Blabbermouth

“Tonight’s the first night of the tour, and it couldn’t be any place hotter or any place cooler,” KISS frontman Paul Stanley told the crowd at the AVA Amphitheater as they braved 102-degree heat.

As part of the set, KISS honored the military by having a veteran, Lt. Col. Mellorya Crawford, an 18-year Army veteran stationed the last six years at Fort Huachuca, join the band’s road crew for the night.

“It’s not the politicians that make the country great, it’s the military,” Stanley stated. “Politicians make promises. The military delivers.”

Prior to the show, Crawford released a written statement in which she said: “I’m excited to represent other female veterans across the world. I’m looking forward to working with KISS during their first stop [of the ‘Freedom To Rock’ tour]. It will be amazing to actually meet them. I can remember listening to their music growing up and seeing their characters on ‘Scooby Doo’.”

KISS’s setlist for the Tucson concert:

01. Detroit Rock City
02. Deuce
03. Shout It Out Loud
04. Creatures of the Night
05. War Machine
06. Psycho Circus
07. Calling Dr. Love
08. Shock Me
09. Cold Gin
10. Lick It Up
11. I Love It Loud
12. 100,000 Years
13. Love Gun
14. Black Diamond

Encore:

15. Beth
16. Rock and Roll All Nite

The “Freedom To Rock” tour will hit 40 cities through the summer — many of them places that the band has either never played or hasn’t played in years.

Continue reading →

Jim Louvau | New Times

If you want the best rock ‘n’ roll concert in Arizona this summer, you’ll have to travel south. Rock legends Kiss kick off their ‘Freedom To Rock” tour at AVA Amphitheater in Tucson on the same day we celebrate America’s independence. Nothing says Fourth of July like a Kiss, right? Lame puns aside, the band has been very supportive of Wounded Warrior Project over the years, and has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the charity, which is surely in the spirit of the holiday. We recently caught up with guitarist Paul Stanley and discussed tour preparation, giving the photographers what they want, reconnecting with original lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and one of the best YouTube videos to ever exist.

New Times: You’re starting your summer tour in Tucson on the Fourth of July; how do you prepare for a tour these days?
Paul Stanley: The same way I prepare for every week. You go and make sure you’re in the best shape you can be. Once you suit up, you’ve got a lot more on the line. I not only have to be great, but I have to exceed people’s memories of what Kiss is and what they remember. For me, it’s not about competing against other bands; it’s about competing with the legacy and the history of this band. To do that is something that is a part of my DNA. I’m not a fanatic, but I’m certainly working out every week regardless of a tour. But maybe I put the pedal down a little harder before a tour starts.

Do you guys have actual rehearsals at this point in your career, or or do you know the material pretty well by now?
Despite knowing the material, we would no more go out onstage without rehearsal than somebody would go into the ring to fight the fight of their life without training in the gym. You don’t do that; it’s not going to give the best results and for us. We have so much on the line. We have this history that people are so connected to, and I think it’s always been our obligation and commitment to not only live up to what people will remember but to exceed it. That’s a pretty big challenge. It’s not to be taken lightly; it’s always a matter of training and working with the band to make sure that we’re at our best.

You’ve been in Kiss for 40 years and you’ve been playing these songs forever; how do you keep it exciting not only for yourself but also for the fans?
Life is exciting, and I hope that’s contagious. I’m having a ball, and every time I hit the stage it’s a victory lap. At this point, we’ve made our point and we won. For me, those songs are classics. For me, we’ve created something iconic, and I’m not only in the band but I’m a fan of the band, so for me to see the band and hear us playing and to see the fervor of the audience — how could I not be excited? It’s an amazing position to be in, and one I don’t take lightly, and one that I celebrate every time I hit the stage. Continue reading →

Roman Fernandez | i petitions

OFFICIAL Petition to induct KISS, Billy Idol, and Billy Squier Manager into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Sign the petition at: ipetitions.com/petition/billaucoinhalloffame

June 28th marks the 6th anniversary of the passing of Bill Aucoin, a pioneer in the pantheon of music management. Not only does Mr. Aucoin have the distinctive notoriety of grooming and introducing not one, but three legendary, multi-million selling rock and roll acts to the world – KISS, Billy Idol, and Billy Squier, but he is also credited for erecting one of the first music merchandising empires, an empire that has reigned from the 1970’s to the present day. By trademarking the iconic faces of the original four members of KISS, Aucoin shifted the rock paradigm from a spectator sport, to a collectible zeitgeist that propelled a New York jean band into a global brand with an estimated worth in the billions of dollars.

KISS laid the groundwork for hundreds of rock acts who cite the group as an influence or inspiration of what a rock act should be. The very existence and ongoing popularity of the group 40 years after its inception is a testament to Bill’s astute foresight. A force so unshakeable, he would infamously bet his American Express card to finance the live tour of an act that most in the industry at the time were trying to ignore. In the process, his determination served to engineer one of the most dynamic live shows of the era by enhancing the concert experience in ways that would go on to transcend the rock genre.

If you grew up in the 1980’s, it’s almost impossible to separate this era from the global phenomenon and the anti-hero viscosity that arose from the ashes of the punk-rock movement, Billy Idol. Once again, dismissed by the industry as an outcast, and toxic to his own record label, Aucoin swam upstream and immortalized an unlikely spike-haired rebel. Bill’s keen instinct to pair the sneering, fist-twirler with a virtuoso guitar muse by the name of Steve Stevens proved to be a winning relationship that has defied the test of time, spawned millions of record sales, and continues to captivate audiences.

Continue reading →

Jody Havenot

Dave Lifton | Ultimate Classic Rock

Paul Stanley has given his thoughts in the “Stairway to Heaven” trial that dominated headlines over the past two weeks. To make his point, he referenced a similarity between one of Kiss‘ highest-charting singles and a Bruce Springsteen song.

Speaking to Russ Rollins of RealRadio 104.1 in Orlando, Fla., (embedded above), Stanley said, “A lot of times it’s really unfair, because there are a certain amount of notes and they only get jumbled so many different ways. There’s a Springsteen song that sounds like… There’s a part of the song that sounds like ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You,’ so I’m sure he wasn’t sitting around listening to that. But it finds its way into everybody’s music. You can’t come down on everybody for their creativity.”

Stanley is talking about “Outlaw Pete,” the opening track from Springsteen’s 2009 album Working on a Dream. But apart from a few melody lines and a running time of approximately eight minutes, the two songs don’t have much in common. “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” is a disco tune about wanting sex while “Outlaw Pete” is a Western epic about the life of a boy who “at six months old [had] done three months in jail.” Springsteen and illustrator Frank Caruso turned the song into a picture book in 2014.

Continue reading →

Michael Brandvold

Jody Havenot

Daily Mail

Gene Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed brought foster son Zinnah Sambolah from Liberia to the US to undergo leg surgery recently.

All seemed well post-operation as the Kiss guitarist, 66, treated his wife, 59, and the boy to lunch and then shopping in Beverly Hills.

The group enjoyed a bite at The Cheesecake Factory before hitting the chic shops during their daytime outing.

Gene and Shannon have been sponsoring children from Africa for years through the charity, Child Fund.

The selfless rocker told kshe95.com that Zinnah ‘comes from a village of 200 people,’ adding that he ‘is staying with us for the whole month while he gets his operations to get his legs in shape.’

Continue reading →

Daily Mail

Contact Music

The boy, named Zinnah, is scheduled to undergo surgery on his legs to correct an unspecified condition that will help him walk, according to reports, and the Kiss star is hoping his actions will encourage more people to help those suffering around the world.

He tells KSHE, “Look, we can all do more, especially if it doesn’t affect our lifestyles. So if you’re sitting at home and you got a few extra bucks in your pocket, you know what to do. You know how to make God smile. Come on.”

Simmons admits he felt compelled to help Zinnah because “children are our future”, adding, “The next great mind or humanitarian could come from Africa.”

The rocker’s links to Zinna came through the charity Child Fund, which he supports.

“Because children are our responsibility, I urge you to do something,” he says. “Pick up the phone and call Child Fund, or another charity organisation and find out what you can do. You will make all the difference to a child far, far away, whose dreams are every bit as important as your child’s dreams.”

Zinnah’s travel and surgery are being covered by Mending Kids, the charity co-founded by Gene’s Kiss bandmate Paul Stanley.

Blabbermouth

Veteran radio personality Jenn Marino, who in 2014 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE and SIXX:A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx as co-host of “Sixx Sense With Nikki Sixx” and “The Side Show Countdown With Nikki Sixx”, recently conducted an interview with original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about some of KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons‘s recent controversial comments, including his opinion on the tragic deaths of great music icon Prince, Frehley said: “I think he’s coming down with Tourette’s [syndrome]. [Laughs] He can’t help himself sometimes.”

He continued: “But you’ve gotta love that guy. I mean, he saved my life twice. I was in the hospital in 2005 out here [in Los Angeles], and I was leaving the hospital, and I was supposed to leave in a wheelchair. Most people [when they leave the hospital], they wheel you down to the lobby and then you get in a limo. He picked me up and carried me all the way downstairs. He didn’t want me to be in a wheelchair. I mean, how sweet of a guy is that?”

Frehley added: “Gene comes off very abrasive and like a money-grubbing guy, but, you know, there’s another side to Gene. There’s that sweet, sensitive guy that you don’t always see. But it’s there.” Continue reading →

Michael Brandvold

Podcast Rock City

The KISS Room

THE KISS ROOM, originally broadcast LIVE on Friday, June 10 from 3-5 PM EST via MontcoRadio.com!

Matt Porter is joined in THE KISS ROOM by Bobby Dreher and we kick off our fifth season with guest COACH JIM NEFF from Cadillac, MI

And featuring a live, in-studio performance from Philadelphia’s ALMOST HUMAN!

Join us for all of the fun that you expect every month in THE KISS ROOM!

Dave Lifton | Ultimate Classic Rock

Those who were hoping that Paul Stanley‘s appearance on Ace Frehley‘s most recent solo album, Origins Vol. 1, might have opened the door to the Spaceman’s return to Kiss will likely be disappointed. Stanley says that, while he’s glad to have renewed his friendship with Frehley, he doesn’t believe another reunion will happen.

“I don’t see it,” he said on former UFC champion Frank Mir’s podcast, Phone Booth Fighting. “And, to me, that makes it even better. The fact that you can have people in your life, and maybe who they are and what they are in your life changes over time. Because I’m happy to see Ace and would love to see him. … We text. He was on the radio last week, and I texted him, ‘I’m listening.’ It doesn’t need to go further than that, but the fact that it’s there is a terrific thing. Reading into it, and where’s it gonna lead, and maybe…? There is none of that. There is just the joy and satisfaction in reconnecting.”

Stanley’s cameo on Origins Vol. 1 was to sing on a cover of Free‘s “Fire and Water.” And as with Sammy Hagar publicly reaching out to Eddie Van Halen over Twitter a few months ago, Stanley, who added that it was “great to see [Ace] focused and clean [and] sober,” acknowledged that recording with Ace was part of a simple desire to tie up some loose ends.

Continue reading →

Edward Pevos | M Live

DETROIT, MI – It’s a rock anthem for Detroit. We talked to Kiss singer/songwriter and guitarist Paul Stanley about how he came to write “Detroit Rock City.”

Stanley and Gene Simmons are the two remaining original members of the Rock and Roll Hall of fame band.

Upcoming Kiss concerts:
Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena on Saturday, August 13 at 8pm.
Saginaw at the Dow Events Center on Monday, August 15 at 7:30pm.
Toledo at the Huntington Center on Wednesday, August 24 at 7:30pm.

About “Detroit Rock City:”
Stanley co-wrote the song which was featured on the band’s 1976 album “Destroyer.” The song did not chart in the U.S., but was popular in Detroit. The b-side, “Beth,” ended up becoming a hit instead. The band reissued the single with “Beth” as the a-side.

Stanley told me the song is not only about Detroit, but about a Kiss fan who died in a car crash on his way to a Kiss concert.

“There had been an accident outside of an arena in Charlotte. Someone was killed coming to the concert. I thought, how odd and how striking and the juxtaposition of someone coming to a Kiss concert, which celebrates being alive, to lose your life. That was the twist of “Detroit Rock City.” To change it from a song about your amazing city to something much more epic.”

Continue reading →

Big Issue

In a candid interview, KISS’ Gene Simmons discusses his family history – and his violent plans as Earth’s ‘benevolent’ dictator