Stage Banter, Pt 2: Having Fun With Stanley Onstage

About a decade ago, some friends of mine (who shall remain nameless for legal reasons) pressed up one of the most genius seven-inches of all time. "Having Fun With Stanley Onstage" was comprised entirely of between-song banter by the acknowledged lord and master of the art form: Paul Stanley of Kiss. All of the banter snippets were taken from various bootlegs of Kiss shows in the 1980s. These were the "Skin Years," during which the band had ditched their trademark costumes and makeup for Zubaz pants and, well, makeup; my theory is that Paul felt he had to work "extra blue" in order to make up for the band's lack of visual flair.

If you're into the more ridiculous aspects of Kiss, or you just appreciate outrageous stage banter in general, "Having Fun With Stanley Onstage" (its title a poke at a similarly-named and -conceived Elvis Presley album, which was actually released by RCA in 1974) is the veritable motherlode. It's twelve minutes of non-stop hilarity, with Paul praising the qualities of the groupies he's just met in a Wisconsin hotel lobby ("Some of Milwaukee's finest — and I ain't talkin' 'bout no BEER, neither!"), regaling the audience with an endless tale of sex with a flight attendant ("Baby, you gonna fly the friendly skies!"), and even essaying a Michael Jackson imitation (?!?), all while sounding like a particularly tweaked black drag queen. The recordings were all made by people in the audience, which means you get to hear some amazing stuff from the crowd, like the drunken mooks mindlessly baying "Lick It UP!" at a singer who sounds like he wouldn't mind taking them up on their offer.

There's a similar recording of Venom banter floating around that's pretty legendary, but trust me -- "Having Fun With Stanley Onstage" totally kicks its ass. Only 500 copies were ever pressed, and they are all in the hands of Kiss collectors now. But for a limited time only, you can enjoy both sides of it here. But to quote Paul's rap to the stewardess (as opposed to Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians), it is my duty to inform you that you have just crossed into THE DANGER ZONE -- do NOT play this stuff at work...

having_fun_with_stanley_onstage_pt.1

having_fun_with_stanley_onstage_pt.2

Comments

[Jordan 5]

God is the ultimate audience who will ultimately judge our message.

[new balance]

At twenty years of age , the will reigns; at thirty , the wit ; and at forty , the judgment .