News Archive November 2009

My KISStorical Quest - An Eleven Year Journey
From: Bill France
Posted: November 12, 2009

I grew up on the music and concerts of the Fab Four, I'm not taking about the Beatles. I'm taking about Paul, Gene, Ace and Peter. I have been a fan of all things KISS but there is something special about the four guys that started it all back in the early 70's. I remember watching KISS Unplugged, in hopes of getting a glance of the old costumes that were displayed in the background, when much to my surprise the originals all got on stage and played together for the first time in over a decade! Later they appeared on the Grammy's. Then the biggest surprised came when the announced their reunion tour.

When my grandmother was on her death bed I decided to take on a project to keep my mind focused and occupied during this tough time. A radio station had announced a banner contest for the upcoming KISS Pyscho Circus tour and the best banner would receive front row tickets. I already had tickets to the show (6th row, I think) but it wasn't about winning for me. The following day my grandmother passed. She was the only grandparent I had ever known. It was an extremely tough time. I dove into the project and began my KISSTORICAL journey. I bought a king size bed sheet, some markers and paint and took over my girlfriend's spare room. I would spend several hours a day, after work, sketching and painting. Much like I had done it as a kid in the 70's.

I'm not an artist by any stretch. But a lot love, patience and grief went into the painting. When the concert arrived I took it over to the arena and displayed it with the other banners. It won the contest and off I was to the first row, my best seats ever for a KISS concert. During the concert, Paul noticed my friend and me holding the banner up and said, "Wait a minute, this is cool" ... and he bent down and took the banner from us. He and Ace stretched it out in front of the capacity crowd. The banner was shown on the video screens. The place was going nuts and it was one of the proudest moments in KISStory. Paul handed us back the banner and the concert continued. My friend kept saying wouldn't it be great if they would sign it. I told him I was completely satisfied because it would never happen.

Years later, KISS announced they were doing the meet and greet packages on the World Domination tour. I couldn't believe I was going to actually get to meet my heroes face to face. When my girlfriend ask me what I was gonna take back to have autographed, my thoughts turned to a metal storage box in my attic. The banner had been sealed in a plastic bag and kept for about five years. We drive about six hours to get to the nearest concert on that tour. Then all our efforts were nearly shot when we were told at the gate that we couldn't bring the banner into facility. I called the guy in charge of our meet and and greet and he told us to bring it to the back gate. I handed it off, then went back to the concert. Following KISS' performance our group was lead backstage. When we walked into the main room, my banner was hung across the back wall. It was quite a rush. Within minutes the band arrived. One by one, I led Paul, Peter and Gene over to the banner to have it signed. Each personalized it to me. I kinda felt bad not asking Tommy Thayer to sign it, but it wasn't made with him in mind. For the record, I think Tommy is great guy. I have met him on several occasions and he is always gracious and appreciative. But Ace is the guy who I painted on that banner. I remember, my girldfriend encouraging me to get Tommy to sign it. She didn't understand and she never would. I was completely satisfied having the three originals on the banner.

When I got the banner home this time there would be no metal box or plastic bag. The banner would be displayed in my office, where all KISS collectibles are displayed. Over the years, I have countless friends say to me, it's too bad you didn't get Ace signature. I had pretty much given up hope. KISS marched on without and it didn't appear that Ace would ever release another solo album to tour with. Then earlier this year, Ace releases Anomoly and I started wondering, "could it happen?" When he announced that he was coming to Columbus...I knew it was my only chance. I had waited six years since Paul, Gene and Peter had signed it. It was do or die time. I had hoped and prayed Ace would do a meet and greet. I didn't like the odds of just showing and hoping that it would happen. The meet and greets never materialized and I was forced to "wing it." I called the venue, sent emails to Ace's record labels, a local radio station giving away backstage passes and anyone I thought could possibly help me. No one could or no one would. I bought my tickets online and headed out to Columbus with a painted bed sheet to continue my KISSTORICAL quest.

I arrived early in the day. I sent my friend to the front of the line to hold us a spot and I headed to the back alley, where the stage entrance was located.. When Ace arrived at the venue for sound check, there was only four of us waiting out back. He pulled up right beside us in an SUV. He was in the backseat wearing shades. His tour manager(?) came out and asked us to please not take pictures. He walked right passed us. I asked him if I could get a quick signature. He said, "I have to do an interview" and kept walking, never making eye contact. The guys were pretty bummed and start placing bets that he wouldn't sign autographs when he left either. They had done this before and said Ace rarely signs. So I took matters into my own hands and got the tour managers attention and got him to come down and talk to ME. I explained that there was only 4 of us out there. Each of us had only 1 item to get signed. Then he started explaining that they had rules and regulations and some other crap and I looked the guy dead in the eye and said, "There's only four things. Couldn't take him more than :60 seconds." So then he took our stuff and said, "I will talk to Ace and see what he says". A radio guy had left a short time earlier with some stuff signed. We waited about three hours. During that time I met all the guys in Ace's band. Even tooks pics with each one of them.

The place was tiny...not much room at all backstage. I saw lots from the backstage door. Ace passed by several times. I could even see our items being moved around by a guy behind Ace. I had a pretty good feeling about it. But the other guys back there were convinced he wouldn't sign and we would never get back our stuff. They told me that Ace rarely ever signs. A small crowd was starting to gather and Ace faked everyone out by leaving through the opposite door right after sound check. He left with his tour manager in a black SUV. So that was it. No autographs and no items were given back to us. I WAS pretty pissed at this point...I rounded up another one of the crew and asked him if he could go back in and check on our stuff. He comes back out and says, "The bad news is Ace has already left but the good news is he was good to all of you...he signed your stuff!" He handed our stuff back and it was signed. I had been told that he had been refusing to sign stuff with KISS on it, which had me worried, because Gene, Paul and Peter had signed it. But all the autographs were there including Ace's. My KISSTORICAL quest was complete. A huge thank you to all the guys that took time to sign to my sheet. Sometimes it's easy to forget how much these little things mean to us fans. Thanks Ace, Gene, Paul and Peter.