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Category Archives: KISS News
Paul Stanley and Rick Springfield backstage at Sweden Rock Festival
Here’s a backstage shot from SwedenRock Festival of Rick Springfield with Paul Stanley of KISS.
– Team Rick
Sweden Rock Festival KISS Press Conference video
SwedenRockTV
Helskinki KISS Expo Photo Gallery
The 4th Helskinki KISS Expo from earlier this week monday was a huge success with fans from all over Europe and all over the world attending. The expo, among other things, was a launch to the Helsinki KISS concert that same evening! Special guests were the Fabulous Richie Scarlet and the Lovely Lydia Criss. And to top it off there was a KISS fan after-show party that went on well into the wee hours of the morning. Yes, I know it’s the obvious thing to say, but Helsinki truly did Rock and Roll all night and Party Every Day!
Thanks to Petteri Limnell and all the crew at the KISS Army Finland for putting on such amazing events to complement that evening’s KISS show!
‘He’s starting on his 15th Lawsuit’: Gene Simmons on KISS’ continuing feud with Vinnie Vincent
Gene Simmons sorts through his stormy relationship with Kiss’ initial replacement for Ace Frehley, guitarist Vinnie Vincent — saying the split had less to do with artistic differences than it did with simple business.
Simmons says they originally met Vincent through songwriter Adam Mitchell, who co-wrote the title track for 1982′sCreatures of the Night with Paul Stanley. “We started writing songs together, and we found out he could play guitar,” Simmons says of Vincent, in the attached video. “He sang, and he was a multi-faceted, multi-instrumentalist. He kept asking to be in the band, and we said: ‘You can’t. You’re smaller, shorter. With the front line, there’s like a thing.’”
Vincent, still going by his real name of Cusano, pressed — and eventually Simmons and Co. relented. He’d eventually be part of three Kiss studio albums, co-writing the hit title track to 1983′s Lick It Up and participating in 1992′s Revenge as well. But this particular marriage, like the one with Frehley before it, was not to be.
“We decided to go on a sold-out European tour without the make up,” Simmons says. “We asked Vinnie Vincent if he wanted to come along. ‘But before you come, you have to sign this contract. It’s not a negotiation. It’s an offer of employment. You must sign it for insurance purposes. If you don’t sign this, we can’t take you.’”
Vincent promised to sign, but ultimately he failed to do so.
In fact, Simmons adds: “He’s never signed a contract with Kiss. He kept being thrown out of the band. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry — next tour, I’ll sign it.’ And we’d keep going out on tour, with unsigned contracts, and he kept wanting more and more. So, finally, we fired him.”
Attorneys eventually got involved, with disastrous results, according to Simmons. “He’s lost 14 suits, and three sets of lawyers, sued some of his lawyers — one was disbarred. Another one he rehired, and he’s starting on his 15th lawsuit. It’s a shame, because he’s talented beyond most people that you’d meet. But you get to sleep in the bed you make.”
KISS Explain their Longevity
Bruce Henne | Hennemusic
KISS kicked off their European tour in support of their current album, “Monster”, at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday.
Before the show, KISS hooked up with Sweden TV4’s “Nyhetsmorgon” program to discuss a variety of topics, including their longevity, as the band marks its 40th anniversary this year.
“What we do is timeless,” explained Paul Stanley. “Many bands come out and they tell you about how bad the world is and what you can do to help the world. You can do that tomorrow; when you come to see KISS, you get to celebrate…you have a great time. We’re very simple, but it’s also something that’s timeless.”
KISS will play a mixture of headline shows and festival dates across Europe for the next three weeks before launching an extensive Canadian tour in early July.
Three Sides of the Coin – How Big Would KISS Be With Only Ace Frehley and Peter Criss?
Michael Brandvold
Ace Frehley on Celebrity Ghost Stories
Bio True Story | Submitted by: Bobby Lantz
Three Sides of the Coin – Hangouts on air
Michael Lafferty
KISS made me gay
Patrick Redmond | Huffington Post
The revelation occurred this past weekend after a morning text message from my best friend Marsha in Tennessee. Her elementary-age boys play little-league baseball. I never did. I was a boy who didn’t like sports.
Marsha: “Morning, doll. Sitting at first All Star B-ball Tourney of the summer. Yes, I do think I’ll drag you to at least one of these games when you visit. Definitely a little perspective for you. HA HA HA HA. I soooo do not fit in with these moms. Geesh.”
Me: “If YOU drag me to one of those sports-ball games it’ll be with a cooler full of beer and me dialing up the “You go, girl!” factor. Consider yourself warned.”
Marsha: “Oh, yes, yes, yes. You can endure one. We’ll sneak in some vodka. Gurl, you’ll be fine.”
Me: “I’m serious. I’ll wear cha-cha heels and a sundress! You better think long and hard about it.”
Marsha: “You need a two-hour stent of what I endure on the weekends.”
Me: “NO. I. DON’T.”
Marsha: “HA HA HA HA HA. But it’s such an easy button to push with you. Giggling thinking about it. Especially you in cha-cha heels!”
Me in cha-cha heels, I thought.
Marsha knows I love drag queens. I mean they entertain me. She loves them too. I introduced her to her first. Together we’ve attended shows in many cities throughout the Midwest and south Florida. I’ve often wondered, Why my fascination? When did it begin?And that morning it hit me: My fascination began in 1977, when I removed the Charlie’s Angels posters from my bedroom walls and joined the KISS Army.
My first KISS album was KISS Alive!, and I was hooked. I wanted to be Peter Criss. One Halloween I bought a box of KISS makeup at a local Main Street gift shop and painted up. That Christmas my parents gave me a set of drums purchased from J.C. Penney’s catalogue. My fascination with the drums didn’t last, but KISS had captivated me.
Paul and Gene interview on Sweden’s Nojes Bladet TV
Fan-shot photos from Netherlands 1982 TV Show filming
Willem van den Heuvel
Today i opened an old shoe-box and found a few photos i’ve taken of my heroes in november 1982, when i was only 16 years old.
KISS was performing ” I Love It Loud” voor tv-show Toppop in Hilversum, The Netherlands.
Me and maybe 50 other fans from the dutch Kiss-Army were allowed to witness them lip sync-ing the song a couple of times, and interact with them for about an hour and a half !! There’s even part of it on KISSOLOGY 2.
I was sitting front row (because i was one of the youngest and smallest out there in the studio).
It made a lasting impression on me.
Got the autographs and some guitar pics.
The guys were really nice, especially Eric!
Off course at the time there were no digital camera’s and i Continue reading
KISS Kruise Pre-Party with Mr Speed
Hi KISS ASYLUM… Were organizing “The Pre Party” For The Kiss Kruise III,
In support of Sophie’s Place – Created by SOPHIE TWEED SIMMONS, Sophie’s Place is focused on providing specialized services to physically, mentally or sexually abused children up to age 18 in a child-friendly setting.
WE PROMISED YOU THE BEST AND YOU GOT THE BEST!! THE HOTTEST TRIBUTE BAND IN THE WORLD: MR. SPEED!!!!
Voted the World’s Best Tribute to KISS in 2012 by members of KISS Themselves!! (And you’re NEVER gonna get a better thumbs up than the one from Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer!!)
Special Guests: KISSKRUISE II’s very own THE No.13’s!!!
In a world where imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, few bands have as devoted a following as KISS. With nearly 20 years of experience under their spandex MR. SPEED continues to forge ahead writing their own chapter in KISStory! With a show combining a lot of the elements that are reminiscent of a KISS performance, and enough hits to go double platinum MR. SPEED brings you back to a time when lips everywhere were coming together in unison to welcome the hottest band in the world!
October 27th! 7PM- 3AM!! MR SPEED BRINGS THE THUNDER TO WILL CALL MIAMI!! CAPACITY IS LIMITED TO 1000 PEOPLE!!
KISS Mannheim Germany 1976 photo gallery
Here’s an awesome photo gallery of images taken from the audience on May 18, 1976. Beautiful images – it’s not very often we get to see jewels like this surface!
Click HERE for the photo gallery
Help rescue a fellow 1970s icon
Ralph Asbury | Lunar Moth Entertainment
In 1974 the world was introduced to two things that changed the world in their respective fields: KISS and JAWS. As KISS went on to become the Hottest Band in the World, JAWS went from a worldwide best selling novel to the the very first summer blockbuster film directed by Steven Spielberg. One very important element to the success of JAWS was the painting, originally created by Roger Kastel for the paperback release of the book and later for the movie poster. What many do not know is that this painting is missing!
KISS notables Ralph Asbury and Chris Kiszka have joined forces to produce a documentary retracing the steps of the JAWS painting, from creation to disappearance, as well as an effort to locate and recover this lost Hollywood treasure! In order to do so, the duo are calling on the popular crowdfunding website Kickstarter to make this project a reality. A budget goal of $50,000 has been set, and are asking JAWS fans and KISS fans alike to make a pledge to this project. In doing so, contributors will be rewarded with their names appearing in the credits of the film, limited edition DVDs and merchandise, as well as opportunities to appear on screen in the production.
Visit the Kickstarter page to contribute:
The Lost Shark: Searching for the Art of JAWS
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lunarmoth/the-lost-shark-searching-for-the-art-of-jaws
“Much like images of KISS, the JAWS painting is instantly recognized by people around the world.” says Asbury, who KISS fans are familiar with from his design work on Eric Carr: Unfinished Business and as the designer of founding KISS drummer Peter Criss’ website, PeterCriss.net. “Everyone is familiar with the story of JAWS from the book and the movie, but the original painting has an incredible story of its own that needs to be told.”
Kiszka, also known in KISS circles as “Chris the Bodyguard” for his protective services to Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, is the owner and curator of the largest collection of screen used JAWS props and memorabilia in the world. As a producer his experience and relationship with the JAWS production brings an inside track to bringing this documentary to life.
The Kiss High School Homecoming Movie
WBAB | Donna Donna
If you were in high school in the 70s could you ever have imagined Kiss showing up at your school to perform? Well that’s what happened in 1975, at Cadillac High School in Michigan.
Here’s how the story goes, the school’s football team was struggling until they started cranking up Kiss in the locker room before games. After winning seven games in a row to become conference co-champs the team credited their success to Kiss. The band heard about the team and in 1975, visited the school and performed there during homecoming weekend.
Now the story is in the process of being tuned into a film. Vh1 Radio caught up with Gene Simmons last week at the opening of his new Rock & Brews restaurant in California and gave them an update on the status of the film: “There’s a gentleman named Mark Johnson who’s a producer, who’s produced the Narnia movies as well as other things. There have been some meetings. You know, they don’t call it development hell for nothing. It’s hell to launch anything and he’s almost there, the financing is almost there.” Gene went on to say, “I mean there’s a script, I read some of it. It’s about Cadillac. Kiss is part of the culture, the inspirational story about how a nowhere, nobody football team scaled to heights by infusing their blood with Kiss blood.” Gene added, “We are not producing this movie, by the way, this happened naturally out of Hollywood.”
Chris Cornell would like Gene Simmons to induct Soundgarden into the RnR Hall of Fame
Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell is hoping that it’s only a matter of time before the Seattle four-piece gets inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and once they do, he would like none-other that Kiss bassist Gene Simmons to be the group’s presenter.
During a recent HBO Q&A session, Cornell was asked to name who would he like to see as the band’s presenter if Soundgarden ever gets inducted. “I would hope it is a when, as opposed to an if,”frontman replied. “How about Gene Simmons?”
Another fan asked Cornell yet another Hall of Fame related question, this time around regarding the artists he would like to induct, apart from those he already did. The singer opted for songwriter Daniel Johnston, whose records he even considers as enjoyable as the work of rock giants Pink Floyd.
“I would induct Daniel Johnston,” Cornell said. “He is a songwriter who recorded a lot of music on a boom box and produced records where the budget was ultimately the price of a cassette tape. It occurred to me at one point that I got no less enjoyment out of listening to his records than I did from a Pink Floyd record, for example. That thought spoke to me as an absolute definition of what rock ‘n’ roll is really about.”
Finally, the frontman reflected on inducting Heart into the Hall of Fame at this year’s ceremony, calling it an “eye opening experience.”
“Inducting Heart into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame was an eye-opening experience. I was certainly honored, but had always had a cynical attitude about an institution like this as it pertains to Rock ‘n’ Roll in general. The fan support of all the bands inducted and their emotional enthusiasm changed everything for me.”
Peter Criss at Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp Campalooza 2013
Get ready, NYC! Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp is bringing the rock to the city that never sleeps for Campalooza! Don’t miss out on this special east coast edition of Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp!
Ever daydreamed at work about shredding next to guitar legends Yngwie Malmsteen and Johnny Winter? Maybe bangin’ on the drums with legendary drummer and Co-Founding Member of KISS Peter Criss? Or how about getting funky with American blues, jazz and rock guitarist Robben Ford? Or do you want to jam with Leslie West of Mountain?
Campers will get the opportunity to jam and perform next to Grammy winners and epic guitar legends, as well as record with one of the most significant producers to work with the unforgettable John Lennon. You will take the stage at the legendary BB King’s in Times Square, in front of screaming fans and your family! You will perform your original songs on the stage that Yardbirds, and BB King himself have performed on!
Three Sides of the Coin – Rumors of new KISS Monster stage
Michael Brandvold
Mark St John in David Hasselhoff video
In his post-KISS days, Mark St John performed with none other than David Hasselhoff on in his 1989 video, “Is Everybody Happy”. Mark belts out an amazing Animalize-style guitar solo in the middle of this otherwise poppy song, but still is unable to save it from sinking….