I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday ! It has been a whirlwind year and I wish all a great 2010. peace/love Eric
December 22nd 2009
PHOTOS FROM VISIT TO BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE Rock band members of KISS Gene Simmons and Eric Singer spoke to the kids at Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills with a message to stay away from alcohol, drugs and bad people.
Photos by SGVN/Staff Photo by Walt Mancini/SXCity
December 22nd 2009
"Here is a kool version of 100,000 Years from our recent SONIC BOOM Tour"
December 19th 2009
Here are some photos taken at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh home of the Steelers ! They were kind enough to give us a tour. Great stadium with alot of history. They always seem to beat my Browns...
December 16th 2009
Here is a picture of Kylie and myself from a Dallas KISS show. She was a real crack-up with the whole band !
HALLOWEEN is well past but somebody forgot to tell timeless rockers Kiss as they continue their world tour ... complete with make-up and spandex.
The American rock band, who formed in New York City in 1973, are back on the road and heading to Scotland.
Picture the scene as their fans dig out the six-inch platform boots in a bid to re-live the first time they caught Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons stick out their oversized tongues while noodling on guitar and bass.
Along with session musicians Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, the heavy metal gods will wreak controlled havoc at Glasgow's SECC on May 9 next year.
The Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom tour, including bits of The Kiss Alive 35 Tour, proves heavy metal isn't dead, just comatose from fans drinking too much Horlicks.
Paul, 57, said: "The Alive 35 Tour was just the start. Sonic Boom leaves that in the dust. New stage, new set list, new outfits, new album.
"We're covering the history of the band on a stage that takes Kiss one giant step further in our eight-inch heels."Gene,60, added: "Now, more than ever, Kiss is a four-wheel-drive monster truck. Our mission? To rock Planet Earth. To spread the gospel of Sonic Boom."
Ahem, yes, and with 80 million album sales, who can argue that Kiss remain one of the most iconic and influential rock bands of all time.
Throughout their 35-year career, they have established themselves as one of the great live rock acts.
Nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two months ago, Paul insists a new generation are ready for Kiss, thanks to their mums and dads.
"They want to share the experience with their kids," he said. "I love seeing the wonder on kids' faces. It's very gratifying, humbling and exhilarating.
"Everybody is borrowing from us, but they will never be us," said Paul. "It only takes money to have a Kiss-type show, but you will never have Kiss. The Sonic Boom album has gotten reviews I couldn't write better. It is great to have an album out that is undeniably good."
But isn't all that make-up an inconvenience after all these years?
"I liken it to putting on war paint," said Paul. "It is a big part of who we are. If you win the lottery, you don't complain about taxes. When you've been as lucky as we are, there's not much to complain about."
December 12th 2009
Here's a shot of Tommy and Eric with hockey legend/Pittsburgh Penguins owner, Mario Lemieux at tonight's Penguins game in Pittsburgh.
December 11th 2009
Here’s another great interview in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Kiss returns with 'SONIC BOOM' Thursday, December 10, 2009 By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Sure, even teenage stoners knew that Kiss was always something of a rock 'n' roll cartoon, but when the band first blazed through the Arena in 1976, it was hard to fathom that someday a suburban super-store would be selling Kiss M&M's for $6 a bag.
That's not just because candy that melts in your mouth, not in your hand, didn't fit with blood and fire. Rather, Kiss members were the "Knights in Satan's Service," underworld, underground metal minstrels that your mom and dad hated -- even though they drove you to the show anyway -- and a partnership with the Mars company was unthinkable.
Of course, it didn't take long for Kiss to become a franchise and a slice of Americana. Now on the "Alive 35" tour, which hits the Mellon Arena on Sunday, it's topsy-turvy, with dads 40 to 50 turning their kids on to Kiss and bringing them along to the show.
We didn't see the family Kiss event coming then, and we didn't see it coming as late as 1988, when the recently unmasked Gene Simmons was telling the PG, "We may put on the makeup again once someday, just for the hell of it, but we don't want to be an oldies show like the Monkees and just go through the motions. Kiss isn't about that. If there's a reason we've spanned the generations, it's because we stayed current."
Here is a pic from DALLAS show sent in by Rich Gagnon !
December 6th 2009
ERIC SINGER ON THE TOP OF HIS GAME The phrase "words can't describe it" has a whole new meaning when talking about a KISS concert. That certainly seems to be the case when it comes to Kiss' Alive 35 Tour which is currently touring around the US, and soon to be invading Europe. Kiss has made more than a career out of being in a rock band, they have made it a lifestyle with a cult following consisting of some of the most adoring and dedicated fans on the planet. Kiss defies exactly what it is to be in a rock band and their live show has always left fans in awe and amazement. From the fireworks and the flames to the spinning drum riser and rising stage sections, it's safe to say that Kiss is back.
To play in one of the biggest rock acts of all time means that you constantly have to be on top of your game at all times. It's easy to say that most players couldn't handle the constant drumming for 2 straight hours, a long drum solo, singing backup vocals on every song (and leads on 4), having explosions and fireworks constantly going off, and 20,000 people watching your every move.
Then again, not everyone can be like Eric Singer. With the aforementioned necessities of vocals and stamina that are required for a Kiss concert, Eric not only displays his skills around the kit with his tremendous fills and solid timekeeping, but also as an entertainer with flashes of showmanship included on almost every crash of a cymbal or flip of a stick. His kit for the Alive 35 tour is almost as eye catching as his playing. With a Smoked Acrylic Masters Premium kit, Eric's drums are sure to attract the attention of the 20,000 strong in the crowd as it turns from looking almost solid black to transparent with a flash of the lights. Eric's sizes for this Smoked Acrylic Masters kit are as follow:
Eric Singer's Alive 35 Tour Kit: (2)24x15 bass drum 8x8 tom (left of hi-hat) 10x8 tom (left of hi-hat) 12x8 tom 13x8.5 tom 16x14 floor tom 18x16 floor tom 14x6.5 acrylic free floating snare
The 24x15 kick drums allow Eric to have a combination of the attack you get from a 24x14, combined with the punch and boom you get from a 24x16 or 24x18. Although argued by some to be too bright the acrylic shells that make up this kit seemed to have the perfect amount of pitch which lead to beautiful sounding transitions and rolls from the high tom to low floor toms. Eric's 14x6.5 acrylic free floating snare drum held a snappy amount of pop and crack, while still sounding full bodied and warm. In total, the brightness of the acrylic shells are the perfect mix when playing in massive arenas and stadiums and they held up beautifully throughout Eric's continual hard hitting.
The Alive 35 tour is continuing on in the US for only a couple more dates, however, starting in early May of 2010 Kiss will be heading overseas to capture audiences on a 2 month long European tour. For more information and for tour dates, please visit www.kissonline.com or on Myspace at www.myspace.com/kiss. Also be sure to pick up your very own copy of Kiss' latest album "Sonic Boom" which features such singles as "Modern Day Delilah" and "Say Yeah".
If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them.
This takes just a few seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's.
Thanks for taking to time to support our military!
December 4th 2009
KISS set the Don on Fire! essay by M EL PASO — “We all came here to escape from the world tonight,” yelled Paul Stanley, lead singer of KISS, before the group launched into “Rock and Roll All Night.”
KISS brought their fiery rock and roll show to the Don Haskins Center on Wednesday night. The platform shoe wearing rockers played a set consisting of KISS classics like set opener, “Deuce,” “Strutter,” “Dr. Love,” “Love Gun” and “Lick it Up.”
KISS is one of those bands that incite weird and very disparate feelings in people. Some say, “fuck KISS,” but other’s say, “Fucking Awesome.”People that say the latter are either super fans of the group or they were lucky enough to catch the blood and thunder of their theatrical live performances.
Once a person sees KISS, the convert’s perception of how live rock and roll should sound, feel and to an extent look like, changes completely.These guys are damn exciting to see. They are a loud, awe-inspiring, all engulfing experience that you’ll never forget.
When that black curtain emblazoned with the KISS logo falls, bombs go off and these 4 wild men in grease paint go to work. This squad of 7 foot tall superheroes w/ instruments who are – The Demon, the Star Child, the Space Man, and the Cat Man - glimmer and sparkle like something out of this world. Your mind finds it hard to get used to it at first. It does not know what to make of these unreal figures – cartoonish and garish in nature- in a real life setting.
But, soon, your brain gives, and there they are, right in front of you, jumping and lurking about in clouds of dry ice fog. They spit blood, shoot rockets, fly over the crowd, practically set the venue on ablaze with bombs and towers of fire while burning your retinas with that extra huge light up KISS logo they never leave home without.
Very real. Very loud. Very trippy. EL PASO — “We all came here to escape from the world tonight,” yelled Paul Stanley, lead singer of KISS, before the group launched into “Rock and Roll All Night.”
KISS brought their fiery rock and roll show to the Don Haskins Center on Wednesday night. The platform shoe wearing rockers played a set consisting of KISS classics like set opener, “Deuce,” “Strutter,” “Dr. Love,” “Love Gun” and “Lick it Up.”
KISS is one of those bands that incite weird and very disparate feelings in people. Some say, “fuck KISS,” but other’s say, “Fucking Awesome.”People that say the latter are either super fans of the group or they were lucky enough to catch the blood and thunder of their theatrical live performances.
Once a person sees KISS, the convert’s perception of how live rock and roll should sound, feel and to an extent look like, changes completely.These guys are damn exciting to see. They are a loud, awe-inspiring, all engulfing experience that you’ll never forget.
When that black curtain emblazoned with the KISS logo falls, bombs go off and these 4 wild men in grease paint go to work. This squad of 7 foot tall superheroes w/ instruments who are – The Demon, the Star Child, the Space Man, and the Cat Man - glimmer and sparkle like something out of this world. Your mind finds it hard to get used to it at first. It does not know what to make of these unreal figures – cartoonish and garish in nature- in a real life setting.
But, soon, your brain gives, and there they are, right in front of you, jumping and lurking about in clouds of dry ice fog. They spit blood, shoot rockets, fly over the crowd, practically set the venue on ablaze with bombs and towers of fire while burning your retinas with that extra huge light up KISS logo they never leave home without.
Here is a pic of 5-year-old drummer Logan "Robot" backstage with Eric Singer! Thanks Eric for always being so cool to Logan! For Halloween a few weeks ago, Logan dressed up as Eric and we took this video of him playing along to his favorite new Kiss song 'Modern Day Delilah'. As you can tell from the video, Logan has already seen his fair share of Kiss shows - and he'll be seeing a few more this weekend in TEXAS! Enjoy the video!
Best, Kevin Gladden
December 1st 2009
KISS on Tour check out the Fox News clip
December 1st 2009
Here are some shots from Glenn Noyes taken @ Staples Center Show Nov 25th Nice to see so many old friends at the shows!
November 28th 2009
Here are some photos of Eric and Gene on the set of SportCenter. The guys appeared on the show just before their Staples Center concert on Wednesday.
Photos by Gary Reynolds/ESPN.
November 23rd 2009
Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom
European Tour May / June 2010
Plus: Global live performance via Facebook on November 25, 2009
Rock legends KISS are set to bring their new "Sonic Boom Over Europe: From the Beginning To the Boom" tour to Europe in Summer 2010. With multiple dates across Europe, the "Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom" is set to be THE rock event of 2010, building on the incredible success of the 2009 "Sonic Boom" album.
"Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom" will see dates in Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Demark, Holland, France, Spain, Belgium and, not only will the tour feature KISS's first UK arena shows in 11 years, but it will see the band breaking new ground completely with their first-ever shows in Slovakia.
Acclaim for KISS on their current spectacular, sell-out, "KISS Alive 35" North American tour has been universal. METAL HAMMER hailed the "Return Of The Kings!" MOJO declared: "A KISS show is as thrilling and bombastic now as it was in 1975."
Whilst utilizing elements of "KISS Alive 35", "Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom" will be a fresh, new show tailored to the bands European fans and showcasing the brand new "Sonic Boom" album.
Widely acclaimed as another KISS classic, "Sonic Boom" rocked Planet Earth when it debuted worldwide and burned up the charts - the album is also the highest charting album of KISS' career in the USA.
Paul Stanley says, "The 'KISS Alive 35 Tour' was just the start. 'Sonic Boom Over Europe' leaves that show in the dust. New stage, new setlist, new outfits, new album! We're covering the whole musical history of the band on a stage that takes KISS one giant step further in our eight inch heels. We're stoked. You wanted the best? You GOT the best!"
Gene Simmons says, "Now. More than ever. KISS is a four wheel drive monster truck. Our mission? To rock Planet Earth. To spread the gospel of Sonic Boom."
On November 25, 2009, KISS will perform to a global audience when their show at the Staples Center in Los Angeles is streamed live on Facebook. This one-off event will be unique chance for European fans to see the "KISS Alive 35" show before it changes for the European run - the perfect warm up to the must-see tour of 2010.
"Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom" tour dates are as follows: May 7 Dublin Ireland O2 Arena
May 9 Glasgow UK SE+CC
May 10 Manchester UK Manchester Arena
May 11 Birmingham UK LG Arena
May 13 London UK Wembley Arena
May 16 Zurich Switzerland Hallenstadion
May 17 Geneva Switzerland Geneva Arena
May 18 Milan Italy Mediolanum Forum
May 20 Vienna Austria Stadhalle
May 21 Ostrava Czech Republic Cez Arena
May 23 Prague Czech Republic O2 Arena
May 26 Berlin Germany O2 World
May 27 Leipzig Germany Leipzig Arena
May 29 Bratislava Slovakia Bratislava Stadium
May 31 Hamburg Germany Colorline Arena
June 1 Oberhausen Germany Koenig Pilsner Arena
June 8 Trondheim Norway Lerkandal Open Site
June 10 Tampere Finland Sauna Rock
June 12 Stockholm Sweden Stockholm Stadium
June 13 Malmo Sweden Malmo Stadium
June 14 Oslo Norway Valhall
June 16 Aalborg Denmark Gigantium
June 18 Arnhem Holland Gelredome
June 20 Clisson France Hellfest
June 22 Madrid Spain Palacio de los Deportes
June 25 Vitoria Spain Azkena Rock Festival
June 27 Festival Belgium Graspop
November 20th 2009
HOW KISS GOT ITS GROOVE BACK By ALAN SCULLEY Special to The Press-Enterprise
The 1998 Kiss studio CD, "Psycho Circus," looked more like a last gasp than the celebrated event it was intended to be.
The CD was billed as the return of the original Kiss, since it came in the midst of the reunion of guitarist/singer Paul Stanley and bassist/singer Gene Simmons with the two other original members, guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss.
"Psycho Circus," though, ended up being a lackluster effort on a musical level, and far less than advertised when it came to being called a triumphant return of the classic Kiss lineup.
So Kiss had something to prove when the band decided it wanted to make a new studio CD last year. For one thing, this was a new lineup for Kiss, with guitarist Tommy Thayer making his full-fledged debut and drummer Eric Singer, who since 1996 has been the band's drummer whenever Criss wasn't in the lineup, back on board.
Interestingly, the band decided that if Kiss was going to fail on this album -- the newly released "Sonic Boom" -- there would be no one to blame but the band members themselves, as Stanley took the reins on the project.
"I think the most important thing that I noticed about this record was it was really done, well done, there was no outside producer," Singer said, commenting in a recent phone interview about Stanley's role in the CD.
"Ultimately at this point, nobody knows how to make a Kiss record better than Kiss. I think that was kind of the mind-set," Singer said.
But it wasn't just Stanley who went into "Sonic Boom" ready to step up to the plate.
"Everybody went in with the attitude of hey, we know what we want to do," Singer said. "We want to make a rock 'n' and roll record. We want to do it organically, which means us recording the record live, everybody playing on the record, no outside writers, no outside musicians. Do it the right way, the real deal, like the way records were originally made."
The decision to keep "Sonic Boom" an in-house project has paid off. The new CD has been greeted by many reviewers as the best Kiss album since such classic releases as "Dressed To Kill," "Destroyer" and "Love Gun" -- and a CD that actually sounds much more like the work of the original Kiss than "Psycho Circus."
The success of "Sonic Boom" represents a welcome turn of fortunes for Kiss, whose future looked cloudy only a few years ago.
The reunion tour of 1996-97 with the four original members was a major success as a live venture, but by the end of the decade, it appeared the band's days were numbered.
In early 2000, the band announced it would do a farewell tour. Before the tour was over, Criss split with the group, and Singer, who had joined the group following the 1991 death from cancer of drummer Eric Carr, rejoined Kiss to finish the farewell tour -- which, of course, turned out to be far from a final jaunt.
By 2002, Frehley had also played his final gig, with Thayer filling that slot. When the band returned to the road in 2003 to co-headline a tour with Aerosmith, Criss had been brought back, prompting Singer to say he would never play with Kiss again. This time, Criss lasted only for about a year, and as shows became sporadic over the next four years, it truly looked as if Kiss might fade from scene.
But in 2008, with the 35th anniversary of the band's formation in New York City looming, Kiss announced it would begin is "Kiss Alive/35 World Tour," with Singer and Thayer joining Stanley and Simmons.
Singer admits he was angry at the band after it brought back Criss in 2003. Before rejoining Kiss, Singer said he cleared the air with Simmons and Stanley, saying he wouldn't be part of another round of musical chairs in the drummer slot.
The stage show continues to be as spectacular as ever. The band has a new stage with high-tech video screens and the usual array of visual effects, Singer said. Of course, some traditions continue.
"There are certain things that have become synonymous with Kiss, Gene breathing fire or Gene flying and spitting blood," Singer said. "Those kinds of things you have to do. If we didn't do it, it would be a cardinal sin to not have those certain Kiss staples, just like certain songs that have to be in the set. It wouldn't be right without them."
November 19th 2009
Here are some cool pictures of Jonah meeting Eric. Also check out this clip of Joanh playing Eric´s kit
November 11th 2009
Here's a picture of Eric wearing the KISS USB wristband!
KISS Live instant USB Wristband and 2-CD-Sets are available now!
Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer und Eric Singer are celebrate the 35 year history of one of the biggest rock bands of all times on a tour across North America.
Most shows of the KISS Alive/35 US Tour 2009 are being exclusively recorded by Concert Online.
The audio recording are be available as a USB leather wristband with a KISS metal buckle. An absolute must-have item for every KISS fan!
In addition an instant live CD set, consisting of 2 CDs in Collector's Box.
USB wristbands and CDs can be purchased right at the venue of each concert!
YOUR VERY OWN KISS LIVE EXPERIENCE
Concert Online exclusively records each show of the KISS ALIVE 35 Tour in North America. To ensure maximum quality, all tracks are recorded live and are mixed with state-of-the-art recording technology by Concert Online.
USB WRISTBAND: The original leather KISS USB wristband contains the audio recording of the show of your choice in highest MP3 quality (320 kBit/s) and KISS bonus multimedia material. Just plug in your wristband to a USB port on your computer and start the embedded KISS multimedia player to listen to your MP3s and enjoy the bonus features. Of course you can copy your MP3s to your computer, your MP3 player, etc. to listen to KISS ALIVE 35 wherever you want! The wristband can also be used as a standard 1GB USB flash drive.
2-CD SET: The KISS ALIVE 35 DigiPak contains 2 discs with the complete recording of one concert of your choice in CD quality.
USB wristband and 2-CD Set are available on location at every KISS ALIVE 35 North American Tour show or online right here at Concert Online.
The Great Brian Setzer was our guest in Minneapolis the other night and hung out with the band before and after the show. What an honor to finally meet him.
November 11th 2009
After one of the lighting trusses caught fire during Monday night's concert in Winnipeg, KISS spontaneously added "Firehouse" to their set! Eric took the vocals as the stage crew put the fire out. Here's a fan-filmed clip:
November 4th 2009
Mike Mamolo´s Meet & Great Story 10/27/09 Halloween Night!!!! In '04....some may know this, some may not. I was in the throes of my kidney problems at that time. My friend knew how bad I was suffering & wanted to do anything to try & lift my spirits. He decided to E-Mail Gene Simmons of KISS To try & arrange a phone call by him. The phone call happened a few weeks later. It was surreal, I still can't tell you what we talked about. My mouth was running 1,000 mph. However, I do remember in the conversation that, Gene said i'd be his special guest the next time the band came down. Well, on Halloween night, I will be there meeting him and the rest of KISS. My friend and I have tix & backstage passes. It's gonna be hella cool meeting 2 of the originals since I've been waiting and wanting to do this since the age of 4. Plus Eric & Tommy. Of course. In '79 The Original band were supposed to come down for Mardi Gras. My mom called radio stations trying to see if I could possibly get to meet them. She was successful. It was set, I was going to meet the original KISS. Unfortunately, the police went on strike that very year and Mardi Gras was cancelled. NOOOOOOO! So, guess what happened next? The original KISS never came down & my meeting them at that time was not going to happen. I was crushed. Fast forward to today & i'm finally gonna get to meet them.
10/30/09 Sitting here tonight, i'm realizing that my dream is about to come true. Tomorrow night, after 34 years of waiting and wanting to, i'm finally gonna get to meet KISS. Not really trying to look too much into it cuz, if I start having all these thoughts about what tomorrow night will be like; and if what i'm thinking will happen, doesn't happen, it'll just end up in disappointment. Just gonna enjoy the moment for what it is. I shall have pics and try to take video on my crappy digi cam. Gotta try to get some sleep tonight. It's gonna be a fun filled day tomorrow. I'm out.
10/31/09 My friend brian & left for the Voodoo fest roughly about 2:30. We get there and we were supposed to have tix & passes waiting for us. Well, we get a wrist band which gave us admittance to the fest but, no backstage passes. So we're basically running around trying to figure out should we go looking for Spiro Papadatos (who works for KISS) who we've corresponded with through e-mails numerous times about this event or, should we just go with what we have. Brian, who's always the kind of guy who makes things happen and gets it done, decides to go looking for Spiro and see what's going on. After trekking for what seemed like 5 miles and back in city park, we finally get to the backstage area and find Spiro. We told him we didn't get backstage passes & he hooked us up with some. So, while we're waiting to meet the guys; we realized we were right where their dressing room was. After being back there about 20 min or so with other fans, I see this big s.o.b. in armor and demon makeup come out the door. It was him. It was the man. GENE SIMMONS. He had the "Family Jewels crew down and was busy shooting interviews, promos and what not. So, we initially didn't get to meet him at that time. After chilling there for awhile, Dean Snowden who also works for KISS led everyone (the ones who bought Meet & Greets) Brian & myself to another area so the guus could get prepared for the Meet & Greets. We then were led back to the original area and waited. We were then prepped on what we can say, what we can't. What we can do, what we can't. The guys came out. All 4 were standing only a few feet away from me.. Everyone lined up and was ready for the group pics segment. I don't remember what number I was in the line but, creeping up and getting closer and closer to being face to face with KISS after waiting for this for 34 years was nerve racking. Finally it was my turn. Spiro whispers to Gene who I am and the first thing he does is fist bump me, says hello and asks me how I'm doing. :::insert:heavenly:sound:here::: There was something else but damnit, I can't remember what it was. I say hello to Eric, Paul & Tommy. Anyway, I get into position for a pic. There were supposed to be only 2 pics each taken w/ people. After the first 2 were taken, Eric yells out, "one more." Who am I to disagree, right? After each person is finished, we all turn around and go back in line to get autographs and b.s. with the guys. As I said before, their handlers told us what we could do and say & what we couldn't do and or say. So, I was nervous already from just meeting the guys. Didn't know how I should approach them. I kinda missed an opportunity to really say what I wanted after years of waiting for this moment to happen. The first one was Eric that I got one from. Said hello, got an autograph. Same with Tommy. Paul comes up and I get one from him and I told him this was my first time meeting him and the rest of the guys. He says, That's great, enjoy the show. I told him, I will & that was that with him. Next, the man, Gene. He again fist bumps me & again I can't remember what was said but, I did ask him for a solo pic with him and my friend Brian. We get into positon and Spiro takes the pic. Gene grabs us fast & rough to like sort of pull us closer in. Damn Gene, back off, I don't know you like that.... lol. Before we parted ways, the last thing Gene says to me is,"Tell those doctors to F off." I wish I could, Gene. I wish I could. Standing around, I was looking for Paul to ask him for a solo pic as well but, he took off. Thanks, Paul. I was going to ask Tommy but he had a crowd around him. I got Eric to take a pic as well. He was cool. I now wish I would've introduced myself to him. Shannon Tweed makes an appearance and you know I had to make an opportunity on that one & I did. As for the concert, after trekking through what must've been a mile of mud, we finally get in place to see the show. I didn't enjoy that as much as I should have. I was dead tired by that point, so was Brian, poor guy. There was a few people who volunteered to help us out through the mud. Thanks go out to them as well. City Park needs to have better accessibilty for people in wheelchairs. They really do. They played for a lil over 2 hours. The majority of the crowd was dead. Guessing most weren't fans. It was a hell of a night. I thank everyone in the KISS Organization who did that for me. There's no way i'd ever be able to afford a Meet & Greet.
That's it. That's all folks.
November 1st 2009
Jeff Hess and the people from Ball Watch Company were guests of Doc McGhee at the Tampa KISS show recently. Here was a clip of me meeting them and showing off a little watch knowledge
October 31st 2009
Kevin Gladden sent some cool pics taken at Show in Little Rock
October 29th 2009
KISS SURPRISES WOUNDED WARRIORS WITH VISIT
Reach Steven Uhles Photos by John Curry/staff
Although their long locks were far from military muster, members of the iconic rock act KISS were warmly welcomed at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center today.
The band, best known for its overtly theatrical hard rock shows, invited veterans and service members from the Augusta-based Wounded Warrior Projects CSRA program to its Atlanta concert Monday night, and followed up the show with a VA visit Wednesday before jetting to an evening gig in Nashville..
Three members of the band, guitarist Tommy Thayer, drummer Eric Singer and lead singer/guitarist Paul Stanley made the trip. Bass player Gene Simmons was unable to attend due to a prior engagement. Mr. Stanley, a founding member of the nearly 40-year-old act, was clearly touched by the opportunity to share time with the hospital's staff and patients.
"We're honored to be here with you people," he said, addressing the large crowd assembled in the rehabilitation room. "We're here for you. God bless you all."
Mr. Stanley said it was important to KISS, as a band, that the service men and women who are injured in the line of duty receive the respect and attention they deserve. Success, for the highly successful band, means ensuring that happens.
"People talk about the ultimate sacrifice," he said. "But isn't it a sacrifice to come back home and discover you no longer have your life? We want everyone home safely and to urge everyone to give these people the respect they deserve."
Stephen Ogles attended the event with his face painted with Gene Simmon's distinctive design. Mr. Stanley joked that he could be in the band, but he's a little too young. The wheelchair-bound Mr. Ogles said staff at the VA helped him prepare to meet KISS.
"I've been a fan of the boys for a lot of years," he said quietly. "I like that they came down."
Leonel Orozco left the event sporting a Paul Stanley-signed eye patch. He admitted that he had not grown up listening to KISS, but now considers himself a member of the KISS army.
"I really wasn't a fan at all," he said with a laugh. "I think I knew one song. But that concert made a fan out of me. They treat their fans really well and they are, I think, our biggest fans."
After meeting fans, signing autographs and taking pictures, the band took a short tour of hospital units, including its innovative kayak rehab center. Mr. Stanley said that as well as bringing a little joy to the patients, he hopes the KISS visit might bring attention to the Charlie Norwood VA Medial Center as well.
"You have this amazing facility here and it's almost a secret," he said. "It shouldn't be a secret. It should be a model, the template for facilities like this."
In the photos:
Paul Stanley poses for a picture with Jasper Stewart at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009. Stewart painted his face with a star just like Stanley wears when he performs with KISS.
Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, pose for a picture with Stephen Ogles at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009. Ogles painted his face like the band does when they perform.
October 23rd 2009
Here´s a new clip of Jonah playing Detroint Rock City
Hi Eric, thanks so much for your time!!! Sonic Boom debuted here in Italy and all over Europe really with a boom. Did you expect this amazing success all over the places? We are very happy and excited about Sonic Boom and KISS these days ! The band really feels that we made a very strong record and captured the KISS energy on tape that we bring to the stage every night.We thank all of you for the support and are glad you all love it too.
Recently Paul stated that almost the whole album was two takes and the few songs that worried you were because you had to do a third and it was just kind of like as a safety. Was it quite like recording live, right? It was recording 'Live" since we played in a room as a band with no click tracks or drum machines to play along with. That is the way records were made in the early years of KISS.
Out of the 11 Sonic Boom songs I have to admit that Tommy's and your are the ones with a sense of freshness and "new" that gave this record a really new vibe in the KISS sound. How it was singing on a new KISS tune? Was Paul very demanding for your vocals? Tommy and I are both happy to contribute to the KISS sound and add our voices to the songs. Paul was very supportive of me singing in the studio and live and has always been one of my biggest fans for me to sing !
The new KISS stage looks amazing and your drum kit is finally like what most of the fans wanted: double bass!!! Did you push Gene and Paul for that or it came out smoothly? I love the new KISS stage and I felt I need a fuller looking drum kit on that giant KISS sign ! We just wanted a fresh new look for the whole show.
Last question (I would ask tons of questions but...) we heard that during sound checks you are playing 4/5 tunes from Sonic Boom. Are you going to play them during the forthcoming concerts or they will be part of the next tour setlist? We try many songs in sound checks everyday. As more people purchase Sonic Boom and get to know the songs we will add some into the show.One day at a time... Eric
What were you doing when we interupted you to do this? I was eating in the other room actually some … chicken quesadilla, with my shoes off, relaxing.
Date of Birth? May 12th
Where did you go to high school? I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and I went to High School on the east side of Cleveland. At that time it was in the Seventies and I was lucky to grow up in a cool time of music and culturally, at least in America. It was a typical mid western town but Cleveland’s a real rock n roll city its where the rock n roll fame is at. It was a great place, very open minded- I mean as regards to music (not so much culturally with people), but when it comes to music people just really loved rock n roll there, always have and what we looked forward to was buying records every week or going to a show. I saw so many great concerts in my formative years as a kid so I’m glad I grew up there. It was a great place to grow up, no doubt about it.
What was the first instrument you ever played? I think I tried playing piano in like the second grade or something for a short time but I gravitated towards drums, even though I love guitar and always have been influenced by mostly guitar based music. I guess I liked hitting things! My mom told me that typical drummer story- that I liked to the hit pots and pans you know when I was a little kid?! She’d pull them out of the cupboard and with the wooden spoons and all that. Once I discovered bands like Led Zeppelin and that in like 1969, that was it, I was hooked!
What was the first band you guys ever played in and what did you guys sound like? I had a band in sixth grade-I can remember everybody in the band and we called ourselves ‘The Axe’ I have no idea why. We actually had two drummers because another friend of mine also played drums so we ended up taking turns playing. And I do remember playing for the school classroom and in sixth grade- we played Hey Jude by the Beatles and I remember being scared to death!
Favourite food? Anything Thai
Beverage of choice? Sparkling water
What’s your biggest peeve on the road? Just not being able to sleep sometimes-imsomnia
Track of the moment?
Beatles- I’ve been listening to those remastered, reissued Beatles records...
Movie of the moment? The last one I saw that I really liked was ‘The Watchmen’. That was killer I thought
When you look back on your career thus far, what’s the most prominent moment? Well in some ways it’s still making them. I still look at it this way- the fact that I’ve been able to make a living as a musician; that in itself to me is the most prominent thing, rather than singling out any particular moment or any band or any person I worked with (because I’ve gotten to play with some great musicians and some cool situations and great people). I just remember I started off as a kid, not unlike a lot of other kids that had posters on the walls of bands saying, “I wanna do that. Some day I wish I could do that" and the fact that I’ve got to do that and still do that- that to me, that’s big for me. So to me the story’s kinda been written every day, in a way.
October 21st 2009
Kristen and Joe Carosi sent these cool pics from Toronto..
October 19th 2009
Chris McKay(WireImage) sent these cool pics, you can find more at concertshots.com
October 19th 2009
Rock Music Menu: Kiss back with a ‘Boom’; drummer has say Critics who have dismissed modern-day Kiss as nothing but a cartoonish merchandising machine take note: you’re probably still right. But the band has proven that there is some rock and roll left in the tank, and this week celebrates the highest charting release in its history as “Sonic Boom” landed in the No. 2 slot on the Billboard charts, selling 108,000 copies.
Rock Music Menu caught up with drummer Eric Singer after the grease-painted foursome played an explosive, career spanning set at the Wachovia Center Monday night and talked about what it is that makes the new album so appealing.
“Everyone knew what the task at hand was,” Singer said. “We all got on board in the same vehicle heading down the same road and we knew what are destination was.”
Singer joined Kiss in 1991 initially as temporary substitute for drummer Eric Carr, who was battling heart cancer and subsequently passed away later that year. He played on the 1992 record “Revenge,” which, like “Sonic Boom,” is seen as a touchstone in the band’s catalog and a return to form after many had left them for dead. read more
October 13th 2009
Here´s a great pic taken by Rich St.Van
October 8th 2009
Here's KISS performing "Modern Day Delilah" and "Detroit Rock City" on Jimmy Kimmel Live from Detroit's Cobo Arena!
October 7th 2009
October 6th 2009
KISS will perform live on CBS-TV's 'Late Show With David Letterman' on Tuesday night to coincide with the release of the Sonic Boom CD! The show begins at 11:35 pm ET/PT.
October 5th 2009
Here are some great shots taken by Al Soluri, Thanks Al!
October 2nd 2009
Photos from Montreal can be found at Bravewords.com Pics taken by Mitch Lafon
Here are links to Photos taken at Cobo Hall Sept. 25th Check em out here & here
September 27th 2009
BY James R. Chesna - ABC 12 NEWS
Kiss took a shot at traveling back in time Friday and Saturday night in Detroit, and legendary co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons --receiving marching orders from the loyal ranks of faithful fans enlisted in the Kiss Army -- enjoyed a successful tour of duty.
The iconic grease-painted and platform-shoed 1970s glam rockers were in Motown this weekend to celebrate a very special anniversary, and couldn't think of better followers to invite to the festivities than some of the folks who made the band's storied career possible way back in 1975 when the Demon, Starchild, Cat and Spaceman recorded their landmark multi-platinum best-seller "Alive!"
Using as a backdrop the Motor City's Cobo Hall -- the hallowed venue that started it all, now facing an uncertain future -- the band kicked off its 2009 "Alive!/35" tour in typical bombastic fashion.
Kiss had history going for them in shaking loose Cobo's dust and cobwebs. And it certainly didn't hurt that this truly felt like an event for the ages, possibly the beginning of what could be one of the band's final treks.
Tom Ingalls of Commerce Township, a 52 year old who got his mitts on a set of tickets Friday, was part of the throng who bore witness at Cobo when "Alive!" was chronicled for all time.
"Coming here I knew it would take me back a long way, just for the entertainment of it all," he said. "I always say, if you don't see these bands right now, who knows if you'll ever see 'em again?"
Detroit's beaten and battered economy didn't hold back turnout, as Friday's show was sold out and Saturday's stretched the arena's capacity just as efficiently. And the band embraced its mantra of being entertainers first and worrying about serious musical chops at some date yet to be determined.
The show was fun. And to a Kiss fan, that's all that matters.
There was no question who concert-goers came out to see.
Faces on the floor and in the multiple tiers -- some smeared with the mug of their favorite Kiss character -- ranged in age, some parents brought their awestruck and innocent young to their very first rock show.
Enormous Kiss Army banners draped the hall's walls stage left and right, and were complimented by giant closed-circuit monitors that put the group's thick, trademark makeup and black, Spandex-and-chrome-studded costumes smack-dab in front of fans' Cheshire grins.
The lights blanked out just before 9 p.m. and the big screens provided a glimpse of the classic rockers as they progressed from the bowels of the arena to the backstage curtains. The familiar booming bass rumble of the group's intro -- which caused the floor and walls to vibrate as if an airliner had touched down on Cobo's roof -- heralded the band's arrival onstage.
"You wanted the best, you got the best! The hottest band in the world, Kiss!" came the rallying bellow, and fans collectively sprung to their feet and the rock 'n' roll pawty exploded to life -- literally, courtesy of copious amounts of face-melting pyro, thunderclap flash pots and pops of fireworks and confetti.
The front line of Simmons, Stanley and lead guitarist and former road manager Tommy Thayer emerged from billowy clouds of dry ice while drummer Eric Singer -- donning the familiar feline face and costume-- rode his drum kit as it hydraulically climbed out of its nest deep within an LED Kiss logo center stage, which dwarfed the Army's first officers.
A JumboTron-style screen expansive enough to make the band appear as if it was performing for a city populated by Lilliputians hovered directly over Singer and captured every larger-than-life gesture and pose, and a stack of smaller screens were piled on one another, prominently displaying pictures of clown white-adorned fans and computer-generated flames and graphics.
The group roared through the first three tunes on "Alive!" in order of appearance on vinyl more than three decades ago: "Deuce," "Strutter" and "Got to Choose."
"This is night No. 2 in the Holy Land," ringleader and onstage spokesman Stanley quipped. "Tonight may be night No. 2, but it's up to you to make it No. 1. Tonight we're celebrating everything we've done."
But then the band dropped one of several promised surprises, launching into new song and single "Modern Day Delilah," from the upcoming Oct. 6 release of the group's first new album in 11 years, "Sonic Boom."
(Of note: A full camera crew was on hand shooting, so expect a new live DVD to come out of this, boys and girls.)
Sturdy rocker "Delilah" fit fairly seamlessly into the revered Kiss catalogue this night, and though Stanley declared the song and album "classic Kiss," the track shares more common ground with Kiss' '80s output than the tunes from the group's '70s heyday.
From there, the event returned to old-school form for much of the rest of the evening. The band, as foretold, toured the "Alive!" record in its entirety save for two cuts, "Firehouse" and "Rock Bottom," and did so convincingly.
The night proved most joyous when Simmons and Stanley cut loose on cuts like "Hotter than Hell, "C'mon and Love Me" and "Nothin' to Lose," but the energy was kicked up several notches when truly classic tunes like "100,000 Years," "Cold Gin" and "Black Diamond" got their airtime.
"Diamond," as always, was punctuated by Simmons and Thayer being perched on mechanized lifts that drove them high into the lighting rigs while smoke was belched out of hoses underneath. Stanley stood tall on a platform between them, not ascending to his bandmates' dizzying heights, which allowed him to smash and splinter his guitar in half more thoroughly.
Singer pounded the skins for the band in the '90s and Thayer's been a member of the family for decades. Some fans may bemoan Singer and Thayer's involvement, but Kiss is a tighter unit minus Frehley and Criss.
And let's face it, people: Kiss knows where its bread is buttered.
Stanley kept things lively, preening and prancing about rooster-like during the group's national anthem, "Rock 'n' Roll All Nite," while canons situated at every corner of the main floor shot a virtual snowstorm of confetti into the atmosphere and onto a sea of people.
Swatting away at his colorful collection of guitars all night long, the Starchild took great delight in playing his six-string weapons behind his head, through his legs and upside down, and was positively giddy when he sailed over the crowd during "Love Gun."
A trapeze-style harness dropped the singer off on another mechanized platform at the back of the hall, which spun full circle when Stanley belted out the song's chorus, punishing his distinctive voice in reaching for ear-piercing registers.
In a change of pace, "Love Gun" was served up as part of a packaged six-song encore, which allowed the band to dump the traditional applause-meter pattern of walking offstage and reappearing when cheers reach fever pitch.
On "Lick It Up," Stanley and Thayer cleverly morphed the Who staple "Won't Get Fooled Again" into the tune's bridge. Stanley's battle cry when the power chords took their stranglehold would have made Who frontman Roger Daltrey proud.
Kiss Army recruits ate up every trick in the band's considerable collection of show-stopping gags, including Simmons' fire breathing act in "Hotter that Hell" and his blood-spewing schtick in "I Love It Loud." The show was upbeat and breezy until things got a little more serious in the latter half when Stanley took a moment to acknowledge Detroit's beleaguered image and staggering unemployment status.
"We know that in Detroit, unemployment is higher than anywhere in the nation," the singer shouted. "That is a damned sin. But we'll make it through this. We'll see you again. We'll never forget this night. We love you."
The raucous night finally came to its coda with -- what else? -- "Detroit Rock City." The fiery finale was like the Fourth of July in the middle of September, and bombs blew up one after the other.
The crowd raised their arms, lighters and cell phones in tribute, and Kiss took its final bows. And then Cobo fell silent as witnesses to its final concert lined their way out onto the concrete of the concourse, still singing their favorite songs.
It marked the end of an era in Motown, and the gravity wasn't wasted on a few fans who snapped pictures before heading back to the parking garages.
Kiss' relationship with Detroit has come full circle. Simmons and Stanley returned to the venue that rocketed them to stardom, making sure that the hall was paid its proper respects before the lights went out for good.
Kisstory made.
"Just like I remembered," Ingalls said, brushing away a tear. "Awesome."
Kiss "Alive!/35" set list:
"Deuce" "Strutter" "Got to Choose" "Modern Day Delilah" "Hotter than Hell" "Nothin' to Lose" "C'mon and Love Me" "Parasite" "She" (w/ Thayer guitar solo) "Watchin' You" "100,000 Years" (w/ Singer drum solo) "Cold Gin" "Black Diamond" "Rock 'n' Roll All Nite"
Encore:
"Shout It Out Loud" "Lick It Up" "I Love It Loud" (w/ Simmons bass solo) "Let Me Go Rock 'n' Roll" "Love Gun" "Detroit Rock City"
September 25th 2009
KISS & TELL INTERVIEW with Eric Singer By Dan Kane GateHouse News Service
The son of a popular Cleveland bandleader, Kiss drummer Eric Singer grew up in the '70s listening to WMMS and jamming on drums with his neighborhood rocker pals.
He found his career path early.
In 1984, Singer went on tour with hard-rock goddess Lita Ford, and a year later joined Black Sabbath. In 1989, he played drums on Kiss frontman Paul Stanley's solo tour, which led to an ongoing gig with Kiss. Singer simultaneously has been Alice Cooper's drummer since 2000, and has played on three Cooper albums to date.
Singer has played with Kiss steadily since 2004, appears on the band�s forthcoming album, "Sonic Boom," and is on tour with the band.
Singer, 51, was on his way to Detroit for tour rehearsals when he phoned to chat Tuesday afternoon.
Q. Tell me about the preshow ritual of putting on your Kiss makeup.
A. It's like the calm before the storm, if you will. The four of us get together and it's like a war room where we're preparing for battle. We're sitting there for a couple of hours and there's always great music. Gene will play deejay a lot of time. He likes to pull out old crazy blues stuff and doo-wop. It's very eclectic.
Q. I imagine you have to be on top of your game with this band.
A. It's a lot of work and a lot of responsibility. People have this misconception that it's all fun and games, and some bands do just get out there and play. But there are higher expectations for a Kiss show. Kiss is a spectacle. It's the circus meets rock 'n' roll. Gene and Paul have always said when they created Kiss, they created the show they never got to see. We´ve got to turn them on visually as well as musically.
Q. Growing up in Cleveland, did you see Kiss in concert?
A. I sure did. The first time was at the Allen Theatre; they opened for the New York Dolls. Then I saw them later that year at the Akron Civic Theatre, and Rush was their opening act.
Q. And now you're in Kiss, playing some of those same songs onstage.
A. There's a certain bag of tricks that Kiss is known for, and songs they've got to do. Gene and Paul have performed some of these songs for 30, 35 years.
Q. From your position onstage, do you have a good view of the audience?
A. It depends on the venue and the lighting. But I can always feel the intensity of the crowd. There's nothing like it. Kiss fans are crazy.
Q. Do you have a big drum solo in the show?
A. The song "100,000 Years" traditionally has the drum solo. I get my chance to shine and the band gets a chance to take a break.
Q. There's a new Kiss album coming out, "Sonic Boom." Tell me about it.
A. It's the first new Kiss music in 11 years. The band got really inspired playing in Europe last year. They wanted an old-school Kiss record with no outside songwriters. We'd go in the rehearsal room, work up ideas, then go in the studio and record. We played live, it's all analog. We think it's a great record. It's coming out Oct. 6, exclusively at Wal-Mart.
Q. Why Wal-Mart?
A. Because it's the biggest store in the world, Wal-Mart can sell stuff at a really inexpensive price, more bang for the buck. You get a CD of all-new Kiss music, a second CD of Kiss classics rerecorded by the current lineup and a live concert DVD from Buenos Aires earlier this year, and it's only 12 bucks.
Q. Tell me about your involvement with Kiss. I know you've been in and out of the band.
A. I first met Paul in '89, when I did his first solo tour. I first joined Kiss in '91, did the "Revenge" tour, went to Australia a couple of times, South America, Japan. Then they reunited with Ace and Peter for a few years. I've been back for good since 2004.
Q. Is Ace Frehley still in the band?
A. No, Tommy Thayer has been in Ace's spot since 2002. Ace didn't want to do it any more, had to tackle some of his demons. This lineup, with me and Tommy and Paul and Gene, has been the same since '04.
Q. How did you start playing drums?
A. Both my parents were musicians. My mother sings and my dad was a well-known bandleader around town. I first played in his band as a 14-year-old country clubs, dinners, weddings, that kind of thing.
Q. Doesn't sound very rock 'n' roll, Eric.
A. The whole rock thing happened when I met a bunch of kids who were all into music big time and played instruments and started jamming. One of my first bands was in the sixth grade. And I mean just growing up in Cleveland, it was such a great breeding ground for rock 'n' roll.
September 25th 2009
Over 1500 lucky fans attended a private KISS warm up show at COBO Arena on Thursday. The band previewed their awesome new stage while filming footage for their "Modern Day Delilah" video as well as two songs for an upcoming episode of the Jimmy Kimmel Show. KISS performed "Rock And Roll All Nite", "Modern Day Delilah", "Detroit Rock City", "Got To Choose" and "Shout It Loud."
September 3rd 2009
Here´s a new clip of 4 year old Drummer Jonah playing Modern Day Delilah
September 3rd 2009
KISS - Sonic Boom - Classic Rock Review (Loud & Proud/Roadrunner)
Kiss and hyperbole go hand in hand. Always have done, always will. Gene Simmons is talking about this album like it’s his second coming – which will doubtless please the insatiable ladies in the, er, Ladies Room.
Paul Stanley has got in the act too, calling Sonic Boomthe best record Kiss have made in 30 years – putting it on a par with 1979’s illustrious Dynasty.
Of course, you can trust us at Classic Rock to boldly cut through the bluster and reveal the brutal, honest truth. And our verdict is… we agree.
Sonic Boom is bloody brilliant.
Kiss’s first new studio album in 11 years delivers the goods in spectacular fashion. It’s like waiting for a Tesco van to turn up outside your home and instead a Chieftain tank arrives, packed full of fillet steaks. If you read our preview on the CR website, you’ll doubtless remember the comment: ‘Kiss seem to have combined the best of all their eras into a single winning package.
So you get echoes of Rock And Roll Over – where the Flash Four added a neat commercial sheen to their hard rockin’ sensibilities – in the music as well as the album cover. Hints of the sprawling grandeur of Creatures Of The Night. Tinges of the chest-thumping teaze of Crazy Nights. So it goes on.
Yet Sonic Boom is no determinedly retro package. It’s purely the sound of Kiss playing to their strengths.
Kicking off in scintillating style with Modern Day Delilah, what’s evident immediately is the level of commitment from rhythm guitarist/vocalist Stanley. Sonic Boom probably wouldn’t have happened if the Starchild hadn’t pulled the strings (leaving Gene dangling underneath the lighting rig)
and on …Delilah Stanley sings his platform soles off. Simmons sounds refreshed too, carving out his personaility on Russian Roulette and I´m An Animal with the sensitivity of a tattooist wielding a rusty steak-knife. Put simply, the Demon is back to his lascivious best.
There’s no Ace or Peter, of course. We never thought we’d write the following, but… we don’t miss ’em. Guitarist Tommy Thayer puts in a remarkable performance – akin to Eddie Van Halen replicating Frehley licks – and Thayer’s showcase song, When Lightning Strikes, isn’t half bad either. Ditto drummer Eric Singer, whose playing is impeccable, and whose singing on the chundering All For The Glory is every bit as good as Criss’s onBlack Diamond.
Standouts? Well, Stand is a 21st century God Gave Rock And Roll To You, no doubt about it; Danger Us is the sort of throwaway classic you thought Kiss had forgotten how to write; and Say Yeah is perhaps the most triumphal album closer of all time. In a world without heroes, thank God Kiss are alive and licking once again.
9/10
Geoff Barton
August 24th 2009
August 19th 2009
SONIC BOOM CD Track Listing:
1. MODERN DAY DELILAH 2. RUSSIAN ROULETTE 3. NEVER ENOUGH 4. YES I KNOW (NOBODY'S PERFECT) 5. STAND 6. HOT AND COLD 7. ALL FOR THE GLORY 8. DANGER US 9. I'M AN ANIMAL 10. WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES 11. SAY YEAH
Produced by PAUL STANLEY Co-produced by Greg Collins
The US & Canadian release of SONIC BOOM is a three-disc set that also features KISS KLASSICS, a 15-track completely re-recorded greatest hits CD, as well as a live DVD shot in Buenos Aires, Argentina during the band's 2009 South American tour. The discs are packaged in a DigiPak along with a 20-page booklet.
SONIC BOOM will be available exclusively at Walmart, Walmart.com and Sam's Club retail locations beginning October 6.
KISS KLASSICS CD Track Listing: 1. DEUCE 2. DETROIT ROCK CITY 3. SHOUT IT OUT LOUD 4. HOTTER THAN HELL 5. CALLING DR. LOVE 6. LOVE GUN 7. I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN' YOU 8. HEAVEN'S ON FIRE 9. LICK IT UP 10. I LOVE IT LOUD 11. FOREVER 12. CHRISTINE SIXTEEN 13. DO YOU LOVE ME 14. BLACK DIAMOND 15. ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE
KISS Bonus Live DVD Track Listing: 1. DEUCE 2. HOTTER THAN HELL 3. C'MON AND LOVE ME 4. WATCHIN' YOU 5. 100,000 YEARS 6. ROCK & ROLL ALL NITE
August 17th 2009
One last time, before the walls come down, Cobo Arena will hear a SONIC BOOM...
KISS returns with their brand new stage to where it all started, playing the album that started it all...KISS Alive!
KISS will perform a special KISS ALIVE 35 show at Detroit Rock City's legendary concert venue, Cobo Arena, on September 25! This historic structure, which is slated for closure, has hosted KISS concerts on numerous occasions, not the least of which was the series of shows that were recorded to become the KISS ALIVE! album. Tracks made famous on KISS ALIVE! - including "Rock and Roll All Nite," "Deuce," "Black Diamond," and "Hotter Than Hell" - are well represented on the greatest hits disc included with SONIC BOOM.
The Detroit show, which will live another 35 years in KISStory, goes on sale to the public at 5 pm EDT on August 21 at TICKETMASTER.
A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket presale will take place Wednesday from 10AM - 10PM EDT.
KISS ARMY Members will have access to MEMBERS-Only tickets..these are among the best available seats in Cobo Arena.
Meet & Greet upgrade packages will also be available.
August 16th 2009
Ken Barr (Eric´s Tech with KISS from 92-95) just released his book “We are the Road Crew” which is availabe at http://www.cafepress.com/roadcrewstore Check it out
On this edition of PodKISSt we celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the KISS Coffeehouse with content you won’t hear elsewhere! Once again, Mike and Geoff made the trek down to Myrtle Beach for the annual celebration that has become the Woodstock of the KISS Army! They got the latest scoop on things to come from KISSonline webmaster Keith Leroux, met the folks working behind-the-scenes at the Coffeehouse, and best of all… they got an exclusive interview with KISS drummer ERIC SINGER! Many thanks to Eric, Keith, and everyone at the Coffeehouse for making this another great celebration of all things KISS, to Ken for the fantastic artwork, and to Geoff and Mike for making PodKISSt proud
August 10th 2009
Here´s a clip of 4 year old Drummer Jonah playing Rock ´n Roll all Nite
August 3rd 2009
Over a thousand members of the KISS ARMY attended the KISS Coffeehouse's 3rd anniversary celebration in Myrtle Beach on Saturday! Fans from all over the US and Canada came out to meet KISS drummer Eric Singer. Eric was absolutely great, signing autographs and taking photos for almost eight hours. It was so obvious that he was having as much fun meeting the fans as they were meeting him!
July 28th 2009
Here´s another great shot by Al Soluri
July 28th 2009
Steve Gerecke of The Ottawa Citizen took these cool photos
July 27th 2009
I was yesterday in San Diego with Nicholas Simmons. This was for Comic-Con 2009 and It was a really crazy event with over 250,000 people attending the weekend events. Nick has his own Comic Book out now and this was his debut event to launch the series "Incarnate" Radical Comics threw a great party saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Nick decided to bring along a few "friends" to jam with him. Those "friends" being Tommy Thayer, Gene Simmons, Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis and myself.
We had a blast jamming on some blues tunes and Nick Simmons originals as well as some classic KISS tunes as well.
Thank you Nick for inviting me into your world !
July 27th 2009
another pic from Orillia Casino Rama show. thanx to Kevin Gladden
July 24th 2009
Here´s a cool shot taken by Al Soluri
July 24th 2009
Here´s a backstage clip from the Casino Rama
July 18th 2009
Rob and Glena sent in some cool photos from the ottawa show .
July 18th 2009
KISS were presented with these kool Ottawa Jersey's before our show the other night
July 15th 2009
Here are 2 cool shots taken by Mitch Lafon at the Montreal Show.
July 12th 2009
Here´s a clip of Eric´s Drum Solo at Sarnia Bayfest 2009 in Sarnia, Ontario Friday July 10th.
July 5th 2009
ERIC MESSAGE ON NEW ALBUM
NO BALLADS, NO SLOW SONGS, NO FILLERS!
You Wanted The Best ? Well the wait is almost over... I have been hearing KISS fans say for a longtime that "All's we want is NEW KISS music" ... Well, sometimes wishes do come true ! Last December Paul called me up saying he wanted to make a new KISS record. He seemed very keen and was very specific about the approach to our latest endeavors. He basically said he wanted us to make a KISS record and music in the purest sense. Meaning No outside writers, the BAND plays on everything, and we use vintage equipment. Guess what ? The end result is everything I could have hoped for. I have to say this has been the most fun and pleasure making a record I have ever been involved in. The chemistry and overall vibe really made for such a great atmosphere and the playing, sounds and songs just really capture what KISS is all about. Classic Rock & Roll. As we were working up song ideas everyone was very in tune and conscious of our goals at all times. Gene and Paul would retrace their steps from the past and focused on paying tribute to their roots of the early styles of Classic KISS by paying close attention to the way they sang and the sounds of the instruments. The camaraderie between everyone and especially Gene and Paul really made it easy for all to bring the best out of each other. Paul took the reigns and headed up the project like the leader that he has been for over 35 years but, this time with a renewed, inspired and very patient style (he is a great dad after all). He really knew what he wanted from each of us individually and collectively. We did the 11 new songs in small batches by getting into a rehearsal studio first to work up ideas. We then would move to the recording studio. The recordings would entail all of us playing "live" together in the room. As we captured each performance we would then add extra guitar parts and usually put a guide vocal on the track so we could live with it for a few days and make sure the tempos and vibe was right. By the way we used NO click tracks on this record I am proud to say. We really went for capturing the live feel and essence of each song. And, Paul, Gene, Tommy and myself are the only musicians playing these songs. A true band effort and performance ! As for the songs ? Well, no ballads, no slow songs, no filler... The band really has come full circle. Just pure straight ahead Rock and Roll that has all the elements that made you love KISS from day one. Everyone sings lead on a song (Tommy and myself) and even trade off vocal lines and parts throughout the record. Believe me the wait IS over and well worth it !
I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it...
More as it happens !
ERIC `
July 4th 2009
KISS fulfills cancer patient's dream -By William Croyle - Cincinnati Enquirer
Critter Smith flew on an airplane for the first time June 27.
"It was awesome taking off and looking out the window at how high we were," he said. But that was nothing compared to what was waiting for him and his mom, Carol, after they landed in Milwaukee. They were flown there as guests of KISS, one of the world's most famous rock-n-roll bands, for a concert that night. Critter got to meet the band - Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer - before the show, take pictures during the show and returned home with a stash of memorabilia almost too big to carry. "When Tommy was on stage, he came down and gave me his pick," Critter said. "And Eric walked right up to me and gave me his drumsticks. It was pretty sweet." They also gave him a load of KISS merchandise, including notebooks, pencils, trading cards, action figures and... "Look, they gave me a KISS toothbrush that plays 'Rock and Roll All Nite' when you brush your teeth," Critter said with a big smile. The 11-year-old was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, in July 2007. For the next five months he underwent five rounds of chemotherapy and a round of radiation. On Nov. 9, 2007, he received a bone marrow transplant and spent six weeks in the hospital. He returned to Fourth Street Elementary School, and was in remission for 15 months, until this past January. He's been receiving chemotherapy all year and is back in remission. He'll continue treatments for three years, then must wait another five years before he can be declared cured. When a story about Critter that appeared on nky.com in March mentioned his love for KISS, word circulated among KISS fans and eventually reached Keith Leroux, who manages the band's Web site and merchandising. Leroux contacted the band, which was rehearsing in South America for its current tour. The next day, while in Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Critter received two calls - one from Stanley and one from Singer. They gave him words of encouragement and invited him to a concert. "I knew they said they'd do something for him, but I never expected this," Carol Smith said about the all-expenses-paid trip. "I don't think I'd ever seen Critter so happy. He was on top of the world. Critter (whose real name is Christopher) said the band was in full makeup when he met them back stage before the show. "Paul walked in and was like 'Hey Gene, this is Chris,'" Critter said. "It was so cool that Paul knew who I was." Critter said Simmons was "a really big guy, and really nice guy." "He said to me - well, I can't remember what he said to me," Critter said. "I was just so stunned." Leroux said the band does things like this quite often, but is pretty humble about it. "They do a lot and donate a lot, but they don't like credit for it," Leroux said. "They're really good guys." Stan Smith, Critter's dad, said the band's generosity has lifted his son's spirits. "It's just so nice of them to do all of this for him," he said. Critter's next chemotherapy treatment will be Tuesday. He said he dreads having to go through it each time, but KISS makes it more bearable. "They really help me," Critter said. "KISS music really makes me happy."
July 1st 2009
COFFEEHOUSE'S 3RD ANNIVERSARY Alright Myrtle Beach! You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best! The KISS Coffeehouse 3rd Anniversary Party will be an all day and night rock & roll party featuring very special guest, KISS drummer Eric Singer. With the new KISS album being released in the fall, this will be a great opportunity to meet with Eric and ask him questions about the new record, his song and the tour. Fans purchasing the Double Platinum package will also receive a message from Eric (his Audiograph!), recorded especially for you while you meet with him. This message will be downloaded onto the KISS Coffeehouse recordable keychain and will become the ultimate collectible! Eric's personal Audiograph will also be saved digitally and will be emailed to each fan within one week of the event. All photos taken with Eric will also be available for download within a week of the event on Flickr. We'll email everyone the link when the photos are up! KISSONLINE will be onsite and a KISS Tribute band will keep things rolling through the nite! We hope to see you all on August 1st! Tickets are on sale now at www.kisscoffeehouse.com .
June 29th 2009
LIVE KISS CLIP FROM SUMMERFEST SHOW KISS perform "Nothin' to Lose" and "C'mon and Love Me" during their Alive 35 Summer Tour at Milwaukee's Summerfest on 6/27/09.
June 9th 2009
I wanted to share this great pic from last year's Australian Grand Prix event we did with KISS. As you know Lewis Hamilton won the F1 championship in 2008
May 22nd 2009
Here is a pic of the Legendary Brian May and myself from American Idol Grand Finale show. Always good to see old friends in strange places...
Eric is featured in the current issue of german “Drumheads!!”- Magazine special called “DrumHeroes!!”
April 22nd 2009
Here is a picture of KISS with our RIMOWA luggage about to board the KISS Jet. RIMOWA makes the very best available and we are proud to use it !
photo Dean Snowden
April 19th 2009
Another great shot by Dean Snowden
April 18th 2009
Here's a great shot of Eric during the Caracas show. The photo was actually taken on stage.
Photo by Dean Snowden.
April 1st 2009
Eric did an interview with a german online Drum Mag called “Drummer Magazin” it can be found here
March 18th 2009
Here is a KISS magazine cover and spread for our upcoming tour
March 11th 2009
Our good friend Stefan hooked up the ESP guys with some great Ray Ban shades to keep us looking better than we did before we put em' on
March 6th 2009
ESP is in the Netherlands. Not exactly something to get you off the edge of your seat, as most people won’t know who ESP are. Once you start explaining that the full name is Eric Singer Project and the guy is the current drummer of Kiss, you see eyebrows being raised and their fans start coming out of every nook and cranny of the universe. If you then have a look at the line up, your mouth really starts watering, because with guys like Bruce Kulick (guitar - Grand Funk Railroad, ex Kiss), John Corabi (vocals and guitar - ex Mötley Crüe) and Chuck Garric (bass – Alice Cooper) you can really call this an all star line up. We of Furyrocks.com get the chance to talk to Bruce as well as Eric. Naturally we have more questions than time and this becomes a short conversation with the emphasis on equipment. Nevertheless we manage to get so much information out of the two gentlemen that we decided to split the interview into two parts. This is part two. We enter the conversation at the point where Eric has to say what the latest cd is that he bought in our Artist Profile. It turns out to be, just like Bruce, Queen with Paul Rodgers and a discussion about Queen emerges. I ask him his thoughts on The Cosmos Rocks.
A part of it I really like, another part sounds very unnatural to me. You do hear that some songs weren’t written with Paul in mind, but would be perfect for Freddie, whilst those that do fit his voice better don’t sound like typical Queen. Read more
March 3rd 2009
Here is a picture from Venice Italy where we ate dinner with a close friend Stefano
March 2nd 2009
Dear All,
Here is a report of Eric Singer's band ESP visit in Finland.
The gig was held on Sunday 22nd of Feb. The venue is called "Nosturi" and it houses around +800 peoples. It was completely full with Kiss fans, musicians and I saw a lot of music industry people (our collaborators, Pearl artists, retailers and competitors).
The audience welcomed ESP very warmly and as Eric said in his closing speech after encores, that he knew Finland is going to be the best place of the tour Without a doubt Eric was the star of the evening with his amazing vocals and drumming ability. After the show the band did a long autograph session where everybody could meet and greet.
To celebrate Eric's visit in Finland we set up a display at one of the biggest retail stores in Helsinki the DeLuxe Music with Eric's posters and Pearl ES1465 with a real autograph.
Thank you for your attention.
Best regards,
Risto Niemi SMI-Scandinavian Musical Instruments Ltd.
March 2nd 2009
ESP live @ ROCK PLANET, Pinarella di Cervia (RA) / Italy A Valentine's Day based on kisses... oops, sorry... I meant KISS! It was held at PLANET ROCK in Pinarella Cervia (Ravenna), in Italy. A concert that promised well as on stage, we would find 4 musicians whose reputation no longer :44 needs to be made: BRUCE KULICK (ex-KISS), John Corabi (ex-Mötley Crüe), Chuck Garric (Alice Cooper), and Eric Singer, Catman of the World's Hottest Band... KISS!
About 400 people had made the trip to see the band, and from the first note, we feel that the band won't let us down, starting with "Parasite," and making no secrecy about what a good part of this show will be dedicated to... you guessed it... KISS! We indeed see that among the audience is a majority of KISS Fans. Energy in its purest form, which gives way to an almost acoustic set with John Corabi (with his look similar to that of Jack Sparrow from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie) and Bruce Kulick (with solos that often remind us of the "Crazy Nights" sounds) who perform, guitars in hand, two tracks from UNION and SCREAM, Eric Singer, released from KISS' rhythms, who shows us his great technique, and li'l Chuck Garric in Simmons' boots, all sounding incredibly well... especially when performing songs from the Revenge era. READ MORE
February 28th 2009
Here are some photos of a display window in Helsinki, Finland of DLX Music Store. As you can see they were very supportive of our ESP show and Eric
February 27th 2009
Marko sent us a link to some pics he took at the last show in Helsinki
One of Pearl's biggest artists Eric Singer and his ESP-band ended their tour in Finland. Read more
February 25th 2009
I took time out from the recent ESP European tour to vist KAPRAUN factory in Frankfurt, Germany. Kapraun makes fantastic coats and I hope to be more involved with them in the future.
February 24th 2009
Stefan took some cool pics at the Z7 in Pratteln. Check em out More pics from Pratteln as well as Prague can be found at www.concerts-live.ch
February 20th 2009
These pics were taken on Feb 13th at the new age club by Alessandra Lazzarotto.
February 19th 2009
Jean Luc Cruwels took some nice photos at the Spiririt of 66 in Belgium. Click on the pic for more
February 19th 2009
Eric Singer was interviewed by Belgian TV channel ACTV on February 16, 2009 prior to ESP's (ERIC SINGER PROJECT) concert at Spirit of 66 in Verviers, Belgium.
Here are some pictures from the ESP show in Belgium. Thanks to Luc
February 8th 2009
GERMAN KISS FAN EXPO
Here are a few photos of Eric Singer from Friday's KISS Fan Expo in Kaiserslauten, Germany at Fritz Walter Stadion - Halle Nordtribühne. Eric, along with Bruce Kulick, held a Q&A, signed autographs and performed for almost 1000 fans! The guys had a great time hanging out, especially with the many members of the US Military who attended the event.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and visited with us at the KISSONLINE booth.
January 20th 2009
Meet and Greet with Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick
A few Fans will have the chance to attend a special Meet and Greet in Oberhausen. This exclusive and limited Meet and Greet is only available at http://www.kissfanclub.de/espmeetoberhausen.htm.
January 9th 2009
THANKS KISS ARMY
Thank you from The Director of the McKinley Center
Rhonda the director of the McKinley Center wanted you guys to know that members of the KISS Army have been mailing in donation for the children because they saw Eric helping the children on KISSonline!
I have been going every Saturday to visit the 12 & 13 year old boys. They all have on their KISS shirts when I arrive. One child by the name of Keith, who has no family at all, wears his shirt all weekend.
For each cottage they have 13 children. The cottage only gets $600.00 per month for food, drinks, cloths, shoes, entertainment, ext.... for all 13 kids. That is around $46 a month per child. So those donations really helped!!
And most of all, it really effected the children because they know that other people care and not just anyone, but the drummer from KISS & the KISS ARMY!
The 2009 German KISS Fan Expo will be held on Friday, February 3 in Kaiserslauten, Germany at Fritz Walter Stadion - Halle Nordtribühne. The Expo features Special Guests - KISS drummer, Eric Singer & former KISS guitarist, Bruce Kulick!
- Eric and Bruce will do a Q&A, sign autographs and take photos with the fans! - Expo attendees will be able to stay for an exclusive soundcheck! - KISS Merchandise - including KISSONLINE, KISS FAN CLUB, and other vendors - PAUL STANLEY.com will be on hand with free ONE LIVE KISS promo items!
Doors open at 3 PM with Soundcheck at 4 PM
Tickets are only in Advance 7 Euro (in advance) and 10 Euro at the door.
For more info and tickets for the german Shows click here
Here is a picture of Kylie and myself from a Dallas KISS show. She was a real crack-up with the whole band !
ERIC SINGER
Here is a pic of 5-year-old drummer Logan "Robot" backstage with Eric Singer! Thanks Eric for always being so cool to Logan! For Halloween a few weeks ago, Logan dressed up as Eric and we took this video of him playing along to his favorite new Kiss song 'Modern Day Delilah'. As you can tell from the video, Logan has already seen his fair share of Kiss shows - and he'll be seeing a few more this weekend in TEXAS! Enjoy the video!
HOW KISS GOT ITS GROOVE BACK
Here's a picture of Eric wearing the KISS USB wristband! 
The Great Brian Setzer was our guest in Minneapolis the other night and hung out with the band before and after the show. What an honor to finally meet him.
10/27/09
KISS SURPRISES WOUNDED WARRIORS WITH VISIT
KISS will perform live on CBS-TV's 'Late Show With David Letterman' on Tuesday night to coincide with the release of the Sonic Boom CD! The show begins at 11:35 pm ET/PT.
KISS & TELL INTERVIEW with Eric Singer
SONIC BOOM CD Track Listing:
One last time, before the walls come down, Cobo Arena will hear a SONIC BOOM...
Over a thousand members of the KISS ARMY attended the KISS Coffeehouse's 3rd anniversary celebration in Myrtle Beach on Saturday! Fans from all over the US and Canada came out to meet KISS drummer Eric Singer. Eric was absolutely great, signing autographs and taking photos for almost eight hours. It was so obvious that he was having as much fun meeting the fans as they were meeting him!
I was yesterday in San Diego with Nicholas Simmons. This was for Comic-Con 2009 and It was a really crazy event with over 250,000 people attending the weekend events. Nick has his own Comic Book out now and this was his debut event to launch the series "Incarnate"
ERIC MESSAGE ON NEW ALBUM
KISS fulfills cancer patient's dream -By William Croyle - Cincinnati Enquirer
COFFEEHOUSE'S 3RD ANNIVERSARY
Eric is featured in the current issue of german “Drumheads!!”- Magazine special called “DrumHeroes!!”
ESP live @ ROCK PLANET, Pinarella di Cervia (RA) / Italy
I took time out from the recent ESP European tour to vist KAPRAUN factory in Frankfurt, Germany.
GERMAN KISS FAN EXPO
Meet and Greet with Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick
THANKS KISS ARMY
