Things Are Coming Full Circle Again
By: Sonny Gutierrez

Well, I have been reading the various Sound Offs that have been posted, and have enjoyed them immensly. I have been a KISS fan since the age of 4 in 1976, when my mom brought home a 45 of a song named Beth -- which of course everyone knows was really Detroit Rock City, which I was amazed with! I loved that car wreck! And as I grew up, I would lay around and draw pictures of the Alive II stage, and KISS, and dress like them at Halloween, and play with the MEGO figures, and watched Phantom of the Park like it was the greatest movie ever made!! And I know that so many of you did the same exact things!

As time and the years went on, I continued to be a KISS fan, standing up for KISS even when they weren't on top in the 80's, even when it was apparent that Gene and Paul were feeding us lies, even when Eric and Bruce couldn't get a word in edgewise -- KISS was still the greatest band in the world! KISS fans are the most loyal fans in the world! We all know that. But we always put up with it all... we stuck by the band. And finally, in 1996, they put the magic back together, and all seemed too good to be true.

I'll never forget driving 6 hrs to Detroit from Chicago to see them that 1st night at Tiger Stadium -- I would not trade that night for anything! It was the ultimate experience! Everything at this time seemed to be going so well, KISS was captivating the world once again, and we were all thrilled about it! They were selling everywhere out, and everyone that was putting them down in the 80's was eating their words now! I can't even remember how many friends that badmouthed KISS in the 80's were on the bandwagon now. And we were all excited at the prospect of new merchandise, like the awesome MacFarlane figures, and at the thought of a new album, new costumes, more magic from our heroes.

Now it is 3 and a half years later, and the album has come and gone, way too much crappy merchandise has overshadowed the cool stuff, and it just seems like the band isn't even having any fun anymore. During the Psycho Circus tour, they seemed so bored, going thru the motions, and playing the same songs for the thousandth time didn't help matters any. Remember when KISS headlined the South American Monsters of Rock in 1995? They started off one show with 100,000 years! They had energy, vigor, they WANTED it! KISS had the desire to return to the top, and they were on the verge of getting close again. Shows like Blazefest in Chicago, and the Gibson Guitar 100th Anniversary show rocked! They were doing stuff like Plaster Caster, Goin' Blind, and Christine Sixteen -- stuff you never hear now. And why not? During the Revenge tour, Rock and Roll All Nite wasn't the finisher... and it was an awesome show! Why not do what another writer here suggested, and START OFF with Rock and Roll All Nite? How freaked would fans be? They would be so juiced up to hear it right off the bat, heavy and powerful! I can relate to this, because I saw AC/DC in Chicago in 96, and I'm not even close to being a big AC/DC fan, but they started off the show with their big hit Back in Black, and it was awesome! I couldn't believe how cool it was.

I love KISS just like each and every one of you do. I don't want KISS to die and go away. I don't think it's time to hang it up. But what KISS was all about in the beginning was fun. Even in the 80's it was about fun. And during the Reunion Tour, it was about fun. KISS was on top, then it seemed like they got lazy and complacent. Is it coming full circle again? Gene is putting their faces on everything but baby diapers. Paul is now doing what Gene did 20 yrs ago, experimenting with all the side projects and fame. And good for Paul, good for Gene. They deserve all they can get, but don't forget who brought you to the dance, it was your fans! Peter and Ace need to be more involved, let them be! For goodness sakes, Ace is as big a star if not bigger than anyone in KISS!! And Peter's heart has been so into KISS, but he's tired of all the crap. How much longer will his heart be into it?

I suppose I could go on and on, just like anyone else that has written a Sound Off could, but it seems like everyone wants the boys to go into the studio, have fun together, just the four of them, and make a kick ass record, and go on the road and have fun!! Yes, for goodness sakes, leave freakin' Bob Ezrin out of it! How on earth can they even think of a Concept Album after the failure of The Elder? Yes I love that album, so many of us do, but overall it was not the best thing in the band's interests, and it isn't now either.

How can they be so blind as to what their fans want, and so blind as to see that things are coming full circle again?

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