Michael Brandvold
Daily Archives: January 6, 2014
‘I spent £25,000 on my Kiss obsession – after they helped me come to terms with life as a dwarf’
A Kiss fan has spent £25,000 on the band’s merchandise and following his favourite band all over the world – and admits his obsession has cost him a few girlfriends.
But devotee Dan Griffiths, who is a dwarf, said the band “who look like freaks” helped him come to terms with who he is.
Having battled with negative feelings about his height, Dan from Aberystwyth credits the American rock band with giving him confidence during his teens.
Now aged 45, Dan, who has been to 48 of the band’s gigs, and met his heroes on numerous occasions, has a tattoo which covers his entire back with the faces of each band member, and the Kiss logo complete with lightning bolt in the middle.
“I have tried to get their autographs tattooed as well but, even signed with permanent marker, they have never lasted long enough for me to have a tattoo session,” he said.
KISS Hall of Fame show won’t include original members
KISS frontman Paul Stanley has wrecked fans’ dreams of watching the original members of the group performing together when they are inducted in to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April, insisting a reunion “seems unlikely”.
The colorful rockers will join Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens and Nirvana, among others, in the museum’s class of 2014 and Stanley insists they will perform at the ceremony – but it won’t be an original line-up reunion.
The singer made his feelings clear after a fan asked him about the possibility of including Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in his and bassist Gene Simmons Hall of Fame plans.
Stanley initially wrote, “No way”, and then added, “Seems unlikely”.
And that paves the way for another Hall of Fame feud – because guitarist Frehley is keen to perform and replace current KISS star Tommy Thayer onstage.
Frehley has said, “You can’t have me and Tommy both in makeup… I don’t have a problem with Tommy and (current drummer) Eric (Singer) being there out of make-up if I’m in make-up, because they’re a big part of KISS today. (But) they had nothing to do with the beginning of KISS, or the designs or the costumes or the make-up… This is about the celebration of KISS and how it all began and started, and it should be honoring the four original members.”