Ultimate Classic Rock

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kiss‘ 1989 album ‘Hot in the Shade,’ Bruce Kulick — the band’s lead guitarist from that era — is offering a track-by-track breakdown of the album on his official website. If you’re read his features on albums such as ‘Crazy Nights,’ ‘Carnival of Souls‘ and ‘Revenge‘ you know he offers smart, informative insights on the band’s creative process.

He was kind enough to share his notes on ‘Hot in the Shade”s opening track (and third single), the rousing ‘Rise to It,’ exclusively with our readers. You can check them out below, and the read his thoughts on the rest of the album’s 15 songs right here on Kulick.net.

‘Rise To It,’ the opening track on Kiss’ 1989 album ‘Hot In The Shade’ (also known as HITS), starts with a slide acoustic guitar played by Paul Stanley. This taste of some swampy Delta blues doesn’t last very long, but for a band known for power chords and screaming vocals it certainly makes the listener ask… what’s up? Well this nod to the blues, which is such a part of rock ‘n’ roll, establishes the band’s desire to explore and acknowledge where its been, who it is influenced by, and where it’s going.

Once the track fully kicks in, you know you’re in the land of Kiss. Enter the Demon, sliding on the bass into the big drums from Eric Carr, while harmonic dive-bomb chords and riffs from yours truly set up the song perfectly.  Paul’s melodic vocals give him room to build into the exciting pre-chorus, followed by the catchy sing-along of the “Rise To It” chorus. A hint of the intro blues slide guitar part becomes the creative foundation of the music. It’s a swampy, ZZ Top vibe combined with testosterone from Stanley and company.

Watch Kiss Perform ‘Rise To It’

Repeat the formula and then we’re off to the bridge, where Paul’s powerful wail sets up my fiery solo, which uses many tricks of the whammy bar and harmonics. It all sets up a big drum beat breakdown from Eric before settling back into the chorus out, with Paul having some wild fun with his voice over my outro guitar leads. The track establishes that meld of rock, blues, and sing-along vocals so special to Kiss.

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Tim Donnelly | New York Post

If you’re looking for brutally honest business advice, KISS frontman Gene Simmons is here to give you a tongue lashing.

The legendary rocker, known for his elaborate stage makeup, costume and a proclivity for wagging his long tongue, is releasing a new book of business advice on Tuesday, called “Me, Inc.: Build an Army of One, Unleash Your Inner Rock God, Win in Life and Business.” In it, he distills 40 years of leading the global-phenomenon rock band, which has franchised into a billion pieces of merchandise, including everything from comic books to a coffee shop.

We combed through the book to find the 10 best pieces of advice from the brain of Gene Simmons.

Simmons writes about how when he was 9 years old and living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, he attended yeshiva six days a week and spent all his free time in the library.

“For the first time in my life, I was in a place where the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich have the same access to all information for free, on a level playing field,” he writes.

It was then that he promised himself, “I would educate myself, and that I would never stop educating myself. It was my responsibility to keep learning.”

Don’t put all your eggs in one rock ’n’ roll basket

“I seemed instinctively to know certain precepts of good business practice,” he writes.

“I wanted to try for a career in the music industry, otherwise known as forming a rock band. But there was no guarantee it would work. In fact, statistics should have been enough to tell me the cards were stacked against me. So I worked at two jobs at the same time I was trying to put together the band.”

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1037 The Loon

Something Awful

Terry X

Jody Havenot and D-Rock are joined by Jeff Gray and Jeff Scott from Watchin’ You to discuss the KISS Guitarists..we actually recorded this one a few months ago, but due to life, got pushed back until now. We hope you enjoy, KISS ARMY!! And stay tuned, we have new episodes comin’ your way soon!

Joe Polo

KISSmuseum.com

The KISS Halloween store is open! We ship all orders out within one business day and have 2-Day and Overnight shipping options available as well. We absolutely guarantee delivery for Halloween or the KISS Kruise.

Be aware, the KISS Halloween costumes have been discontinued. The items on sale are over stock and plentiful. The items that are not on sale will be sold out soon. Regardless, there will be no more produced in the future!

KISS Halloween Costumes on sale at KISSmuseum.com

Calgary Herald

CALGARY – The legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp is coming to Calgary and will feature rock legend Gene Simmons of KISS fame, the Herald has learned.

The camp, which has been making dreams come true in the United States for the past 18 years, will hold its first foray into Canada January 8-11, 2015 in Calgary.

Simmons, a singer-songwriter, businessman, arena football co-owner of the LA KISS and media icon, headlines the launch of the business venture north of the border.

“Mentoring adult and young rockers at the fantasy camp has always been an amazingly rewarding experience for me,” said Simmons in a statement. “I enjoy teaching and handing over lessons I’ve learned from the business to musicians and upcoming talent.”

Over four days, attendees will get to fulfill their dreams by jamming with their idols who will help them perfect their instrument skills, vocals and stage presence. The campers, with guidance from the counsellors, will write, record and rehearse an original song at Heritage Hall at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and perform before a live audience at the downtown Calgary Fairmont Palliser Hotel.

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KARE

Talking Metal

On episode 494 of the Talking Metal podcast Mark Strigl interviews Eddie Trunk.  Topics discussed include Eddie’s radio shows, VH1 Classic, That Metal Show, the strange Paul Stanley “That Metal Show” tweet,  Vinnie Vincent, Wendy Dio, Jimmy Page, Riche Scarlet and Ace Frehley.

Check out Eddie Trunk’s website and on Twiiter.

Support Talking Metal!!!!  Buy a TM t-shirt in the Merch section, use the Paypal tab to make a donation, OR use this link to make a purchase on Amazon.Listen to a non-music version of the episode on Spreaker below.  The interview with Mike Lepond starts at 14 mins into the no music Spreaker version of the episode:

Chris Shaffer | CBS

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Kiss’s Gene Simmons and his daughter, Sophie Tweed-Simmons, are big supporters of a local nonprofit that provides restorative aid to those in need.
Matter is an organization based in St. Louis Park, and they’re throwing a sold-out fundraising gala Friday night.
Even if you can’t go, Matter is accepting donations online. Most of that money will go to help kids who are going hungry here in Minnesota. Click here to learn more.
And you may not know this about our Chief Meteorologist Chris Shaffer, but he’s a huge KISS fan.
So even though he had the day off, Chris jumped at the chance to interview Gene.
Watch the video above to see Chris get a little music lesson from a rock legend!

Diana Falzone | Fox News

As the drummer and a founding member of the band Kiss, Criss, 68, has is a place in music history, and was inducted with his bandmates into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

What you may not know about Criss, however, is that he is a breast cancer survivor. He joined us in the FOX411 studio to talk about his work as artist ambassador for Hard Rock’s Pinktober Campaign for breast cancer awareness.

FOX411: You had breast cancer. What was it like getting the diagnosis?

Peter Criss: As a man, I thought I must have pulled a muscle, and being in spandex and lipstick and high heels most of my life, I’m pretty used to my body. I just felt like something was wrong and I told her (Criss’ wife) so she mentioned it to the doctor. The doctor said if you were my husband I would send you over to New York Presbyterian to see Dr. Switzel.

But that’s a cancer hospital for women. She goes, “Yeah but I think you should go there.” It blew my mind walking into a huge room like this nothing but women, no men, except for their husbands with them. It felt really uncomfortable for me, and it actually scared the pants off of me.

FOX411: Was your induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bittersweet?

Criss: No. As in any band, it’s like a marriage, you know. There’s good and there’s bad. There’s the great times and the bad times. I wrote a book about it and it still says everything I still stand by. Everyone loves great endings and too bad, it wasn’t a great fairy tale ending. I think money, power, fame changes people a lot. When I was a younger guy, you would have hated me. My head was bigger than my body. I thought I was the greatest thing on the planet.

FOX411: What’s the difference between being a rock star versus a musician?

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Smooth Jazz 1059

Founding KISS drummer Peter Criss is best known for his years keeping the beat for the recently inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, but he’s also making a name for himself as a spokesman for breast cancer awareness.  While the disease affects far fewer men than women, the 68-year-old rock legend was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008.  Thankfully, he’s been cancer-free going on seven years.

Criss now has been chosen as one of Hard Rock International’s Artist Ambassadors for the 2014 edition of its Pinktober campaign held in conjunction with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Peter is helping to spread the word that men also can be stricken with the disease.

At a recent New York City launch party for the initiative, the drummer told ABC News Radio that he appreciates the chance to team with the Hard Rock organization to help get the message out there.

“I’m really proud that the Hard Rock is getting involved with this with me, because for a while there, you kind of feel like you’re alone,” he explained.  “You know, you’re out there and you’re trying to get the word spread that ‘guys can get it, guys can get it.’  I feel like I’m with the big guys now.”

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Justin Tedaldi | Examiner

Jody Havenot

Michael Sedon | Staten Island Advance

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — KISS’s Peter Criss is a rock ‘n’ roll legend — a man’s man teens idolize and men want to be.

But for a year, he kept a secret because he didn’t know how fans would view him.

Criss is a breast cancer survivor.

“It was embarrassing to talk about, because it’s not a man thing,” Criss told more than 100 students and faculty members gathered in St. John’s University’s Kelleher Center on Thursday for an event to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

After discovering a painful lump while working out six years ago, he visited his doctor, who initially told him it was nothing to worry about before diagnosing him.

“I was freaked out,” Criss said. “Immediately, I went ‘What? Men don’t get breast cancer.'”

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TMZ