09/20/2013
DRESSED TO KILL VARIANT FIGURES
Kiss News
09/20/2013
SNEAK PEEK: KISS KIDS COMIC #3 COVERS
09/19/2013
VH1 INTERVIEW: KISS RISES TO FAME
By Ben Smith
When road manager J.R. Smalling introduced KISS as �The hottest band in the land� on their breakthrough double live album Alive!, it wasn�t just hyperbole. There was no one else in the world at that moment delivering a more exciting live concert experience full of great songs, electric performances and groundbreaking theatricality. And while that 1975 album was the band�s watershed release they had already built up a large and fanatical live following from non-stop touring since the release of their self-titled debut album in 1974.
The new book Nothin� To Lose: The Making of Kiss (1972 � 1975) chronicles the band�s embryonic days as rock n�roll fanatics from New York City�s outer boroughs with a relentless will to succeed. The book is an oral history and includes interviews with the band, their friends, and crew, as well as opening acts and other musicians who were there first hand to witness the group�s hard scrabble ascent to worldwide fame. Co-authors and for nearly 40 years the band�s leading lights, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons sat down to talk about the band�s past and future.
VH1 TUNER: How did this book come about?
Paul Stanley: Ken Sharpe put the book together. He�s a long time fan. We�ve known him since he was literally about 8 years old. He�s an avid fan of the band and an avid fan of rock n� roll. He�s been conducting and compiling interviews over the years and it seemed a natural thing for us to do at this point. We�ve always told the story from our point of view but it�s really interesting to hear what managers, promoters, roadies, all kinds of people who were there recall because quite honestly there�s things in the book that I don�t remember. I don�t know that they�re true but if they make me look good then they�re true (laughter).
VH1: What was it about those years that you wanted to focus on that you felt was special and was an untold side of the Kiss story?
Gene Simmons: When you�re at the front of a train all you�re seeing is what�s coming at you. We have a very unique advantage because we get that adrenaline rush but you don�t get a chance to figure out what it all means. What the side scenery is like. Do I have my mother�s hips? You know, all that stuff which everyone else in the train gets and then the very last person sees it all go by. So they�re all different perspectives of an interesting, astonishing train ride that we�ve had which is now approaching 40 years and boy, do we look good (laughter).By Ben Smith
When road manager J.R. Smalling introduced KISS as �The hottest band in the land� on their breakthrough double live album Alive!, it wasn�t just hyperbole. There was no one else in the world at that moment delivering a more exciting live concert experience full of great songs, electric performances and groundbreaking theatricality. And while that 1975 album was the band�s watershed release they had already built up a large and fanatical live following from non-stop touring since the release of their self-titled debut album in 1974.
The new book Nothin� To Lose: The Making of Kiss (1972 � 1975) chronicles the band�s embryonic days as rock n�roll fanatics from New York City�s outer boroughs with a relentless will to succeed. The book is an oral history and includes interviews with the band, their friends, and crew, as well as opening acts and other musicians who were there first hand to witness the group�s hard scrabble ascent to worldwide fame. Co-authors and for nearly 40 years the band�s leading lights, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons sat down to talk about the band�s past and future.
VH1 TUNER: How did this book come about?
Paul Stanley: Ken Sharpe put the book together. He�s a long time fan. We�ve known him since he was literally about 8 years old. He�s an avid fan of the band and an avid fan of rock n� roll. He�s been conducting and compiling interviews over the years and it seemed a natural thing for us to do at this point. We�ve always told the story from our point of view but it�s really interesting to hear what managers, promoters, roadies, all kinds of people who were there recall because quite honestly there�s things in the book that I don�t remember. I don�t know that they�re true but if they make me look good then they�re true (laughter).
VH1: What was it about those years that you wanted to focus on that you felt was special and was an untold side of the Kiss story?
Gene Simmons: When you�re at the front of a train all you�re seeing is what�s coming at you. We have a very unique advantage because we get that adrenaline rush but you don�t get a chance to figure out what it all means. What the side scenery is like. Do I have my mother�s hips? You know, all that stuff which everyone else in the train gets and then the very last person sees it all go by. So they�re all different perspectives of an interesting, astonishing train ride that we�ve had which is now approaching 40 years and boy, do we look good (laughter).
VH1: When you see live footage of Kiss from the years covered in the book you�re killing it and you clearly have that hunger to succeed. What do you miss the most about those early days?
Paul Stanley: Nothing, honestly. It�s great to look back, when I see early footage (of Kiss), I couldn�t be more proud of it. We were totally committed to what we were doing. We believed in it against all odds. People said it would never work. We were four guys and we were a nation. Nothing was going to get in our way and when you watch early footage it�s absolutely undeniable the band was going to succeed in spite of what everybody said about it. Most of the people who were the naysayers feared what we were doing. Rock n� roll in its purest form is always feared. Whether it was Elvis Presley, The Beatles or The Stones. You�re doing something right when people say �This is crap,� or �It has no redeeming value.� It�s rock n� roll. And we were the essence of that and delivered the goods. We were the guys in the audience who went up on stage and said �Let us show you how it�s supposed to be done.�
VH1: I was watching an old interview with you from your first time playing England and the interviewer asks what you care more about, the music or the spectacle and Gene you say �The audience.�
Gene Simmons: Well, sure. If you ever lose sight of the fact that your bosses are standing on their seats then you become delusional and think it�s all about you. At the end of the day we just work here and it�s our job like court jesters to make the kings all around us proud. We need to earn the crown that�s being bestowed upon us by those who have the power because, let�s call it for what it is, if our bosses, our fans don�t like what we�re doing or any band, that�s why the word �Next� is in the dictionary. So we�ve been around 40 years and proud by the way to have given a chance to lots of new bands on their first tour � AC/DC, Rush, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue � you name a big band, we gave them their first start because we�re also fans but at the end of the day, we can�t crown anybody, we all bow to everybody�s bosses, the fans.
VH1: It�s funny you mention that because I think helping younger bands such as Rush, who you took on tour, and Van Halen, whose demos you (Gene) produced, are one of the many things you don�t get credit for. What are other things you think people got wrong about Kiss in the press?
Paul Stanley: I don�t think that the press matters. The press never made a band. If you look at most critics� Top 10 lists, it�s usually a contest of who knows the most obscure artists. In terms of the people that matter to us, we have no problem. Those people think the songwriting is great, think the shows are amazing and come see us time and time again. How can you listen to somebody who gets free tickets? If they�re not paying for tickets how good is their opinion of anything? The beauty of being a critic is you don�t need a diploma, you don�t need to go to school for it, you just one day say �Hey, I�m either a comedian or I�m a critic.� And if somebody listens to you, you become a critic. Whether they get us or don�t get us, the people who matter, get us. It�s 40 years and untold millions, 90 million, 100 million, you pick your number, who�s counting at that point?
Gene Simmons: I�m going to quote you the critics. Rolling Stone reviews Led Zeppelin, and this is a quote, �the Limp Blimp.� This is from a guy that never got laid in school, clearly has too many pimples on his face to count and continues to live in his mother�s basement. Sour human beings who�ve accomplished nothing and have been nobody and their only chance to be anybody is to just whack it. If you�ve got a point to say, show me what you�ve got. Otherwise, shut the f**k up.
Paul Stanley: Clearly, look, critics aren�t in their teens, and whether or not they continue to live at home, the fact remains these are bitter people. They pontificate and have made no real contribution to music or to the field. They�re not journalists. They�re clowns. They�re entertainers only they take themselves seriously. I don�t.
VH1: The book covers your early days in New York City. Another thing I think is important that people tend to overlook is that Kiss is a quintessential New York band. Could Kiss have happened in any other city?
Paul Stanley: No. We were clearly a product of New York and the streets. We came up during a time where British music was looked upon as the music of the gods. There was a glitter scene in New York. A lot of bands who really were better looking and better dressed than they were at playing music were our contemporaries at the time. I don�t think we ever wanted to be a New York band. We wanted to be a world band. Perhaps that�s why we became a bit disassociated with New York because we�re bigger than New York. We are of the world.
Gene Simmons: It is interesting to note that while Detroit and Liverpool and London and lots of cities have given the world bands that have played stadiums and arenas around the world, other than Kiss, New York has never given the world a stadium sized rock band. Not one. There�s Kiss and there�s nobody else. You can talk about Ramones and everybody else; you�re talking about club bands. So if New York is such a great rock town, it was on a certain level, but to get to the top you�ve got to appeal to the world.
VH1: You also had a work ethic that many of those other bands didn�t have. Your closest contemporaries were The New York Dolls but they didn�t tour like you did. How many months straight were you on tour in those first three years?
Paul Stanley: It was one long tour. We would see a day or two off on a calendar but for the most part we were always gone. We would sometimes be doing two shows in a night because a show would sell out so quickly. You know, the bands you spoke of from New York City, most of those bands were more concerned with hanging out than actually rehearsing. That�ll get you so far. At the end of the day you�re going to have to play a song and do it well. For a lot of those bands the music became the soundtrack for their fashion show. They looked great. There�s no arguing. When Gene and I saw The Dolls you just looked at them and said �These guys kill us at looking androgynous.� We looked like football players. We went �We can�t beat The Dolls at being The Dolls but we sure as hell play better than them. Now let�s find out who we are.� And that was really the start of us finding the Kiss look.
Gene Simmons: It�s worth going back for a second because I remember it like it was yesterday. We went to the Diplomat Hotel. We wanted to check out The Dolls because they were a few months ahead of us. We looked at each other going �Wow, they look great.� As soon as they started playing we put our fingers in our ears and went to each other �We�ll kill them. We�ll s**t on their pretty clothes.� Critics always loved the band and we loved their style but I don�t know anybody that does Dolls songs.
VH1: There�s a new documentary in the works. Will that again be about the early days?
Paul Stanley: Hopefully it will be the definitive documentary about the band. Others have done great pieces like The Clash documentary. Alan Parker, who�s doing ours, did that. We�ve amassed an incredible amount of footage. A lot of it, nobody�s seen yet. There are things in there that will be a real surprise and a real joy for all of us to see. What we�re really trying to do is really the definitive Kiss documentary. Not selling Kiss. Not an advertisement which is what a lot of times things come off as but really something that will tell the tale.
VH1: You also have a new AFL football team, the L.A. Kiss.
Gene Simmons: We have four partners; we have Brett Bouchy, who has been in the Arena Football League for awhile, (famed music manager) Doc McGhee and Paul and myself. Those are the only partners in it. Instead of being passive celebrity guys who lend their name, we�re actively involved. Paul worked with designers on the team outfits. We�re doing the media and we�re involved right at the ground level talking with the corporate guys and making sure it�s legitimate. We�re involved from beginning to end. We don�t intend on being these celebrity guys that lend their names and then go back to Beverly Hills. It�s real football. To our season ticket holders to show you how grateful we are we�re going to give you a special free Kiss concert. All the bells and whistles. We have more firepower than most Third World countries and we�ll bring the full thing as a thank you.
Paul Stanley: AFL sometimes gets maligned as being second rate football. The fact is that all the players are of the first order, the top 1% of football. The rules are different but every seat at the game is a great seat. When you go to an NFL game you may have to mortgage your house to get tickets at this point. We have tickets that are $99 for a season plus other tickets. These are great, great athletes. We�re putting together a team that�s really is based on quality from the coach up. AFL is faceless in the sense that you really don�t know the players. That�s going to change. We will become the model for what every AFL team is going to want to be. We�re bringing football back. Anaheim is the second largest media market in California and Los Angeles is dying for a team and we�re bringing it.
VH1: What would a world without Kiss be like?
Gene Simmons: We can be self-serving and say �Boring,� but it�s pretty accurate (laughter). Somebody made an assessment that without Kiss wrestling would just be wrestling, McCartney would sing the great Beatles songs, Garth Brooks would sing the great country songs, political parties would talk the way the usually do, but they wouldn�t have fireworks and bombast. Where did they get all that stuff? Air Supply?
Paul Stanley: I think we serve a great service in that we have been the wake up call to Kiss fans and rock fans of what can be done. What is possible. A lot of fans I think were taking less than they deserved. A lot of bands were giving less than they should. We were a wake up call to America and the world of what you should expect from a band. If we weren�t here? It would be more boring. Life would continue. Somebody at some point would come along and be Kiss but we�re it, and we�re the real deal.
When road manager J.R. Smalling introduced KISS as �The hottest band in the land� on their breakthrough double live album Alive!, it wasn�t just hyperbole. There was no one else in the world at that moment delivering a more exciting live concert experience full of great songs, electric performances and groundbreaking theatricality. And while that 1975 album was the band�s watershed release they had already built up a large and fanatical live following from non-stop touring since the release of their self-titled debut album in 1974.
The new book Nothin� To Lose: The Making of Kiss (1972 � 1975) chronicles the band�s embryonic days as rock n�roll fanatics from New York City�s outer boroughs with a relentless will to succeed. The book is an oral history and includes interviews with the band, their friends, and crew, as well as opening acts and other musicians who were there first hand to witness the group�s hard scrabble ascent to worldwide fame. Co-authors and for nearly 40 years the band�s leading lights, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons sat down to talk about the band�s past and future.
VH1 TUNER: How did this book come about?
Paul Stanley: Ken Sharpe put the book together. He�s a long time fan. We�ve known him since he was literally about 8 years old. He�s an avid fan of the band and an avid fan of rock n� roll. He�s been conducting and compiling interviews over the years and it seemed a natural thing for us to do at this point. We�ve always told the story from our point of view but it�s really interesting to hear what managers, promoters, roadies, all kinds of people who were there recall because quite honestly there�s things in the book that I don�t remember. I don�t know that they�re true but if they make me look good then they�re true (laughter).
VH1: What was it about those years that you wanted to focus on that you felt was special and was an untold side of the Kiss story?
Gene Simmons: When you�re at the front of a train all you�re seeing is what�s coming at you. We have a very unique advantage because we get that adrenaline rush but you don�t get a chance to figure out what it all means. What the side scenery is like. Do I have my mother�s hips? You know, all that stuff which everyone else in the train gets and then the very last person sees it all go by. So they�re all different perspectives of an interesting, astonishing train ride that we�ve had which is now approaching 40 years and boy, do we look good (laughter).By Ben Smith
When road manager J.R. Smalling introduced KISS as �The hottest band in the land� on their breakthrough double live album Alive!, it wasn�t just hyperbole. There was no one else in the world at that moment delivering a more exciting live concert experience full of great songs, electric performances and groundbreaking theatricality. And while that 1975 album was the band�s watershed release they had already built up a large and fanatical live following from non-stop touring since the release of their self-titled debut album in 1974.
The new book Nothin� To Lose: The Making of Kiss (1972 � 1975) chronicles the band�s embryonic days as rock n�roll fanatics from New York City�s outer boroughs with a relentless will to succeed. The book is an oral history and includes interviews with the band, their friends, and crew, as well as opening acts and other musicians who were there first hand to witness the group�s hard scrabble ascent to worldwide fame. Co-authors and for nearly 40 years the band�s leading lights, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons sat down to talk about the band�s past and future.
VH1 TUNER: How did this book come about?
Paul Stanley: Ken Sharpe put the book together. He�s a long time fan. We�ve known him since he was literally about 8 years old. He�s an avid fan of the band and an avid fan of rock n� roll. He�s been conducting and compiling interviews over the years and it seemed a natural thing for us to do at this point. We�ve always told the story from our point of view but it�s really interesting to hear what managers, promoters, roadies, all kinds of people who were there recall because quite honestly there�s things in the book that I don�t remember. I don�t know that they�re true but if they make me look good then they�re true (laughter).
VH1: What was it about those years that you wanted to focus on that you felt was special and was an untold side of the Kiss story?
Gene Simmons: When you�re at the front of a train all you�re seeing is what�s coming at you. We have a very unique advantage because we get that adrenaline rush but you don�t get a chance to figure out what it all means. What the side scenery is like. Do I have my mother�s hips? You know, all that stuff which everyone else in the train gets and then the very last person sees it all go by. So they�re all different perspectives of an interesting, astonishing train ride that we�ve had which is now approaching 40 years and boy, do we look good (laughter).
VH1: When you see live footage of Kiss from the years covered in the book you�re killing it and you clearly have that hunger to succeed. What do you miss the most about those early days?
Paul Stanley: Nothing, honestly. It�s great to look back, when I see early footage (of Kiss), I couldn�t be more proud of it. We were totally committed to what we were doing. We believed in it against all odds. People said it would never work. We were four guys and we were a nation. Nothing was going to get in our way and when you watch early footage it�s absolutely undeniable the band was going to succeed in spite of what everybody said about it. Most of the people who were the naysayers feared what we were doing. Rock n� roll in its purest form is always feared. Whether it was Elvis Presley, The Beatles or The Stones. You�re doing something right when people say �This is crap,� or �It has no redeeming value.� It�s rock n� roll. And we were the essence of that and delivered the goods. We were the guys in the audience who went up on stage and said �Let us show you how it�s supposed to be done.�
VH1: I was watching an old interview with you from your first time playing England and the interviewer asks what you care more about, the music or the spectacle and Gene you say �The audience.�
Gene Simmons: Well, sure. If you ever lose sight of the fact that your bosses are standing on their seats then you become delusional and think it�s all about you. At the end of the day we just work here and it�s our job like court jesters to make the kings all around us proud. We need to earn the crown that�s being bestowed upon us by those who have the power because, let�s call it for what it is, if our bosses, our fans don�t like what we�re doing or any band, that�s why the word �Next� is in the dictionary. So we�ve been around 40 years and proud by the way to have given a chance to lots of new bands on their first tour � AC/DC, Rush, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue � you name a big band, we gave them their first start because we�re also fans but at the end of the day, we can�t crown anybody, we all bow to everybody�s bosses, the fans.
VH1: It�s funny you mention that because I think helping younger bands such as Rush, who you took on tour, and Van Halen, whose demos you (Gene) produced, are one of the many things you don�t get credit for. What are other things you think people got wrong about Kiss in the press?
Paul Stanley: I don�t think that the press matters. The press never made a band. If you look at most critics� Top 10 lists, it�s usually a contest of who knows the most obscure artists. In terms of the people that matter to us, we have no problem. Those people think the songwriting is great, think the shows are amazing and come see us time and time again. How can you listen to somebody who gets free tickets? If they�re not paying for tickets how good is their opinion of anything? The beauty of being a critic is you don�t need a diploma, you don�t need to go to school for it, you just one day say �Hey, I�m either a comedian or I�m a critic.� And if somebody listens to you, you become a critic. Whether they get us or don�t get us, the people who matter, get us. It�s 40 years and untold millions, 90 million, 100 million, you pick your number, who�s counting at that point?
Gene Simmons: I�m going to quote you the critics. Rolling Stone reviews Led Zeppelin, and this is a quote, �the Limp Blimp.� This is from a guy that never got laid in school, clearly has too many pimples on his face to count and continues to live in his mother�s basement. Sour human beings who�ve accomplished nothing and have been nobody and their only chance to be anybody is to just whack it. If you�ve got a point to say, show me what you�ve got. Otherwise, shut the f**k up.
Paul Stanley: Clearly, look, critics aren�t in their teens, and whether or not they continue to live at home, the fact remains these are bitter people. They pontificate and have made no real contribution to music or to the field. They�re not journalists. They�re clowns. They�re entertainers only they take themselves seriously. I don�t.
VH1: The book covers your early days in New York City. Another thing I think is important that people tend to overlook is that Kiss is a quintessential New York band. Could Kiss have happened in any other city?
Paul Stanley: No. We were clearly a product of New York and the streets. We came up during a time where British music was looked upon as the music of the gods. There was a glitter scene in New York. A lot of bands who really were better looking and better dressed than they were at playing music were our contemporaries at the time. I don�t think we ever wanted to be a New York band. We wanted to be a world band. Perhaps that�s why we became a bit disassociated with New York because we�re bigger than New York. We are of the world.
Gene Simmons: It is interesting to note that while Detroit and Liverpool and London and lots of cities have given the world bands that have played stadiums and arenas around the world, other than Kiss, New York has never given the world a stadium sized rock band. Not one. There�s Kiss and there�s nobody else. You can talk about Ramones and everybody else; you�re talking about club bands. So if New York is such a great rock town, it was on a certain level, but to get to the top you�ve got to appeal to the world.
VH1: You also had a work ethic that many of those other bands didn�t have. Your closest contemporaries were The New York Dolls but they didn�t tour like you did. How many months straight were you on tour in those first three years?
Paul Stanley: It was one long tour. We would see a day or two off on a calendar but for the most part we were always gone. We would sometimes be doing two shows in a night because a show would sell out so quickly. You know, the bands you spoke of from New York City, most of those bands were more concerned with hanging out than actually rehearsing. That�ll get you so far. At the end of the day you�re going to have to play a song and do it well. For a lot of those bands the music became the soundtrack for their fashion show. They looked great. There�s no arguing. When Gene and I saw The Dolls you just looked at them and said �These guys kill us at looking androgynous.� We looked like football players. We went �We can�t beat The Dolls at being The Dolls but we sure as hell play better than them. Now let�s find out who we are.� And that was really the start of us finding the Kiss look.
Gene Simmons: It�s worth going back for a second because I remember it like it was yesterday. We went to the Diplomat Hotel. We wanted to check out The Dolls because they were a few months ahead of us. We looked at each other going �Wow, they look great.� As soon as they started playing we put our fingers in our ears and went to each other �We�ll kill them. We�ll s**t on their pretty clothes.� Critics always loved the band and we loved their style but I don�t know anybody that does Dolls songs.
VH1: There�s a new documentary in the works. Will that again be about the early days?
Paul Stanley: Hopefully it will be the definitive documentary about the band. Others have done great pieces like The Clash documentary. Alan Parker, who�s doing ours, did that. We�ve amassed an incredible amount of footage. A lot of it, nobody�s seen yet. There are things in there that will be a real surprise and a real joy for all of us to see. What we�re really trying to do is really the definitive Kiss documentary. Not selling Kiss. Not an advertisement which is what a lot of times things come off as but really something that will tell the tale.
VH1: You also have a new AFL football team, the L.A. Kiss.
Gene Simmons: We have four partners; we have Brett Bouchy, who has been in the Arena Football League for awhile, (famed music manager) Doc McGhee and Paul and myself. Those are the only partners in it. Instead of being passive celebrity guys who lend their name, we�re actively involved. Paul worked with designers on the team outfits. We�re doing the media and we�re involved right at the ground level talking with the corporate guys and making sure it�s legitimate. We�re involved from beginning to end. We don�t intend on being these celebrity guys that lend their names and then go back to Beverly Hills. It�s real football. To our season ticket holders to show you how grateful we are we�re going to give you a special free Kiss concert. All the bells and whistles. We have more firepower than most Third World countries and we�ll bring the full thing as a thank you.
Paul Stanley: AFL sometimes gets maligned as being second rate football. The fact is that all the players are of the first order, the top 1% of football. The rules are different but every seat at the game is a great seat. When you go to an NFL game you may have to mortgage your house to get tickets at this point. We have tickets that are $99 for a season plus other tickets. These are great, great athletes. We�re putting together a team that�s really is based on quality from the coach up. AFL is faceless in the sense that you really don�t know the players. That�s going to change. We will become the model for what every AFL team is going to want to be. We�re bringing football back. Anaheim is the second largest media market in California and Los Angeles is dying for a team and we�re bringing it.
VH1: What would a world without Kiss be like?
Gene Simmons: We can be self-serving and say �Boring,� but it�s pretty accurate (laughter). Somebody made an assessment that without Kiss wrestling would just be wrestling, McCartney would sing the great Beatles songs, Garth Brooks would sing the great country songs, political parties would talk the way the usually do, but they wouldn�t have fireworks and bombast. Where did they get all that stuff? Air Supply?
Paul Stanley: I think we serve a great service in that we have been the wake up call to Kiss fans and rock fans of what can be done. What is possible. A lot of fans I think were taking less than they deserved. A lot of bands were giving less than they should. We were a wake up call to America and the world of what you should expect from a band. If we weren�t here? It would be more boring. Life would continue. Somebody at some point would come along and be Kiss but we�re it, and we�re the real deal.
09/19/2013
KISS KRUISE III ACTIVITIES
KISS KRUISE III ACTIVITIES:
BELLY FLOP CONTEST JUDGED BY PAUL STANLEY
Make a splash! The infamous Belly Flop Contest is hosted by Paul Stanley, and guests will be randomly drawn before the kruise- come cheer on your friends and see who can take the most belly pain! Click HERE to sign-up before Monday, September 23.
GENE SIMMONS PICK THROWING CONTEST
Have you been practicing your guitar pick throwing to go up against the best, Gene Simmons himself? Anyone is welcome to participate in the qualifier round, and the top scorers will move on to the elimination round. The top 5 throwers will go head to head with Gene. Learn more online.
HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST JUDGED BY TOMMY THAYER
It's time for the famous KISS Kruise Costume Contest! Tommy Thayer is judging, and all you have to do is put on your wildest, scariest costume and come to the Spinnaker Lounge. You can participate in the following categories: Kids, Scary, Creative, Sexy, or group (3 or more people.)
ERIC SINGER'S DRUM-OFF
What kind of drum skills do you kruisers have? We�ll have a qualifier round where guests have to give us the best 30 seconds they have between those cymbals. Once we gauge interest from YOU, we can better determine if qualifier spots will need to be lotteried or if you can just show up on board at the designated time. Please opt-in HERE before September 23rd.KISS KRUISE III ACTIVITIES:
BELLY FLOP CONTEST JUDGED BY PAUL STANLEY
Make a splash! The infamous Belly Flop Contest is hosted by Paul Stanley, and guests will be randomly drawn before the kruise- come cheer on your friends and see who can take the most belly pain!
GENE SIMMONS PICK THROWING CONTEST
Have you been practicing your guitar pick throwing to go up against the best, Gene Simmons himself? Anyone is welcome to participate in the qualifier round, and the top scorers will move on to the elimination round. The top 5 throwers will go head to head with Gene. Learn more online.
HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST JUDGED BY TOMMY THAYER
It's time for the famous KISS Kruise Costume Contest! Tommy Thayer is judging, and all you have to do is put on your wildest, scariest costume and come to the Spinnaker Lounge. You can participate in the following categories: Kids, Scary, Creative, Sexy, or group (3 or more people.)
ERIC SINGER'S DRUM-OFF
What kind of drum skills do you kruisers have? We�ll have a qualifier round where guests have to give us the best 30 seconds they have between those cymbals. Once we gauge interest from YOU, we can better determine if qualifier spots will need to be lotteried or if you can just show up on board at the designated time.
KISS Q&A
A KISS Navy tradition, the band will host a Question & Answer session out on the Pool Deck, on the last day of the kruise.
MORE ACTIVITIES
In addition to all the amazing shows you'll see on board and the above experiences led by your hosts, KISS, you'll also get to participate in some exciting activities like:
Photo With KISS Indoor Concert Set opt into the lottery by Monday 9/23/13
Look-A-Like Contest judged by Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
Ask Doc
KISS Karaoke, and MORE!
We'll continue to share more details about all of the onboard experiences over the next weeks leading up to The KISS Kruise III. But now, take a look at all announced activities HERE and click through the tabs to learn how to participate.
BELLY FLOP CONTEST JUDGED BY PAUL STANLEY
Make a splash! The infamous Belly Flop Contest is hosted by Paul Stanley, and guests will be randomly drawn before the kruise- come cheer on your friends and see who can take the most belly pain! Click HERE to sign-up before Monday, September 23.
GENE SIMMONS PICK THROWING CONTEST
Have you been practicing your guitar pick throwing to go up against the best, Gene Simmons himself? Anyone is welcome to participate in the qualifier round, and the top scorers will move on to the elimination round. The top 5 throwers will go head to head with Gene. Learn more online.
HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST JUDGED BY TOMMY THAYER
It's time for the famous KISS Kruise Costume Contest! Tommy Thayer is judging, and all you have to do is put on your wildest, scariest costume and come to the Spinnaker Lounge. You can participate in the following categories: Kids, Scary, Creative, Sexy, or group (3 or more people.)
ERIC SINGER'S DRUM-OFF
What kind of drum skills do you kruisers have? We�ll have a qualifier round where guests have to give us the best 30 seconds they have between those cymbals. Once we gauge interest from YOU, we can better determine if qualifier spots will need to be lotteried or if you can just show up on board at the designated time. Please opt-in HERE before September 23rd.KISS KRUISE III ACTIVITIES:
BELLY FLOP CONTEST JUDGED BY PAUL STANLEY
Make a splash! The infamous Belly Flop Contest is hosted by Paul Stanley, and guests will be randomly drawn before the kruise- come cheer on your friends and see who can take the most belly pain!
GENE SIMMONS PICK THROWING CONTEST
Have you been practicing your guitar pick throwing to go up against the best, Gene Simmons himself? Anyone is welcome to participate in the qualifier round, and the top scorers will move on to the elimination round. The top 5 throwers will go head to head with Gene. Learn more online.
HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST JUDGED BY TOMMY THAYER
It's time for the famous KISS Kruise Costume Contest! Tommy Thayer is judging, and all you have to do is put on your wildest, scariest costume and come to the Spinnaker Lounge. You can participate in the following categories: Kids, Scary, Creative, Sexy, or group (3 or more people.)
ERIC SINGER'S DRUM-OFF
What kind of drum skills do you kruisers have? We�ll have a qualifier round where guests have to give us the best 30 seconds they have between those cymbals. Once we gauge interest from YOU, we can better determine if qualifier spots will need to be lotteried or if you can just show up on board at the designated time.
KISS Q&A
A KISS Navy tradition, the band will host a Question & Answer session out on the Pool Deck, on the last day of the kruise.
MORE ACTIVITIES
In addition to all the amazing shows you'll see on board and the above experiences led by your hosts, KISS, you'll also get to participate in some exciting activities like:
Photo With KISS Indoor Concert Set opt into the lottery by Monday 9/23/13
Look-A-Like Contest judged by Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
Ask Doc
KISS Karaoke, and MORE!
We'll continue to share more details about all of the onboard experiences over the next weeks leading up to The KISS Kruise III. But now, take a look at all announced activities HERE and click through the tabs to learn how to participate.
09/19/2013
DEMON BEAN TOSS AT ROCK & BREW CELEBRATION
09/18/2013
KISS "NOTHIN' TO LOSE" BOOK DEBUTS AT #9
09/18/2013
TOMMY HOSTED EVENT GROSSES $500K FOR UNIVERSITY
Legends 2013 Raises Historic Amount for Pacific University
Pacific University Legends Hosted by Tommy Thayer Grosses $500,000
With nearly 350 people attending, Pacific University Legends, hosted by Tommy Thayer, set a new record last month grossing almost half a million dollars during the annual fundraising event that supports the university�s student-athletes and the 24-sport NCAA Division III athletics program.
Seven years ago, Tommy Thayer, the lead guitarist for the legendary rock band KISS and a trustee of Pacific University, came up with the idea of hosting an event that would bring in sports celebrities and musicians to mingle with guests, participate in silent and live auctions, and play in unique all-star concerts. Fine dining is always a tradition at a Legends event, which took place this year at Waverley Country Club in Portland on Aug. 25.
�A truly historic and fun night for the university,� said Tommy Thayer. �From the support of our generous donors and trustees, to all my celebrity friends, to the organizing staff and volunteers, I appreciate how hard everyone worked to make this a success.�Legends 2013 Raises Historic Amount for Pacific University
Pacific University Legends Hosted by Tommy Thayer Grosses $500,000
With nearly 350 people attending, Pacific University Legends hosted by Tommy Thayer set a new record last month grossing almost half a million dollars during the annual fundraising event that supports the university�s student-athletes and the 24-sport NCAA Division III athletics program.
Seven years ago, Tommy Thayer, the lead guitarist for the legendary rock band KISS and a trustee of Pacific University, came up with the idea of hosting an event that would bring in sports celebrities and musicians to mingle with guests, participate in silent and live auctions, and play in unique all-star concerts. Fine dining is always a tradition at a Legends event, which took place this year at Waverley Country Club in Portland on Aug. 25.
�A truly historic and fun night for the university,� said Tommy Thayer. �From the support of our generous donors and trustees, to all my celebrity friends, to the organizing staff and volunteers, I appreciate how hard everyone worked to make this a success.�
�We are extremely grateful to our guests and generous donors for their remarkable support of our intercolle- giate athletics program,� said Lesley M. Hallick, PhD, president of Pacific University. �Legends grossed nearly $500,000 and is expected to net more than $250,000 to benefit our student athletes and programs.�
Dr. Hallick said Legends 2013 is the most successful Legends fundraising event to date.
Among the great items auctioned off during the evening; autographed Limited Edition Tommy Thayer �Spaceman� guitars signed by all the members of KISS, golf lessons from one of the top PGA instructor Tommy Masters, an invite to an exclusive event at Stoller Vineyards, and concert tickets and passes to meet all-star performers Darius Rucker and Clint Black.
There were a number of great trips that found favor with bidders, such as: an African Safari for two, a seven-night stay on the island of Bali, a weekend escape to Washington wine country, a romantic get-away at Playa Ventanas in Costa Rica, and a family get away to Martha�s Vineyard off Cape Cod, Mass.During the auction, a special appeal was held for Lincoln Park Stadium, home of the Boxers.
�We asked for, and received, generous support for a new roof over the spectator seating areas, that will make our stadium a showcase in the Northwest Conference,� Ken Schumann, Pacific�s Director of Athletics. The stadium, home to Pacific�s football, soccer, lacrosse, and track and field teams, boasts a synthetic playing surface, evening lighting, and one of just two nine-lane tracks in the Pacific Northwest.
After a successful night of fundraising, guests attending the Legends event were treated to a special musical concert, sponsored by Lease Crutcher Lewis.
KPTV- Fox 12 news anchor Shauna Parsons emceed the evening which featured the music of Thayer, and two-time Grammy award winning singer-songwriter and keyboardist, Bill Champlin, formerly of Chicago; Danny Seraphine, the original drummer and founding member of Chicago and California Transit Authority (CTA); Bobby Kimball, former lead singer of the six-Grammy award winning band Toto; CTA arranger, producer and keyboardist Ed Roth; and Oregon�s Grammy nominated saxophone jazz musician, Patrick Lamb.
In addition to PGA golf instructor Tommy Masters, the celebrity list included infamous rock manager Doc McGhee and professional golfers Amber Prange, Perry Swenson, and the legendary David Graham, winner of two �majors� championships.
Pacific University acknowledges the support of its generous sponsors, Lease Crutcher Lewis, Pac/West, Stimson Lumber Company, Dan and Sallie Dutton, Aramark, Walsh Construction Company, Pamplin Media Group, Emmert International, Mahlum, Lasko Printing, Duck Pond Cellars/Desert Wind Winery, Crowne Plaza Lake Oswego, Lucky Limousine, Mark & Katherine Frandsen, Rich & Joy Hanson, Legacy Health, Bill Stoller, Realty Trust (Patrick Clark), inici Group, Char Hamilton Yoshida & Shimomoto (Jerry & Bonnie Yoshida), U.S. Bank, CompView Medical, Pacific Landscape Management, Arnerich Massena, Taylor Guitars, and Key Event Services.
Founded in Oregon in 1849, Pacific University is one of the oldest schools in the west and is consistently named one of America�s best or top colleges. Pacific University serves nearly 3,500 students on its campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Woodburn, and Eugene.
Pacific University Legends Hosted by Tommy Thayer Grosses $500,000
With nearly 350 people attending, Pacific University Legends, hosted by Tommy Thayer, set a new record last month grossing almost half a million dollars during the annual fundraising event that supports the university�s student-athletes and the 24-sport NCAA Division III athletics program.
Seven years ago, Tommy Thayer, the lead guitarist for the legendary rock band KISS and a trustee of Pacific University, came up with the idea of hosting an event that would bring in sports celebrities and musicians to mingle with guests, participate in silent and live auctions, and play in unique all-star concerts. Fine dining is always a tradition at a Legends event, which took place this year at Waverley Country Club in Portland on Aug. 25.
�A truly historic and fun night for the university,� said Tommy Thayer. �From the support of our generous donors and trustees, to all my celebrity friends, to the organizing staff and volunteers, I appreciate how hard everyone worked to make this a success.�Legends 2013 Raises Historic Amount for Pacific University
Pacific University Legends Hosted by Tommy Thayer Grosses $500,000
With nearly 350 people attending, Pacific University Legends hosted by Tommy Thayer set a new record last month grossing almost half a million dollars during the annual fundraising event that supports the university�s student-athletes and the 24-sport NCAA Division III athletics program.
Seven years ago, Tommy Thayer, the lead guitarist for the legendary rock band KISS and a trustee of Pacific University, came up with the idea of hosting an event that would bring in sports celebrities and musicians to mingle with guests, participate in silent and live auctions, and play in unique all-star concerts. Fine dining is always a tradition at a Legends event, which took place this year at Waverley Country Club in Portland on Aug. 25.
�A truly historic and fun night for the university,� said Tommy Thayer. �From the support of our generous donors and trustees, to all my celebrity friends, to the organizing staff and volunteers, I appreciate how hard everyone worked to make this a success.�
�We are extremely grateful to our guests and generous donors for their remarkable support of our intercolle- giate athletics program,� said Lesley M. Hallick, PhD, president of Pacific University. �Legends grossed nearly $500,000 and is expected to net more than $250,000 to benefit our student athletes and programs.�
Dr. Hallick said Legends 2013 is the most successful Legends fundraising event to date.
Among the great items auctioned off during the evening; autographed Limited Edition Tommy Thayer �Spaceman� guitars signed by all the members of KISS, golf lessons from one of the top PGA instructor Tommy Masters, an invite to an exclusive event at Stoller Vineyards, and concert tickets and passes to meet all-star performers Darius Rucker and Clint Black.
There were a number of great trips that found favor with bidders, such as: an African Safari for two, a seven-night stay on the island of Bali, a weekend escape to Washington wine country, a romantic get-away at Playa Ventanas in Costa Rica, and a family get away to Martha�s Vineyard off Cape Cod, Mass.During the auction, a special appeal was held for Lincoln Park Stadium, home of the Boxers.
�We asked for, and received, generous support for a new roof over the spectator seating areas, that will make our stadium a showcase in the Northwest Conference,� Ken Schumann, Pacific�s Director of Athletics. The stadium, home to Pacific�s football, soccer, lacrosse, and track and field teams, boasts a synthetic playing surface, evening lighting, and one of just two nine-lane tracks in the Pacific Northwest.
After a successful night of fundraising, guests attending the Legends event were treated to a special musical concert, sponsored by Lease Crutcher Lewis.
KPTV- Fox 12 news anchor Shauna Parsons emceed the evening which featured the music of Thayer, and two-time Grammy award winning singer-songwriter and keyboardist, Bill Champlin, formerly of Chicago; Danny Seraphine, the original drummer and founding member of Chicago and California Transit Authority (CTA); Bobby Kimball, former lead singer of the six-Grammy award winning band Toto; CTA arranger, producer and keyboardist Ed Roth; and Oregon�s Grammy nominated saxophone jazz musician, Patrick Lamb.
In addition to PGA golf instructor Tommy Masters, the celebrity list included infamous rock manager Doc McGhee and professional golfers Amber Prange, Perry Swenson, and the legendary David Graham, winner of two �majors� championships.
Pacific University acknowledges the support of its generous sponsors, Lease Crutcher Lewis, Pac/West, Stimson Lumber Company, Dan and Sallie Dutton, Aramark, Walsh Construction Company, Pamplin Media Group, Emmert International, Mahlum, Lasko Printing, Duck Pond Cellars/Desert Wind Winery, Crowne Plaza Lake Oswego, Lucky Limousine, Mark & Katherine Frandsen, Rich & Joy Hanson, Legacy Health, Bill Stoller, Realty Trust (Patrick Clark), inici Group, Char Hamilton Yoshida & Shimomoto (Jerry & Bonnie Yoshida), U.S. Bank, CompView Medical, Pacific Landscape Management, Arnerich Massena, Taylor Guitars, and Key Event Services.
Founded in Oregon in 1849, Pacific University is one of the oldest schools in the west and is consistently named one of America�s best or top colleges. Pacific University serves nearly 3,500 students on its campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Woodburn, and Eugene.
09/18/2013
KISS PROMISE TO PUT ON A SHOW
CLICK HERE to view more LA KISS Press Conference photos at LOS ANGELES DAILY.
By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News
No seriously, I told my wife Tuesday morning. I really do have to go to the House of Blues on Sunset for a press conference announcing the newest football coach for L.A.�s newest professional football team.
�And Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley from KISS figure into all this how, again?�
�They own the L.A. KISS the football team I was telling you about.� I told her.
The skepticism hanging in the air was stifling at this point.
�You know I have the Daily News app, right?� my wife reminded me. �If that story doesn�t show up on your site by tonight you�re in big trouble. I got my eye on you, buddy.�
Welcome to my world, where L.A.�s various entertainment boulevards sometimes cross at the most curious intersections.CLICK HERE to view more LA KISS Press Conference photos at LOS ANGELES DAILY.
By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News
No seriously, I told my wife Tuesday morning. I really do have to go to the House of Blues on Sunset for a press conference announcing the newest football coach for L.A.�s newest professional football team.
�And Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley from KISS figure into all this how, again?�
�They own the L.A. KISS the football team I was telling you about.� I told her.
The skepticism hanging in the air was stifling at this point.
�You know I have the Daily News app, right?� my wife reminded me. �If that story doesn�t show up on your site by tonight you�re in big trouble. I got my eye on you, buddy.�
Welcome to my world, where L.A.�s various entertainment boulevards sometimes cross at the most curious intersections.
And how sometimes explaining your work day and whereabouts to your wife sounds like a precursor to the �Jerry Springer Show.�
Tuesday being a prime example, as professional football was ushered back to Los Angeles by the two front men of one of the most iconic rock bands in music history.
Sounds about right.
I mean, of course Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley would buy an Arena Football League team, name them the KISS, situate them in Los Angeles and welcome new coach Bill McMillen to town at a press conference on Sunset Boulevard where a strange brew of sports reporters, TV personalities and scantily clad beautiful women would gather at a bar at the House of Blues.
All that was missing was Tim Tebow, the banished NFL quarterback who KISS has mounted a very public pursuit of.
Here is guessing the notoriously virtuous Tebow would have been a bit uneasy in the dimly lit settings Tuesday � kind of how he looks dropping back to throw a football, come to think of it.
As for me, I loved every second of it.
It was zany and campy and a bit off the grind, but that�s the allure of the whole thing.
And while I might not rush out to see a KISS game, consider me intrigued enough by the Simmons and Stanley presentation Tuesday to be sure to check them out from time to time.
They were honest, making no qualms about the fact they want to bring an entertainment value to football in an affordable way that embraces the everyday fan who might not have the means to afford the NFL experience.
And they want to have fun doing it, and flip that fun right back on their fans.
�This is about football, and why no embellish it,� Stanley said. �At the heart of it is a big engine and that�s football. And where going to paint it up.�
Simmons agreed.
�This is an opportunity, not just for us and not just for the L.A. KISS but for Arena Football and for Los Angeles to have a football team, finally. And we�re proud to be here.�
And apparently willing to spend some money ensuring a winning product.
Simmons and Stanley have partnered up with longtime Orlando Predators managing partner Brett Bouchy to form the KISS, and in McMillen they are bringing in a longtime former AFL player and coach and a member of the AFL Hall of Fame.
McMillen was the AFL Coach of the Year in 2013 with the Chicago Rush.
Simmons and Stanley promised they will give both men ample room to do their jobs with little interference on the football side of things.
�The great thing about putting a great team together is you respect the people who have the experience in that area,� Stanley said. �I don�t think Bret or Bob will help us write any songs. They put their guitars away and while we�re not going to be out there on the field we�re going to be behind the scenes making sure that this runs to the same standard of KISS.�
And they plan to bring their celebrated KISS � the band kind � touch to their new venture.
With a keen eye on entertainment, affordability and showmanship.
�It�s a miracle to some people on the outside but the reason the band has lasted this long is because we never lost sight that we were the people in the audience who saw we weren�t getting what we deserved,� Stanley said. �We�re now getting up and saying this is what you deserve in sports. So we�re upping the game. That�s our contribution to this, making sure people get what they deserve.�
And sometimes that means an afternoon at the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard.
Seriously.
By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News
No seriously, I told my wife Tuesday morning. I really do have to go to the House of Blues on Sunset for a press conference announcing the newest football coach for L.A.�s newest professional football team.
�And Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley from KISS figure into all this how, again?�
�They own the L.A. KISS the football team I was telling you about.� I told her.
The skepticism hanging in the air was stifling at this point.
�You know I have the Daily News app, right?� my wife reminded me. �If that story doesn�t show up on your site by tonight you�re in big trouble. I got my eye on you, buddy.�
Welcome to my world, where L.A.�s various entertainment boulevards sometimes cross at the most curious intersections.CLICK HERE to view more LA KISS Press Conference photos at LOS ANGELES DAILY.
By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News
No seriously, I told my wife Tuesday morning. I really do have to go to the House of Blues on Sunset for a press conference announcing the newest football coach for L.A.�s newest professional football team.
�And Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley from KISS figure into all this how, again?�
�They own the L.A. KISS the football team I was telling you about.� I told her.
The skepticism hanging in the air was stifling at this point.
�You know I have the Daily News app, right?� my wife reminded me. �If that story doesn�t show up on your site by tonight you�re in big trouble. I got my eye on you, buddy.�
Welcome to my world, where L.A.�s various entertainment boulevards sometimes cross at the most curious intersections.
And how sometimes explaining your work day and whereabouts to your wife sounds like a precursor to the �Jerry Springer Show.�
Tuesday being a prime example, as professional football was ushered back to Los Angeles by the two front men of one of the most iconic rock bands in music history.
Sounds about right.
I mean, of course Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley would buy an Arena Football League team, name them the KISS, situate them in Los Angeles and welcome new coach Bill McMillen to town at a press conference on Sunset Boulevard where a strange brew of sports reporters, TV personalities and scantily clad beautiful women would gather at a bar at the House of Blues.
All that was missing was Tim Tebow, the banished NFL quarterback who KISS has mounted a very public pursuit of.
Here is guessing the notoriously virtuous Tebow would have been a bit uneasy in the dimly lit settings Tuesday � kind of how he looks dropping back to throw a football, come to think of it.
As for me, I loved every second of it.
It was zany and campy and a bit off the grind, but that�s the allure of the whole thing.
And while I might not rush out to see a KISS game, consider me intrigued enough by the Simmons and Stanley presentation Tuesday to be sure to check them out from time to time.
They were honest, making no qualms about the fact they want to bring an entertainment value to football in an affordable way that embraces the everyday fan who might not have the means to afford the NFL experience.
And they want to have fun doing it, and flip that fun right back on their fans.
�This is about football, and why no embellish it,� Stanley said. �At the heart of it is a big engine and that�s football. And where going to paint it up.�
Simmons agreed.
�This is an opportunity, not just for us and not just for the L.A. KISS but for Arena Football and for Los Angeles to have a football team, finally. And we�re proud to be here.�
And apparently willing to spend some money ensuring a winning product.
Simmons and Stanley have partnered up with longtime Orlando Predators managing partner Brett Bouchy to form the KISS, and in McMillen they are bringing in a longtime former AFL player and coach and a member of the AFL Hall of Fame.
McMillen was the AFL Coach of the Year in 2013 with the Chicago Rush.
Simmons and Stanley promised they will give both men ample room to do their jobs with little interference on the football side of things.
�The great thing about putting a great team together is you respect the people who have the experience in that area,� Stanley said. �I don�t think Bret or Bob will help us write any songs. They put their guitars away and while we�re not going to be out there on the field we�re going to be behind the scenes making sure that this runs to the same standard of KISS.�
And they plan to bring their celebrated KISS � the band kind � touch to their new venture.
With a keen eye on entertainment, affordability and showmanship.
�It�s a miracle to some people on the outside but the reason the band has lasted this long is because we never lost sight that we were the people in the audience who saw we weren�t getting what we deserved,� Stanley said. �We�re now getting up and saying this is what you deserve in sports. So we�re upping the game. That�s our contribution to this, making sure people get what they deserve.�
And sometimes that means an afternoon at the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard.
Seriously.
09/18/2013
ICONIC ROCKERS SAY LA KISS MORE THAN FOOTBALL
David Leon Moore, USA TODAY Sports
Arena football has been around for 26 years, building a small-but-loyal fan base even as it draws little mainstream attention.
That's about to change, according to Paul Stanley.
"We're known for being bombastic and bringing a lot of artillery and firepower," Stanley says. "Now let's see if we can bring that to a football game. And we will."
The name Paul Stanley not ringing a bell? How about Gene Simmons?
How about Starchild and The Demon?
Stanley is Starchild and Simmons The Demon in the iconic rock group KISS -- known for their costumes and showmanship -- and they are among the co-owners of the new Arena Football League team that will start play in Los Angeles in 2014.
The name of the team?
"Well, let's see, we have built a brand that for 40 years has been synonymous with spectacle," Stanley says. "What shall we call ourselves, the L.A. Hamburgers?"
David Leon Moore, USA TODAY Sports
Arena football has been around for 26 years, building a small-but-loyal fan base even as it draws little mainstream attention.
That's about to change, according to Paul Stanley.
"We're known for being bombastic and bringing a lot of artillery and firepower," Stanley says. "Now let's see if we can bring that to a football game. And we will."
The name Paul Stanley not ringing a bell? How about Gene Simmons?
How about Starchild and The Demon?
Stanley is Starchild and Simmons The Demon in the iconic rock group KISS -- known for their costumes and showmanship -- and they are among the co-owners of the new Arena Football League team that will start play in Los Angeles in 2014.
The name of the team?
"Well, let's see, we have built a brand that for 40 years has been synonymous with spectacle," Stanley says. "What shall we call ourselves, the L.A. Hamburgers?"
No, they will be known as the L.A. KISS, and it's a team that will be, according to Stanley and Simmons, fan-friendly, pocketbook-friendly and always entertaining.
MORE: KISS member defends Tebow
COMING: L.A. KISS bringing football to town
"Write this down," says Simmons, speaking at a small news conference Tuesday afternoon at the hip restaurant/nightclub House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. "You can see the whole season of the KISS for 99 bucks."
Stanley and Simmons, along with fellow co-owners Doc McGhee and Brett Bouchy, have hired a veteran Arena Football League player and coach, Bob McMillen, to be in charge of winning games, and they will trust him on football matters.
"I stopped playing football," Stanley says, "when I got hit and flew through the air and landed on my stomach. That's when I picked up a guitar."
The KISS guys were approached about doing a concert to promote the Arena league about eight months ago. One thing led to another, and pretty soon they were talking about owning a new team in Los Angeles.
Now the bandmates known for fire breathing, smoking guitars and various other pyrotechnics, will try to bring that same energy to the KISS games that will be played in the Honda Center in Anaheim.
"We want to make it an event," Stanley says. "During halftime and other breaks, you're owed more than a guy dressed up like a hamster running around the field. We're going to make sure there's entertainment that keeps you dazzled. This is about football, but why not embellish it?"
And why not in L.A., where both NFL teams -- the Rams and Raiders -- left almost 20 years ago?
"This is good for Los Angeles," Simmons says. "Los Angeles needs football. We're here to give Los Angeles the kind of football it's never had. You want football, L.A.? You got it."
Arena football has been around for 26 years, building a small-but-loyal fan base even as it draws little mainstream attention.
That's about to change, according to Paul Stanley.
"We're known for being bombastic and bringing a lot of artillery and firepower," Stanley says. "Now let's see if we can bring that to a football game. And we will."
The name Paul Stanley not ringing a bell? How about Gene Simmons?
How about Starchild and The Demon?
Stanley is Starchild and Simmons The Demon in the iconic rock group KISS -- known for their costumes and showmanship -- and they are among the co-owners of the new Arena Football League team that will start play in Los Angeles in 2014.
The name of the team?
"Well, let's see, we have built a brand that for 40 years has been synonymous with spectacle," Stanley says. "What shall we call ourselves, the L.A. Hamburgers?"
David Leon Moore, USA TODAY Sports
Arena football has been around for 26 years, building a small-but-loyal fan base even as it draws little mainstream attention.
That's about to change, according to Paul Stanley.
"We're known for being bombastic and bringing a lot of artillery and firepower," Stanley says. "Now let's see if we can bring that to a football game. And we will."
The name Paul Stanley not ringing a bell? How about Gene Simmons?
How about Starchild and The Demon?
Stanley is Starchild and Simmons The Demon in the iconic rock group KISS -- known for their costumes and showmanship -- and they are among the co-owners of the new Arena Football League team that will start play in Los Angeles in 2014.
The name of the team?
"Well, let's see, we have built a brand that for 40 years has been synonymous with spectacle," Stanley says. "What shall we call ourselves, the L.A. Hamburgers?"
No, they will be known as the L.A. KISS, and it's a team that will be, according to Stanley and Simmons, fan-friendly, pocketbook-friendly and always entertaining.
MORE: KISS member defends Tebow
COMING: L.A. KISS bringing football to town
"Write this down," says Simmons, speaking at a small news conference Tuesday afternoon at the hip restaurant/nightclub House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. "You can see the whole season of the KISS for 99 bucks."
Stanley and Simmons, along with fellow co-owners Doc McGhee and Brett Bouchy, have hired a veteran Arena Football League player and coach, Bob McMillen, to be in charge of winning games, and they will trust him on football matters.
"I stopped playing football," Stanley says, "when I got hit and flew through the air and landed on my stomach. That's when I picked up a guitar."
The KISS guys were approached about doing a concert to promote the Arena league about eight months ago. One thing led to another, and pretty soon they were talking about owning a new team in Los Angeles.
Now the bandmates known for fire breathing, smoking guitars and various other pyrotechnics, will try to bring that same energy to the KISS games that will be played in the Honda Center in Anaheim.
"We want to make it an event," Stanley says. "During halftime and other breaks, you're owed more than a guy dressed up like a hamster running around the field. We're going to make sure there's entertainment that keeps you dazzled. This is about football, but why not embellish it?"
And why not in L.A., where both NFL teams -- the Rams and Raiders -- left almost 20 years ago?
"This is good for Los Angeles," Simmons says. "Los Angeles needs football. We're here to give Los Angeles the kind of football it's never had. You want football, L.A.? You got it."
09/18/2013
KISS VERSUS JAGUARS?
KISS versus Jaguars? It should be a no-brainer for Tebow
By Rick Johnston
So by now, a lot of the sports and media world are aware of Gene Simmons' push to sign NFL free agent and apple of ESPN's eye Tim Tebow to be the quarterback and centerpiece of the soon-to-be Arena Football League team, the Los Angeles Kiss.
The effort caught the eye of my colleague John Burr of the Jacksonville Business Journal, who is pining for Tebow to sign with his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars -- even though owner Shahid Khan and general manager David Caldwell have said such a signing won't happen.
If I was Tebow, I'd rather play for the Kiss in Los Angeles. Why?
First -- the obvious. Jacksonville is a fine town. But, it's not Los Angeles. Being a one-time 26-year-old male, I know where I would've rather have lived.
Next, imagine the corporate wedding of these two. Kiss plans on performing a concert for its season-ticket holders as a perk. Imagine Tebow walking on stage to, I don't know, "War Machine" or "Calling Dr. Love."KISS versus Jaguars? It should be a no-brainer for Tebow
By Rick Johnston
So by now, a lot of the sports and media world are aware of Gene Simmons' push to sign NFL free agent and apple of ESPN's eye Tim Tebow to be the quarterback and centerpiece of the soon-to-be Arena Football League team, the Los Angeles Kiss.
The effort caught the eye of my colleague John Burr of the Jacksonville Business Journal, who is pining for Tebow to sign with his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars -- even though owner Shahid Khan and general manager David Caldwell have said such a signing won't happen.
If I was Tebow, I'd rather play for the Kiss in Los Angeles. Why?
First -- the obvious. Jacksonville is a fine town. But, it's not Los Angeles. Being a one-time 26-year-old male, I know where I would've rather have lived.
Next, imagine the corporate wedding of these two. Kiss plans on performing a concert for its season-ticket holders as a perk. Imagine Tebow walking on stage to, I don't know, "War Machine" or "Calling Dr. Love."
Both Tebow and Simmons have shown an affinity for eye-black. The latter just took it a little further.
Imagine a flaming sword in the endzone. Tebow does one of his famed quarterback rushes for a touchdown, runs to the sword and puffs a fireball, a la Simmons. Tell me that doesn't make the "SportsCenter" Top 10.
Also, there are the other, non-football concerns.
Not sure if this is obvious, but, L.A. has this slight reputation as being a place where the wild world of the media is a big influence. Tebow has always used whatever he could as a platform to tell the world about the role his faith plays in his life.
Tebow is, by all indications, a smart guy. One would think a smart guy would know that football doesn't last forever. Why not go to L.A. and start making connections such that he has a bigger platform to spread his message so that he could easily head into that world once he hangs up the pads?
But, back on the field, look at the ownership. Simmons is actively courting Tebow. Again, Khan isn't.
I also don't know that Southern California television stations would have to apologize for showing the games. And, while you might think the Kiss branding is a gimmick, so is enticing people to come to your games by showing other games on the video board.
Finally, while yes, the Kiss is an AFL team -- not a sub-arena, or just "indoor football," team -- the snarky part of my personality would point out that the AFL has done just fine for itself for longer than the Jags have been in existence. It's not exactly a risky venture.
By Rick Johnston
So by now, a lot of the sports and media world are aware of Gene Simmons' push to sign NFL free agent and apple of ESPN's eye Tim Tebow to be the quarterback and centerpiece of the soon-to-be Arena Football League team, the Los Angeles Kiss.
The effort caught the eye of my colleague John Burr of the Jacksonville Business Journal, who is pining for Tebow to sign with his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars -- even though owner Shahid Khan and general manager David Caldwell have said such a signing won't happen.
If I was Tebow, I'd rather play for the Kiss in Los Angeles. Why?
First -- the obvious. Jacksonville is a fine town. But, it's not Los Angeles. Being a one-time 26-year-old male, I know where I would've rather have lived.
Next, imagine the corporate wedding of these two. Kiss plans on performing a concert for its season-ticket holders as a perk. Imagine Tebow walking on stage to, I don't know, "War Machine" or "Calling Dr. Love."KISS versus Jaguars? It should be a no-brainer for Tebow
By Rick Johnston
So by now, a lot of the sports and media world are aware of Gene Simmons' push to sign NFL free agent and apple of ESPN's eye Tim Tebow to be the quarterback and centerpiece of the soon-to-be Arena Football League team, the Los Angeles Kiss.
The effort caught the eye of my colleague John Burr of the Jacksonville Business Journal, who is pining for Tebow to sign with his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars -- even though owner Shahid Khan and general manager David Caldwell have said such a signing won't happen.
If I was Tebow, I'd rather play for the Kiss in Los Angeles. Why?
First -- the obvious. Jacksonville is a fine town. But, it's not Los Angeles. Being a one-time 26-year-old male, I know where I would've rather have lived.
Next, imagine the corporate wedding of these two. Kiss plans on performing a concert for its season-ticket holders as a perk. Imagine Tebow walking on stage to, I don't know, "War Machine" or "Calling Dr. Love."
Both Tebow and Simmons have shown an affinity for eye-black. The latter just took it a little further.
Imagine a flaming sword in the endzone. Tebow does one of his famed quarterback rushes for a touchdown, runs to the sword and puffs a fireball, a la Simmons. Tell me that doesn't make the "SportsCenter" Top 10.
Also, there are the other, non-football concerns.
Not sure if this is obvious, but, L.A. has this slight reputation as being a place where the wild world of the media is a big influence. Tebow has always used whatever he could as a platform to tell the world about the role his faith plays in his life.
Tebow is, by all indications, a smart guy. One would think a smart guy would know that football doesn't last forever. Why not go to L.A. and start making connections such that he has a bigger platform to spread his message so that he could easily head into that world once he hangs up the pads?
But, back on the field, look at the ownership. Simmons is actively courting Tebow. Again, Khan isn't.
I also don't know that Southern California television stations would have to apologize for showing the games. And, while you might think the Kiss branding is a gimmick, so is enticing people to come to your games by showing other games on the video board.
Finally, while yes, the Kiss is an AFL team -- not a sub-arena, or just "indoor football," team -- the snarky part of my personality would point out that the AFL has done just fine for itself for longer than the Jags have been in existence. It's not exactly a risky venture.
