Because I Am Your Father And I Said So.....
By: C. Curly

By now, I doubt that anyone can really have anything new to say on this subject. I, like so many others, fine myself reaching for the shotgun with tears streaming, knowing old yeller needs to be put out his misery. I will be seriously sad to see KISS go. But, I just don't like the current climate of the band or fans.

I have always applied the same philosophy to KISS that I apply to family or friends. I will stand behind you, but if I think you are being an idiot I won't call you a genius. For me there have always been little moments of glory, but many moments where I felt the band was merely paying lip service to fans. I think with alot of things they do have genuine intentions, but I also think the bottom line and assembly line thinking eventually creeps in to ruin what probably start out as truly great ideas or projects.

One of the biggest mistakes that KISS tend to make in my opinion, is trying to be all things to all people. You never please anyone that way. Another big mistake they make is that they hype everything exponentially, thinking both casual fans and hardcore fans will buy into it. I have to admit that I know alot of people who say they are big KISS fans but seem to have limited access to news or forums such as this. Consequently, they sometimes do have a very filtered view of what happens among other fans and the band themselves. KISS has practically never been about the fans in a genuine way like Metallica has with theirs, or many other bands for that matter. Metallica through there fan club have offered merchandise to fans at much lower prices than stores or online stores. The band has put out its fancan featuring a video, cd, t-shirt, and some other nick knacks for a price that the band can only be breaking even on. They have done fan only gigs, or invited fanclub members to non-fan events (where was my invite to the recent Las Vegas show). They regularly send out backstage passes to their fanclub members for meet and greets in the various cities they play on tour. I am sure there are other things I can't remember right now and I use Metallica as I haven't been apart of too many fanclubs. I know from a friend that Aerosmith have a pretty cool fanclub as well. I won't say that KISS do not do cool things for their fans, but they don't seem to do too much, and if they do something they sure know how to charge us for it.

I realize we don't have to buy these things and I must clarify that I do quite like being able to get merchandise again, I just think that it has been done with all of the descretion of a junkie street whore trying to raise cash for her next fix (or his, don't want to be non p.c.). I do think though that it shows real lack of respect for us that the band doesn't seem very eager to give us a break on prices, or at least to put out some things that are actually seem like they are worth the money we pay. There are exceptions I admit. I like the Kisstory book, forgetting the bindng problems, I felt that book was worth the $150.00 that was charged. With the autographs included I am frankly surprised they didn't try to charge $400.00 for the autographed version. It is like the wife or husband who will treat you like crap until you threaten to leave or call the cops, and then they do a few nice things for you every once in a while.

I don't expect the moon from KISS. They don't have to stay after the show and sign autographs for me (although that would be nice), I don't really care what they do outside of KISS or about their families, that is their business. I just want KISS to give their core fans some respect, not just when things are not going well and we suddenly become "The truly faithful". There seem to be alot of hardcore fans right now saying that they aren't willing to put up with anymore crap from the band. Musically, I doubt I could ever give up on the band unless they started playing polka music. I have lost interest in much of the merchandise now, and with the stupid wrestling idea and a few others, I just feel dirty giving these idiots my hard earned cash. I feel I am saying to KISS " I am taking away your permission to put out toys and such until you learn some respect young man! (o.k., old man)". I feel are collectively acting like the bands mom or dad. Gene says sometimes that "people outside of the family can't say anything to us or I'll kill them." Well, Gene suck it buddy because KISS is my band to, I have invested alot of money and adoration in this band and I have an idea or two of how things should go, and sometimes I and countless other fans know what is better for the band than you. If you choose not to heed our authority, you do so at your own peril. At the end of the day "I AM YOUR BOSS!!!!!!.... and you have have been sloughing off lately". "Simmons, come to my office!" O.k.... so I am tired from studying and am getting a little carried away, but you get my point.

I actually think that Psycho Circus is a respectable album, and I thought it was cool that they wrote lyrics about the fans. I also think that sonically, it is the best sounding KISS album ever, very rich and full. Even if Eddie Kramer worked with the band (which personally, I wouldn't be into), it wouldn't necessarily be that great. I don't mean to be all doom and gloom, it is that past a certain number of albums most bands don't often put out super great albums anymore. We get a few great songs here and there and the rest are just okay. I have to admit that I would definitely like to see KISS do a real down and dirty album again.

Overall, I just wish KISS would put up or shut up. In a certain sense, both the Reunion tour and PC tour were great shows. The massive confetti shower during RARAN on the PC tour is exactly what I would have hoped for it to be when they first announced the whole tour idea in 1996. The light show is big and great and the show is quite entertaining but seeing very little changes and few and few true innovations makes all their claims a bit hollow. These days everyone has a great stage show so it makes the job of KISS being impressive that much harder. I can't think of anyone who can beat them in terms of pyro techinics (although Rob Zombie is doing some pretty cool things). I saw some new Ricky Martin video today and this guy had some really cool looking stage with all these elevated boxes and it looked very nineties. KISS's PC tour frankly looks like a boring retread of some old Van Halen 1984 stage set. I wish would do something with an actual stage set (i.e. Rob Zombie). Janet Jackson actually had a cool stage set on her last tour that had different set pieces that came in too change the look of the set. I want to go to a KISS show and be impressed with a nineties looking, modern stage set, not something that is supposed to half remeind me of 1977. Dazzle me KISS! I have seen some things that have dazzled me but show some backbone, let the cajones hang out on the chopping block and do something truly mind boggling that will make me pee my pants with amazement. Do I expect alot, damn straight but did I set the bar so high mister Simmons, or did you. Oh yeah, if you don't like what I have to say in criticizing your band, then you don't have to buy what I have to say, no one is forcing you, JUST STOP!

By the way, I have been a fan since 1975 and have continued to be a fan through thenon-makeup years until now so none of what I say is said lightly. I just would rather see the band end rather then become a huge embarrassment. Sorry if I offend anyone, remember that it is just one persons opinion.

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