Kiss News

By Alan Sculley / Special to The Morning Call

As KISS begins a farewell tour that figures to last for two years or more, lead singer and guitarist Paul Stanley knows what he’ll miss most about the band he co-founded with bassist/singer Gene Simmons in 1973 in New York City.

“There’s nothing really that can compete or come close to the combustive emotional nature of what we do on stage and the connection to the fans,” he said in a late-January phone interview. “That’s something that’s irreplaceable. That’s something that there’s nothing to compare it to.”

Stanley, Simmons and KISS will play Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 29.

But fans won’t have to worry that they’ll see a mopey or overly sentimental Stanley on stage as he grapples with the reality that this is the final KISS tour. In fact, Stanley, in typical fashion for a band that has never been short on bravado, said this last outing, billed as the End of the Road tour, will actually be a time for celebration.

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• By Stacey Sherman For Media News Group

They may open every show with the famous anthem, but only one place actually IS Detroit Rock City for KISS.

The costumed quartet descended from the rafters onto the stage through a shower of sparks and a haze of smoke on Wednesday night, March 13, getting the Detroit stop on its End Of The Road Tour started with more than a few pyrotechnic bangs. That was just the beginning of the rock ‘n’ roll spectacle for the nearly sold-out crowd at Little Caesars Arena.

Fronted by original members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, KISS was all fire, glam, platform shoes and Kabuki makeup. It was a night of nostalgic, old-school rock surrounded by high-tech, state of the art production. Over a dozen pod-shaped panels hung over the stage and acted as both video screens and lighting as KISS worked its way through the 20-song, two-hour and 15-minute set like seasoned actors on a stage – not missing any cues and giving the KISS Army all the hits. Their voices were roughened by the years and their stage moves were a bit more stiff than years past, but Simmons, 69, made it clear from the start his signature tongue flicking was not affected by his age, vamping for fans and licking his guitar (or other band members) every chance he got.

KISS live at Little Caesars Arena, in photos

Stanley, 67, took the job of front man and crowd greeter seriously, chatting up the audience and reminiscing about how KISS has played Detroit since 1974 when it performed at the Michigan Palace. He also name-checked Cobo Hall and Joe Louis Arena before saying, “but TONIGHT is something special. This is the End Of The Road Tour!” Though he made the band’s love for Detroit clear several times, they missed a huge opportunity after opening the night with “Detroit Rock City” by making no mention of how or why the song came to be, instead launching directly into “Shout It Out Loud.”

An All-Access Pass into the Starchild’s Personal Life

In this follow-up to his popular New York Times bestseller Face the Music, the front man and rhythm guitarist of KISS grants fans an all-access backstage pass to his personal life and shows them how to pursue a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle of their own, offering hard-won advice from a music legend.

In Backstage Pass, the Starchild takes us behind the scenes, revealing what he’s learned from a lifetime as the driving force of KISS, and how he brings his unique sensibility not only to his music career but to every area of his life—from business to parenting to health and happiness.

This book takes you beyond the makeup as Paul shares fascinating details about his life—his fitness routine, philosophy, business principles, how he maintains his inspiration, passion, and joy after nearly 50 years of mega success including selling out tours, 100 million albums sold and an art career that has amassed over 10 million dollars in sales.

Divulging more true stories of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s relationships, hardships, and pivotal moments, it also contains intimate four-color, never-before-seen photos from Paul’s personal collection, and offers surprising lessons on the discipline and hard work that have made him one of the healthiest and most successful rock ‘n’ roll icons in history.

This is the book for fans who love living large, but also want to take control and move ahead in everyday life. Paul shows you how you can rock ‘n’ roll all night and party every day—without missing a beat.

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