Just released today – the real, 24kt gold-plated KISS Gold Record Display celebrates 35 years of Creatures of the Night. A huge, over-sized 26.5 x 20.5 inches.
Category Archives: KISS News
Paul Stanley calls groupie days an ‘amazing, amazing part of my life’
Kiss front man Paul Stanley doesn’t regret his bacchanalian days with groupies in the ’70s one bit.
“It was an amazing, amazing part of my life and I enjoyed every moment,” he told Confidential. “I savored every moment and I remember most of those moments. Nobody got hurt and everybody was happy. It was interestingly, I have to say, all fairly innocent. What was so great was the lack of possessiveness and that everybody was having a good time.”
Now the Queens-raised rock star, 66, is happily married to second wife Erin Sutton and are parents to three small children. (Stanley also has an adult son from a previous marriage.) The singer says anyone who gets caught up in a rock style life is “pathetic.”
Stanley — real name Stanley Bert Eisen — is also an accomplished painter who describes his paintings as “celebrations of color, and color is an affirmation of life. I tend to be a very positive and appreciative person of life and everything you can attain with work. I tend to see my paintings as a celebration of that point of view.”
Podcast Rock City – 200th episode special!
Jody Havenot
New KISS Collection for sale at KISSmuseum.com
We’ve posted another good-sized collection for sale for the end of April. Most are single items, so grab them while you can…
New Private KISS Collection at KISSmuseum.com
KISS Rock and Roll Over 1976 on Second Thought
Coming together in January 1973, Kiss made it clear right from the start their main motive was to be the biggest band in the world. Such a lofty goal was ultimately achieved, triggered by the September 1975 release of Alive!The New York City band’s fourth album wound up selling something like a bazillion copies.
Gene Simmons (bass, vocals), Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar, vocals), Ace Frehley (lead guitarist, vocals) and Peter Criss (drums, vocals) may not have been the greatest musicians on the scene, but their passion, energy and imagination certainly compensated for what they lacked in technical proficiency.
Adding a gimmicky flare to the mix, Kiss attired themselves in face paint and radical rags. Suited and booted in stacked heels, Gene took on the role of a demonic comic-book character, while Paul masked himself as a sensual Starman, Ace was a Spaceman, and Peter appropriated a feline look. Accompanying the band’s elaborate visuals was an equally animated stage show that involved Gene breathing fire and spitting blood amid exploding smoke bombs.
I realize I am probably in the minority, but Rock and Roll Over is my very favorite Kiss album. Arriving at the height of the band’s phenomenal success, this record was a refreshing return to the quartet’s rawboned roots. The previous album, Destroyer, was slickly produced and spawned a huge hit in the spring of 1976 with “Beth” – an orchestrated ballad more aligned with a Barry Manilow missive than the thumping hard rock Kiss was known for. Many original fans were turned off by the refined bent of that album, which simultaneously attracted a whole new audience.
“KISS Guy”, rocks Foo Fighters, blows minds
One of the most endearing parts of my career has been the ability to exposed new and unsung talent. Between Fingers Metal Shop and WBAB Homegrown I have had the opportunity to turn listeners and live music fans onto talent form far and wide as well as our own backyard. So it’s nice to see when others including artists give an unknown a shot. As is the case in this video.
At a recent show Foo Fighters front-man Dave Grohl brings up a guy with Gene Simmons makeup on. He then gives him his guitar and the band breaks into “Monkey Wrench”. The look on Dave’s face and subsequent reactions say it all. Watch and enjoy the love of music and performing in this spontaneous moment. Kudos Dave and Horns Up to “Kiss Guy” AKA Yayo Sanchez.
The KISS Room – April 2018
Matt Porter
Three Sides of the Coin, episode 278 – Gene Simmons 1981 Screen Test and Jay Jay French calls Judas Priest a tribute band
Michael Brandvold
Gene Simmons Shuts Down KISS Farewell Tour Rumors
KISS won’t be going on a farewell tour anytime soon, Gene Simmonsassures, but fans of the iconic rock band have a different kind of tour to look forward to.
The co-founder of KISS told PopCulture.com exclusively that there are no plans for a reunion tour, but he is right now traveling the world hand delivering his brand new box set, “Gene Simmons – The Vault Experience: 1966-2016.”
An imposing 3 feet tall and with 167 previously unreleased songs spanning 50 years, The Vault is both literally and figuratively, the “largest of all time.”
“If you started playing 167 tunes that were never released and didn’t take a poopy break, you would be listening to from 10 to 11 hours straight,” he told PopCulture.
Never-before-heard songs featuring Bob Dylan, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Eddie Van Halen and many more are included in the box set, along with a book of his own private pictures and a piece of KISS memorabilia from his private collection. Oh, and did he mention he’s hand delivering these massive treasure chests to fans?
“When I was a kid, neither The Beatles or Elvis Presley ever walked up to me and said, ‘Gene, thanks so much for making my life possible, so check out my new record,'” Simmons told PopCulture of delivering the box sets by hand. “It’s my bucket list, because I’m the luckiest son of a b— who ever walked the planet.”
He continued: “I came to America when I was 8 1/2 years old, I couldn’t speak English or anything, and I never imagined America would embrace me and allow me to scale the heights.”
Podcast Rock City, episode 199 – Bobby Rock and Todd Kerns join us!
Jody Havenot
What’s New in KISS Collecting – KISS Unmasked Coaster Set
Just released this week – the new KISS Unmasked Coaster-puzzle set. Good, sturdy construction in great packaging.
Available now at KISSmuseum.com
Vinnie Vincent at the Gene Simmons Vault Experience Nashville
Mike Brunn
Big John Harte on the Cassius Morris Show
Cassius Morris
Big John Harte, protector of Rock Gods: KISS, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Prince and more, calls in to The Cassius Morris Show for a career interview of epic proportions. When it comes to celebrity bodyguards, few fill the heart and imagination like Big John. The now-classic images of this hulking wrestler-like mustachioed man with his giant hands shielding an unmasked KISS member are indelibly etched into your brain.
Cassius delves in to the aspects of Big John that are rarely discussed in interviews, including his childhood, what prepared him to become a bodyguard for the stars, his past aspirations of becoming a rockstar himself, & much more. Next, the pair delve deep into Big John’s years working with KISS, including untold stories, as well as his time with Prince.
The New KISS Dynasty Figures 2018 – In Stock NOW at KISSmusuem.com
Both the 8 and 12 inch versions of the KISS Dynasty figures are NOW IN STOCK at KISSmuseum.com. Order today, we ship TOMORROW, guaranteed!
See the new KISS 2018 Dynasty figures at KISSmuseum.com
Three Sides of the Coin, episode 277 – Vinnie Vincent, Jay Jay French & Slim Jim Phantom live at Spooky Empire 2018
Michael Brandvold
Episode 277, April 10, 2018. What a show this week! The highlight is our interview with Vinnie Vincent at the 2018 Spooky Empire in Orlando, FL. We talk about the first time he met Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. His memories of the Creatures of the Night tour in Brazil. When work first started on the Lick It Up album and of course… Did Vinnie Vincent Save KISS? Also stopping by our table at Spooky Empire was Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister and Slim Jim Phantom from The Stray Cats. We wrap things up with Petey, the man behind Spooky Empire. Do not miss this episode!
Gene Simmons Explains Why Women Do (And Should) Decide Everything, Just Like His Wife Shannon
Gene Simmons, the legendary Kiss co-founder & now Chief Evangelical Officer for the cannabis company, Invictus, tells HollywoodLife why women rule, how he willed himself to rock star success & more!
Gene Simmons, 68, not only believes women are a higher life form than men, he also thinks that they could stop all future wars altogether! In an EXCLUSIVE interview on the HollywoodLife.com podcast, while he was in NYC delivering his $2,000 Vault Experience, which includes an actual vaultthat contains 50 years of unreleased music and more, to fans, the rock legend sang his amazing wife Shannon Tweed‘s praises. He revealed, “Women do all the work and continue to do all the work,” Gene said. “Men will run out on their families, and mothers won’t.” While opening up about how his father left his family, when he was just 6 and a half years old, the Kiss lead singer made the point that women would never let you down like that. “We don’t deserve you,” he continued. “You’re a higher form of life, and I’m not saying this as sort of a popcorn fart, sugar-coated comment. You understand the important things in life, family. You give birth for God’s sake. We do nothing. We just work, literally. Well, we can build a house and we can do this, we can do that. You actually make life out of nothing, and you carry it for nine months and then when it’s born, you’re there forever with the children.”
KISSmuseum.com is bringing the truck through New York State to buy KISS Collections!
KISSmuseum.com will be barreling through the Empire State later this month buying up KISS Collections. Have one to sell? Too big to ship? Then get in line and we’ll be by to do all the heavy lifting…
Podcast Rock City, episode 198 – KISS Night in Las Vegas
Jody Havenot
New KISS Playing Cards 2018 – on sale now for only $1.00!
SPECIAL $1.00 PROMO. This item was JUST released this week – this is a brand new official KISS item for April 2018, and you can get it now for only a dollar as a special promotion.
Get the new KISS Playing Cards for only $1.00 at KISSmuseum.com
Gene Simmons and other Celebrities race to invest in cannabis
KISS bass player Gene Simmons says he’s never smoked a joint in his life, but he’s now the global ambassador for a company that’s gearing up to sell recreational pot to Canadians.
In fact, the 68-year-old rock star is the CEO at Vancouver-based Invictus MD Strategies Corp.
That’s “chief evangelist officer,” the title Simmons gained in a multimillion-dollar deal with the company.
Simmons, famous on stage for his demon makeup, large tongue and fire-spitting, will put his “branding and merchandising genius” to work on behalf of Invictus, the company says.
Simmons is not the only celebrity hooking up with a cannabis company.
Members of The Tragically Hip are creative partners and shareholders in Newstrike Resources Ltd., the owner of Up Cannabis. Beleave Inc. has a brand licensing deal with Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, who played pot dealers Jay and Silent Bob in movies and animated TV series. The team behind made-in-Canada stoner characters The Trailer Park Boys has a business and brand development deal with New Brunswick’s OrganiGram. Tweed Inc. in Smiths Falls sells rap icon Snoop Dogg’s “Leafs by Snoop” weed.
It’s all part of a push by cannabis companies to build brands and make their products stand out. But that effort is going to be complicated by the pending legalization law in Canada, which will come with strict regulations.
The federal Cannabis Act will ban mass advertising and promotion. It will not allow any TV commercials, billboards or glossy magazine ads extolling the virtues of the dried weed and cannabis oil that will be sold in plain packages from behind the counter upon legalization. Cannabis companies won’t be allowed to sponsor people or events or put their names on sports and cultural facilities, either.
The law will also prohibit promotion of cannabis through endorsements and testimonials, by depicting people, characters or animals, by appealing to youth, or by associating the drug with a lifestyle of “glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring.”
However, the law has yet to be interpreted.
And what type of celebrity partnerships will be allowed is a big question for the fledgling cannabis industry, says Aaron Sonshine, co-head of the cannabis law section at Toronto firm Bennett Jones.
“Companies are trying to find ways to create brand profile in an industry that is increasingly competitive,” says Sonshine. “(Companies) will be looking for ways to create brand recognition by aligning themselves with popular figures in a way that doesn’t cross the line with the new regime.”
Federal politicians have emphasized their intention to guard against the promotion of cannabis, especially to young people. The tension between the government’s promise of “strict regulation” and the industry’s desire to sell products and expand is obvious.
The day before Simmons appeared at the Toronto Stock Exchange when Invictus changed its trading symbol to “Gene,” Health Canada unveiled a proposed design for cannabis packages.