More than a few critics have noted, when reviewing
Bruce Springsteen's new Working on a Dream album, that the opening track, "Outlaw Pete," sounds like KISS' disco classic (some might say sellout) "I Was Made For Lovin' You." I doubt that this is the case: I don't think that Bruce is a big fan of that kind of hard rock music (although he did throw in some surprising songs when he recently guest DJed on SIRIUS XM's E Street Radio... I, for one, was shocked to hear King Crimson's "In The Court Of The Crimson King!"). It's not as unlikely as Coldplay copying Joe Satriani. But in both cases, you just can't deny the similarities.
What most critics don't know, though, is that KISS' "Shandi," from what may have been their worst album (there are a lot of candidates for that title, sadly) 1980's Unmasked, was an accidental rip-off of a Springsteen song. Paul Stanley was a big fan of the British invasion bands, including The Hollies. He'd heard what he thought was a new song by them, called "Sandy," which was their cover of Bruce's "Sandy (4th of July, Asbury Park)," and sort of copied it, changing the name to the more hard rock sounding "Shandi." So what comes around goes around I guess. But it will be interesting to hear what Gene Simmons says about it. He generally seems to respect anyone who sells tons of records and tickets. On the other hand, he has a chip on his shoulder over artists who get the critical respect that KISS hasn't always recieved (although they deserve it!).
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