As to why KIX never became multi-platinum, chart-topping superstars shall forever remain a mystery. Formed in Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1976, they were a band who appeared to be holding all the aces; a charismatic vocalist, a hard but melodic sound, plus an armful of stadium-filling songs. I guess it was easy for bands to get lost in the shuffle back in the 1980’s (lets face it, there was some serious competition). As if to show the record buying pubic their folly, Cherry Red Records release Kool Atomic Kix, a mammoth eight disc set that compiles six studio albums, a live offering along with a disc of demos to perfectly illustrate why those in the know consider KIX one of rock’s most beloved bands.
Disc One: Kix
KIX’s road to their eponymous-titled debut album wasn’t a smooth one; the band spent years playing covers in every sort of dive bar and grotty club. However, they certainly weren’t wasted years, meaning that when they inked a deal with Atlantic Records they arrived fully formed. Bookended by an air raid siren, opening track ‘Atomic Bombs’ encapsulates all that’s great about raunchy rock n’ roll and will set the template for the rest of this disc (and indeed, the whole collection). Hard, yet melodic, KIX are kind enough to wear their influences on the sleeve and there’s a definite Cheap Trick vibe here, coupled with an experimental new wave edge courtesy of The Cars. It all made the band seem a little more cerebral than their peers and KIX was an album bursting at the seams with great ideas. Yet, they always kept eyes of the important stuff (like melody and song structure) and ‘The Itch’ gets under the skin like a bad case of formication, whist the likes of ‘Heartache’ and ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’ remain fan favourites and stayed in their set throughout their career.
Disc Two: Cool Kids
Despite the strong songs contained on the band’s debut album, it didn’t exactly set the world alight and the sales were slightly “disappointing”. As if to rectify that, KIX’s sophomore effort Cool Kids found the band heading in a more glam/pop-metal sound and (maybe at the behest of the record label) contained three cover versions. None of that makes Cool Kids a bad album, and the great thing about the music industry in the ‘70s and ‘80s was that bands were afforded the opportunity to grow and develop, labels had a long term view and would let artists refine their sound over the course of several albums. Once again, KIX wear their influences proudly, (most notably on opening track ‘Burning Love’ which seems to take its central riff from the Trick’s ‘High Roller’) and there’s plenty of rock action on offer, such as the high octane ‘Mighty Mouth’ (kind of like Aerosmith on amphetamine) and ‘Nice On Ice’ where the band get low down and dirty. KIX consider Cool Kids their least favourite album, but time has been kind and it marks an important milestone on their journey.
Disc Three: Midnite Dynamite
It was all change (again) in the KIX camp for their third long player Midnite Dynamite. Out went Brad Divens (who joined in time for Cool Kids) and original guitarist Ronnie “10/10” Younkins made a welcome return. Beau Hill came in as co-producer, whilst hit songwriter Bob Halligan Jr. co-wrote seven of the album’s ten tracks. It proved to be a winning combination and rendered Midnite Dynamite a major step up in class. It had a certain boldness that its predecessor lacked and that becomes immediately apparent on the opening (and) title-track. It finds the band flexing their (considerable) muscles and delivering a set of hard, but melodic, rockers. It’s an album that found the band moving in a riff-centric direction and it’s an approach that made the likes of ‘Bang Bang (Balls On Fire)’ prime pieces of ear candy. Midnite Dynamite is one of those rare albums that delivers a series of direct hits, it is all killer and no filler, and while it didn’t impact the charts, it raised the band’s game so they could compete with major league players like Ratt and Mötley Crüe.
Disc Four: Blow My Fuse
The faith and patience that Atlantic Records showed in KIX was finally repaid with their fourth album, Blow My Fuse. There are moments in music history where the stars align and everything falls into place, and that’s what happened with KIX’s fourth album. The production by Tom Werman is bold and brash, the songs are well written and straight from the top drawer, and it felt as if the time was finally conducive for that KIX sound. Originally released on 6th September 1988 when heavy metal was in its ascendency, Blow My Fuse marched straight into the album charts, going platinum and producing a massive selling single in the shape of ‘Don’t Close My Eyes’. AC/DC are an obvious influence in tracks such as ‘No Ring Around Rosie’, ‘Get It While It’s Hot’ and ‘Blow My Fuse’, not only musically but in the tongue-in-cheek, double entendre-laced lyrics. This is the sound of a band coming into their own, finding their signature sound and rocking it with some style. As with their previous album, KIX barely put a foot wrong with this record, yet in terms of quality and all round performance Blow My Fuse takes things to a whole new level and they not only set themselves a new heights, but raised the bar for all who followed.
Disc Five: Hot Wire
While each of the first four KIX albums had their own individual sound, their fifth, Hot Wire, built upon and refined that found on Blow My Fuse. That’s not to say Hot Wire is a carbon copy, far from it, but those who liked what the band did on Blow My Fuse will find a spiritual home here. Bursting at the seams with great riffs, Hot Wire immediately hits us with three blows in the shape of ‘Hot Wire’, ‘Girl Money’ and ‘Lov-A-Holic’ that connect like a heavyweight boxer punching a bag. The obligatory power ballad ‘Tear Down The Walls’ should have done the same kind of business as ‘Tear Down The Walls’ (unfortunately it didn’t) and it even occupies the same position on the album (the fourth track). Hot Wire delivers the kind of no-nonsense rock n’ roll that’s full of raucous riffs, solid beats, soaring vocals, all topped off with a touch of voice box and harmonica. Released in 1991, Hot Wire offers an intriguing glimpse of the future had a little tyranny like grunge not stepped in.
Disc Six: Live
KIX’s sixth album turned out to be a live recording. With a minimum amount of overdubs, Live did exactly what it said on the tin, and with the band riding high on the back of two successful albums, it found KIX at the top of their game. Captured on tape at Maryland’s Richie Coliseum in October ‘91, Live found KIX playing to a home crowd and it’s an explosive affair that captures the magic and excitement of a rowdy gig. As the band crank out ‘Rock & Roll Overdose’ you can almost feel the sticky floor beneath your feet, visualise the pint glasses held aloft and see the speakers smoking through dry ice. Reading like a “greatest hits” set, only with the added oomph of being played live, tracks such as ‘Tear Down The Walls’ really come to life and take on an extra dimension. However, the album’s pièce de résistance is undoubtedly a fourteen minute rendition of ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’ which the band beat into a whole new shape (which is exactly how live tracks should be handled) and features some nifty ad lib from vocalist Steve Whiteman, all of which makes Live worth the price of admission alone.
Disc Seven: Demos
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Blow My Fuse KIX released a remastered edition of the album (imaginatively-titled Blow My Fuse Re-Blown), the second disc of which is included here as Demos. Featuring the whole of Blow My Fuse and with the same running order, the title of this disc might conjure images of sub standard recordings on poor equipment, but nothing could be further from the truth. In terms of song structure, the tracks here bear a striking similarity to those found on Blow My Fuse, only that sheen which a top studio and producer applies is missing. Yet, the tracks have an urgency which was tempered by the production on the finished versions, but as to which the listener prefers will be subjective and based on personal preference. Something was lost and something gained when these songs were beefed up for Blow My Fuse, but Demos is an enjoyable listen.
Disc Eight: Rock Your Face Off
As with most metal bands in the 1990’s, KIX were dropped by their record label when grunge hit and metal was considered commercially dead. Yet, KIX refused to take the dive and continued touring, releasing $how Bu$ine$$ on the indie label CMC International in 1995. A seven year hiatus followed after which KIX returned with the eighth disc in this set: Rock Your Face Off. The band’s first studio album for nineteen years, it was a stunning return to form, and while KIX weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, it found the band doing what they do best and delivering a dozen riff-orientated songs that couldn’t fail to please. It seemed the fans agreed because Rock Your Face Off attained their second highest album chart placing after Blow My Fuse. That’s no surprise because this album serves up thick slices of rock action with cuts such as ‘Love Me With Your Top Down’ operating with a menacing swagger. Rock Your Face Off proved to be KIX’s studio swansong…but they sure signed off in style.
Why KIX never reached the heights of less talented bands shall remain a mystery and this box set only adds to that quandary. But if you want to hear some of the very best hard rock this side of heaven, you need look no further that Kool Atomic Kix.
- Kool Atomic Kix is released via Cherry Red Records/HNE Recordings on 25th July 2025.
Track List:
Disc One: Kix
- Atomic Bombs
- Love At First Sight
- Heartache
- Poison
- The Itch
- Kix Are For Kids
- Contrary Man
- The Kid
- Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Bonus Track:
- The Itch (Edit)
Disc Two: Cool Kids
- Burning Love
- Cool Kids
- Love Pollution
- Body Talk
- Loco-Emotion
- Mighty Mouth
- Nice On Nice
- Get Your Monkeys Out
- For Shame
- Restless Blood
Disc Three: Midnite Dynamite
- Midnite Dynamite
- Red Hot (Black & Blue)
- Bang Bang (Balls Of Fire
- Layin’ Rubber
- Walkin’ Away
- Scarlet Fever
- Cry Baby
- Cold Shower
- Lie Like A Rug
- Sex
Bonus Tracks:
- Scarlet Fever (Edit)
- Cold Shower (Edit)
Disc Four: Blow My Fuse
- Red Lite, Green Lite, TNT
- Get It While It’s Hot
- No Ring Around Rosie
- Don’t Close Your Eyes
- She Dropped The Bomb
- Cold Blood
- Piece Of The Pie
- Boomerang
- Blow My Fuse
- Dirty Boys
Bonus Tracks:
- Cold Blood (Edit)
- Blow My Fuse (Live In Japan)
- Cold Blood (Live In Japan)
Disc Five: Hot Wire
- Hot Wire
- Girl Money
- Luv-A-Holic
- Tear Down The Walls
- Bump The La La
- Rock & Roll Overdose
- Cold Chills
- Same Jane
- Pants On Fire
- Hee Bee Jee Bee Crush
- Tear Down The Walls (Radio Remix Fade)
- Tear Down The Walls (LP Version Fade)
- Tear Down The Walls (Radio Remix)
- Same Jane (Edit)
- Girl Money (AOR/Video Mix)
- Girl Money (Top 40 Remix)
Disc Seven: Live
- Hot Wire
- Same Jane
- Rock & Roll Overdose
- Sex
- The Itch
- For Shame
- Tear Down The Walls
- Blow My Fuse
- Girl Money
- Cold Blood
- Don’t Close Your Eyes
- Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Disc Seven: Demos
- Red Lite, Green Lite, TNT
- Get It While It’s Hot
- No Ring Around Rosie
- Don’t Close Your Eyes
- She Dropped Me The Bomb
- Cold Blood
- Piece Of The Pie
- Boomerang
- Blow My Fuse
- Dirty Boys
Disc Eight: Rock Your Face Off
- Wheel’s In Motion
- You’re Gone
- Can’t Stop The Show
- Rollin’ In Honey
- Rock Your Face Off
- All The Right Things
- Dirty Girls
- Inside Outside Inn
- Mean Miss Adventure
- Love Me With Your Top Down
- Tail On The Wag
- Rock & Roll Showdown
