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From: NWI Times PAUL STANLEY, KISS guitarist, vocalist and cofounder, has put to rest any notions that current solo ventures by him and musical partner GENE SIMMONS mean his globally famous group have called it a day. "The beast is just resting and getting its strength up to once again stalk the land," Stanley said. A random e-mail survey of local music fans and music makers shows many in the region believe KISS was an important chapter in rock 'n' roll history. Some think band members are still relevant today, at least for their staying power. A selection of responses follows: * "KISS made a statement in rock that wasn't necessarily as original as it was emphatic, following in the footsteps of artists like Alice Copper and the glitter movement to combine music, theater and promotion into a complete package. "They're still selling out shows today, and that makes them relevant and important. It's as simple as that." -- Scott Rosenberg, program director X-Rock 103.9 (Valparaiso) * "I am not a KISS fan, yet I believe they are very important to R&R; they have collectible dolls!!! R&R is a business and a livelihood if you can make it so. They showed many others how to do it, including me. "You can be 60 years old and still generate fans and followers as young as 12 years old if you to study the KISS phenomenon. Not many bands can do that." -- Joel Justin, professional musician (Portage) * "KISS wasn't important to rock 'n' roll ... KISS WAS rock 'n' roll! Like Alice Cooper and David Bowie, KISS weren't just musicians, they were performers. They are THE music icons of 1970s." -- Nick Kutzko, owner of Music Lab Inc. (Lansing) * "KISS were the first band to make you hear with your eyes and ears. Superheroes never die! You always remember your first rock 'n' roll band and your first hero. KISS are both. They connected with their image as well as with their songs. I thank Gene and Paul for keeping it going. We still need heroes and something to believe in and KISS gives us that." -- Tattoo Frank Spears, counselor and KISS fan since 1977 (Blue Island, Ill.) * "What made KISS one of the seminal bands of the '70s ... was their remarkable ability to stir the imagination and blend so many aspects of pop culture. They were not only rock musicians, but also superheroes, ethereal rebel-warriors, dark knights and pseudo demi-gods. KISS remains relevant in 2006 because true creative genius (Rembrandt, Brahms, Poe) does not diminish in significance as years pass." -- Adrian "Zuke" Zakula, freelance artist (Miller Beach) * "They brought the fun back to rock 'n' roll, which was missing for a while. They were extravagant and wild. KISS will always be that perfect example of success that comes with taking chances and thinking outside the box." -- Robby Celestin, singer and songwriter (Chicago) * "From a marketing standpoint, their cartoon-like characters allowed KISS to expand into areas way beyond anything that had been done before by rock bands. They remain relevant today for the same reason. The characters don't grow old like Mick Jagger." -- Joe Skotnicki. IT system support analyst (Munster) * "KISS was important to rock 'n' roll, because they set the tone for every rock band to follow them. They influenced just about every important rock icon today including country guys like Garth Brooks. KISS is still important, because they proved to be marketing and merchandising geniuses. Future rockers can see by the KISS example, that with hard work and great marketing a band can last forever regardless of time change." -- Steve Lopez, lead vocalist of Evenflow band (Lakes of The Four Seasons) * "At a time when bands were shedding the peace and love of the '60s, KISS brought out a little of 'the dark side' and bridged the gap between fantasy and reality with their over-the-top characters. Their relevance holds today in that we have Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Rob Zombie and numerous other bands that have tossed their 'mild-mannered' personas for the more theatrical." -- Colin Peterson, guitar instructor (Highland) * "KISS established four easily-recognized personas within the band reminiscent of the early Beatles; used those personas to launch a huge marketing push also rivaling the Beatles; gave an elaborate stage show to complement their identities, gaining an abundance of platinum-selling albums without much radio exposure. "Probably the most long-term accomplishment of KISS was to catch the eyes and ears of very young people, children even, and spark a generation-wide interest in playing musical instruments. The amount of musicians from the '80s to the present, who cite KISS as a huge early influence on their decisions to take up music cannot be dismissed easily. "KISS is currently relevant only to a dwindling but still-devoted fan base. While their overall legacy remains intact, the impact of their original magic has been diluted." -- Steven Sime, tour manager of The Steepwater Band (Chicago) * "To me, any band or artist that can create an unrivaled legacy is important in the entertainment industry. Longevity is another key factor. The fact that KISS has been able to reinvent itself, continue to tour and set unmatched standards for almost four decades is testimony to that. "The one thing many musicians fail to learn is that the term music business means just that -- BUSINESS. The fact that PAUL STANLEY and GENE SIMMONS learned that early on in their careers is really what has made KISS one of the most profitable bands in the history of rock 'n' roll. It sets an example to follow and learn from." -- Randy Diehl, sound engineer and businessman (Miller Beach) |
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