"Rock and Roll Over" is the fifth studio album by American rock band Kiss, released on November 11, 1976, by Casablanca Records. Recorded at the Star Theatre in Nanuet, New York, the album features hit singles like "Hard Luck Woman" and "Calling Dr. Love," which became notable tracks in the band's catalog.
The album marked a departure from earlier Kiss records, as it was the first to not feature a songwriting credit from guitarist Ace Frehley. Several songs on Rock and Roll Over were reworked from demos recorded during the sessions for Destroyer (1976), with Gene Simmons contributing multiple tracks that were reworked from earlier demos. For example, "Calling Dr. Love" originated from a demo called "Bad, Bad Lovin'," and "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em" was based on the song "Rock and Rolls-Royce." The song "Hard Luck Woman," initially written by Paul Stanley to pitch to Rod Stewart, was given to Peter Criss as a ballad to sing, following the success of the band's previous ballad, "Beth."
The recording process was unconventional: Kiss used the Record Plant recording truck and the entire Star Theatre space to capture a "live" sound. The band worked long hours—16 to 17 hours a day—with Peter Criss's drums being recorded in a bathroom to achieve the desired acoustics. Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley, and Gene Simmons set up their amplifiers in separate rooms to avoid sound bleed into the drum microphones, and vocals were sometimes recorded in hallways. The album was engineered by Eddie Kramer, who had worked with artists like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, and used the same special tube microphones for the recording.
Released on November 11, 1976, Rock and Roll Over peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's cover artwork, designed by Michael Doret, featured an iconic image that was later referenced in Anthrax's Kings Among Scotland live album.
Although "Hard Luck Woman" did not reach the same success as "Beth," it still managed to become a top 20 single, as did "Calling Dr. Love," which later became a staple in the band's live performances.
