Kiss marked the height of reunion fever in 1996 with the release of You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best!!, a live compilation tied to the band’s blockbuster Alive/Worldwide Tour and the return of the original lineup.
by Paul Cashmere
Thirty years ago, Kiss released You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best!!, a live compilation album designed to capitalise on one of the biggest reunion events in rock history. Issued in 1996 to coincide with the band’s Alive/Worldwide Tour, the album brought together performances from the classic Kiss live catalogue while presenting several tracks billed at the time as previously unreleased recordings. The release arrived as Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss reunited on stage for the first time since the late 1970s.
The album landed during a period when legacy acts were increasingly revisiting their classic line-ups and celebrated eras. For Kiss, whose reputation had been built as much on their explosive live performances as their studio recordings, the compilation served as both a retrospective and a bridge between the band’s celebrated 1970s peak and its renewed commercial success in the mid-1990s.
At the centre of the collection were performances sourced primarily from the landmark live albums Alive! (1975) and Alive II (1977), records that helped establish Kiss as one of the premier live attractions of the decade. The set also featured four tracks promoted as previously unreleased live recordings from the Alive era. These were “Room Service”, “Two Timer”, “Let Me Know” and “Take Me”.
The liner notes suggested the songs were archival outtakes from the original live albums. However, over time it became widely understood that the recordings were not vintage live performances from the 1970s but contemporary recreations recorded by the reunited band. That revelation became one of the album’s most debated aspects and contributed to a mixed critical response upon release.
The compilation also included a lengthy interview segment, “Kiss Tells All”, featuring Stanley, Simmons, Frehley and Criss in conversation with television host Jay Leno. Running more than 17 minutes, the track offered fans an informal discussion with the reunited group and underscored the promotional nature of the release.
From a catalogue perspective, You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best!! arrived at a significant moment. Kiss had spent much of the 1980s and early 1990s performing without their original make-up and with different line-ups. The announcement of the reunion tour generated enormous public interest, with the Alive/Worldwide Tour becoming one of the highest-grossing tours of its era.
The album’s title itself referenced the band’s famous concert introduction, a phrase that had become synonymous with the Kiss live experience. By drawing heavily from Alive! and Alive II, the compilation reminded audiences why those albums remained essential parts of the band’s legacy. Tracks such as “Rock Bottom”, “Firehouse”, “Parasite” and “Rock And Roll All Nite” showcased the raw energy that originally helped transform Kiss from a cult attraction into an arena headliner.
Critical reaction at the time was far from unanimous. Some reviewers viewed the collection as an unnecessary repackaging aimed at exploiting reunion enthusiasm. Others appreciated it as an accessible introduction to the band’s classic live years. Retrospective assessments have also varied, with opinions divided over the value of the newly recorded material and the album’s place within the broader Kiss catalogue.
Commercially, the release performed solidly. It reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200 in the United States and charted internationally, including a peak of No. 26 in Australia. The Recording Industry Association of America later certified the album Gold, recognising shipments of more than 500,000 copies in the United States.
Three decades on, You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best!! remains a snapshot of a unique moment in Kiss history. It captured the excitement surrounding the reunion of the original members while revisiting the recordings that helped define the band’s reputation as one of rock’s most enduring live acts. Although debate continues over its artistic merits, the album stands as a document of a reunion that re-energised the Kiss brand and introduced a new generation of fans to the group’s classic era.
Track Listing
Room Service (Previously Unreleased, Recorded In Davenport, Iowa, 1975)
Two Timer (Previously Unreleased, Recorded At Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, 16 May 1975)
Let Me Know (Previously Unreleased, Recorded At Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, 16 May 1975)
Rock Bottom (From Alive!, 1975)
Parasite (From Alive!, 1975)
Firehouse (From Alive!, 1975)
I Stole Your Love (From Alive II, 1977)
Calling Dr. Love (From Alive II, 1977)
Take Me (Previously Unreleased, Recorded In Los Angeles, California, 1977)
Shout It Out Loud (From Alive II, 1977)
Beth (From Alive II, 1977)
Rock And Roll All Nite (From Alive!, 1975)
Kiss Tells All (Interview With Jay Leno)
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