SHANDI'S ADDICTION - Kiss My Ass: classic KISS regrooved 1994 (Mercury: US/JP) cd : 314 522 123-2 (USA) + 314 522 123-x (Japan)

This month's feature is one-off supergroup, Shandi's Addiction.
Using this link, you can listen to audio files and purchase this recording.

Shandi's Addiction:
vocals - Maynard Keenan
guitar - Tom Morello
bass - Billy Gould
drums - Brad Wilk

Although generally considered inferior to its indie label counterpart (Various Artists - Hard to Believe: A KISS Covers Compilation (1992) - which included Nirvana), Various Artists - Kiss My Ass: classic KISS regrooved proved interesting enough for some of its more off-kilter renditions of Kiss classics.

One such track was "Calling Dr. Love" covered by Shandi's Addiction. The band was formed for the tribute by members of Faith No More (Gould) and Rage Against the Machine (Morello and Wilk) adding Maynard Keenan when the original singer (unknown, but rumoured to be either Mike Patton or Zack de la Rocha) decided not to participate.

Keenan was well-acquainted with Morello (a hometown friend of Tool's Adam Jones) and Wilk having guested on Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (1992) and been on the Lollapalooza 1993 tour.

Originally, the band had considered naming themselves, Gene Simmons Owes Us an Apology for The Elder as a reference to Kiss' poorly-received concept album, Kiss - Music from The Elder (1981). Instead, the band opted for a reference to a song on Kiss - Unmasked (1980). "Calling Dr. Love" was written by Gene Simmons and recorded by Kiss. The original can be found on Kiss - Rock & Roll Over (1976).

Gould, who recorded and produced the song (leading us to draw our own conclusions why it sounds so bass-driven) went on to found Kool Arrow Records (www.koolarrow.com) after Faith No More broke up in 1998. Morello and Wilk have formed Audioslave, reworking Rage Against the Machine after de la Rocha left the band. Audioslave's singer is ex-Soundgarden singer/songwriter and solo artist Chris Cornell. Their début CD was released in 2002.

Various Artists - Kiss My Ass: classic KISS regrooved was released June 21, 1994 featuring three different covers (background flags) for the United States, Canada, and Japan (also includes a bonus track). Some recordings feature alternate cover artwork censoring the word "Ass". It is still in print and relatively easy to find.

Artists mentioned in this feature: Audioslave, Chris Cornell, Faith No More, Kiss, Mike Patton, Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, and Tool.

Credits: Source material from All Music Guide, Caca Volante, and CDNow.