Rolling Stone

Fin Costello

Paul Stanley is the last member of the original Kiss lineup to pen a memoir, but his upcoming book Face The Music: A Life Exposed is still an essential read for all fans of the pioneering hard rock band. For the first time ever, the Starchild reveals that he was born with one ear, causing horrendous emotional pain. He also gets into great detail about the wild early days of Kiss, his battles with all three original members of the band and how he carried the group all through the 1980s while longtime partner Gene Simmons was largely engaged with other projects. In this exclusive excerpt — which comes alongside the band’s first-ever appearance on Rolling Stone‘s cover — Stanley gives his side of the tumultuous Kiss “Farewell Tour” in 2000. 

Peter posted a sign every day counting down the number of days left on the Farewell Tour. He started painting a teardrop below his eye. I thought it made him look like Emmett Kelly’s famous Weary Willie character, the tragic clown who toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. And as for the rest of his makeup, it was as if he had forgotten how to do it. He started to look like a panda bear, with big rectangles around his eyes.

The tour was horrible. Constant drudgery and misery. We spent all of our energy trying to coax Peter and Ace out of their hotel rooms. Ace sucker-punched Tommy at one of the shows. Peter had his usual handbook detailing how hotel staff had to treat him and which windows had to be covered with tinfoil and all that. There was no reasoning with either of them. We never knew if we’d make it to a show on time, and once we got onstage we never knew whether we’d get through the show. I mean, if a guy has trouble putting on his makeup, how is he going to play? Not surprisingly, the shows could be pretty awful.

I was angry at Peter and Ace for being disrespectful toward everything we had accomplished and everything the fans were giving us. I bought into the idea that this really was it. The end of Kiss. There was no place to go. it was unbearable.

We were stuck in a rut musically as well – basically playing the same 17 songs we’d taught them for the initial reunion. This was the third tour with the same set list. Peter and Ace just couldn’t master any more. The needle was already into the red. I had to come up with nonsensical interview responses to questions about why we were playing the same songs. I couldn’t just say, “because Peter and Ace can’t learn any others.”

One night during a show Doc McGhee tried to get my attention from the side of the stage, gesturing up at me and holding his nose.

Huh?

“You stink!” he yelled. I walked over to him during a break between songs. “What did you say?”

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Mathew Wilkening | Ultimate Classic Rock

Kiss founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley examine their personal relationship, compare sexual conquests and agree on their band’s biggest mistake in a brand new interview.

Simmons gets the ball rolling by using semi-anatomical metaphors to explain what role he and his bandmate of over 40 years play in the ongoing success of Kiss. If you were somehow expecting subtlety from the author of lyrics such as “For goodness sakes / My snake’s alive and it’s ready to bite,” you’re in for a surprise.

‘Paul is the soul of Kiss and I’m… the cock.’ Simmons tells Classic Rock magazine. ‘Paul is much more emotional, and I’m drier. Paul will go see romantic movies, I’ll throw up at them.” Drummer Eric Singer adds outside perspective to the dynamic: ‘Gene loves the sound of his own voice, we all know that. But nothing happens in Kiss unless Paul Stanley says it does.”

When asked the most burning question anyone can be presented with — who’s slept with more women, him or Gene — Stanley replies, “I think I had more that would qualify as women. With him you were also throwing in cattle. But we both did very well. Gene likes to stand up and say: ‘Look at me, and look at what I’ve done.’ And that’s okay. But who had more? I don’t know. He certainly had ones that I didn’t want.”

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Mitch Lafon

Former KISS manager Bill Aucoin’s longtime partner, Roman Fernandez, goes one on one with Mitch Lafon (rock journalist). The pair discuss Bill Aucoin’s legacy and managing of KISS as well as the material in the “KISS Vault’. Moreover, the two talked about Lyn Christopher, music sampling, bands Roman currently manages including the Spider Rockets and the Super Fuzz, what it takes to make it in the business today including the importance of college radio and much more.

For more visit:

Roman: http://www.facebook.com/roman.fernandez.58

Bill Aucoin’s page: http://www.facebook.com/bill.aucoin1

Lyn Christopher: http://www.lynchristopher.com

Spider Rockets: http://www.spiderrockets.com

Super Fuzz: http://www.thesuperfuzz.com

This interview was recorded the evening of March 29th 2014 using SKYPE.

Mitch Lafon

Steve Blevins

70s Kiss Podcast | Lydia Criss, talks about how she met Peter Criss, early Kiss, The Rock and Roll hall of fame and her new book.

Mitch Lafon

Slaughter’s Mark Slaughter checked in with Mitch Lafon (rock journalist) to discuss his first ever solo single, Never Givin’ Up (available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Amazon and more). The single comes in aid of the Red Circle Foundation – www.redcirclefoundation.org

Mark also went on to describe his guitar work on the ‘A World With Heroes’ (KISS tribute album – available on iTunes) as well as his upcoming recording plans, his 2014 touring plans with Slaughter, remembering guitarist TIM KELLY and, of course, the conversation bled into the Vinnie Vincent Invasion & working with Vinnie. Mark also answers the million dollar question – ‘Did Vinnie save KISS?’

COTN

Entertainment One

(New York, NY) – 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee  ACE FREHLEY will release SPACE INVADER, his first new solo album in five years, via Entertainment One Music (eOne Music) on June 24th, 2014. The album will include at least nine brand new original songs as well as a cover of Steve Miller’s “The Joker.”  This album is the first release under Frehley’s new universal deal on eOne Music.Frehley has released an official statement surrounding the exciting news: “Life on Earth has been very good to me, and the body of work I’ve created over the years has withstood the test of time.  Today I see no obstacles before me and my creativity has never been more fine tuned. Growing up in an Alien world has enhanced my senses and allowed me to succeed where others would have failed. The best is yet to come!”  Widely known as the original “Space Ace” and founding guitarist for 16 cumulative years (over 2 tenures) of the multi platinum selling rock band KISS, Frehley is demonstrably the most popular original member.  In addition to having the best selling solo album career (vintage or current) among the original foursome, Frehley’s self titled Ace Frehley, released in 1978, went on to sell over one million copies, producing the only Top 40 single, “New York Groove,” from any of the legendary KISS solo albums; (peaking at #13).   The massive hit was most recently featured in an episode of cult show “Entourage” and was also KISS’ second bestselling download in 2012, besting such KISS Army anthems as “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” “Beth” and “Calling Dr. Love” even after 36 years. Continue reading →

Krazy Knights

Dan Epstein | Rolling Stone

There are two sides to every story. Unless, of course, you’re talking about Kiss, in which there are now four. With the April 8th publication of Paul Stanley’s Face the Music: A Life Exposed, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees will have seen each of its original members publish a tell-all memoir. Paul’s book follows in the platformed footsteps of Gene Simmons’ Kiss and Make-Up (2001), Ace Frehley’s No Regrets: A Rock ‘N’ Roll Memoir(2011) and Peter Criss’s Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss (2012). But in certain instances, the bandmembers appear to have some diverging memories of key moments in the group’s history. We hit the books to try and figure what happened.

Kiss Forever: read our full Kiss cover story now

DESIGNING THE KISS LOGO

Ace
“Being excited about my new band, I roughed out a sketch of the original Kiss logo in no time at all. It wasn’t a whole lot different than the logo as it appears today. My original concept featured the twin S’s in jagged detail, like lightning bolts, and a small dot in the shape of a diamond over the letter ‘i.’ I then transferred the logo to a button using a felt-tip pen and presented it to the group . . . Everyone loved it. Paul was a trained artist, so when things got really serious he polished my design, making everything nice and neat.” 

Paul
“[Ace] was a pretty decent artist. I took his sketch and used it as the basis for a series of Kiss logos I designed, ultimately arriving at the one that has adorned all things Kiss for the past forty years. I vividly remember sitting on my parents’ sofa while they were out of town and drawing up the final version on thick white stock using a straightedge and a drafting pen . . . Ace’s concept was closer to the Nazi SS. I certainly suspected that was his inspiration, and the fact that a few years later he bought Nazi memorabilia on our first tour confirmed this in my mind.”

Gene
“I remember very clearly when our picture went up on the outside of the club [the band was playing], Ace took a marker and wrote our new name right on the picture. The way he drew it was pretty crude, but it resembled our logo, with the two S’s like lightning bolts at the end of the word.”

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Mike Brandvold

Mitch Lafon

Mitch Weissman once played the role of ‘Paul McCartney’ in the original Broadway production of Beatlemania, but it’s his association with Gene Simmons and KISS that fans keep asking him about. Mitch Weissman goes one-on-one in this interview with rock journalist, Mitch Lafon. During the conversation, we find out about Mitch’s involvement in Gene Simmons’ 1978 solo album, writing and submitting songs for the KISS album Creatures Of The Night, Lick It Up, Animalize and Crazy Nights (as well as the heavily KISS connected Wendy O’ Williams album, WOW.) Weissman even lifts the veil of mystery surrounding ghost musicians on those KISS albums and comes clean as to what he did and did not play on. Also, hear Mitch tell stories about Cher, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Jimmy Crespo, former Aerosmith managers Steve Leber and David Krebs as well as Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen.

Talking Metal

On this episode of the podcast former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick announces that his 3 solo albums will soon be released on iTunes for the first time.  He also mentions that the iTunes release of the BK3 album will have 2 new bonus tracks.  Other interview topics include Grand Funk Railroad, Michael Bolton, Judas Priest, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer, Mark St. John, Paul Stanley, Vinnie Vincent, Eric Carr, Ace Frehley and his recent marriage.

Hear the Bruce Kulick interview HERE

Joe Polo

Rolling Stone

Fin Costello

You wanted the best? It took a while, but you got the best: Forty years after the release of their debut album, Kiss have finally made the cover of Rolling Stone. Marking the band’s upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the cover image is a classic 1975 photo of the band’s original lineup: Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, plus Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, who were both gone from the band by the early Eighties.

A lifetime of Kiss: look back at the group’s history in photos

The cover story, by Rolling Stone senior writer Brian Hiatt, tells the sad, hilarious and triumphant story of one of the biggest rock bands ever, taking an in-depth look at the founding members’ lives and careers. Hiatt hung out with all four original members in their homes (in San Diego, Beverly Hills and Monmouth County, New Jersey) where they shared fond memories and, inevitably, some intense backbiting. “I keep thinking about Ace and Peter,” Simmons admits. “”What are they doing now? Where are they?’ It’s gotta be close to the end. How do you make any money? How do you pay your bills?”

Even Stanley and Simmons have had their differences. “We’ve always seen each other as brothers,” says Stanley. “What we seem to be at odds at is how you treat your brother. Gene’s priority, by far, has always been himself. And he’s not one to let anyone else’s feelings or contributions get in the way.”

They also explain precisely why they won’t be reuniting for a performance at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Stanley and Simmons offered to allow the former members to jam with Kiss’ current lineup, featuring guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, but Ace and Peter found that proposition deeply insulting. “I won’t be disrespected,” Criss says. “How can you put me in the Hall of Fame and then tell me to go sit over there in the corner while another guy puts on my makeup and plays? That’s an injustice. To the fans, too.”

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Eddie Trunk | That Metal Show

Mitch Lafon

In June 1980, at age 11, rock journalist (or kid at the time) MITCH LAFON sat down with KISS’ GENE SIMMONS to discuss the following topics ‘Why does KISS wear make-up?’ and what were ‘Gene’s thoughts on bootleggers’. However, the interview starts off with Marianne Stenbaek (Mitch’s mom) speaking with Gene about KISS’ ‘new’ album UNMASKED, their new style in music and concert presentation, and was KISS more about the show than the music. Gene, for his part, brings up The KISS World travelling amusement park, The KISS Unmasked World Tour, The ‘possibility’ of a Peter Criss solo album and answers the question on everybody’s mind back in those days – why did Peter Criss leave?

The interview took place at AUCOIN management in New York City (June 1980) and Gene was NOT wearing make-up. Interestingly, Peter had left the band, but Eric Carr had not been publicly named as his replacement yet. Also, the July 25th 1980 ‘Palladium’ show in NYC was more than a month away. In this video, I have included a picture of the signed PROMO vinyl album that Gene handed my mom (and signed to her) as well as my ticket to the July 25th 1980 PALLADIUM show.

Steve Blevins | 70s KISS Podcast

Dana | EddieTrunk.com

As previously reported, Original KISS drummer, Peter Criss will be special guest on this Saturday’s (March 22nd) episode of That Metal Show.

In the preview clip posted below, as transcribed byblabbermouth.net, Criss explains how he found out about KISS’ Rock Hall induction and he expressed how heartbroken he is that we won’t be performing at the event.

“I got a call from [KISS leaders] Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley], which I hadn’t got a call from them in many, many, many, many, many moons, including when I had my cancer,” Criss said. “And so, all of a sudden, I get a call and I’m being congratulated. ‘We’re gonna have fun.’ And I’m thinking… And I know, as I wrote in my book, there’s a lot of bad blood, and I just don’t trust [those guys] anymore. And I took it with a grain of salt and said, ‘Maybe.’ But then again, I had to go back and read the book myself and go, ‘What, are you crazy? Nothing’s changing. It doesn’t matter what goes on. Something’s gonna happen.’ And I said to [my wife], ‘It sounds too good to be true.’”

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Mitch Lafon