Kiss News

By Cory Wolfe and Cam Fuller

Rock star Gene Simmons is trading his guitar for a goalie stick.

The KISS bassist and reality TV star plans to play puckstopper during an intermission shootout next Friday when the Saskatoon Blades face the Portland Winterhawks at Credit Union Centre.

"He'll be dressing up in goalie gear from head to toe," said Brittany Loraas, the Blades' manager of game-day operations, "and during the second intermission, we'll have three guys take shots at him."By Cory Wolfe and Cam Fuller

Rock star Gene Simmons is trading his guitar for a goalie stick.

The KISS bassist and reality TV star plans to play puckstopper during an intermission shootout next Friday when the Saskatoon Blades face the Portland Winterhawks at Credit Union Centre.

"He'll be dressing up in goalie gear from head to toe," said Brittany Loraas, the Blades' manager of game-day operations, "and during the second intermission, we'll have three guys take shots at him."

Simmons is bringing his reality show, Family Jewels, to Saskatoon where his actress wife, Shannon Tweed, attended Mount Royal Collegiate. The show's producers confirmed Friday they'll be shooting an episode here from Nov. 12-15.

"A lot of it is just going to be a walk down memory lane," said Natalie Gecht, part of the show's production team.

Producers have put out a call for anyone who attended Mount Royal while Tweed was there. Alumni from 1972 to 1975 are encouraged to contact the show. You don't have to have been a close friend of Tweed to take part -- if you sat beside her in science, that's good enough, Gecht said. You're asked to send your name and phone number to the following e-mail address: [email protected]. Deadline is Nov. 11.

The episode will air on A&E as part of the show's sixth season, due to start in early spring of 2011.

The Blades couldn't confirm whether the hockey game would be part of the show but they have invited Tweed to perform a ceremonial faceoff. The CUC atmosphere promises to be a little bit country and a little bit rock 'n' roll because the Blades were already planning to wear denim-look jerseys to promote the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Canadian Finals. The PBR event comes to town Nov. 19-20, and Asquith bull rider Aaron Roy is also taking part in Friday's pre-game festivities.

"With it being PBR Night, we're already expecting a big crowd," said Loraas, "but having Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed in the building will hopefully fill it up."

News of their visit came as a surprise to the Blades' staff earlier this week. Team president Jack Brodsky got a phone call from local tourism officials and promptly began planning to host the celebrities.

"It's an honour for us to be a part of that," said Brodsky. "We're excited about it and we know that the citizens of Saskatoon will be excited about it, too."

Simmons returns to CUC almost exactly a year after he and KISS played a sold-out show at the venue. Last year's Nov. 10 concert drew 13,000-plus fans. The Blades likely won't get those kind of numbers, but the team is expecting Friday's crowd to far exceed their season average of 4,000.

Move over Justin Bieber - Scotland's 12-year-old rock star, Kieran Robertson, would rather listen to Kiss.

Many children idolise Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, but not so many would name Paul Stanley, the anti-drugs rhythm guitarist of glam-rock super group Kiss, as their hero. Yet this is who 12-year-old Kieran Robertson wants to be.

"Kiss put on a great show and that's definitely the thing I'd like to do," said Kieran. "They have fireworks and jump about. Paul Stanley, my idol, doesn't do drugs, doesn't drink, he flies into the audience because he believes the audience and the band should be one, which is also what I think.

"A lot of people find it nervous to jump about on stage but I'm the opposite - I find it nervous to just stand still. A few people will think you're an idiot but the other five hundred think: 'This kid's pretty cool'. Once you've got a few of the girls pointing at people, you know, it pays off later."Move over Justin Bieber - Scotland's 12-year-old rock star, Kieran Robertson, would rather listen to Kiss

Many children idolise Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, but not so many would name Paul Stanley, the anti-drugs rhythm guitarist of glam-rock super group Kiss, as their hero. Yet this is who 12-year-old Kieran Robertson wants to be.

"Kiss put on a great show and that's definitely the thing I'd like to do," said Kieran. "They have fireworks and jump about. Paul Stanley, my idol, doesn't do drugs, doesn't drink, he flies into the audience because he believes the audience and the band should be one, which is also what I think.

"A lot of people find it nervous to jump about on stage but I'm the opposite - I find it nervous to just stand still. A few people will think you're an idiot but the other five hundred think: 'This kid's pretty cool'. Once you've got a few of the girls pointing at people, you know, it pays off later."

_______________________________

Kieran's road to rock stardom began at an Iron Maiden concert when he sat atop his dad's shoulders in the centre of a mosh-pit. The band's guitarist pointed right at him and he knew then what his future held. His band, Juniors Wailing, have now played in front of 3,400.

"I got my first ever guitar when I was about five," he told The Hour. "I started playing when I was about seven and at first I was thinking I'll never be able to do this, it was taking for ages, but I had a lot of patience and my dad taught me up until whatever he knew.

"First I just strummed and made noise until I could play a few chords, then you pick up a lot of stuff after you know a wee bit. You can't be a rock star without learning to play guitar."