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 All news should be considered an unconfirmed report unless verified, and all information published at KISS Asylum is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves. All information is confirmed where possible, and all publication is governed by common sense.
No love from KISS for Muhlhauser barn From: The Pulse Journal Did famous band once rock West Chester facility? 'Not true' Legendary rock band KISS may like to rock 'n' roll all night, but, despite rumors to the contrary, they didn't do it in an old barn recently moved to West Chester Twp. That comes from band frontman GENE SIMMONS, well known for his unnaturally long tongue. Since West Chester Twp. acquired the Muhlhauser barn - originally built in Fairfield in 1881 - almost four years ago with plans to convert it into a multi-use conference center, rumors have circulated that KISS once owned the barn and used it as a rehearsal hideaway. "Somebody had heard they had bought part of the farm land and used it as a rehearsal barn," said Joyce Smith, real estate manager with Ohio Casualty, the company that currently owns the property where the barn once stood. Ohio Casualty purchased the land from Meersco Realty Co. and Mercantile Stores in 1998, according to the county auditor's Web site. Smith said if KISS did own the barn, it would have been during the late 1970s, but property files could not be found to confirm it, she said. While the claim sparks in the imagination images of Simmons or PAUL STANLEY swinging from the barn's rafters and the old wooden beams shaking to classic rock music, it is, unfortunately, just a rumor. In December, The Pulse-Journal e-mailed information to Simmons about the barn, which was originally used as a brewery, and the rumor that KISS may once have owned it. "Not true," was the short reply Simmons gave to the inquiry. So that settles it. "It was just a rumor we had heard," Smith said. "If he's coming back and saying 'no,' then I assume that's correct." Ohio Casualty spokesperson Cindy Denney said she is not surprised to hear the rumor was false. "I thought it was kind of odd. Why would they be here? When we heard the story, I'm not sure any of us believed it," Denney said. So what are the origins of the rumor? Denney said the company's knowledge of the barn is limited, going little further back than when they acquired the property seven years ago. Perhaps the Muhlhauser family could provide a little more information. But when Rick Muhlhauser - great-grandson of Henry Muhlhauser, one of three partners of the brewery - heard Simmons denied the rumor, his first response was, "Who's GENE SIMMONS?" Ohio Casualty donated the barn to West Chester Twp. in 2002. The Muhlhauser family paid more than $40,000 to have it dismantled and moved from its location on Seward Road in Fairfield to Beckett Park in West Chester Twp. The barn was recently brought back into the headlines during the township trustee race because reconstruction of the barn has not yet begun. Newly elected trustee Lee Wong said he plans to have the barn project at the top of his agenda for the year. Plans have not yet been finalized, but the project proposal includes a conference center, space for a senior center, a kitchen and loft and will be nestled at the bottom of the hill on the east side of Beckett Road. With the latest news from Simmons, it is unlikely any part of the barn will be used as a museum for KISS memorabilia. |
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