Gary Greenough

The KISS Tribute Harley, known as the KTH, was built during the ALIVE35 Tour, 2009. Although a stock platform rarely wins any prizes at bike shows, it is the most photographed bike at every show; KISS fans come out to see it.

When KISS took on the Wounded Warriors Project as a charity, the KTH became a magnet for donations to that event. At every bike show, a donation can, with an explanation for the donation, is put out with the bike. To date, nearly $3,000 has been collected and sent to WWP. People would be allowed to sit on the bike for a photo and a donation.

At the Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show of 2010, a member of HEROES, A KISS Experience, (now Las Vegas KISS), Luis Reyes, a Demon impersonator, stood behind the bike for four hours posing in full DEMON attire with people who sat on the bike. Over $1,000 was collected in those four hours. ALL proceeds of these events are sent to WWP.

Time, fuel, or hotel, are on the tab of the owner. As long as there are conflicts, as long as there are wounded warriors coming home, the KTH will be out there bringing in pennies, nickels, dimes and dollars, to be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Kreatures of the South

Chris Epting | Noisecreep

Shannon Tweed has jumped into the video game realm with Attack of the Groupies, a new mobile game which offers fans the opportunity to battle it out with hordes of groupies.

In the game, which is available for the iPad, iPhone and PC, Shannon enlists the help of a few trusty sidekicks, daughter Sophie Tweed-Simmons and her sister Tracy Tweed, who are in game as focal characters. Featuring stereotypical groupies inspired by Tweed’s stories of her years being with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, the game allows players to unlock exclusive, rarely seen content of the life of the starlet.

As design of the game neared completion, Gogii CEO and founder George Donovan visited the family and made a surprise appearance on Gene Simmons Family Jewels, the popular A&E reality show that features the Simmons clan, to demo the game. The episode featuring the game will air early in the upcoming season.

Noisecreep had the extreme pleasure of talking with Shannon herself about the game, the show’s new season and more.

Shannon, what’s it like to finally get some revenge against the groupies?

Believe me, you can’t make this shit up. These girls are out of their minds. So this feels really good right now. The characters were my ideas, and Sophie’s, and they are true to form. As far as choice of weapons, we kept it PG this time so kids can play with it, but I’d like to do a more hardcore version of the whole thing down the line. Basically it’s a power game – these are bitches from hell we deal with, just like in real life.
Continue reading →

From now until May 21, 2012 you can bid on the Bill Aucoin lot on eBay. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society so be generous! The main item being auctioned is the jacket, but there is much more so check out the link below for more details and photos:

Bill Aucoin eBay auction for the American Cancer Society.

Tim McPhate | KISSfaq

When I think of the “must-have” books for the KISS library, the ones that come to mind are “KISS Alive Forever,” “KISS: Behind The Mask” … “KISStory.” Chris Lendt’s ability to recount four-course meals from the ’70s and what “rankled” the late Bill Aucoin make “KISS And Sell” a winner. Can’t go wrong with the excellent research and extensive detail found in Julian Gill’s KISS Album Focus books. Nestled at the top of the bookshelf is also Lydia Criss’ excellent “Sealed With A KISS.”

What makes “Sealed With A KISS” arguably a cut above the rest is the personal feel of the book. It’s like looking at an insider’s personal scrapbook from the ’70s. And the photos. Criss’ book contains more than 1,500 images, offering fans a unique time capsule of a most magical period in KISS’ history as well as some great never-before-seen images from the unmasked era. Coupled with the text, it’s as if you’re right alongside Criss on not only her personal journey, but KISS’ rocket ride to superstardom.

Originally released in 2006, not surprisingly “Sealed With A KISS” ultimately sold out of its first printing. While Criss released an ebook version last year, fans’ best opportunity to land a physical copy is by scouring eBay, where copies run anywhere from $100 to $300. But that’s about to change with the second printing of “Sealed With A KISS,” which is set to be available in June. KissFAQ caught up with Lydia Criss to put her book back on the table and discuss the second printing, as well as a potpourri of KISS topics.

KissFAQ: Lydia, thanks for taking time to speak with us. We’ve been in touch for the past few months and you mentioned to me that you were working on a second printing of “Sealed With A KISS.” Can you give KISS fans an update on what’s going on in your world?

Lydia Criss: Well, first I was working on my ebook since my first printing sold out. I didn’t really think it would take long to get the second printing done. Especially since most of the work was done already. But the ebook came out during last summer. The second printing of the book is being printed in Italy now, the same place [as the first printing].

Continue reading →

Roman Fernandez

For the Very First Time: Bill Aucoin Auction to benefit Relay for Life / The American Cancer Society

On Friday, May 11 at 12:30 pm, Acreage / Loxahatchee Relay for Life team, “Alive n Kickin,” will be holding their annual auction to benefit The American Cancer Society. This year, they are auctioning off the first ever item from original KISS manager, Bill Aucoin’s, personal collection: a yellow “Dolce and Gabbana” leather jacket. Along with the jacket comes one of Bill’s personal KISS Alive 35 All Access Badges, a Certificate of Authenticity, (Bill’s signature is a digital copy), and an 8×10 of Bill and Gene that Bill used to sign at KISS conventions. This certificate will be personalized by Collection Administrator and longtime partner, Roman Fernandez. Also included is a personal bonus gift from the Aucoin family to be disclosed at time of auction.

Auction to be held via eBay beginning May 11 and closing on May 21. Full details to be released on Friday, May 11. For any preliminary questions, please email: AlivenKickin2012@gmail.com

Adopt the Arts

KISS appears in this awesome ad for Adopt the Arts. Apparently Eric has abandoned his drums and is now the third guitarist for the band, or maybe he left his laser-shooting drumsticks at home….

Irene Test | KVideo

Although he has since transformed into a reality television personality, Gene Simmons still has time for KISS. The band that made the tongue-wagging bass player famous is gearing up for their next release, an album titled Monster slated for July 2012. A follow-up to 2009’s Sonic Boom, Monster is produced by frontman Paul Stanley and is considered, by the group, one of their best releases so far. Simmons said: “[It’s] either the best or one of the top three records we’ve ever done. It’s like ‘Revenge’ meets ‘Destroyer’ – just guitar and drums, nothing else. No keyboards, no little boys’ choir, no strings, no nothing. Band-written; literally we’d get in and strum guitars like the old days.”

Their 20ths studio album is more than a back-to-basics approach. Instead, it’s an effort created by the high KISS found during sessions for Sonic Boom. In discussing their quick follow-up to the 2009 album, Stanley said: “I wasn’t interested in making an album unless I was in charge and no one agreed to it half-heartedly. The band’s all there, all the time, and we cut the tracks all facing each other in the same room. Chemistry and camaraderie, that’s essential. That’s what made ‘Sonic Boom’ so great, and this album is thunderously better.”

Continue reading →

Gary Graff | Billboard

KISS’ Gene Simmons is prepping the whip for his role mentoring the next batch of Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp attendees.

“I intend to be a hard taskmaster,” Simmons, who joins the camp Oct. 10-14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, tells Billboard.com. “The guy you hate the most when you go off into war is your drill sergeant, and he’s the guy you love the most when you get on the battlefield and all that hard work he put you through saves your life, or at least made you a better soldier. So I’m gonna be the drill sergeant and take these guys through it. They may not be able to perform in an arena, play in the band of their dreams or become big rock stars, but they’ll certainly be able to step up on their local stages everywhere and be 10 times the performer they were before.”

Simmons also notes that he’s “going to be insulting some people, because in the real world when you get up on stage, sometimes the audience will insult you. All they’re doing is telling you how they really feel — ‘Aw, you suck!’ ”

Simmons will be joined at the fall camp by Black Label Society leader Zakk Wylde, former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach and Vince Neil of Motley Crue, which will be touring with Kiss during the summer, wrapping up Sept. 23. Simmons says most of his lessons will be pragmatic — “Less about celebrity and more like, ‘OK, here it is,’ ” he notes — teaching the campers to “know about your instrument and know how to play,” develop some sense and appreciation for the business side of music and know that “you’ll be judged by not only how you sound but also how you look, how you dress, how you talk, what you say. I really want to treat this seriously.” Details about the fall camp are available at www.rockcamp.com .

Continue reading →

njkissexpo.com

What is the KISS Mart?
– A celebration of KISS merchandise and collecting.
– A place to buy, sell, trade and immerse yourself in all that is KISS memorabilia.
– FREE promotional and discount merchandise available!
– FREE event open to the public!

Not every fan is a collector, but all of the true KISS fans are! KISS collecting is a phenomena that is one of the many things that separates the Hottest Band in the Land from the other plain, average run-of-the-mill musicians.

Be a buyer, be a seller….or bring a bag-full of stuff to trade with other collectors or sell to dealers. The KISS Mart will have tables and tables of every KISS item imaginable. If you want to be part of the selling, tables are still available! Or if you just have a few things to sell or trade, this is the place, so bring your stuff!

FREE merchandise – The first 10 people in line when the doors open will receive a FREE 24″ x 36″ Gene Simmons KISS Meets the Phantom Poster! Plus, EVERY person that is in line when the doors open at 11am will receive a FREE KISS Comic Book and an unopened pack of KISS trading cards!

Best of all, this is a FREE event! Come down with your friends and family and spend an hour or spend all day shopping, trading and socializing with other KISS collectors – what would be a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon? Also, you’ll get to get a glimpse of the new permanent location of the New Jersey KISS Expo, the NJ Convention and Exposition Center. This facility is AMAZING and has everything needed to present all our upcoming KISS events of any size!

KISS Mart – KISS Memorabilia Show
– Saturday May 12, 2012
–  NJ Convention and Exposition Center.
– 11am to 6pm
– Free Admission and Free Parking
– Venue has a family-friendly cafe so lunch and snacks are available all day.
– ATMs available on site.
– Dealer Tables still available for rent. Visit the website for details.

Directions to the NJ Convention and Exposition Center

Mitch Lafon | BraveWords.com

Special Series By Mitch Lafon

May 19th, 2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of the brilliant KISS Revenge album. BraveWords.com will mark the passing of this landmark record with a five part series of interviews conducted in the last couple of weeks with the major players on the disc as well as a few musicians that you may not know took part in the album’s recording sessions. Our second such surprise is drummer, Kevin Valentine (DONNIE IRIS & THE CRUISERS). Like Tommy Thayer before him, Revenge was Kevin’s second appearance on a KISS album (having come in to cut the drums for the track ‘Take It Off’). His drum work can first be found on the track ‘You Love Me To Hate You’ from the band’s 1989 Hot In The Shade album. After Revenge, Kevin continued as a ghost musician for KISS playing on the entire Psycho Circus album save for one track (Into The Void) and before the recording of that album, he served as Peter Criss’ drum coach on 3-D Psycho Circus tour that came on the heels of the highly successful 1996 Reunion tour. Kevin has kept quiet over the years about his involvement with KISS, but in this exclusive interview with BraveWords.com, he finally breaks his silence.

BraveWords.com: How did you get involved with KISS? It’s been suggested that you first played with KISS on their Hot In The Shade album.

Kevin Valentine: “Correct. I did play on some stuff, but let me back up. Eric Singer and I are friends from high school in Euclid (a suburb of Cleveland). So, the Hot In The Shade record – he’d been playing live with Paul and doing demos with Paul, but he had to go back on the road with ALICE COOPER. He said to Paul, ‘Kevin’s a good guy, why don’t you give him a shot.’ So, I went in a played on a lot of Paul’s stuff. That was with Pat Regan at Fortress (studios). It was an electric kit except for the cymbals. Supposedly, my drums were replaced even though Pat said that most of my drums ‘weren’t quite replaced’. I don’t really know.”

BraveWords.com: But if you listened to the album, would you be able to recognize your parts?

Valentine: “Well, yeah I recognize my parts because it’s what I played when Paul and I put them down, but it’s hard to tell if they were actually replaced or not. There’s an issue of ‘feel’, but if someone is playing the same exact parts – it’s tough to tell.”

BraveWords.com: The accepted truth is that you played on the song ‘You Love Me To Hate You’. Does that sound reasonable?

Valentine: “Yeah. There’s always the craziness with the band, but sure it’s reasonable. I view the drum track and rhythm track as the foundation of the house and sometimes it’s hard to just rip out that foundation and put another one underneath there – no matter who is playing the foundation. It just doesn’t work and sometimes the demo has a certain feel over the master. So, you keep the demo because of that.”

Continue reading →

Andrew Barker | Variety

Last week, Kiss co-founder and frontman Paul Stanley was busy preparing for an upcoming co-headlining tour with Motley Crue, just after putting the final touches on the group’s studio record, “Monster,” which is due out this fall and will be inevitably followed by yet another tour.

By now, this is all old hat for the 60-year-old arena rock veteran. Yet as staunchly stratified as Kiss’ flashpot-and-greasepaint-aesthetic has become, the group seems set to enter its 40th anniversary year in 2013 amidst a music industry that has in many ways reformed into the band’s own image.

Though no longer attempting to stay abreast of every change in the musical weather, — as it did with disco and glam metal in its middle period — Kiss has managed to keep its name in the pop music conversation admirably well, slotting in on “American Idol” and launching a previous co-headlining tour with Aerosmith. Yet what’s perhaps most remarkable is the degree to which Kiss’ longtime operating procedure — aggressive multimedia licensing and an overall reliance on touring over record sales — has positioned the group for the industry upheavals of the last decade.

Continue reading →

Tom Netherland | Tri Cities

One concert by one band with a one-word name changed the life of Megadeth’s Dave Ellefson.

“For me, it was KISS,” said Ellefson. “My mom took me to see them in Minnesota on their ‘Rock and Roll Over’ tour.”

Six years later, Ellefson and Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth.

Twenty-nine years hence, Megadeth continues its route to heavy metal immortal status on May 8 at the Tennessee Theatre in worth-the-drive-away Knoxville, Tenn. On tour in support of the band’s Grammy-nominated album “TH1RT3EN,” Ellefson retains a firm grip on why he took up the bass to play music.

“When I saw KISS I said, ‘I want to do that,’” Ellefson said last week by phone from his home in Phoenix, Ariz. “I watched them and thought, ‘how does that work?’”

Continue reading →

Jeff Labrecque | Inside TV

After the show’s most successful season ever — wedding drama can do that — Gene Simmons Family Jewelsreturns for its seventh season on Monday, May 28 with a special one-hour premiere. The long-running A&E reality show, about the KISS frontman’s family, is not settling into marital bliss — after all, he and newlywed Shannon Tweed have two kids from their 28 years together as a couple. The thing is, she wants another child.

Shannon wants to adopt; Gene and the two children, Nick and Sophie, do not. Care to wager who gets their way? If this clip from the premiere is any indication, Gene better start practicing diaper duty. He and Shannon play Good Cop, Bad Cop with Nick, who’s still living at home after recently graduating from college. One of them is armed with compliments and a “nice, big, fat, healthy” check; the other opts for the more blunt suggestion that it’s time for Nick to “scoot on out there.” Any doubt who the Bad Cop is? Watch below to find out:

Hennemusic

This fall, original KISS drummer Peter Criss will release his autobiography, “Makeup To Breakup.”

Due October 23, publisher Scribner says, “from sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll to multiple brushes with death, ‘Makeup to Breakup’ will be Peter Criss’ unvarnished and eye-opening life story.”

“I am so blessed that I am finally going to write my autobiography, and I hope you enjoy the ride,” Criss said in the release. “The best of all is I get to share my true feelings of my love for God, family, friends and fame. It’s been a wonderful life.”

In addition to playing drums in KISS, Criss provided some of the vocals. In fact, he wrote and sang the band’s biggest hit, the ballad “Beth.”