Bryan Adams Revisits His KISS Collaborations

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Canadian rocker Bryan Adams has unveiled the official music video for “War Machine,” a track he co-wrote with Jim Vallance and KISS’s Gene Simmons in the early 1980s.

Originally appearing on KISS’s 1982 album Creatures of the Night, “War Machine” was built around a unique bass riff from Simmons, with Adams contributing the war-themed lyrics to match its raw, aggressive energy.

Adams reflected on the collaboration, calling it a pivotal moment in his career as a young, struggling songwriter.

Producer Michael James Jackson had invited him to write for KISS, leading to two tracks: “War Machine” and “Rock And Roll Hell.”

Adams noted that the latter was a reworking of a song previously released by Bachman-Turner Overdrive, originally penned by Vallance.

Fast forward to 2024, Adams’s reimagined “War Machine” video flips the script on traditional narratives of destruction.

Directed by CGI artist Ben Ib, the video juxtaposes chaos and conflict with a powerful message of accountability. It opens with Adams carrying a peace flag across a battlefield, transitioning to imagery of fighter planes, ground soldiers, and a shadowy war room.

The climactic twist sees the man orchestrating the conflict face poetic justice as a missile destroys his command center.

Earlier this summer, Adams also released his version of “Rock And Roll Hell,” completing the revival of these two classic tracks.

The pair was released as a limited-edition double A-side 7-inch vinyl, available on BryanAdams.com.

For Adams, revisiting these songs has been both nostalgic and poignant. “It’s incredible to think these themes are still playing out in the world today,” he remarked.

Both “War Machine” and “Rock n Roll Hell” are also available in digital versions on Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sources:

  • “Bryan Adams Revisits KISS Collaborations with New ‘War Machine’ Video,” Rolling Stone.
  • “The Legacy of ‘Creatures of the Night’: KISS’s 1982 Album,” Ultimate Classic Rock.
  • “Bryan Adams and Gene Simmons: Revisiting a Legendary Collaboration,” Music Radar.

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