Category Archives: KISS News

You Can Be Gene Simmons’ Roadie – For Just $12,495 a Day!

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The Kiss star is offering a $12,495 “Personal Assistant and Band Roadie for the Day” experience for his upcoming solo shows. The tour kicks off April 3 in Anaheim and is currently set to conclude on May 24 in Houston. Only one experience is available per show.

For that five-figure fee you’ll spend the entire day with the God of Thunder, meeting him early in the day to go over his pre-show schedule, accompanying him to the load-in, helping the band set up for the show, attending the soundcheck and having a meal with Simmons.

You get to bring a guest along, and you’ll be brought out for an introduction during the show itself. You’ll get autographs, signed set lists and selfies. Most tangibly, you’ll take home a Kiss-rehearsal used bass autographed by Simmons.

You can get full details on the “Roadie for a Day” and the half as expensive “Bass Experience” at GeneSimmonsAxe.com. Don’t worry about finding common conversational ground – the site promises “you will find that Gene Simmons is very down-to-earth, funny and knowledgeable on almost any subject.”

Read More: You Can Be Gene Simmons’ Roadie – For Just $12,495 a Day!

Guitarist Bruce Kulick recalls playing bass on KISS’ track ‘Psycho Circus’

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Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick was recently interviewed by Marko Syrjala for Metal-Rules. Kulick spoke at length about KISS‘ Conventions in 1995, the group’s MTV Unplugged appearance back in 1995 that led to him losing his position in the band, and the Carnival of Souls recording sessions.

Kulick is credited with playing bass on five of the ten songs on KISS‘ “reunion” album Psycho Circus that featured the band’s original line-up of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Kulick also has a co-writing credit on the track “Dreamin’” with Simmons on Psycho Circus.

With respect to playing bass on the title track “Psycho Circus” which was co-written by Stanley and Curt Cuomo (the latter who went on to work with Kulick on his solo projects and Union),  the former KISS guitarist indicated:

“Yes, and that goes back to Curt Cuomo because Paul went to Curt’s place after the Carnival of Souls sessions and said to him, ‘I have this song idea,’ the two of them wrote it. I wasn’t a writer on the song, but they wanted me to play bass on it. So, we demoed it at Curt’s place, and I played the bass. Paul always liked how I played bass, so I put my Gene Simmons hat on, and I knew how to approach it. I didn’t know I’d be on the record—I knew I’d do the demo and a few others with Paul. Then Bruce Fairbairn, who produced that record, was very clear about my bass tracks. ‘I like this bass playing. Who is that?’ ‘Oh, it’s Bruce.’ ‘All right, well, let’s bring him in.’ You see? There are some really interesting stories about Psycho Circus that I’ll share in my book, too. It’s kind of interesting. Just to give you a quick overview: as much as I knew Paul and Gene slightly before I started to work with them, I started as a ghost guitarist with KISS, and then at some point, I became a ghost bass player for them when I wasn’t in the band again, so it’s an interesting connection there.”

You can read the rest of the interview with Bruce Kulick via Metal-Rules‘ website.

 

Bruce Kulick & Eric Singer of KISS Join More Rockers at Vegas Fundraiser Supporting Micki Free and Heather Roberts’ New Foundation

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The Musical Beginning Foundation (501c3)—a newly created organization for which Grammy Award-winning musician Micki Free and fashion designer Heather Roberts serve as the Founders/Directors—aims to provide musical instruments to children in underserved communities, helping them develop skills that foster creativity, social connection, and emotional well-being.

The foundation successfully wrapped its inaugural celebrity fundraising event “The Shirts Against The Blouses”® Mini Golf Tournament, at KISS World Mini Golf inside the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (February 25). It was attended by an array of rock and roll artists, including guitarist Bruce Kulick (KISS) and drummer Eric Singer (KISS), as well as the foundation’s sponsors. At the red-carpet event, The Musical Beginning Foundation Humanitarian Award was given to both KISS founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, accepted on their behalf by Kulick. See the list of attending celebrities and tastemakers as well as the sponsors below.

“The Shirts Against The Blouses”® Mini Golf Tournament pays homage to the iconic basketball game between Prince, Eddie Murphy, Charlie Murphy, and Micki Free, which was immortalized in a famous Chappelle’s Show sketch. For a glimpse into the original game, read this story from Esquire. At KISS World Mini Golf, two teams, The Shirts and The Blouses, competed against each other and the winning team was The Blouses: Count’s 77 band, Stoney Curtis, Jeff Tortora, John Zito, Barry Barnes, and Tommy Paris.

“Heather and I were truly honored and humbled as our celebrity guests, friends and family showed up and showed out at the fundraiser!” says Free. “Heartfelt thanks to all our sponsors…this is just the beginning at The Musical Beginning Foundation, we strive to make a difference musically in kids lives!! Remember always…Music is the Medicine.”

Celebrities and Tastemakers included:

•Bruce Kulick (KISS)
•Eric Singer (KISS)
•Todd Kerns (Slash’s band)
•Brent Fitz (Slash’s band)
•Phil Soussan (Last In Line, Ozzy Osbourne)
•Les Warner (The Cult)
•Alex Grossi (Quiet Riot)
•Phil X (Bon Jovi)
•Patrick Vitagliano (The Bones)
•Jeff Tortora (Blue Man Group, Tinnitus)
•Stoney Curtis (Stony Curtis Band, Count’s 77)
•Count’s 77
•Jeremy Spencer, (Knuckle Heads, Five Finger Death Punch)
•Peter Summit Ross (Crashing Wayward)
•King James (Tribute to The Godfather James Brown)
•Alistair James (Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses)
•Ira Black (BulletBoys, Lizzy Borden)
•Dr. Meg Brucker (whose husband, Dr. Brad Brucker, is on the foundation’s board)
•Lonn Friend (author, “Planet Rock”)
•Sally Steele (director, producer, “Vegas Rocks”)
•Staci Layne Wilson (film director, author, “Rock & Roll Nightmares”)
•John Katsilometes (Las Vegas Review Journal)
•Aaron Kai (actor, painter)
•Ron Mancuso (The Bootlegger Italian Bistro)
•Jason Strange (Rock’n Vodka)

Sponsors: (*denotes in attendance)

*Trish Bowden – Mysterium Music
*Christina and Patrick Vitagliano – KISS World Mini Golf
*Michael Politz – Food & Beverage Magazine
*Michele Tell: PR%F the Magazine
*Brian Seliba – Need Merch
*Bob Diehm – Guitar Center
*Adam Rains – Golden Tiki
*Ava Berman & Carlos “Big Daddy” Adley – Fremont Country Club/Backstage Bar & Billiards
*Loren Roberts, Treasurer, The Musical Beginning Foundation
*Mitch Schneider, Secretary, The Musical Beginning Foundation

The event was catered by Lindy Lu’s Kitchen. One highlight of the culinary feast was the blueberry mini pancakes which were based on the pancakes Prince originally made after the original pick-up basketball game with Prince, Eddie Murphy, Charlie Murphy, and Micki Free.

In many schools, art and music programs are often the first to be cut due to budget constraints. Roberts and Free believe music is not only a creative outlet, but also essential for childhood development and mental health. Participants in the event will be helping bring the power of music into the lives of children who need it most, inspiring young talent, and giving them the tools they need to thrive. “Our foundation believes that, whether using music as a therapeutic outlet or professionally, ‘Music is the Medicine,’ say Roberts and Free.

“I feel I’ve been blessed in my musical career,” says Micki Free, “and it’s time to give back. Most indigenous, urban and impoverished families, like mine when I was growing, didn’t have the means to buy instruments for their children. I was lucky my Uncle Frank came to my aid and bought me my first guitar. The Musical Beginning Foundation will be our Uncle Frank to many kids—that is our goal.”

“As a child I played clarinet in school, which was a meaningful experience for me,” says Roberts.  “Art has been incredibly important to me throughout my whole life.  As a graduate of Parsons School of Design in NYC, and someone who has enjoyed a career in the world of celebrity costume design, I was lucky to have been immersed into fields that allowed me to express my creativity.  Children today don’t have as much access or opportunities when it comes to the arts, and I am hopeful that I can be a part of creating positive change in their lives through The Musical Beginning Foundation.”

For those who wish to make financial contributions or donate musical instruments to The Musical Beginning Foundation, contact 725-231-3509 or go here:

https://www.themusicalbeginningfoundation.org/

Gene Simmons’ former Beverly Hills mansion gets another price cut

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Developer Max Nobel, purchased the 2-acre property on Benedict Canyon Drive from Simmons for US$16 million in 2021 according to Mansion Global.

After an extensive renovation that added 3,000 square feet to the residence, Mr Nobel initially listed the property for $48 million in 2023.

The property has undergone several price adjustments since then, including a $5 million reduction in November and the most recent $1 million cut.

The home was briefly taken off the market before being relisted in January at $34 million.

Mr Simmons had owned the property for nearly four decades, having purchased it in 1984 for US$1.35 million before selling it to Nobel.

According to the listing, the renovated mansion now spans 16,390 square feet and features seven bedrooms and eleven bathrooms.

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What Kiss’ Ace Frehley and Bruce Kulick Think of Vinnie Vincent

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Like many of us, Bruce Kulick and Ace Frehley don’t seem to have Vinnie Vincent figured out quite yet.

In separate recent interviews, the two former Kiss lead guitarists shared their thoughts on the famously reclusive Vincent, who replaced Frehley in the group in 1982 but was dismissed early in 1984 over creative and personal differences.

“Vinnie Vincent played too fast,” Frehley told Guitar Player. “I never paid much attention to him as far as anything else. I know that Paul [Stanley] used to complain to me about Vinnie. He said that he was like a loose cannon and that he played things too fast, and they couldn’t control him.”

Frehley, Vincent and Kulick played together for the first (and as you’ll soon read, probably last) time at a May 2022 show in Nashville, trading riffs and solos over the backing tracks to Kiss’ “Deuce” and “Cold Gin.”

Although Vincent wowed the crowd with a 15-minute opening unaccompanied guitar solo, Frehley remains less than impressed by his replacement’s playing style. “The problem with shredding is that it’s not really memorable, you know? When you put 64 notes in a bar or two bars, you don’t really know what the guy is playing.”

Why Bruce Kulick Won’t Perform With Vinnie Vincent Again

Kulick, who served as Kiss’ lead guitarist from 1984 until their 1996 original lineup reunion, looked back on that same 2022 Nashville concert in an Ultimate Guitar interview, explaining that several important things didn’t happen the way he had been promised.

Unknown to him, the stage was built to include a replica of the military tank from Vincent’s two tours with Kiss, with Vincent towering above Frehley and Kulick, who were positioned down on ground level. The promised live drummer also wasn’t delivered and was replaced by backing tapes.

“I had no clue the tank would be rolled out,” Kulick explained. “Vinnie would be on the top, and then I’m over here, and then Ace would follow me. … Ace said, ‘What the hell is going on? Where’s the drummer?’ I said, ‘I don’t know but all we have is this track. I know the track works but what do you want to do?’ We were both in a weird situation… I always tend to take the high road and not focus on anything [like] ‘you lied to me! It was supposed to be this.'”

Kulick and Frehley decided to go along with the less than ideal conditions for the benefit of the fans in attendance, but the performance was marred by technical snafus and audio drop-outs that left Kulick performing by himself by the end of the brief set.Read

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Queensrÿche guitarist Mike Stone recalls what it was like working with Peter Criss in the early ’90s

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Queensrÿche guitarist Mike Stone was recently interviewed by Marko Syrjala for Metal-Rules. Stone played on Peter Criss‘ EP Criss (1993) and the album Cat #1 (1994).

In terms of how he ended up playing with Criss, Stone indicated: “Well, I went to the audition—and I got the gig! “Laughs” I was still living in Los Angeles when Peter was looking for a singer and guitar player. My girlfriend at the time was friends with this woman who was friends with Mark Montague, who was the bass player in Peter Criss’s band. And somehow, through the grapevine, I heard about Mark Montague.

I got the number, got Mark’s number, and called him. I said, “Hey, this woman said I could get an audition.” He said, “Yeah, yeah.” He set me up, and I came down. The main reason I did it—well, I loved KISS. And I’d never really seen what Peter looked like, you know? I really wanted to go—well, number one, just to jam with Peter Criss, because that’s really cool. Then, I just wanted to see what he looked like as a normal dude, you know?

I walked in and met him, but he was behind the kit. I can’t remember what songs we did. I think it was “Nothing to Lose” and something else. I was singing and playing guitar. He counted off the first song—dink, dink, dink on the cowbell—and we kicked in. And I was like, “Holy crap, that’s the guy.” Peter has a style—just the way he hits his toms, you can tell it’s him. It’s instant. I’m like, “Holy shit, that’s fucking Peter Criss!” He’s like the rock and roll heavy metal Ringo to me, and he’s a big jazz fan, too. I mean, he loves Gene Krupa, that kind of thing.”

On what it as like working with Criss in the studio, Stone recalled: “Peter, I’ve got to say, was always super solid. You know, he steps up and delivers the goods. Peter was always consistent when I played with him. There were times when he had problems with his shoulders and other issues, like arthritis. Even if he was hurting during the day and took it easy at soundcheck, you wouldn’t know what it would be like when showtime came.”

With respect to what size of shows that Criss‘ band played, Stone revealed: “We played mostly small and medium-sized clubs, but the band was great. And you know, the lineup with Mike McLaughlin was really good—it was a solid rock band. I’m so honored to have worked with any of the KISS guys. And like I said, Peter was always great. I learned so much from him, and there were so many nights after shows when we’d sit in the back lounge, crack open a Rolling Rock, and I’d just fire questions at him because I wanted to learn. And I figured, man, who else could give you better insights than a guy who sold 40 million records—or whatever it was, 100 million at that point? I don’t even know.”

You can read the rest of the interview with Mike Stone via Metal-Rules‘ website.

Pages against the machine: ‘Rock and Pinball’ exhibit comes to Columbus Metropolitan Library

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Calling the well-read and those who love to shred.

The Columbus Metropolitan Library has teamed up with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to launch the free “Part of the Machine: Rock and Pinball” exhibition, which begins March 4 at the main branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, 96 S. Grant Ave.

Through May 22, programming is available for all ages of music lovers. Guests can explore the history of rock ‘n’ roll, play pinball on six working rock ‘n’ roll machines and check out a drum set used by the band KISS.

A spokesperson for the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Ben Zenitsky, said multiple library departments collaborated to create rock ‘n’ roll programming for all ages.

“We’ll have rock ‘n’ roll-themed storytimes for the little ones. We will have pinball competitions for teens and adults. We will have music classes where kids can explore and play different kinds of instruments and touch and interact with instruments,” he said.

Zenitsky said the work of iconic Columbus-born Rolling Stones magazine photographer Baron Alan Wolman will be on display as a part of the historical content within the programming.

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KISSopoly at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!

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KISS fans and Monopoly fans rejoice! These two strong brands have merged into one awesome new game, KISS-OPOLY! The Game Includes: Tokens: Gene & Pauls Guitars, Genes Boot, Pauls Fire Hat, Bag of Money, KISS Army Logo. Board Spaces: Gene Simmons Solo Album, KISS Pinball Machine, Detroit Rock City, KISS Platinum Gold Box Set. Cards: You broke a string on the Starchilds guitar; Pay $50. You took 2nd Place in the Girls of KISS Beauty Contest; Collect $100. Your in the Army now! All tokens advance to All Access Pass. Very hard to find item. Still sealed.

Order now at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!

“It was my first lead vocal. I was nervous. I sang it lying on my back. I still don’t know how I did it without singing from my diaphragm”: How a great rock guitarist finally proved himself as a singer

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Ace Frehley was always a great lead guitarist in Kiss, but it took a long time for him to make his mark as a lead singer.

It was on the band’s sixth studio album, Love Gun, that Ace finally recorded a lead vocal – on a song he wrote, called Shock Me.

Speaking toMusicRadar, he recalls how he wrote, played and finally plucked up the courage to sing that song.

“How do I come up with anything?” he says. “How does anybody write anything? Sometimes riffs come first, and sometimes it’s lyrics. It can be a chord pattern, a melody, or a rhyme I wrote. Whenever I’m inspired… that’s when it happens. It’s really that simple.

With Shock Me, I was sitting around, fooling around with my guitar, and a riff came into my head. I developed a melody line, but I mean… to me, writing a song is really easy. I’ve written songs in minutes.”

His lyrics for Shock Me were based on his own near-death experience – being electrocuted on stage during a Kiss concert in 1976.

“I almost died in Lakeland, Florida,” Ace says. “I was standing on top of four Marshall cabinets on a staircase when I got shocked. I had a heavy Les Paul around my neck, and my body should have fallen forward—but I didn’t.

Ace admits he finds it difficult to explain how he writes and plays.

“Shock Me is a chord inversion – that’s as much as I can say about that. I’m not really good with musical terms!

“Funnily enough, I tried to do an instructional video on Shock Me for YouTube, which was ridiculous. There was a guy sitting off the side explaining to me what to say, and they’d stop the camera, he would tell me, and then I’d do the video.

“I was like, ‘Fuck, man! I don’t know how to explain what the fuck I’m playing!’ I play by ear. I just turn the volume up and play.”

Ace says of his solo in Shock Me: “If my memory serves me correctly, I did the solo in just one take. Back in the day, it was a lot harder to edit. If you didn’t get it right, the editing process was using a razor blade to cut the tape. There was no picking the best parts and piecing them together like nowadays.”

“As for the gear, I used all sorts of stuff in the studio. A lot of people don’t realise it was that way by the time we did Love Gun.

“I’d use acoustics, Strats and Les Pauls to layer sounds on top of each other, like Pete Townshend would do with The Who. It added thickness.

“I did that a lot on Love Gun, but with Shock Me, I think it was mostly a Marshall and my Les Paul. I had a few old Vox amps. I might have used one of those, too.”

But what made Shock Me such an important song for Ace was the fact that he sang the lead vocal for the first time on record.

He had written key songs on previous Kiss albums, including Cold Gin on the band’s self-titled debut album, and Parasite on the follow-up Hotter Than Hell.

But while rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss all sang lead vocals from the first album onwards, Ace had always lacked the confidence to do so.

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ACE FREHLEY Reconnects With Producer ALEX SALZMAN For Upcoming Origins Vol. 3 Album

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Ace Frehley recently spoke with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation. During their conversation, Ace discusses new music in development and reflects on the passing of Karl Cochran.

SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, hosted by Eddie Trunk, airs daily at 3 PM, ET on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk. Audio clips and transcript below courtesy of SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation.

Ace Frehley talks new music in development:

Eddie Trunk: “You working on the next record? What are you working on in the studio?”

Ace Frehley: “Origins Vol. 3.”

Eddie Trunk: “How far along are you?”

Frehley: “Origins Vol. 3 and I decided to reconnect with my old producer, Alex Salzman.”

Trunk: “Oh, okay.”

Frehley: “So it won’t be me and Steve Brown. It’ll be me and Alex Salzman collaborating on that record since Alex did Origins Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. And we have a formula that we came up with and it seemed to work. I was listening to the records last night on YouTube, you know. In my office, on my desk, I have a set of both speakers and the album sounds just as good as the new album, 10,000 Volts. So I’m gonna keep that. I’m gonna go back to my old formula with Alex and maybe I’ll bring back Steve to do the studio album since he’s a very, very good songwriter and guitar player and engineer as well.”

Trunk: “Have you decided what you’re gonna cover yet? And are you gonna also do remakes of some KISS songs like you did on the last one too?”

Frehley: “I haven’t decided. I have a list of about 50 songs, so you know, I really don’t want to give anything away. It’s too soon.”

Trunk: “You want to get it out this year?”

Frehley: “I could have it ready, but, you know, I can do the album in a month because I don’t have to write the songs. That’s the beauty of the Origins series. I don’t write. So the recording process is pretty seamless. And wrap it because all I have to do is “Ace-ify” it.”

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COMING SOON! DRESSED TO KILL 50TH ANNIVERSARY: BRAND NEW KISS AUDIO TOUR IN NEW YORK AND ONLINE

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On March 22nd, KISS will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their iconic Dressed To Kill album in New York City with a never before heard audio tour.
A brand new audio tour will be released on Kissonline.com, which takes you on a tour of the relationship New York has with the band. Packed with exclusive interviews from Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Bob Gruen the audio tour will kick off on West 23rd & 8th Avenue and continue to numerous iconic New York venues in Kisstory.
The audio tour will be available online so you can access it anywhere in the world from March 22nd and onwards.