Over the years KISS ASYLUM has had some great articles from our columnists in the Video Spotlight (Byron Fogle), KISS Thought Vault (Ron Albanese), Diamonds In The Rough (Dale Sherman), and KISS Album Focus (Julian Gill) features among others. In addition to the reoccuring articles from these great authors, we wanted to open the door to other writers out there and give them a place where they can voice their opinions about KISS. We realize not everyone may want to write a column on a regular basis, but we bet there are more than a few of you who have at least one KISS related topic burning in you that you'd love to write a one time piece about. Well, KISS ASYLUM is happy to bring to you a forum in which to do so in our new feature "SOUND OFF!" KISS ARMY.
"SOUND OFF" is the place where YOU get a chance to be a guest columnist at KISS ASYLUM. If you have something you want to get off your chest and share with other KISS fans we encourage you to email us and submit the essay! From your own creative idea for how KISS could gain new fans, to what you think really went "wrong" with the KISS/Vinnie Vincent relationship, to your take on the KISS merchandizing, to an analysis on the evolution of KISS album covers.... if you want to write about it, we want to help you share it with fellow members of the KISS ARMY! Perhaps you have been motivated to respond to something written by one of the other feature writers here at KISS ASYLUM? Now is your chance to "SOUND OFF" and be heard!
"SOUND OFF!" - SOUND OFF Archives: Recent Articles | Articles 1-20 | Articles 21-40 | Articles 61-80 | Articles 81-100
Steve Corral has delivered a masterful analysis of the problem with KISS albums - a problem he thinks you can trace the origin of back to Love Gun. The problem? "The fans want an honest album, but KISS doesn't know how to deliver because they haven't done it in so long. They are too concerned with what they think the masses want and that only results in stale anthems that have no meaning. If they think about it they will realize that their first few albums were what THEY wanted and why the fans came to them. If You Build It We Will Come!"
Matthew Bell has an interesting idea for fans to ponder in his "Sound Off" essay. He asks, "Instead of putting us through a half baked load of rubbish in DRC, why can't efforts be put in to making a tell all movie about the life and times of KISS..... the truth on film." He knows some fans might find his suggestion of a "tell all" movie a bit distasteful, but thinks that we'd all go see it if it was made the right way and really told The Truth.
From the WCW "debacle" to the "limp Sucko Circus" album to the obnoxious 3D tour effects, Wayne Milliken says KISS has lost sight of what they are about. "I recall a quote that Gene said recently: 'KISS will be putting out golf balls, but I don't know what KISS and golf have in common.' That tells me all they care about is the almighty dollar. The band has over-exposed the merchandising of the name, and under exposed sincerity toward the fans. KISS is nothing without fans." Wayne thinks it's clear the point has been reached where With KISS, A Dollar Outweights Honesty
Though "Sound Off" author Robert G. Emigh Jr. had no problem with all the merchandising at first, enough is enough. "Gene always says 'our fans deserve the best.' Well, we WANT the best... so do us all a favor and give us a killer album by KISS. It's simply time for KISS to be what they always did best: be a rock n' roll band! The fans want not another 'Rock And Roll Over,' but an album that has the same raw energy and excitement that that classic platter had." In short, Robert says it's Time For KISS To Be A Band Again!
The novelty of the Reunion has worn off, and "Sound Off" author Sonny Gutierrez points out that "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." There are so many little things the band could do that would make a major difference, and the fans are trying their best to communicate those ideas to the band throught things like this "Sound Off' feature. So what Sonny desperately wants to know is, in spite of all the fan outpouring, "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?"
"I remember KISS going from the tough mean street band to the band that was a bunch of clowns in circus make up. The sad thing about it was they had dug such a hole for themselves, that when they came up with a great album ("Creatures of the Night" ) it didn't matter to the public, they already been labeled." John has many good memories of KISS, and particularly remembers watching "Unplugged" and hearing about the Reunion with the excitement of a little kid. Until, that is, "I noticed Gene started to change just like he did before, started saying ridiculous things I couldn't stand. He has become an arrogant jerk, and if this is how he was when Peter and Ace talked about him, I don't blame them. He has sold KISS out again." No doubt about it, John Always Liked Gene The Best... Until Now.
"What we are currently seeing and criticizing is unfortunately nothing new, it's all happened to KISS once before, specifically the post Destroyer period." So says "Sound Off" author Ken Mac Vicar, who points out in his essay that many of the same things which tore the band apart once before seem to be occuring again. "Perhaps we were too young, too frenzied, or just too blind to notice the symptoms 20 years ago." The bottom line, it seems to Ken, is that The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same.
Ted Gwin has a very straightforward point to make in his "Sound Off" essay. With regard to the continual "pushing" of KISS as superheroes Ted has this to say: "At one point in their career this was true (70's). We all thought of them as almost godlike. But now the fans are no longer little kids; now we're all grown up and are adults. The superhero name doesn't work for us old folks, and I don't see the 7 to 13 demographic going nuts for the band like we all did in the 70's, either!" KISS needs to concentrate on making some good music according to Ted, because Superheroes Are Not Real.
Patrick, like many others, pretty much grew up with KISS. After having the luxury of KISS for the past 25 years, Patrick fears the end may be drawing near. "So argue over how lame the KISS wrestler is, complain that Ace and Peter didn't play enough on the new album (they do play at the concerts, where it counts), gripe over the KISS toilet paper, and whine about the KISS... well, wine. It's your right as a fan. Personally, I think it's all academic." Yep, Patrick believes it may be time for fans to think about Letting Go.
"Sound Off" author Childress isn't taking any prisoners in this essay, asserting that "KISS no longer possesses the ability to shock or surprise ANYONE. Every wasted piece of 'merchandise' that finds it way into cheesy retail stores or greed-indulged catalogs turns the stomach of millions across the globe." Childress believes that, in more ways than one, the Demon has gone way overboard and is seriously deluding himself about how much more the fans will put up with. "It is clearer now than ever before that KISS' biggest obstacle to going out on top and re-claiming the hard rock mantle is Gene Simmons himself." Childress' solution? The Negative Forces Of KISS Must Be Purged
Though Kevin Goocher has enjoyed the music of the various lineups between the original members breaking up and then reuniting, there is something about the original lineup he finds especially powerful. "KISS represented youth, freedom, power, excitement, and even sex all wrapped up in a nice little package I came to know as their newest L.P." Yes, for Kevin The Original Is Always The Best.
Jason Houston has actually written two "quick bit" essays, both of which are featured in this edition of "Sound Off." In his first essay, Jason has an interesting perspective on the Gene & Paul bashing he has seen over the past few years. He points out that "many people seem to bash Gene and Paul simply because they appear to make the most money of all the members in the band." Jason thinks this is unfair and sets out his reasons why. In his second essay, Jason addresses the "Ace situation" regarding the possibility of Ace leaving the band. Based on Ace's track record the first time he jumped ship, Jason thinks Ace would be rather short sighted to do so again. Short and to the point, Jason has cut to the heart of both Gene & Paul Bashing and The Ace Situation.
Eugene Mathena has certainly laid it on the line in this "Sound Off" essay. Here's what Eugene thinks about fans who have been complaining about things like the session players and KISS's involvement with wrestling: "You guys... are probably the fans that didn't buy "The Elder" when it was released in November of 1981 because you felt then they were out of date in the 80's. You guys are probably the same ones who didn't like Eric Carr when he took the shoes of the Cat. More or less, you're not real fans and you need to go buy "ABBA GOLD" and sit down and think of the way it could be." Oh yeah, Eugene has a thing or two to say about this Bunch Of Whiny Fans!
Not unlike a lot of other KISS fans, Psully1970@aol.com is frustrated that KISS came so close in the 90's to recapturing the unbelievable level of fame and success they had in the 70's without fully seizing that rare second chance opportunity. "They were primed for a resurgence in popularity. Unfortunately, their egos (Gene's ego) took over and they went for too much too soon." An album that focused on marketing over music (and overpriced to boot), gimmicky tour, rumors of both Ace's (second) replacement and the band's (second) 'concept album' all have Psully1970 disappointed that they came So Close... But They Blew It.
Ace sure is the hot topic of late, as "Sound Off" author Dave has also decided to look at the post-Ace future of KISS in his essay. Dave thinks the bottom line is, "if Ace wants to leave, no one's going to stop him." He goes on to say that "if he does leave, I don't blame him a bit. He gets one song on the big new KISS album, and it is stripped and rewritten by Gene." Though Dave acknowledges that KISS does have options should Ace decide to call it quits with the band, he thinks the bottom line is "KISS isn't the hungry, hard working band they were in the 70's. The magic has turned into dollars, and the fame is raping them as it did in the late 70's." This makes Dave think the future would be bleak for a Life After Ace.
"Sound Off" author Mike Campion, who is a member of KISS Tribute Band Revenge, is tired of reading KISS bashing, negative essays about the Gods of Thunder. Mike thinks it's probably a good thing there was no such thing as the Internet back during the VV/MSJ/Kulick saga, and thinks its "a shame fans cannot go back to the times when all you knew about the band was what the band wanted you to know and what the band would release or leak out thru the press. " Mike's bottom line? "KISS fans beg for KISS to be more like they were in the 70's, however, the fans have evolved into a different kind of animal than they were in the 70's as well! Maybe The Fans Are The Problem!"
This is the story those Mothers Against KISS had in mind back in the 70's! A young Ron Forrester reached the age of 14 having been brought up a "good boy", complete with "perpetual bible school".... and then he found KISS! "I spent the next few years like a typical KISS fan. It was more than a trend. These guys were the Walt Disney of rock music." Ron continued to follow KISS throughout the years (even hanging posters in his Army barracks!), and says he "can't think of a better legacy for a band whose sole purpose is to give their fans their money's worth" than all the merchandising and interest it continuously generates places like ebay. Ron's final thought for KISS is that "when you're gone, I'll be one of the ones who will make sure you're Gone But Not Forgotten."
'I guess I had to wait until I was 35 before I could admit to myself that KISS never really cared about us, the fans." With an opening sentence like that and the title "The Good Old Days" it's not to hard to tell that the bloom is definately off the KISS rose for "Sound Off" author Glenn. While admitting that seeing KISS for the first time in 1975 completely changed his life, Glenn has nevertheless reached a point where "KISS will always mean something to me, but I will not donate to Mr. $immons & Mr. Stanley's home building projects any longer." Glenn is pretty sure he's not the only one who wishes for The Good Old Days.
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