KISSin' UK

Slightly off-topic but I will be jumping out of a plane for Born Free Foundation this Saturday (25th). This is my first jump, so far I have raised almost £400 which is much more than I was expecting. If you would like to donate, you can do so over at Just Giving http://www.justgiving.com/pafinn or alternatively text:

'Finn97 £1' to 70070
(works with 1,2,3,4,5 & £10).

I've even had some retweets from Bruce Kulick, Shannon Tweed and Brian Blessed to help get some sponsorship, thanks to everyone who has already sponsored me so far!

From Huffington Post: When this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs on HBO Saturday night, Rush, Heart, Public Enemy, Donna Summer and Randy Newman, among others, will be seen joining those already enshrined in the Cleveland museum. But one group that won't be represented, yet again, is the self-proclaimed "hottest band in the world," KISS.

Longtime fans can't believe the group that taught America how to rock and roll all night and party every day still hasn't made the cut. The Huffington Post asked lead singer Paul Stanley if there's hope of a reprieve.

"Well, it depends on who lives longer, us or Jann Wenner," Stanley said, referring to the Rolling Stone editor-in-chief who co-founded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in the mid-1980s.

Fans have a tendency to blame Wenner for the KISS snub. (One brave loyalist even confronted Wenner on the street to demand answers.) But the real obstacle may be journalist Dave Marsh, who plays a key role in the selection process and once told MTV, "Kiss is not a great band, Kiss was never a great band, Kiss never will be a great band, and I have done my share to keep them off the ballot."

Stanley, who has been making the media rounds to publicize the opening of a new branch of his Rock & Brews restaurant chain, questioned the legitimacy of the hall itself.

"Look, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is marketing," he said. "You've got a bunch of faceless people in a back room who trademark a name that sounds very official. Well, if you had thought of it first, you would have been the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Stanley, who turned 61 in January and has been playing with KISS for 40 years, also complained that artists who aren't generally considered rock 'n' rollers keep getting inducted, even as his group keeps getting overlooked.

Read the full article here

There's a competition over at Absolute Radio where you have to vote for your favourite icon - KISS are on their list. Be quick though, it finishes on May 1st.

http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/music/icons/index.html#comp

There's a brand new KISS tribute album in the works to celebrate the 40th anniversary, it's called A World With Heroes and is being run as a 'pledge' project with a contribution being made to charity.

Please visit here to order the album and make a pledge.

From the site:-

To mark the 40th Anniversary of KISS, we have gathered some of the greatest rock musicians for a KISS tribute album. “A World With Heroes” features unique performances of incredible KISS songs.

All basic tracks will be recorded by these incredible musicians: Eric Brittingham (bass – Cinderella) , Jeff LaBar (guitars – Cinderella) and Troy Lucketta (drums – Tesla).

The vocalists and other artists that will contribute to the CD include: Don Dokken, Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Mark Tornillo (Accept), Terry Ilous (Great White), Bumblefoot (GNR), Mark Slaughter (Slaughter), Russ Dwarf (The Killer Dwarfs), Ron Young (Little Caesar), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Rex Brown (Pantera, Kill Devil Hill), Dery Grehan (Honeymoon Suite), Bill Leverty (Firehouse), Phil Lewis (LA GUNS), Doro, Tommy Denander, Slaves on Dopes (w/Jason Rockman), Phil Naro (ex-Talas & Peter Criss), Ron Keel, Sean Kelly (Nelly Furtado’s band & Helix) and more to be announced shortly.

Pledge to be a part of this amazing tribute and great cause.

Happy Birthday to Ace Frehley who celebrates birthday number 62 today!

Daily Mail have published an article about Gene buying a new house for Sophie and Nick but at $2,000,000 it was too small for them. In usual style the Daily Mail have waded in with their usual bullshit, Shannon has since replied to them with this:

"Don't worry,the kids are paying for their own house! Sheesh. they have been  renting and now want to buy.We WILL help our kids as I hope you would help yours  but we're not paying,they are.But you have to have credit to get credit so we  will co sign and that's that. they BTW didn't think the house was too small they  thought the yard was too small and would rather have a smaller house with bigger  space for dogs outside. So sue us. Hatesr gonna hate,I guess. Shannon."

Full article here

We may not have had a UK Expo for a few years now, but the 2013 Indianapolis expo is well worth a trip if you're heading out that way - Gene, Bruce & Eric will all be there!

The Indianapolis KISS Fan Expo is excited to celebrate its 15th anniversary  AND the 40th anniversary of KISS at this year's Expo! We are ecstatic to announce a two-day  event on May 11th & 12th with numerous guests spanning all eras of KISStory...the  highlight of which is a pre-expo kickoff event with the Demon himself, Gene  Simmons

On Saturday afternoon, May 11th, the legendary Gene Simmons will host a  spirited question-and-answer session with the fans! You won't want to miss this special appearance! The Gene Simmons pre-expo event is a separate ticketed event with additional ticket options including a photo opportunity for you with Gene! Tickets are limited. This will be Gene's only appearance this weekend.

Saturday nights Expo features former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick and guitarist  Bob Kulick! Both Bruce and Bob have rich histories with KISS and will be  available for autographs and photos throughout the evening. They will also  jam a few KISS classics onstage for your enjoyment!  

Sunday's Expo will feature KISS drummer Eric Singer,and in his first-ever Expo appearance - drummer Kevin Valentine. Kevin was the drummer on KISS' Psycho Circus album. He also recorded demos for Hot in the Shade and a track on the Revenge and albums. (Kevin's also went to high school with Eric Singer!) Fan-favorite KISS tribute band MR. SPEED will also perform.

More details from http://www.getalifeinc.com/

KISS Zin Fire Wine is currently available in the UK from http://www.wineandroll.co.uk - I've been told that for this week only they have a 10% offer putting it at £17.99 a bottle.

This girl is Shandee Blackburn, a massive KISS fan who was murdered last month in Mackay, Australia. Last night Paul Stanley sung this for her and her family. Her mum said afterwards "It was just really sweet and at the end he said 'let's say goodnight and goodbye to Shandee', I wasn't crying at all until then".

Well done Paul.

Anyone have a spare $703,581.48? If so Ace may need your help:-

"A rock ’n’ roll legend may be KISS-ing his Yorktown house goodbye.

A bank is accusing Ace Frehley, a former member of the rock group KISS, of not paying the mortgage on his Yorktown home for almost two years. U.S. Bank National Association claims that the rock star, whose real name is Paul Frehley, stopped paying his $735,000 mortgage on March 1, 2011.

In its Feb. 15 foreclosure filing, the bank asked the court to order a sale of the home to pay for the outstanding principal of $703,581.48 plus interest, late charges and other expenses."

Full details at lohud.com

There'll be a couple of KISS related TV appearances this weekend:

Man Vs Food - Featured US tribute band War Machine, er, eating the biggest burger in the world.
Extreme Makeover - The KISS edition of the UK show will be aired

No, not the news you are waiting for, but keep patient..!

Thanks to everyone who entered the KISS Hoodie competition, we had a great response mainly thanks to a retweet from Shannon Tweed! Congratulations to the winner - Karen Dunstan from Notts - I will be in touch shortly.

Thanks again to FreestyleXtreme for providing the prizes.

40 years ago today Paul, Gene, Ace & Peter played their first gig in the Popcorn Club in Queens, NY (later renamed Coventry). 40 years later Paul, Gene, Tommy & Eric are still rocking their asses off and planning a 2013 Euro tour which will be coming closer to the UK than you might think (stay tuned)...

Please join me in a drink to the Hottest Band In The World:

Paul, Gene, Ace, Peter, Eric, Vinnie, Mark, Bruce, Eric & Tommy - KISS

KISS have picked up a total of 6 out of 12 Classic Rock Awards! The winning categories were as follows:-

• Artist of the year
• Album of the year (Monster)
• Best reissue (Destroyer resurrected)
• Song of the year (Long way down)
• Photo of the year
• Commercial of the year (Costa Coffee!)

More details here: http://ultimateclassicrock.com/kiss-wins-six-2012-ultimate-classic-rock-awards/

We've  teamed up with action sports retailer FreestyleXtreme  to give away a KISS hoodie worth up to £76.99! Not only that but the winner will also walk away with a copy of the  latest album Monster!

It's easy to enter, just answer a simple question and enter your details.

Click here to enter the competition!

Got more than one KISS room or KISS styling all over your house? Want to be on TV? If so then please get in touch with me, there's a UK TV production company on the lookout for fans that have large parts of their house dedicated to the band. We will have more information soon.

Over Christmas Bruce Kulick was in London with his girlfriend Lisa. On Christmas eve, in Trader Vic's restaurant,  Bruce proposed to her and she accepted. Huge congratulations to them both!

"I have a great European vacation to share with you all, as my girlfriend Lisa and I recently had the pleasure of heading to Europe to relax and sightsee, instead of gigging. This was actually my first time to do this that I can remember, and London was our destination.

With England being the birth of the Beatles and the British Invasion, I have always been fascinated with all things British.  First up was a visit to Abbey Road Studios, which was sadly closed due to the holiday season.  But I got my photo at the famous crossing, naturally!  Then it was on to the Beatles Store so I could drool and fill a basket with Beatles merchandise to take home."

Read the full report over on Kulick.net

Hope you all have a great KISSmas & New Year. Applogies for the delay in the Chirstmas compo - it is on it's way.... but an issue with the supplier has meant it will be in the New Year instead.

Have a good one.

The following article was in The Daily Mail just over a week ago, you may remember that Paul & Gene done some NOH8 campains a couple of years ago too:-

"They are often seen attending Hollywood events as a family unit on the red-carpet. And now Gene Simmons, his wife Shannon Tweed and daughter Sophie are coming together all in the name of protest.

The famous family, as well as Shannon's younger sister Tracy, were seen adorned with 'NOH8' stamps on their bodies as they stepped out on Hollywood Boulevard on Wednesday night. The clan had earlier attended the NOH8 Campaign 4th Anniversary Celebration at the Avalon Nightclub along with LeAnn Rimes and her husband Eddie Cibrian.

The NOH8 Campaign is a charitable organization whose mission is to promote marriage, gender and human equality. In 2008, Proposition 8 passed in California, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The NOH8 campaign is also a photographic silent protest created in response to Proposition 8. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolising their voices being silenced by Prop 8. Participants are usually seen with one cheek painted with 'NOH8' in protest. Gene and his family members posed with face paint applied on their cheeks, hands and chests. 

The clan, who previously starred together in the reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels, all wore black during the outing, opting for jackets and sweaters in the same hue. Daughter Sophie, 19, went for a more daring look by wearing a sheer top with her black bra seen peeking through. Recently Gene's daughter Sophie stepped out of the spotlight of her famous father and into her very own when she auditioned for The X Factor USA."

Click here to read the whole article

Happy Birthday to Bruce Kulick the KISS guitarist whose riffs got me into this crazy band in the first place. To celebrate, Ultimate Classic Rock have published the Top 10 Bruce Kulick KISS Songs, with I Walk Alone coming in at number 1.

Click here to read the full top 10

Also check out this cool solo from Monsters Of Rock from Germany in 1988.

Look out for a special KISSmas competion launching shortly, we will be giving away a cool prize worth £75...

The current 2013 Monster dates have been confirmed as below, note that no UK dates have yet been confirmed, however I have it on good authority that more news will be coming our way shortly...

Feb 28 – Perth, Australia
March 3 – Adelaide, Australia
March 5 – Melbourne, Australia
March 9 – Sydney, Australia
March 10 – Sydney, Australia
March 12 – Brisbane, Australia
March 16 – Mackay, Australia
June 1 - Stockholm, Sweden
June 3 - Helsinki, Finland
June 6 - Solvesborg, Sweden
June 8 - Stavanger, Norway
June 11 - Copenhagen, Denmark
June 12 - Berlin, Germany
June 14 - Prague, Czech Republic
June 15 - Vienna, Austria
June 17 - Udine, Italy
June 18 - Milan, Italy
June 20 - Zurich, Switzerland
June 22 - Clisson, France

21 years ago today the KISS Army lost one of the greatest drummers to rock our world. Eric Carr will always be remembered for his amazing years in KISS, his dedication to his fans and his brilliant personality. Thoughts go out to Eric's family on this sad day, in particular his sister Loretta who continues to make sure Eric is never forgotten.

Below is a great clip of Black Diamond from the HITS tour, enjoy:-

New ebook by Chris Epting with Life Lessons from KISS

Author and AOL Music journalist Chris Epting was recently interviewing rock legends KISS when it suddenly flashed before his eyes that, bizarre as it might seem, the band he had loved since childhood actually played a huge part in shaping how he looks at the world. In that instant, he decided to write about his life long journey with the band, starting out in the early 1970s when he joined the KISS Army and continuing until today. Epting takes us through the history of KISS, weaving in historic tidbits and trivia with his personal observations, while laying out the rules for living that he absorbed from "the hottest band in the land." The book’s title of course is an homage to the 1989 bestseller by Robert Fulghum, "All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten," but this story speaks to the love that many people have with that one special band or artist they followed while growing up. As Epting learned as an adult though, when it comes to your favorite band, the roots run deep - perhaps deeper than you ever imagined. Stone Temple Pilot founder/bassist Robert DeLeo adds a heartfelt foreword and some rare sketches he drew of KISS as a youngster - back when he was in the Army, too. Phil Collen of Def Leppard says: "Coming from England I discovered KISS a little later than everyone in the states since the band started as an American phenomenon. Their target demographic was perfect-12 year old white boys who loved fun rock songs combined with comic book hero characters. In England I was probably one of the few young boys who collected American comics so I totally understood how this would appeal to their audiences. The 'three chord' rock bands I was getting into at the time were T-Rex and David Bowie. At such an impressionable age image mixed with the music was everything. So it's easy to see why KISS, who also had the image, would relate to an entire generation of American youth. Add to that an amazing fireworks display, blood-spitting, burning guitars, a huge light show that would put any WWF event to shame, and a six inch tongue and you've got one of the most iconic visionary bands of the era. I've read Chris's books. Having been interviewed on many occasions by him, his attention to detail is meticulous. What better person to share KISS stories than a self professed pop-culture junkie, American culture historian, and formerly one of those pre-mentioned white boys!"

The Kindle book is exclusively available on Amazon until 2013 and retails for $2.99. Chris Epting has interviewed some of the biggest rock stars on the planet. But he's always held a special place in his heart for KISS. The band may have lost him when the makeup came off in the early 1980s, but once it was put back on in the mid 90s, Epting's inner fan was once again ignited. After interviewing them several times and watching how they evolved, it struck him how much they really meant to him. This was not just a band. This was an inspirational life force rooted in basic American virtues like hard work and commitment to the fans – and they never forgot how to rock and roll.

BIO - Chris Epting is the author and photographer of 20 travel/history books, including James Dean Died Here - The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks, Roadside Baseball and Led Zeppelin Crashed Here - The Locations of America's Rock and Roll Landmarks. He is also an award winning travel writer, journalist and frequent contributor to AOL Music. Originally from New York, Chris now lives in Huntington Beach, California with his wife and their two children. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter (@chrisepting) and at chrisepting.com. Epting is available for interviews.  Excerpts and review copies are also available. Miniver Press is a new publisher specializing in lively and informative ebooks about pop culture, history, and entertainment.  Other titles include Love Me Do: The Inside Story of the Beatles’ First Recording, Bessie Coleman: Pioneering Black Woman Aviator, Baseball’s Biggest Miracle: The 1914 Boston Braves, 101 Must-See Movie Moments, and the forthcoming Lincoln’s Law Notes and Apatoff for Destruction, adapted from Ben Apatoff’s popular blog on metal music.

According to MetalTalk, KISS may be headlining the 2nd stage at Download on Friday 14th June 2013. None of this has been confirmed by the band, but it does fit in with some of their other European dates around that time. 2nd stage though??

More info over at MetalTalk.

Paul & Gene were both on the CBBC show '12 Again' today. 12 Again is a show where celebs look back on their childhood and revisit the music, TV shows and the big news stories that happened when they were 12. They were on alongside Countdown's Rachel Riley and Ronan Keating.

The show was filmed while they were over here for the Forum show.

It's currently available on iPlayer here.

Good luck to all the UK KISS fans who are about to set sail on the KISS Kruise, I look forward to the reviews & photos!

The Torpedian Harmonists from Germany have released another video, this time their tribute to Love Gun!

Peter Criss was a guest on Q104.3 in NYC this morning to talk about his new book released today. During the interview he addressed Steven Tyler's remarks that KISS are a "comic book rock band."

See what his response was over at the Q104.3 website.  

There's also a link in that article to his full interview with Q104.3.

Ace Frehley has cancelled his appearance at Hard Rock Hell in Wales leaving his fans in the lurch... again. Ace famously cancelled his appearance last year claiming to have broken his arm, this year no explanation has been made. More details can be found at the Hard Rock Hell website.

After its first week Monster has hit the BBC album chart at number 21, excellent news and well deserved for such a great album. It managed to make it all the way to #12 in the midweek chart, dropped a little towards the end of the week. Now lets get a single out there too....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/update/albums 

The first dates of what will likely turn into a full European tour have been announced, the 2013 KISS Scandinavian dates are as follows:

JUNE 1 - FRIENDS ARENA STADIUM - STOCKHOLM - ON SALE NOW
JUNE 3 - HARTWELL ARENA - HELSINKI, FINLAND - ON SALE OCT 22
JUNE 6 - SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL - SOLVESBORG - ON SALE NOW
JUNE 8 - VIKING FEST - VIKING STADION - STAVANGER, NORWAY ON SALE OCT 22
JUNE 11 - FORUM - COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - ON SALE OCT 22

As mentioned a few weeks ago, here's the new poster for the upcoming KISS tribute album, KISSIN' TIME: CANADA'S TRIBUTE TO KISS. The cd will be released in on Halloween and features 12 Klassic KISS songs recorded by some of the best Indie artists from Canada. All proceeds after expenses will be donated to SICK KIDS FOUNDATION (Toronto Sick Kids Hospital).

CD available to buy on the KISSIN Time site

Thanks to Spiro Papadatos for the info.

Good morning guys, this is Mike Jones, night show host at DC101. I just spoke with Gene and Eric of Kiss, great conversation about the new Monster album, doing the record their own way and not worrying about what anyone else said and supporting our troops! Here's the link

http://www.dc101.com/pages/MikeJones.html?article=10483936

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