Every kid thinks they’re the first to ever experience the heavy stuff like love and rebellion. But, and this is key, that means when stories about that kind of stuff are told well, they land for everybody—it doesn’t matter what year the bygone days are occurring, it always looks the same because it always, always sucks to be a teen. The late ’70s/early ’80s in which Detroit Rock City is set were pretty garbage times to be a teen, too. Rough time to be an underdog all around, if other things set during this time are to be believed.

There were two coming-of-age movies about the ’70s music scene right after one another at the turn of the millennium in this and Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film Almost Famous. Almost Famous is the better movie. I’m not here to pretend otherwise: It’s shot and edited better, its feelings are deeper and sadder and more real. It is so serious.

But Detroit Rock City is the one that has a kid yell at his chain-smoking, shrieking church lady of a mother to shut the hell up about Satan and just give him his drumsticks back already. It is the only movie with Edward Furlong—in the last role of his that anybody cares about, unless you are a real fanatic of The Crow—puking every last one of his guts out on stage in a stripping contest. Our heroes in this flick are not noble or virtuous, they just want to go see a band they really like, and nobody will just get off their asses about it. They just want some degree of respect, something that is apparently too much to ask.

Detroit Rock City was about the usual 20-years-ago nostalgia people were feeling in 1999. At 25, Detroit Rock City is now a window into a time nearly half a century ago, and by virtue of that (and the fact its cast’s star power has only increased since it landed), it’s worth revisiting.

It’s 1978 in Cleveland, and four pot-smoking teens just need to get through one last day of school before they can go to a show put on by the only band they care about: Kiss. High school students Hawk (Furlong), Jam (Sam Huntington), Trip (Jason DeBello) and Lex (Giuseppe Andrews) are members of their own Kiss tribute band, Mystery, and thoroughly misunderstood by their family members. None more so than Jam, whose mother (Lin Shaye, game as she’s ever been) is the type who is happy to go around stoking moral panics and yelling at Jam for everything from his clothes to his choice in music.

The guys have scrimped and saved to score four tickets to Kiss in Detroit on the night of their last day of school. It’s just a short train ride away, provided everything goes well. Nothing does, of course: Jam’s mother discovers and cruelly destroys the tickets after embarrassing Jam in front of the entire school before committing him to a humorless Catholic boarding school, which she takes him to immediately. (I guess they’re already matriculating for next semester?) On top of it all, the rest of Mystery all get slapped with detention.

Read More!

Guesting on Guitar Tales With Dave Cohen, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley discussed his latest solo album, 10,000 Volts, touring, starting out, and looked back on his history with KISS.

Frehley: “I had really big resentments against Paul (Stanley) and Gene (Simmons)when I quit the band the first time, and even the second time. They used to say I got fired, which is complete bullshit. Both times I left on my own accord, and they would perpetuate the myth that they fired me, which is complete bullshit.”

“There was always a jealousy there. The fact that my solo album (released in 1978), with ‘New York Groove’, was the most successful out of the four. I used to get the hottest girls. I didn’t go after movie stars, though, ’cause that just complicates things. ‘Cause you’re a celebrity, you’ve got another celebrity there and it’s twice as complicated. So I don’t understand why Gene went out with Cher, Diana Ross. It just became harder, if you wanna go do anything. But Gene doesn’t party. So, he’s pretty much in the hotel. And he doesn’t like going out on vacations, he told me. He hasn’t been on a vacation in 15-plus years. But everybody’s different.”

Frehley headlined the 80’s Rock Invasion at Kewadin Casino in St. Ignace, MI on July 20. Jordan’s Rock Vault has uploaded 4K video of the full show, filmed from the pit. Watch below.

Setlist:

“Shock Me”
“Deuce”
“10,000 Volts”
“Shout It Out Loud”
“Love Gun”
“Rocket Ride”
“Hotter Than Hell” Interlude
“God of Thunder” Intro/”New York Groove”
“Rip It Out”
“Detroit Rock City”
“Love Her All I Can” Interlude
“Cold Gin”
“Rock And Roll All Nite”

Kulick offers a front-row perspective of what went down with Kiss in the ’80s: the tension between the past and future, his six-string independence from Ace Frehley, and the coming grunge asteroid

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss will appear at the Famous Monsters Festival at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania next month. The legendary 78-year-old rocker will meet fans on Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14 only.

Friday, September 13, 2024

6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 14, 2024

12:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

* No tableside selfies allowed
* Maximum of five items signed per guest/family
* No outside drumheads or drum parts

Drumheads will be available at the event at Peter‘s table, with proceeds going to charity.

Says Peter: “I’m looking forward to seeing you all. Safe travels and I will see you all soon!!! God bless.”

Read more!

Dale Torborg The Demon signed in red paint pen.  Very hard to get.  Dale signed a couple of these for us in Daytona, FL in 2024.  Comes with our Certificate of Authenticity.  Includes Demon Face Dale Torborg pick and protective case.

Only 2 Available! Order now!

Gene Simmons was disappointed with the stage setup in the 2002 Olympics closing ceremony in Salt Lake City.

KISS stole the show with their performance of ‘I Wanna Rock and Roll All Nite.’ They had exploding fireworks and heavy guitars. Simmons later said the following about the show:

“It was probably the smallest stage we’ve ever played on. And right in front of us was ice, ice skaters, and we had to stay on that truck platform and the amplifiers were far off in the stands. I was told that two billion people could watch the Olympics on earth and that’s sort of a big deal.”

In 2018, the bassist spoke with the official website of the Olympics and talked about what he remembered from the performance:

“I remember seeing the champion athletes from different countries, different nationalities, different races and different religions all getting together and not worrying about where somebody was from or what language they spoke. The Greeks started this a long time ago and… what a wonderful idea! The Olympics are one of the bright spots on a very tainted human history. If aliens landed on earth and gave us an overview they would say, ‘You guys did a lot of bad stuff, the Inquisition, the Nazis of World War II, all sorts of things. But you did some cool stuff. The Emancipation Proclamation, Magna Carta, the Olympics…’”

Gene also reflected on the atmosphere in the stadium:

“You can’t help but smile. There are people that are holding hands and putting their arms around each other who, if they went back to their countries or borders that separate them, wouldn’t necessarily do that. And I’m using kind language. Elsewhere, enemies in the Olympics unite over a bigger idea than borders and separation of people.”

Read more!

Acclaimed studio/touring drummer / author / clinician, Pat Gesualdo, has recorded the drum tracks on the Metal Hall Of Fame All Stars CD/DVD. The charity project is a release from Deko Entertainment / ada / Warner Music Group, and helps bring free music programs to special needs children in health facilities and community centers. This once in a lifetime collaboration of rockstars is huge news for music fans across the globe.

The Metal Hall of Fame All Star Charity CD features Rudy Sarzo, (Whitesnake), Bruce Kulick (KISS), Bob Daisley (Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow), Chris Poland (Megadeth), guitarist Tony MacAlpine, and Chris Impellitteri (Impellitteri), It also features a jam from the Annual Metal Hall Of Fame Celebrity Gala that includes Steve Vai (David Lee Roth), Geoff Tate (Formerly Queensryche), guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, Bjorn Englan (Yngwie Malmsteen/Dio Disciples), Chris Poland (Megadeth), and studio/touring drummer Pat Gesualdo. Additional tracks feature outstanding performances by Mike Tirelli (Holy Mother), Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) and Michael Romeo (Symphony X).

Read more!

Order now at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!