NJKISSexpo.com

Jim Cara, the creator of the line of Gene Simmons personal stage Axe Guitars will be giving a guitar building presentation at the New Jersey KISS Expo coming up next Saturday, September 28. Jim will do an in-depth step-by-step demonstration taking you through the process of how the Gene’s axe bass guitars are designed, constructed and produced. He will have many, many examples of Gene’s axe guitars on display at his huge booth for everyone to see. Jim Cara is one of the top designers in his field and he is adding much to this already amazing KISS Expo!

Info on the Gene Simmons Axe guitars is at GSAxe.com
Info for the New Jersey KISS Expo is at NJKISSExpo.com

Michael Brandvold

Shawn Akers | Charisma News

The media often has chastised Tim Tebow for boldly expressing his Christianity in public. Recently, Tebow surprisingly got a vote of support from a brash individual of another sort—KISS frontman Gene Simmons.

Simmons, who along with bandmate Paul Stanley is co-owner of the LA KISS—a new Arena Football League team—told Radio.com that Tebow has only been picked on because of his Christian beliefs and that it would be a different story if he were of another religion.

“He’s got religious passion, as well he should. We’re in America,” Simmons told Radio.com. “He’s proud to be a Christian. What’s wrong with that? And yet, with sports media and pop culture media, they make fun of his religion. Really? In America?

“If he was wearing a burqa [an outer garment worn by women in some Islamic countries to cover their bodies when in public], they wouldn’t dare saying anything. The guy’s got family values. I never saw the media picking on Michael Vick for torturing dogs. Or this other football player [Aaron Hernandez], who’s alleged to have killed, committed murder. That’s ‘cool.’ But a guy who’s religious and has got family values isn’t cool? He’s cool to me.”

The LA KISS will begin playing in the Arena Football League in 2014. Simmons and Stanley recently made a public offer to Tebow to come and play quarterback for them next year. The New England Patriots released Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy-winner and two-time national championship quarterback at the University of Florida, prior to the start of the NFL season.

Simmons says he hasn’t heard from Tebow following the offer but that he knows Tebow has been in Los Angeles and may be mulling over the possibility.

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Nicki Gostin | Fox News

Legendary KISS founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have collaborated on the memoir ‘Nothin’ To Lose,’ an oral history of their rock band’s genesis. “It’s an overview of the band,” explained Stanley. “How it came about from its inception, almost from the time the sperm fertilized the egg really.” Indeed. FOX411 spoke to both Stanley and Simmons about the book, their football plans, and what went wrong with original KISS members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley.

FOX411: Ace Frehley and Peter Criss both have memoirs out that paint pretty harsh portraits of both of you. Was that upsetting?

Simmons: Ace took me to lunch before his book came out and he read me a chapter about how he almost drowned in a pool and I saved him by diving in and pulling him out. He asked if it was accurate. I said, ’95 percent of it was accurate, except it wasn’t you; it was Peter Criss who was drowning. You’ve been a f**king drug addict all of your life. Both Peter and Ace were at one point pure, innocent, believed all for one, one for all, and then they succumbed to the clichés of rock. So neither Ace nor Peter were fully conscious when any of those things happened. It’s up to you if you want to believe them. We wish them the best, but those books, to my estimation, they’re closer to fiction.

Stanley: The fact remains from what I’ve seen of those books, they clearly still see themselves as victims, and when you can’t take responsibility for your situation, you blame others. The proof is what they have done outside of the band and it amounts to a big zero. I would say nothing if they had not said something first. I certainly wish them well and you can’t help but believe that they’re incredibly envious of the success we’ve had without them, which was part of the problem in the first place. If somebody thinks they’re irreplaceable they’re either completely deluded, stupid, or intoxicated. In their case they abused their position in the band under the assumption that they were then only people who could do what they do, and here we are 40 years later playing arenas and venturing into areas most other bands would find impossible, like having an AFL football team, the first new football team in L.A. in decades, LAKISS, which will play in Anaheim.

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NJKISSexpo.com

UD Replicas, the leader in high-end movie replicas, has moved into the world of Rock and Roll with their new line of high-end KISS motorcycle jackets and clothing. The unveiling will take place at the 2013 New Jersey KISS Expo at the Raritan Center in Edison NJ next Saturday, September 28.

Samples will be available for viewing and inspection. You will also be able to pre-order the items directly at the KISS Expo. We are unbelievably lucky to have UD Replicas as part of our solid day of non-stop KISS mayhem this year. They promise to have an incredible display booth not to be missed!

Tickets to the KISS Expo are only $10 – buy them online today HERE!

KrazyKnights1
 

Cassius Morris | COTN

Binky Philips | Huffington Post

Binky Philips will be one of the many special guests at the New Jersey KISS Expo on September 28th.

School year, 1969/1970…

There were three guys at the High School of Music & Art in New York City who owned a Gibson guitar, the true no-argument Rolls Royce of guitar companies.

There was me. I had a 1962 SG – style Les Paul.

There was Murray Dabby, the best player of this trio, who owned a 1965 SG Standard, almost the same guitar as mine, just a few years newer.

The third guy had a 1960 Les Paul Special, the model just below mine.

This Gibson connection was a bond.

I grew up to be… what? I don’t even know. A guitarist? A writer? A music biz sleaze ball? All of the above?

Murray grew up to be a full-fledged shrink, doing the good work, in Atlanta.

The third guy was Stan Eisen. He grew up to be Paul Stanley, Starchild, Global Icon.

All three of us still play guitar.

While Murray and I were tight, very much a bro, oddly, it was Stan who I stayed in touch with after graduation. He left the year before me. I’m 374 days younger.

One day, Stan called to tell me he’d just legally changed his name to Paul and it would mean a lot to him if I started calling him by that name.

I said, “Sure, Stan.”

“Ummm, well, you just called me Stan, Binky.”

“Oh, wow, sorry, PAUL.”

For the record, my headline is pure nonsense. I met Gene a year after graduation.

A few years later, July 13, 1973, Paul, Gene, and I were sharing the stage at the now-gone Hotel Diplomat on West 43rd St, just off Times Square. I was the lead guitarist of The Planets. We opened for KISS that night.

Paul and I have never really lost touch. Watching a goofy pal go from struggling guitar dope to Rock Royalty has been a trip, I can assure you.

Which is where I’m gonna segue into a review of the latest, and possibly tastiest, of all the various KISS ‘n’ tell books out there on the decades-thriving spectacle that is KISS, Nothin’ To Lose – The Making of KISS – 1972 – 1975 by Ken Sharp with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, out now on !T Books.

Comprised of over three years’ worth of interviews with well over 200 individuals who, in one way or another, interacted with KISS as a band or as individuals. Managers, knucklehead band guys from New York City, famous rock stars, record label peeps, roadies, promoters, writers, studio rats, anyone who had anything of worth to contribute, Detective Ken Sharp tracked down, and grilled. Yes, I’m one of them.

Ooops, yes… Sorry. FULL DISCLOSURE: I’m all over this freakin’ outstanding book.

Way back when, Paul and Gene had (to my surprise and gratification) a great deal of respect for my opinion. That’s why they invited me down to just their third rehearsal with Ace… to see what I thought of the ‘new’ guy’s playing. It kinda felt like he was still on ‘probation,’ frankly.

So… Yes, I saw them perform “Strutter,” “Deuce” and “Firehouse” in their dingy hole of a room on the 4th floor of a truly decrepit building… 10 East 23rd Street… soon torn down, actually.

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Richard Ouzounian | The Star

Back when Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons were forming the glam rock entity known as KISS, they had to improvise for their theatrical look. For instance, their studded collars came from a pet store.

Alyssa Toomey | E online

It seems that everyone has an opinion on Miley Cyrus‘ controversial performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

But when it comes to her tongue-wagging show, no one is a more qualified to judge than rock star Gene Simmons.

“I don’t understand why people got so upset,” the KISS artist told Rolling Stone of Cyrus’ eyebrow-raising performance, which saw the 20-year-old singer twerking with teddy bears, stripping down to a flesh-covered bra and panties, making raunchy gestures with a large foam finger and grinding up against 36-year-old Robin Thicke—actions for which the FCCreceived a number of heated complaints.

“Whether you stick out your tongue or shake your tushy, all the other girls are doing the same thing,” Simmons continued. “Any girl whose name ends with an A—Madonna, Shakira, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, all these girls who sing pop songs through backing tracks like it’s karaoke and gyrate all over the stage—if they can do it, why can’t Miley? Either condemn the whole lot of them or leave her alone.”

Solid point, which, in fact, is quite similar to Miley’s previous assessment of her performance.

“I don’t pay attention to the negative because I’ve seen this play out so many times,” she said to MTV News of the VMA backlash. “How many times have we seen this play out in pop music? Madonna’s done it. Britney’s done it. Every VMA performance, that’s what you’re looking for; you’re wanting to make history.”

But while Cyrus may have successfully gotten everyone talking, Simmons is somewhat critical of the pop star’s tongue-flashing skills.

“It was okay,” he said when asked to rate Miley’s tongue-wagging show. “But that’s a girl’s version. It’s like girls’ basketball. It’s as good as girls can get at basketball. But you can’t play with the guys.”

Any comeback, Miles?

NJ KISS Expo

“KISSNATION, the veteran NYC Kiss Tribute Show, is proud to be a part of this year’s NY/NJ Kiss Expo. Stripping away their make-up, costumes and electric guitars, the band goes unplugged for an intimate performance for the expo attendees. With several sets throughout the day, Kissnation will be performing Kiss rarities along with taking fan requests. Visit them online at KISSNATION.com.”

Tickets and info for the NJ KISS Expo 2013 are available at NJKISSExpo.com.

Tim McPhate | KissFAQ

In a KissFAQ exclusive, award-winning producer/engineer Jeff Glixman gives his first-ever in-depth interview about his involvement on Paul Stanley’s 1978 solo album. Below are excerpts from his interview with KissFAQ’s Tim McPhate:

KissFAQ: Jeff, let’s rewind to summer 1978. What are your recollections of coming onboard for Paul Stanley’s solo album

Jeff Glixman: Well, they’re pretty clear. We had some huge success with Kansas with our album in fall 1977, “Point Of Know Return.” The band had done a big tour and a lot of things had gone on and they wanted to take a break for a little bit. So we all decided, “Let’s take a little break and go to Hawaii and take a few months off.” I returned from Hawaii and my attorney called me and said, “Paul Stanley is in the midst of an album. I know you’ve got another album coming up, but there’s a little window of opportunity, would you like to work on it?” I was thinking, “Vacation or work with Paul Stanley? I’m going with Paul.”

KF: You came onboard for the album’s sessions in Los Angeles. Do you recall being at the Village Recorder?

JG: I remember working at the Village. We worked at the Record Plant too.

KF: Legend has it that Paul visited a studio in the valley and decided it wasn’t up to par. Does that ring a bell

JG: He might have taken a look at Sound City, I don’t know. I had produced out of Sound City, which was funky to look at but an awesome-sounding studio. As you know, Dave Grohl just completed a documentary film about Sound City and the history of that place. It was a funky place but a really good studio. I just remember the studios being tossed around but I didn’t handle the bookings.

KF: When you were brought onboard, was it with the understanding you were going to produce the entire album?

JG: (pauses) Originally, I didn’t have the time to produce the entire project. I had a time constraint because I had another record coming up that I had to get to that had a hard start date. As I said, I had planned to take some vacation time. It was my understanding that we’d certainly work on all the tracks — that there were certain things that either needed to be recut or worked on or that we’d recut parts of, or whatever. And I never intended to get to the mix unless we went really fast.

KF: As you alluded to, the first four tracks on the album were recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York, prior to your involvement: “Tonight You Belong To Me,” “Move On,” “Ain’t Quite Right,” and “Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me?” Paul has stated that the recordings in New York were designed to be demos and that they originally were going to be recut. Do you remember giving these tracks another go in Los Angeles?

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Tim McPhate | KissFAQ

Guitarist fondly remembers great music and great vibes during the “Paul Stanley” album sessions, the positive musical chemistry between himself and Stanley, and offers insight on his guitar tracks and his opinion on the album 35 years later.

Below are excerpts from Kulick’s interview with KissFAQ’s Tim McPhate

KissFAQ: Bob, when the calendar turned to 1978, in terms of your work with KISS, you had come off playing some guitar tracks on the studio recordings on “Alive II.” When did you first learn about the KISS solo album project?

Bob Kulick: Well actually, I got a call from Paul and I got a call from Gene as well. Both asked me to play guitar on their solo albums. Paul was trying to do a more organic band-like approach, whereas Gene was trying to get a whole bunch of guests and piece it all together. You know, I would have liked to have played on both records. But the reality was if I played on Gene’s record, as Gene pointed out to me, then there’s two records with the same lead player on it, which I could understand his point. And also the fact that Paul was like, “Well, wait a minute. I’m using him so you can’t use him.” So I basically just said, “No problem. I totally understand.” But [Paul’s album] was a different project than the KISS “Alive II” thing in that Paul certainly gave me more latitude and longitude in terms of what I was able to play by virtue of me not trying to have to be somebody else.

KF: Right. And I know that Gene was interested in you playing on his album but ultimately it didn’t come to be since you were on Paul’s album. Was this initially decided from the get-go then?

BK: No, I wouldn’t say it was from the get-go because we started Paul’s record and then Gene went to England. And then it still went on from there. Gene actually sent me a letter, “I’m really sorry that it didn’t work out. I feel bad.” It was like, “No worries.” I ended up writing a couple of things with Gene that saw the light of day. So you know, it kind of turned into like, “I write with Gene but I play with Paul.” Although that changed when I got up and played with Gene at that beer fest they had here in downtown L.A. during Octoberfest [last year].

KF: Bob, when you first got together with Paul regarding his solo album, did he play you some of the music he was working on? I’m curious what your first reaction was to hearing the material.

BK: Well, by the time we got ready to do this, we basically went into the recording studio. And he would show us the song. “Here’s what I wrote. Here’s ‘Move On.’ “OK.” “Here’s how it goes.” And we’d play along, learn the song and come up with a vibe for the songs. The New York portion of the program was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, I believe with Dave Wittman as engineer. Paul conducted the sessions. You know, we really didn’t have a producer. He asked me to suggest a bass player, which I did. Steve Buslowe, who was also the guy I suggested for the Meat Loaf gig. He is an amazingly creative bass player!!! And Paul wanted to use Richie Fontana, who I knew from Billy Squier’s thing, Piper.

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Nate Davis | USA Today

Tim Tebow and KISS, a match made in … well, feel free to fill in the blank on that one.

But the members of the legendary rock group, now owners of the Arena Football League’s expansion franchise in Anaheim, Calif. — LA KISS — officially extended a contract offer to the unemployed quarterback Monday.

The deal would be for three years and could be worth unspecified “millions.” Tebow is the first player LA KISS has targeted.

“Acquiring Tebow would not only be a great investment for the team, but his exciting style of play would definitely send shockwaves through the League,” said KISS bassist Gene Simmons, a.k.a. The Demon, in a press release.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to see him with an LA KISS uniform on, and for the LA KISS fans to be rockin’ their Tebow shirts and jerseys.”

KISS is obviously best known for its heavy licks, outrageous costumes and iconic black and white face paint.

Tebow is best known for his winning persona, team-first attitude, wobbly passes and, most notably, devout lifestyle. When he was accessorizing his mug at the University of Florida, he opted for eye black which referenced his favorite scriptures.

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