongiovi on the album.  The song he sings is entitled, "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

Anyway, the "Theme from Star Wars" is the first song on this K-Tel album, featured this month on Adventures in Vinyl.  In addition to Meco, the album has hits by Foreigner, Kiss, the Little River Band, the Sylvers....and many, many more!


Catch Adventures in Vinyl at the following times (all times Central)

Tuesday:  1 pm
Wednesday: 2 am
Thursday: 10 am
Saturday: 12:30 pm
Sunday: 4 pm

In 1977, K-Tel Gave Us "Stars"---next on AiV

I recently picked up this K-Tel album at our local library's book sale.  It was in great condition for an album that is 36 years old. This is a classic---K-Tel's Stars.

The album, as usual, features an eclectic mix of music.  From disco standards to pop ballads to rock and roll, this album cuts across genres and offers a great glimpse of the year that brought us Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Annie Hall.  Most of the songs made it to the Billboard Year End Chart for 1977.  A couple are on the 1976 chart.  And one is on the 1973 chart.

Here's the commercial:


This is the album featured on Adventures in Vinyl this month.  Join us for a music trip back to 1977 through the magic of K-Tel.  We'll play the album in its entirety and discuss the music, movies and news of the day.

Adventures in Vinyl can be heard to the following time (all Central):

Sunday, 4 pm
Tuesday, 1 pm
Wednesday, 2 am
Thursday, 10 am
Saturday, 12 pm

"Mind Bender" Another Great K-Tel Compilation This Month on AiV

In 1976, K-Tel Records released Mind Bender, a compilation album featuring "22 Original Hits, Original Stars."  You know the drill.

This album features War, Elton John, Jigsaw, Hot Chocolate, KISS and many, many more.

Mind Bender is the featured K-Tel album this month on Adventures in Vinyl.



Adventures in Vinyl can be heard at the following times (central): Saturday, 12 pm
Sunday, 4 pm
Tuesday, 1 pm
Wednesday, 2 am
Thursday, 10 am

New K-Tel album. Thanks Ebay.

It's been a couple of trying days here at Vinyl Voyage.  We had to abort our first "Manic Monday" due to technical issues.  And then today the internet went down for a couple of hours.

However, I did receive a package in the mail.  I often scan the listings on Ebay for K-Tel albums.  Last week, I came across one that I didn't have and bought it for a couple of bucks.  It's in pretty good shape.  The album is from 1976 and is called "Pure Power."





How can you go wrong with an album that features "Dream Weaver?"  Or disco band The Sylvers along side with Alice Cooper?  Heart and Diana Ross?  That's the magic of K-Tel. It doesn't have to make sense.

This album will soon be featured on Adventures in Vinyl.

When KISS Rocked My Junior High

I used to doodle the faces of all of the members of the band KISS. We’d debate among friends who was our favorite band member. Mine: the drummer, Peter Criss. He was the “cat,” in case you’re wondering.

There was something magical about a band that wore bizarre costumes and make-up. I longed to go to a concert and imagined the fireworks, the spitting blood and the sound. Oh, that sound. I could only imagine how loud it actually was. The only thing I knew was that it would have been louder than my record player.

I first became acquainted with KISS in 1976 with, believe or not, a K-Tel album called Disco Mania. That’s right---you read correctly: Disco Mania. The song “Rock and Roll All Nite” appeared late on the second side. And I loved it. I played it all the time. I got other KISS albums. I imagined what it would be like to see them in concert.

In 1976, KISS played a concert at my soon-to-be junior high. River Trails Junior High in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, had recently won a promotion sponsored by a local radio station. The contest: the school that collected the most 3 x 5 cards with the word “snickers” on it would have KISS play a show in their gym. The kids at River Trails anteed up and KISS was coming. The concert occurred on May 4, 1976.

And I did not go.

I knew kids who went. In fact, the concert became legendary. By the time I got there in 1980, people were still talking about it. Kids my age were now claiming that they had attended with older brothers or sisters. Gene Simmons killed a chicken on stage, it was said.

There’s not much about this event online. But there is a Facebook discussion and someone posted a couple of pictures:

Photo by Ken Jenks

Photo by Ken Jenks

This month on Adventures in Vinyl, we will be taking a nostalgic trip back to 1976 through K-Tel’s Disco Mania album. Like all K-Tel albums, this one contains a diverse mix of tunes. There are, of course, some big early disco hits here, such as the ubiquitous “The Hustle.” Of course, Gloria Gaynor makes an appearance.

But then there’s Styx. Bachman Turner Overdrive.

And of course, KISS.

“Rock and Roll All Nite.”

I always wondered what Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley and Paul Stanley thought about that.

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Adventures in Vinyl can be heard on the Vinyl Voyage Saturday Mornings at 11 AM CT with encore broadcasts throughout the week. This is the only radio show dedicated to a K-Tel record compilation. Each month, a new K-Tel album is featured.

More information can be found here.

A K-Tel Gem from 1976: Disco Mania

I turned 8 years old in 1976. And that was the year I got K-Tel’s classic compilation, Disco Mania. I have fond memories of this album---not because I was a huge fan of disco.  Quite the opposite, actually.  This was the album that introduced me to Kiss. Yes, you read correctly. An album called Disco Mania introduced me to the make-up wearing, hard-rocking, blood-spitting band, Kiss.

That is what makes this album pure K-Tel nuttiness. Sure, there are some early bona fide disco hits here: “The Hustle,” “Walkin’ in Rhythm,” “Never Can Say Goodbye” and “Disco Queen.” But then, there are some songs that are gloriously out of place: “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Kiss, “Lady” by Styx and “Hey You” by Bachman Turner Overdrive.

There are 19 songs on this album and it begins with the classic disco song, “The Hustle.” This song was all over the place in 1976.  I remember dancing to it in my living room.



Included are other Disco hits: “Kung Fu Fighting,” “Shame Shame Shame,” “Doctor’s Orders” and “Spirit of the Boogie.”

What’s interesting about this collection is that it was sold under a different title in Canada. In Canada, it was called Disco Rock.

Disco Rock? Are you kidding me?

That--in a nutshell--is what K-Tel was all about.

Disco Mania is the featured album this month on Adventures in Vinyl.   Join us for a nostalgic trip through this K-Tel album, played for you on original vinyl.  Catch the premiere broadcast this Saturday---April 9 at 11 AM CT. Encore broadcasts are available all month. Check the schedule here.