Asshole (album)

Last updated
Asshole
Asshole album cover 2004.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 8, 2004
Genre Hard rock, heavy metal
Length44:38
Label Sanctuary
Producer Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons chronology
Gene Simmons
(1978)
Asshole
(2004)

Asshole is the second solo studio album by Kiss's Gene Simmons and it was released in 2004 on Sanctuary Records. Its controversial title does not appear on the front cover. On the side of the CD case the title reads "asshole". "It's just another way of me saying, 'I don't care what anyone says about me," Simmons declared. "I'm preempting what people say and therefore diffusing the power of my detractors." [1]

Contents

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Background

The album contains a song cowritten by Bob Dylan. "A lot of Bob Dylan's lyrics just make me take a breath and go, 'Okay, I will never be in that class," Simmons remarked. "If you look at the lyrics to one song – The Times They Are a-Changin' or Blowin' in the Wind – that's a lifetime achievement." [4]

"Black Tongue" was based on an unfinished song of the same name composed by Frank Zappa. Simmons licensed a recording of Zappa playing the initial riff and built a new composition around it, with playing by Dweezil Zappa and backup vocals by Dweezil, Ahmet Zappa, Moon Unit Zappa and Frank Zappa's widow, Gail. [5]

Dave Navarro plays guitar on the Prodigy cover "Firestarter".

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sweet & Dirty Love" Gene Simmons 3:03
2."Firestarter" (The Prodigy cover, featuring Dave Navarro) Liam Howlett, Keith Flint, Trevor Horn, J. J. Jeczalik, Anne Dudley, Kim Deal, Gary Langan, Paul Morley 3:20
3."Weapons of Mass Destruction"Gene Simmons3:44
4."Waiting for the Morning Light"Gene Simmons, Bob Dylan 3:22
5."Beautiful"Mark Addison, Nina Singh4:04
6."Asshole"Frank Albin Tostrup3:19
7."Now That You're Gone"Gene Simmons, Bob Kulick 3:20
8."Whatever Turns You On"Gene Simmons, Dave Williams3:14
9."Dog"Gene Simmons, Bag3:07
10."Black Tongue"Gene Simmons, Frank Zappa 4:28
11."Carnival of Souls"Gene Simmons, Scott Van Zen3:26
12."If I Had a Gun"Gene Simmons, Bag2:59
13."1,000 Dreams"Gene Simmons3:19
Total length:44:38

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Asshole
Chart (2004)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [6] 57
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [7] 23
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [8] 25
US Billboard 200 [9] 86

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References

  1. Odell, Michael (June 2008). "Q&A: Kiss". Q #263. p. 127.
  2. Jeffries, David. "***HOLE". allmusic. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  3. Himmelsbach, Erik (June 8, 2004). "Kiss's long-tongued jester lets his hair extensions down". Blender. Archived from the original on August 13, 2004. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  4. Gitter, Mike (6 March 1993). "Talkin' 'bout revolutions". Kerrang! . No. 433. p. 39.
  5. "Gene Simmons is an "Asshole"". Rolling Stone . 22 April 2004.
  6. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 252.
  7. "Norwegiancharts.com – Gene Simmons – Asshole". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  8. "Swedishcharts.com – Gene Simmons – Asshole". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  9. "Gene Simmons Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 9, 2022.