''Kiss Symphony: Alive IV'' is a 2003 live album from the American rock band, Kiss, performing with the

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian orchestra based in Melbourne. The MSO is resident at Hamer Hall. The MSO has its own choir, the MSO Chorus, following integration with the Melbourne Chorale in 2008. The MSO relies on f ...

(MSO). The arrangements were made by David Campbell, who also conducted the MSO. It is the group's fourth album in the ''Alive'' series and first release under Kiss Records and Sanctuary Records.

Album information

The concert from which the album is taken featured original Kiss members Peter Criss, Paul Stanley, and

Gene Simmons Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; he, חיים ויץ, ; born August 25, 1949) is an Israeli-American musician. Also known by his stage persona The Demon, he is the bassist and co-lead singer of Kiss, the hard rock band he co-founded with Paul ...

. All three appeared at a press conference announcing the show. "The result will be no less than a symphonic sonic boom," promised Stanley. " Beethoven and

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

will rise up dancing with fists raised as we unleash a spectacle that will be both classic and classical. This time it's

black tie Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element fo ...

''and'' black leather." Members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra who accompanied Kiss during this performance wore Kiss makeup and tuxedos. Although Stanley said, "We're hoping Ace will be at this spectacular concert," guitarist Frehley once again left the band. The show instead introduced new member Tommy Thayer as the "Spaceman". The resultant album was Kiss's last to feature Criss – who would leave the band officially in 2004, to be replaced once again by Eric Singer. (Singer had previously rejoined the band to replace Criss in 2001 after the band's first Farewell Tour.) In 2000, Kiss had planned to release the original ''Alive IV'' (featuring the reunited original lineup), but this was nixed by label politics and contracts. The artwork was revealed and its version of "

Rock and Roll All Nite "Rock and Roll All Nite" is a song by American rock band Kiss, originally released on their 1975 album '' Dressed to Kill''. It was released as the A-side of their fifth single, with the album track "Getaway". The studio version of the song pe ...

" was added to '' The Box Set'', but the album was shelved. The band moved labels from Universal/Island to Sanctuary Music and issued ''Kiss Symphony: Alive IV''. The original ''Alive IV'' belatedly appeared – as ''

Alive! The Millennium Concert ''Alive! The Millennium Concert'' is a Album#Live, live album by the United States, American hard rock Band (rock and pop), band Kiss (band), Kiss. It was released on November 21, 2006, as part of the ''Kiss Alive! 1975–2000'' box set. Album in ...

'' – in a 2006 box set of all the ''Alive'' albums, '' Kiss Alive! 1975-2000''. 10,000 limited numbered copies were released on vinyl in the US. Unlike past ''Alive'' releases, the songs on the album appear in the order they were performed, with the concert split into three acts. In Act One, Kiss performed six songs by themselves. In Act Two, they performed a five-song acoustic set with the Melbourne Symphony Ensemble. Act Three featured the band and the full 60-piece orchestra on all tracks. The live versions of "Rock and Roll All Nite", "God of Thunder" and "Lick It Up" were featured on the soundtrack of the video game '' Tony Hawk's Underground''. The game also featured a bonus level, entitled "Hotter Than Hell", which takes place where the performance was done in Melbourne.

Track listing

All tracks were recorded at Marvel Stadium (known at the time as Telstra Dome) in Melbourne,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, on February 28, 2003.

2-disc edition

Disc 1

Disc 2

Single-Disc Edition

Personnel

;Members * Paul Stanley – vocals,

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

– vocals,

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

* Peter Criss –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

, vocals * Tommy Thayer – lead guitar, backing vocals ;Additional personnel *The

*Mark Opitz –

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

*Tony Wall – engineer * David Campbell –

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

Charts

Certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kiss Symphony: Alive Iv 2003 live albums Kiss (band) live albums Albums produced by Mike Opitz Sequel albums Melbourne Symphony Orchestra albums Sanctuary Records live albums