Monthly Archives: May 2014
Peter Criss Signs On for John Bonham Tribute Concert
Original Kiss drummer Peter Criss is set to make a special appearance at a tribute concert for the late Led Zeppelin time keeper, John Bonham. Bonzo Bash is being billed as an all-star tribute to Bonham, and will take place on May 31 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey.
Also taking part in the tribute will be members of Overkill, Living Colour, Twisted Sister, and Kings X, as well as Corky Laing of Mountain. Billed as ‘The Ultimate Celebration For The Ultimate Drummer,’ ‘Bonzo Bash’ is being put together by Brian Thomas Tichy, who has played with Whitesnake, Foreigner, Billy Idol and Ozzy Osbourne to name a few.
Criss recently joined Rob Zombie on stage to perform the Kiss classic ‘God of Thunder’ at a May 10 concert in New Jersey. We recently published an in-depth look at the ups and downs of the Catman’s solo career following his initial 1980 departure from Kiss.
KISS Inducted Into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Few bands short of the Beatles inspired more kids to play the guitar and drums than KISS. The entire notion of rock stardom owes an enormous debt to the group’s signature makeup, explosive stage shows and anthems including “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “Detroit Rock City.” “They are four of the most recognizable faces on the planet and one of the most iconic and badass bands of all time — tonight is the night that KISS enters the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” proclaimed Tom Morello, inducting KISS to some of the loudest crowd cheers of the induction ceremony. Morello cited three important considerations for induction: “Impact, influence and awesomeness.” In their decades of rock and roll bombast, KISS checked all those boxes, and the sparks continued when the original members of the band took the stage to accept their Hall of Fame awards.
Gene Simmons:
We are humbled that the fans gave us the chance to do what we love doing. And so I’m here just to say a few kind words about the four knuckleheads who, 40 years ago, got together and decided to put together the band that you see on stage — critics be damned.
To Ace Frehley: his iconic guitar playing has been imitated, but never duplicated, by generations of guitar players around the world. To Peter Criss, whose drumming and singing … Well, there’s not a guy out there who beats the sticks who sounds just like Peter. Nobody’s got that swing and that style.
Something happened 40 years ago: I met the partner and the brother I never knew I had: Paul Stanley. You couldn’t ask for someone more awesome to be on the same team. I am humbled.
I was going to say a few kind words about Eric Carr, Rest in Peace. Mark St. John, Rest in Peace. Vinnie Vincent, the great Bruce Kulick, and of course, here we are 40 years later with the great Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, and we continue on.
However, we wouldn’t be here today without the initial Fantastic Four. God bless you all.
Peter Criss:
I’d like to thank the Hall of Fame for this honor: I never thought this could happen in my life. Thank you. I’d like to thank everybody that had to do something with my career and the band’s career. For 50 years, I’ve been doing it; 40 years, we’ve been doing it.
Podcast Rock City, episode 24 – KISS TV memories and American Idol
Joe Polo | Podcast Rock City
In this episode MATT PORTER (the KISS ROOM) and I discuss fond and not so fond memories of seeing KISS on TV. Plus we debate the American Idol Show.
Ace Frehley’s real live ‘Spinal Tap’ story
Ken Kelley | The Loon
Ace Frehley has never been particularly shy about voicing his opinions on matters concerning his former band, Kiss. Now, he’s offered his thoughts on why Kiss chose not to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony while also setting his sights on current Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer.
“I think the reason they didn’t want to get together with the original members was because they’re afraid of history repeating itself,” Frehley says in the July 2014 issue of Guitar World. “When we did ‘Unplugged’ in 1995, you saw what happened: because the fans were so excited about me and Peter playing with those guys, they had to scrap their last record [with then-current members Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer] and do a reunion tour. Although at this point I don’t think Peter could do a two-hour show and a full tour. But I still got the chops. I definitely blow [current Kiss guitarist] Tommy Thayer off the stage.”
This isn’t the first time that the guitarist has criticized his former band but with the Hall of Fame fiasco behind him, Frehley is looking towards the future. The 63 year-old guitarist is engaged to be married and regularly works with Gibson guitars on a myriad of signature instruments. But perhaps most significantly, Frehley is now seven-and-a-half years sober, a monumental achievement for the once hard-living guitarist.
Podcast Rock City – Who is the KISS MVP of 1974-1979?
Joe Polo
This week we discuss who we think was most important to the success of KISS.
Join Joe and Ken Mills (The Podkisst) as we discuss this subject.
KISS Join ‘American Idol’ Finalist for ‘Love Gun’ Finale Performance
Kory Grow | Rolling Stone
Kiss surprised the American Idol audience by accompanying contestant Caleb Johnson for a medley of the recent Rolling Stone cover stars and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees‘ “Love Gun” and “Shout It Out Loud” for the season’s finale. The band appeared in a mire of smoke-machine fog, as Johnson stood with his back to the audience, mic stand in the air. As the group’s pyrotechnics went off and frontman Paul Stanley took the first verse, two of the show’s judges, Harry Connick, Jr. and Keith Urban, looked mildly amused; Urban sang along while Connick rocked his body while texting someone. Regardless, the audience put their hands in the air and it came off mostly like a Kiss concert. At the end of the performance, which found Stanley bashing his guitar into the American Idol stage, Johnson’s brother Houston came onstage in Paul Stanley makeup.
Whether it had to do with the performance or not, Johnson emerged as the winner of the singing competition’s 13th season, besting Jena Irene, who sang a few songs with Paramore. The show also included appearances by Demi Lovato, Aloe Blacc, Darius Rucker, Jason Mraz and John Legend. The judges, including Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson, also performed a medley including Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own way.”
Three Sides of the Coin, episode 76 – Paul Stanley answers…did Vinnie Vincent save KISS!
Michael Brandvold
Paul Stanley plans to deliver 3rd solo album
Stef Lach | Classic Rock
Kiss icon Paul Stanley says he wants to record a third solo album – his first since 2006’s Live To Win.
And he says the project would be much more like his first – 1978’s Paul Stanley.
He tells Nashville Scene: “The next one I guarantee will be much more guitar-driven. Live To Win was really me wanting to push the envelope of what people wouldn’t expect from me. But my next one would hearken back way more to the first, I’m sure.”
It comes shortly after Stanley told member of San Francisco’s Jewish Community Centre that some of Kiss’ records were essentially solo albums anyway. He said: “My second solo album was really like a project for me to get away from what I do with Kiss, because some of the Kiss albums have been, basically, almost solo albums.
“Live To Win was me trying to really push the boundaries. But if I was to do another one, and I certainly plan on it, it would be a guitar through a Marshall amplifier.”
Stanley has been meeting fans on a promotional tour for his book Face The Music: A Life Exposed.
One on One with Mitch Lafon – Episode 13
In episode 13 of One On One With Mitch Lafon. Mitch sits down one-time Plasmatics bassist and Crown Of Thorns vocalist/guitarist, Jean Beauvoir. The pair discuss Jean’s formative years as a musician and how it lead to a falling out with his father. Jean also talks about his days in The Plasmatics, Crowns Of Thorns and assess the differences between being a writer, performer, producer and adapting to work with artists from different ilks such as The Ramones, Little Steven, Glenn Hughes, ‘NSynch, John Waite and more. The discussion inevitably turns to the minutiae of working with KISS’ on the band’s Animalize and Asylum albums plus collaborations with Paul Stanley that remain unreleased to this day. Jean and Mitch also talk about Beauvoir’s upcoming Beauvoir/Free project with Micki Free set for release at a later date.
Indianapolis 2014 KISS Expo photo gallery
Peter Arquette | KISSasylum.com
KISS Indy Expo 2014 – a Mountainous Rockumentary
Ace Frehley reunites with Ken Kelly for Space Invader Cover Art
(New York, NY) – Founding KISS guitarist and 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Ace Frehley has tapped long time friend and artist Ken Kelly to create the album cover for his upcoming LP SPACE INVADER, due out July 8th. The reveal comes exclusively through Rolling Stone today. Kelly, who created the iconic cover art for two of KISS’s best selling LPS, Destroyer (1976) and Love Gun (1977), says, “It was very exciting when I was approached with the idea of doing an album cover for Ace.”
Ken Kelly is also widely known for his paintings in the sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy sub genres, most notably for the Conan the Barbarian novels. He continues, “I had spoken to Ace on a few occasions about the possibility, so I was delighted when it actually happened.”
Ace Frehley himself comments, ”I’ve been talking with Ken Kelly since 2007 about painting a CD Cover for me and it has finally happened! I couldn’t be more excited about the new Space Invader cover and the music behind it is also going to rock your world!”
With nearly 35 years between projects, KISS fans will surely be excited about this long-time duo working together again. Kelly concludes, “I am very pleased with the results and proud to play a part of Ace’s continuing successful career!”
ACE FREHLEY will release SPACE INVADER, his first new solo album in five years, via Entertainment One Music (eOne Music) on July 8th, 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.
KISS Taxi ad sighting
Our man Dave in Las Vegas sent us this interesting taxi advertisement that has been put on many of the city cabs recently. As a kid, who would have ever thought you would ever get to see something like this…
Three Sides of the Coin, episode 75 – We remember our best KISS album buying experiences
Michael Brandvold
Podcast Rock City podcast – interview with Lace Frehley of PRISS
Whats up KISS ARMY!! This week I did a show with the AMAZING Lace Frehley lead guitarist of the KISS TRIBUTE BAND PRISS! I loved doing this interview and she was a load of fun.If you get the chance check out the episode of Family Jewels her band was in…
Talk with Paul Stanley on LIVE video event, May 13
On Tuesday, May 13 at 12pm (PST) Paul Stanley will be hosting a special LIVE video event on Spreecast, where you, the KISS army, can ask him questions about his book, Face the Music! Purchase your copy today and get ready for what’s sure to be an exciting conversation. Visit here and click the “remind me” button to RSVP: http://bit.ly/1i3gVXW
Peter Criss with Rob Zombie in Camden NJ, 5/10/14
Jim Powers
KISS loft rehersal 1973
Gary Flannel
Vinnie Vincent Special, part 5
Chris Czynszak | Decibel Geek
The Decibel Geek Podcast has released the fifth installment of it’s Vinnie Vincent Special with Episode 135 – Vinnie Vincent Special Part 5 w/Andre Labelle.
In this in-depth discussion, hosts Aaron Camaro and Chris Czynszak are joined by former Vinnie Vincent and current drummer of The Sky Andre LaBelle. Andre was tapped by Vincent for the recording of the still-unreleased Guitars from Hell album that was in production from 1989 – 1992. LaBelle shares his memories of auditioning for the enigmatic former KISS guitarist, the amazing amount of equipment available, and the meticulous recording techniques that seemed to define Vincent as the extremist of which he has been described.
The album went through numerous titles during production. In this long-form discussion, LaBelle recalls a period where Vincent was bouncing between projects; his own and his contribution at the time to KISS’ upcoming 1992 release and how one of his titles plays into KISStory.