Category Archives: KISS News

Gene Simmons on Lemmy: ‘He’s always been a marshmallow, a softie on the inside’

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KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has paid tribute to Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, saying that the iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman was “a special kind of a guy” who “deserves a lot more kudos than he’s gotten.”

During a December 29 appearance on Ozzy’s Boneyard (SiriusXM channel 38), Simmons said about Lemmy (hear audio below): “Although most people wanna mourn Lemmy‘s death, and rightfully so, maybe a brighter thing to do is to celebrate his life. Because our history with Lemmy goes all the way back to HAWKWIND. KISS took HAWKWIND out way in the early days when Stacia was a dancer with the band. In fact, Stacy and I used to hang and just talk, and she always used to talk about Lemmy. And then, slowly but surely, I got to know Lemmy through the years.”

He continued: “The guy that knew, that I was lucky enough and proud enough to know, may be a different kind of a guy than what fans may think of him. You think of him as a badass, won’t take any crap from anybody… That’s all true. But I will tell you as a guy that’s known him for decades, he’s always been a marshmallow, a softie on the inside, always putting a helping hand out to anybody. [He] treated fans the best. This badass guy who always looked out, cared so much about the fans and would always give a helping hand to new bands. [He] hardly ever said anything bad about anybody for press’s sake. If he didn’t like you, he’d tell you to your face, not behind your back. A gentleman with a kind heart, dressed in armor, like most nights were. He was a special kind of a guy and he deserves a lot more kudos than he’s gotten, unfortunately.”

Gene also talked about Lemmy‘s wit, honesty and undying devotion to his friends. He said: “Lemmy, and Ozzy has this too, this kind of… If they like something, it doesn’t matter if it’s from the same genre. Ozzy will point his finger at THE BEATLES, whereas lots of other guys who turn up the guitar — whether you call it hard rock or heavy metal or thrash or take you pick — are afraid to actually say, ‘Yeah, I like ABBA.’ Lemmy was honest through and through. His insides, his heart and his mouth and his mind were connected. And truth is a hard thing to find, ’cause everybody is trying to negotiate: ‘How do I negotiate these streets to have people think I’m cool?’ He didn’t give a squat. He basically took a very individual kind of… ‘Hey, this is who I am. I don’t care if it’s popular to be a hair band or [wear] lipstick. I’m Lemmy. That’s who I am.’ And maybe we should all learn something from that.”

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Tower Records KISS album displays from the ’80s

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Zak Wilson | Art Gods Movie

Old school record store days! Check out the hand made foamcore wall displays made by the artists at Tower Records Berkeley to promote Kiss. For more on those crazy heavy metal loving Tower Records Berkeley store artists (that helped influence the in-store look of Tower Records stores moving forward in the 80’s) check out the documentary “Art Gods” on DVD (artgodsmovie.com).

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no BOWIE, no KISS

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ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS

So true …From Ziggys lightning bolt live backdrop logo adopted by ‘the Ace’, to Bowie’s face paint, to Spiders From Mars guitarist Mick Ronson‘s over-driven Les Paul, early DB is a glowing strand in KISS’s DNA, both visually and musically. Bowie made being ‘out there’ cool and KISS got the message.

At least a couple KISS fans (me and my brother) were introduced to Ziggy & KISS on the very same day. In fact it was back to back in real-time when our whole family tuned in for the ABC Friday Night At The Movies special feature‘Heroes Of Rock & Roll’ hosted by Jeff Bridges. Still have the VHS …it’s a whirlwind tour that takes us from the inception in the 50’s to 1979, when it aired. It has the coolest segue I have ever seen in my life … Ziggy pointing to the rafters with a peace sign, grimacing at the end of a hairy live version “Ziggy Stardust” when the scene cuts to Gene Simmons breathing fire as the riff to “Rockin’ In The USA” off Alive II kicks in. It may have been that very moment that I realized ‘I Wanna Rock’ (thanks Dee).

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KISS plan tribute to 1982 Creatures tour on next Kruise

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Nick DeRiso | Ultimate Classic RockScreen Shot 2016-01-08 at 4.15.52 PM

Kiss plan to pay tribute to their 1982 Creatures Tour on a newly announced Kiss Kruise VI, which sails on Nov. 4 from Miami.

This edition of Kiss’ floating concert series will visit Cozumel and Grand Cayman before returning on Nov. 9. More details are available at thekisscruise.com.

MichaelOchsArchivesAs for the 1982 tour, fans will remember those U.S. dates as the first in which Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent appeared with the band. Both assumed newly created characters onstage. Vincent, who had been dubbed “The Wiz,” wore a design based on the Egyptian ankh, while the late Carr boasted fox-influenced face paint.

The duo replaced Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, after a period in which Kiss turned to more pop and disco styles. Creatures of the Night, which was also the first album to feature Carr and Vincent, represented a welcome turn back toward harder rock. The tour that followed celebrated Kiss’ 10th anniversary as a band, but it also marked their last tour in makeup unwygtil an improbable 1996 reunion with Criss and Frehley.

Today, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer round out the Kiss lineup, joining co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Singer and Thayer have assumed the original Catman and Spaceman characters once assigned to Criss and Frehley, respectively. There’s no word on whether this high-seas tribute to the 1982 tour will include a return of the period-appropriate makeup worn by Carr and Vincent back in the day.

 

 

There Won’t Be A Kiss Album In 2016? Stanley Says Band Can Move Forward ‘Without New Music’

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Ernest Aguila | Korea Portal

rock-and-brews-opening-with-paul-stanleyFans of Kiss were never really sure if the the legendary rock band intends to go back and hit the studios again to record a new album for 2016.

There have been numerous reports of Gene Simmons feeling highly optimistic about Kiss releasing a new album for 2016. However, Paul Stanley was quoted to have said that the band can proceed without necessarily having to release a new record, according to sources.

 “There has to be a purpose to us doing an album,” the guitarist said in an interview when the topic a new album being released this 2016 was brought up, courtesy of Loudwire.
He added, “There was a time when we did albums because the contracts said so. But I only want to work now when it’s justified. ‘Sonic Boom’ was an album that was very much needed to be done and ‘Monster’ just felt like, Well, we did’ ‘Sonic Boom’ – let’s see where we go from here.”

“Having accomplished that, I feel we can move forward without new music. There are enough things going on in KISS that right now it doesn’t feel utterly necessary to make a new album,” he said, via Classic Rock.

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New Year’s resolution from notable New Jersey resident Peter Criss

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Greenwich Time

1024x1024The new year will find Criss, a co-founder of the rock group Kiss and a Wall Township resident, looking to finish some unfinished musical projects. The drummer and singer known for his Catman persona and chart-topping single “Beth” also vows to go to art classes in 2016 to improve his painting and drawing abilities.

“And of course bring more awareness that men get breast cancer,” said Criss, who survived the disease and has become a vocal advocate for having men check themselves for it.