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Angelo Story
From: KISSAsylum.com


Got this great note from Angelo & his dad!!

Hi Keith!

This is Joe Coppola (Angelo's dad). We wanted to tell you what a great time the Coppola family had at the Expo! It was truly fantastic what you did to help the victims of the hurricane and the KISS fans of the world are really some of the most friendly and generous people we've ever met. I would like to send you a DVD of Angelo's performance at the Expo if you could send me an address. Also you HAVE to check out the updates we did to his website. There is a picture of Angelo & Eric and a little article about the event at the top of his Homepage and we created a whole seperate page just for the Expo! There are some really cool pics on this page and we even put a video on there from his performance!

I also wanted you to be the first one to read an article that I wrote about Angelo's experience at the Expo. It might be a little too long to put on your site but I wanted you to see if it's something you'd be interested in running. I am also attatching a couple of pics to go with the article in case you're interested. So far I have not sent this article to anyone but you. The article is as follows:

Sometimes Dreams Come True

Angelo Coppola of Macomb, MI was 3 years old when he went to his first KISS concert. From that day forward he adopted a special love for the band & their music. Around that time, he also began banging on a drum set that his dad (a musician) had bought. He played a variety of music but he really enjoyed playing along to KISS songs. When Angelo was eight, one of his favorite TV shows was America's Most Talented Kids. He wondered "Wouldn't it be great if I could perform on that show?" (Dream #1) His parents, having supreme confidence in their son decided to make a video tape and send it in to the show. But a big question would be "what song would show off the drums, have tons of energy and really get the crowd (and judges) moving?". Easy, KISS' "Rock and Roll All Nite." So they sent the tape in and Angelo was soon invited to compete on the show. He and his family flew out to Los Angeles and taped the show in December 2004. Angelo rocked the house with his rendition and became one of the youngest winners ever! The show aired all over the country in March and again in August 2005. (Dream #1 fulfilled)

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Angelo often asked his parents "Do you think I'll ever meet one of the guys from KISS?" (Dream #2) His parents told him although anything is possible it would be unlikely given the kind of busy schedules rock stars have (especially a mega-band like KISS). Then one day while browsing KISSASYLUM.com Angelo discovered an ad for the Chicago KISS Expo where ERIC SINGER would appear and meet with fans. Angelo diligently persuaded his parents to travel to Chicago and attend the Expo. By this time, Angelo had been performing in public regularly so Angelo's dad contacted the Chicago Expo's organizer/promoter, Jim Frangella. Jim had seen Angelo's performance on America's Most Talented Kid's show and welcomed the idea of Angelo kicking off the evening's entertainment. In preparing for this performance, Angelo adopted a practice regiment that any professional would be proud of. Never at a loss for questions, Angelo wondered, "Would ERIC SINGER be able to watch me perform?" (Dream #3) His parents again warned him that Eric is one of the hardest working drummers in the world. He would be appearing at the Chicago KISS Expo in between tour dates with Alice Cooper and KISS. Still, Angelo prepared harder than ever even with the slightest chance of his idol seeing him play.

September 3, 2005 the day of the Expo, Angelo showed up early to check out all of the choice memorabilia. Everyone was so friendly and generous. Angelo noted how KISS fans were the nicest people in the world! Then it was time to meet ERIC SINGER. (Dream #2 fulfilled) Angelo brought a black Pearl bass drum head for Eric to sign (it is now his prize possession) Eric was so patient and down to earth. He made everyone feel like they already knew him. Eric told Angelo he was looking forward to hearing him play that evening. No Way! Things were really panning out for Angelo.

Angelo's performance was scheduled for 6:00pm and Eric showed up before hand to talk before the show. Eric even gave Angelo some solid advice on how to warm up before a big show. (A private lesson with ERIC SINGER! Unbelievable!) Angelo performed his set with maturity well beyond his years. He performed 12 songs for about 45 minutes. The crowd was really into it and Angelo fed off their energy. He impressed everyone with his skill and power. Eric approached Angelo again after the show and complimented him on his performance. The two of them actually had a lot in common. Eric called Angelo a munchkin, he told Angelo that is what GENE SIMMONS called him because of his small stature. He also commented at how hard Angelo hit the skins, a trait that Eric is also known for. Angelo was so thrilled that his hero took the time to watch his entire performance. (Dream #3 fulfilled) Afterwards, it was Angelo's turn to sign autographs and take pictures with fans as he was approached and complimented by everyone.

The moral of the story is sometimes dreams do come true. Reach for the stars because you never know what you are capable of with a little luck and a lot of hard work. Angelo's next question (sorry Eric), "Dad do you think I will ever get to play with KISS?" I'm not betting against him!

There is a whole page dedicated to the Chicago KISS Expo with many more pictures and a video from Angelo's performance on www.angelo-coppola.com.


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