Mitch Lafon
In episode 39 of One On One with Mitch Lafon. Mitch talks to former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick about the Rock For Ruben benefit taking place in Los Angeles on August 20th. Bruce also reflects on the late Eric Carr and the recent passing of guitarist Dick Wagner. Follow Bruce Kulick on Twitter: @brucekulick
Four By Fate, featuring Frehley’s Comet vocalist/guitarist Tod Howarth, bassist John Regan (Frehley’s Comet, Peter Frampton), drummer Stet Howland (W.A.S.P., Lita Ford) and guitarist Sean Kelly (Crash Kelly, Helix) performed at the Alcatrazz Festival in Belgium on August 9th. Fan-filmed video, courtesy of LadyLexje, of the songs “Into The Night” and “Time Ain’t Running Out” can be seen below.
In other news, FxF are “Happy to announce that studio time has been confirmed for September 16th…whereby Four By Fate will confer, converse, and otherwise hobnob for about a week, whilst creating mirth, mayhem, and some serious new music! Thanks to everyone for your patience, and support… like a great meal, great music takes time! We’re gonna rock like a big dog!”
Gene Simmons is a tough signer — hardly signs at all, really — but that doesn’t stop Gio from breaking him down on the streets of NYC while Gene is live in the flesh on GTV! Persistence pays off!
John Bohlinger | Premier Guitar
Not many bands can claim as much influence on today’s hard rock and metal scene as the makeup-wearing, blood-spitting, pyro-shooting foursome. PG caught up with current guitarist Tommy Thayer, along with Francis and Michael Berger, to dig into all the axes (in some cases, literally), effects, and amps that the band brought out on their 2014 tour with Def Leppard.
Gibson had just delivered a new white Les Paul Custom that could see some
considerable onstage time.
Visit PremierGuitar.com to see the entire amazing in-depth article!
Michael Brandvold
Terry X | Strange Ways
Episode 31 finds your KISS Army bro joined by Mike Brandvold from Three Sides of the Coin to discuss the hottest band in the land..KISS!!! We delve into Mike’s own personal KISSTORY, plus plenty of KISS related topics, and even a mini what-if?!! Enjoy, KISS Army!!!
Mitch Lafon
Blabbermouth
A short commercial for “Space Invader”, the first new solo album from original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley in five years, can be seen below. The CD will be released in North America on August 19 via Entertainment
One Music (eOne Music). The effort, which will be made available in Europe on August 18 (three days earlier in Germany and Scandinavia) through SPV/Steamhammer, will include 11 brand new original songs as well as a cover of Steve Miller‘s “The Joker”.
“Space Invader” European track listings:
Limited digipack CD including 2 bonus tracks and poster
01. Space Invader
02. Gimme A Feelin’ (radio edit)
03. I Wanna Hold You
04. Change
05. Toys
06. Immortal Pleasures
07. Inside The Vortex
08. What Every Girl Wants
09. Past The Milky Way
10. Reckless
11. The Joker
12. Starship
Bonus tracks:
13. The Joker (extended version)
14. Reckless (different remix version)
Chris Riemenschneider | Star Tribune
No surprise: Gene Simmons ate up a lot of our interview time singing the praise of his biggest fan. Yep, Gene Simmons.
More surprising, Kiss’ tongue-wagging, demon-faced co-founder also had nice — or at least not entirely antagonistic — things to say about two of his least favorite subjects of late, Kiss’ ex-members and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Also a bit of a shocker, he actually had a memory of the band’s very first Minnesota show 40 years ago, a reminder of his status as one of rock’s greatest teetotalers. (Most rock legends can’t remember last week’s gigs.)
The 65-year-old bassist, singer, reality-TV star and man of 5,000 groupies called two weeks ago from Los Angeles minutes before hopping on a jet to make weekend gigs in New Jersey. As the group has done for the past several summers, Kiss paired up for the summer with one of the ’80s bands it influenced, Def Leppard, a tour that lands Sunday at Target Center.
Simmons’ usually feisty demeanor was tempered by news that morning of the death of Dick Wagner, an Alice Cooper and Lou Reed sideman who played “ghost guitar” on Kiss’ most revered album, “Destroyer.”
David Gordon | Theater Mania
KISS front man Paul Stanley and his family took in the Broadway production of Disney’s Aladdin at theNew Amsterdam Theatre on Thursday, August 7. Following the performance, Stanley visited stars Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed backstage to pose for some fun photos.
david gordon
Mike Ayers | Speakeasy
Earlier this week, Gene Simmons told Speakeasy that his new AMC AMCX +1.53%reality show, “4th and Loud,” was an up-close, personal look at guys trying to make it in the world of Arena League Football – specifically, with his new franchise, the L.A. Kiss. Surprisingly, Simmons wasn’t all that concerned with bringing loyal KISS fans into the sports world. “We want new fans,” he said. “Sports fans will take care of themselves.”
As you’d expect, one can’t launch a football team without getting the rest of the league on board. In this exclusive clip from “4th and Loud,” see how Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons presented themselves to the league owners – and bring that on-stage confidence they’ve cultivated for over 40 years into a stuffy board room. The meeting appears to get tense for a moment, but in the owners’ defense, it’s probably pretty surreal to have two founding KISS members tell you that they want to be successful football owners.
“4th and Loud” premieres on AMC on Tuesday, August 12 at 9 p.m. Watch the clip.
Verne Gay | Newsday
THE SHOW “4th and Loud”
WHEN | WHERE Tuesdays at 9 p.m., AMC
WHAT IT’S ABOUT Almost exactly a year ago, Kiss frontmen Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons — along with manager Doc McGhee and Arena Football League executive Bret Bouchy — bought a Los Angeles Arena Football League expansion team, and quickly named it — what else? — the LA Kiss. Coaches and players were hired — tonight the 24-man roster is put together — and a future begins to take shape, which this doc-series will track. And what a future: Simmons and Stanley decided to impose Kiss style and energy on the team, which was smart, perhaps, from a marketing standpoint, but perhaps not from a winning one. The Kiss had a very rough first season — three wins, 15 losses. As such, this series may not have a happy ending, at least for the first season.
MY SAY Deep, deep in the shadow of the NFL is the AFL — arena football, well hidden to most except dedicated fans who like its pace (fast) and scoring (high). Games are played in pocket-size stadiums (arenas, if you will) by talented players who, nonetheless, were not quite talented enough to play in the NFL.
Chad Bowar | Loud Wire
KISS icons Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are part owners of the L.A. Kiss arena football team, and a new reality show ’4th and Loud’ will chronicle the team’s inaugural season. The program debuts Aug. 12 on AMC.
The 10 hour-long episodes will follow owners Stanley and Simmons, along with long-time manager Doc McGhee, other team executives and of course, players and coaches as they try to turn L.A.’s first professional football team in years into a winning franchise.
“We are thrilled to partner with AMC in bringing our show to the viewing public,” Stanley says. “Anyone who knows Gene and I know we have never played by the rules. This opportunity to see the making of our team of rebels, the LA KISS, from behind the scenes will once again show everyone that we play to win.”
The first three ’4th and Loud’ webisodes are now available (watch below). The first one ‘Meet the Owners’ features Stanley and Simmons. The other two introduce viewers to the team’s players and coaches that will be featured on the show. You can also watch a trailer for the series below.
KISS are currently on tour with Def Leppard. That trek wraps up Aug. 31 in Woodlands, Texas. On Nov. 5, they’ll begin a Las Vegas residency at the The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for nine shows.
Michael Brandvold
Even when it seems everyone is opposed to something as awful as Donald Sterling’s racist rant, everyone isn’t always on the same page. In an interview forThe Wall Street Journal, Kiss’ Gene Simmons expressed his support for the former Los Angeles Clippers owner.
In doing press for the new AMC series 4th and Loud — about the Kiss-branded Arena Football League team L.A. Kiss — Simmons was asked if he had followed the Sterling incident.
“I’m on the side of Don Sterling,” he replied, before his position was even asked. Although he admits that Sterling is “heinous,” he opines that he should have been let off with a fine, since the rant occurred in private.
Joe Polo
I had so many problems with my computer! I got them fixed and here is the episode I couldn’t get out in time for my 1 year party!!
Mike Adams | Banana1015
Cadillac, Michigan became the adopted home of the legendary rock band KISS back in 1974, after the group showed up in the small town to lend several days of support to the high school football team. Since then, the people of Cadillac have held KISS in high regard, and the experience was such a memorable occasion that a movie called ‘Cadillac High’ is now in the works.
According to reports, Gene Simmons confirmed last week that KISS is about to begin production for the film, which was originally proposed by the Michigan Film Office back in 2012. However, as with any film, finding the proper financial support kept production from immediately moving forward. “It’s now been fully funded and it’s now in pre-production,” Simmons told MLive. “The only date or timeline [for a release] I can give would be a guess.”
Philip Steuer, who is best known for his work on ‘Interview with a Vampire’, ‘Narnia’ and ‘Saving Mr. Banks’, will produce ‘Cadillac High’. The film is expected to employ 205 Michigan residents and will spend over $27 million, according to data from the Michigan Film Office.
To learn more about when KISS visited Cadillac, Michigan, be sure to check out the video above.
Eric Lacy | mlive
DETROIT, MI — The phone conversation last week started a bit awkward.
Me: “Hi Gene! My name is Eric Lacy and I’m a reporter with MLive.com. We own eight newspapers in the state of Michigan and cover Detroit entertainment.”
Gene Simmons: “I’m sorry.”
Fortunately KISS’ on-stage demon warmed up quickly after I asked him to reflect on the impact the Motor City made in the early 70s when the band needed some love.
“We broke in Detroit before any other city,” Simmons said quietly, seemingly with conviction. “We did it even though we’re from New York.
I caught up with Simmons last week to find out more about the band’s relationship with Detroit and Michigan through the years, its future that includes a variety of projects and a current tour with Def Leppard.
The tour makes an Aug. 23 stop at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston.
During the chat, Simmons broke some news when he revealed that a movie about KISS’ 1975 visit to Cadillac, Mich. is fully-funded and in pre-production.
Enjoy the interview and feel free to post any questions/reaction in the comments section below.
What does playing in Detroit mean to you after all these years knowing this city helped get the band popular across the country?
It was the heartland of America because America was built on wheels. Without cars and trucks and stuff like that, we wouldn’t have the structure of the highways and everything else. Detroit was the heartbeat of that; it was the Motor City. And it wasn’t just the home of Americans working their butts off so that the rest of us could ride in comfort and create the infrastructure, but also the home of America’s music, this kind of amalgam of R&B, soul and Motown.