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KISS promises audiovisual bombardment at Dodge Arena From: themonitor.com by Henry Miller In 1975 KISS just wanted to "Rock And Roll All Nite." They've done that — for more than 30 years. The masked monsters of rock continue their legendary careers tonight when they, along with the KISS Army, invade Dodge Arena in KISS' Rock the Nation Tour. It will be the last stop for the tour in the United States. The four-man band will wrap up the tour in Monterrey, Mexico on Saturday and Sunday and then in Mexico City on Tuesday. "It has been an amazing life, there's no question about it," bassist GENE SIMMONS said in a phone interview recently. "This tour has been amazing — it's tourist season, there are entire rock festivals going on, people are canceling shows left and right and female singers are complaining about broken knees — but people are still coming out to see us." As for the biggest reason generations are still flocking to see KISS live — it's usually one heck of an energetic show. "Fans are going to get an audio and visual assault," Simmons said. "If it's just about music, it sounds better at home on headphones. When it's live, you're being bombarded — in our case — by a monstrous sound system. You bring your eyes and ears to a rock concert and we assault them both." The band, makers of 23 consecutive gold albums — placing them third behind the Rolling Stones and the Beatles — comes to Hidalgo without two of their original members, guitarist ACE FREHLEY and drummer PETER CRISS. The group, as Simmons put it, decided "at the end of the day they just didn't belong on the road. Maybe they're happier at home. The road is not easy and it's not for everyone." Frehley and Criss have been in and out of the band more than once ("fired or let go — whatever you want to call it," Simmons said) but as most KISS fans — commonly referred to as the KISS Army — know, it's PAUL STANLEY and Simmons who are the heart and soul — and possibly the most controversial members — of the band. "It's a preconceived notion about originals in a band," Simmons said. "Does it apply to the Beatles? Ringo wasn't an original. Great bands have changes members — AC/DC, Van Halen, The Who, Metallica. I guess it doesn't apply to anybody. Take a look at a band that does well over a long period of time and the rule seems to be change your original members, you'll do better. "For football teams, if the number on the back isn't doing the job, take him off the field." Simmons doesn't plan on being taken off the field anytime soon. The 54-year-old Simmons, who was born Chaim Witz, in Israel, said that at a young age he decided he wanted to be a rock star. When he reached that plateau — as early as 1973 when the band was formed — it was something he was gonna stick with for a long time. And, yes, he did think he'd be doing this gig 30 years later. "When you're a teenager you never imagine anything else would ever be anything different — 'Yeah, I can go forever.' You dream big, without limitations. But there's always a scrooge around you. The one that says 'What, you being president? Never gonna happen.' You know what? It's gotta happen to someone. It may as well be me." Simmons is quick to compare his rise to that of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The current California governor probably wasn't the ideal person for any of the goals he set for himself — Mr. Olympia, super action hero actor and then governor. It didn't stop him, though. "He was a wimp when he was a kid but decided to build his body and ends up being Mr. Olympia and all that …" Simmons said. "Then he wanted to go into movies and here was this guy who couldn't act, he couldn't speak and nobody could spell or say his last name. Then he does it and the next thing he does is say 'I think I want to be governor.' "I was born in Israel, had a funny last name and couldn't speak English. Everyone has something to say about a dream you have — screw them and just do it. Nike has a good idea. It doesn't matter if you fail. Think of one of those guys with a big club at a fair who has to hit those beavers coming out of a hole. Just keep swinging. You'll hit a few. You don't have to be good. Just shut up and swing. You will hit something. The idea is to hit those beavers." According to his Web site, Simmons moved to the United States with his mother when he was 9 years old, where he learned English by reading comic books and watching television. His love for music came during The Beatles' first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. He first met PAUL STANLEY, then they recruited PETER CRISS and ACE FREHLEY. In 1973 KISS was officially born. And nobody else has been quite like them — something that's rare in today's music industry made up of many copycats, Simmons said. "It just feels more comfortable for groups to copy others — like a white rock band that sticks rap in the middle of a song and suddenly they feel relevant. We never wanted to be relevant. We wanted to be unique. "Part of the reason we've been successful is that we were in the right place at the right time. KISS is an anomaly. We don't look like the friendly next door neighbor band. We're not in style or in fashion. That has nothing to do with it. Be an individual. Be who you are. "We're KISS." |
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