Category Archives: KISS News

Paul Stanley would prefer third solo album to new KISS LP

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Ultimate Classic Rock

Paul Stanley said a new Kiss album had him thinking in terms of a “built-in letdown,” and that he’d rather record a third solo LP instead.

His self-titled solo debut in 1978 was followed by 2006’s Live to Win, while Kiss’s most recent full-length release was 2012’s Monster.

“It’s not impossible,” Stanley said of solo work in a new interview with SiriusXM. “That, to me, in some ways, is more interesting than another Kiss album – although I wouldn’t mind doing a few Kiss songs. But the idea of doing another album, I don’t know. It seems kind of a built-in letdown. People tell you they want a new album, but then they go, ‘That’s great. Play ‘Shout It Out Loud.’

“So could I do another album? Yeah. And if I did another album, it would be much closer to the first one. The second one was me making a concerted effort to not do what I normally do, and it certainly accomplished that. But, yeah, if there was another album, it would be a guitar-driven album.”

You can listen to the interview below.

Stanley recently reinforced his previous comments about the chances of Kiss continuing without any original members, arguingthat the band had earned the right to “evolve” beyond his tenure. “I think that Kiss is a concept, it’s an ideal,” he said. “It’s a way of performing and giving to an audience, and that goes far beyond me. I’m a big fan of mine – I think I’m really good at what I do – but it doesn’t mean there’s not somebody else out there who can bring something to the band.”

He also recently reported that Kiss were planning the “biggest tour” they’d ever done for 2019.

Rock legend Gene Simmons makes a pit stop at Rock Falls Culver’s

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Sauk Valley

ROCK FALLS – Here’s a fun headline you don’t see every day: Rock star rocks it with fans in Rock Falls.

Musical legend Gene Simmons and The Gene Simmons Band made a pit stop Thursday afternoon at Culver’s, where the 68-year-old famous Kiss frontman grabbed a Reuben and a caramel custard on his way to rock ‘n’ rolling all night at a gig at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.

The boys strutted into Culver’s with Gene dressed head to toe in his signature black shirt, black leather coat, blue jeans and sunglasses.

“Our crew immediately recognized him, and we sort of had to do a double take,” said general manager Ashlee Alber, 30, of Sterling, who took his order.

“He wanted to try our custard because he has never had it before.”

Simmons, known for his geniality with his fans, posed for photos with the Culver’s crew and customers before taking off.

“He was really friendly and a very nice guy,” Alber said.

Paul Stanley reveals plans for ‘major’ tour to start next year

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CNBC

KISS frontman Paul Stanley rocks art tour at NJ gallery from CNBC.

Kiss frontman Paul Stanley announced on CNBC on Friday that the iconic rock band is putting together a new tour for 2019.

“A major Kiss tour, I would say, starts at the end of January. It hasn’t been announced yet,” he said in a “Squawk Box” interview.

“So, don’t tell anybody,” he joked. “Breaking news.”

“This will be the biggest tour we’ve done, the biggest show we’ve done,” he added, but didn’t give any other details.

Kiss currently has a few dates on its 2018 schedule, all in July in Spain and Portugal.

Stanley alluded to a new tour on ABC Radio on the red carpet for the ASCAP Pop Music Awards in Los Angeles on Monday.

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Hear Ace Frehley’s Gritty, Guitar-Driven New Song, ‘Bronx Boy’

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Rolling Stone

Ace Frehley proclaims himself a “street kid” on “Bronx Boy,” the gritty first single from his upcoming eighth studio album, due out this summer. “Bronx boy, just trying to exist/ I never played with toys, don’t give me bullshit,” he snarls over a raw hard rock riff and squealing guitar solos.

The former Kiss guitarist has yet to detail the release date or title of his next LP, which follows 2014’s Space Invader and the 2016 covers record Origins, Vol. 1. Frehley revealed one tantalizing detail about the album last year: he co-wrote two new tracks with ex-bandmate Gene Simmons. The collaboration originated after Frehley reached out to the bassist through e-mail, and they wound up with the songs within three hours of jamming at the guitarist’s house in Ranco Santa Fe, California.

“We initially each picked up an acoustic guitar,” Frehley told DJ Eddie Trunk, according to Blabbermouth. “I don’t remember who came up with the beginning of the song. One guy plays one thing and then I play another thing. I think Gene actually came up with more ideas than I did and I just kind of complemented them. And then I started writing lyrics for a song title, which I don’t wanna give away yet. And then we kind of took a break and then he started playing this bassline and he said, ‘Ace, play these thee chords against it,’ and within thirty minutes we had a second song. I was really pleased, and so was he.” Continue reading →

Vinnie Vincent interview with Mitch Lafon

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Mitch Lafon

Listen to Queensrÿche’s Todd La Torre, former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent and April Wine’s Myles Goodwyn plus co-host Bill Leverty of Firehouse on this episode of Westwood’s One’s Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon

Up first, hear Queensrÿche’s Todd La Torre talk about the M3 Festival, the band’s upcoming new album and who’s drumming on it, his upcoming solo album, comparing vocal styles and a lot more.
Next, is former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent. He talks about his early days, the craft of songwriting, KISS and a lot more.
Finally, April Wine’s Myles Goodwyn talks about the band and his new solo CD, ‘Myles Goodwyn And Friends Of The Blues’ and progress on Friends Of The Blues 2, guests Frank Marino & Rick Derringer, Eddie Kramer, opening for The Rolling Stones, April Wine’s 50th anniversary celebrations and more.
Co-host Bill Leverty offers colour and commentary on today’s guest as well as discusses his new songs available at www.leverty.com

Paul Stanley calls groupie days an ‘amazing, amazing part of my life’

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Daily News

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.”

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KISS Rock and Roll Over 1976 on Second Thought

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Something Else Reviews

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.

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“KISS Guy”, rocks Foo Fighters, blows minds

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The Finger Files

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.