Letters

Hello! My name is Shawn Inmon and I play "The Demon" in a KISS Tribute Band called KISS II. I'm wondering if you have any information on when the earliest KISS Tribute bands may have formed, because I think it's possible we are it! My best friend, Jerry Weible (Starchild) and I formed KISS II after seeing KISS for the first time on the Paul Lynde Halloween Special in 1976. We formed our band the next day and gave our first performance at a local Talent Show in January 1977. We traveled our local area giving concerts (and donating the proceeds) until we graduated in 1978. The band was dormant for many years, until we were asked to re-form for a benefit concert last year, 32 years after we "retired." We had so much fun with those concerts that we've continued playing whenever we get the chance. The "new" KISS II lineup includes our friend Jeff Johnson as "The Cat" and Jerry's daughter Brittany Weible as "The Spaceman." Is it possible we are the first KISS Tribute band? I have a copy of a newspaper clipping with our picture in it and our names listed if you'd ever like to see it. Oh, and one other thing makes us unique... we lip-sync to actual live KISS songs... we knew we could never sound as good as the originals! Thanks! Shawn