Ace Frehley has certainly come up with his fair share of classic guitar solos over the years, either with Kiss or on his own: “Shock Me,” “Strange Ways,” “Rocket Ride,” “Almost Human,” “Rip It Out,” etc. But it turns out that he is not a fan of working out solos beforehand in the studio, which can lead to troubles in replicating them live.

During an interview with the Guitar Tales Podcast, Frehley discussed how he tends to create his guitar solos. And how has been known to have to re-familiarize himself with some of them later on.

“I never know what I’m going to play when I do my solo. It’s never the exact same solo every night,” Frehley said (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar). “I always mix it up with different things and whatever comes to mind.”

“Sometimes I’ll just start playing something out of the blue that pops into my head, but, you know, the fans enjoy it, and I’m having fun.”

He also prefers playing solos off the cuff in the record studio. Which, has proven tricky in the past when it came to the concert stage.

“When I’m like recording guitar solos, I don’t really think about what I’m playing. As fast as I do a guitar solo, I forget it. Like, sometimes I’ll record a solo, and two months later, we decide we’re going to perform it live [and] I got to learn it.”

“I had forgotten it already because it just came to me. It was creative energy that just came out of me. But you don’t remember it unless you’re doing it every day.”

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“Remember rock ’n’ roll? You guys used to rock ’n’ roll real good.” – Creem Magazine Dynasty Review

Episode 588. We go back to October 1979 and read and react to the Creem Magazine review of Dynasty…

“We had some good times, but now they’re gone. So long,.”

—Ace Frehley,
“Save Your Love”

So long, Ace, it’s been good to know ya.

And, uncool as it may be for someone my age to admit it, y’know, five years ago I held high hopes that you guys would ultimately transform yourselves into the great American white (faces) rock ’n’ roll hope. But hey, Ace, the Ramones now have that title—and they don’t even wear make-up. But they sure can rock ’n’ roll, eh?

Remember rock ’n’ roll? You guys used to rock ’n’ roll real good. As a matter of fact, Dressed To Kill and Rock ‘n’ Roll Over still rank, along with side four of your second live album, as your supreme studio moments (and that’s not even considering Hotter Than Hell’s “Parasite,” which features your most homicidal guitar solo ever). I mean, the original Alive! still packs enough punch to render Helen Keller senseless.

But then something went wrong, beginning with the dreaded (for the wrong reasons) Love Gun, foreshadowed by the equally ominous (again, for the wrong reasons) Destroyer. And Ace, what happened to the much-vaunted “Strutter 78” which appeared on the Double Platinum album? It was actually weaker than either of the original -’74 or live ’75 versions. Then came the glut of solo albums, TV specials and comic books— each new enterprise a coin in the coffer and a nail in the coffin.

By this time, Ace, the low points were beginning to greatly outnumber the highs. Somewhere along the line, you guys lost your demons.

And I miss that. There just aren’t any demons on your new album, Ace. Why don’t you leave the pop diddling to Abba and the disco stuff to Giorgio Moroder? You guys were born to rock ’n’ roll and, although I know you think you’re making a good move career-wise by recording this stuff, believe me, you’re making a lot of your vintage fans (you know, the ones who put you where you are today) angry and—even worse—sad.

Go back to Eddie Kramer and tell him you want to rock ’n’ roll. He’ll know what you mean.

– Jeffrey Morgan

Gene Simmons and his fellow Kiss members might be some of the only musicians in the world who you think of as personalities before you think of them as musicians, despite them being initially famous for the latter. Kiss were a well-oiled machine of a rock band, with a clear idea about how they wanted to perform and how they wanted to brand themselves, and the result is one of the most instantly recognisable rock bands on the planet.

It wasn’t enough for Kiss to just make music. Sure, that was a fundamental part of what they were doing, but they wanted to give fans something more than that. This resulted in them painting their faces, using heaps of pyrotechnics and working on a stage presence that was, to put it plainly, completely unforgettable.

Bands like Black Sabbath have previously admitted that they regretted taking Kiss on tour as a support act because of how monumental their stage show was. They were one of the first rock bands to use pyrotechnics, and this meant audiences were given something completely new the moment they set eyes on the band. After that, if you took to the stage and just played your music, you were performing to a lesser extent than what the audience had suddenly become accustomed to.

Since then, Kiss has only gotten bigger and better. Their shows are spectacles in and of themselves, with their face paint making them look like superheroes, Paul Stanley’s guitar reflecting light like a mirror ball and the band playing while on raised platforms, in the air and surrounded by fireworks.

The spectacle of the band is often considered a double-edged sword, though. While it makes for one of the most exciting live shows out there, it can also drown out the music, as people go for the image instead of the sound. It has been said time and time again, but it bears repeating: Kiss’s music is fantastic and some of the greatest stadium rock out there. Each member contributes to this, but the melody embedded within Gene Simmons’s guitar playing is a huge component.

When you listen to their hits such as ‘Detroit Rock City’, ‘Love Gun’ and ‘Lick It Up’, it’s hard to deny that Simmons brings an exciting component to the band that few musical outfits can match. It begs the question, what is the bassline he believes to be his best?

“’Deuce!’” he said when the question was put to him. The track was a part of the band’s self-titled 1974 album and is packed with energy from the outset. The sound they manage to embody on this track is a perfect representation of what fans ended up becoming attached to. Pair that with Gene Simmons’ distinctive vocals, which would equally become synonymous with the band, and you have yourself a Kiss hit.

“I’ve written lots of songs,” said Simmons, “Some on bass and some on guitar – because that’s what I started out on – though I don’t play very well.”

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Ace signed this for us in Franklin, OH at JD Legends on August 31, 2024.  Signed in blue paint pen.  Includes our Certificate of Authenticity.

Ace Frehley – 10,000 Volts Half/Half with Splatter Alt-Cover Vinyl

Pressed on 12” 180g Half/Half Silver & Clear with Red & Blue Splatter Vinyl.

This version has an alternate album cover limited to 750 copies worldwide. Exclusive to the MNRK Heavy Shop.

Tracklist:

1. 10,000 Volts
2. Walkin’ on the Moon
3. Cosmic Heart
4. Cherry Medicine
5. Back Into My Arms Again
6. Fightin’ for Life
7. Blinded
8. Constantly Cute
9. Life of a Stranger
10. Up in the Sky
11. Stratosphere

Order at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!

MLN Producciones has shared upscaled video of KISS performing live at  Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 18th, 1983.

The remastered footage includes a press conference, and a closing interview featuring Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley without make-up.

This is not the full show.

Setlist:

– PressConferece –
“Cold Gin”
“Calling Dr Love”
“Firehouse”
“I Love It Loud”
– Eric Carr drum solo –
“War Machine”
“Black Diamond”
“Creatures Of The Night”
“Rock And Roll All Nite”
– recap –
“God Of Thunder”
– interview without make-up –

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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Mini Kiss, the renowned Kiss tribute band and Guinness World Record holder for the world’s shortest band, is set to electrify Indianapolis on Friday night with a high-energy performance at the Hi-Fi Annex. Known for their rock-and-roll attitude and unforgettable stage presence, Mini Kiss brings all the theatrics of a full-fledged Kiss show in a fun-sized package.

During an appearance on Daybreak, Mini Kiss member Arturo Knight shared his excitement about returning to Indianapolis.

“It’s going amazing. We’re having a great time out here,” Knight said. “It’s our first time here in a few years, and we’re having a great morning.”

The band, which was founded in 1996 by the late Joey Fatale, has a unique charm that attracts fans not only of Kiss but of music in general. “Even walking out of our hotel room, walking down the street, anywhere we walk, it’s gonna be some crazy looks because we’re the only ones doing this in the world,” Knight said.

Mini Kiss has gained substantial recognition over the years, in part thanks to their memorable 2010 Super Bowl commercial with Dr. Pepper, which also featured the original Kiss band. “That’s kind of what blew us up to where we are now,” Knight explained. “We work with Kiss, and we love Kiss, and we do this for the legend and music of Kiss.”

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Get Tickets!

Episode 586. We want you to play along with us this week… KISS Albums Either You Love It or Hate It, Greatest Album of All Time, Overlooked Masterpiece, Mental Breakdown, Which Divides Fandom. Let’s hear from you!

Kiss bassist, Demon and fire-breather Gene Simmons picks his records, artists and gigs of lasting significance, and names the “most dishonest” album Kiss ever made

Gene Simmons is the living, fire-breathing embodiment of the American Dream: the immigrant who found fame and fortune, in his case as co-leader of rock superstars Kiss. But when he talks about the music he loves, he is very much the Anglophile.

“For me, England is holy ground,” he says. “The Beatles changed life on Earth! And then you had the Stones, The Who, Queen and so on.” He feels that the cultural exchange between the US and the UK was uneven. “You guys gave us Led Zeppelin, and we gave you the Grateful fucking Dead!” But there is some American music he holds dear. Surprisingly, the God Of Thunder is also a soul boy at heart.

The first music I remember hearing

It was black music. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, James Brown, Ray Charles – all the greats. When I moved to America with my mother, I was eight and I couldn’t speak a word of English. So I didn’t understand the words in songs like Good Golly Miss Molly: ‘She sure likes to ball’ – you know, she likes to fuck! I didn’t know that the term ‘rock’n’roll’ meant sex. I was just moved by this music, even though I didn’t know how to dance.

he first song I performed in front of an audience

When I was thirteen I had a school buddy, Seth Dogramajian, who played guitar and we’d sing harmony like the Everly Brothers. We called ourselves the Missing Links. Our first performance was at Joseph Pulitzer Junior High School in Jackson Heights, Queens, and I think the first song was a Beatles song, There’s A Place.

The songwriter

It’s either Lennon or McCartney. Because for every Eleanor Rigby, every Yesterday, you had Across The Universe, which is haunting like no other song I’ve ever heard. Even a song that Lennon wasn’t fond of, And Your Bird Can Sing, nobody has ever sounded like that before or after. So many great songs. It’s incredible. And let’s not forget George Harrison. He was supposed to be less talented because he didn’t write All You Need Is Love and all those other hits. But then he came up with While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Something and Here Comes The Sun. So it’s like: “Oh, that guy’s a genius too!”

The singer

Roy Orbison had the best voice for rock’n’roll songs. But if you listen to Baby Workout by Jackie Wilson, that voice is just undeniable. And if we’re talking about charisma – not just a singer but a performer – then it’s James Brown. I remember a TV show from the sixties that had the Stones and The Beach Boys and James Brown. The Stones were closing the show, and while James Brown was on stage there was a close-up of Mick Jagger watching him and biting his nails. James Brown was just killing it like nobody I’ve ever seen. It was astonishing how he moved, the way he was contorting his body

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“I get why they did it. KISS is meticulous about their image,” Marty Friedman said.

Marty Friedman, the former lead guitarist of Megadeth, recently shared a surprising story about how he missed out on a chance to join KISS because he was “too short”.

In an interview with Sam Ash Music, Friedman, best known for his decade-long tenure with Megadeth from 1990 to 2000, was asked if there was any KISS song he would have liked to play guitar on.

His response revealed a fascinating piece of rock history: “I would’ve wanted to be on any KISS song. I’ll give you a quick story about that – when they were changing guitar players a long time ago, I got a call from KISS’ people.”

The conversation quickly took an unexpected turn when KISS’s management started asking Friedman a series of questions, seemingly unrelated to his guitar skills.

“They say like, ‘Do you think you’d be interested in auditioning for KISS?’ I’m like, ‘Tell me when and where.’ They came back and were like, ‘We’ve got a couple of questions for you. You don’t have any facial hair, do you?’ No. ‘You got long hair right?’ Right. ‘You’re skinny right?’ Right. ‘And you’re over 6 feet tall?’ and I’m like, ‘What? I’m 5’7 but I’ll have an operation, I’ll do something.’”

Unfortunately for Friedman, his height proved to be a deal-breaker. “They were like, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not going to work out.’ I was so bummed.”

Despite the disappointment, Friedman acknowledged the importance of image for a group like KISS. “I get why they did it. KISS is meticulous about their image, and having a height difference wouldn’t fit the band’s aesthetic.”

This attention to their image was crucial for KISS, one of rock’s most theatrical and elaborate bands. Formed in 1973 in New York City, KISS quickly became known for their blood-spurting, fire-spitting, face-painted performances. The group have delivered numerous hits to the Billboard Hot 100, including classics like “Rock and Roll All Nite” (1975).

This year, the band made headlines again when Pophouse, a Swedish company known for its work with ABBA’s Voyage show, acquired KISS’s publishing, recording royalties, and trademarks. This includes the band’s iconic logo and makeup design.

“We have a lot of plans for KISS,” Pophouse CEO Per Sundin told Billboard in April. Although Sundin says the company bought out the rights owned by frontmen Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, they will work with the company to develop the show, which is expected to open in 2027 in a U.S. city that Sundin declined to name.

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PHILIPSBURG — The Philipsburg-Osceola Senior High Marching Band’s halftime show will feature music from the band KISS. The songs included are “Shout it Out Loud,” “Beth,” and “Rock and Roll All Night.”

The marching Mounties will debut this halftime show tonight at the away game in Huntington, and they will perform at all of the football games throughout the season.

The drumline coach, John Surkovic, came up with the idea for the show last year, and the students were able to vote on the theme. KISS won the vote, said Director Amanda Woods, who has been with the band for 12 years.

The show will feature the band’s five seniors during the second song, “Beth,” and a few students will be portraying the KISS band on the field during the show.

There are 46 students in the band in grades 8 through 12.

“This summer we spilt into separate junior and senior high marching bands for the first time in over a decade. The junior high band consisted of grades 7-8, and the senior high marching band consisted of grades 9-12.” Woods said.

The younger members from the summer will be joining the marching band for one of the home games, she said.

The drum majors this year are senior Finn Parish and junior Lucas Emigh, and the band front director is Holly Henry, who is assisted by Payton Daly.

The band had a busy spring and summer as well.

They marched in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day parade where they debuted their new uniforms, and received a parade committee awards for the Best Band from outside Allegheny County.

“The senior high marching band marched at Curwensville Days in June, both marching bands participated in the Osceola Mills 4th of July parade, Philipsburg Heritage Days, Clearfield County Fair, Houtzdale Days, Sandy Ridge Mountaintop Festival, and Kennywood Park’s Fall Foliage Festival,” Woods said.

The band is also getting ready to attend the Clarion Tournament of Leaves Parade in the fall.

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