Love Gun (Wildcard Remaster)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the iconic track "Love Gun (Wildcard Remaster)" by KISS, from their 1977 album Love Gun, and the Zoo Freaks are surely rocking out. This song, written by Paul Stanley, is a cornerstone of KISS's catalog, with Stanley himself calling it one of the band's "five signature essential songs" in a 2004 interview from the book KISS: Behind the Mask. He penned it in his head during a flight to Japan, rushing to play it upon landing to confirm it was all there. Stanley not only sang lead vocals but also played bass on the track, a role typically filled by Gene Simmons, while producer Eddie Kramer added keyboards. The song's lyrics draw inspiration from "The Hunter," a 1967 track by Albert King, with Stanley admitting in his autobiography Face the Music that he "stole the idea of a 'love gun'" from it. When asked about the song's meaning in interviews, Stanley cheekily described a "love gun" as "the gun you're born with, that never comes off."

Another fun tidbit about "Love Gun" comes from its release as the second single off the album on July 31, 1977, as noted in a 2021 post by @kiss on X. The original album included a cardboard .45 caliber handgun that made a "BANG" sound when swung, delighting fans. Paul Stanley has often shared his pride in the song, stating in interviews that it’s his favorite KISS composition and the one he enjoys performing most, as echoed by fans like Ken from Perth, Australia, who made it his car’s license plate, according to a Songfacts comment. The song’s high-energy riffs and cheeky lyrics earned praise from Billboard for its "power guitar riffs" and from Cash Box for its "cute lyrics" that resonated with the KISS Army, the band’s devoted fanbase.

KISS formed in New York City in 1973, born from the ashes of an earlier band called Wicked Lester, where Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley first played together. Frustrated with Wicked Lester’s lack of direction, they sought a bolder vision, recruiting drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley to complete the lineup. Inspired by the theatricality of the New York Dolls and Alice Cooper, they adopted their now-iconic makeup and costumes, each member crafting a distinct persona: Stanley as the Starchild, Simmons as the Demon, Frehley as the Spaceman, and Criss as the Catman. Their self-titled debut album in 1974 didn’t initially chart well, but their electrifying live performances, captured on 1975’s Alive!, propelled them to stardom, going gold and cementing their reputation as a must-see act.

Fans can dive deeper into KISS’s world through their official channels: the band’s website at kissonline.com, their Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where they share updates and celebrate milestones like the 1977 platinum shipment of Love Gun, as posted on X in 2023. The KISS Army thrives online, with fan-driven sites like KISS Army and KISS Timeline, which chronicles their early makeup era. On Facebook, groups like the KISS Army connect fans worldwide, sharing memorabilia and concert stories, keeping the spirit of the Zoo Freaks’ love for KISS alive.