Ahmet Zappa’s ‘Rocktails’ Podcast Discusses KISS’ ‘Creatures Of The Night’
‘Creatures of the Night’ just celebrated its 40th anniversary.
In a crowded podcast landscape, few hosts have the kind of insider access as Ahmet Zappa. The musician, YA novelist, screenwriter, producer, and son of Frank (he’s also the executor of the Zappa Family Trust) hosts his weekly show Rocktails, with his co-hosts Brendan Smith and Richard Scheltinga as they discuss music with friends.
The show, as described by the hosts, “…is all about having unfiltered conversations about my favorite thing to talk about—music — because music is the best.”
Formerly exclusive to SiriusXM, the show is now available on all major podcast streaming platforms, and broadcasts live at 5 pm PST each week.
This week, Rocktails takes an in-depth look at KISS’ Creatures Of The Night, in celebration of the album’s 40th anniversary.
In this particular deep dive, they joke in the podcast how it’s an “…official unboxing, like the kids do on TikTok.” They break down all of the special collectibles, pins, throwback iron-on patches, Japanese promo posters, and more included in the box.
Speaking on the box, Zappa says, “If you’re a KISS fan, it’s delightful,” before adding, “I love to hear the early demos, and hear how they’ve evolved.”
Zappa added, “We know tons of bands go into the studio, and they have their demo tracks, and they’re working stuff out, and it’s not until you get these box sets and they uncover these nuggets in the whole process..it is fascinating to me.”
As the show’s name suggests, every episode also features a drink or cocktail, with this week featuring Saint Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast Stout by The Guardian Brewing Company, which takes its name from Frank Zappa’s fifth solo studio album Apostrophe (’).
On November 18, 2022, UMe released Creatures Of The Night 40 as a 5-CD + Blu-ray Audio Super Deluxe Edition, 3-LP Deluxe, 2-CD Deluxe, 1-LP Half-Speed Master 180gm, 1-CD Remaster, as well as a 5-CD Super Deluxe Edition Digital Download + Streaming and 2-CD Digital Download-only version plus a color Vinyl exclusive.
Having rechanneled their efforts into consciously making a return to the hard rock that they were known for, KISS–Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Eric Carr–unleashed Creatures Of The Night in October of 1982. In addition to a harder sound, the album is also noted for its heavier, darker mood.
The single “I Love It Loud” has been performed on nearly every subsequent KISS tour, while “War Machine,” the ballad “I Still Love You,” and the title song also featured heavily in their live sets for a number of years. Also of note is “Killer,” which featured the group’s first songwriting collaboration with their soon-to-be-guitarist Vinnie Vincent. Creatures Of The Night received accolades in magazines such as Kerrang! and Guitar Player – which both placed the album in their top five end-of-year chart for 1982 – and has attained Gold Album status (sales of 500,000+).
Buy or stream Creatures Of The Night (Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition).
