10/20/2016

Military vets met Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley of KISS at Corona Rock & Brew opening

The two KISS band members help honor veterans and open new restaurant

By MARK MUCKENFUSS / Press Enterprise

Photos by STAN LIM

Some local veterans got brushed by celebrity -- a kiss if you will -- on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Corona�s new Rock & Brews restaurant.

Kiss band members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, co-founders of the restaurant chain, were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the restaurant. The event began with a luncheon for veterans that filled nearly every seat in the house. The salute to the military has been a part of every Rock & Brews opening, Simmons said. There are 19 restaurants in the chain.

�Free lunch and free Kiss, are you kidding?� said Mike Ryan, 68, an Air Force, Army and National Guard veteran from Alta Loma. Ryan, who served from 1966 to 1974, stood in a line of about 200 people outside the establishment before the event began.

He said he learned of the event through his local American Legion post.

�This is quite a treat,� he said. �Kiss is a legend, man.�

Dean Madison, 56, of Rancho Cucamonga, was standing with Ryan. Madison spent 28 years in the Air Force, much of it as a reservist at March Air Reserve Base. He said he was excited to meet his childhood idols.

�This was my band in high school,� Madison said. �I had this old Kiss belt buckle. I didn�t know before that they�re all about patriotic stuff.�

Among those gathered for lunch were a number of members of Guitars for Vets, a non-profit organization that teaches veterans to play guitar as a form of therapy. Based in Chicago, the group has had an active chapter at the Loma Linda VA Medical Center since November 2011. James Robledo, 68, of Ontario, heads the chapter.

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10/20/2016

Fan's KISS Comic Issue #1 Collection

New Dynamite Comics KISS comic was just released yesterday and KISS fan Joseph Ciambelli has 12 of the covers already! 

The KISS ARMY ROCKS!

10/19/2016

KISS COMIC #1 � In Stores Today!

Story from www.outrightgeekery.com

KISS #1 � Advanced Review

Writer: Amy Chu
Artist: Kewber Baal
Colorist: Schinerys Baal
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Kiss are back in comic book form with Dynamite comics. Kiss have a long history with comics with their first debut in 1977 with Howard the duck #12. Over the years many publishing houses have produced a Kiss title. These include Marvel, Image, Dark horse. With Dynamite owning the mantle what do they bring to the table?

This series takes place 500 years into the future, centuries after the great war destroyed society and the planets surface. Humanity did survives in a subterranean city of Blackwell, which appears to be regimented. We meet four kids, led by twins Eran and Noa, who are on the edge of conforming to society. Not believing all the stories and in possession of a ancient map. A journey begins with the hopes of learning the truth.

Kewber Baal provides some really solid artwork throughout the issue. He creates a perfectly murky atmosphere for Blackwell while in between Blackwell he creates wonder. Expressions on the kids faces are wonderful, the rendering add alot to there personality. Baal is fantastic at drawing expressions without the need for context, this is something he does here. Kewber�s inclusions of The Elder album is brilliant.

Amy Chu has done a phenomenal job with her writing. This issue has clear evidence that Amy has a passion for the Band. She shows her passion by including Kiss lyrics within the issue. Amy has taken a different approach to her Kiss comic compared to writers before her. She has decided to use Kiss as the secondary in this narrative and make four kids the primary. Amy has cleverly created a narrative that screams Kiss but more Sci-fi. This isn�t a bad thing however as Amy has used this to create an idea that is distinctive and original.

Overall this is a great read. Although nothing spectacular happened and Kiss only made brief cameo like appearances, it however was a fun read that sets the wheels of this series in motion. Amy and Kewber are great in this issue and I hope that continues. This issue is accessible by everyone, Kiss fan or not, that�s the beauty of Amy�s writing.

ART 4/5
WRITING 4/5
OVERALL 4/5

10/19/2016

Demon Pumpkin

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Thanks to Altrincham Unlimited for sharing Gene's pumpkin twin with us! Gene loves it!

The pumpkin is an inspired creation from Dawsons Music for Altrincham's Pumpkin Trail.

10/17/2016

KISS' Eric Singer talks 30 years as a hard rockin' drum hero

By David West / Music Radar.com

Eric Singer has been up late watching basketball but there�s no sign of fatigue when we sit down to talk to KISS�s Catman about his life in music.

Over a 30-plus-year career, the fast-talking, heavy-hitting singer has played with guitar legends Gary Moore, Brian May and Lita Ford, joined Black Sabbath for three years and worked extensively with Alice Cooper. But there are few bigger gigs in rock than KISS.

�Life works in funny ways and I don�t regret the choices I�ve made or didn�t make,� says Singer. �I have a lot of stories when I was asked to be in bands and said no and those bands were successful, but sometimes by staying the course, some connection I made manifested later down the line. Things happen for a reason.�

Singer�s drum heroes include Buddy Rich and Vinnie Colaiuta, but the Kiss gig is all about power, energy and showmanship.

�Gary Moore said to me years ago, �If I�m doing rock, I want a rock drummer. There is nothing I hate worse than a rock drummer trying to be a fusion drummer.� And that stuck with me,� says Singer, who showed he can lay down the groove when backing Kiss�s Paul Stanley on his Soul Station project. �

Everybody doesn�t have to be Vinnie Colaiuta or Gregg Bissonette where you�re a chameleon. If you go, �I�m a rock drummer, that�s what I do,� that�s cool too, because you can make a living and be successful. So what works for you.�Eric Singer has been up late watching basketball but there�s no sign of fatigue when we sit down to talk to Kiss�s Catman about his life in music.

Over a 30-plus-year career, the fast-talking, heavy-hitting singer has played with guitar legends Gary Moore, Brian May and Lita Ford, joined Black Sabbath for three years and worked extensively with Alice Cooper. But there are few bigger gigs in rock than Kiss.

�Life works in funny ways and I don�t regret the choices I�ve made or didn�t make,� says Singer. �I have a lot of stories when I was asked to be in bands and said no and those bands were successful, but sometimes by staying the course, some connection I made manifested later down the line. Things happen for a reason.�

Singer�s drum heroes include Buddy Rich and Vinnie Colaiuta, but the Kiss gig is all about power, energy and showmanship.

�Gary Moore said to me years ago, �If I�m doing rock, I want a rock drummer. There is nothing I hate worse than a rock drummer trying to be a fusion drummer.� And that stuck with me,� says Singer, who showed he can lay down the groove when backing Kiss�s Paul Stanley on his Soul Station project. �

Everybody doesn�t have to be Vinnie Colaiuta or Gregg Bissonette where you�re a chameleon. If you go, �I�m a rock drummer, that�s what I do,� that�s cool too, because you can make a living and be successful. So what works for you.�

 

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