KISS ASYLUM: August 2001 News Archive

From: RollingStone.com
Back in the Seventies, in their pursuit to conquer rock & roll, the members of Kiss breathed fire, spat blood, adopted painted on personas, flew onto the stage and stomped around larger than life in towering moon boots. It's fitting then that Kiss: The Box Set, the ninety-four-track, five-disc compilation arrives in similar over-the-top fashion -- the deluxe edition comes complete with a standard-size guitar case, a Kiss Alive! gold record, and hand-written notes from the band. A mixture of album tracks and thirty previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings, the collection spans from Kiss's beginnings as Wicked Lester in 1968, through 2001. Guitarist Paul Stanley and bassist Gene Simmons, the dual engines of the Kiss songwriting machine, discuss the good, the band, the masked and unmasked of their band's thirty-plus years. [Read The Gene & Paul Interview...] [Post Your Comments]

From: RockonTv.com
Best of Arsenio Hall Jams: VH1 airs the best musical performances and interviews from The Arsenio Hall Show. Arsenio sits down with the men of KISS and they perform "Detroit Rock City" and "Deuce" (promoting their Alive III release). The show airs Wednesday, December 05, 2001 from 07:30 pm - 08:00 pm ET. [Post Your Comments]

From: RockonTv.com
The Secret History of Rock 'N' Roll - Tuesday, December 04, 2001 from 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm ET. KISS's Gene Simmons hosts a one hour documentary for Court TV about the crimes and misdemeanors that influenced the creation and direction of the pop music industry over the past 50 years. From the songs that made the charts, to the up-and-down careers of world-renowned musicians, The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll travels through the history of rock 'n' roll and maps the intersections where crime and rock meet. [Post Your Comments]

From: RollingStone.com
RollingStone.com has up a few photos from Ace's live performance the other night. Click over to RollingStone.com to view the photos! [View The Photos...] [Post Your Comments]

From: saint & sinner / KISS ASYLUM BB
Just got home from the Ace show. Here is the set list (as I remember it- I am doing it off the top of my head) Rip It Out, Parasite, Strange Ways Rock Soliders/Snowblind/Hard Times, Breakout, Shock Me (w/ a mini solo), Rocket Ride, Cold Gin, New York Groove, encore: Deuce. His band was tight, and the show was good, but I was a little disappointed. He played Rip It Out & Breakout a little slow. Snowblind was also slow, infact the tempo seemed to slow up as the song continued along (almost like it does at the end of the song on the studio version). In any case, the "slowness" of RIO & Breakout were not major, and most KISS fans there seemed to have a good time. His solo was about 2 min long, and he did NOT do the smoking guitar. He played for about 45 - 50 min. For those who care (the girls?????), Ace came out wearing a T-Shirt (Minute Mouse?), and these black armors things over his shoulders. I dont know how else to discribe them. It looked cool. The crowd seemed into Ace, however it was certainly a crowd to see Twisted Sister (they were good which surprised me, cause I am not much of a Sister fan) On the video front, I saw 4 people with video cameras!!!! 3 of them seemed to work for the club/bands, or someone important. They had cameras set up on tripods, out in the open (possible PRO shot??????). I also saw someone with one of those cameras which you can film like 30 min, then put it on your computer, video tape, etc.... He did a crappy job however, filming only the solos within the songs alot of times. Well, that about covers it (I think). Glad I went it was a good time. [Post Your Comments]

From: Tom Shannon

I am very pleased to announce that my publisher Krause Publications has asked me to write an all new second edition of my book "Goldmine KISS Collectibles Price Guide". The response to the first edition has been phenomenal, with KISS fans worldwide expressing their appreciation for the book. The second edition will have a more international flavor. Collectors from around the globe have volunteered to contribute photos of unique KISS memorabilia from their area of the world. The price guide section will be increased by several hundred new listings, both new and vintage. I am extremely happy to report that I have arranged preliminary discussions between my publisher and KISS' license representative, Signatures Network. All sides are interested at this time in making the book an officially licensed KISS item. While I cannot predict the future, I am personally going to do all that is within my power to make this happen. If the deal is completed, I intend to include a VERY cool KISS collectible in each copy. I am looking for contributors in the areas of picture sleeve singles, promotional materials, Australian memorabilia and recordings, other non-American recordings, as well as general KISS items. If anyone is interested in being a contributor for the second edition, please contact me at shannonkissbook@hotmail.com I can be reached by mail at: Tom Shannon P.O. Box 25056 Lexington, KY. 40524. If you have sent me an email in the past regarding omissions from the first edition, please contact me again. I had a catastrophic computer melt down, and lost all of my emails concerning the book. I especially would like to hear from the person that emailed me about the song Kissin' Time (I want to give you credit), and the guys in Australia that wanted to be contributors. The publisher's inventory of the first edition is nearly gone. If you prefer to purchase a copy on the internet check out a great website www.kissshop.com.Tell them Tom Shannon sent you. If you are interested in obtaining a signed copy with free shipping, contact me. [Post Your Comments]

From: Billboard.com
Kiss' career-spanning 96-track "Box Set" (Mercury) is the lavish retrospective package that music fans would most like to find in their stocking this holiday season. Of 4,356 voters in a Billboard.com poll, 21% chose the Kiss set, leaving Creedence Clearwater Revival's "The Creedence Box" (Fantasy) in second place with 17%. [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: Stephen Campbell
The 11th Annual Toronto KISS Expo has arranged to give away KISS Box sets and the Gene Simmons autobiography KISS And Makeup via a draw. On top of that the first 75 people in the door will receive a free KISS calendar! The Expo is taking place Sunday December 9th, 11am - 8pm at the Airport Ramada Inn. Mark St. John is the special guest while Destroyer will perform live. Tickets are $15.00 at the door. See you there. [Post Your Comments]

From: k.g. lee / KISS ASYLUM BB
With 19,415 pieces sold, the KISS Box Set debuts at #128 on BIllboard (week ending 11/15 soundscan). This number,I'm sure, includes both versions. [Post Your Comments]

From: KISS ASYLUM & KISSFAQ.COM
Find out the logic behind the releases, what was going on in the band during the recording of albums, what the band was up to in the period leading up to studio time, and lots more information which should be of interest to the diehard fan! Some of the album focus' will use reference material never before available, plus some of the best interviews with the band already available. We are going for accuracy in our attempt to provide a completely clear picture of the status of the band for each release. The "KISS Album Focus" will be your definitive look back on KISS and their albums. Sit back and enjoy your KISStory lesson with KISS ASYLUM & KISSFAQ.COM's "KISS Album Focus."
"While most fans, the general public at large, and seemingly the band itself, were concerned with, and to all intents surrounded and inundated by, the hype of the long awaited reunion, then current members Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer were somewhat forgotten. For an interesting period from the signing of the Reunion contracts in January 1996, KISS would have it's largest lineup, then consisting of six members. In essence though, the moment the contracts were signed with the original founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, Eric and Bruce became reserve members sent to the sidelines..." [Learn Your KISSTORY Lesson!] [Post Your Comments]

From: Billboard.com
It's not like the tongue-wagging, fire-breathing Gene Simmons to be squeamish. But the Kiss bassman admits that the band's long-desired boxed-set retrospective has been delayed over the years because he and singer/guitarist Paul Stanley weren't exactly comfortable with some of the demos and early tracks they wanted to include on what has become "Kiss: The Box Set" (released Nov. 20 via Island Def Jam/Universal Music Enterprises). To Simmons, it's kind of like flipping through a stack of baby photos and high-school snapshots. Ya know -- bare asses, ridiculous haircuts, stuff like that. But the Kiss Army's "God of Thunder" has decided to let 'em fly on "Box Set," a five-disc, 94-song collection that includes about 30 rarities. "We literally put out the most obscure stuff," Simmons says. "I've got a song on there called 'Leeta,' which I must have recorded when I was 19. And there's [material from] Paul's first band, the Post War Baby Boom." Although few of the rarities are all that wart-bearing, certain songs -- like the early, flute-filled version of the eventual Kiss classic "She," recorded by Stanley and Simmons' pre-Kiss group Wicked Lester in 1971-are sure to raise an eyebrow or two. "We hardly sound like Kiss on that one," Simmons says. "In fact, if anything, we sound like Jethro Tull meets the Four Seasons. But, hey, that was then, this is now." Simmons and Stanley originally envisioned a single-disc collection of vault cuts, but with the band's label asking for a boxed set "every year," they reconsidered. "We said, 'Let's make everybody happy -- let's make the record company happy and the fans happy, and maybe we'll sort of get a kick out of it.'" The set spans the New York-born group's roughly 30-year history, starting with pre-Kiss rarities and extending through the band's heyday in the 1970s, its "unmasked"/hair-metal phase in the '80s, a mid-'90s appearance on "MTV Unplugged," and into its post-reunion material. In addition to Wicked Lester cuts, there are tracks from Simmons' earlier group, Bullfrog Bheer, a cut from one of the band's earliest shows ("Acrobat," taped Aug. 25, 1973, at the Daisy in Long Island, N.Y.), and even what were arguably major missteps for the band (the disco-y tracks "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and "Sure Know Something" and the "Music From the Elder" songs "A World Without Heroes" and "The Oath"). While piecing together "Box Set," Simmons was reminded of what was lost after founding members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley left the group roughly 20 years ago. "Ya know, the band has certainly reached the heights. The question is, 'Could we have gone further than the heights?' Here we are standing right behind the Beatles in number of gold records by any group in history. Could we have gone further? Yes." [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: KISSFAQ.com
The second KISS auction, featuring many items previously offered during last year's Butterfields auction has started at Lelands, who require registration and references. There are some very high starting bids. [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: GuitarWorld.com via Richard
The January 2002 issue of Guitar World, on newstands now, has a 4 page feature on excerpts from the new Gene Simmons book coming out in December. Along with some rare pictures, the excerpts focus on the Detroyer sessions with Ezrin, Ace and Peter's work habits and Gene's first experience with cocaine , which is pretty funny. A good tease for the book. [Post Your Comments]

From: McFarlaneGuide.com
McFarlane Toys is coming out with new KISS items next year. Apparently one of them is a set of KISS busts. "I am a retail store based in the UK and I have recently received information from my suppliers about some of McFarlane toys output early next year. Alongside the already mentioned Monsters and Spawn 21, it seems McFarlane are putting out a line of Kiss mini busts. Information on these is scant but they will retail for about the same price as a standard action figure meaning they will probably made from plastic rather than resin. The lineup is listed as including the usual Gene, Peter, Paul and Ace along with the never before done Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent. They will apparently ship 12 to a case and a tentative release date of March is mentioned." [Post Your Comments]

From: GeneSimmons.com
GENE SIMMONS DRAGONFLY - This is going to be a three pronged new joint venture entity between myself and Dragonfly, a clothing company. The head of the company, Ed Dada is a really creative guy and once we met, we decided to do projects together. GENESIMMONSDRAGONFLY.COM will be the web address where you can order our brand new line of clothing, hats, jewelry and so on. The centerpiece of the line is going to be my MONEYBAG logo. I'll make sure there'll be a link on this site. As some of you know, close to 30 years ago, I started to sign my name using a dollar sign ($immons). Then, when we started to have jewelry using our names, it occured to me that my $immons name (using the $ sign) may be a trademark. It was. I was also curious if I could trademark the MONEYBAG logo for licensing/merchandising. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the gov't allowed me to trademark the logo. So, for over 25 years, I've used the moneybag logo for all sorts of things -- SIMMONS RECORDS used the logo (when I had my label through RCA in the late 80's)....I had Simmons Records t-shirts using the logo...I used the logo on my PUNISHER bass guitars as well. To me, the moneybag logo has always embodied the American Dream. Before I came to America, I heard stories of a place where the streets were lined with gold. And, eventhough the notion obviously smacks of a fairy tale, I'm here to tell you it's all true. I'm living proof that the American Dream is alive and well. You don't even have to be born here to scale the heights. [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: Phoneman68@aol.com
In the November 2001 issue of Details magazine, Special Music Edition, there is a very short, but very cool interview with Gene Simmons. The cover has Bono on it, but it also says plus No Doubt, Michael Jackson, Moby, Gene Simmons, etc. And, on page 13, it lists the interview as being on page 146/KISS And Tell: Whether he's laying on the makeup or plowing through the groupies, Gene Simmons has never had trouble tapping life's feminine side. By Elston Gunn. Photography By Michael Lewis.
KISS & Tell: He's made millions. He's bedded enough women to fill Madison Square garden. Gene Simmons loosens his well-traveled tongue. Q: Your batting average with the opposite sex has been pretty good over the years. What's your secret?
A: When one girl would say no, I'd go to her sister. Sooner or later, if you keep shooting at the bull's-eye, you'll hit it.
Q: Ever been married?
A: Oh, hell no.
Q: Marriage isn't for you?
A: here's the problem.[thought pause] A long time ago we all lived in caves...
Q: Mmmmmm.
A: We tended to be monogamous because we were forced to have a limited number of females. Which reminds me, why do husbands die younger than their wives?
Q: Well...
A: 'Cause they want to.[laughs] They want to. Trust me.
Q: That's an interesting theory, Gene. What does your mother think of these unorthodox views?
A: Oh, she's thrilled. When KISS was profiled for People in the eighties, my mother said, "Yes, I want him to get married, but he doesn't get high or drink, so I don't care about anything else."
Q: So you never had children?
A: I have two.
Q: You do?!
A: Well, I physically don't. The mother of my children and I have two kids together.[adopts sarcastic tone] Birth is wondrous in giving us a miracle. No, it's not. It's torture. How would you like to pee a watermelon?
Q: I wouldn't. So, um, what is the Gene Simmons credo?
A: Make yourself happy. Then you'll be able to make somebody else happy. You can lead a paint-by-numbers life and at the end be miserable. If you fuck everything that moves, or if you don't, if you want to be married or not- none of that should matter. The only thing that matters is, Are you a good person and are you hurting anybody? And if the answer is okay on all counts, then you're happy.
Q: What's your favorite Gene Simmons rumor?
A: That my tongue was grafted on from a cow. That's a big one. The other one is I'm a cannibal.
Q: I thought that was true.
A: What? That I've tasted human flesh? Sure, I also swallow. Get out of here.
Q: So the cow tongue isn't true, either?
A: No. Cows wish.
Q: I bet your tongue has stories.
A: Let's not go there. When you say Gene Simmons, the first thing you think is a body part. Always the tongue. It's a bizarre thing. It must be what women with big tits feel like.
**Please Note: There is a picture of Gene on page 147, along with this interview. Gene is sitting at a table in some diner, with seven(7) different silver rings on his fingers. There is a cup of coffee on the table, too, and he is staring out the window. Also, Gene's Nokia cell phone is on the table. But, most interestingly of all, are the little post-it notes that Gene has for himself on the table. The photo came out so clear that you can actually read most of the stuff he has written on them. It says stuff like: book Vegas flight for Monday night, colonoscaphy- out for 1/2 day, HBO/Chillerama, and it has stuff about Mom, Dad, and Joyce Bogart. It also shows this Details interview scheduled between 5:00 and 8:00 pm. [Post Your Comments]

From: EricCarr.com & Byron Fogle
November 24th marks the 10th anniversary of Eric Carr's passing. Click over to http://www.ericcarr.com to view brand new interviews, quotes, & stories from fans,friends, & former bandmates. You will also find rare candid photos, some never seen before from bandmate Victor Cohen's collection. This is only the beginning of what is yet to come on this website. So sit back, throw on your copy of Rockology and remember the Fox. [Post Your Comments]

From: Julian Gill
A good listen, for those who haven't bought or seen scans from the box yet, or care what I think about the box, I've uploaded the KISS F.A.Q. IV review of the box set at: http://www.kissfaq.com/articles/review_boxset.html [Post Your Comments]

From: KISS ASYLUM
"KISS: The Box Set" is officially released today, November 20th, and while many fans are anxious to pick it up, others have already found a way to get their hands on it! Click over to the KISS ASYLUM Bulletin Board to read the KISS fans thoughts about the box set. Planning on getting it today? If so then click over to the KISS ASYLUM Bulletin Board and post your thoughts about the box set! Did you like the packaging? What are your thoughts about the track listing? What are your thoughts about the unreleased KISS demos? Did you get the regular or deluxe version? Let us know!! [Post Your Comments]

From: GeneSimmons.com
Today was a full day. Got up at 6:30 to do an interview with Miss Montana (her name, not her title) at a radio station in Wausau. I was half asleep and I probably made half sense. Then I ran off to do a one of a kind interview at NPR...that's National Public Radio, which is, apparently heard nationwide. I was oblivious to it and only seldom stood still long enough while switching stations to listen to it. In all honesty and without malice, they need to get better programming and especially better dj's. I was on with PJ Rourke, he of Rolling Stone, who was quite literate and funny...the rest of the cast had as much life as the dead. [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: GeneSimmons.com
We just got back from the NASCAR races that were held over the last weekend in Miama. The KISS car was driven by Sterling Marlon, one of the premier race car drivers. The event was over a two day period. Saturday was the Busch race and Sunday, was the the Nascar race. Both were under NASCAR. Paul and I were the Grand Marshalls of the races. The US Army was there. Seventy thousand people were there. All the media was there. Needless to say, we had a ball. [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: CDnow.com
For those of you that can't wait until the box set is released on November 20th, CDNOW.com has up audio previews for all of the songs in Window's Media format. [Preview The KISS Box Set...] [Post Your Comments]

From: EricCarrRocks84@aol.com
Hi everyone! The concert is next week! Its gonna be an awesome show at the Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie, Ny on the 24th. The tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com for $10. Playing will be the awesome Kiss tribute band from Ny KISSNATION, a local band from upstate Ny Shadows Edge, the new band Carrisma, Victor Cohen from Eric Carr's early bands the Cellarmen and Salt&Pepper, Eddie Ojeda from Twisted Sister and more! Hope to see all of you there and remember the best drummer in the world, ERIC CARR!! [Post Your Comments]

From: KNAC.com
KISS' Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will don full make-up and costumes for two rare in-store appearances at Tower Records in Hollywood on November 20th and Tower Records in New York City (4th and Broadway) on December 5th. The meet and greet are being held to celebrate the release of the upcoming KISS boxset. The Hollywood in-store will take place between 7pm and 9pm and will feature four forty-feet-tall blow-up dolls of Stanley, Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in the parking lot. Following the in-store, the KISS tribute band Larger Than Live: The Ultimate Tribute to Kiss will play a free show a coupla blocks down Sunset Blvd at the Key Club. [Post Your Comments]

From: Yahoo.com
The members of Kiss have previously revealed to LAUNCH their intentions to continue the farewell tour they began last year into 2002, with no firm end yet in sight, although bassist Gene Simmons writes in his autobiography, Kiss And Make-Up, that there will be a final show at New York City's Shea Stadium someday soon. The question Kiss fans want answered is: Who will play drums on those dates? Original skin-pounder Peter Criss was booted earlier this year because of financial disagreements and replaced by latter-day Kiss drummer Eric Singer, who also donned Criss's trademark cat makeup for spring dates in Australia and Japan. Singer-guitarist Paul Stanley tells LAUNCH that he would be happy to see the revised lineup continue. "As we've said before, the team is more important than the individual players, and if somebody doesn't want to play ball, then the team doesn't go home," he says. "The shows in Australia and Japan featured sometimes five encores, and I couldn't have been more proud of the band or more happy to be in it. Were that the lineup that would continue, I'd be more than happy with it." The group is preparing for the release of Kiss: The Box Set on Tuesday (November 20). Simmons's memoir will be published on December 11. [Post Your Comments]

From: RollingStone.com via Acntnt201@aol.com
The smell of dirty laundry will fill the air December 11th when Kiss and Make-Up, the autobiography of Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, hits shelves. "It's time for our children to find out that all was not well with mom and dad," says Simmons. "From afar, Gene looks like the evil mean one; Paul looks like the romantic, thoughtful loving one; Ace looks like the spacey kind of innocent guy; Peter's just cute and cuddly. Kiss and Make-Up is here to tell you that what you see is not necessarily what you get -- that, behind the scenes, chemicals do in fact change people from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. In the very same breath of me loving Ace and Peter with all my heart, I hate them when they're high." The book begins with Simmons' birth in Israel -- he was born Chaim Witz -- and details his emigration to America with his mother, as well as the formation of Kiss and choice turbulent moments throughout the band's thirty-year career. Also readily chronicled were Simmons' relationships with Cher, Diana Ross and Shannon Tweed -- his current companion and mother of his two children -- as well as a host of much briefer romantic encounters. Lead guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss take the hardest hits from Simmons. "He never showed up on time, never did his work, hardly ever showed up in the studio and it was pulling teeth every step of the way," he says of Frehley. "Having said all that, I wouldn't have had anyone else in the band. He was the right guy for Kiss." As for Criss, "his nickname was the 'Ayatollah Criscuola,'" says Simmons. "And 'The Moaner.' If the sun was up, Peter complained, 'Why wasn't it dark?' When it was dark, Peter would complain, 'Where's the sun?' Peter would enter the room and he brought the whole room down. And was there any other drummer for the band? No. He was the drummer for the band." [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: Billboard.com via Bob Rodrick
Members of the Kiss Army can rest assured: bassist Gene Simmons says the band's seemingly never-ending farewell tour is far from over. Despite a recent shake-up in the band's line-up, Simmons said last week that Kiss has "yet to go to South America, we haven't done Europe, Asia. We haven't done Africa. And clearly this is not the right time to go. So we're taking a rest." Drummer Peter Criss left the group earlier this year after an apparent squabble over money. The band's pre-reunion skinsman, Eric Singer, who was with Kiss originally from 1991 to 1996, filled in for shows in Japan and Australia. "Although I feel fine about [Peter], we just couldn't make a deal," Simmons says. "So, since Kiss -- [guitarist] Paul [Stanley] and myself -- owned all the underlying rights, we decided one guy's not gonna hold up the band from doing what it wants to do." In an interview with Billboard, Simmons hinted at a grand finale in the U.S. "We're going to pick one special place, one special time to finally get up there and say goodbye for the last time," he said. Indeed, in his forthcoming autobiography, "Kiss and Make-Up," due in early December from Crown/Random House, Simmons all but gives ticket information for a finale at Shea Stadium in New York. The very first line in "Kiss and Make-Up" reads, "Someday soon, just after the final chords of 'Rock and Roll All Night' will ring out on the Shea Stadium stage, I will pick up my bass and exit stage right. After 29-nine glorious and tumultuous years..." However, a representative at the band's management office says that it's way too early to say where Kiss will end things for good, adding that New York is on the top of places being considered, but that other cities, including Detroit, are also in the running. Speaking to Billboard last week, guitarist Ace Frehley says the band's line-up is still somewhat up in the air. On the possibility of Criss rejoining the band for the tour's final leg, he said, "Who knows? Anything could happen. Eric's a great drummer. Peter's a great drummer. We're all part of the same family." [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: 1Wrestling.com via VVWarrior@aol.com
The XWF has reportedly taped some vignettes with mega-band KISS' bass player, Gene Simmons, and the The Demon, who does a gimmick where he wears Simmons' trademark face paint, over this past weekend in Miami, FL. It is expected that the vignettes will be used as part of the XWF's tapings this week in Orlando, FL. [Post Your Comments]

From: Yahoo.com
Kiss had to pull out of the October 21 United We Stand benefit concert in Washington, D.C., because of singer-guitarist Paul Stanley's need for hip surgery. However, Stanley tells LAUNCH the surgery has not yet happened. "I wound up postponing my hip surgery and, you know, it's like reading in the newspaper your own death, you know, when you keep reading about your hip surgery, and I haven't done it, but I'm just postponing it for awhile. I have, you know, every intention of continuing doing what I've been doing, but little by little I'm turning bionic," he says. Stanley says the hip has simply degenerated from years of high-energy performances with Kiss. Stanley adds that, as a native New Yorker, he was disappointed the band couldn't play at a concert dedicated to helping victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks there and in Washington, D.C. "We had originally spoken about playing in Washington, D.C., and there are times when, lately, my hip has just been too painful. I mean, I've done shows with a busted rib, but this was just not something that was doable, and there are many other ways to make contributions," he says. The band is preparing for the November 20 release of Kiss: The Box Set, as well as the December 11 publication of singer-bassist Gene Simmons's memoir, Kiss And Make-Up. In addition, Stanley and Simmons will be on hand at the Homestead-Miami (Florida) Speedway this weekend. On Saturday (November 10), the duo will ride in the pace car and act as grand marshals for the GNC Live Well 300, part of NASCAR (news - web sites)'s Busch Series of races. Sunday (November 11) brings the debut of driver Sterling Martin's Kiss-adorned #40 car in the Pennzoil 400, a NASCAR Winston Cup event. The car's hood features the faces of Stanley, Simmons, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and former drummer Peter Criss on a black background. [Post Your Comments]

From: NASCAR.com via Steffan
Since I myself had some trouble finding it on the Nascar site, I decided to post a transcript of the chat session. Paul did not attend, so Gene did it all for approx. 30 min. [Read The Interview...] [Post Your Comments]

From: StuChikara

Studio Chikara will reissue its "Spirit of '76" lithograph and donate a portion of its profits toward victims of the World Trade Center attacks which took place in New York City on September 11, 2001. "Usually we never reprint a lithograph once its run has sold out," says publisher Robert V. Conte. "In this case, we made an exception because fans want to express their patriotism with the ultimate symbol of Americana and rock's superheroes.� Personally, I can't think of a better way to contribute towards New York's relief efforts." Twenty-five percent of Studio Chikara's profits from this edition of "Spirit of '76" lithograph will be donated to the Red Cross.� Unlike the first printing--which was limited to 500 and numbered in silver ink--this edition is limited to only 400 prints and is numbered in GOLD ink and includes a "Special Thanks" certificate. The "Spirit of '76" lithograph was photographed by Barry Levine.� Known for his classic photography of rock celebrities like Abba, Queen and Cher, Levine's stunning image of KISS celebrating the bicentennial in 1976 is also featured on the cover of his 1997 book, THE KISS YEARS. This 24" x 36" lithograph is printed in rich full-color with a black border on thick, 100-lb. cover stock. All KISS ASYLUM fans who pre-order the lithograph by December 1, 2001 will pay only $29.95 + 4.00 shipping and handling. The regular retail price is $39.95 + $5.00 shipping/handling USA (+$12.00 International). Mail check or money order (US dollars only, please) to: STUDIO CHIKARA, 244 Fifth Avenue #2464, New York, NY 10001 USA. Visa, MasterCard and AMEX customers may FAX their credit card type, number, expiration date and signature to 212-591-6300. NOTE: This product is not authorized nor endorsed by Kiss. Mr. Levine owns copyright of image used herein. [Post Your Comments]

From: KNAC.com
KISS' Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will ride in the pace car and act as grand marshals for the GNC Live Well 300 at the Homestead-Miami, Florida Speedway this Saturday, November 10th as part of NASCAR's Busch Series of races. In addition, on Sunday driver Sterling Martin will debut his Kiss-adorned #40 car in the Pennzoil 400, a NASCAR Winston Cup event. The car's hood features the faces of Stanley, Simmons, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and former drummer Peter Criss on a black background. [Post Your Comments]

From: VH-1.com
When the stalwart rock warriors of Kiss are absent from the stage, fans often hear about Gene Simmons' money-making merchandising projects or Paul Stanley's acting ventures, but guitarist Ace Frehley stays pretty busy also. On November 28 he'll join forces with Twisted Sister, Sebastian Bach, Overkill and Anthrax at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom for New York Steel, a benefit concert for victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The event was organized by Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French, who hopes the show will bring in $100,000. Originally, Frehley wanted to schedule his own benefit concert, but instead he decided to step onboard the Hammerstein roster. "I'm a native New Yorker. I was born 10 blocks from Yankee Stadium," Frehley said Tuesday. "So I'm eager to do anything I can to help our city rebuild from this horrible disaster." As excited as he is about the show, he said he's a little wary of the lineup. "I'm gonna have to wear rubber gloves when Anthrax take the stage," he joked. Frehley will play a 30-minute set with the Ace Frehley Band, which includes guitarist Richie Scarlet, bassist Karl Cochran and drummer Steve Budgie Warner. "We'll be doing the stuff we were doing prior to the 'Unplugged' thing and the Kiss reunion tour," Frehley said. Some of the same players who take the stage with him at the benefit will likely head into the studio early next year to help Frehley record his fifth solo record, his first since 1989's Trouble Walkin'. "I'm in the process of building a multimedia studio on seven and a half acres in upstate New York," Frehley said. "I have three albums worth of material right now in the can, and I plan to record another five or 10 songs once my studio is completed. Then I'm gonna sit down to decide which are the best songs to put out as the next Ace Frehley solo album." The record has a working title, The Baldest Baby on the Block, and Frehley said he hopes to have it out by spring but added that it's too early to predict the musical tone of the disc. It's also too early to tell if and when the long-rumored last-ever Kiss show will take place. "If it happens, I don't think it's gonna be 'til the spring," Frehley said. "Maybe Shea Stadium, maybe Giants Stadium. Anything's possible, but I'll be there if it happens." [More...] [Post Your Comments]

From: Entertainment Weekly via Phoneman68@aol.com
In the November 2nd, 2001 issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine, on page 60, there is a cool article about Gene Simmons hosting the upcoming Court TV documentary. The article is in the On The Air: The Latest News From The TV Beat, section. By Lynette Rice. KISS and Tell: What the heck is KISS' Gene Simmons doing hanging out with the suits at Court TV? The aging rocker is shooting a documentary for the cabler called The Secret History of Rock'n' Roll (set to air December 4th), which will expose the ugly underbelly of groups like Guns N' Roses and (gasp!) the beach Boys. Says Simmons: "It's all about how idiotic rock & roll musicians are. We talk about how some of the original godfathers of rock & roll created a corrupt system, which it is. The original guys used to steal songs and put their names on them. It's almost like the Sopranos in the music business. And don't kid yourself. These shady characters are still alive and well." Hmm, and we thought it was about wearing tight lycra and shaking your booty. In any event, can we expect any exposes on KISS? "Not that I'm aware of- but, of course, incriminating yourself is not a good idea," says Simmons. "I have the right to remain silent." [Post Your Comments]

From: EddieTrunk.com
Ace Frehley joined Eddie Trunk on a recent edition of Saturday Night Rocks to talk about his appearance at the big NY STEEL concert in New York City! To hear a full audio recording of that interview, be sure to check out the Interviews section. We also have some great Pictures of Ace from last Christmas! [Post Your Comments]

From: Phil Elliott
The 9th Annual Atlanta KISS Expo Sunday, February 24, 2002 11am-9pm. Calling all KISS Fans to the Mother of all KISS Expos! The KISS Army will unite again at The 9th Annual Atlanta KISS Expo to be held again at The Hilton Atlanta Northeast in Norcross Georgia. The show hours will be from 11am-9pm. Tickets again will be $10. (in advance), and $12. (at the door). Kids under 10 will be admitted "free" with paying adult. The Hilton Atlanta Northeast is offering our group a special discounted room rate of just $69. a night. You can make your reservations now by calling 1-800-HILTONS, and requesting "The Atlanta KISS Expo Rate." Admission: This time we're offering two levels of Souvenir Passes. 1st: The "VIP Souvenir Lament" which works as your ticket. The "VIP Souvenir Laminate" is $20. and will allow one person admittance. This Laminate allows the holder early entry into the show at 10:15am (:45 minutes early). There will be a limited number of 100 "VIP Souvenir Laminates" available on a first come, first served basis. We decided to offer this option due to the increased number of collectors that wanted earlier admittance. 2nd: The "Souvenir Ticket" is numbered and will allow one person admittance at 11:00am. Kids under 10 are "free" and don't need a ticket. The "Souvenir Ticket" is $10. (in advance), and $12. (at the door). And don't forget-they make great "stocking stuffers!" 2002 Atlanta KISS Expo Guest List: We are currently finalizing the special guests, and will make more announcements shortly. Stay tuned to KISS ASYLUM for all the latest additions to "The Biggest KISS Expo" outside of New Jersey! Fans claim our Atlanta KISS Expo is The Best, so maybe it's time you came to the show that'll give you The Biggest Band for your KISS Dollar! The Atlanta KISS Expo is RUN BY THE FANS.....FOR THE FANS!!! Dealer info:Write/Fax/Email/Call us your complete mailing address, and we'll send you a "Dealer packet" with all the necessary info. This packet will include a table map where you can pick your table location. Our Phone: 678-455-7891. The address: Atlanta KISS Expo Dealer Info, PO Box 3456, Cumming, Georgia 30028. Ticket info: Send check, or money orders Payable to: "Kreatures of the South" The address: Atlanta KISS Expo Tickets, PO Box 3456, Cumming, Georgia 30028. You can also "Charge by phone" your tickets using any major credit card. Simply call Phil at 678-455-7891, leave a message (if no one answers) and we'll call you back. Call backs are only for ticket purchasers. You can Email us with any questions or request: KREATURESS@aol.com See you at THE Show February 24th! [Post Your Comments]

From: Marcelo Marinho
During the time Bruce Kulick was playing with UNION in Argentina, Kiss Psycho Website from Brazil (www.kispsycho.com.br) had the pleasure of talking with him. In the interview Bruce talks about his new solo album AUDIO DOG, his recent concerts in Argentina, UNION's future, touring with Grand Funk Railroad, his relationship with Eric Carr, the inedit song he contributed to the soon to be released KISS Box Set , his opinion about Eric Singer's return to KISS and how he would react if contacted by KISS to rejoin the band in Ace�s make up. Check out this cool interview (in English) and also some photos of his recent trip to Argentina at
http://www.kisspsycho.com.br/News/brucekulickaudio.htm
[Post Your Comments]

From: Joe D. / KISS Hell Online
Ace, a native of the Big Apple will lend his support to his beloved city when he performs at the "New York Steel" show November 28th @ NYC's Hammerstein Ballroom. (Along with Ace will be a Twisted Sister reunion, Overkill, Anthrax & Sebastian Bach). All proceeds will be channeled to the families of the NY police & firefighters lost in the tragedy.. Ace says "New York gave me life & celebrity status & my performing at the concert would give me a chance to give a little back to the city I've always loved, particularly to the families of our fallen firefighters & police officers & their families. Long live New York & Rock & Roll." The event will be hosted by Eddie Trunk & baseball star Mike Piazza. "It's been awhile since I've performed as a solo artist with my band. We're just gonna get up on stage for 30 plus minutes & kick ass." Ace is a recent inductee to the Bronx Walk Of Fame. Frehley's love of his hometown is expressed in his 1978 hit "New York Groove", which he will perform that evening. Ace's current band consists of: Ace (gtr/vocals), Richie Scarlet (guitar), Karl Cochran (bass) & Steve "Budgie" Werner (drums). Tickets are $37,50 & $40 (day of show) & are available through ticketmaster outlets & the Hammerstein Ballroom box office. [Post Your Comments]

From: Dispatch.com
A Far East Side toy manufacturer has hit a sour note with Paul "Ace'' Frehley, the lead guitarist for the heavy-metal band Kiss. In a lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Frehley of Ossining, N.Y., says Resaurus Co., 240 Outerbelt St., is manufacturing and selling miniature replicas of his guitar without his permission. Frehley, 50, is one of the original members of the wildly costumed rock band, founded in 1973. Kiss last performed in central Ohio in May 2000; 18,000 fans turned out at Polaris Amphitheater during the band's national farewell tour. The 10-page lawsuit says Frehley contracted with a national guitar-manufacturing company in 1996 to make limited-edition replicas of his guitar. Each is signed by Frehley and is "distinctively decorated ...with a cherry sunburst finish,'' the suit says.According to the lawsuit: The full-size copies have sold for "hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending upon the materials used.'' Since last year, Resaurus has sold more than 28,000 miniature versions of Frehley's guitar for $7.50 to $9.99 each. Those copies are one-sixth the size of an actual guitar. In ads and other promotions, Resaurus has boasted that its miniature replicas "epitomize the heart and soul of popular music while retaining the authenticity of a legendary work of art.'' Packaging for each alleged knockoff promotes it as an "artist edition as used by Ace Frehley of Kiss.'' Such advertising misleads the public, the suit says. Frehley is asking for triple damages of at least $400,000. Resaurus was founded in 1993 by Doug Sapp, a former student at Columbus College of Art and Design, to manufacture and sell finely detailed toys, usually copies of characters in video games and cartoon shows. Shortly after its founding, Resaurus was hired to make toy versions of dinosaurs that appeared in Lost World, the movie sequel to Jurassic Park. Several months ago, Resaurus was put up for sale. Telephone calls to the company yesterday were not answered. [Post Your Comments]