Kiss News

KISS�S LANDMARK RELEASE DESTROYER: RESURRECTED

NEWLY REMIXED BY ORIGINAL PRODUCER BOB EZRIN

�Destroyer boasts plenty of sound effects, orchestras, and choirs that paved the way for other bands to rip them off for many years to come� easily one of the best albums in the Kiss canon.� - Pitchfork

KISS is regarded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time and holds the honor as one of America�s top gold-record champions. On August 21, 2012, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will release KISS�s 1976 multi-platinum, landmark album Destroyer: Resurrected, newly remixed from the original master tapes by the album�s original producer, Bob Ezrin. Ezrin pulled the tapes from the vaults and painstakingly remixed the entire album, enhancing the sound and bringing out its rich texture and vibrancy, while keeping the integrity of the original recording intact. Destroyer: Resurrected will also include rare and unreleased recordings rediscovered during the remixing process, plus the originally intended cover artwork.
KISS�S LANDMARK RELEASE DESTROYER: RESURRECTED
NEWLY REMIXED BY ORIGINAL PRODUCER BOB EZRIN

�Destroyer boasts plenty of sound effects, orchestras, and choirs that paved the way for other bands to rip them off for many years to come� easily one of the best albums in the Kiss canon.� - Pitchfork

KISS is regarded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time and holds the honor as one of America�s top gold-record champions. On August 21, 2012, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will release KISS�s 1976 multi-platinum, landmark album Destroyer: Resurrected, newly remixed from the original master tapes by the album�s original producer, Bob Ezrin. Ezrin pulled the tapes from the vaults and painstakingly remixed the entire album, enhancing the sound and bringing out its rich texture and vibrancy, while keeping the integrity of the original recording intact. Destroyer: Resurrected will also include rare and unreleased recordings rediscovered during the remixing process, plus the originally intended cover artwork.

Hot on the heels of their breakthrough hit album Alive!, KISS released their fourth studio album Destroyer which is considered the most ambitious studio recording of KISS's '70s catalog. Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper, was brought in to produce the album and among the production flourishes Ezrin introduced to KISS were sound effects, strings, a children�s choir, reversed drumming and the eerie, echoing sounds of screaming children over Gene Simmons� vocals on �God of Thunder.� Upon its release, Destroyer reached the No. 11 position on the Billboard Top 200 and, with the help of the surprise top-10 hit �Beth,� was their first album to go platinum.

Originally released as the B-side to the single �Detroit Rock City,� �Beth,��the heart-yearning ballad co-written and performed by drummer Peter Criss�was quickly picked up by radio nationwide and became the first top 10 for KISS, climbing all the way to the No. 7 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. While going through the original tapes, a forgotten vocal piece that was originally edited out in the final mix of �Beth� was discovered and now, for the first time, the complete original vocal recording has been restored and is included in the final mix. Other rediscovered gems include a complete, alternate guitar solo for the track �Sweet Pain,� now heard for the first time since it was originally recorded. The newly remixed �Sweet Pain� with the original guitar solo will be included as a bonus track. In addition to the treasures found buried in the hours of recordings, KISS classics such as �Detroit Rock City,� �Shout It Out Loud,� �Do You Love Me?� and �God of Thunder� were painstakingly remixed by Ezrin as he fleshed out the drums and guitars, bringing out the bottom end to the bass, making his mixes tight and tough.

In addition, Destroyer: Resurrected will now be issued with the originally intended cover art thought too controversial for the time. Created by artist Ken Kelly, the �brown� cover depicts KISS dressed in their ALIVE! costumes and standing on rubble in front of a burning city in ruins. At the time, the record company thought it was too violent and settled for the tamer �blue� version known today. This release also marked the first time that a comic-book illustration of the band appeared on the cover, confirming that the band was transforming from hard rockers to superheroes.

To this day, Destroyer remains one of the group�s most ambitious recordings and greatest accomplishments. In both Kerrang! and Guitar World magazine it is listed as one of the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time" and in 2003, it was included on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Now, with today�s state-of-the-art technology, this landmark release can be heard the way that KISS intended.

The KISS legacy continues to grow, generation after generation, transcending age, race and creed. KISS releases their 20th studio album, Monster, in October 15 internationally and October 16 in North America.

The unparalleled devotion and loyalty of the KISS Army to the �Hottest Band in the World� is a striking testament to the band�s unbreakable bond with its fans.

CD TRACK LISTING
1. Detroit Rock City
2. King Of The Night Time World
3. God Of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
5. Flaming Youth
6. Sweet Pain
7. Shout It Out Loud
8. Beth
9. Do You Love Me?

Bonus Track:
Sweet Pain (Original Guitar Solo)

KISS�S LANDMARK RELEASE DESTROYER: RESURRECTED

NEWLY REMIXED BY ORIGINAL PRODUCER BOB EZRIN

�Destroyer boasts plenty of sound effects, orchestras, and choirs that paved the way for other bands to rip them off for many years to come� easily one of the best albums in the Kiss canon.� - Pitchfork

KISS is regarded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time and holds the honor as one of America�s top gold-record champions. On August 21, 2012, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will release KISS�s 1976 multi-platinum, landmark album Destroyer: Resurrected, newly remixed from the original master tapes by the album�s original producer, Bob Ezrin. Ezrin pulled the tapes from the vaults and painstakingly remixed the entire album, enhancing the sound and bringing out its rich texture and vibrancy, while keeping the integrity of the original recording intact. Destroyer: Resurrected will also include rare and unreleased recordings rediscovered during the remixing process, plus the originally intended cover artwork.
KISS�S LANDMARK RELEASE DESTROYER: RESURRECTED
NEWLY REMIXED BY ORIGINAL PRODUCER BOB EZRIN

�Destroyer boasts plenty of sound effects, orchestras, and choirs that paved the way for other bands to rip them off for many years to come� easily one of the best albums in the Kiss canon.� - Pitchfork
KISS is regarded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time and holds the honor as one of America�s top gold-record champions. On August 21, 2012, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will release KISS�s 1976 multi-platinum, landmark album Destroyer: Resurrected, newly remixed from the original master tapes by the album�s original producer, Bob Ezrin. Ezrin pulled the tapes from the vaults and painstakingly remixed the entire album, enhancing the sound and bringing out its rich texture and vibrancy, while keeping the integrity of the original recording intact. Destroyer: Resurrected will also include rare and unreleased recordings rediscovered during the remixing process, plus the originally intended cover artwork.

Hot on the heels of their breakthrough hit album Alive!, KISS released their fourth studio album Destroyer which is considered the most ambitious studio recording of KISS's '70s catalog. Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper, was brought in to produce the album and among the production flourishes Ezrin introduced to KISS were sound effects, strings, a children�s choir, reversed drumming and the eerie, echoing sounds of screaming children over Gene Simmons� vocals on �God of Thunder.� Upon its release, Destroyer reached the No. 11 position on the Billboard Top 200 and, with the help of the surprise top-10 hit �Beth,� was their first album to go platinum.

Originally released as the B-side to the single �Detroit Rock City,� �Beth,��the heart-yearning ballad co-written and performed by drummer Peter Criss�was quickly picked up by radio nationwide and became the first top 10 for KISS, climbing all the way to the No. 7 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. While going through the original tapes, a forgotten vocal piece that was originally edited out in the final mix of �Beth� was discovered and now, for the first time, the complete original vocal recording has been restored and is included in the final mix. Other rediscovered gems include a complete, alternate guitar solo for the track �Sweet Pain,� now heard for the first time since it was originally recorded. The newly remixed �Sweet Pain� with the original guitar solo will be included as a bonus track. In addition to the treasures found buried in the hours of recordings, KISS classics such as �Detroit Rock City,� �Shout It Out Loud,� �Do You Love Me?� and �God of Thunder� were painstakingly remixed by Ezrin as he fleshed out the drums and guitars, bringing out the bottom end to the bass, making his mixes tight and tough.

In addition, Destroyer: Resurrected will now be issued with the originally intended cover art thought too controversial for the time. Created by artist Ken Kelly, the �brown� cover depicts KISS dressed in their ALIVE! costumes and standing on rubble in front of a burning city in ruins. At the time, the record company thought it was too violent and settled for the tamer �blue� version known today. This release also marked the first time that a comic-book illustration of the band appeared on the cover, confirming that the band was transforming from hard rockers to superheroes.

To this day, Destroyer remains one of the group�s most ambitious recordings and greatest accomplishments. In both Kerrang! and Guitar World magazine it is listed as one of the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time" and in 2003, it was included on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Now, with today�s state-of-the-art technology, this landmark release can be heard the way that KISS intended.

The KISS legacy continues to grow, generation after generation, transcending age, race and creed. KISS releases their 20th studio album, Monster, in October 15 internationally and October 16 in North America.

The unparalleled devotion and loyalty of the KISS Army to the �Hottest Band in the World� is a striking testament to the band�s unbreakable bond with its fans.

CD TRACK LISTING
1. Detroit Rock City
2. King Of The Night Time World
3. God Of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
5. Flaming Youth
6. Sweet Pain
7. Shout It Out Loud
8. Beth
9. Do You Love Me?

Bonus Track:
Sweet Pain (Original Guitar Solo)

By Paul Lester

ROCK BAND Kiss, of the heavily made-up faces and extravagant costumes, have unveiled their latest release, a book entitled Monster. It weighs a suitably monstrous 4st and, when opened, measures 5ft wide.

�A band that is bigger than life deserves a book that is bigger than life,� says singer and guitarist Paul Stanley to cheers from the assembled media. �Size does count,� adds Gene Simmons, the bassist with the legendary long tongue and Lothario reputation. �It is the Rolls-Royce of books,� he says, explaining how each tome is hand-bound, and goes on to describe the fanatical devotion of the sort of fan likely to cough up the necessary £2,700 to acquire a copy of Monster as �Kisstianity�.

�It sounds cultish but some people have dedicated their lives to Kiss,� says drummer Eric Singer.

So do they worry that fans may take their ardour for the band, who have sold more than 100 million records worldwide since forming in 1972, too far? �Well,� says Simmons, �Eric has someone stalking him right now.�

Kisstinianity, he says, �is a religion of sorts, only without anybody having to die for anybody else�s sins.�

Kiss�s supreme confidence has helped them survive while so many rock bands have fallen. There are not many groups who, after four decades, can still reach number two in the American charts, as Kiss did in 2009 with their last album Sonic Boom.

�We are arrogantly self-confident about who we are and what we mean and we subscribe fully to the idea that we are legends,� says Simmons.
By Paul Lester

ROCK BAND Kiss, of the heavily made-up faces and extravagant costumes, have unveiled their latest release, a book entitled Monster. It weighs a suitably monstrous 4st and, when opened, measures 5ft wide.

�A band that is bigger than life deserves a book that is bigger than life,� says singer and guitarist Paul Stanley to cheers from the assembled media. �Size does count,� adds Gene Simmons, the bassist with the legendary long tongue and Lothario reputation. �It is the Rolls-Royce of books,� he says, explaining how each tome is hand-bound, and goes on to describe the fanatical devotion of the sort of fan likely to cough up the necessary £2,700 to acquire a copy of Monster as �Kisstianity�.

�It sounds cultish but some people have dedicated their lives to Kiss,� says drummer Eric Singer.

So do they worry that fans may take their ardour for the band, who have sold more than 100 million records worldwide since forming in 1972, too far? �Well,� says Simmons, �Eric has someone stalking him right now.�

Kisstinianity, he says, �is a religion of sorts, only without anybody having to die for anybody else�s sins.�

Kiss�s supreme confidence has helped them survive while so many rock bands have fallen. There are not many groups who, after four decades, can still reach number two in the American charts, as Kiss did in 2009 with their last album Sonic Boom.

�We are arrogantly self-confident about who we are and what we mean and we subscribe fully to the idea that we are legends,� says Simmons.

He�s not finished yet: �We are, by some estimates, the four most recognised faces on Planet Earth, and I can prove it to you,� he says, turning to yours truly. �You�re a schooled man, you�ll know that Sweden is a monarchy. That means they have a king. What does the king of Sweden look like?�

I admit I have no idea, �which is interesting because everybody in Sweden knows what Kiss look like�.

Only in full painted face and outfits?

�Of course,� he replies, adding: �We are supremely arrogant but on the other hand we are humbled and eternally grateful for the opportunity to stand in front of our bosses, our fans, and work our butts off.�

This comic self-aggrandisement and respect for their fanbase has helped Kiss survive.

�That, and being in the right place at the right time, with the right songs,� he says, �and pride: pride in craftsmanship, in standing up straight, showing up on time and, by God, doing a good day�s work.

�There is everything to be said for leading a straight life,� he adds, more seriously. At 63 Simmons is a living testament to abstaining from excess (give or take the 4,000 or so women he�s alleged to have slept with).

�No drugs, no booze. Your schmekel [Yiddish for penis] will work better, you�ll sleep better, you�ll look better. There�s nothing as shameful as God giving you five senses and you going out to get chemicals to numb those God-given senses.

�Absolutely, it�s a pathetic stereotype of a rock�n�roll star: stupid, high, ear pierced, tattooed,� agrees Paul Stanley.

�Most of the time it�s a stereotype propagated by a critic who does none of that and lives vicariously by seeing someone else risk their life. I never wanted to be a dead legend.�

Lead guitarist Tommy Thayer chips in: �A lot of musicians fall into the trap of a drugs and rock�n�roll lifestyle. You have to be smarter than that. Kiss are.�

�Listen,� says Stanley. �I have four kids and a wife, I have a fabulous life, and I answer to no one. That�s my idea of a rock�n�roll lifestyle. When people used to say �sex, drugs and rock�n�roll� I�d tell them: �You can keep the drugs.�

�Anything worth doing is worth remembering. When people say, �I don�t remember the Seventies�, that�s really sad. I do. They were great. They were everything they�re talked up to be.

�Any woman I was with is worth remembering. I lived 10 lives but the reason you�re interviewing us and not Jim Morrison or Jimi Hendrix is because we kept away from drugs.

�All drugs have ever done is killed your creativity, killed your spirit, or killed you.�

How do Kiss stay in shape for their concerts, which are often several hours long and feature pyrotechnic displays that require total concentration?

�We go to the gym,� says Thayer.

�We work out. We�re serious about it because our shows are more physical than any other band�s. You really have to be in shape.�

�Or,� jokes Stanley, �we won�t make it to the end of the show.�

Thayer, of course, is a relative spring chicken at 51, while Singer is 54. Both are replacements for, respectively, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, who left the band following addiction problems. If Simmons has any regrets, it�s that he didn�t take them aside often enough to help them overcome their issues.

�That�s why,� he says, �it�s such a privilege and an honour to have Eric in the band. He can sing, has great song ideas, plays his ass off and always shows up on time.�

In a way, Kiss are more of a brand than a band; an institution that is bigger than any individual. �We represent Americana,� declares Singer, �like McDonald�s or Coca Cola. The Kiss logo is a trademark, a signature.�

But the last word inevitably goes to Gene Simmons, with a little help from a cartoon sailor with bulging arms.

�Kiss,� he proclaims, �stands for bombast. We are guilty as charged, yes, of making a complete spectacle out of ourselves. You�re goddamned right we do. And all the critics who didn�t understand us have long since been buried in my backyard. They�re dead.

�I�ve learned some important life lessons over the years, principally: be the best you can be but be yourself. I espouse Popeye�s philosophy of life: �I am what I am and that�s all that I am, I�m Popeye the sailor man.�

�We could never be The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or Queen, but equally they could never be Kiss. So dream big. Love big. Lead a big life. Because you never know, it might be the only 24 hours you�ll have on earth.�

● Kiss Monster is available at kissmonsterbook.com

PLEASE NOTE: Meet & Greet & VIP Packages are only available up to 10 days prior to each show date. So, if you are thinking of ordering a package, please do so before the cutoff time. Don't miss out!

KISS Meet & Greet and VIP packages for 'THE TOUR' are selling quickly! Only a limited number of packages remain for most shows. Act now if you plan on having the ultimate KISS experience!

Here's your chance to have the ultimate KISS experience on "THE TOUR" 2012 tour! Enjoy a KISS VIP Tour package, or a KISS Meet & Greet package that includes exclusive access to KISS' preshow soundcheck!PLEASE NOTE: Meet & Greet & VIP Packages are only available up to 10 days prior to each show date. So, if you are thinking of ordering a package, please do so before the cutoff time. Don't miss out!

KISS Meet & Greet and VIP packages for 'THE TOUR' are selling quickly! Only a limited number of packages remain for most shows. Act now if you plan on having the ultimate KISS experience!

Here's your chance to have the ultimate KISS experience on "THE TOUR" 2012 tour! Enjoy a KISS VIP Tour package, or a KISS Meet & Greet package that includes exclusive access to KISS' preshow soundcheck!

KISS - Meet & Greet + Soundcheck Package

Package includes:

- One reserved tickets located in the first 10 rows of the stage
- Exclusive Meet & Greet with KISS
- Personal Photograph with KISS
- Autograph Session with KISS
- Exclusive access to KISS's Preshow Soundcheck
- Specially Designed KISS Tour Shirt
- Custom Designed, KISS Ring (18k gold plated, exclusive to ticket packages)
- Set of Official KISS Guitar Picks (with custom case)
- Official Meet & Greet Laminate
- Commemorative VIP Ticket
Crowd- free merchandise shopping
On-site VIP Host

KISS - VIP Tour Package
Package includes:

- One reserved tickets located in the first 15 rows of the stage
- Specially Designed KISS Tour Shirt
- Custom Designed, KISS Ring (18k gold plated, exclusive to ticket packages)
- Set of Official KISS Guitar Picks (with custom case)
- Official VIP Laminate
- Commemorative VIP Ticket
- Crowd- free merchandise shopping
- On-site VIP Host

Visit www.vipnation.com to order!