Tommy Thayer, best known as lead guitarist of mega-band KISS, is diving into the world of mobile development. In this session, Tommy will answer all of your questions and introduce you to Ernest Hummingbird, his new children's storybook app out this summer.
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By Ina Fried / recode.net
Tommy Thayer isn�t the first guitarist for the band KISS, but he is the first KISS guitarist to also create a mobile app for kids.
Thayer is one of the main forces behind Ernest Hummingbird, a children�s storybook app debuting this summer on iOS and Android. The mobile app tells the story of a hummingbird who wants to sing rather than just hum.
Like many aspiring musicians, the avian protagonist gets pushback from his parents. But, with the help of some friends, he makes his dream come true.
�They learn to sing together and it�s all they want to do,� Thayer said, during a talk at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco.
Thayer admitted he felt a bit out of place at a software development conference.
�I�m not a techie and I don�t write code and I don�t really design apps either,� he said. �The content and the music and the stories is really what I am into.�
While the app isn�t quite ready, Thayer said he recently showed an early version to KISS frontman Gene Simmons. Simmons, Thayer said, is notorious for looking at something for only a few seconds before sharing his critique. Instead, Simmons watched the full 12-minute narrated version before saying that Thayer had something cool on his hands.
�Coming from Gene, that was quite a compliment,� Thayer said.
Thayer said he has high hopes for Ernest, hoping the hummingbird can eventually fly into his own TV show. Virtual reality is also an area of interest for both the kids app and the band.
�I think VR is the next big thing,� Thayer said. �We want to be there being part of it just like you guys do.�
As for the answer to his most frequently asked question, Thayer said it takes him about an hour to put on his KISS makeup. And yes, all the band members do their own makeup. Thayer said that time is also a special bonding experience for the band members.
�It�s the transition from us, into KISS. I know that sounds a little corny,� he said.
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Here's the promo video for Ace Frehley's "FIRE and WATER" featuring Paul Stanley.
A delicate routine, before rocking all night
In the early 1970s, two members of New York rock band Wicked Lester, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, struck out to start a new group. They recruited drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley, and by early 1973 had settled on a name � KISS.
Their first gig as KISS was at the Popcorn Club in Queens, New York, on Jan. 30, 1973. The band members outnumbered the audience of three.
It wasn�t until a couple months later that the group began to develop their signature look. During performances at The Daisy in Amityville, New York, on March 9 and 10, the band took to the stage with striking black and white makeup.
Each man�s makeup reflected a character and personality: Stanley�s heady romantic �Starchild,� Simmons� twisted and cynical �Demon,� Criss� nine-lived �Catman,� and Frehley�s extraterrestrial �Space Ace.�
Here, the glam-metal quartet go through their well-practiced makeup routines backstage before shows in 1975.
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The time has come KISS Navy! You are being called into action for another head-banging, fist-pumping mission at sea on The KISS Kruise VI. What exactly is lurking in the shadows during this adventure of the deep? All manner of creatures from the depths of the sea - that�s what. This year will be a seaworthy exploration of KISS� iconic 1982 Creatures Tour! So save the date, KISS Kruisers! Join us on a rockin� vacation of a lifetime with your leaders, KISS and all of your favorite sea creatures. We�ll be setting sail from Miami on November 4-9, 2016 aboard Norwegian Pearl headed to Cozumel and Grand Cayman!
