KISS – “Dynasty” (1979): The Album That Shook Rock, Flirted with Disco, and Split a Legend #vinylrecords

Album Description:

This album "KISS - Dynasty" is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Kiss. It was produced by Vini Poncia and released on Casablanca Records on May 23, 1979. Dynasty marked the first time that the original four members of Kiss did not all appear together for the entire album. The album marked a departure from the band's hard rock sound towards a more pop-oriented sound with an emphasis on disco influences.

The album features the hit singles "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and "Sure Know Something", both of which were successful on the charts. The album also includes contributions from all four members of the band, with guitarist Ace Frehley taking lead vocals on "Hard Times" and bassist Gene Simmons singing lead on "Charisma" and "X-Ray Eyes".

The album received mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising the band's willingness to experiment with new styles while others criticized the band's departure from their traditional sound. However, it was a commercial success, reaching No. 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart and being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Overall, Dynasty is an important album in the Kiss discography, as it marked a significant shift in the band's sound and helped to establish them as a popular music act in the late 1970s.

Kiss enlisted Vini Poncia, who produced Peter Criss's solo album, to produce Dynasty. After pre-production and rehearsals were completed, Poncia decided to exclude Criss from most of the recording, judging him unable to drum well enough. Criss, by this time, had fallen deep into substance abuse and was also recovering from an automobile accident. He performed on only one song, "Dirty Livin'." The rest of the drums were recorded by Anton Fig, who played drums on Ace Frehley's 1978 solo album.

Album Key Details: Genre, Label, Format & Release Info

Music Genre:

Hard Rock

Emerging from the American hard rock scene of the 1970s, KISS’s sound fused heavy guitar riffs, theatrical performances, and melodic hooks. On "Dynasty", the band flirted with disco influences, blending their hard-rock foundation with radio-ready pop rhythms that reflected the late-’70s crossover trends.

Label & Catalognr:

Bellaphon / Casablanca – NB 7048

Album Packaging

Standard sleeve, issued with variations in back cover design between releases.

No custom inner sleeve included.

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" LP Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Weight: 230g

Year & Country:

1979 – Made in Germany

Production & Recording Information:

Producers:

Vini Poncia – Producer for Mad Vincent Productions
Vini Poncia brought a polished pop sensibility to "Dynasty", emphasizing vocal harmonies and groove-oriented arrangements. His previous collaboration with Peter Criss on his solo album helped shape the album’s direction.

Sound & Recording Engineers:

Jay Messina – Recording & Mixing Engineer
Jay Messina is an acclaimed American engineer who worked with Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, and Lou Reed. Known for his crisp, detailed mixes, he helped define the punchy late-'70s rock sound.
Jon Mathias – Engineer (Record Plant)
Jon Mathias was part of the engineering team at New York’s Record Plant Studios, assisting on numerous hard rock and pop sessions during the late 1970s, contributing technical precision to major label productions.
Jim Galante – Engineer (Electric Lady)
Jim Galante worked within the legendary Electric Lady Studios, capturing clean, dynamic instrument tones for high-profile acts across rock and soul genres throughout the decade.

Recording Location:

Electric Lady Studios & Record Plant, New York City, USA

Both studios rank among New York’s most influential recording spaces — Electric Lady founded by Jimi Hendrix for creative experimentation, and Record Plant renowned for its high-end facilities and rock legacy.

Mixing Studio & Location:

Record Plant – New York City, USA

The Record Plant mixed countless rock milestones; its state-of-the-art rooms and relaxed atmosphere encouraged sonic innovation during this period of KISS’s evolving sound.

Mastering Engineer & Location:

George Marino – Mastering Engineer at Sterling Sound
George Marino was one of America’s top mastering engineers, with credits spanning AC/DC, Metallica, and Guns N’ Roses. His mastering work gave "Dynasty" its polished, radio-ready finish.

Album Cover Design & Artwork:

Howard Marks Advertising – Album Cover Design
Howard Marks Advertising was a prolific creative agency in the 1970s, responsible for iconic visual campaigns across the music industry, merging commercial design with theatrical flair.

Photography:

Francesco Scavullo – Album Photography
Francesco Scavullo was an internationally celebrated fashion and portrait photographer whose glamorous style defined covers for Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and numerous album sleeves during the late 20th century.

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up (Part 1):

Paul Stanley – Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals, Guitar Solo on “Sure Know Something”, Bass Guitar on “Magic Touch”
Paul Stanley — born Stanley Bert Eisen — the Starchild: rhythm guitar, co-lead vocals and the voice of stadium singalongs. From pre-KISS days in Wicked Lester to solo detours with Paul Stanley’s Soul Station, he’s a collector’s favorite — satin scarves, cigarette-smoke clubs and records that still hum the chorus. Visit Paul Stanley on Wikipedia
Ace Frehley – Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar on “2,000 Man”, “Hard Times”, and “Save Your Love”
Ace Frehley (1951–2025) was the electrifying guitarist, singer, and songwriter who co-founded KISS in 1973, defining its space-age sound and image. After leaving in 1982, he led Frehley’s Comet through the late ’80s, later returning for KISS reunions and solo tours that spanned five decades of hard rock history. Read more on Ace .
Gene Simmons – Bass Guitar, Lead Vocals
Gene Simmons — stage name of Chaim Weitz — prowled stages as KISS’s Demon: bass thunder, spittle, and grand guignol. Think lacquered leather, cigarette-smoke halls and ferocious crowd singalongs. He moonlighted as producer/session player, once credited as 'Reginald Von Helsing' on Wendy O. Williams sessions — a cheeky collector's footnote with a wink. And the records still smell of teen rebellion. Visit Gene Simmons on Wikipedia

Band Line-up (Part 2):

Vini Poncia – Producer, Keyboards and Backing Vocals on “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” and “Sure Know Something”
Vini Poncia is an American musician, songwriter and producer whose career spans doo-wop to arena rock. He sang with The Videls (c.1958), co-fronted The Trade Winds/The Innocence in the mid-1960s and formed Anders & Poncia in the late-1960s. Later a prolific writer/producer (Ringo Starr, Melissa Manchester, KISS). Visit Vini Poncia — Wikipedia
Peter Criss – Drums, Vocals (on “Dirty Livin’” only)
Peter Criss — Brooklyn-born Catman, thunder on the skins and the voice behind "Beth". Co-founder and KISS drummer in 1973–1980, returned for 1996–2001 and 2002–2004; earlier stints in Chelsea and later solo work. Satin, greasepaint and a drumbeat that still rattles collectors’ racks. Visit Peter Criss on Wikipedia
Anton Fig – Drums
Anton Fig — South African session drummer and tasteful stick wizard: thunder for Paul Shaffer’s house band (1986–2015), played on Ace Frehley’s 1978 solo LP, sat in on KISS’s Dynasty (1979) and Unmasked (1980) and was in Frehley’s Comet (1984–1987). Tight fills, studio cred and a drummer collectors nod at. Visit Anton Fig — Wikipedia

KISS – Dynasty Album Photo Gallery:

Album Front Cover Photo

Front cover of KISS – Dynasty, featuring close-up portraits of the four band members in full stage makeup: Paul Stanley with a white face and black star over his right eye, Gene Simmons with his demon mask and fierce open-mouthed expression, Ace Frehley with blue lightning-bolt eyeshadow in his Spaceman makeup, and Peter Criss with green and black Catman face paint. The layout presents their faces against a dark background bordered in grey, with 'KISS' in red type at the upper left and 'DYNASTY' in red bold letters at the upper right, conveying both theatrical power and late-1970s glam-disco aesthetics. — This front cover of *KISS – Dynasty* (German Bellaphon / Casablanca, 1979) is one of the most instantly recognizable in rock history. It features four tight close-up portraits of the band members in their iconic stage makeup, positioned in a perfect grid that fills the entire frame. Each face is dramatically lit, highlighting the glossy textures of the greasepaint and emphasizing their exaggerated personas — the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman, and the Catman.

*Paul Stanley* (top left) appears with his signature black star over one eye, lips painted bright crimson, and hair feathered in soft curls that merge into the dark background. *Gene Simmons* (top right) glares directly into the camera with bared teeth, black bat-like patterns around his eyes and mouth amplifying his feral intensity. Below them, *Ace Frehley* (bottom left) wears shimmering blue-silver lightning-bolt makeup that reflects the studio lights, while *Peter Criss* (bottom right) shows his feline green and black mask with small silver whiskers and vivid red lips.

The background is nearly black, bordered by a narrow grey frame, giving the illusion that the band is emerging from the shadows. The typography is minimal yet bold: the *KISS* logo appears in red block letters at the upper left corner with a small label note reading “Includes 8-colored poster,” and the album title *DYNASTY* printed in bright red sans-serif type on the upper right. The result is an image that fuses hard rock theatricality with late-1970s visual sleekness — a glam-disco hybrid both alluring and defiant.

This particular photograph was used for the German Bellaphon pressing, captured from an original LP in the Vinyl Records NL collection. Slight color shifts may appear due to camera lighting, yet every detail of makeup, texture, and typography remains faithful to the 1979 release. It is a snapshot of a band at the height of its fame, poised between spectacle and self-parody, forever immortalized in vinyl gloss.

Album Back Cover Photo

Back cover of KISS – Dynasty, the 1979 Bellaphon / Casablanca LP, featuring a minimalist white background with red sans-serif typography listing the album’s nine tracks centered on the sleeve. The titles—'Charisma,' 'Dirty Livin’,' 'Hard Times,' 'I Was Made for Lovin’ You,' 'Magic Touch,' 'Save Your Love,' 'Sure Know Something,' 'X-Ray Eyes,' and '2,000 Man'—are printed in bold red capitals. Below, production and songwriting credits note Vini Poncia as producer, Jay Messina as engineer, and George Marino for mastering, with management and publishing details aligned at the lower right. The KISS and Dynasty logos appear in bright red at top corners, while Bellaphon and Casablanca logos, along with the Rock Steady imprint, are placed near the bottom. The overall layout exudes late-70s precision, corporate clarity, and European graphic restraint. — The back cover of *KISS – Dynasty* presents a stark contrast to the flamboyant front sleeve. Set against a pale gray-white background, it arranges all essential information with clinical symmetry. The track listing, printed in solid red capital letters, stands centered in a vertical column that dominates the middle of the cover — a clear, bold statement amid empty space.

Each of the nine songs appears in neat alignment: *“Charisma,” “Dirty Livin’,” “Hard Times,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Magic Touch,” “Save Your Love,” “Sure Know Something,” “X-Ray Eyes,”* and *“2,000 Man.”* The red text vibrates subtly against the neutral background, evoking the stark modernism of late-1970s album design. In the top corners, the *KISS* logo anchors the left in bold red, while *DYNASTY* balances the right in matching type.

Along the lower section, the credits unfold with quiet professionalism: *Recorded at Electric Lady Studios and Record Plant, New York City; engineered by Jay Messina; assistant engineers Jon Mathias and Jim Galante; mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound.* Below, Bellaphon and Casablanca logos are joined by a small *rock steady* insignia and a 1979 copyright notice, grounding the European manufacturing details.

The lower right lists songwriting and publishing credits in small black print, while the bottom line declares: *“Produced by Vini Poncia for Mad Vincent Productions.”* Even without imagery, the sleeve radiates authority and confidence — a clean, utilitarian design that perfectly frames the tension between rock rebellion and disco-era polish.

This particular back cover belongs to the German Bellaphon pressing, a layout slightly distinct from U.S. and other European issues. Its simplicity and typographic precision make it a subtle but prized variation among collectors of late-70s KISS vinyl editions.

Close up of Side One record’s label

This close-up image captures the Side One label of KISS – Dynasty (catalog number NB 7049), pressed and distributed in Germany by Bellaphon under license from Casablanca Records. The label features a glossy, cream-toned background printed with a vivid color photograph of the four band members in their full stage personas — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss — posed together against a dark gradient backdrop.

The large KISS logo dominates the upper half in sky-blue letters with bold orange outlines, a signature branding element instantly recognizable to collectors. Beneath it, the track titles are centered and numbered neatly in black sans-serif type, listing “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” “2,000 Man,” “Sure Know Something,” and “Dirty Livin’.” Songwriting and production credits follow directly below, with Produced by Vini Poncia for Mad Vincent Productions and Recorded and Mixed by Jay Messina clearly stated.

The lower arc of the label carries both the Casablanca Records and FilmWorks logo — the red, art deco–style wordmark flanked by small palm trees evoking Hollywood glamour — and the Bellaphon logo in a rectangular block, denoting German manufacturing. The rim text in German reads “Alle Urheber- und Leistungsschutzrechte vorbehalten,” a standard copyright and performance rights declaration.

On the left, a boxed GEMA symbol identifies the rights society for Germany, while the right-hand side displays the technical details “33 UpM Stereo Side 1,” using the European notation for revolutions per minute. A small LC 3272 label code appears nearby — a Bellaphon cataloging requirement in line with IFPI standards of the period. Together, these details mark this edition as a true European hybrid: a Casablanca aesthetic pressed with Bellaphon’s precision and German legal compliance.

The combination of American artwork, German typefaces, and local manufacturing identifiers makes this pressing a perfect study in transatlantic record design. It embodies how 1970s rock merchandising balanced international branding with regional distribution standards — down to every serif and spindle hole.

Bellaphon / Casablanca, Germany Label

This Side One label was used by Bellaphon and Casablanca Records for the German 1979 pressing of KISS – Dynasty. It merges Casablanca’s U.S. photographic label design with Bellaphon’s European typography and legal markings. This design was applied between 1978 and 1980 across select German and Austrian releases.

Colours: Cream background with color band photo, red, black, blue, and orange print
Design & Layout: Photographic upper half, centered text, circular legal rim text in German
Record company logo: Casablanca logo with red lettering, palm trees, and spotlights — referencing Hollywood movie glamour
Band/Performer logo: Large sky-blue KISS logo with orange outline at the top of the label
Unique features: Hybrid German pressing with both Bellaphon and Casablanca logos; LC 3272 label code; GEMA rights box
Side designation: Printed on right side as “33 UpM Stereo Side 1”
Rights society: GEMA
Catalogue number: NB 7049
Rim text language: German
Track list layout: Centered list, numbered, with songwriting and duration credits beneath each title
Rights info placement: Rim text and boxed GEMA label on left margin
Pressing info: Manufactured and distributed by Bellaphon, Germany
Background image: Full-color portrait of KISS in makeup, blending seamlessly into the label design

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