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As you are probably aware Gene is currently over in the UK to present the Classic Rock awards. I had the pleasure of meeting him yesterday at the filming of The One Show, at the White City Studios in London. If you seen the show, all the KISS merchandise they shown was provided by KISSin' UK, I had to set it all up myself so apologies if it looked rough. The One Show is one of the strangest shows on TV, where they have one main guest and show clips of something random then talk to the guests about it even though they really don't give a damn. Gene handled this well and made some nice comments about wearing a Poppy, even if some people didn't appreciate his views on the NHS (twitter went nuts after the show).

If you didn't see the show you can watch it on iPlayer for a short time: One Show 7/11/11

Gene posing with my stuff after the show

I was standing next to Shannon for a lot of the filming who was very funny trying to put Gene in his place off air, his comments about making her wait for marriage didn't go down well! I got to speak to Gene a few times and he also introduced me to Shannon (who offered to take some photos for me), he was in a great mood and seemed very excited about presenting the Classic Rock awards. One of the weirdest things I've ever seen though was Gene being driven round on a bike by Pudsey Bear, so weird they had to film it twice. The owner of the dog in the pic were possibly two of the most miserable people I've ever met, Gene was trying to make conversation with them and was blanked. Hey, don't you realise... this is GENE SIMMONS!

Picture by Shannon Tweed

Matt Baker was wearing Gene makeup when I got there, thought he was going to wear it for the show but he told me it was just for a sketch at the start of the show. Just a shame that the lovely Alex Jones wasn't in Paul makeup..

Overall a great time was had, Gene was at the studio early and made plenty time to chat with us, it was surreal having free reign walking around the TV studio and being asked to help prepare the set. Big thanks to everyone involved especially Gene, Shannon, Mary, Sarah, Dave & Danny Francis (thanks for the pick!).

Gene will be on The One Show this Monday at 7PM. If you watch the show and see any KISS merchandise in the background then it's probably mine! Gene is over to present the Classic Rock awards, Shannon is also making the trip over.

Hey Kiss fans, Eileen from Billboard here. Gene Simmons was just voted by Billboard.com readers one of top ten scariest musicians of all times.
http://bit.ly/s63T5B

Karl Lelliott, a KISSin' UK Forum moderator was lucky enough to get himself on the KISS Kruise, he has just in this very cool report, enjoy!....

October 11th.
The day started as most would, just this one involved a trip to the airport for a short trip to London, before heading to Miami. There is not much to say about nine hours on a plane, except the food is crap, but there is nothing like the feeling of arriving in a foreign country, and the anticipated queue of US immigration.

First stop was the hotel. Checked in, took bags to room, then went for a couple of beers before settling down for the night. Guinness in cans is bloody expensive over there. $18 for two cans!!

October 12th.
The first full day in Miami was hot and humid (as are most days in Miami). Decided the best thing to do was head to the big mall complex, and hide from the heat in the comfort of the air conditioning. Did breakfast, walked around the complex, checking out most shops, hardly purchasing anything (though the better half managed to buy my birthday present). Lunch, more shops, then a taxi back to the hotel to get ready for the first of two Kiss related events that evening.

Facebook provided a great build up to the Kruise experience, with a few groups set up for the sole purpose of getting people in the spirit of the event. Hard Rock Cafe was the host of the Kiss Kruisers party. The first person I saw was our very own Stu Bayley, who had just popped out for a quick cigarette. He told me where everyone was, and my good lady and I headed up for a couple of beers. We had planned on getting there for 7pm, and leaving by 9pm, as the last thing you want to do is wake up in humid weather to get on a ship with a hangover. Well all those plans went out of the window as more people kept arriving, and the beers kept on flowing. I think we left hard Rock at somewhere close to 11, before getting a cab to the next party. The Transit Lounge was the chosen location of the Kiss Kruise organisers for their pre cruise party, and I don't think they could have chosen a bigger dump of a place anywhere on the planet. There was a live band playing, but it was so warm inside, we headed outside for a bit of slightly cooler air. Stu & Dan decided they were going to have there faces painted, I decided to have more beer.

October 13th.
Woke up wondering how the hell we got back to the hotel after the Transit Lounge. I vaguely remember getting a cab with Newcastle's finest ex-pats, Kevin & Karen Dobbs, but not much else.
After showering and packing all the gear up, it was time for another cab, destination, Port of Miami.

Carnival operate a slick boarding process. A huge queue of people is broken down into smaller queues, and the checkin procedure is a painless exercise. Once passports and booking references are checked, we are handed our envelopes that contain the cards used for door entry & signing your cash away at the shops & bars onboard. The guy in front of us had heard a rumour of bonus platinum tickets being put into random envelopes prior to the event. There was a small group of people hanging around just inside the check-in desks, all with huge smiles on their faces. Obviously they had their platinum tickets. The rules of the Kruise were simple. Everybody got to see the unmasked/unplugged sailaway show, and a choice of one of two makeup shows to be played on the Friday/Saturday night. If you had a platinum ticket, you could see both shows. We went to sit in the holding area, and I checked the envelopes. Platinum tickets in both. Result!!

Once onboard the Destiny, we worked our way through the mazes of corridors and lift shafts. No easy feat, this ship is huge, and only two floors run the length of it. We dropped the bags off at the room, then headed out on to the top deck to meet Stuart & Dan. Many iced teas and lemonade were drunk (as they were free), before we had to meeting in our designated areas for safety briefings.
Dan Hill had the best idea for this, and I only wished he would have told me the idea before, as it was perfect. Turn up late for the briefing, so you are closest to the doors when they are over. Why do you want to be close to the exit? Kiss are playing unmasked and unplugged in 20 minutes, and it is now a mad rush best positions.

The following article was published on cnn.com, some people from the Kruise mentioned that Paul left early to go to see a throat surgeon, it appears to be true:-

KISS lead singer Paul Stanley underwent successful surgery for "recurring vocal cord issues" Tuesday that the musician said Wednesday "come with 40 years of preaching rock 'n' roll."

His doctors say Stanley, who's been touring and recording with KISS for nearly 40 years, will make a "swift and complete" recovery, according to a statement from his publicist. Paul Stanley reflects on KISS "I hold myself to a higher standard than others do," Stanley said. "With that in mind, I wanted to remedy a few minor issues that come with 40 years of preaching rock 'n' roll."

Stanley, 59, is known for his energetic -- and loud -- shows as front man and guitarist for legendary hard rock group.

KISS, one of the longest-running rock acts, stays busy on the road and in the studio. Stanley is producing "Monster," their 20th studio album due out in 2012 as they embark on another global tour.

The following was sent to me by a good friend of Eddie Balandas, he was the last person to see Eddie alive. Eddie was a very close friend of the KISS family, and was of course the voice at the start of Alive II, RIP Eddie:-

Eddie Balandas of Chicago Illinois passed away in his sleep on Monday October 10, 2011 in the early hours of the morning from what appears to be the final stage of Congestive Heart Failure (the heart is wore out and stops beating). The funeral service will be on Monday October 17, 2011 at the ALLIANCE-GAIDAS-DAIMID FUNERAL HOME 4330 South California Avenue Chicago, IL 60632 located in Chicago 's Brighton Park . More information about visitation time will be available from the funeral home at Phone Number (773) 523-0440 or Toll Free at (800) 747-2692 Ext: 116789 after 8 pm October 13, 2011. Eddie was a KISS band crew member in their early years and is known as the Voice of Kiss on the Alive II album where his announcement of the band is boldly proclaimed “YOU WANTED IT, YOU GOT IT, THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD, KISS.” The last number of years Eddie enjoyed fishing and attending KISS Expo’s where he totally enjoyed talking to everyone and tell story after story. Eddie would talk to KISS fans and answer questions until the very early hours of the morning. If you would like to hear his Bigger than Life Voice and some of his stories go to www.podkisst.com and select number 47: The Voice of “Alive II” Speaks!

In his younger years Eddie was an excellent trumpet player and received several Gold Records for his part in a variety of songs – one most notable that most people recognize is “Brandy” (you’re a fine girl). He was also part of the SHA-NA-NA group for a time but missed out when they went on to begin TV Shows.

Please visit Eddie’s www.facebook.com/eddie.balandas page to leave condolences or stories for family and friends who sorely miss him.

Eddie Balandas was a very excellent trumpet player and had these Gold Records (1 million sold) and a platinum (500,000 sold) hanging on his wall. He must have had a part in each one - he was a Studio Musician so his part was recorded in the studio and then included on the released record. On some of these he was one of a couple of trumpet players.

Eddie Balandas’ Songs that he was a part of over the years (partial list).

Get it On - by Chase
More Today than Yesterday – by Spiral Staircase
Brandy – by Looking Glass celebrating 1million units
YMCA by Village People
Macho Man by Village People
Beth – by Kiss
The worst that can happen – Brooklyn Bridge
Words by missing persons - 500,000 units

There's a nice article with Gene in todays Sun, it mentions the wedding and lots of stuff you've heard already, but it's definitely worth a read.

IT was shaping up to be a pretty ordinary day until the phone rang.
"It's Gene Simmons here," said the caller in a smooth, low American accent.

"I don't believe in assistants. I would like to meet you for a chat."

It was a refreshing personal approach from a celebrity in LA, the world of showbiz public relations moguls — and particularly surprising as Gene is one of the world's most extravagant and richest stars.

The 62-year-old helped turn his facepaint-daubed rock band Kiss into a billion-dollar empire and has a personal fortune of more than £200million after raking in cash from a host of other business ventures.

As we arranged to meet at a cafe near his Beverly Hills mansion, it was clear it was no longer going to be an ordinary day — Gene Simmons is not an ordinary man.

His entire business operation is run from a little black book he keeps in his left cowboy boot.

As he picked at his breakfast of an egg-white omelette, the famously long-tongued star pulled the book out like a gun from a holster: "When I'm not sure what day it is I reach in my boot and take out my office.

"I have 30 years of these and always keep it in my boot. I can't leave the house without it. One day they will all be sold at auction.

"In it I have my Kiss credit card, my daily medicine intake. I have a list of my business ventures, some important phone numbers — most of whom you'd recognise — some cash and my insurance information."

Gene's fondness for the little black book prompts me to ask if he has really slept with 4,600 women as rock legend suggests. "It's not true," he replied. "It's 4,800."

Click here to read the full article @ The Sun.

Hello Kissin' UK!
3rd Helsinki Kiss Expo will take place at saturday 26th of November at rock club Nosturi. Tickets are on sale wednesday 5th of October, see www.tiketti.fi (25 €). Here's a link to our infosite: http://www.kissarmyfinland.com/expo/index.html
Here's a link to our teaser video: http://www.kissarmyfinland.com/expo/kaf_expo_video.wmv

[Note Bruce, Bob and John Corabi will all be there!]

There's footage of Gene & Shannon's wedding from the weekend over on the ET website. Today they have released footage from the ceremony itself tomorrow will be the reception (where KISS performed Lick It Up, Shout It Our Loud and Rock & Roll All Nite!)

Click here to see the video.

With rock 'n' roll paeans to romance like I Was Made for Lovin' You and Forever under his belt, you'd expect Gene Simmons to have it all wrapped up - in a tasty guitar lick - for the first dance at his wedding.

But rather fittingly, the 62-year-old eschewed the flamboyant rock that made his fortune, to slow dance to soul legend Etta James' classic At Last, with his new bride, Shannon Tweed, 54.

There were cheers when the couple finally said 'I do' last night at the Beverly Hills Hotel after a sometimes turbulent, but mostly tenacious, 28 years together.
No-one was happier than the couple's two children, Nick, 22, and 18-year-old Sophie, the latter even crooned Etta's heartfelt lyrics while her parents danced.

Tweed walked down the aisle in an ivory Priscilla of Boston gown and carried a bouquet of ivory garden roses, according to People.com.
The couple exchanged vows they wrote themselves in front of a crowd that included Hugh Hefner, Bill Maher and his fellow KISS members, Simmons' right hand man, Paul Stanley, 59 , was in the wedding party.

Sophie was the maid of honour, and she and brother Nick jokingly performed the role of hosts after cordially inviting guests to the wedding of their parents on gilt-edged invitations.

'It is time for me to grow up,' Simmons, who has admitted struggling with fidelity issues, told Entertainment Weekly recently.

'I'm 62. I've been doing a lot of wacky stuff for an awfully long time -- the band, the thing, traveling around the world and all that. There's nobody I've ever loved. There's nobody I've ever said 'I love you' to.

I even find it difficult to say 'I love you' to my mother, but I love Shannon with all my heart and all my soul and always will.'

Read more: Click here