Cassius Morris
What’s New in KISS Collecting – KISS Gund Plush Toys
Just released – A new line of super-high quality KISS plush toys and baby wear from the famous Gund company. Gund has been around for over 100 years making stuffed animal toys and the quality of the materials and craftsmanship of the stitching is superb. Everything is in stock and ready to ship!
KISS Plush Toys available at KISSmuseum.com
Three Sides of the Coin, episode 102 – The KISS Kruise and the KISS Las Vegas Residency
Michael Brandvold
Peter Criss of Kiss on surviving breast cancer
NEW YORK (MYFOXNY) – After decades rocking out as the drummer and founding member of Kiss, Peter Criss had thought he’d seen and done it all. But one day eight years ago, something so unusual truly rocked his world.
“I was very ignorant. I was clueless. I thought it was a weight-lifting injury,” said Criss about the breast cancer he discovered.
At the time, Criss’ wife was in the throws of her own cancer battle. She suggested her physician check him out. The doctor recommended Criss visit Dr. Alexander Swistel.
Criss then had a biopsy done in New Jersey that came back negative, but the pain in his nipple area continued.
“I was misdiagnosed. If not for his (Dr. Swistel) going further and going further, through the hands of God, through him I am alive,” said Criss.
Opening weekend a HUGE success for Alive! ’75!
Anthony De Lucia | alive75.com
It was 1975 all over again for KISS fans as “Alive! ’75 – A Tribute to KISS” brought the KISS Alive! album to life in Newton, NJ.From the opening sampled recording of “You wanted the best and you got it…” right on through to the almost two-minutes of confetti to close the show, Alive! ’75 re-created every element of an iconic 1975 KISS performance and left their audience exhausted – and demanding more!
With the single exception of pyrotechnics and open flame which were not permitted in the theater, Alive! ’75 delivered all of the elements one might expect in a 1975 KISS concert, as well as a number of surprises. Using a combination of light, sound, special effects and good old fashion theatrical ingenuity, the show delivered all the blood, smoke and simulated fire fans were looking for. As the curtain opened and the stage set was revealed, folks could be seen pointing and shouting appreciatively in response to recognizing many of the key 1975 visual elements on the set. In fact, fans were completely blown-away when through the magic of “Broadway” a youthful Gene Simmons himself appeared right out of 1975 and on stage along side the Alive! ’75 cast to perform his infamous fire-breathing routine.
Gene Simmons has a few lessons for business that don’t involve tongue wagging or fake blood
Celleen Michele Jones | Biz Journals
Gene Simmons— the Kiss rock star of makeup, tongue-flashing and platform boot fame – is also a shrewd businessman. A self-made entrepreneur. And a complete marketing genius.
Just ask him.
In his recently published book “Me, Inc: Build an Army of One, Unleash Your Inner Rock God, Win in Life and Business,” Israeli-born Simmons, recounts in his uniquely matter-of-fact, say-it-like-it-is manner, how he emigrated to America with his Holocaust-survivor single mother determined to make it big.
Simmons, now 65, has built a merchandising and branding empire around Kiss, the band he co-founded more than 40 years ago and which regularly sells out concert arenas and even Kiss Kruises.
Sharing business advice from a guy known as the Demon isn’t the type of fare often produced by the Jacksonville Business Journal – but having a bonafide member of the Kiss Army on our reporting staff meant we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see what Simmons has to say.
Ace Frehley Kicks off ‘Space Invader’ tour in New Brunswick
Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley kicked off his “Space Invader” tour on November 13 at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
His setlist was as follows:
01. Lost In Limbo (first time played live since 1992)
02. Gimme A Feelin’ (live debut)
03. Toys (live debut)
04. Parasite (KISS song)
05. Snowblind
06. Love Gun (KISS song) (Scot Coogan on vocals)
07. Breakout (Richie Scarlett on vocals)
08. Space Invader (live debut)
09. King Of The Night Time World (KISS song) (Scot Coogan on vocals)
10. Strutter (KISS song) (Scot Coogan on vocals)
11. Change (started song but aborted)
12. Bass Solo
13. Strange Ways (KISS song) (Chris Wyse on vocals)
14. Rock Soldiers
15. New York Groove (HELLO cover)
16. Shock Me (KISS song)
17. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
18. Rocket Ride (KISS song)
19. 2 Young 2 Die (Richie Scarlett on vocals)
20. Shot Full Of Rock (first time played live since 2008)
Encore:
21. Cold Gin (KISS song)
Frehley‘s touring lineup includes none other than Richie Scarlet, who rode shotgun performing rhythm guitar and vocal duties on Ace‘s “Trouble Walking” platter in 1989, and is doing so again on stage. Richie toured with Ace in 1984 and 1985 and periodically from 1989 through 1995 and was also known for touring with Sebastian Bach.
Peter Criss gets cancer survivors Hall of Fame nod
Former KISS member Peter Criss will be this year’s inductee into the Cancer Research and Treatment Fund’s Cancer Survivor Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame “honors an inspirational cancer survivor with an induction into our Cancer Survivors Hall of Fame. These individuals represent the courage of all who struggle daily with the battle against cancer.”
Criss was exercising in 2007 when he noticed a lump in his breast. The lump was diagnosed as breast cancer and, in 2008, Peter had a lumpectomy followed by a mastectomy. Because the disease was found early, he did not have to go through chemotherapy.
Since that time, Criss has been an vocal advocate against the stigma of breast cancer in men. He told reporters in 2009 “It can happen to you, and when it does, if you don’t deal with it right away, with your ‘dude’ and your metal and your tattoos, you’ll go in the box and we’ll see you.”
KISS will somehow figure into the plot of ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2’
Jeff Giles | Ultimate Classic Rock
Because just one movie starring Kevin James as a buffoonish security guard wasn’t enough for America, now we have ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2′ on the way … and judging from the trailer, Kiss will somehow work their way into the story.
You can catch a glimpse through the recently released trailer above — two and a half minutes of James clowning his way through the presumed comedic highlights of a plot that sends his character to Vegas, where he somehow ends up leading the charge against a freaky-eyed kingpin hellbent on robbing the city.
Along the way, Blart punches an elderly housekeeper, is assaulted by a bird and manages to find time for a Kiss concert — although as you can see from the screenshot below, that ain’t Kiss up on the stage:
New KISS Retro T-Shirt line available now!
If you were wondering why there was an absence of KISS T-Shirts last summer, KISS’s long-time licensee, Live Nation, had given up their KISS clothing line. Not a good thing right as the band was going out on tour, but finally several companies have taken over the rights and we now have a whole new series! And this retro design line is just what we wanted to see…amazing!
New KISS Shirts available at KISSmuseum.com
KISS to rock 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade
Chad Bowar | Loudwire
Some of the icons of Thanksgiving include turkey, football and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but this year, musical icons KISS will lend their presence to the Macy’s parade for the first time ever.
No, there won’t be a giant inflatable Gene Simmons balloon. The band will perform in the 88th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on Nov. 27 in New York. The band, led by more than 600 cheerleaders from around the country, will perform a KISS medley. More than 3.5 million people line the streets of Manhattan annually to watch the parade, with another 50 million watching on TV.
KISS’ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley say, “2014 has been a banner year for us and participating in one of the country’s most beloved events caps off what has truly been a spectacular 40th anniversary. We can’t wait to rock the Big Apple with our fans on Thanksgiving.”
“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the most popular and visually spectacular holiday parade in America, and there is no doubt that KISS, unequalled in the world of concert performance, will deliver stunning theatrics at the Parade,” says Juli Boylan-Riddles of KISS’s brand management company Epic Rights.
KISS are currently in the midst of playing a Las Vegas residency at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. They have played three shows so far, with six more to go. The next one is Nov. 12, with the residency wrapping up Nov. 23.
Ace Frehley says one nice thing about each former KISS bandmate
Loudwire
Podcast Rock City, (KISS Kruise set lists), did Doc ask a dumb question or what?
Joe Polo
So this episode is all about the set lists on KK4. Did they play the songs they want to play or did they play the songs we want to hear? I got the idea for this show when Doc Mcgee asked a simple honest question during his Q&A that he thought he was gonna get a completely different answer too…ENJOY!!
Three Sides of the Coin, episode 101 – Vinyl, Vinyl, Vinyl & a KISS drinking game
Michael Brandvold
Backstage pass? Paul Stanley needs no such pass
John Katsilometes | Las Vegas Sun
Chris Morris
During a show last month with his band The Dirty at Tuscany’s T Spot Lounge, Franky Perez unexpectedly spun a yarn about Paul Stanley.
From time to time, Perez has served as frontman for Camp Freddy, among his many projects, which also include the music for “Sons of Anarchy,” vocalist for the raging horn band The Truth, and, most recently, the cello/rock outfit Apocalyptica. Having changed its name to Royal Machines, the Camp Freddy crew is a revolving, all-star lineup that has recruited such name-checks as Slash, Dave Navarro, Mark McGrath, Billy Morrison, Matt Sorum, Scott Weiland and Sebastian Bach.
Stanley, who keeps busy with his primary job as the vocalist and co-overlord of KISS, is not part of Camp Freddy or Royal Machines. But he did take in a Camp Freddy show at the Roxy in L.A. in December 2011.
Perez, from the stage that night at Tuscany, recalled Stanley’s arrival at the Roxy.
“He shows up at the backstage entrance without a pass, and these kids at the door, they don’t know who Paul Stanley is,” Perez said. “So, one of them asks, ‘Sir, we need to see your pass.’ ”
Then, as if drawing attention to a work of art, Perez motioned to his face with his hand.
“And Paul Stanley says, ‘This … is my pass.’ And walks in.”
Podcast Rock City KK4 Paul Stanley Q&A
Joe
The title says it all! It’s very interesting and funny. It’s longer than my regular episodes but TOTALLY WORTH IT!!
KISS Start their residency at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas
Mjpatriots
KISS reveal their beautiful, brand new stage, (minus the horrible ten-story video screen they have become so accustom to), for their month-long residency at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.
KISS arrive by helicopter at the Vegas Hard Rock Hotel (view from the other side of the bus)
Vegas Bill
Kiss – Kiss Booed As They Kick Off Las Vegas Residency
WENN | Contact Music
Veteran rockers Kiss were booed by fans after they turned up an hour late to launch their residency in Las Vegas on Wednesday (05Nov14).
The band made a grand entrance by helicopter as they arrived at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to kick off their run of gigs in the city, but they left their hundreds of devotees waiting in the desert heat.
After finally arriving more than an hour behind schedule, the group was booed by fans, who were left covered in dust from the helicopter landing. Many were unable to see their idols’ entrance due to a large truck parked outside the venue.
An onlooker tells Wenn, “Kiss arrived for night one at the Hard Rock Hotel via helicopter. In full make-up. They were an hour late and it was so badly laid out that fans couldn’t see a thing. And got covered in dust… The security positioned fans in a decent way, but then they parked the van right in front of 60 per cent of the people who had been waiting nearly two hours for a good view. There was much booing (sic)… A lot of unhappy people with tired feet.”
However, the band went on to perform a spectacular first night show to kick off the residency, and during the encore, they reinforced their support of the U.S. military by presenting a retired solider with a mortgage-free home in Las Vegas.
KISS gives away the house; Steve Wynn recalls the days of going full throttle
John Katsilometes | Las Vegas Sun
The Kats Report Bureau at this writing is Umami Burger, Beer Garden & Sports Book at SLS. The Beer Garden scene, in particular, where the night air is cool, the lamps are hot and the neon of the Bonanza Gift & Souvenir Shop lights our way …
• During a rare quiet moment in the KISS opening-night performance Wednesday night at the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel, the band broke between “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock and Roll All Nite” to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. This was just after the band awarded a free, fully renovated home in Las Vegas to retired U.S. Army Staff Sgt. John Hosea and his wife, Sarah. The band and couple were joined onstage by reps from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Military Warriors Support Foundation and Chase Bank to present the honor.
Hosea is a combat-wounded military man who was injured in Afghanistan. He enlisted in 2001 and is a hero by any measure, having received the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, five Army Achievement Medals and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, among other honors.
It was a soaring gesture, to be sure, and Paul Stanley then asked the crowd at the Joint to join him in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in tribute to our servicemen and servicewomen volunteering around the world. It was not the first time the KISS Army has paid tribute to the real Army in such a way. KISS also presented a fully renovated, mortgage-free home to a serviceman during the June 2013 Rock Fest in Cadott, Wis.