PSYCHO CIRCUS (1998)

Details:

Mercury/Phonogram 8DC-P9048 (Japan, 7/98 - Promo)
Mercury/Phonogram PHCR-90007 (Japan, 9/18/98 - 3D Pop-Up Cover)
Mercury PHCR-1675 (Japan, 9/20/98 - Fold-out cover)
Universal/Mercury UICY-3862 (Japan, 6/9/05)
Universal Music UICY-6478 (Japan, 10/18/06)
Mercury/Phonogram 538 137-2 (Germany, 1998)
Mercury/PolyGram MEAD-169 (USA, 7/98 - Promo)
Mercury/PolyGram 558-992-2/4 (USA, 9/22/98)
Mercury/PolyGram 538 938-2 (Europe, 2/23/99 - 2CD Tour Edition)
Mercury/Island Def Jam Music Group B002007101-A (USA, 5/6/2014 - 180g vinyl)

Tracks:

Disc 01:

01. Psycho Circus (5:37) - Stanley/Cuomo | LYRICS

(USA #1, 11/7/98 - Mainstream Rock Tracks; AUZ #22; HOL #98; NOR #8; SWE #4)

02. Within (5:10) - Simmons | LYRICS
03. I Pledge Allegience To The State Of Rock And Roll (3:32) - Stanley/Knight/Cuomo | LYRICS
04. Into The Void (4:22) - Frehley/Cochran | LYRICS
05. We Are One (4:41) - Simmons | LYRICS

(USA, did not chart; AUZ #40; NOR #18; SWE #31)

06. You Wanted The Best (4:15) - Simmons | LYRICS

(USA #22, 12/26/98 - Mainstream Rock Tracks)

07. Raise Your Glasses (4:14) - Stanley/Knight | LYRICS
08. I Finally Found My Way (3:40) - Stanley/Ezrin | LYRICS

(SWE, did not chart)

09. Dreamin' (4:12) - Stanley/Kulick | LYRICS
10. Journey Of 1,000 Years (4:47) - Simmons | LYRICS
11. In Your Face (3:40) - Simmons | LYRICS

Disc 02:
01. Psycho Circus (5:08) - Stanley/Cuomo
02. Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll (5:30) - Stanley/Simmons
03. Into The Void (9:06) - Frehley/Cochran
04. Within (7:54) - Simmons
05. 100,000 Years (5:12) - Simmons/Stanley
06. Black Diamond (6:11) - Stanley

Notes:

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn. Recorded at One On One Studios and A&M Studios in Los Angeles, CA, January - April 1998. Final mastering completed 6/24/98 by George Marino. Strings arranged by Shelly Berg. Track 11, sung by Ace, is only available on the Japanese version of the album. Drums on all of the album's tracks, except "Into The Void," were performed by Kevin Valentine. The majority of the lead guitar work was by Tommy Thayer (apparently offered some $20K for the effort) with some having the sonic signature of Paul Stanley (but not necessarily being by him). Some notes indicate that Bruce Kulick played bass on "Psycho Circus" and "Body And Soul;" and it is likely that there are other contributions by him.

CD2 produced by KISS. Recorded live at ISA Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Indiana, on December 12, 1998 and at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 13, 1998, on the US Leg of the tour. Packaging is the replacement of the CD-tray image with an inlay detailing the Live CD. Running time 40 minutes.

Performance credits:

Psycho Circus - Bruce Kulick on bass; Tommy Thayer on lead guitar
We Are One - Tommy Thayer on bass and guitars; Gene Simmons on acoustic guitar
I Finally Found My Way - Bruce Kulick on bass; Shelly Berg on acoustic piano; Bob Ezrin on Fender Rhodes
I Pledge Allegiance - Bruce Kulick on bass on chorus; Paul Stanley guitar solo
Within - Bruce Kulick on backwards guitar intro (from demo)
You Wanted The Best - Ace Frehley on guitar solo
Raise Your Glasses - Paul Stanley guitar solo
Dreamin' - Bruce Kulick on bass
Journey Of 1,000 Years - Shelly Berg on acoustic piano

** It's pretty obvious that there are other players on the album, mainly Tommy Thayer (providing the majority of lead and rhythm guitars) and Kevin Valentine (drums). The only song on the album the original four members play on is "Into The Void"...

Chart Action:

Chart Peak: #3 (10/1/98) with 14 weeks on charts. Other countries: AUS #25; AUZ #1; CAN #2; GER #5; JAP #20; NOR #4; SWE #1; SWZ #30; UK #47.

RIAA/Sales:

"Psycho Circus" was certified gold by the RIAA on 10/22/98. By February 2007 the album had sold 481,000 according to SoundScan(r). It is currently out-of-print in the USA. By 2003 Universal Music International reported international sales of over 400,000 of the album (Billboard, 8/9/03).

Performed Live:

40% of this album has been performed live. "Psycho Circus," "Within," and "Into The Void" debuted at the special Halloween 1998 concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA on October 31, 1998. They remained in the set for the full "Psycho Circus" tour. "I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock 'N' Roll" had three performances in Australia in May 2004.

Multimedia:

USA Advance Promo Cover | CD
Japanese 5 Track Sampler
Japanese Alt. Album Cover
Japanese Slip-case Cover | 3D Package (Front) | 3D Package (Rear) | Lyric Insert Booklet | CD Sleeve
UK Psycho Circus Advance CD Scan | Cover | Cover Inlay
UK Psycho Circus Release Cover Sticker
German Psycho Circus Release Sticker | Cover

Psycho Circus Bonus EP Cover Sticker (UK)
Psycho Circus Bonus EP Rear Cover Inner Tray (UK)