Category Archives: KISS News

Paul Stanley in Ernie Ball’s String Theory

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Mixdown

As the latest guitar star to feature in Ernie Ball’s ongoing web series, String Theory, Paul Stanley goes into detail about his lifelong love for the guitar, its importance in rock’n’roll, as well as his time spent in a certain face-painted 1970’s rock band. Watch the video below.

Listen to Ace Frehley’s new song ‘Hard for Me’

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Mathew Wilkening

Ace Frehley is keeping his hot streak burning with a newly expanded deluxe edition of his 2009 album Anomaly, which arrives on vinyl, CD and digital formats Sept. 8. You can listen to our exclusive premiere of the bonus track “Hard for Me” above.

“I think this new edition of the album is great – a special treat for the fans,” says Frehley. “And, with the bonus tracks, they’ll get a little more insight into how the album came together.” For example, “Hard for Me” is a previously unreleased demo that evolved into Anomaly‘s lead-off track, “Foxy & Free.”

Anomaly Deluxe also features a slower version of “Pain in the Neck,” and the previously digital-only track “Return of the Space Bear.” It will also include enhanced album art, a new live poster and extensive liner notes featuring track-by-track commentary from Frehley.

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Gene Simmons Contributes to Ace Frehley’s Next Album

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Matthew Wilkenring | Loudwire

Peter Cade

Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has revealed that he recently co-wrote two songs with former bandmate Ace Frehley for the latter’s next studio album.

“Literally two days ago I was with Ace,” Simmons told 92 KQRS (via Blabbermouth). “He asked me to write for his next solo record. So I went over to his place, way out in the desert some place, and we wrote two things.”

There is no confirmed release date or title for Frehley’s apparently in-progress seventh studio album, which would be the follow up to 2014’s well-received Space Invader.

This will mark the first time Simmons and Frehley worked together on a record since 1998’s Psycho Circus, which was intended to be a studio reunion of the original Kiss lineup but wound up being a much more fractured effort.

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Why Gene Simmons’ attempt at patenting his hand gesture wouldn’t have worked

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Daniel Bukszpan | Music & Musicians

Earlier this month, legendary KISS bassist and singer Gene Simmons submitted a trademark application that sought to register a familiar sight at rock concerts. The business-savvy rocker wanted to corner the market on the “devil horns” hand gesture, a fixture among heavy metal audiences for decades.

Simmons’ attempt was met by criticism from throughout the music world, and widespread derision in the media. The controversy proved short-lived, as Simmons this week abandoned his quest with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Simmons did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Still, the rocker’s attempt raised an interesting question about whether he–or anyone else for that matter–could actually prevail in such a quest to make money from a hand gesture. In the wake of Simmons’ aborted effort, CNBC canvased a few experts to get their take.

“It is very highly unlikely that the United States Patent and Trademark Office, who examines and registers trademarks, would issue one for Mr. Simmons,” said John Conway, a trademark and business law attorney and CEO of the Astonish media group.

“Mr. Simmons would have to somehow demonstrate the uniqueness or special meaning… that consumers would automatically connect that hand signal to Mr. Simmons as an artist,” he added. Conway also pointed out that the gesture is used in sign language, and is similar to the one used by Spider-Man to spin a web—which dates back to at least the 1960’s.

The web-slinging teen from Queens is far from the only one.

“John Lennon used it at least as early as 1969 on the cover of the Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ album,” Conway added. “It has been used by many other artists and fans in the heavy metal genre for decades. The origins of the hand sign go back to medieval Italian hand signs to ward off curses.”

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Gene Simmons changes his mind about hand gesture trademark

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QFM96

Rocker Gene Simmons has abandoned his application to trademark his signature “rock on” hand gesture.

The KISS frontman filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office earlier in June to trademark the use of his “devil horns” hand gesture for “entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical artist; personal appearances by a musical artist.”

In the application, he claimed he was the first to use it in 1974, and he was subsequently mocked by members of the rock world, with many fans pointing out the symbol pre-dates the bass player.

The rocker has now withdrawn his bid, with the status on application’s page now reading, “DEAD/APPLICATION/Withdrawn/Abandoned… The owner of the trademark application withdrew (e.g. abandoned) the application and the application is no longer active.”

The listing shows the case was withdrawn on Tuesday, after the applicant “filed an express abandonment.”

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Peter Criss Final USA Show 6/17/2017 Cutting Room NYC

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John DeNobile

Peter Criscuola (Peter Criss)  Original Founding Member of the rock group KISS said  goodbye to fans, friends and  contemporaries in his final US Concert at the Cutting Room in NYC on June 17, 2017.

AS I watched Peter in the wings awaiting his introduction with his wife  Gigi Criss by his side. I couldn’t help feel his anticipation to deliver a great setlist for his  300 + fans, friends and family.

Peter Walked out to sing 1978  Solo Album tune  “I Can’t Stop the Rain” to  a cheering crowd! He settled into what would  be  a total of 12  Criss/ Kiss Songs, support by  the youthful Australian band Sisters Doll who Peter had  used for his final appearance in Australia in May. Other players  included Alex Salzman & Erik Rudic from the Asbury Park Band “ Cold Seas” and a String and Horn section which fit Criss’s R&B Big Band vocals and rockin’ grooved percussion.

Audience notables  were  Carmine Appice( Vanilla Fudge), Richie Scarlett( Ace Frehley’s Rythmn Guitarist)  Eddie Trunk(Sirius, That Metal Show), Paul Schaffer( Late Night w/David Letterman)as well Peter’s “NJ Beauty Ball Girls” & Dr. Alex Swistel (Peter is  a male breast cancer survivor)  and  has championed early detection for all.

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Wendy Dio slams Gene Simmons for devil horns claim

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Scott Monro | Team Rock

You can’t make this shit up…

Ronnie James Dio’s widow Wendy has slammed Gene Simmons for attempting to trademark the famous devil horns hand sign which is used by rock and metal fans all over the world.

It was revealed earlier this week that the Kiss bassist and vocalist had filed an application at the US Patent and Trademark Office to register a gesture “with the index and small fingers extended upward and the thumb extended perpendicular.”

The late Ronnie James Dio is widely credited with popularising a different version devil horns sign which he learned from his grandmother as a way to ward off evil – and when asked what she thinks of Simmons’ plan, Wendy says it’s “disgusting.”

She tells The Wrap: “To try to make money off of something like this is disgusting. It belongs to everyone – it doesn’t belong to anyone. It’s a public domain, it shouldn’t be trademarked.”

Wendy compares Simmons’ plan to trying to trademark the peace sign and adds: “It’s laughable, I think, quite honestly. I think he’s made a complete fool of himself.”

The cover of Coven’s 1969 album Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls also featured members of the band making a similar hand gesture – and vocalist Esther “Jinx” Dawson has also called out the Kiss star.

She says: “I did the sign of the horns when Coven started in late 1967. I never trademarked my sign because it was meant for all to do, although it is legally ‘grandfathered in’ to me for use in music by all the history.

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