Tim McPhate | KissFAQ
KissFAQ has launched Back In The Solo Album Groove: The KISS Albums. 35 Years Later…, an ambitious multi-week retrospective dedicated to arguably the biggest milestone in KISStory: the 1978 KISS solo albums. Today, the site has published an interview with Carol Ross-Durborow, who was head of the Press Office, the publicity subsidiary of Aucoin Management.
The following are excerpts from Ross-Durborow’s interview with KissFAQ’s Tim McPhate:
On the solo albums being a milestone in KISStory:
KF: That’s right in the time frame we’re primarily discussing, so it’s a perfect segue into the solo albums. When I think of the classic era of KISS, the solo albums stand out as perhaps the band’s biggest milestone, if not the biggest KISS project from a publicity standpoint. Would you agree?
CRD: Yes, I agree with you. Let me tell you something, deciding to do the solo albums was a long process. There were a lot of meetings with Casablanca. But Neil Bogart — in spite of what other people in the industry thought — he was so committed to this band. Neil was going to spend the money. He was told, “This is crazy. You shouldn’t be doing this. This is taking a big risk. It’s a lot of money involved.” But he was just so into it. And beside the fact, he enjoyed working with Bill Aucoin and thought that Bill was one of the great managers in the business, which we all agreed. But it was a real labor of love. And it was a long process. It was a turning point for wonderful, incredible projects. We thought, “Wow, this is going to be wonderful because this has not happened before.” I wanted to really make it very special. And so with what Casablanca was doing, and what we had planned to do for the media, it was great. I had suggested from the individual albums that we do special posters and have a gallery showing, which we did for the press. And then of course each member of the band signed their specific poster and we gave them away as collectibles. We made it very, very special. And it was only a limited edition. So that added to what Casablanca Records was doing promotion-wise. It was interesting because people were taking bets on which album and poster was going to get the most play. It became, “Is it going to be Gene? Is it going to be Paul?”
KF: And which posters are these specifically? Are these posters of the album covers?
CRD: Yes, but what we did is we took them and did lithographs of the posters and that’s what made them special and a limited edition as a collectible item. We sent them to special press people that had been very supportive of us, and to radio and to VIPs in the business. So it wasn’t going to be blanketed. Those lithographs were going to be a really special item, so anyone who got one, it wasn’t like a mass-produced thing.
On who had input regarding the albums’ promotional campaign:
KF: In addition to yourself, who else had input into generating ideas and executing the solo album publicity campaign?
CRD: Well, it was myself, obviously Bill Aucoin, Alan Miller, who worked for him, and Neil Bogart and his staff. It was a labor of love with everyone involved. I would be the one to go to the conference meetings and then I would come back with my notes and I would sit with my staff and determine who was going to work on this and what this person would focus on. And that’s how we would do it. Because of the enormity of the project, it needed several hands to do certain things.
KF: And did the band have any input regarding the campaign?
CRD: Oh absolutely. The band had input from the very beginning. That was the great thing about it. They were there at every meeting. Nothing was done without their 100 percent consent. Gene is a marketing genius. Their input was so valuable and we gave them the respect. And not every artist would get that kind of acceptance in decisions made by the record company.
On getting equal press opportunities for all four KISS members:
KF: I want to get to Cadillac in a minute. Carol, I believe you have said that the press would ask primarily to interview Gene and Paul. Was it a challenge to get Ace and Peter equal time?
CRD: It was to some degree because Gene’s personality was so out there. And he was so accessible and easy to talk to, and intelligent. Ultimately, a lot of the journalists kind of gravitated to him. Paul was terrific but he was a little shy. He didn’t throw himself out there. It seemed in the beginning that Gene was the one that they were kind of focusing on. So I had to work a little harder for Paul and then it came around for Paul. And it was the same thing for Peter and Ace. They really didn’t have the finesse to do interviews and be as outgoing or gregarious as Paul and Gene. We’d have to work a little harder and create a little harder. The best thing about [the solo album for] Ace was finally he got validated for his musicianship, because it was hard. When I could get a guitar magazine to do a piece on his music, rather than on just this flashy, flamboyant member of KISS, it became a little bit more credible. People then started wanting to talk to him a little bit more. So we utilized what we felt were there inlaying talents to bring them out more. We had to think like that because at first I didn’t think there was going to be a problem, but when I would talk to press or press called me, they would ask for Gene or Paul most of the time. But when we started talking about musicianship, then they started looking at Ace a little bit closer. And the same with Peter: we drummed up his drumming! (laughs) Then it became a little bit easier.
On dealing with “Rolling Stone” magazine:
KF: KISS and “Rolling Stone” have always seemed to have a tenuous relationship. Given your unique perspective, can you shed some light on the rub between KISS and that particular publication?
CRD: “Rolling Stone” saw itself as a valid, credible “music” publication and ultimately did not want to bring a show band [like KISS] into the fold. So it was just a bit of snobbery.
KF: Well, when I look at the magazine and see some of the acts who have made the cover, especially in recent years, I think it’s surprising that KISS never made the cover, especially in the ’70s.
CRD: I know. And believe me, it wasn’t for not trying. Then you get to a point where there was an arrogance about them. And you say, “I’m not begging for this. This band doesn’t need to beg.” Then you understand where they’re coming from and you say, “OK,” and that’s it. With every other national, regional, local, and international publications around the world, I wasn’t going to worry about “Rolling Stone.”
Full Carol Ross-Durborow interview:
http://kissfaq.com/78/interview_carol_ross-durborow.php
In related news, KissFAQ published “Double Platinum, Front And Center” a special feature detailing KISS’ first proper greatest hits set, “Double Platinum,” which was also released in 1978.
“Double Platinum, Front And Center” feature:
http://kissfaq.com/78/doubleplatinum.php
About Back In The Solo Album Groove:
As KISS celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2013, KissFAQ.com has launched Back In The Solo Album Groove: The KISS Albums. 35 Years Later…, an ambitious multi-week retrospective dedicated to arguably the biggest milestone in KISStory: the 1978 KISS solo albums. More than 30 brand-new interviews were conducted with various individuals who either worked directly on the solo albums or have a strong connection of sorts. The interviews will offer readers fresh first-hand perspectives straight from studio musicians, producers, engineers, and collaborators, and the creative professionals working in the KISS camp at the time. Topical features will shed more light on KISS’ activity in 1978 while dissecting the albums and offering in-depth analysis and biographical information on the albums’ participants. Also featured will be a 1978 KISS calendar, a roundup of other notable album releases in the rock genre in 1978, a spotlight on “Double Platinum,” and much more. Back In The Solo Album Groove will put the four 1978 KISS solo albums center stage like never before.