05/01/2010
KISS POSTER EXPRESS RE-ISSUE
Kiss News
04/30/2010
OUTRAGEOUS ROCKERS STILL GOING STRONG
Rock and roll, credit cards and pinball machines - Gene Simmons gives Rachael Clegg a glimpse behind the scenes of the Kiss Empire.
"LOOK at this," says Gene Simmons, frontman in rock and roll's most eccentric, outrageous rock band, Kiss.
He takes a card from his black leather wallet and puts it on the table.
Gene's plastic doesn't bear the name of his bank. It's a Kiss credit card, embossed with the famous logo that represents America's fire-breathing, face-paint-wearing rockers.
The credit card is just one fragment of the Kiss Empire, a riff-driven industry powered by Simmons' ever-savvy brain.
There are Kiss dolls, Kiss pinball machines, Kiss masks, Kiss condoms and even Kiss caskets. And, the band have just announced, live recordings on USB sticks of the band's concerts throughout their UK tour.
Rock and roll, credit cards and pinball machines - Gene Simmons gives Rachael Clegg a glimpse behind the scenes of the Kiss Empire.
"LOOK at this," says Gene Simmons, frontman in rock and roll's most eccentric, outrageous rock band, Kiss.
He takes a card from his black leather wallet and puts it on the table.
Gene's plastic doesn't bear the name of his bank. It's a Kiss credit card, embossed with the famous logo that represents America's fire-breathing, face-paint-wearing rockers.
The credit card is just one fragment of the Kiss Empire, a riff-driven industry powered by Simmons' ever-savvy brain.
There are Kiss dolls, Kiss pinball machines, Kiss masks, Kiss condoms and even Kiss caskets. And, the band have just announced, live recordings on USB sticks of the band's concerts throughout their UK tour.
Simmons is not ashamed of Kiss's shameless marketing bandwagon.
"We were lambasted when we first started doing branding 35 years ago. Bands didn't do that - they just sold T-shirts. But branding wouldn't work as well with other bands - Radiohead action figures don't work."
Simmons' insatiable drive towards monetary success is not unjustified. Born Chaim Witz, in Israel, Gene Simmons moved to New York when he was eight. He grew up in a poor family for whom televisions and refrigerators were the kind of luxuries they could never afford. But it was those emblems of a prosperous post-war America, which would become the mechanisms of Kiss's success.
Simmons still remembers the hardship of his childhood: "You remember the empty feeling in your gut.
"If you live in the Western world instead of somewhere like Iran, you're free - you have every opportunity to do everything you can imagine.
"I learned more from my mother than anyone else. She is a survivor from the German Nazi concentration camps. When she was 14, she saw her whole family killed. Her philosophy of appreciating every day above ground is worth taking note of."
These hard times, Simmons says, have served as his reference point throughout life. "It's like a thermometer, without a zero; the ones in the middle up to 100 don't mean anything. Zero is your starting point."
Despite being firmly ensconced in a world of excess, Simmons has never dabbled in drugs. He is vehemently anti-drink and an ardent non-smoker.
"It's because I am smart. Let's see if everyone knows this - does it have minerals? Does it have vitamins? Do cigarettes give you cancer? Does having a drink make men smarter? Drugs, do they make you walk the tight-rope better - it doesn't work, does it?
"A man who drinks too much because he wants to get laid is going to wind up throwing up on the shoes the woman has just bought.
"He's not going to say anything witty and he's going to wake up with a headache the next day."
Simmons does not idolise his trade, either: "Rock and roll contains no secret - it's a moron's job. If it wasn't for a guitar round their neck, most would be asking, 'Do you want fries with that?' - they're idiots. They're lucky enough to do what they do."
Kiss's latest foray into rock and roll is Sonic Boom, the band's 19th album, and one that remains loyal to Kiss's most prominent lyrical theme - women.
"Rock and roll literally means 'to sleep with'," he explains. "'Let me rock and roll you all night long' is a blues term - which means rocking and rolling in the sack. A lot of our songs are about women."
He likens Kiss's make-up and costume to women wearing make-up and high-heeled shoes.
"When you want attention, when you want power, what do you wear? You put on your high heels, your make-up, you make your hair big,
put on your little black dress and you're ready to go.
"That's what Kiss does, except we wear a lot more make-up and higher heels than you do."
It's not easy wearing seven-inch heels, however. "If you're wearing 14lb boots, it doesn't look much, but lifting your leg is hard work," he says.
"Come here and try this. Raise your knee high above your belly button and then put your weight on it and soon you'll be out of breath," he says, demonstrating one of his Kiss moves.
On stage, Simmons is referred to as "The Demon", with his dark face-paint, pyrotechnic tricks and on-stage tongue wagging. Yet at home, he enjoys a stable, albeit unconventional family life, as shown in the recent reality TV show.
"It's my structure. Everything's mine. I allow you to live in my world. I am the provider and I am the reason you have a home and have food. And I think men have done themselves a disservice. Men have become passive, so women are allowed to say, 'It's our home', but no - it's not 'our' home, not unless you've paid for half of it." The Kiss make-up seems to mark a barrier between Simmons the father, the businessman, "the provider" and Simmons the wild, rock and roll "demon". Life, he admits, is good. In 2005, Simmons estimated that he was worth $250m.
"It's been 35 years (of Kiss] and still counting. I love being Gene Simmons. It's so much fun. I am not the best-looking guy in the world. I'm not the worst-looking guy in the world, but I will walk in and steal your girlfriend."
Never knowingly understated, it seems the the Kiss bandwagon will roll on...and on.
Kiss play Sheffield Arena on May 1, the opening date of the band's UK-wide Sonic Boom tour. A live recording of the two-and-a-half hour concert will be available to buy on a USB stick at the merchandise desk after the show.
"LOOK at this," says Gene Simmons, frontman in rock and roll's most eccentric, outrageous rock band, Kiss.
He takes a card from his black leather wallet and puts it on the table.
Gene's plastic doesn't bear the name of his bank. It's a Kiss credit card, embossed with the famous logo that represents America's fire-breathing, face-paint-wearing rockers.
The credit card is just one fragment of the Kiss Empire, a riff-driven industry powered by Simmons' ever-savvy brain.
There are Kiss dolls, Kiss pinball machines, Kiss masks, Kiss condoms and even Kiss caskets. And, the band have just announced, live recordings on USB sticks of the band's concerts throughout their UK tour.
Rock and roll, credit cards and pinball machines - Gene Simmons gives Rachael Clegg a glimpse behind the scenes of the Kiss Empire.
"LOOK at this," says Gene Simmons, frontman in rock and roll's most eccentric, outrageous rock band, Kiss.
He takes a card from his black leather wallet and puts it on the table.
Gene's plastic doesn't bear the name of his bank. It's a Kiss credit card, embossed with the famous logo that represents America's fire-breathing, face-paint-wearing rockers.
The credit card is just one fragment of the Kiss Empire, a riff-driven industry powered by Simmons' ever-savvy brain.
There are Kiss dolls, Kiss pinball machines, Kiss masks, Kiss condoms and even Kiss caskets. And, the band have just announced, live recordings on USB sticks of the band's concerts throughout their UK tour.
Simmons is not ashamed of Kiss's shameless marketing bandwagon.
"We were lambasted when we first started doing branding 35 years ago. Bands didn't do that - they just sold T-shirts. But branding wouldn't work as well with other bands - Radiohead action figures don't work."
Simmons' insatiable drive towards monetary success is not unjustified. Born Chaim Witz, in Israel, Gene Simmons moved to New York when he was eight. He grew up in a poor family for whom televisions and refrigerators were the kind of luxuries they could never afford. But it was those emblems of a prosperous post-war America, which would become the mechanisms of Kiss's success.
Simmons still remembers the hardship of his childhood: "You remember the empty feeling in your gut.
"If you live in the Western world instead of somewhere like Iran, you're free - you have every opportunity to do everything you can imagine.
"I learned more from my mother than anyone else. She is a survivor from the German Nazi concentration camps. When she was 14, she saw her whole family killed. Her philosophy of appreciating every day above ground is worth taking note of."
These hard times, Simmons says, have served as his reference point throughout life. "It's like a thermometer, without a zero; the ones in the middle up to 100 don't mean anything. Zero is your starting point."
Despite being firmly ensconced in a world of excess, Simmons has never dabbled in drugs. He is vehemently anti-drink and an ardent non-smoker.
"It's because I am smart. Let's see if everyone knows this - does it have minerals? Does it have vitamins? Do cigarettes give you cancer? Does having a drink make men smarter? Drugs, do they make you walk the tight-rope better - it doesn't work, does it?
"A man who drinks too much because he wants to get laid is going to wind up throwing up on the shoes the woman has just bought.
"He's not going to say anything witty and he's going to wake up with a headache the next day."
Simmons does not idolise his trade, either: "Rock and roll contains no secret - it's a moron's job. If it wasn't for a guitar round their neck, most would be asking, 'Do you want fries with that?' - they're idiots. They're lucky enough to do what they do."
Kiss's latest foray into rock and roll is Sonic Boom, the band's 19th album, and one that remains loyal to Kiss's most prominent lyrical theme - women.
"Rock and roll literally means 'to sleep with'," he explains. "'Let me rock and roll you all night long' is a blues term - which means rocking and rolling in the sack. A lot of our songs are about women."
He likens Kiss's make-up and costume to women wearing make-up and high-heeled shoes.
"When you want attention, when you want power, what do you wear? You put on your high heels, your make-up, you make your hair big,
put on your little black dress and you're ready to go.
"That's what Kiss does, except we wear a lot more make-up and higher heels than you do."
It's not easy wearing seven-inch heels, however. "If you're wearing 14lb boots, it doesn't look much, but lifting your leg is hard work," he says.
"Come here and try this. Raise your knee high above your belly button and then put your weight on it and soon you'll be out of breath," he says, demonstrating one of his Kiss moves.
On stage, Simmons is referred to as "The Demon", with his dark face-paint, pyrotechnic tricks and on-stage tongue wagging. Yet at home, he enjoys a stable, albeit unconventional family life, as shown in the recent reality TV show.
"It's my structure. Everything's mine. I allow you to live in my world. I am the provider and I am the reason you have a home and have food. And I think men have done themselves a disservice. Men have become passive, so women are allowed to say, 'It's our home', but no - it's not 'our' home, not unless you've paid for half of it." The Kiss make-up seems to mark a barrier between Simmons the father, the businessman, "the provider" and Simmons the wild, rock and roll "demon". Life, he admits, is good. In 2005, Simmons estimated that he was worth $250m.
"It's been 35 years (of Kiss] and still counting. I love being Gene Simmons. It's so much fun. I am not the best-looking guy in the world. I'm not the worst-looking guy in the world, but I will walk in and steal your girlfriend."
Never knowingly understated, it seems the the Kiss bandwagon will roll on...and on.
Kiss play Sheffield Arena on May 1, the opening date of the band's UK-wide Sonic Boom tour. A live recording of the two-and-a-half hour concert will be available to buy on a USB stick at the merchandise desk after the show.
04/30/2010
TOMMY THAYER Q&A
1. What's the latest news on the Hottest Band In The World?
TOMMY THAYER: We're leaving for Europe next week. We've been rehearsing for several weeks now and we're very, very excited about the new 2010 Sonic Boom tour.
2. On SONIC BOOM? How did you generally approach writing your solos?
TT: Some solos I worked out on my own, on others Paul helped me with direction. I usually had an idea where I was going to go with each solo before we recorded them.
3. How would you compare writing with Gene to writing with Paul?
TT: There are no rules to writing songs, particularly where you start from. Paul and Gene have different styles and approach to writing songs. Gene usually has a backlog of song ideas that he pulls from. Paul usually has newer ideas. I think they are both best when they're spontaneous.
4. How did it feel to do the lead vocal on "When Lightning Strikes?" & was this written specifically with your voice in mind?
TT: Yes it was. I wrote the song with some help from Paul. We wanted a straight ahead rocker and I think it came out great.1. What's the latest news on the Hottest Band In The World?
TOMMY THAYER: We're leaving for Europe next week. We've been rehearsing for several weeks now and we're very, very excited about the new 2010 Sonic Boom tour.
2. On SONIC BOOM? How did you generally approach writing your solos?
TT: Some solos I worked out on my own, on others Paul helped me with direction. I usually had an idea where I was going to go with each solo before we recorded them.
3. How would you compare writing with Gene to writing with Paul?
TT: There are no rules to writing songs, particularly where you start from. Paul and Gene have different styles and approach to writing songs. Gene usually has a backlog of song ideas that he pulls from. Paul usually has newer ideas. I think they are both best when they're spontaneous.
4. How did it feel to do the lead vocal on "When Lightning Strikes?" & was this written specifically with your voice in mind?
TT: Yes it was. I wrote the song with some help from Paul. We wanted a straight ahead rocker and I think it came out great.
5. With KISS guitar solos generally being pentatonic based, how do you feel other modes fit/or don't fit within the context of KISS' music?
TT: The KISS style and sound is timeless and was established early on. It's a blues-based hard rock style. It is what it is.
6. In the the current show, on the jam in '100,000 Years', how did it develop into you & Paul trading licks?
TT: I think it was one of those things we didn't plan the first couple times, and then eventually it became a part of the show.
7. "Lick It Up" has some interesting elements live, how did the current arrangement come together, with the segment from 'We Don't Get Fooled Again'?
TT: I think originally I was doing that finger-plucking thing and Paul was singing "I Want You.. I Need You" Later on that evolved into the Who part. I really like that.
8. How did the idea for new costumes come about?
TT: We were flying on our jet to Milwaukee for a one-off gig last year and we were talking about that we needed to get started on new KISS outfits. Paul picked up a pad of paper first and started sketching some ideas. We all tweeked things a bit.
9. Can you tell us a bit about your Hughes & Kettner signature amp?
TT: The HK Tommy Thayer Signature amp has a warm ballsy, in-your-face tone that really works well. I'd recommend it to anyone that wants a serious guitar amp. They look good too!
10. Any set list surprises planned for the European leg of the Sonic Boom tour?
TT: There will be some new songs and other great stuff. Always taking it to another level! We can't wait!
TOMMY THAYER: We're leaving for Europe next week. We've been rehearsing for several weeks now and we're very, very excited about the new 2010 Sonic Boom tour.
2. On SONIC BOOM? How did you generally approach writing your solos?
TT: Some solos I worked out on my own, on others Paul helped me with direction. I usually had an idea where I was going to go with each solo before we recorded them.
3. How would you compare writing with Gene to writing with Paul?
TT: There are no rules to writing songs, particularly where you start from. Paul and Gene have different styles and approach to writing songs. Gene usually has a backlog of song ideas that he pulls from. Paul usually has newer ideas. I think they are both best when they're spontaneous.
4. How did it feel to do the lead vocal on "When Lightning Strikes?" & was this written specifically with your voice in mind?
TT: Yes it was. I wrote the song with some help from Paul. We wanted a straight ahead rocker and I think it came out great.1. What's the latest news on the Hottest Band In The World?
TOMMY THAYER: We're leaving for Europe next week. We've been rehearsing for several weeks now and we're very, very excited about the new 2010 Sonic Boom tour.
2. On SONIC BOOM? How did you generally approach writing your solos?
TT: Some solos I worked out on my own, on others Paul helped me with direction. I usually had an idea where I was going to go with each solo before we recorded them.
3. How would you compare writing with Gene to writing with Paul?
TT: There are no rules to writing songs, particularly where you start from. Paul and Gene have different styles and approach to writing songs. Gene usually has a backlog of song ideas that he pulls from. Paul usually has newer ideas. I think they are both best when they're spontaneous.
4. How did it feel to do the lead vocal on "When Lightning Strikes?" & was this written specifically with your voice in mind?
TT: Yes it was. I wrote the song with some help from Paul. We wanted a straight ahead rocker and I think it came out great.
5. With KISS guitar solos generally being pentatonic based, how do you feel other modes fit/or don't fit within the context of KISS' music?
TT: The KISS style and sound is timeless and was established early on. It's a blues-based hard rock style. It is what it is.
6. In the the current show, on the jam in '100,000 Years', how did it develop into you & Paul trading licks?
TT: I think it was one of those things we didn't plan the first couple times, and then eventually it became a part of the show.
7. "Lick It Up" has some interesting elements live, how did the current arrangement come together, with the segment from 'We Don't Get Fooled Again'?
TT: I think originally I was doing that finger-plucking thing and Paul was singing "I Want You.. I Need You" Later on that evolved into the Who part. I really like that.
8. How did the idea for new costumes come about?
TT: We were flying on our jet to Milwaukee for a one-off gig last year and we were talking about that we needed to get started on new KISS outfits. Paul picked up a pad of paper first and started sketching some ideas. We all tweeked things a bit.
9. Can you tell us a bit about your Hughes & Kettner signature amp?
TT: The HK Tommy Thayer Signature amp has a warm ballsy, in-your-face tone that really works well. I'd recommend it to anyone that wants a serious guitar amp. They look good too!
10. Any set list surprises planned for the European leg of the Sonic Boom tour?
TT: There will be some new songs and other great stuff. Always taking it to another level! We can't wait!
04/30/2010
ERIC SINGER WATCH INTERVIEW
iW Collector Interview Eric Singer
by Michael Thompson
As KISS drummer since 2004, when for the third time he replaced Peter Criss, Eric Singer's long career as a rock and roll drummer began when he toured with Lita Ford in 1984. Since then the Cleveland, Ohio, native has played and recorded with Black Sabbath, Brian May, Badlands, The Cult and Alice Cooper, among many others. In 2009, Singer, along with lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, played and sang on "Sonic Boom," the first KISS studio album to feature the new line-up.
When not on the road (KISS is currently touring Europe), Singer resides in California, where he keeps a collection of more than 100 timepieces.
International Watch: Do you recall your first watch?
Eric Singer: Yes, it was a German brand on a Speidel Twist-O-Flex band. My father was the band leader on the S.S. United States & S.S. America Ocean Liners in the 50's-60's out of New York, crossing the Atlantic roundtrip forty-eight times. He would bring toys and such back for my sister and brothers and that is when I got my first watch-when I was five or six years old. I still have the watch today although it does not run.iW Collector Interview Eric Singer
by Michael Thompson
As KISS drummer since 2004, when for the third time he replaced Peter Criss, Eric Singer's long career as a rock and roll drummer began when he toured with Lita Ford in 1984. Since then the Cleveland, Ohio, native has played and recorded with Black Sabbath, Brian May, Badlands, The Cult and Alice Cooper, among many others. In 2009, Singer, along with lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, played and sang on "Sonic Boom," the first KISS studio album to feature the new line-up.
When not on the road (KISS is currently touring Europe), Singer resides in California, where he keeps a collection of more than 100 timepieces.
International Watch: Do you recall your first watch?
Eric Singer: Yes, it was a German brand on a Speidel Twist-O-Flex band. My father was the band leader on the S.S. United States & S.S. America Ocean Liners in the 50's-60's out of New York, crossing the Atlantic roundtrip forty-eight times. He would bring toys and such back for my sister and brothers and that is when I got my first watch-when I was five or six years old. I still have the watch today although it does not run.
Later in my early teens I got a Glycine for Christmas. And I acquired my Father's LeCoultre triple calendar moonphase and Gallet mini chronograph after they were retired from his wrist.
What timepiece(s) are you considering for your next purchase?
I am always looking, and right now am thinking about a Blancpain 500 Fathoms. I recently acquired a Ball Diver Chronograph that has awesome gas tritium indices and glows like no other watch!
What type of watches typically attract your attention?
I love chronographs or big Italian-style watches. I tend to go for something different, although I do respect traditional watches. TAG Heuer is one of my favorite brands because of their automotive/racing heritage. I think they have done a great job of remembering their past and retaining their roots while being very inventive with modern interpretations of many of their classic watches. Being a car person has always attracted me to this brand. Some of the Italian brands I own or wear are Anonimo, Panerai, U-Boat and Giuliano Mazzuoli/Manometro.
Do you wear a watch onstage?
No. They would get trashed, and mechanical watches are not made for such shock and abuse.
How many watches do you bring on the road?
I always bring four to five watches and rotate them daily on my wrist. I know that I usually will acquire something new along the way and try to only bring a couple, but I can't seem to do that. It is almost like leaving your kids at home!
http://www.iwmagazine.com/current_issue_detail.cfm/ArticleID/602
by Michael Thompson
As KISS drummer since 2004, when for the third time he replaced Peter Criss, Eric Singer's long career as a rock and roll drummer began when he toured with Lita Ford in 1984. Since then the Cleveland, Ohio, native has played and recorded with Black Sabbath, Brian May, Badlands, The Cult and Alice Cooper, among many others. In 2009, Singer, along with lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, played and sang on "Sonic Boom," the first KISS studio album to feature the new line-up.
When not on the road (KISS is currently touring Europe), Singer resides in California, where he keeps a collection of more than 100 timepieces.
International Watch: Do you recall your first watch?
Eric Singer: Yes, it was a German brand on a Speidel Twist-O-Flex band. My father was the band leader on the S.S. United States & S.S. America Ocean Liners in the 50's-60's out of New York, crossing the Atlantic roundtrip forty-eight times. He would bring toys and such back for my sister and brothers and that is when I got my first watch-when I was five or six years old. I still have the watch today although it does not run.iW Collector Interview Eric Singer
by Michael Thompson
As KISS drummer since 2004, when for the third time he replaced Peter Criss, Eric Singer's long career as a rock and roll drummer began when he toured with Lita Ford in 1984. Since then the Cleveland, Ohio, native has played and recorded with Black Sabbath, Brian May, Badlands, The Cult and Alice Cooper, among many others. In 2009, Singer, along with lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, played and sang on "Sonic Boom," the first KISS studio album to feature the new line-up.
When not on the road (KISS is currently touring Europe), Singer resides in California, where he keeps a collection of more than 100 timepieces.
International Watch: Do you recall your first watch?
Eric Singer: Yes, it was a German brand on a Speidel Twist-O-Flex band. My father was the band leader on the S.S. United States & S.S. America Ocean Liners in the 50's-60's out of New York, crossing the Atlantic roundtrip forty-eight times. He would bring toys and such back for my sister and brothers and that is when I got my first watch-when I was five or six years old. I still have the watch today although it does not run.
Later in my early teens I got a Glycine for Christmas. And I acquired my Father's LeCoultre triple calendar moonphase and Gallet mini chronograph after they were retired from his wrist.
What timepiece(s) are you considering for your next purchase?
I am always looking, and right now am thinking about a Blancpain 500 Fathoms. I recently acquired a Ball Diver Chronograph that has awesome gas tritium indices and glows like no other watch!
What type of watches typically attract your attention?
I love chronographs or big Italian-style watches. I tend to go for something different, although I do respect traditional watches. TAG Heuer is one of my favorite brands because of their automotive/racing heritage. I think they have done a great job of remembering their past and retaining their roots while being very inventive with modern interpretations of many of their classic watches. Being a car person has always attracted me to this brand. Some of the Italian brands I own or wear are Anonimo, Panerai, U-Boat and Giuliano Mazzuoli/Manometro.
Do you wear a watch onstage?
No. They would get trashed, and mechanical watches are not made for such shock and abuse.
How many watches do you bring on the road?
I always bring four to five watches and rotate them daily on my wrist. I know that I usually will acquire something new along the way and try to only bring a couple, but I can't seem to do that. It is almost like leaving your kids at home!
http://www.iwmagazine.com/current_issue_detail.cfm/ArticleID/602
04/29/2010
LAST CHANCE TO WIN KISS CROSSRUNNER SCOOTER!
04/29/2010
PAUL ON COVER OF NEW SPANISH METAL HAMMER
04/29/2010
2010 KISS EUROPEAN TOUR PRODUCT LINE
04/29/2010
LEGENDARY ROCKERS TALK KICK-ASS TOUR
By Arwa Haider
The legendary rockers talk about their latest kick-ass European tour and fulfilling their moral duty in giving the Kiss faithful exactly what they want.
'You wanna bite?' Kiss's legendary bassist Gene Simmons, leathery-faced without his iconic make-up, strides into a London hotel room with a takeaway baguette. When I decline, Simmons doesn't skip a beat: 'OK, how about the sandwich?'
It's like being chatted up by Krusty The Clown. But 37 years after they originally formed in New York, Kiss haven't lost their touch - and they've returned for their Sonic Boom Over Europe arena tour, named after their undeniably kick-ass 19th LP. Simmons veers intriguingly between outrageous flirt, entrepreneur and Rock School lecturer.
'You have a moral duty as a rock star,' he insists. 'All these audiences work at jobs they dislike and spend their pay cheques on something they love: they wanna see Kiss. How f***ing dare any of us ruin that trust? So we introduce ourselves with: "You wanted the best, you got the best." There's a sense of pride.'By Arwa Haider
The legendary rockers talk about their latest kick-ass European tour and fulfilling their moral duty in giving the Kiss faithful exactly what they want.
'You wanna bite?' Kiss's legendary bassist Gene Simmons, leathery-faced without his iconic make-up, strides into a London hotel room with a takeaway baguette. When I decline, Simmons doesn't skip a beat: 'OK, how about the sandwich?'
It's like being chatted up by Krusty The Clown. But 37 years after they originally formed in New York, Kiss haven't lost their touch - and they've returned for their Sonic Boom Over Europe arena tour, named after their undeniably kick-ass 19th LP. Simmons veers intriguingly between outrageous flirt, entrepreneur and Rock School lecturer.
'You have a moral duty as a rock star,' he insists. 'All these audiences work at jobs they dislike and spend their pay cheques on something they love: they wanna see Kiss. How f***ing dare any of us ruin that trust? So we introduce ourselves with: "You wanted the best, you got the best." There's a sense of pride.'
In the adjacent suite sits Kiss co-frontman and Sonic Boom producer Paul Stanley (the band's current line-up, including guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, dates back around a decade); he's more softly spoken than Simmons yet still given to explosive bravado. Both men are sharply intelligent, articulate and responsible for air-punching party anthems such as Detroit Rock City and Rock And Roll All Nite.
'I'm a great believer in not over-thinking lyrics,' says Stanley. 'You might become technically better as a songwriter but you lose what originally made your songs great. Tracks like C'mon And Love Me were written in 20 minutes - would they be better if they took two months?'
Kiss's latest tour set-list covers their musical history. 'We've got amazing video screens and some new tricks,' Stanley enthuses. 'We've got to a point where we can't do bigger - we can only do better and different.' However, he's reluctant to credit Kiss's mega-success to their extravagant visuals. 'At the core of Kiss is a great band,' he insists. 'And if that's lost on some people, then f*** 'em.'
Simmons, meanwhile, still recalls the first time he donned his 'Demon' facepaint: 'It felt powerful and fascinating, like being a shaman. I'm much too big for the term "musician" - I'm an entertainer,' he barks.
'Kiss harks back to the court jesters and travelling gipsies of old; they used sleight of hand, they romanced a few girls. Music was part of the whole culture.'
It must feel like Simmons came of age in Kiss. 'Sure. It's the key that unlocks all the doors. Being in a band is better than being James Bond - he's got a licence to kill, baby, I've got a licence to thrill. You can be an ugly bastard and get any girl and more money than God.' Did he always bank on being an iconic brand? Simmons doesn't immediately reply but opens his wallet to display his Kiss Visa card. 'You wouldn't expect how well we've done it,' he says. 'We've gone where no band has gone before.'
So Kiss are phenomenal and a phenomenon - and they know it. 'Our live shows are so multi-generational they're more like a tribal gathering,' says Stanley.
'It's super when you see little kids alongside people in their seventies, and everybody feels like they belong. People relate to the spirit of the band, which is to live your way and succeed on your own terms. There's no hypocrisy in being successful and still railing against conformity. I'm damn successful but I got here by not taking crap. I still don't take crap, so if anybody needs a champion, let it be me.'
Surely Simmons would have something to say about that? 'When I was a kid, I wanted to be rich and famous, and now I've actually trademarked the phrase...,' he counters before his voice trails off. 'I forgot the question 'cause I love the sound of my voice too much.'
Perhaps Stanley should get the last word after all, then. 'Democracy in a band is insane,' he says. 'I think the way it works with Gene and me is that whoever feels strongest at that moment gets their way. One thing's for sure: as good as your last Kiss show was, next time - this time - will always be better.�
Kiss's Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour starts on Saturday at Sheffield Arena. www.kissonline.com
The legendary rockers talk about their latest kick-ass European tour and fulfilling their moral duty in giving the Kiss faithful exactly what they want.
'You wanna bite?' Kiss's legendary bassist Gene Simmons, leathery-faced without his iconic make-up, strides into a London hotel room with a takeaway baguette. When I decline, Simmons doesn't skip a beat: 'OK, how about the sandwich?'
It's like being chatted up by Krusty The Clown. But 37 years after they originally formed in New York, Kiss haven't lost their touch - and they've returned for their Sonic Boom Over Europe arena tour, named after their undeniably kick-ass 19th LP. Simmons veers intriguingly between outrageous flirt, entrepreneur and Rock School lecturer.
'You have a moral duty as a rock star,' he insists. 'All these audiences work at jobs they dislike and spend their pay cheques on something they love: they wanna see Kiss. How f***ing dare any of us ruin that trust? So we introduce ourselves with: "You wanted the best, you got the best." There's a sense of pride.'By Arwa Haider
The legendary rockers talk about their latest kick-ass European tour and fulfilling their moral duty in giving the Kiss faithful exactly what they want.
'You wanna bite?' Kiss's legendary bassist Gene Simmons, leathery-faced without his iconic make-up, strides into a London hotel room with a takeaway baguette. When I decline, Simmons doesn't skip a beat: 'OK, how about the sandwich?'
It's like being chatted up by Krusty The Clown. But 37 years after they originally formed in New York, Kiss haven't lost their touch - and they've returned for their Sonic Boom Over Europe arena tour, named after their undeniably kick-ass 19th LP. Simmons veers intriguingly between outrageous flirt, entrepreneur and Rock School lecturer.
'You have a moral duty as a rock star,' he insists. 'All these audiences work at jobs they dislike and spend their pay cheques on something they love: they wanna see Kiss. How f***ing dare any of us ruin that trust? So we introduce ourselves with: "You wanted the best, you got the best." There's a sense of pride.'
In the adjacent suite sits Kiss co-frontman and Sonic Boom producer Paul Stanley (the band's current line-up, including guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, dates back around a decade); he's more softly spoken than Simmons yet still given to explosive bravado. Both men are sharply intelligent, articulate and responsible for air-punching party anthems such as Detroit Rock City and Rock And Roll All Nite.
'I'm a great believer in not over-thinking lyrics,' says Stanley. 'You might become technically better as a songwriter but you lose what originally made your songs great. Tracks like C'mon And Love Me were written in 20 minutes - would they be better if they took two months?'
Kiss's latest tour set-list covers their musical history. 'We've got amazing video screens and some new tricks,' Stanley enthuses. 'We've got to a point where we can't do bigger - we can only do better and different.' However, he's reluctant to credit Kiss's mega-success to their extravagant visuals. 'At the core of Kiss is a great band,' he insists. 'And if that's lost on some people, then f*** 'em.'
Simmons, meanwhile, still recalls the first time he donned his 'Demon' facepaint: 'It felt powerful and fascinating, like being a shaman. I'm much too big for the term "musician" - I'm an entertainer,' he barks.
'Kiss harks back to the court jesters and travelling gipsies of old; they used sleight of hand, they romanced a few girls. Music was part of the whole culture.'
It must feel like Simmons came of age in Kiss. 'Sure. It's the key that unlocks all the doors. Being in a band is better than being James Bond - he's got a licence to kill, baby, I've got a licence to thrill. You can be an ugly bastard and get any girl and more money than God.' Did he always bank on being an iconic brand? Simmons doesn't immediately reply but opens his wallet to display his Kiss Visa card. 'You wouldn't expect how well we've done it,' he says. 'We've gone where no band has gone before.'
So Kiss are phenomenal and a phenomenon - and they know it. 'Our live shows are so multi-generational they're more like a tribal gathering,' says Stanley.
'It's super when you see little kids alongside people in their seventies, and everybody feels like they belong. People relate to the spirit of the band, which is to live your way and succeed on your own terms. There's no hypocrisy in being successful and still railing against conformity. I'm damn successful but I got here by not taking crap. I still don't take crap, so if anybody needs a champion, let it be me.'
Surely Simmons would have something to say about that? 'When I was a kid, I wanted to be rich and famous, and now I've actually trademarked the phrase...,' he counters before his voice trails off. 'I forgot the question 'cause I love the sound of my voice too much.'
Perhaps Stanley should get the last word after all, then. 'Democracy in a band is insane,' he says. 'I think the way it works with Gene and me is that whoever feels strongest at that moment gets their way. One thing's for sure: as good as your last Kiss show was, next time - this time - will always be better.�
Kiss's Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour starts on Saturday at Sheffield Arena. www.kissonline.com
04/29/2010
SONIC BOOM POSTER COLLECTION
04/28/2010
KISS: GODS OF ROCK AND ROLL
As heavy-rock veterans Kiss launch their latest assault on Britain's arenas, they explain why they're one of the world's biggest brands.
By Andrew Perry
On Saturday, heavy rock's most dazzlingly pyrotechnic roadshow thunders in for its umpteenth sold-out blitz on Britain's arenas. Love them or loathe them, Kiss are icons of post-war American culture. The band's no-holds-barred live show is a worldwide institution, featuring fireworks, smoke, ridiculous costumes and make-up, eruptions of fake blood, winches, elevating platforms, sufficient illumination to cause a power cut for miles around, and, of course, two hours' worth of over-amplified, bone-crunching riffage.
"Everyone loves Kiss," Gene Simmons, their lascivious, tongue-waggling bass-player, tells me. "Wherever we go, people stop in their tracks when they see us in make-up."
As heavy-rock veterans Kiss launch their latest assault on Britain's arenas, they explain why they're one of the world's biggest brands.
By Andrew Perry
On Saturday, heavy rock's most dazzlingly pyrotechnic roadshow thunders in for its umpteenth sold-out blitz on Britain's arenas. Love them or loathe them, Kiss are icons of post-war American culture. The band's no-holds-barred live show is a worldwide institution, featuring fireworks, smoke, ridiculous costumes and make-up, eruptions of fake blood, winches, elevating platforms, sufficient illumination to cause a power cut for miles around, and, of course, two hours' worth of over-amplified, bone-crunching riffage.
"Everyone loves Kiss," Gene Simmons, their lascivious, tongue-waggling bass-player, tells me. "Wherever we go, people stop in their tracks when they see us in make-up."
Their repertoire is perhaps not quite as ubiquitously familiar as that of the Beatles or even Led Zeppelin, but, when Kiss formed in the early Seventies, those were their two inspirations - the one melodic, the other excessive and loud. Though they have had few hits in this country, feel-good songs such as Rock and Roll All Nite, Love Gun and Do You Love Me? have become anthems in their own right.
Where Kiss have really excelled, though, is in generating excitement in stadiums, and, more controversially, in selling their own image. At the turn of the Seventies, it was Kiss, among others, who dispensed with hippiedom's cooperative logic and ethical hand-wringing and approached concert touring as business: you pay your money, you get a show you�ll never forget.
"The strangest people grew up on Kiss - Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe," says Simmons. "We snuck into the Grammys one time, and Luther Vandross was like [high-pitched voice], 'Oh my God, it's Kiss!'"
Simmons, now 60, embodies Kiss's brazen attitude. At the beginning of our interview, he removes his chewing gum from his mouth, sticks it on the table in front of me and beneficently suggests, "There - eBay it!"
He was born Chaim Witz in Israel, and changed his name to Gene Klein when, aged nine, he moved to Brooklyn with his mother. He embraced the American Dream, and capitalism and applied it to his version of the "British Invasion" music that he obsessed over in the late Sixties. It was a penchant he shared with Paul Stanley, Kiss's helium-voiced singer/guitarist.
The duo struck on a sound that stripped back the era's noodly, progressive tendencies for punchy mass consumption, and devised a look ("the visual unity of the Beatles was terrific," says Stanley), and their attention-grabbing stage show.
Thanks to a "bull-headed, delusional, crusader mentality", Kiss soon crashed on to the emerging stadium circuit, and became kings of what America called "glitter rock", which those who still clung to hippie ideals regarded as a sell-out.
"I always hated hippies with a passion," says Simmons. His biggest beef was with their druggy lifestyle, which he describes as "a failing of moral character". Simmons and Stanley ruthlessly booted out their lead guitarist, Ace Frehley, and their drummer, Peter Criss, for their dissolute lifestyle.
"My mother, at 14, was in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany," Simmons reasons, "and saw her whole family incinerated in the ovens. Her philosophy has always been: every day above ground is a good day. Life is a gift, not a birthright. Don't waste it! When you have that kind of cancer growing in your band, you have to cut it out."
Stanley adds: "When everyone started talking about sex, drugs and rock and roll, I was saying, 'You keep the drugs, and I'll take the sex and the rock & roll.'"
Kiss's sexual boasts are almost as preposterous as their costumes. In the Eighties, Simmons claimed to have slept with 3,000 women, among them, verifiably, Cher and Diana Ross. Today, he coolly assures me, his total is nearer 5,000.
At times, Kiss have seemed just as indiscriminate musically, hopping into bed with trends such as disco and so-called "hair metal" in the Eighties, when they unsuccessfully presented themselves without their familiar make-up and regalia.
Yet they made it to the new millennium, largely thanks to their bare-faced furthering of their own brand. Famously, they have sold franchises for production of everything from a Kiss Kabernet Sauvignon, to a coffin - the Kiss Kasket - which doubles as a fridge.
"You don�t know how big the image is," Simmons marvels. "By some experts, it is believed to be the most recognised pop culture image on Earth - even above Mickey Mouse. You know, there's no U2 comic book, there's no Mick Jagger action figure. We have our own Visa card. You can go into WalMart and get M&M's with our faces on. We have a Dr Pepper campaign now. It's unbelievable!"
Other lucrative brand extensions include Simmons's Osbournes-style reality-TV show, Gene Simmons: Family Jewels, which co-stars his partner, Shannon Tweed, a former Playboy Playmate. Simmons was also the central figure in the BBC reality-TV series Rock School.
Perhaps the unlikeliest triumph, though, was last year's rip-roaring album, Sonic Boom, which, 35 years on from their debut, hit the charts around the world, including the UK.
The night after our interview, the band play a rare club gig at the 800-capacity Islington Academy, and I am invited along for the preparations at the nearby Hilton. As the four current members ritualistically apply their make-up, they are watched by a succession of TV crews and admirers, including the Appleton sisters and the Mighty Boosh. Do they ever feel like not transforming into their superhuman selves?
"Never," says Simmons. "The most important thing is getting up on stage. It's electric church, there's no experience like it. Popes, presidents, prime ministers, even kings - none of them get to feel like I do. Only maybe Olympian gods would."
The band, now fully made up, descend to the hotel foyer. A lone businessman in search of the gym is ushered to one side as Simmons stampedes past in seven-inch platform boots, ripped stockings and an over-sized studded codpiece. Kiss are installed into two separate people-carriers waiting outside. For a surreal minute, I sit with Simmons and drummer Eric Singer, as our vehicle crawls no more than a hundred yards to the stage door.
Inside, Kiss entertain, as they never fail to do, with an hour-long set, which culminates in a fabulous version of Rock & Roll All Nite.
Instead of the usual pyrotechnics, two vast leaf-blowing machines hurl vast amounts of ticker-tape over the jubilant crowd.
Unfortunately, the exhaust gases make the band breathless and they are forced to curtail their encore. Even superheroes, it seems, have their Spinal Tap moments.
By Andrew Perry
On Saturday, heavy rock's most dazzlingly pyrotechnic roadshow thunders in for its umpteenth sold-out blitz on Britain's arenas. Love them or loathe them, Kiss are icons of post-war American culture. The band's no-holds-barred live show is a worldwide institution, featuring fireworks, smoke, ridiculous costumes and make-up, eruptions of fake blood, winches, elevating platforms, sufficient illumination to cause a power cut for miles around, and, of course, two hours' worth of over-amplified, bone-crunching riffage.
"Everyone loves Kiss," Gene Simmons, their lascivious, tongue-waggling bass-player, tells me. "Wherever we go, people stop in their tracks when they see us in make-up."
As heavy-rock veterans Kiss launch their latest assault on Britain's arenas, they explain why they're one of the world's biggest brands.
By Andrew Perry
On Saturday, heavy rock's most dazzlingly pyrotechnic roadshow thunders in for its umpteenth sold-out blitz on Britain's arenas. Love them or loathe them, Kiss are icons of post-war American culture. The band's no-holds-barred live show is a worldwide institution, featuring fireworks, smoke, ridiculous costumes and make-up, eruptions of fake blood, winches, elevating platforms, sufficient illumination to cause a power cut for miles around, and, of course, two hours' worth of over-amplified, bone-crunching riffage.
"Everyone loves Kiss," Gene Simmons, their lascivious, tongue-waggling bass-player, tells me. "Wherever we go, people stop in their tracks when they see us in make-up."
Their repertoire is perhaps not quite as ubiquitously familiar as that of the Beatles or even Led Zeppelin, but, when Kiss formed in the early Seventies, those were their two inspirations - the one melodic, the other excessive and loud. Though they have had few hits in this country, feel-good songs such as Rock and Roll All Nite, Love Gun and Do You Love Me? have become anthems in their own right.
Where Kiss have really excelled, though, is in generating excitement in stadiums, and, more controversially, in selling their own image. At the turn of the Seventies, it was Kiss, among others, who dispensed with hippiedom's cooperative logic and ethical hand-wringing and approached concert touring as business: you pay your money, you get a show you�ll never forget.
"The strangest people grew up on Kiss - Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe," says Simmons. "We snuck into the Grammys one time, and Luther Vandross was like [high-pitched voice], 'Oh my God, it's Kiss!'"
Simmons, now 60, embodies Kiss's brazen attitude. At the beginning of our interview, he removes his chewing gum from his mouth, sticks it on the table in front of me and beneficently suggests, "There - eBay it!"
He was born Chaim Witz in Israel, and changed his name to Gene Klein when, aged nine, he moved to Brooklyn with his mother. He embraced the American Dream, and capitalism and applied it to his version of the "British Invasion" music that he obsessed over in the late Sixties. It was a penchant he shared with Paul Stanley, Kiss's helium-voiced singer/guitarist.
The duo struck on a sound that stripped back the era's noodly, progressive tendencies for punchy mass consumption, and devised a look ("the visual unity of the Beatles was terrific," says Stanley), and their attention-grabbing stage show.
Thanks to a "bull-headed, delusional, crusader mentality", Kiss soon crashed on to the emerging stadium circuit, and became kings of what America called "glitter rock", which those who still clung to hippie ideals regarded as a sell-out.
"I always hated hippies with a passion," says Simmons. His biggest beef was with their druggy lifestyle, which he describes as "a failing of moral character". Simmons and Stanley ruthlessly booted out their lead guitarist, Ace Frehley, and their drummer, Peter Criss, for their dissolute lifestyle.
"My mother, at 14, was in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany," Simmons reasons, "and saw her whole family incinerated in the ovens. Her philosophy has always been: every day above ground is a good day. Life is a gift, not a birthright. Don't waste it! When you have that kind of cancer growing in your band, you have to cut it out."
Stanley adds: "When everyone started talking about sex, drugs and rock and roll, I was saying, 'You keep the drugs, and I'll take the sex and the rock & roll.'"
Kiss's sexual boasts are almost as preposterous as their costumes. In the Eighties, Simmons claimed to have slept with 3,000 women, among them, verifiably, Cher and Diana Ross. Today, he coolly assures me, his total is nearer 5,000.
At times, Kiss have seemed just as indiscriminate musically, hopping into bed with trends such as disco and so-called "hair metal" in the Eighties, when they unsuccessfully presented themselves without their familiar make-up and regalia.
Yet they made it to the new millennium, largely thanks to their bare-faced furthering of their own brand. Famously, they have sold franchises for production of everything from a Kiss Kabernet Sauvignon, to a coffin - the Kiss Kasket - which doubles as a fridge.
"You don�t know how big the image is," Simmons marvels. "By some experts, it is believed to be the most recognised pop culture image on Earth - even above Mickey Mouse. You know, there's no U2 comic book, there's no Mick Jagger action figure. We have our own Visa card. You can go into WalMart and get M&M's with our faces on. We have a Dr Pepper campaign now. It's unbelievable!"
Other lucrative brand extensions include Simmons's Osbournes-style reality-TV show, Gene Simmons: Family Jewels, which co-stars his partner, Shannon Tweed, a former Playboy Playmate. Simmons was also the central figure in the BBC reality-TV series Rock School.
Perhaps the unlikeliest triumph, though, was last year's rip-roaring album, Sonic Boom, which, 35 years on from their debut, hit the charts around the world, including the UK.
The night after our interview, the band play a rare club gig at the 800-capacity Islington Academy, and I am invited along for the preparations at the nearby Hilton. As the four current members ritualistically apply their make-up, they are watched by a succession of TV crews and admirers, including the Appleton sisters and the Mighty Boosh. Do they ever feel like not transforming into their superhuman selves?
"Never," says Simmons. "The most important thing is getting up on stage. It's electric church, there's no experience like it. Popes, presidents, prime ministers, even kings - none of them get to feel like I do. Only maybe Olympian gods would."
The band, now fully made up, descend to the hotel foyer. A lone businessman in search of the gym is ushered to one side as Simmons stampedes past in seven-inch platform boots, ripped stockings and an over-sized studded codpiece. Kiss are installed into two separate people-carriers waiting outside. For a surreal minute, I sit with Simmons and drummer Eric Singer, as our vehicle crawls no more than a hundred yards to the stage door.
Inside, Kiss entertain, as they never fail to do, with an hour-long set, which culminates in a fabulous version of Rock & Roll All Nite.
Instead of the usual pyrotechnics, two vast leaf-blowing machines hurl vast amounts of ticker-tape over the jubilant crowd.
Unfortunately, the exhaust gases make the band breathless and they are forced to curtail their encore. Even superheroes, it seems, have their Spinal Tap moments.
