The thing is, you don't hear anybody say it. Perhaps it's just a generational thing, perhaps it's that The Who spanned a couple of different eras of music.

People definitely talk about them as their FAVORITE band. They just don't talk about them as being "the guys that made us want to start a band".

I watch and read a lot of music media. When guys from the late 70's, 80's and 90's talk about influences, almost all of them mention KISS.

I will give The Who this. They did something that literally inspired thousands of musicians that came after them. ;)

Don't mess with the KISS army, you guidos.

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Sorta. As a very ameteur musician and songwriter, I have trouble separating the two. I am inspired by both and those lines blur a lot.

"Disco vs Rock"--
I guess they are ignoring "I Was Made for Loving You."

I could never get into KISS. Maybe because i grew up on a generation of shock rock, so seeing KISS with their hair and makeup didn't do a thing for me. Compared to say...Slipknot, Marilyn Manson and Mudvayne, KISS is child's play. So if i strip away the cosmetics and focus on the music, i find KISS to be very boring.

Don't get me wrong either, i like a whole lot of rock bands from all sorts of genres and generations...but KISS....their music has never inspired any sort of emotion out of me. I can't think of a single song by them that makes me want to listen to it again.

I'm also an amateur musician and songwriter so I understand where you are coming from.

I also have a degree in History, took several classes in music and art history, and wrote my senior thesis for American Review on the rise of hard rock and heavy metal music.

What else can you do? It's AWFUL. :D

See that's the thing. You're a generation removed.

KISS inspired bands like Slipknot, who in turn inspired you.

That is awesome.

Right, i understand that.

I just don't think their music stands the test of time like other bands do. AC/DC is a good example of an old band who's music is STILL relevant and heard on modern rock stations. So when i hear KISS now, they don't have the appeal that some of these other older bands do.

Another issue i had with them when i was a kid; they didn't sound the way they LOOKED. I hit play and expected to hear something harder....instead it felt like....Disco rock? It felt completely non-offensive. No attitude in it and i expected a lot more.

The best thing about AC/DC is that they put out 2 dozen albums all built on the same 3 chords. And it's absolutely timeless. :D

Now this is a criticism I can totally understand. They definitely don't sound like they look.

Honestly, there's so much crap on a KISS greatest hits album that it's hard for me to sit through. "Hard Luck Woman" might as well be ****ing Rod Stewart for all I care...

Touche', but still... that's a HELLA popular disco/rock hybrid to this day, it would take me atleast two hands to count the cover bands I've seen do that one and it ALWAYS gets the crowd going, particularly the ladies.

The Who? no one discounts their influence... matter of fact they are one of KISS' top 3 influences and that's a fact, they've stated it numerous times, Paul Stanly does "the windmill" ALL of the time.

But this is ultimately an an unwinnable argument for either side, art is the ultimate subjective proposition... whatever it is to each individual, that's what it is, and to eleventybillion people KISS is both HOF worthy and VERY musically viable.

Heres another favorite of mine...

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I can agree with this.

Just a band that never has or will do anything for me. I love me some classic rock, but I've never dug the band. Is the age cut off like forty plus? Is it just a you had to have been there moment and I missed it?

I think you and Detox probably speak for many guys your age, say 35 and under who came up under different influences... but atleast acknowledge that the reason the bar is raised so high is that KISS made all of these younger guys do it.

Cory Taylor from Slipknot for instance makes no bones about their influence on him, same for Manson, Zombie etc... KISS set the bar, the next guys had to high jump it.

Are Manson and Slipknot pathetic jokes because of their image consciousness and elaborate stage shows? Of course not, its a big part of what makes them who they are... same as KISS for us older guys.

You don't have to love them like I do, but atleast respect them for the influence they were on the guys you DO love.