Letters

In March of 1975, I was a 14 year old kid in S.E. Wisconsin. I scored tickets to my 1st concert. I had no idea what to expect as I had never even sen a band live in any context at this point in my life. I had only seen pictures and articles in Creem and Circus magazine. The band I was going to see that night was...KISS!!!! I don't remember the drive to the concert. It was in an old ice skating rink in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I don't even know if the place is still there. I got there early enough to get a great place to stand (general admission in those days) no seats. I remember the ceiling being low eough that the KISS sign could not be hung from behind the stage. It was on top of one of the P.A. columns. The opening act was a band from Canada that I had never heard of, Rush. I think they went on to have a little success. I still can recall the excitement as starting time grew near. I was in the front pressed against a plywood barrier 3 feet from the stage. Then it happened, the house lights went down, smoke billowed onto the stage and into the audience, in a flash there they were! I had only seen pics of the band but, seeing them live was, in a word, amazing!!! They looked like comic book superheroes come to life. To a 14 year old it was if aliens had landed as the flashpots exploded and the volume swallowed you up! They looked 10 feet tall and dangerous. I loved it. I got splattered with fake blood, the heat from the flames warmed every part of me, I caught a guitar pick and then some big dude snatched it out of my hands! I watched as the flames and flashpots scorched the low ceiling (Fire Marshalls, we don't need no stinking Fire Marshalls)!!! When it was all over, I knew my life had changed. I wanted to be a musician, I wanted to rock!!!! To say KISS changed my life would be an understatement. Up until that night I had no idea where my life would lead me. After that night, I got a guitar and learned to play. Because of KISS, music has become the life. Nearly 37 years later I took my son to his 1st concert. Who was it? KISS!!! Now my son has started to play the guitar. His favorite band? KISS!!! Thank you KISS for changing my life! Todd"Noize" Voss