PRweb

Central Virginia’s BOOMER magazine is teaming up with music legends KISS for their August 2012 Summer issue. The upcoming issue will feature exclusive content from the Bristow, VA, and Virginia Beach shows the band has with Motley Crue, and will promote the US Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” program – helping US Veterans find employment as they return home from service.

KISS may be known for their huge stage shows, legendary impact on music and the hits “Rock And Roll All Nite,” “Detroit Rock City” and “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” – but they are also lending their talents and support for US Veterans as they enter the workforce after their service has ended.

It was through KISS and their management thatBOOMER was educated about initiatives from the US Chamber of Commerce and the growing need for US Veterans to find employment.

KISS bassist Gene Simmons appeared on NBC’s Today Show in May of 2012 to promote the band’s very own Hire a Hero initiative for their Summer 2012 World Tour. The band held a contest and chose a US Veteran to work as a roadie on this Summer’s ‘The Tour’ with Motley Crue. The winner, and long-time KISS fan Paul Jordan, was selected LIVE on air with Matt Lauer, Ann Curry and Natalie Morales.

“We should all step up and give our heroes, our vets, a job,” says Simmons. “It’s the least we can do.”

It is estimated that over 70,000 US Veterans will be unemployed in the Virginia and Tidewater areas by the end of 2012, according to statistics from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. To raise awareness and promote local area Veteran employment, Central Virginia’s BOOMER magazine will be featuring local companies in upcoming issues who participate in Hiring Our Heroes and other employment programs.

In addition to features and awareness programs, BOOMER will also hold their very own contest to hire a US Veteran to meet and interview KISS before their tour kickoff in Bristow, VA in July 2012. The interview will be featured in an upcoming issue of BOOMER magazine and will be filmed for BOOMER Magazine’s YouTube Channel and Facebook.

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Janet Lundquist | The Herald News

JOLIET SUPERFAN ORGANIZES KISS FAN EXPO. There probably won’t be any fire-breathing or spitting of blood at the Holiday Inn on Larkin Avenue next month — then again, there could be.

The Kiss Chicago Superfan Expo will be held at the hotel, 411 S. Larkin Ave., from noon to 8 p.m. June 9, with everything a Kiss fan could want to see and hear, except for the actual band members.

The expo is organized by Joliet native Jim Frangella, a member of the band’s fan club, the Kiss Army.

“I’ve seen Kiss on almost every tour that they’ve been on through the Chicagoland area. I have met all of the (band) members, with and without makeup,” he said. “There’s no other band in the world like this because they have all the pyrotechnics, the makeup and the stage show and it’s just the most exciting band I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Frangella aims to bring that excitement to the expos he coordinates, including vendors selling Kiss memorabilia, tribute bands, raffles and contests.

The Joliet expo this year is set to include appearances by the Gene Simmons Axe Bass tour bus and its driver, Paul Heyland; Ace Frehley’s stunt double from 1978 television movie “Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park”; Joliet Kiss tribute band, “Psycho Circus”; Kissonline.com webmaster Keith Leroux; and 105.5 “The Kat” radio personality, “Freak.”

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Jasmyne Caldwell | The Guardian Express

Jared McMillen

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – KISS® By Monster Mini Golf®, a unique rock ‘n roll-themed amusement attraction based around the legendary band KISS® gets “Tanked.” The hit show on Animal Planet will feature Wayde King and Brett Raymer, the owners of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) as they set out to construct and unveil a tank to mimic a mini-rock concert, complete with amplifiers, a light show and the iconic KISS logo. With the rock legends and KISS by Monster Mini Golf owners in attendance, watch the unveiling of the rockin’ KISS-themed tank on Animal Planet, Saturday, June 9 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

“We worked closely with the Tanked crew to design a tank where fish could ROCK! We do not have a fish tank…we have a KISS-tank!” stated Christina Vitagliano, Founder of KISS® By Monster Mini Golf®.

KISS® By Monster Mini Golf® is the first-of-its-kind indoor, glow-in-the-dark, custom-designed, rockin’ 18-hole miniature golf course with a state-of-the-art arcade, a Huge KISS gift shop, A KISS Gallery, the “Hotter Than Hell” Wedding Chapel, a private VIP Room, FANtastic KISS®-themed event rooms and the “Rock ‘n Roll All Nite” Snack Bar.

Spread the Word:
Click to Tweet: @KISSOnline by @MonsterMiniGolf Gets “Tanked” on June 9 at 9 pm (ET/PT) on @AnimalPlanet #Vegas http://clicktotweet.com/46Gvk

Click to Tweet: Tune into @AnimalPlanet on June 9 at 9 pm (ET/PT) to watch as @KISSOnline by @MonsterMiniGolf Gets “Tanked” #Vegas Style! http://clicktotweet.com/C1f69

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Dave Lifton | Ultimate Classic Rock

kissonline.com

The event was thrown by Nudist Clubhouse, who were holding their annual Expo (we don’t need to elaborate on what was being exposed, even though that picture says enough) in Sin City last weekend. And as the old saying goes, what happens in Vegas, winds up on Kiss’ website. For a morning, the players gripped their shafts and swung hard as they tried to get their balls in the holes in as few strokes as possible. But we’re not going to speculate on what could have happened on the hole that features Gene Simmons‘ tongue.

According to the band’s website, Nudist Clubhouse had so much fun that they’re already planning next year’s event. Maybe they can bring along noted golfer Alice Cooper. Still, we’re not so sure if this wasn’t an attempt by Gene to start a new photo collection after having been forced to burn his famous portfolios recently.

Langley Times

Boaz Joseph

Tyson Post, 6, gets his picture taken with Nick and Sophie Tweed-Simmons at a meet-and-greet at Fraser Downs Raceway in Surrey on Sunday.

The Tweed-Simmons, son and daughter of KISS member Gene Simmons and model Shannon Tweed, are stars of the reality-TV show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.

Sophie was instrumental in the opening of Sophie’s Place, a centre for child victims of abuse (ages 0-12), located at the Centre for Child Development in North Surrey.

Abby Ham | WBIR

Up in Tellico Village lives an attorney, but not just any attorney. This one has an interesting resume that rivals many hot shot Hollywood lawyers.

Many know the music and style of the band KISS. Most importantly you know their faces. Raymond E. Scott is more familiar with those faces than most. After all, he did trademark them.

“No one had ever registered the face of an entertainer before. As a matter of fact, the trademark office said you can’t do that,” said Scott.

However, the trademark office went through with it after Scott’s argument. He is an attorney, afterall.

“I actually had somebody sit in for Peter Criss, the drummer, and wear the same make-up and nobody knew,” explained Scott.

It wasn’t just the famous KISS make-up. Scott helped Gene Simmons and his bandmates make millions of dollars starting with their first album.

KISS’ manager called on Raymond to set up a recording of a live show.

“As an attorney who is more than willing to b.s. if necessary. Of course I know how to set up a recording. Well, I had no clue,” said Scott. “I had a friend in the business and he said, ‘Oh, you ought to talk to Bob Segar’s manager because he records in Detroit.’

And so KISS Live was born.

“The album went gold in three weeks. It went platinum in five. And that began KISS,” said Scott.

After this he became their attorney and took the band even further with trademarks of all kinds. T-shirts, more albums, the list goes on.

“They started out they were making less than $50,000. I said I can do better and that’s why I was hired. And my first year, I think we did $15 million,” explained Scott.

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CNN OutFront

Alan Stout

Alan K. Stout, a rock music journalist from Pennsylvania, has created an online archive of all of the stories that he’s done on KISS over the years. Stout, who has always been one of KISS’ biggest supporters within the press, has covered music for 20 years and has written more than 40 KISS-related articles. They can be viewed at http://www.alankstout.com/KISS/