METAL INSIDER CALLS OUT KISS FOR STEALING FROM THE SWORD
Friday, August 21st, 2009 at 4:16pm by Axl RosenbergI love Metal Insider’s Bram Teitelman so much right now I could kiss him on his Quaker Jewish mouth right now (And no, I’m not kidding. And, oddly enough, Teitelman is the second Quaker Jew I’ve known. Bizarre.). See, Bram noticed what the rest of us failed to – that the riff from the new Kiss song, “Modern Day Who Gives a Fuck,” is more or less a total rip-off of The Sword’s Freya.
Think Bram is wrong? Listent to both and decide for yourself.
Here’s Kiss:
And here’s The Sword:
Now, maybe Kiss didn’t do it on purpose. I doubt if Paul or Gene has ever heard of The Sword, even if they did open for Metallica – I mean, those guys are pretty out of touch. But it’s hard for me to believe that Eric Singer and/or Tommy Thayer wouldn’t have some knowledge of “Freya.”
Thoughts?
-AR
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH what a bunch of old pieces of shit. Whoever wrote that, and i doubt it was kiss, totally stole that.
Kind of like when Kiss stole Starlady from Pentagram and used it for Strutter!!!
There’s something that I’ve been thinking about, maybe you can help me clear it up.
You mentioned last night that kiss stole starlady from pentagram.
Something sounded strange about that to me, so I did some snooping around.
On wikipedia, it says:
“In mid-1974, rhythm guitarist Randy Palmer joined the “Ram Family”, as the group was known,but left in January 1975 due to drug problems”
“When Palmer officially joined Pentagram he brought two tracks with him, “Starlady,” and “Touch the Sky.”"
So we can assume that pentagram started playing starlady around the summer of 74.
It also says on wikipedia:
” The group would also rehearse in front of Kiss members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in December 1975″
So Kiss would have heard the song.
In fact that’s probably when they stole it.
Seing how the riff on “dreamin” is a blatant Alice cooper ripoff, it makes sense that they stole this as well.
I guess I’m just an old fool who reads too much into things, never mind.
(Heads for the door)
There is one thing I don’t get though…..
How could Kiss possibly steal the track when strutter was on their first album, released on February 18th, 1974 ? Five months before pentagram had starlady.
And why would anyone make up such a claim?
It was’nt until very late last night when I realized that “darknessandevil” was an anagram for “Lucas Palmer” that all the pieces fell into place.
You, just like your father Randy Palmer, have a weakness for drugs and booze.
And with the money running out, you came up with a plan to let the royalties from the kiss song pay for your habit. is’nt that right?
Well Mr palmer, there won’t be many starladies where you’re going…
fucking genius
What are you smoking?!?! And where can i get some….”It was’nt until very late last night when I realized that “darknessandevil” was an anagram for “Lucas Palmer” that all the pieces fell into place.”
actually darkness and evil is a song from a japanese band you’ve probably never heard of!
Kiss rips people off and thats all i was saying….they ripped off the sword just like they ripped off pentagram!
You kids have no sense of humor… And no, it’s not a song from a belgian band you’ve never heard of… same goes to the Jake Ryan kid below…
darkness and evil is a song from a japanese band called SABBAT ya dumbf*ck!
You need to let Columbo’s post sink in a bit there….
explain how darknessandevil is an anagram for lucas palmer… unless im mistaken on what an anagram is, this isnt true.
I’m twelve years old and what is this?
well played sir
Fuck you KISS, I’ve never been a KISS fan, never been a hater either though, no one can deny Detroit Rock City is a great song, but how dare they rip-off the MIGHTY SWORD with a cheap plastic knock off. Thats like wanting that super expensive optimus prime action figure as a child and getting the mcdonalds happy meal version, never the same thing. Fuck you KISS, fuck you…
oh come on, that riff belongs in the library. it’s not like the sword came up with anything first…. anything.
i agree wholeheartedly with this… just another southern-esque riff that sounds like another southern riff.
Totally agree with ‘really?’ this is a common groove that has been used countless times by countless bands. The riffs were not note for note they were just both built on the same generic groove IMO.
yah they sound the same…but come on all these bands trying to bring back 70’s rock sound the same…its been done before
wolfmother, the sword, baroness, etc.
if any of you guys claiming ripoff played guitar, you’d know you’re wrong. its a generic riff and i was expecting the two to be much more similar the way you guys are describing it.
Funny… It’s got a similar tempo, and the riff is a little like ‘Freya’, but I don’t really think it sounds like that big a ripoff.
I will say this, though… ‘Freya’ is by far a better song.
I agree with this man.
I too agree with the above comments
“The Lesson” by The Hidden Hand sounds much closer to “Freya.”
The difference here is that no one gives a shit about The Hidden Hand…
That’s true hahah
It sounds more like KISS is trying to appeal to a modern metal fan than their older fans than a straight rip off. It’s similar but Freya is a faster song. It’s also a better song.
The Sword probably wouldn’t even care, they cover KISS when they play live.
LOL generic riff pretty sure the sword stole that riff from Corrosion Of Conformity
just like they did with a lot of their sound
Come on… they stole their sound from Black Sabbath, just like pretty much every other stoner/doom band. And no one cares, because they kick ass. (Well, I don’t care, anyway.)
You, sir, are a moron.
I am sure Kiss will, in some obscure twist, claim that The Sword in fact stole THEIR riff.
I say coincidence.
Oh come on, The Sword write generic stoner rock anyway, it’s not that unlikely that another band would come up with a similar riff.
for some reason the kiss one sounds like black eyed peas to me.
Awww come on…it does NOT sound like Freya…I know Bram form playing all his records he sent for my Specialty shows, he’s an awesome dude…but lets face it. They don’t sound the same…you had me going til I listened…hey you know what? KISS is still jammin and at least it’s not “Never Keep Me From You” lol! I like the fact that evreyone is either pissed off or hating on KISS – it really is 1978 again. Good for them. It’s only Rock and Roll people…
Who cares?
Kiss sucks, The Sword is mediocre but I enjoy them anyway
well if your posting…the “you” the person who post must care, to a even a small degree. Ha ha ha KISS sucks…it IS 1978!
Agreed with the naysayers. The Freya riff is itself a generic riff, hardly unique.
Let us not forget that KISS was sued by Alice Cooper for stealing elements of “I’m 18″ for the song “Dreamin’” off Psycho Circus…
Kiss riff is similar, but more shitty. Probably a coincidence. There’ve been worse rip offs. Take Iron Man to Carnivore’s Jesus Hitler. They change it up and make the verses into an entirely different punk song, but the main riff is pretty much note for note. Peter Steele’s even admitted it. Does that make it OK? I don’t know.
I really dont think it’s close enough to be considered a rip off. Just my 2 cents.
I don’t really hear it. I hear two similar hard rock riffs, but it’s not a blatant clone-job, like when you play Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” alongside Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” or any two Nickelback songs back to back.
“smells like teen spirit” and “more than a feeling” are similar, but it’s different and even a different strum pattern. though they are similar. the one i think of is ‘conquer all’ from behemoth. it’s “end all, be all” from anthrax. exact notes and everything.
Don’t forget Green Day’s “Christie Road” is the same riff too
“christie road” is the same riff as which one? i gave it a listen. can’t believe i didn’t remember that song. when DOOKIE got huge, everyone was listening to kerplunk for that whole “oh, i liked them better on THIS album” deal. haha
The same as More Than a Feeling…which is my favorite out of the three songs
or how about Nirvana’s Come as You Are and 80’s by Killing Joke…now THERES a rip
Dude, that riff’s so stock you could make gravy with it. I think it’s public domain at this point.
Well done analogy. I appreciate those.
It has some similarities, but I don’t think it’s a blatant rip.
Best KISS song ever, I Was Made For Lovin’ You!
The Sword are as original as every new Cannibal Corpse cover.
Sorry, meant every Cannibal Corpse ALBUM cover. And, to clarify, I really like the Sword. But they steal from everyone. I heard a note for note Sleep riff in one of their songs.
I don’t know if you noticed, but Sleep completely jacked their sound from Sabbath…
I know…a lot of doom metal bands do. Witch sounds somewhat original, though.
Having listened to a godawful amount of KISS in my younger days, I actually think that “Freya” kinda sounds like “Almost Human” off of Love Gun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjlfY0ZzHOA
It’s not terribly close, but about as close as “Freya” and “Modern Day Delilah”.
Seriously? Saying they stole that riff is like saying they stole the A from the alphabet. Kiss’s riff in that song is short as fuck and just a repeated shitty hook. Freya is an evolving riff that actually leads somewhere.
I doubt that anyone within 30 miles of the KISS camp know who or what The Sword is…although I’m sure Gene has or soon will use “The Sword” to describe his phallus. As for the riff–done a million times before, and the similarity is next to nil. Now HERE’S a riff! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MiJfZcQCTY
Bullshit. These riffs are not the same. Even if they were, its like when Yellowcard ripped off Satriani. Who gives a shit?
you mean coldplay?
haha, word. I always mix up their names. Because of that damn “yellow” song.
I have to disagree… I seriously doubt the guys in KISS have heard of The Sword, even Singer and Thayer.
+1
ya… pretty general riff by all means, unfortunately people still use it
the title of this story is quite misleading after listening to both their not as close as made out to be
i prefer the kiss one up until i hear gene’s gay voice, but then again the swords’ singers voice is gay also, just not as gay as genes
but unlike a few others opinions, i think both bands suck… horriblly suck
i’m too young for kiss and to old for the sword
i’m glad someone brought up the band sleep… thats a good bad there, haven’t heard them in years though
It’s actually Paul’s voice..
I wish I had half the sex Paul Stanley and his “gay voice” have had.
Just saying….
I once read a moron stating that Sweden’s Mustasch (check’em out !!!!) ripped off the same riff from The Sword on a song that was released several years before… I think that kind of riff is just a classic riff that can be played in 5412 different manners, no ripoff or anything…
Kiss used a similar riff on Love Gun’s almost human, long long ago. These are similar, there are lots of riffs similar to this, cause it is all generic.
Goddamnit The Sword is awesome
Agree. Their opening acts have improved also. It used to be die die die. Now its psych bands like Graveyard and so forth.
Reason 842 that KISS suck.
I agree with Stephen. The Sword is awesome.
As the old saying goes, immature artists imitate, mature artists steal.
There is no such thing as a completely original piece of music. There are only so many notes; riffs and melodies end up getting recycled. The trick is to do it in a style that is completely your own.
That said, I love Kiss, but this song is hacky even by their standards. Kiss have never exactly been original, they could be considered an American version of Slade. But they always sound like Kiss.
The Sword song is much superior, but considering that their music is really just a consolidation of the stoner/doom tradition, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that riff somewhere in some other form and context from some other Sabbath worshiping band that came before.
Aw the song sucks, no one but die hard kiss fans will hear it and almost no one knows Freya so who gives a crap. Seriously.
It doesn’t matter, Ziltoid hates both of these bands.
WHATEVER. Its a generic stoner riff that has been rehashed by probably a million bands out there.
You assholes should be talking about a better comparison, like Nile’s “Unas Slayer Of The Gods” and Candlemass’ “Well Of Souls”. Now THAT’S a rip-off if I’ve ever heard one.
you guys couldnt be more wrong. KISS ripped themselves off, they lifted “Exciter” off of Lick It Up
Ace Frehley’s Track is far superior, Outer Space.
listen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3b9j5gF7C0
yeah but noone has said how the swords ‘Theya’ sounds like Almost Human by Kiss from 1974!!
sorry I made a typo… 1977…love gun…..
What a totally used up group of old bastards, that’s a complete rip off of Freya. Just changed up the end of the riff a little.
It might just be me… but the opening riff sounds a little bit too much like even flow by pearl jam