Kiss News

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KISS is featured in today's Sunday Mail in Scotland!

Thanks to Raymond Muir for sharing with us!

by Eric Shirley / www.moviegeekfeed.com

I absolutely love how creative writers Amy Chu and Erik Burnham get with KISS: The Demon #2. They find a brilliant way to bring Gene Simmons' alter ego into the story without in a metaphysical sense versus physical presence. Artist Eman Casallos gives the Demon the menacing look he deserves and commands. As the dramatic last page sneaks up on you, you're left hanging in startling anticipation. This book definitely takes the legend known as the Demon of KISS into unexplored territories.

After the sudden death of his father, Sam Jr. takes over the Blackwell family company in KISS: The Demon #2. Milo's family moves to California and Kimi gets a scholarship to study abroad. Despite being apart, the former bandmates remain forever connected by their love of music and KISS. However, Sam's obsession with the band, and especially the Demon, takes on a new and potentially dangerous twist.

KISS: The Demon #2 is rated T+ for Teen Plus. It contains violence, gore, profanity, and frightening and intense scenes. There's one instance where a character curses and a bit of blood at one point.

Amy Chu and Erik Burnham wrote KISS: The Demon #2. Eman Casallos illustrates the issue. It was released on February 22nd through Dynamite Comics. The book is 32 pages long.

KISS: The Demon #2 is available now in print and digital editions.

Rocket Fizz and KISS have reached a gigantic licensing and co-branding agreement. Rocket Fizz will be bottling and distributing worldwide KISS soda pops, beginning with the KISS Destroyer Cola. Rocket Fizz will also be producing KISS and Rocket Fizz co-branded t-shirts and tin signs. The KISS Destroyer Cola will be available in all Rocket Fizz stores in 1-3 weeks. When you feel like you want to "rock and roll all nite and party every day" stop by a Rocket Fizz and pick up a super duper cool KISS soda pop, tin sign, and t-shirt!

by Michael Cavacini / www.theaquarian.com

From November 4-9 I was on KISS Kruise VI, and a few days prior to this trip I interviewed KISS� lead guitarist, Tommy Thayer.

KISSology 4 was supposed to be released in November 2011, yet it still hasn�t seen the light of day. Why?

I don�t know if it was officially slated to be released then. It�s still on hold. It�s about 85% done. I put it together and produced what we�ve done so far. KISSology 4, like the other KISSologies, will chronicle a certain era of the band. It will chronicle the band from early 2001/2002 up until the current date. It will also include vintage footage from the KISS archives that people haven�t seen.

Getting back to your question, I don�t know if I have a good reason why it hasn�t come out yet. There�s just been so many other things going on, and something as important as that, has to have its own window of time where it�s focused and committed to, so it gets the right attention. Sometimes that kind of stuff happens.

A project like that is timeless so you have more flexibility where it doesn�t have to come out at a certain time. We�re waiting to find the right time to put it out so it gets the attention that it deserves.
Speaking of unreleased material, when can fans expect another deluxe edition similar to what you did with Love Gun?

I think the intention was to do a series of deluxe editions, like the Love Gun Deluxe Edition. Before that Destroyer Resurrected was released. We had the idea of doing one for Creatures of the Night. But when I looked into supplementary material, like bonus tracks and demos, things that we could beef it up with, I didn�t really find anything in our archives to do it properly, so that was set aside. It�s not to say it won�t happen again. But, sometimes, certain eras and certain records we don�t have enough supplementary material to do it, and that was the case with the Creatures idea.

At the Mohegan Sun concert on October 29, Paul said to the audience that KISS is going to release a new studio album. When will you guys start writing material for it and recording it?

I think it�s still in the idea phase. I don�t believe anything definitive has been decided yet for that. Within the band, we�ve talked and thrown some ideas around. It would be nice to do another record.

Eric has said he doesn�t want to be in KISS if Gene and Paul aren�t in the band. When Gene and Paul eventually retire, what would you do?

To make a proclamation about whether or not I�d continue to be in the band after Gene and Paul retire, to me, personally, doesn�t make sense. That�s why I�m not saying, �Here�s what I�m gonna be doing in five years.� How can you possibly say what you�re going to be doing because we just don�t know. I like to take things day by day, and we�ll see where it all goes. I�ve been around KISS and the organization for a long time, and I hope to continue that. Regarding what happens with Gene and Paul and the band in the future, I don�t think anybody knows for sure.

A small segment of KISS fans can�t accept you performing in the �Spaceman� makeup and attire, even though you�ve been working with the band for decades and been KISS� lead guitarist for nearly 15 years. How do you deal with this relentless onslaught of hate from narrow-minded fans?

It really doesn�t bother me. You can�t be fooled by a handful people that go on websites and complain. Some people complain about everything, really, not just who�s the guitar player. In that context, it doesn�t really mean anything to me. If anything, I chuckle and smile when I hear things like that. It really has nothing to do with what�s happening in reality. Put it this way: KISS continues to go out and play big shows and be the phenomenon that it is. I give more merit to that fact, than what a few oddballs say online. I don�t really care.

Why don�t you and Eric sing more songs live?

KISS has been playing and recording for more than 40 years, and Gene and Paul sing most of the songs on the albums. That�s what KISS is known for. So when we play live, Gene and Paul sing the majority of the songs. I�ve only sung a couple songs on record and a couple others live. It�s a huge catalog of albums with hundreds of songs. When you look at it that way, it�s pretty easy to understand why they sing the majority of the songs we play live. Eric and I sing a few songs live and a lot of backup vocals, and we love it. Like I said, that�s why those guys sing most of the stuff, because they wrote and recorded most of it. That�s what people expect.

If you could sing more songs live, which ones would you choose?

If a song was written, recorded and sung by one of the guys in the band, and that�s what fans have heard for years, then that�s what people are expecting to hear live. But if that guy isn�t in the band anymore, and it�s a popular live song, then someone else has to do it. �Shock Me� is a KISS song that�s always been popular, so it makes sense for me to do that one. The same case with �Black Diamond� or �Beth� with Eric. The problem with the new songs like �When Lightning Strikes� and �Outta This World,� new songs off new records, frankly a lot of people don�t know them. When you�re playing live there�s a dynamic and energy to the show, and when you play new songs that nobody knows you lose the energy. (laughs) It�s that plain and simple. When you have a career as long as KISS, you have to play what people expect and what gets fans excited, and that�s where the energy comes from. You see the same thing if you go and see Paul McCartney or the Rolling Stones. It�s just the way it is.

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By Eric Shirley / www.moviegeekfeed.com

KISS has been a proven rock and roll institution now for over four decades. They've conquered not only the album sales charts and live music venues of the world, but the band has been begrudgingly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well. KISS definitely earned the right to call their own shots.

That's exactly what the powerhouse four-piece super-group has been doing lately. KISS can easily pack out five-digit capacity venues, and they still do all over the globe. However, lately they've been visiting cities they've never been to or haven't graced with their presence in years on the Freedom to Rock tour. One of those stops was for a sold out audience of 3,500 lucky fans in Thackerville, OK at the Winstar World Casino and Resort's Global Event Center.

The show at Winstar World Casino and Resort's Global Event Center was a more intimate experience than what I've had before at a KISS concert. Although the word "intimate" might sound ridiculous to some, seeing the Hottest Band in the World in a room that only holds 3,500 is much different than seeing them in an outdoor amphitheater or arena that holds 15,000 to 20,000 people. Unlike mezzanine seats or the back wall of the lawn thousands upon thousands of yards from the stage, there really wasn't a bad seat in the house.

Since the Freedom to Rock tour was at a smaller venue, the massive KISS stage set-up they usually have was scaled down just a tiny bit. As far as spectacle is concerned, it didn't affect the quality of the experience. The band had less room to perform in, but they made the most out of every square inch. The fire and explosions weren't as big as they usually are for a full-scale KISS show, but they were as big as was legally allowed inside the Winstar World Casino and Resort's Global Event Center.

One thing that wasn't affected by the size of the venue was the performances of every member of KISS. Decked out in the costumes the band wore for their "Creatures of the Night" tour in the early 1980s, each one brought their A-game to the set. Numbers included a greatest hits playlist of essential songs from 1973's self-titled album all the way up to 1998's "Psycho Circus." They even pulled out a couple numbers I haven't seen them perform in many years. They played "Flaming Youth" from 1976's "Destroyer" and "Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll" from 1974's "Hotter Than Hell."

Starchild Paul Stanley strutted across the stage and delivered the operatic vocals and wailing we've all come to expect from the charismatic vocalist of KISS. Although he shares lead vocal duties with Demon Gene Simmons, Stanley does most of the talking between songs and manages to work the audience into a frenzy. He was unable to do his usual flying number to the center of the audience, but didn't let that stop him from demanding the undivided attention of all 3,500 fans gathered in the Global Event Center.

Demon Gene Simmons found a way to balance the fearsome and intimidating stomping around and tongue flicking with a fun sense of humor that includes making faces at the crowd, spitting water on them, and just goofing around in general. He performed his famous fire-breathing and blood-spitting in a cloud of green fog, but didn't float up into the rafters like he usually does. Instead, he just rolled into "War Machine" from 1982's "Creatures of the Night." It was interesting to see him change things up a bit by not singing "God of Thunder," although it is one of my favorites.

Spaceman Tommy Thayer exhibited the lead guitar talent we've come to expect from him in the past fifteen years. He perfectly blends Ace Frehley's signature lines with his own energetic handiwork. Thayer shot rockets from his guitar head, as he's known to do, after taking over lead vocal duties on original guitarist / singer Frehley's "Shock Me" from 1977's "Love Gun." Although I understand that there's only so many songs you can fit into a set list from an iconic group like KISS, I do wish Tommy could perform one of his own cosmic tunes off of either 2009's "Sonic Boom" or 2012's "Monster." "When Lightning Strikes" or "Outta This World" are both great songs that completely embody the spirit of the Spaceman, yet give Thayer a chance to continue to make the persona his own.

Catman Eric Singer pounded away on the drums as they levitated up and down during the 90-minute set. He lent his soulful voice to "Black Diamond," which original drummer Peter Criss sang on the band's self-titled album. Once again, I understand most KISS concert-goers want to hear the hits, but I would love to see Singer perform one of the newer songs he sings off of "Sonic Boom" or "Monster."

At one point, Paul Stanley asked the crowd to raise their hands if the show at the Winstar World Casino and Resort's Global Event Center was their first time to see the band. I was surprised when many of them raised their hands or vocally responded. I would say over half the audience replied yes to Stanley's question. Paul looked out at the crowd and addressed the newest KISS Army members.

"Tonight is going to be a night you'll never forget. Nobody forgets their first KISS!"

CLICK HERE to see more pictures from KISS's show at the Winstar World Casino and Resort's Global Event Center right here.

By Roberta Naas / www.atimelyperspective.com

Last week we had the opportunity to interview guitarist Tommy Thayer, a.k.a the Spaceman, of KISS. He was talking then about his involvement in raising money for the Oregon Military Museum, named after his war-hero dad. However, we did get to ask a few questions on a more rock-and-roll tone. Here we bring you the answers to the questions our readers told us they wanted to know.

ATP: If you were alone on a desert island, what 3 key songs would you bring with you?  

 Tommy Thayer:  �Definitely I would have a Beatles song. I am a Beatles freak; I think they are the best band of all time. Maybe, even though it�s a little dark, I think Eleanor Rigby is one of the most amazing song ever written; it would that one.

Then I would go with something from the Eagles because I love them, so Tequila Sunrise fits the bill. And, in the spirit of rock and roll, I admire Alice Cooper, he�s always been a rebel and so I would bring �School�s Out.�

ATP: Fellow band member Eric Singer is a big watch collector, are you?

Tommy Thayer: �I like watches and I have a small collection. I have a nice array of watches that I have either bought or have been presented to me while touring. I am a fan of beautiful watches, particularly Swiss top quality pieces.�

ATP: KISS is a big supporter of veterans and the military; is there one message you would like to get out to people about this.

Tommy Thayer: �It is important to remember the amazing people who fought for our country. Their stories of heroism and the things they did for America are inspirational. We live pretty safe secure, nice lives and young people have not really experienced the adversity that our parents and their parents experienced, so   understanding where we come from as a country and what people have done to get us here, the sacrifices they have made to make this the country we have today is all important.�

ATP: What was it like growing up in a house with a war-hero for a father?

 Tommy Thayer: �My father didn�t really talk about the war when we were growing up. It was a traumatic experience and I think in a lot of ways he and the others like him who served were very disciplined, but when they got out, they didn�t want to relive it. But then, 15 years ago when he went back to Austria to be honored for his heroism in liberating the 15,000 people in the death camp, a man who had been in the camp as a 14-year-old boy thanked my father for saving his life. I think it was vindication, and validation that everything he went through, those horrific things he saw during liberating that camp, was all for a reason. He and his platoon save 15,000 people. He finally started talking to us about those experiences and we have learned so much from him.�

General public tickets for KISS' Grand Casino Amphitheater show on Saturday, July 15th are on sale now!

http://grandcasinomn.com/entertainment/kiss/

KISSWORLD 2017

The Gothenburg, Sweden show is now SOLD OUT!

Thanks, KISS ARMY Sweden! See you in May!

http://www.kissonline.com/tour

by Eric Shirley / www.moviegeekfeed.com

I'm still not entirely sure how the actual band fits into Amy Chu's storyline, but I'm having a great time enjoying the ride she's taking us on with KISS #5 and it's predecessors. Half the fun is not knowing your destination as the finely illustrated issue rolls along. The last page is a jawdropper that's sure to leave readers shocked and yearning for more.

Things are heating up fast, and when we say heat, we mean HOT. The ventilation system is broken and the city is running out of air! Meanwhile, Noa and Eran are still reeling from the revelations about their past. The four friends must reconcile their differences to save everyone, and with the help of MORPHEUS, solve the big mystery of Blackwell before it's too late in KISS #5.

KISS #5 is rated T+ for Teen Plus. Like I said last issue, I really don't know why it's rated anything over a regular Teen. There's less gore, violence, profanity, and frightening and intense scenes than we get in a monthly issue of any of the DC Comics super hero titles.

Amy Chu handles the writing duties for KISS #5. Kewber Baal provides artwork for the issue. It was released on February 15th through Dynamite Entertainment. The book is 32 pages long.

KISS #5 is available now in print and digital editions.