KISS' "PSYCHO-CIRCUS" Released on this Day- 1998

Kiss' Reunion album, PSYCHO-CIRCUS, was released on this day, September 22, 1998. The album reunited Peter, Paul, Ace and Gene for the first time since 1977's Love Gun album.  It's the band's 18th studio release. Unfortunately, controversy surrounded the album, after it was revealed  that the entire band did not appear on the album. Session musicians were used in most of the recording process. It's been suggested that Bruce Kulick played on some tracks but most of the work was done by current Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer performing the leads.  Kevin Valentine did most of the drumming with the exception of Ace Frehley's Into The Void and You Wanted The Best  (featured Ace on lead guitar on only those two tracks) with the latter single featuring all members singing lead on the track. Peter Criss sang lead (and played drums only on "Into the Void" and "I Finally Found My Way") on the Paul Stanley penned ballad, I Finally Found My Way.

Paul Stanley's statement regarding the album's lack of full band involvement, "We tried to do a Kiss album, and it was an ill-fated attempt because there was no real band," and continued by adding "For a band to make a great album, it has to share a common purpose, and we didn’t have it."

Despite the controversy, Psycho-Circus debuted on Billboard's 200 Albums Charts at #3 selling 110,000 copies in it's first week and certified Gold status by the RIAA on October 22, 1998.

The first single, Psycho-Circus( blw Into the Void), released in August and featured a 3-D video (as well as the tour) reached #1 on the Mainstream Rock Charts. Two singles followed (without videos) You Wanted The Best reached  #22 and the third single We Are One did not chart in the US but charted in many other parts of the world.

The tour to support the album kicked off at Dodger Stadium on Halloween night, which was part of FOX's Halloween Spooktacular featuring the first couple of songs going out on a live broadcast, and featured 3-D effects via video screens never really hit the mark.