12/20/2013
REVIEW OF: KISS KIDS #4
Kiss News
12/20/2013
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER CRISS!
12/19/2013
THE KISS KRUISE IV
12/19/2013
TILTED KILT ORANGE TEAMS UP WITH LA KISS!
12/19/2013
KISS IN THE PRESS: CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
12/19/2013
KISS IN THE PRESS: NEWSDAY
12/18/2013
PHOTO: GENE AND PAUL AT NEW LA KISS OFFICE
12/18/2013
MY KISS YEARS: A REFLECTION & CELEBRATION
My KISS Years: A Reflection and Celebration of Their Induction Into the Rock Hall of Fame
By Cynthia Dagnal-Myron
When I heard the news that Kiss was being included in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, I shrieked with delight.
It was final validation for me and for them.
You see, I was probably the first newspaper rock critic to write about the band with anything resembling seriousness. I can still remember the day one of my Chicago Sun Times editors tossed a little poster on my desk advertising a "Kiss Off" contest at a huge shopping mall out in the Chicago suburbs.
He scowled at the PR shot of the band, and gave me the choice of covering it or not. And I have to admit, at the time, the makeup was "off-putting" to be sure.
But I called to let Casablanca's public relations people know I was interested, and a few days later, I found myself face-to-face with four remarkably charming young men, in what looked like full kabuki makeup. They were careful not to allow the press or fans see them without that makeup during those early days, but I actually didn't mind.By Cynthia Dagnal-Myron
When I heard the news that Kiss was being included in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, I shrieked with delight.
It was final validation for me and for them.
You see, I was probably the first newspaper rock critic to write about the band with anything resembling seriousness. I can still remember the day one of my Chicago Sun Times editors tossed a little poster on my desk advertising a "Kiss Off" contest at a huge shopping mall out in the Chicago suburbs.
He scowled at the PR shot of the band, and gave me the choice of covering it or not. And I have to admit, at the time, the makeup was "off-putting" to be sure.
But I called to let Casablanca's public relations people know I was interested, and a few days later, I found myself face-to-face with four remarkably charming young men, in what looked like full kabuki makeup. They were careful not to allow the press or fans see them without that makeup during those early days, but I actually didn't mind.
What impressed me more than the get up, though, were the band members themselves. Each had a distinct, delightful and well-developed persona. And they could hold their own in an interview, as if they'd been doing them forever -- their notoriously brilliant manager, Bill Aucoin, had trained them well.
But they'd also been coached by their bassist, Gene Simmons, with whom I had something more in common than music. We had both been high school English teachers before pursuing our true callings.
Gene was a huge surprise. In addition to his impressive academic background, he was also a walking encyclopedia of film history, who could recite all kinds of movie trivia for the asking. And he was a very shrewd businessman, on a campaign to convince every celebrity he met to take at least a few business courses, in oder to avoid being bamboozled by record companies, agents and managers.
I would later meet his mother -- all of their parents, at various events they invited me to, whether I was writing about them or not. In fact, I felt like their little sister, sometimes, tagging along with her rock star brothers. Those were heady times.
But that first time remains my fondest memory of all. They scared the bejabbers out of the adults we passed as they walked through the mall -- quite deliberately -- on their way to the place where the contest would be held. It was a silly affair, a "kissing contest" with rules I don't even remember.
What I do remember is how all the younger folks, especially the little ones, reacted to the makeup and costumes. Instead of being horrified like their parents, they ran to the band. They asked them about the makeup, the boots, what their personas were, and what they meant, and most of all, when they could buy their album. It was a stroke of genius -- they sold themselves just by walking through that mall.
So I realized quickly that I was seeing something big. And I hadn't even heard them play yet -- I had an album, but I hadn't seen them live. Neither had any of the kids. The outfits excited them; they wanted to know everything about these devil dolls.
I went back to my skeptical editors and said something Gene was very proud of in those early days. I told them, and everyone else I knew, that whether we liked them or not, they were going to be the next big thing. They might, in fact, make history.
Today, I discovered how right I was. Congratulations, my brothers. You did it.
By Cynthia Dagnal-Myron
When I heard the news that Kiss was being included in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, I shrieked with delight.
It was final validation for me and for them.
You see, I was probably the first newspaper rock critic to write about the band with anything resembling seriousness. I can still remember the day one of my Chicago Sun Times editors tossed a little poster on my desk advertising a "Kiss Off" contest at a huge shopping mall out in the Chicago suburbs.
He scowled at the PR shot of the band, and gave me the choice of covering it or not. And I have to admit, at the time, the makeup was "off-putting" to be sure.
But I called to let Casablanca's public relations people know I was interested, and a few days later, I found myself face-to-face with four remarkably charming young men, in what looked like full kabuki makeup. They were careful not to allow the press or fans see them without that makeup during those early days, but I actually didn't mind.By Cynthia Dagnal-Myron
When I heard the news that Kiss was being included in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, I shrieked with delight.
It was final validation for me and for them.
You see, I was probably the first newspaper rock critic to write about the band with anything resembling seriousness. I can still remember the day one of my Chicago Sun Times editors tossed a little poster on my desk advertising a "Kiss Off" contest at a huge shopping mall out in the Chicago suburbs.
He scowled at the PR shot of the band, and gave me the choice of covering it or not. And I have to admit, at the time, the makeup was "off-putting" to be sure.
But I called to let Casablanca's public relations people know I was interested, and a few days later, I found myself face-to-face with four remarkably charming young men, in what looked like full kabuki makeup. They were careful not to allow the press or fans see them without that makeup during those early days, but I actually didn't mind.
What impressed me more than the get up, though, were the band members themselves. Each had a distinct, delightful and well-developed persona. And they could hold their own in an interview, as if they'd been doing them forever -- their notoriously brilliant manager, Bill Aucoin, had trained them well.
But they'd also been coached by their bassist, Gene Simmons, with whom I had something more in common than music. We had both been high school English teachers before pursuing our true callings.
Gene was a huge surprise. In addition to his impressive academic background, he was also a walking encyclopedia of film history, who could recite all kinds of movie trivia for the asking. And he was a very shrewd businessman, on a campaign to convince every celebrity he met to take at least a few business courses, in oder to avoid being bamboozled by record companies, agents and managers.
I would later meet his mother -- all of their parents, at various events they invited me to, whether I was writing about them or not. In fact, I felt like their little sister, sometimes, tagging along with her rock star brothers. Those were heady times.
But that first time remains my fondest memory of all. They scared the bejabbers out of the adults we passed as they walked through the mall -- quite deliberately -- on their way to the place where the contest would be held. It was a silly affair, a "kissing contest" with rules I don't even remember.
What I do remember is how all the younger folks, especially the little ones, reacted to the makeup and costumes. Instead of being horrified like their parents, they ran to the band. They asked them about the makeup, the boots, what their personas were, and what they meant, and most of all, when they could buy their album. It was a stroke of genius -- they sold themselves just by walking through that mall.
So I realized quickly that I was seeing something big. And I hadn't even heard them play yet -- I had an album, but I hadn't seen them live. Neither had any of the kids. The outfits excited them; they wanted to know everything about these devil dolls.
I went back to my skeptical editors and said something Gene was very proud of in those early days. I told them, and everyone else I knew, that whether we liked them or not, they were going to be the next big thing. They might, in fact, make history.
Today, I discovered how right I was. Congratulations, my brothers. You did it.
12/18/2013
KISS FINALLY IN ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME
by James Murray
NEW YORK � Music � Kiss is finally in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kiss icon Gene Simmons, the Demon says, �For me, it�s another tug of the shirt sleeve to remind me that the American dream is alive and well. I�m living proof of it. I came here as an immigrant, a legal one � that�s a distinction � and getting the Hollywood Walk of Fame and getting the keys to the cities of God knows how many cities and the wax museums and the thousands of licensed products we have and on and on� Still, no matter how much much noise we make about how only the fans matter, and it�s true they are the ones that put us here and without them we are nothing, there is something in the back of our collective consciousnesses that makes us want to be recognized by our peers�.
Paul Stanley commented, �I�m honored to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame knowing we�ve remained true to ourselves and our fans.�
The 29th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2014 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The 2014 Ceremony will again be open to the public, as it has been for the Induction Ceremonies in Cleveland (2009, 2012) and Los Angeles (2013). This will be the first time that the ceremony will be open to the public in New York.
by James Murray
NEW YORK � Music � Kiss is finally in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kiss icon Gene Simmons, the Demon says, �For me, it�s another tug of the shirt sleeve to remind me that the American dream is alive and well. I�m living proof of it. I came here as an immigrant, a legal one � that�s a distinction � and getting the Hollywood Walk of Fame and getting the keys to the cities of God knows how many cities and the wax museums and the thousands of licensed products we have and on and on� Still, no matter how much much noise we make about how only the fans matter, and it�s true they are the ones that put us here and without them we are nothing, there is something in the back of our collective consciousnesses that makes us want to be recognized by our peers�.
Paul Stanley commented, �I�m honored to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame knowing we�ve remained true to ourselves and our fans.�
The 29th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2014 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The 2014 Ceremony will again be open to the public, as it has been for the Induction Ceremonies in Cleveland (2009, 2012) and Los Angeles (2013). This will be the first time that the ceremony will be open to the public in New York.
�This year�s Hall of Fame Inductees really capture the passion of the fans,� said Joel Peresman, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. �We�re thrilled to again be able to have the fans be a part of the show, especially as we bring the ceremony to Barclays Center and partner again with HBO and Playtone.�
�Brooklyn has always been a hotbed for rock and roll and we�re proud to continue that tradition by hosting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,� said Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark. �Barclays Center has hosted many of the world�s biggest artists and we are looking forward to welcoming the new Inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as we celebrate for the first time ever in Brooklyn.�
Tickets will go on sale to the public in January. A pre-sale for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members will take place in advance of the public on-sale date. To be eligible for the member pre-sale, you must be an active Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum member by December 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM EST. Exact sale dates will be announced in January. Details at www.rockhall.com.
The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Performer Inductees were chosen by more than 700 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first recording.
For this year�s Inductions, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame again offered fans the opportunity to officially participate in the selection process. The public was able to cast votes online for who they believe to be most deserving of induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The top five artists, as selected by the public, comprised a �fans� ballot� that was tallied along with the other ballots to choose the 2014 Inductees. Three of the top five artists from the fans ballot will be inducted in 2014.The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, will also open a special exhibit on the 2014 Inductees in conjunction with the 2014 Induction Ceremony. The Museum is a nonprofit organization that tells the story of rock and roll�s cultural influence through its exhibits, public events, educational programs and a world-class Library and Archives.
KISS
Few bands short of the Beatles inspired more kids to pick up the guitar than KISS. With their signature makeup, explosive stage show and anthems like �Rock And Roll All Nite� and �Detroit Rock City,� they are the very personification of rock stars. Original members Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons came together in New York in 1972. While their first two records did not generate many sales, they quickly gained a national following for their bombastic, pyro-filled stage show. Their 1975 live disc Alive! captured that energy and reached Number Nine on the charts, quickly making them one of the most popular bands of the 1970s � scoring countless hit singles, sold-out tours and appearing everywhere from comic books to lunch boxes to their very own TV movie. Frehley and Criss left in the early 1980s and the group took their make-up off for 1983�s Lick It Up. They continued to be a popular live draw, but in 1996 the original quartet reformed (and they put their make-up back on) and KISS mania was reborn. In 2009, KISS released Sonic Boom, their first album of new material in eleven 11 years. They released Monster in 2012.
12/18/2013
KISS KIDS ISSUE #4 PREVIEW
