09/17/2010
KISS in San Antonio
Kiss News
09/17/2010
KISS IN DALLAS-AREA SATURDAY
KISS still wants to rock 'n' roll all night, and party every day
Don and Sharon Chance / Times Record News
When one of the most legendary and long-lasting rock bands in music history needs someone to replace an original member, very few musicians can step into such a position without causing obvious changes to the band and its sound.
But when Tommy Thayer was called on to take on the lead guitar chores for the departing Ace Frehley in the KISS lineup, it was as natural to him as playing in his own successful group, the moderately successful KISS-inspired band Black and Blue.
The always flamboyant KISS will headline Rock'N The Park at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, Saturday. Other groups on the bill are Pat Green, Daughtry and Drowning Pool. The music kicks off at 1 p.m. and is set to run until 11:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $59.92 and go up to $111.76.
KISS still wants to rock 'n' roll all night, and party every day
Don and Sharon Chance / Times Record News
When one of the most legendary and long-lasting rock bands in music history needs someone to replace an original member, very few musicians can step into such a position without causing obvious changes to the band and its sound.
But when Tommy Thayer was called on to take on the lead guitar chores for the departing Ace Frehley in the KISS lineup, it was as natural to him as playing in his own successful group, the moderately successful KISS-inspired band Black and Blue.
The always flamboyant KISS will headline Rock'N The Park at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, Saturday. Other groups on the bill are Pat Green, Daughtry and Drowning Pool. The music kicks off at 1 p.m. and is set to run until 11:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $59.92 and go up to $111.76.
According to Thayer, the KISS show features a new opening, new visual and pyrotechnic effects and even more over-the-top rock antics than ever before.
"We know that money isn't easy these days, and if the fans pay the money for a concert, we want the value to be there," Thayer said from his home Thousand Oaks, Calif. "With KISS, you don't need to worry about that. We don't stand around looking at our toes. We are out there working."
Growing up in Oregon, Thayer said he always wanted to be the lead guitarist in a successful band. And he was as surprised as anyone when it actually happened.
"It's a strange thing where life will take you sometimes," he said. "In this case, it's quite spectacular. To grow up and just be a rock 'n' roll fan in general, and a band like KISS and all the other great bands of the '70s, and then 30 years later, finding yourself playing in the band as the lead guitar player - it's mind-blowing."
Thayer said he first met KISS when Black and Blue opened concerts for the band in the 1980s. He and KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons became friends, and Simmons asked Thayer to produce several KISS projects. When Black and Blue eventually ran its course, Thayer said he was just looking to get into the business side of the music industry when Simmons offered him a job in KISS management.
In addition to filling a wide variety of roles in the organization, Thayer served as a road manager for a couple of KISS tours. Even so, he had no idea he would ever do more for KISS than work within the management team. But when the guitar slot opened in 2002, Thayer became, as he said, the "heir to the throne" vacated by Ace Frehley.
"The ironic part is I never aspired to be the lead guitar player in KISS," Thayer said, "it just happened in a very strange way. I just kind of stepped into it."
Thayer said he sees his job as being faithful to the classic KISS guitar sound as originated by Frehley, because that's what the fans expect.
"Sometimes people confuse that with being a clone," Thayer said. "But it's really important. The objective is to play these original parts as they were written and recorded back in the '70s. I take a lot of pride of actually doing that very well. But then it's a combination. When we did 'Sonic Boom' last year, the studio record, I had the opportunity then to add some of my own flavor in there, as well. We aren't trying to reinvent the wheel here, but I do get to inject a little bit of Tommy Thayer in it along the way. It's a fine balance."
Thayer said that even after eight years, he can still find himself deeply awed by his job.
"I was on stage last week doing the show," he said. "We've got 18,000 screaming crazy fans in front of us, and I look over and there is Paul Stanley, and beyond him is Gene Simmons. And I'm thinking, 'That's pretty cool.' These are guys that I grew up being a big fan of when I was in junior high school and high school, and it's very gratifying being in this position. You have to pinch yourself sometimes and wonder how you got here in the first place. It does come down to being very dedicated and working hard at things in your life."
The success of Gene Simmons' A&E Network TV show, "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," has caused a resurgence in KISS popularity, and Thayer said the response from new fans of the band has been phenomenal over the past two years. Even the band has to "step back and scratch our heads and say, 'How is this happening?'," he said.
Huge corporate tie-ins with companies such as Dr Pepper, M&Ms and 7-Eleven have made the band one of the most visible in the business, and Thayer said those connections generate even more new fans.
"You get word out there that there is this great band that's rocking it and doing this amazing show unlike any other, and kids are coming out to see that," he said. "And they are being blown away just like they were in the '70s, the '80s and the '90s. But it's not just a teenage crowd - it's not just one demographic, like it was before - KISS today is multigenerational. There are four or five generations out there, and that's what makes it so powerful for us."
But KISS is always KISS, Thayer pointed out.
"It's a very solid thing," he said. "The makeup, the outfits, the whole look has been solidified over the years now, and it doesn't change."
Don and Sharon Chance / Times Record News
When one of the most legendary and long-lasting rock bands in music history needs someone to replace an original member, very few musicians can step into such a position without causing obvious changes to the band and its sound.
But when Tommy Thayer was called on to take on the lead guitar chores for the departing Ace Frehley in the KISS lineup, it was as natural to him as playing in his own successful group, the moderately successful KISS-inspired band Black and Blue.
The always flamboyant KISS will headline Rock'N The Park at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, Saturday. Other groups on the bill are Pat Green, Daughtry and Drowning Pool. The music kicks off at 1 p.m. and is set to run until 11:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $59.92 and go up to $111.76.
KISS still wants to rock 'n' roll all night, and party every day
Don and Sharon Chance / Times Record News
When one of the most legendary and long-lasting rock bands in music history needs someone to replace an original member, very few musicians can step into such a position without causing obvious changes to the band and its sound.
But when Tommy Thayer was called on to take on the lead guitar chores for the departing Ace Frehley in the KISS lineup, it was as natural to him as playing in his own successful group, the moderately successful KISS-inspired band Black and Blue.
The always flamboyant KISS will headline Rock'N The Park at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, Saturday. Other groups on the bill are Pat Green, Daughtry and Drowning Pool. The music kicks off at 1 p.m. and is set to run until 11:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $59.92 and go up to $111.76.
According to Thayer, the KISS show features a new opening, new visual and pyrotechnic effects and even more over-the-top rock antics than ever before.
"We know that money isn't easy these days, and if the fans pay the money for a concert, we want the value to be there," Thayer said from his home Thousand Oaks, Calif. "With KISS, you don't need to worry about that. We don't stand around looking at our toes. We are out there working."
Growing up in Oregon, Thayer said he always wanted to be the lead guitarist in a successful band. And he was as surprised as anyone when it actually happened.
"It's a strange thing where life will take you sometimes," he said. "In this case, it's quite spectacular. To grow up and just be a rock 'n' roll fan in general, and a band like KISS and all the other great bands of the '70s, and then 30 years later, finding yourself playing in the band as the lead guitar player - it's mind-blowing."
Thayer said he first met KISS when Black and Blue opened concerts for the band in the 1980s. He and KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons became friends, and Simmons asked Thayer to produce several KISS projects. When Black and Blue eventually ran its course, Thayer said he was just looking to get into the business side of the music industry when Simmons offered him a job in KISS management.
In addition to filling a wide variety of roles in the organization, Thayer served as a road manager for a couple of KISS tours. Even so, he had no idea he would ever do more for KISS than work within the management team. But when the guitar slot opened in 2002, Thayer became, as he said, the "heir to the throne" vacated by Ace Frehley.
"The ironic part is I never aspired to be the lead guitar player in KISS," Thayer said, "it just happened in a very strange way. I just kind of stepped into it."
Thayer said he sees his job as being faithful to the classic KISS guitar sound as originated by Frehley, because that's what the fans expect.
"Sometimes people confuse that with being a clone," Thayer said. "But it's really important. The objective is to play these original parts as they were written and recorded back in the '70s. I take a lot of pride of actually doing that very well. But then it's a combination. When we did 'Sonic Boom' last year, the studio record, I had the opportunity then to add some of my own flavor in there, as well. We aren't trying to reinvent the wheel here, but I do get to inject a little bit of Tommy Thayer in it along the way. It's a fine balance."
Thayer said that even after eight years, he can still find himself deeply awed by his job.
"I was on stage last week doing the show," he said. "We've got 18,000 screaming crazy fans in front of us, and I look over and there is Paul Stanley, and beyond him is Gene Simmons. And I'm thinking, 'That's pretty cool.' These are guys that I grew up being a big fan of when I was in junior high school and high school, and it's very gratifying being in this position. You have to pinch yourself sometimes and wonder how you got here in the first place. It does come down to being very dedicated and working hard at things in your life."
The success of Gene Simmons' A&E Network TV show, "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," has caused a resurgence in KISS popularity, and Thayer said the response from new fans of the band has been phenomenal over the past two years. Even the band has to "step back and scratch our heads and say, 'How is this happening?'," he said.
Huge corporate tie-ins with companies such as Dr Pepper, M&Ms and 7-Eleven have made the band one of the most visible in the business, and Thayer said those connections generate even more new fans.
"You get word out there that there is this great band that's rocking it and doing this amazing show unlike any other, and kids are coming out to see that," he said. "And they are being blown away just like they were in the '70s, the '80s and the '90s. But it's not just a teenage crowd - it's not just one demographic, like it was before - KISS today is multigenerational. There are four or five generations out there, and that's what makes it so powerful for us."
But KISS is always KISS, Thayer pointed out.
"It's a very solid thing," he said. "The makeup, the outfits, the whole look has been solidified over the years now, and it doesn't change."
09/17/2010
LATEST KISS MERCHANDISE
09/17/2010
KISS BRINGS HOTTEST SHOW ON EARTH TO UTAH
KISS brings Hottest Show on Earth to Sandy
By David Burger
The Salt Lake Tribune
In 1974, Tommy Thayer's mother and father became the coolest parents on the block when they gave him KISS' first album for Christmas.
On the cover were the intimidating, dangerous faces of Paul Stanley as "The Starchild," Peter Criss as "The Catman," Ace Frehley as "The Spaceman" and a howling Gene Simmons as "The Demon."
Thayer said his parents were progressive and didn't think listening to KISS would turn him into a deviant.
They were right. In fact, listening to that first album, and every successive KISS album released, got Thayer a job.
He is now the lead guitarist of KISS, which is performing in Sandy on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
KISS brings Hottest Show on Earth to Sandy
By David Burger
The Salt Lake Tribune
In 1974, Tommy Thayer's mother and father became the coolest parents on the block when they gave him KISS' first album for Christmas.
On the cover were the intimidating, dangerous faces of Paul Stanley as "The Starchild," Peter Criss as "The Catman," Ace Frehley as "The Spaceman" and a howling Gene Simmons as "The Demon."
Thayer said his parents were progressive and didn't think listening to KISS would turn him into a deviant.
They were right. In fact, listening to that first album, and every successive KISS album released, got Thayer a job.
He is now the lead guitarist of KISS, which is performing in Sandy on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
The last time the band rocked Utah was at Rice-Eccles Stadium during the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. It was the last show for original lead guitarist Frehley. Thayer joined the band a short time after that.
Throughout its 37-year career, KISS has sold 80 million albums and played in front of millions of fans. It has even become a part of American pop culture, shilling for Dr Pepper and allowing Simmons his own reality show.
KISS calls the tour "The Hottest Show on Earth," and while it may no longer be dangerous, fans can still expect the liberal use of pyrotechnics.
It also "is the loudest show on Earth," says Shaun Frank, lead singer of opening act The Envy. "You need earplugs or you'll suffer hearing damage." The Canadian rock band was the first to sign a deal on Simmons' record label. Also on the bill is the Illinois emo-rock band The Academy Is ... .
Thayer had been a part of the 1980s hair-metal band Black N' Blue. Simmons was a fan of the band, even producing Black N' Blue's third album, "Nasty Nasty," in 1986. The band was an opening act on KISS' "Asylum" tour from 1985 into 1986.
Black N' Blue dissolved in 1989, and several years later Thayer and Black N' Blue lead singer Jaime St. James began a KISS tribute band called Cold Gin. They used the knowledge Thayer had gained as a teenager blasting "KISS Alive" every day after school.
"Just for fun, we played gigs around L.A.," Thayer said. "Paul and Gene would come to the shows, and we'd all laugh together."
After Cold Gin played Stanley's birthday party one year, Simmons offered Thayer a job as his personal assistant, which Thayer quickly accepted.
When the band parted ways with Frehley in 2002, Thayer was the natural replacement.
Thayer, 49, remembered the uproar among some in the KISS Army when he wore "The Spaceman" makeup that had made Frehley's face a fixture in KISS mythology. Although some considered it "blasphemy," Thayer proudly wore the makeup.
"I never had trepidation about it," he said. "When you have an iconic brand and band for 30 years, you don't mess with it."
Each member of the band still applies his own makeup, Thayer said.
"For an hour or two, we listen to our favorite music," he said. "It's part of the ritual. It's part of the bonding. We put our war paint on."
By David Burger
The Salt Lake Tribune
In 1974, Tommy Thayer's mother and father became the coolest parents on the block when they gave him KISS' first album for Christmas.
On the cover were the intimidating, dangerous faces of Paul Stanley as "The Starchild," Peter Criss as "The Catman," Ace Frehley as "The Spaceman" and a howling Gene Simmons as "The Demon."
Thayer said his parents were progressive and didn't think listening to KISS would turn him into a deviant.
They were right. In fact, listening to that first album, and every successive KISS album released, got Thayer a job.
He is now the lead guitarist of KISS, which is performing in Sandy on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
KISS brings Hottest Show on Earth to Sandy
By David Burger
The Salt Lake Tribune
In 1974, Tommy Thayer's mother and father became the coolest parents on the block when they gave him KISS' first album for Christmas.
On the cover were the intimidating, dangerous faces of Paul Stanley as "The Starchild," Peter Criss as "The Catman," Ace Frehley as "The Spaceman" and a howling Gene Simmons as "The Demon."
Thayer said his parents were progressive and didn't think listening to KISS would turn him into a deviant.
They were right. In fact, listening to that first album, and every successive KISS album released, got Thayer a job.
He is now the lead guitarist of KISS, which is performing in Sandy on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
The last time the band rocked Utah was at Rice-Eccles Stadium during the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. It was the last show for original lead guitarist Frehley. Thayer joined the band a short time after that.
Throughout its 37-year career, KISS has sold 80 million albums and played in front of millions of fans. It has even become a part of American pop culture, shilling for Dr Pepper and allowing Simmons his own reality show.
KISS calls the tour "The Hottest Show on Earth," and while it may no longer be dangerous, fans can still expect the liberal use of pyrotechnics.
It also "is the loudest show on Earth," says Shaun Frank, lead singer of opening act The Envy. "You need earplugs or you'll suffer hearing damage." The Canadian rock band was the first to sign a deal on Simmons' record label. Also on the bill is the Illinois emo-rock band The Academy Is ... .
Thayer had been a part of the 1980s hair-metal band Black N' Blue. Simmons was a fan of the band, even producing Black N' Blue's third album, "Nasty Nasty," in 1986. The band was an opening act on KISS' "Asylum" tour from 1985 into 1986.
Black N' Blue dissolved in 1989, and several years later Thayer and Black N' Blue lead singer Jaime St. James began a KISS tribute band called Cold Gin. They used the knowledge Thayer had gained as a teenager blasting "KISS Alive" every day after school.
"Just for fun, we played gigs around L.A.," Thayer said. "Paul and Gene would come to the shows, and we'd all laugh together."
After Cold Gin played Stanley's birthday party one year, Simmons offered Thayer a job as his personal assistant, which Thayer quickly accepted.
When the band parted ways with Frehley in 2002, Thayer was the natural replacement.
Thayer, 49, remembered the uproar among some in the KISS Army when he wore "The Spaceman" makeup that had made Frehley's face a fixture in KISS mythology. Although some considered it "blasphemy," Thayer proudly wore the makeup.
"I never had trepidation about it," he said. "When you have an iconic brand and band for 30 years, you don't mess with it."
Each member of the band still applies his own makeup, Thayer said.
"For an hour or two, we listen to our favorite music," he said. "It's part of the ritual. It's part of the bonding. We put our war paint on."
09/17/2010
KISS IN AFGHANISTAN
09/17/2010
ERIC SINGER IN WWE MAGAZINE
09/16/2010
KISS TO HEAT UP THE NIGHT
By Jim Beal Jr. - Express-News
The current Kiss tour is called The Hottest Show on Earth. And the band has been working across the country in some of the hottest weather going.
Still, guitarist, singer and songwriter Paul Stanley has, without complaint, been donning what he calls "the uniform," pulling up his boots, painting the star over his right eye and hitting the stages.
"It's murder," he said from an Atlanta tour stop. "But I'm in Kiss. Every night is my moment of glory. That's what sets us apart. We'll do our shows if it's 40 degrees or 140 degrees. If you can't do what you're supposed to, give the money back."
Sunday, Kiss - Stanley, bassist/tongue wielder Gene Simmons, Eric Singer (drums) and Tommy Thayer (guitar) - will take over the AT&T Center. It's a safe bet the Kiss Army will be out in force.
By Jim Beal Jr. - Express-News
The current Kiss tour is called The Hottest Show on Earth. And the band has been working across the country in some of the hottest weather going.
Still, guitarist, singer and songwriter Paul Stanley has, without complaint, been donning what he calls "the uniform," pulling up his boots, painting the star over his right eye and hitting the stages.
"It's murder," he said from an Atlanta tour stop. "But I'm in Kiss. Every night is my moment of glory. That's what sets us apart. We'll do our shows if it's 40 degrees or 140 degrees. If you can't do what you're supposed to, give the money back."
Sunday, Kiss - Stanley, bassist/tongue wielder Gene Simmons, Eric Singer (drums) and Tommy Thayer (guitar) - will take over the AT&T Center. It's a safe bet the Kiss Army will be out in force.
"I think there's a big difference between rock bands and Kiss," Stanley said. "Rock bands tend to be very age specific, but Kiss is tribal. A Kiss concert is like a meeting of the world's biggest secret society. Everyone is in it together. It's cool to go to a Kiss concert and see your neighbors and the people from down the block."
That Kiss Army doesn't have to ponder the meaning of Kiss songs.
"We sing about self-empowerment," Stanley said. "Our songs are about believing in yourself and celebrating being alive. It's not deep, but it's profound in its simplicity. Let other people tell you how to save the world and save the whales. That's great, but we all need a night off."
That said, Kiss is involved in social projects. $1 from each ticket goes to the Wounded Warrior Project.
"We're at about $300,000 right now," Stanley said. "The people we're giving the money to are the people who make freedom possible. They're coming back home broken in body or spirit, and we're trying to help them heal. It's a Kiss initiative, but I explain every night that we're happy to be making that donation and that our fans can make more of a donation. Don't give 'til it hurts. Give 'til it feels good."
The Hottest Show features chestnuts such as "Detroit Rock City" and "Rock & Roll All Nite" as well as tunes from the latest CD, "Sonic Boom."
"It's difficult choosing the sets. There are obviously songs we have to play," Stanley said. "But we also have to change it up. So we're doing some songs we haven't done in a long time, including songs from the first album."
Kiss shows have long made use of technology.
"Technology can be a great thing or an instrument of strangulation," Stanley said. "We use technology to sharpen the blade, so to speak. We have video screens built into our amplifiers. But there are no moving sidewalks with male dancers jumping on each other while someone lip-synchs. I'd rather go to karaoke. At least at karaoke people are actually singing."
"An excuse I've heard for lip-synching is the singers say they can't dance around and sing at the same time. They either need to get a better vocal coach or work out more. Spend 35 years with Gene standing on your shoulders and you'll stay in shape."
Kiss is known for balancing music and a rock 'n' roll circus.
"The only people who question that are people who don't like us. They act like being a showman hides a deficiency. It's ridiculous," Stanley said.
Don't expect to see Stanley doing reality TV like "Gene Simmons Family Jewels." "To each his own," he said. "I'm too busy living real life. That pseudo lifestyle television is time consuming."
In his spare time, Stanley makes visual art, giclee on canvas, acrylic on canvas and sculptures. Subjects include self portraits, abstract landscapes, blues legend Robert Johnson and angels.
"My paintings are unbelievably successful," he said. "Painting started off as a diversion. It's something I do for myself. I don't paint on tour. I don't bring my brushes on stage, and I don't take my guitar in my art studio."
The current Kiss tour is called The Hottest Show on Earth. And the band has been working across the country in some of the hottest weather going.
Still, guitarist, singer and songwriter Paul Stanley has, without complaint, been donning what he calls "the uniform," pulling up his boots, painting the star over his right eye and hitting the stages.
"It's murder," he said from an Atlanta tour stop. "But I'm in Kiss. Every night is my moment of glory. That's what sets us apart. We'll do our shows if it's 40 degrees or 140 degrees. If you can't do what you're supposed to, give the money back."
Sunday, Kiss - Stanley, bassist/tongue wielder Gene Simmons, Eric Singer (drums) and Tommy Thayer (guitar) - will take over the AT&T Center. It's a safe bet the Kiss Army will be out in force.
By Jim Beal Jr. - Express-News
The current Kiss tour is called The Hottest Show on Earth. And the band has been working across the country in some of the hottest weather going.
Still, guitarist, singer and songwriter Paul Stanley has, without complaint, been donning what he calls "the uniform," pulling up his boots, painting the star over his right eye and hitting the stages.
"It's murder," he said from an Atlanta tour stop. "But I'm in Kiss. Every night is my moment of glory. That's what sets us apart. We'll do our shows if it's 40 degrees or 140 degrees. If you can't do what you're supposed to, give the money back."
Sunday, Kiss - Stanley, bassist/tongue wielder Gene Simmons, Eric Singer (drums) and Tommy Thayer (guitar) - will take over the AT&T Center. It's a safe bet the Kiss Army will be out in force.
"I think there's a big difference between rock bands and Kiss," Stanley said. "Rock bands tend to be very age specific, but Kiss is tribal. A Kiss concert is like a meeting of the world's biggest secret society. Everyone is in it together. It's cool to go to a Kiss concert and see your neighbors and the people from down the block."
That Kiss Army doesn't have to ponder the meaning of Kiss songs.
"We sing about self-empowerment," Stanley said. "Our songs are about believing in yourself and celebrating being alive. It's not deep, but it's profound in its simplicity. Let other people tell you how to save the world and save the whales. That's great, but we all need a night off."
That said, Kiss is involved in social projects. $1 from each ticket goes to the Wounded Warrior Project.
"We're at about $300,000 right now," Stanley said. "The people we're giving the money to are the people who make freedom possible. They're coming back home broken in body or spirit, and we're trying to help them heal. It's a Kiss initiative, but I explain every night that we're happy to be making that donation and that our fans can make more of a donation. Don't give 'til it hurts. Give 'til it feels good."
The Hottest Show features chestnuts such as "Detroit Rock City" and "Rock & Roll All Nite" as well as tunes from the latest CD, "Sonic Boom."
"It's difficult choosing the sets. There are obviously songs we have to play," Stanley said. "But we also have to change it up. So we're doing some songs we haven't done in a long time, including songs from the first album."
Kiss shows have long made use of technology.
"Technology can be a great thing or an instrument of strangulation," Stanley said. "We use technology to sharpen the blade, so to speak. We have video screens built into our amplifiers. But there are no moving sidewalks with male dancers jumping on each other while someone lip-synchs. I'd rather go to karaoke. At least at karaoke people are actually singing."
"An excuse I've heard for lip-synching is the singers say they can't dance around and sing at the same time. They either need to get a better vocal coach or work out more. Spend 35 years with Gene standing on your shoulders and you'll stay in shape."
Kiss is known for balancing music and a rock 'n' roll circus.
"The only people who question that are people who don't like us. They act like being a showman hides a deficiency. It's ridiculous," Stanley said.
Don't expect to see Stanley doing reality TV like "Gene Simmons Family Jewels." "To each his own," he said. "I'm too busy living real life. That pseudo lifestyle television is time consuming."
In his spare time, Stanley makes visual art, giclee on canvas, acrylic on canvas and sculptures. Subjects include self portraits, abstract landscapes, blues legend Robert Johnson and angels.
"My paintings are unbelievably successful," he said. "Painting started off as a diversion. It's something I do for myself. I don't paint on tour. I don't bring my brushes on stage, and I don't take my guitar in my art studio."
09/16/2010
GENE SIMMONS IN NEW GUITAR HERO
09/16/2010
KISS TO ROCK UTAH NEXT WEEK
KISS' 'Rock and Roll All Nite' is now 'family-oriented'
By Scott Iwasaki, Deseret News
Photo by Barbara Caserta
When Eric Singer joined Kiss for the first time back in 1991, he knew he would be under scrutiny.
But he didn't feel the pressure.
"I think, in life, you're thrown into situations when you're ready," said Singer, who replaced the late Eric Carr, the man who replaced original drummer Peter Criss. "You're given opportunities. Sometimes you're not ready for it."
However, sometimes you are ready thanks to personal preparation.
"When you audition for a band, you have to make sure you know the material," he said. "And while people say I'm lucky, I would say I'm blessed and fortunate. I don't believe in luck. You have to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they manifest.
"I'm not trying to get too spiritual or analytical here, but I believe that's how life works."KISS' 'Rock and Roll All Nite' is now 'family-oriented'
By Scott Iwasaki, Deseret News
Photo by Barbara Caserta
When Eric Singer joined Kiss for the first time back in 1991, he knew he would be under scrutiny.
But he didn't feel the pressure.
"I think, in life, you're thrown into situations when you're ready," said Singer, who replaced the late Eric Carr, the man who replaced original drummer Peter Criss. "You're given opportunities. Sometimes you're not ready for it."
However, sometimes you are ready thanks to personal preparation.
"When you audition for a band, you have to make sure you know the material," he said. "And while people say I'm lucky, I would say I'm blessed and fortunate. I don't believe in luck. You have to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they manifest.
"I'm not trying to get too spiritual or analytical here, but I believe that's how life works."
Singer, who spoke by phone from his home in Los Angeles, will play at Sandy's Rio Tinto Stadium on Sept. 22 with a band that has been around since the early 1970s.
Singer's first album with Kiss was "Revenge," back in 1992. The band consisted of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Singer and guitarist Bruce Kulick - back when they weren't wearing makeup.
"I like to think that I have some kind of talent and ability," said Singer, who had previously toured with Alice Cooper, Lita Ford, Black Sabbath, former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee and Kiss' own Stanley. "But I'm not delusional. I feel honored that when Gene and Paul needed a drummer they chose me, because they could have chosen anybody."
In 1996, Kiss did a full-on reunion with the original lineup that included Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley.
"I was out, but back in during 2001," said Singer, who was the drummer when Kiss played the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
After Criss returned and left again, Singer rejoined the lineup in 2004.
The current lineup as it has been since Singer returned is Stanley, Simmons, Singer and former Black 'n' Blue guitarist Tommy Thayer, whom Singer has known since the mid-1980s.
"It's interesting how you can be in a band with a group of guys and you're from all other parts of the world," Singer mused. "I mean, Tommy's from Portland, (Ore.), Paul's from New York. Gene was born in Israel, and I was born in Cleveland, but we're all in the same car going down the same road together."
Singer is psyched up for the concert, dubbed "Hottest Show on Earth."
"We recorded the 'Sonic Boom' record last fall. And the tour has morphed from 'Sonic Boom' to the 'Hottest Show on Earth,' " Singer said. "We keep making the show bigger, adding more to the spectacle of what Kiss is."
In 2001, Singer had the opportunity to put on and play his first show in the iconic cat makeup, which was made popular by Criss.
It was a night that will always remain special, Singer said.
"The first time I ever wore (the) makeup was for a photo session, but the first time I played in it was in Japan," he said.
"It was pretty surreal," he said. "I remember it so well because it was so weird, but not in a bad way.
"I'm on stage, and Ace was still in the band. I remember having this out-of-body experience. Here I was, playing on stage in Japan and looking at the band, seeing Ace, Gene and Paul in front of me. I said to myself, 'Wow, this is weird. I'm on stage. I'm seeing Kiss with makeup, but I'm playing drums.' "
What: Kiss
Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, 9256 S. State
When: Sept. 22, 7 p.m.
How much: $30-$115
Phone: 801-727-2700
Web: www.riotintostadium.com
By Scott Iwasaki, Deseret News
Photo by Barbara Caserta
When Eric Singer joined Kiss for the first time back in 1991, he knew he would be under scrutiny.
But he didn't feel the pressure.
"I think, in life, you're thrown into situations when you're ready," said Singer, who replaced the late Eric Carr, the man who replaced original drummer Peter Criss. "You're given opportunities. Sometimes you're not ready for it."
However, sometimes you are ready thanks to personal preparation.
"When you audition for a band, you have to make sure you know the material," he said. "And while people say I'm lucky, I would say I'm blessed and fortunate. I don't believe in luck. You have to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they manifest.
"I'm not trying to get too spiritual or analytical here, but I believe that's how life works."KISS' 'Rock and Roll All Nite' is now 'family-oriented'
By Scott Iwasaki, Deseret News
Photo by Barbara Caserta
When Eric Singer joined Kiss for the first time back in 1991, he knew he would be under scrutiny.
But he didn't feel the pressure.
"I think, in life, you're thrown into situations when you're ready," said Singer, who replaced the late Eric Carr, the man who replaced original drummer Peter Criss. "You're given opportunities. Sometimes you're not ready for it."
However, sometimes you are ready thanks to personal preparation.
"When you audition for a band, you have to make sure you know the material," he said. "And while people say I'm lucky, I would say I'm blessed and fortunate. I don't believe in luck. You have to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they manifest.
"I'm not trying to get too spiritual or analytical here, but I believe that's how life works."
Singer, who spoke by phone from his home in Los Angeles, will play at Sandy's Rio Tinto Stadium on Sept. 22 with a band that has been around since the early 1970s.
Singer's first album with Kiss was "Revenge," back in 1992. The band consisted of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Singer and guitarist Bruce Kulick - back when they weren't wearing makeup.
"I like to think that I have some kind of talent and ability," said Singer, who had previously toured with Alice Cooper, Lita Ford, Black Sabbath, former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee and Kiss' own Stanley. "But I'm not delusional. I feel honored that when Gene and Paul needed a drummer they chose me, because they could have chosen anybody."
In 1996, Kiss did a full-on reunion with the original lineup that included Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley.
"I was out, but back in during 2001," said Singer, who was the drummer when Kiss played the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
After Criss returned and left again, Singer rejoined the lineup in 2004.
The current lineup as it has been since Singer returned is Stanley, Simmons, Singer and former Black 'n' Blue guitarist Tommy Thayer, whom Singer has known since the mid-1980s.
"It's interesting how you can be in a band with a group of guys and you're from all other parts of the world," Singer mused. "I mean, Tommy's from Portland, (Ore.), Paul's from New York. Gene was born in Israel, and I was born in Cleveland, but we're all in the same car going down the same road together."
Singer is psyched up for the concert, dubbed "Hottest Show on Earth."
"We recorded the 'Sonic Boom' record last fall. And the tour has morphed from 'Sonic Boom' to the 'Hottest Show on Earth,' " Singer said. "We keep making the show bigger, adding more to the spectacle of what Kiss is."
In 2001, Singer had the opportunity to put on and play his first show in the iconic cat makeup, which was made popular by Criss.
It was a night that will always remain special, Singer said.
"The first time I ever wore (the) makeup was for a photo session, but the first time I played in it was in Japan," he said.
"It was pretty surreal," he said. "I remember it so well because it was so weird, but not in a bad way.
"I'm on stage, and Ace was still in the band. I remember having this out-of-body experience. Here I was, playing on stage in Japan and looking at the band, seeing Ace, Gene and Paul in front of me. I said to myself, 'Wow, this is weird. I'm on stage. I'm seeing Kiss with makeup, but I'm playing drums.' "
What: Kiss
Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, 9256 S. State
When: Sept. 22, 7 p.m.
How much: $30-$115
Phone: 801-727-2700
Web: www.riotintostadium.com
09/16/2010
A CONVERSATION WITH GENE SIMMONS
By Mike Ragogna
Radio interview transcribed by Ryan Gaffney
Photo by Keith Leroux for KISSonline
Mike Ragogna: Hey Gene, how are you?
Gene Simmons: I'm deliriously happy.
MR: Why didn't you let your daughter keep her pony?
GS: There are Beverly Hills ordinances that I wasn't aware of. You aren't allowed to keep farm animals that poop bigger than a certain size. Do you believe that?
MR: (laughs) No, I can't believe that.
GS: It's actually true. Dog poop is a certain size, but once it gets past a certain size, supposedly, there are health hazards. So, we had to move the horse past Malibu.
MR: I'm sorry to hear that. Did the horse live happily ever after?
GS: Oh yeah, happier there than in Beverly Hills.
MR: Sweet. With regards to Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, is it easy or hard for you to transform yourself from an everyday person into a savior of rock 'n' roll?
GS: When you dare dream the impossible dream, then you can unleash the inner rock star inside of you. We all had these kinds of notions when we were kids, especially guys. We all put towels around our necks and tried to fly through the air, or imagined we were Harry Potter if we're young enough. We all want to sort of defy gravity and scale Mt. Olympus, and very few things enable you to do that.By Mike Ragogna
Radio interview transcribed by Ryan Gaffney
Photo by Keith Leroux for KISSonline
Mike Ragogna: Hey Gene, how are you?
Gene Simmons: I'm deliriously happy.
MR: Why didn't you let your daughter keep her pony?
GS: There are Beverly Hills ordinances that I wasn't aware of. You aren't allowed to keep farm animals that poop bigger than a certain size. Do you believe that?
MR: (laughs) No, I can't believe that.
GS: It's actually true. Dog poop is a certain size, but once it gets past a certain size, supposedly, there are health hazards. So, we had to move the horse past Malibu.
MR: I'm sorry to hear that. Did the horse live happily ever after?
GS: Oh yeah, happier there than in Beverly Hills.
MR: Sweet. With regards to Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, is it easy or hard for you to transform yourself from an everyday person into a savior of rock 'n' roll?
GS: When you dare dream the impossible dream, then you can unleash the inner rock star inside of you. We all had these kinds of notions when we were kids, especially guys. We all put towels around our necks and tried to fly through the air, or imagined we were Harry Potter if we're young enough. We all want to sort of defy gravity and scale Mt. Olympus, and very few things enable you to do that. 3D takes you close, but your body is motionless while your mind takes you. When you sit in those Disney amusement park rides, you get King Kong coming at you, but you're sitting still. This, for me, is a labor of love. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is like this full body experience, where you get to not just imagine what it feels like to be a rock star, but you become the rock star, if you will, within you. Because physically, you're playing a guitar, you're trying to keep up with this great music you're hearing. Visually, you're trying to keep up with what's going on onstage, and there's an evolution, kind of a metamorphosis; the musician becomes a demi-god. I saw a close to finished version of it and it rocks.
MR: Now, you held a press conference at Pop Sound Studios about your part in the game. Were people amazed at the end result?
GS: Yeah. People think, "How does he have time to do this?" because tomorrow, I'm physically in Toronto, and today I'm in Los Angeles. Tomorrow, I'm playing onstage with KISS, and here I'm talking about Guitar Hero. But you know, life is short and you should make time for the things that you think are cool. I don't know how else to put it, but Guitar Hero rocks.
MR: What KISS song is featured in the game?
GS: "Love Gun." Also you'll be able to hear Offspring, Queen, and a whole slew of artists. But everything from A to Z is all rock--there's not a rapper, there's no cowboy hats...
MR: So, where is rock and roll heading?
GS: It's going to depend on who's going to carry the mantle. It's like, "Who's going to wear the crown, and are you worth it?" It's going to depend on that next fifteen-year old kid, guy or girl, in a garage. Do they have something to say and do they know how to say it? Can you spread your legs wide enough to hold that rock star, Jesus Christ pose?
MR: (laughs) I thought you were going elsewhere with that. What bands do you currently think are great rock bands?
GS: I like The Envy, which is about to come out with their first record on Simmons Universal (laughs). We believe in that band, and that's going to happen big. I'm also a fan of The Muse. If you haven't heard of them, they're big in England and starting to make headway here--by the way, they're in Guitar Hero. For those that don't know, they're sort of Queen-like and a combination of other things. There are a lot of really good new bands, but it's going to depend on them and whether they're willing to pick up the challenge and go where no band has gone before. That's the only way they're going to be able to make any mark.
MR: You mentioned Simmons Universal. You have a label coming through Universal, right?
GS: Right.
MR: And what kind of acts are on it?
GS: It doesn't matter, it's just got to work. Mostly there has to be guitars in the band. I don't want a synthesizer band. You can have a synth in the band, but it's got to be driven by guitar. The heartbeat of all of it started a long time ago with Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Unless you're singing stuff that connects with the joys of life--good food, sexy people, living life to its fullest--then it's just kind of dreary. I don't want to do Seattle music. I'm actually happy to be alive.
MR: What are your thoughts on music video games in general, you know, like Guitar Hero?
GS: Well, I think Guitar Hero is head, hands, and feet above the rest simply because it allows you to kind of, not morph, but metamorph or evolve into the inner rock star in you. My favorite thing about it, though, is that it's a full body experience. Your imagination goes, you hear the music that surrounds you, the visual surrounds you, and you become a part of it.
MR: Can the case be made that somebody who plays Guitar Hero might be inspired to pick up a guitar and learn how to play the actual instrument?
GS: The answer is yes. More importantly, it self empowers you, and you are in control of your own destiny. How many places in life do you get to do that?
MR: What are you listening to right now, what's on your iPod?
GS: I don't listen to iPod; I find it insulting because bands, and I'm in one, spend so much time and money making sure that it sounds great, and then you hear it through the asshole of a fly. It's such an insulting way to do it. It's like watching movies on your handheld devices, what a f**king insult to the movie makers, and the sound guys, and technicians who spend so much time lighting stuff so that their stuff can be squashed to the size of a potato chip. I use handheld devices for communication, not for looking at art or listening to music.
MR: Wasn't that the same complaint when we moved from analog to digital, from records to CDs?
GS: Yeah, I don't like it. Just because something is easier doesn't mean it's better. I also like leftover food as opposed to fresh food because the spaghetti gets to talk with the meatball, and it's just more scrumptious. That's what marination is, "Oh, I just put some fresh wine on it." I'll say, "No, let it soak, it'll taste better."
MR: Now, you're no stranger to games. I remember you had one of the most popular pinball machines of all time.
GS: It is the most popular one of all time, the KISS Bally machine was the biggest.
MR: They came to you and asked you to be a part of Guitar Hero, right?
GS: Yes they did.
MR: What was your first reaction?
GS: First reaction was, "Cool." To be quite honest, they're not going to be able to make me rich, it's too late for that. So, the only reason for doing stuff is if you think it's cool. I don't know how to describe it other than saying Guitar Hero rocks.
MR: And it's so involved, with all the different levels, pods, all that.
GS: There are one thousand variations, can you imagine? One thousand variations of where you can go, where you can wind up, and where you can fall flat on your face, and the musical choices and the physicality of it really makes it a full body experience.
MR: Gene, are you good at it?
GS: I'm horrible, that's why I want to keep playing it. Before I whip it out, as the phrase goes, at a party or an event I want to be good at it. So, that's why I'm getting one of the first ones that are coming out. We're just doing the last vocal, and the PR campaign stuff, but I'm getting one of the first ones off the racks to quietly go over in a corner and practice. I can't say, "That's me. That's the voice. I'm the demigod." "Well, how do you play?" "Umm, not so good."
I can't do that. I've got to win, got to be cool. That's what I suggest to everybody: Get yours, and get your free Soundgarden album because the nice folks at Guitar Hero, believe it or not, are giving the whole album free, as an extra. I would go off, if I were you, and practice on your own, so, when you're at a party and someone says, "How did you get so good?" You can say, "You know, some people are just born with it. Some people are just born rock stars."
MR: KISS is on tour?
GS: We've been on tour for two-and-a-half years, pretty much, on and off.
MR: Are you working on a new KISS project?
GS: Oh, God, there are so many. Go into a 7-11 or a supermarket, or drive down the highways of America and you'll see us.
MR: Okay. More specifically, is there a new album in the works?
GS: There will be, we just need time to breathe.
MR: Right. Now, we started out talking about something that happened on your show, Family Jewels. Are there any more seasons?
GS: Season six starts shooting next month. We're the longest running reality series, we're in eighty-four countries, (sings) and a partridge in a pear tree.
MR: (laughs) Nice. Is the show going to feature you playing Guitar Hero in any of the episodes?
GS: Am I going to feature Guitar Hero in our TV show?
MR: Yes.
GS: It depends, if they buy on, yes.
MR: (laughs) Leaving aside the iPod, what are you listening to, music-wise, right now?
GS: You know, I listen to more new music than almost anyone I know because I get one thousand demos, on average, per month. So, I really do listen to new music...in fact, newer music than the people who listen to music because I get it before it winds up on a label.
MR: Are you listening in the context of finding bands for Simmons Universal?
GS: Yes.
MR: Do you have a roster that's already set?
GS: The Envy is our first act, but we're closing in on three more. You can go to simmonsrecords.com and get the lowdown.
MR: KISS has been one of the biggest franchises of all time.
GS: No other music franchise touches it. We outsell The Beatles and Elvis put together.
MR: I know somebody interested in buying a KISS casket with the fireworks.
GS: The next generation of that is coming out. The first generation sold out, you can't find them.
MR: (laughs) Yeah?
GS: The KISS condoms are coming back, too. The condoms were sold out as well. Did you ever notice that it says made in Jamaica? Oh, yours doesn't roll out that far? See, that was a joke.
MR: (laughs)
GS: That was a joke.
MR: (laughs) Yes, yes, and a fine one. You were on Shatner's Raw Nerve, right?
GS: Yes, I did one.
MR: What was that like?
GS: Well, Bill asks people questions that are sometimes surprising, and he actually got me. He asked about my mother, and what the immigrant experience was like coming to America, and where I came from, and stuff that you usually don't talk about in interviews.
MR: I was just curious about that.
GS: Trust me, I'm fascinating.
MR: You are, sir. I'll say you were fascinating even as a sea monster in SpongeBob SquarePants.
GS: Yes, I did SpongeBob. We also did The Fairly OddParents one hour premier, KISS did two Family Guys, where KISS saves Santa Claus. I think I did Mrs. Claus. Anywhere, anytime, all places, all things for everybody.
MR: Once you're a cartoon character, how do you go back?
GS: Well, I also created My Dad The Rock Star, which was on Nickelodeon, and around the world for twenty-six episodes. How do you go back? You try to be all things to everybody.
MR: It's clear you've got acting chops. Where did they come from?
GS: I have no clue. I think there must be a loose screw someplace because the tendency for most people is to throw up when they get up onstage because they get judged. I think I'd throw up if I wasn't on stage and I wasn't getting judged.
MR: Which takes us to what advice do you have for new artists?
GS: There's no advice you can give because every artist is unique. There's no paint-by-numbers road to success, and no ten easy steps to follow that will make you succeed. First, it will start with you, and what you've got. Then, the other three are the right thing, at the right place, at the right time.
Radio interview transcribed by Ryan Gaffney
Photo by Keith Leroux for KISSonline
Mike Ragogna: Hey Gene, how are you?
Gene Simmons: I'm deliriously happy.
MR: Why didn't you let your daughter keep her pony?
GS: There are Beverly Hills ordinances that I wasn't aware of. You aren't allowed to keep farm animals that poop bigger than a certain size. Do you believe that?
MR: (laughs) No, I can't believe that.
GS: It's actually true. Dog poop is a certain size, but once it gets past a certain size, supposedly, there are health hazards. So, we had to move the horse past Malibu.
MR: I'm sorry to hear that. Did the horse live happily ever after?
GS: Oh yeah, happier there than in Beverly Hills.
MR: Sweet. With regards to Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, is it easy or hard for you to transform yourself from an everyday person into a savior of rock 'n' roll?
GS: When you dare dream the impossible dream, then you can unleash the inner rock star inside of you. We all had these kinds of notions when we were kids, especially guys. We all put towels around our necks and tried to fly through the air, or imagined we were Harry Potter if we're young enough. We all want to sort of defy gravity and scale Mt. Olympus, and very few things enable you to do that.By Mike Ragogna
Radio interview transcribed by Ryan Gaffney
Photo by Keith Leroux for KISSonline
Mike Ragogna: Hey Gene, how are you?
Gene Simmons: I'm deliriously happy.
MR: Why didn't you let your daughter keep her pony?
GS: There are Beverly Hills ordinances that I wasn't aware of. You aren't allowed to keep farm animals that poop bigger than a certain size. Do you believe that?
MR: (laughs) No, I can't believe that.
GS: It's actually true. Dog poop is a certain size, but once it gets past a certain size, supposedly, there are health hazards. So, we had to move the horse past Malibu.
MR: I'm sorry to hear that. Did the horse live happily ever after?
GS: Oh yeah, happier there than in Beverly Hills.
MR: Sweet. With regards to Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, is it easy or hard for you to transform yourself from an everyday person into a savior of rock 'n' roll?
GS: When you dare dream the impossible dream, then you can unleash the inner rock star inside of you. We all had these kinds of notions when we were kids, especially guys. We all put towels around our necks and tried to fly through the air, or imagined we were Harry Potter if we're young enough. We all want to sort of defy gravity and scale Mt. Olympus, and very few things enable you to do that. 3D takes you close, but your body is motionless while your mind takes you. When you sit in those Disney amusement park rides, you get King Kong coming at you, but you're sitting still. This, for me, is a labor of love. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is like this full body experience, where you get to not just imagine what it feels like to be a rock star, but you become the rock star, if you will, within you. Because physically, you're playing a guitar, you're trying to keep up with this great music you're hearing. Visually, you're trying to keep up with what's going on onstage, and there's an evolution, kind of a metamorphosis; the musician becomes a demi-god. I saw a close to finished version of it and it rocks.
MR: Now, you held a press conference at Pop Sound Studios about your part in the game. Were people amazed at the end result?
GS: Yeah. People think, "How does he have time to do this?" because tomorrow, I'm physically in Toronto, and today I'm in Los Angeles. Tomorrow, I'm playing onstage with KISS, and here I'm talking about Guitar Hero. But you know, life is short and you should make time for the things that you think are cool. I don't know how else to put it, but Guitar Hero rocks.
MR: What KISS song is featured in the game?
GS: "Love Gun." Also you'll be able to hear Offspring, Queen, and a whole slew of artists. But everything from A to Z is all rock--there's not a rapper, there's no cowboy hats...
MR: So, where is rock and roll heading?
GS: It's going to depend on who's going to carry the mantle. It's like, "Who's going to wear the crown, and are you worth it?" It's going to depend on that next fifteen-year old kid, guy or girl, in a garage. Do they have something to say and do they know how to say it? Can you spread your legs wide enough to hold that rock star, Jesus Christ pose?
MR: (laughs) I thought you were going elsewhere with that. What bands do you currently think are great rock bands?
GS: I like The Envy, which is about to come out with their first record on Simmons Universal (laughs). We believe in that band, and that's going to happen big. I'm also a fan of The Muse. If you haven't heard of them, they're big in England and starting to make headway here--by the way, they're in Guitar Hero. For those that don't know, they're sort of Queen-like and a combination of other things. There are a lot of really good new bands, but it's going to depend on them and whether they're willing to pick up the challenge and go where no band has gone before. That's the only way they're going to be able to make any mark.
MR: You mentioned Simmons Universal. You have a label coming through Universal, right?
GS: Right.
MR: And what kind of acts are on it?
GS: It doesn't matter, it's just got to work. Mostly there has to be guitars in the band. I don't want a synthesizer band. You can have a synth in the band, but it's got to be driven by guitar. The heartbeat of all of it started a long time ago with Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Unless you're singing stuff that connects with the joys of life--good food, sexy people, living life to its fullest--then it's just kind of dreary. I don't want to do Seattle music. I'm actually happy to be alive.
MR: What are your thoughts on music video games in general, you know, like Guitar Hero?
GS: Well, I think Guitar Hero is head, hands, and feet above the rest simply because it allows you to kind of, not morph, but metamorph or evolve into the inner rock star in you. My favorite thing about it, though, is that it's a full body experience. Your imagination goes, you hear the music that surrounds you, the visual surrounds you, and you become a part of it.
MR: Can the case be made that somebody who plays Guitar Hero might be inspired to pick up a guitar and learn how to play the actual instrument?
GS: The answer is yes. More importantly, it self empowers you, and you are in control of your own destiny. How many places in life do you get to do that?
MR: What are you listening to right now, what's on your iPod?
GS: I don't listen to iPod; I find it insulting because bands, and I'm in one, spend so much time and money making sure that it sounds great, and then you hear it through the asshole of a fly. It's such an insulting way to do it. It's like watching movies on your handheld devices, what a f**king insult to the movie makers, and the sound guys, and technicians who spend so much time lighting stuff so that their stuff can be squashed to the size of a potato chip. I use handheld devices for communication, not for looking at art or listening to music.
MR: Wasn't that the same complaint when we moved from analog to digital, from records to CDs?
GS: Yeah, I don't like it. Just because something is easier doesn't mean it's better. I also like leftover food as opposed to fresh food because the spaghetti gets to talk with the meatball, and it's just more scrumptious. That's what marination is, "Oh, I just put some fresh wine on it." I'll say, "No, let it soak, it'll taste better."
MR: Now, you're no stranger to games. I remember you had one of the most popular pinball machines of all time.
GS: It is the most popular one of all time, the KISS Bally machine was the biggest.
MR: They came to you and asked you to be a part of Guitar Hero, right?
GS: Yes they did.
MR: What was your first reaction?
GS: First reaction was, "Cool." To be quite honest, they're not going to be able to make me rich, it's too late for that. So, the only reason for doing stuff is if you think it's cool. I don't know how to describe it other than saying Guitar Hero rocks.
MR: And it's so involved, with all the different levels, pods, all that.
GS: There are one thousand variations, can you imagine? One thousand variations of where you can go, where you can wind up, and where you can fall flat on your face, and the musical choices and the physicality of it really makes it a full body experience.
MR: Gene, are you good at it?
GS: I'm horrible, that's why I want to keep playing it. Before I whip it out, as the phrase goes, at a party or an event I want to be good at it. So, that's why I'm getting one of the first ones that are coming out. We're just doing the last vocal, and the PR campaign stuff, but I'm getting one of the first ones off the racks to quietly go over in a corner and practice. I can't say, "That's me. That's the voice. I'm the demigod." "Well, how do you play?" "Umm, not so good."
I can't do that. I've got to win, got to be cool. That's what I suggest to everybody: Get yours, and get your free Soundgarden album because the nice folks at Guitar Hero, believe it or not, are giving the whole album free, as an extra. I would go off, if I were you, and practice on your own, so, when you're at a party and someone says, "How did you get so good?" You can say, "You know, some people are just born with it. Some people are just born rock stars."
MR: KISS is on tour?
GS: We've been on tour for two-and-a-half years, pretty much, on and off.
MR: Are you working on a new KISS project?
GS: Oh, God, there are so many. Go into a 7-11 or a supermarket, or drive down the highways of America and you'll see us.
MR: Okay. More specifically, is there a new album in the works?
GS: There will be, we just need time to breathe.
MR: Right. Now, we started out talking about something that happened on your show, Family Jewels. Are there any more seasons?
GS: Season six starts shooting next month. We're the longest running reality series, we're in eighty-four countries, (sings) and a partridge in a pear tree.
MR: (laughs) Nice. Is the show going to feature you playing Guitar Hero in any of the episodes?
GS: Am I going to feature Guitar Hero in our TV show?
MR: Yes.
GS: It depends, if they buy on, yes.
MR: (laughs) Leaving aside the iPod, what are you listening to, music-wise, right now?
GS: You know, I listen to more new music than almost anyone I know because I get one thousand demos, on average, per month. So, I really do listen to new music...in fact, newer music than the people who listen to music because I get it before it winds up on a label.
MR: Are you listening in the context of finding bands for Simmons Universal?
GS: Yes.
MR: Do you have a roster that's already set?
GS: The Envy is our first act, but we're closing in on three more. You can go to simmonsrecords.com and get the lowdown.
MR: KISS has been one of the biggest franchises of all time.
GS: No other music franchise touches it. We outsell The Beatles and Elvis put together.
MR: I know somebody interested in buying a KISS casket with the fireworks.
GS: The next generation of that is coming out. The first generation sold out, you can't find them.
MR: (laughs) Yeah?
GS: The KISS condoms are coming back, too. The condoms were sold out as well. Did you ever notice that it says made in Jamaica? Oh, yours doesn't roll out that far? See, that was a joke.
MR: (laughs)
GS: That was a joke.
MR: (laughs) Yes, yes, and a fine one. You were on Shatner's Raw Nerve, right?
GS: Yes, I did one.
MR: What was that like?
GS: Well, Bill asks people questions that are sometimes surprising, and he actually got me. He asked about my mother, and what the immigrant experience was like coming to America, and where I came from, and stuff that you usually don't talk about in interviews.
MR: I was just curious about that.
GS: Trust me, I'm fascinating.
MR: You are, sir. I'll say you were fascinating even as a sea monster in SpongeBob SquarePants.
GS: Yes, I did SpongeBob. We also did The Fairly OddParents one hour premier, KISS did two Family Guys, where KISS saves Santa Claus. I think I did Mrs. Claus. Anywhere, anytime, all places, all things for everybody.
MR: Once you're a cartoon character, how do you go back?
GS: Well, I also created My Dad The Rock Star, which was on Nickelodeon, and around the world for twenty-six episodes. How do you go back? You try to be all things to everybody.
MR: It's clear you've got acting chops. Where did they come from?
GS: I have no clue. I think there must be a loose screw someplace because the tendency for most people is to throw up when they get up onstage because they get judged. I think I'd throw up if I wasn't on stage and I wasn't getting judged.
MR: Which takes us to what advice do you have for new artists?
GS: There's no advice you can give because every artist is unique. There's no paint-by-numbers road to success, and no ten easy steps to follow that will make you succeed. First, it will start with you, and what you've got. Then, the other three are the right thing, at the right place, at the right time.
