Kiss News

A Surrey-based charity has been KISS'd with $10,000.

Makeup-wearing members of the rock band were in Vancouver Thursday to hand a five-figure cheque to operators of Sophie's Place, a facility for kids who have been physically, mentally or sexually abused.

The money will help fund an expansion of the centre, which opened in February 2012 at The Centre for Child Development on 140th Street in Surrey.

The facility is named after Sophie Tweed-Simmons, daughter of KISS bassist Gene Simmons and former Playboy model Shannon Tweed.

In addition to the $10,000, a percentage of profits made at a KISS Army-operated "pop-up" store on Granville Street last week are destined for Sophie's Place.

"It's really very generous of them and will make a huge difference in helping us serve kids who have been abused," Dr. Brian Katz, director of Sophie's Place, told the Now during a noon press event in Vancouver.
A Surrey-based charity has been KISS'd with $10,000.

Makeup-wearing members of the rock band were in Vancouver Thursday to hand a five-figure cheque to operators of Sophie's Place, a facility for kids who have been physically, mentally or sexually abused.

The money will help fund an expansion of the centre, which opened in February 2012 at The Centre for Child Development on 140th Street in Surrey.

The facility is named after Sophie Tweed-Simmons, daughter of KISS bassist Gene Simmons and former Playboy model Shannon Tweed.

In addition to the $10,000, a percentage of profits made at a KISS Army-operated "pop-up" store on Granville Street last week are destined for Sophie's Place.

"It's really very generous of them and will make a huge difference in helping us serve kids who have been abused," Dr. Brian Katz, director of Sophie's Place, told the Now during a noon press event in Vancouver.


Simmons said the donation was "a beginning, a small token from us," with more coming. "(The centre) helps thousands of abused kids every year, and it's a great place."

KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley said Sophie's Place is "a charity we know well and believe in 100 per cent. And we hope everyone here, everyone getting this news-media coverage, does what they can. It's never about giving until it hurts. You give until it feels good."

Tweed-Simmons said plans are to open other Sophie's Place facilities in Canada at a later date. "We're working on getting this one absolutely perfect before we move on," she said.

In Surrey, the expanded facility will be roughly four times its current size, Katz told the Now. Construction is already underway.

"It's in the works, and we're looking to raise $500,000 for the expansion, to have all of our team members under one roof," he said. "Research has shown that it's a better outcome for kids when all professionals are working together and kids don't have to tell their story over and over again. Each time they do that, it can be traumatizing."

Tweed-Simmons said the concept for Sophie's Place was brought to her attention by Watts.

"There was a need for someone who is a kid to be a patron for the centre so we could relate more to the target audience," Tweed-Simmons said. "I was 18 at the time, and I loved it. I've worked with children my whole life and it seemed like the right thing to do, especially kind of being a B.C. native, thanks to my mom."

Katz said Tweed-Simmons has been a great partner for the centre.

"She's very much interested in the project and comes to these events and helps with fundraising, too," Katz said. "She's been able to help spread the message about what this great team is doing in Surrey, to build this child advocacy centre and make it a great resource for the community."

KISS performed Saturday night at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. On Thursday, autograph-seekers lined the block for the in-store appearance by the band, which formed in the early 1970s.

"With time going on, we appreciate everything a lot more," Stanley said. "The band has never sounded better and never gotten along better. We socialize and spend time together ... We're not on the first generation of KISS fans, we're on the third and fourth generation."

Photo and text by Tom Nugent

I didn�t grow up on KISS. I didn�t even really know a lot of their songs, aside from the huge hit singles that still play on classic rock radio daily. Those singles never really grabbed me in a way that warranted diving further into their catalogue. And when Gene Simmons branched out into reality television and overall public ridiculousness � well it contributed to a further loss of interest on my part.

I was still excited to see the show, though. I haven�t been to an arena-scale concert in ages and, aside from the expected pyrotechnics, huge platform shoes and face-paint, I was walking in there blind.

I only got to stay for the first two songs to take photos (�Psycho Circus� and �Shout it Out Loud�), but within that short period of time I had an uncontrollable smile from ear to ear the moment explosions were set off and the stage curtain dropped to reveal Simmons and bandmate Paul Stanley being lowered onto the stage on top of a gigantic metal spider that was shooting smoke from underneath its steel abdomen.

The following 10 minutes was non-stop rock arena excessiveness. Back-to-back explosions and fire. Constant action figure posing at the front of the stage. And the most surprising thing of all; a really energetic stage presence. If these guys weren�t world-famous and I happened to catch their show at a small bar playing as well as they did tonight I would have been astonished to find out they�re in their 60s. It was ridiculous.Text and photo by Tom Nugent

I didn�t grow up on KISS. I didn�t even really know a lot of their songs, aside from the huge hit singles that still play on classic rock radio daily. Those singles never really grabbed me in a way that warranted diving further into their catalogue. And when Gene Simmons branched out into reality television and overall public ridiculousness � well it contributed to a further loss of interest on my part.

I was still excited to see the show, though. I haven�t been to an arena-scale concert in ages and, aside from the expected pyrotechnics, huge platform shoes and face-paint, I was walking in there blind.

I only got to stay for the first two songs to take photos (�Psycho Circus� and �Shout it Out Loud�), but within that short period of time I had an uncontrollable smile from ear to ear the moment explosions were set off and the stage curtain dropped to reveal Simmons and bandmate Paul Stanley being lowered onto the stage on top of a gigantic metal spider that was shooting smoke from underneath its steel abdomen.

The following 10 minutes was non-stop rock arena excessiveness. Back-to-back explosions and fire. Constant action figure posing at the front of the stage. And the most surprising thing of all; a really energetic stage presence. If these guys weren�t world-famous and I happened to catch their show at a small bar playing as well as they did tonight I would have been astonished to find out they�re in their 60s. It was ridiculous.

KISS know what they�re doing, and now I can see how they�ve turned their band into a gigantic NASCAR-like franchise. Even before the show, there were ads on a jumbo-tron for their KISS Kruise, where KISS fans can go on a cruise with the band, hang out, get drunk, and I can only imagine, discuss things like who�s seen KISS in concert the most times, compare KISS tattoos and be applauded for wearing facepaint for an entire week.

Even though the whole thing is hilarious and absurd, there�s a deeply rooted part of this whole KISS phenomenon that�s simply amazing and endearing. The fact is, there�s an international love for this group and what they do; and the band gives back to those loyal fans in their own way. I mean, they started this group 40 years ago and at some point their diehard fans got just as over-the-top as their show. One just keeps pushing the other. Their whole act is a spectacle, but that spectacle is so excessive that you can�t help but get caught up in it.

CLICK HERE to view more of Tom's KISS photos

http://www.thesnipenews.com/homepage-features/kiss-monster-tour-vancouver/