Kiss News

From Sebastian:

For the discerning traveller!! You know when it's time to hit the road, you need the full set of KISS luggage!!

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

CLICK here to watch the Today Show clip.

They are the giants of their respective fields and have two of the most fanatical, dedicated fan bases imaginable.

Legendary rock band KISS and the biggest sporting club in Australia, the Collingwood Football Club, have teamed up to produce a very special, one-off commemorative T-shirt � THE KISS MAGPIE ARMY.

Visit http://bit.ly/1KxRqiD to purchase the shirt now!

 by Brett White / comicbookresources.com

The world premiere of �Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery� was presented to Comic-Con International attendees in the legendary Hall H. The two-hour event was moderated by writer and actor Kevin Smith, who introduced the animated feature to the crowd and then led a lively � and sometimes playful � panel discussion.

The event featured all four current members of the rock �n roll band KISS, the first-ever appearance of the entire group at Comic-Con, as well several of the creators and actors behind the animated film. In addition to KISS band members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer, and Eric Singer, the panel also featured actors Matthew Lillard (Shaggy), Grey Griffin (Daphne), Pauley Perrette, Jason Mewes, producers/directors Tony Cervone and Spike Brandt and screenwriter Kevin Shinick.

The 70-minute feature, which is mostly animated in the classic Scooby-Doo style, was well-received by the Comic-Con audience. The plot involves a theme park, KISS World, that is being terrorized by a witch-like creature, voiced by Perrette. To get to the bottom of the rock and roll mystery, the Scooby-Doo gang teams up with KISS to investigate.

The members of the band all voice their own parts in the film, which features five classic KISS songs as well as a new track. Many of the concepts and character names are borrowed from the group�s extensive catalog of song titles, such as �Black Diamond� and �Beth,� while their iconic on-stage personas are distilled down into simpler caricatures that blend in with the world of Scooby-Doo. While Scooby and the Mystery, Inc. gang look no different from the way longtime fans remember them, there are some modern-day touches. CGI animation gives a decidedly different look to some of the more spooky aspects of the story, and the differences in these animation styles clearly pay homage to classic comic book artists like Jack Kirby and Jim Steranko.

Smith began the panel by asking the cartoon�s creators how the idea of having these two franchises meet came about. �I took a lot of cough syrup and had a fever dream,� Shinick jokingly responded.

�Scooby-Doo and KISS are two American pop culture icons that belong together, and we knew it would work out,� said Cervone.

KISS� Stanley supported the notion, adding, �Putting two icons together gave us the chance to do something bigger than either of us.�

Lillard echoed the above sentiments, stating, �When you get these icons together and you can make stories that kids can relate to, it�s just fantastic.�

�When [Warner Bros.] asked me if I wanted to do Scooby-Doo and KISS, I just said yes,� said Perrette. �I didn�t even know what they wanted me to do.�

Smith made a personal observation that his favorite Scooby-Doo episodes were those that teamed up the characters with other franchises, such as Batman and Robin. �It took forty years for KISS to meet Scooby-Doo,� said Smith. �I�m twenty years into �Jay & Silent Bob,� so I�m hoping in another twenty years, Jay and Silent Bob can meet Scooby-Doo.� Smith�s long-running duo do appear in �Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery� in one sense as both Smith and �Jay & Silent Bob� co-star Mewes have cameos in the opening scene as a pair of amusement park workers. Smith and Mewes semi-playfully addressed the competitive nature of their brief roles as characters only referred to as Worker #1 and Worker #2 by the panel.

�Dude, I never get to talk in anything,� Smith, who plays Worker #2, pointed out to Mewes. �We got to do the rollercoaster screaming; I gave a performance I was proud of, because I wanted to be Worker #1, and then you bettered it.� Griffin attempted to comfort Smith, bluntly chiming in and telling him that �being #2 is the shit.�

Wearing a shirt adorned with multiple patches bearing the familiar KISS logo, Shinick eagerly discussed his excitement about working with the band. �I used to play with a Gene Simmons doll and have him say certain things,� said the writer. �Now I�m getting paid to make [the real] Gene Simmons say things. There are certain things you except to see KISS say and do.�

�I used to have a Gene Simmons doll too, but made it do very different things,� said Griffin. As Simmons sat silent and grinning in the aftermath of Griffin�s remarks, moderator Smith retorted, �Do tell!�

Smith asked the four members of the band what it was like to do their own voice acting for the film, and all spoke positively about the experience. �I�m always comfortable in front of a microphone, because I�m not the ham, I�m the whole pig,� Stanley elaborated, to the laughter of the crowd. �But I found it different because I wanted to create the animated version of the Starchild different from what I am on stage, so it had a slightly different timbre to it.� Decades as KISS� frontman undoubtedly gave Stanley the confidence to try his cords at voice acting, and that experience also led him to briefly work the panel�s crowd the same way he has done countless times during the band�s concerts. Stanley motioned to each section of the Hall H crowd, urging them to cheer on command. Stanley then leaned into the mic and confidently boasted, �I can also part the red sea.�

Stanley pointed out how the band�s early involvement in the comic medium helped set the stage for this collaboration. In reference to the first KISS comic, �Marvel Comics Super Special� #1 which featured a cover boasting that it was �printed in real KISS blood,� Stanley reflected back to the band�s involvement in this creative effort. �We flew to upstate New York, and ceremoniously poured our blood into the vat of red ink [at the printer]; and I was very happy they didn�t ask anything for the yellow.� When the crowd�s laughter subsided, Stanley continued. �KISS has always tried to put our heart and soul into everything we do. We�ve always been KISS, but we�ve also separated into an iconic entity.� It was that iconic status that Stanley felt helped make this team-up possible.

Simmons referenced that same flight and the band�s � or at least his own � love for comics and animation. Simmons said that he �grew up geekier than any of you out there,� to which Stanley silently nodded in affirmation. Simmons spoke of the band and their management sharing the flight with Marvel�s Stan Lee. Simmons said that his star-struck younger self put his foot in his mouth when he made an inadvertent disparaging remark about Lee�s late brother, Marvel artist Larry Lieber. Simmons wasn�t enamored with Lieber�s style, but, despite that faux pas, Lee subsequently sent an encouraging note to an up-and-coming Simmons.

Smith didn�t let this seeming ingratitude go unaddressed, observing, �Stan sent you a postcard saying that you will do great things, and you said you suck at your job!� Simmons corrected Smith by again stating that it was Lieber who he felt was not so great, to which Smith fired back, �Stop saying it!� A mildly perturbed Simmons tried to deflect the debate by noting that the discussion was moot since Lieber was dead. Smith got in the final volley by concluding, �It�s the Painfully Obvious Hour with Gene Simmons.� The entire exchange was enjoyed by the audience, and Simmons was able to get to his point about how creators of art need to inspire the next generation, as Lee had done for him.

Simmons continued with his story about the band�s involvement in other media. �Our relationship with Hanna Barbera goes back to the �70s. They produced �Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park,'� he said, reminding the audience of the infamous and oft-maligned 1978 television movie. �This was a motion picture on the level of �Gone With The Wind,'� Simmons added sarcastically.

�More like �Passing Wind,'� added Stanley.

�We also appeared with Scooby-Doo for the first time in the �70s,� Simmons continued, in reference to an older episode that featured the bands likenesses but not their characters. �Since then, we�ve been proud to have been on �SpongeBob,� �Family Guy�� When Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. said we�re going to make a real super Scooby classic, we wanted to break the doors of time and go where no band has gone before. We protected [the essence of KISS], but other than that, the creative geniuses at this table created the best �Scooby� movie of all time.�

With the panel running short on time, Smith turned to Simmons and stated that he was going to open the mic to questions, jokingly adding, �Unless you want to shit on Stan Lee�s brother one more time.�

A fan then complimented all involved on the film, but stated that he felt it had a similar plot to �Phantom of the Park.� Simmons and Stanley dismissed this similarity, but Shinick noted that there were some similarities on a different level. �An amusement park setting made sense in the Scooby-Doo world, so we had a second chance to do what might have been lacking from that earlier movie.�

Cervone picked up on the thought by adding, �Some of the visual and sound effects were the same as those used in �Phantom of the Park.� They were KISS Easter eggs that we buried in our movie.�

Stanley turned to Shinick and asked, seemingly serious, �If you�re a fan, can you tell me what �KISS Meets the Phantom� is about, please?� Also seemingly serious, Shinick replied, �About an hour too long.�

�Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery� is available digitally and on Blu-ray and DVD now.

By SANDY COHEN / AP

Johnny Depp didn't say a word as he stepped onto a small stage inside the Lucky Strike bowling alley. He just strapped on a guitar and started playing with the band.

One song later, Gene Simmons joined in.

The superstar pairing capped off a fundraising concert Sunday for MendingKids.org, an organization that provides hundreds of free corrective surgeries each year for children around the world. Besides Depp and Simmons, the event also featured a surprise reunion of rock group Extreme for a performance of their 1991 classic "More Than Words."

After appearances by various musicians, Depp quietly joined the house band to play Alice Cooper's "School's Out." (The 52-year-old actor announced last week that he is forming a band with Cooper and guitarist Joe Perry called Hollywood Vampires that will release a self-titled album next month and donate proceeds to charity.)

His hair slicked back, Depp wore jeans and an oxford shirt topped with a gray vest. He played a white electric guitar. In a statement provided by his publicist, Depp said he was "thrilled to be a part of an event that benefits children around the globe."

"Mending Kids is not only changing the lives of these kids, but making a difference in developing countries that are in need of medical care," he said.

Simmons was the last to take the stage. A supporter of MendingKids.org for several years, the 65-year-old entertainer invited anyone with $1,000 to donate to the organization to come up and sing with the band. About 10 donors took him up on the offer, including his son and daughter, and they shared the stage with Depp, Simmons and the rest of the band during the closing number, the KISS hit "Rock and Roll All Nite."

After the show, Depp waved to fans and disappeared out a side door.

KISSCustom.com gives fans the opportunity to interact with the KISS brand like never before!  Fans will have the power to vote on unique KISS designs personalized around professions, hobbies, home states and more. 

Voting for these designs will be done twice a month through the official KISS Facebook page. Fans can cast their votes by commenting on the posts expressing which design they like the best. After the votes have been counted the winning designs will be available for purchase at KISScustom.com.

What's a theme night, you ask? It's our equivalent of the ultimate costume party.  Theme nights are totally optional, but it's way more fun if you participate! They always provide the best people-watching, so be sure to join in and add to the fun.
 
Pajama Party (Pre-Party Night)

Get those KISS onesies ready, because now you finally have an excuse to wear your favorite PJs out in public and during the Official Pre-Party no less!
 
That 70�s Night

1975�s ALIVE! Head back to that golden age where bell bottom pants, platform shoes, psychedelic prints and all those groovy threads were white hot.

 
Halloween

It�s Halloween! Come one, come all, you creatures of the night!  

 
Jamaican Me Crazy

We�re going to Jamaica, mon! Think tropical island wear, Rastafarian colors, or perhaps a wickedly awesome pairing of KISS makeup and dreadlocks!

 
Kruiser�s Choice

We�re leaving this decision in the capable hands of the KISS Navy! So what�s it gonna be Kruisers? What theme night do you want to close out another epic KISS Kruise?

***please refer to the theme night email to take the survey

www.TheKISSKruise.com

Hey guys how's it going? I recently visited Moorea island Tahiti in celebration of my 25th wedding anniversary to my awesome wife. We stayed in the over-water bungalows. Every day we went snorkeling and as I looked back at the Bungalows I realized sometimes it was difficult to figure out which one to swim back to.

Luckily I brought the fantastic KISS towel with me on the trip so I hung it on the balcony area of the Bungalow so that it would be easy to spot from out at sea. Everyone in this resort approached us to say how cool the towel was!

We love KISS!

Russell Mettke

By Steve Baltin / Billboard

Outspoken KISS icon Gene Simmons is a journalist�s dream, always good for colorful quotes on a variety of subjects. Like when the subject turns to Kiss� place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Simmons questions why acts like Madonna and Donna Summer are in there. And he wonders: �When is Led Zeppelin going to be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame?�

But Simmons has a softer side as he talks about his many philanthropic endeavors. He�ll be participating in two charity events. The first is Aug. 16 at Lucky Strike in Hollywood, where he and Johnny Depp will bowl and lead an all-star jam that also includes Gilby Clarke, Nuno Bettencourt and more to raise funds for Mending Kids, an organization that raises money to send doctors around the world to perform operations on kids in need. The second event will take place Aug. 18, where Simmons will be interviewed at the Grammy Museum following stand-up sets by the likes of Bill Burr and Jim Jefferies as part of Comedy Rocks. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Sophie�s Place, a charity set up by his daughter Sophie Simmons, which also benefits children.

Simmons spoke to Billboard about the importance of giving back, as well as his plans for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Tell us about the event Sunday.

Mending Kids does great work. All the funding comes in from contributions, and MendingKids.org sends doctors, on their dime, around the world to provide free operations to children with physical deformities, facial, spinal, anything, where otherwise they would have a life of pain and suffering and perhaps death. So Johnny Depp and I are gonna bowl August 16 at Lucky Strike in Hollywood, so people should go get their tickets. Space is limited, it�s not one of those huge events, so there�ll be high-end people and a rock band, everybody�s gonna jump up and jam. Johnny will play a few songs, I�ll play a few songs, a few other knuckleheads will jump up, and all the proceeds go to MendingKids.org to provide children with operations that they would normally never have.

Have you ever jammed with Johnny before?

No. We�ve met and chatted some, but never been onstage with him.

Are there covers you�d be particularly excited to do with him?

We have no idea. We�re just gonna do it loosey-goosey -- which is not a bad name for a band, not a good name come to think of it. But you get up there and just let it roll. There�ll be a good bunch of musicians; it�s gonna be a good night. But anything you do too slick doesn�t come off heartfelt. It�s less about the show and the celebrities and more about the good and what we�re all trying to do for kids.

How did you first ever get involved with the organization?

A few years ago, I was introduced to Mending Kids by a friend. It started off as business, and then the more I looked into it, the more I saw these are legitimate doctors who contribute their time and effort and they try to raise funds.

You did a benefit for them at House of Blues with Kiss and Tom Jones as well.

I put the deal together, negotiated with the House of Blues to give us the space for free, I booked Arsenio Hall and Tom Jones and the guys in Kiss contributed their time. I called Penn Jillette, who hosted the evening, and I called Mark Cuban to broadcast the event on AXS. It was a big night, raised a lot of money, and then as we all do, we get busy with the rest of our lives. Then Mending Kids called me about a month back and said, �Look, we�re having this event, can you please promote it?� They said they have Johnny Depp. I said, �That�s all you need, but I�ll be happy to step up and I�ll bowl and you can auction me off and we�ll jam and do all that.�

What do you look for in charities you work with?

The most important thing is that most of the money goes to help make a difference. There are large organizations that cost a lot of money for offices and staff, I tend not to get involved with those because enough of the money goes to buy people cars and pay office rent and stuff like that. They�re well-meaning, but they�re expensive. The lean, mean organizations that don�t have a high overhead means that more of the money gets to help people. Children are my soft spot, actually.

Has that always been the case for you, or became more of an issue for you as you got older and became a parent?

I�m not from America [Simmons was born in Israel], and when I was a kid, we had nothing. We had an outhouse out in the woods that was a hole in the ground and that�s where you went. We didn�t even have toilet paper; we had rags and you�d wash them and reuse them. That�s where I came from. I never saw a toilet or a toothbrush until I was about 9. And I�m not tugging on anybody�s shirt sleeves to get any kind of sympathy. Six months after the country became independent, I was born. And so in the beginning, there was very little infrastructure. And one day a care package showed up and there were cans of peaches and a Bugs Bunny book; not a comic book. I still remember it: Bugs Bunny is going over the hill and he�s being hunted by Elmer Fudd and all that. Of course I couldn�t read English at the time and there was a torn sweater. And when that care package came in, all of a sudden I had the sense that somebody cared, and it started there.

Are there moments you�ve gotten to see the effects of what you do?

We�ve worked with Wounded Warriors for years, and a tour or two ago, a buck out of every ticket was given directly to Wounded Warriors. And the last tour in America we found a vet who had nothing when he came back home. He had three kids and a wife and they were trying to figure out where they were gonna live, so we pooled all the money and brought him up onstage during a show. We talked onstage about how we all think Superman and Spider-Man are cool, but the real superheroes actually volunteer and risk life and limb for an idea, which gives us the freedom we have. I don�t want to get too cornball about it, but there�s nothing like our armed forces. So onstage we surprised our vet with a brand-new house all paid for. To watch the joy and the tears of the family and the vet was something. The entire audience was cheering and happy and crying, it was a thing to behold.

And you have another charity event next week, correct?

Two days later at the Grammy Museum. I was asked by Bill Burr and a few of the other very funny guys to come up there and either be made fun of or joke back and forth and some of the proceeds are going to Sophie�s Place. That�s SophieTSimmons.com for anybody that wants to contribute and save some lives.

Who have been the comedians you really admire and enjoy over the years?

The guys I liked were dangerous and they weren�t politically correct, some of them were racist, some had anger issues and drugs and all that stuff. But because they were dangerous they were really funny. Sam Kinison I thought was just a killer. I knew Andy Kaufman, and he got a bad rap. But at his height, no matter how politically incorrect and how insensitive he was, Andrew Dice Clay -- I�d never seen anything or heard anything like him. In his own way, George Carlin must have pissed off lots of people. There are a lot of guys. But basically I�m not a fan of comedians who talk about why did the chicken cross the road. I don�t want humor my mom would get off on. I like humor that you can�t believe what comes out of the guy�s mouth.

Like many comedians, Kiss has always been very outspoken and it took so long for you guys to get in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Never cared about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Do I care that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame decided to bring Madonna and LL Cool J into it before us? No. I have no idea what those artists have to do with rock and roll. When is Led Zeppelin going to be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame? But stranger things have happened, and I�m the last guy in the world to complain about anything. In fact, I was thinking of buying the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Thanks to Rick Smith for sharing his car with KISS! We love it!

The KISS Army Rocks!