January 2013 marked four decades since the legendary rock band KISS was born. Forty years later, having racked up 28 U.S. gold albums along with 40 million U.S. and 100 million in world sales, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, with longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, return stronger than ever.
Anton Fig (born Cape Town, South Africa), is well-known session drummer and a longtime member of the CBS Orchestra, appearing nightly on Late Show with David Letterman. During this tenure he has played with scores of great artists including Miles Davis, James Brown and Bruce Springsteen. The CBS Orchestra has backed up a host of artists in other venues such as Little Richard, Lauren Hill and also BB King at the closing ceremonies of the summer Olympic Games in Atlanta (1996). The CBS Orchestra is also the house band for the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. During the years Anton has made countless recordings with such artists as: Mick Jagger, Madonna, Joe Cocker, Gary Moore, Michael Monroe, Joan Armatrading, Blackmore’s Night and Joe Bonamassa among many others. In 1978 Anton was asked to play on KISS guitarist Ace Frehley’s solo album. That co-operation lead Anton to make recording sessions with KISS with whom Anton recorded albums DYNASTY (1979) and UNMASKED (1980). He was a member of Ace Frehley’s band Frehley’s Comet from 1984-1987 and later on he has played on numerous Ace’s solo albums including the latest release ANOMALY (2009). Well, there’s been, and is still, so much going on with this man career so it’s better to let the man himself to tell what he’s up to and of course it’s interesting to learn something about the past and future as well… Read on!
The second Kiss Kruise was settled to depart Miami, Fla. on October 31 — Halloween — and head to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. The scheduled return to the port was on November 4’TH. Thanks to hurricane Sandy the plans had to be changed on last minute and instead of Bahamas, the cruisers were visiting in beautiful Cozumel Island in Mexico. Packages for the cruise begin at $750 per person and it included just about everything what a KISS fan can hope for. The KISS shows, electric and acoustic, Q&A session with the band, a cabin photo with the band in makeup, signed posters and each member of the band leading their own activities like Gene Simmons pick throwing contest, Paul Stanley judged belly flop contest, Eric Singer hosted Blackjack –tournament and Tommy Thayer’s costume contest etc. There were several other acts performing shows on the cruise as well. Of these the best known name was definitely Skid Row. The other names included former Guns’n Roses drummer Steven Adler’s new outfit Adler, Leogun and Radiolucent. The price included all of the above, as well as meals and access to many Norwegian Pearl activities including the pools, massive spa, hot tubs, rock climbing wall, tennis court, and fitness center. It is no wonder that the cruise was again sold out a long time ago. It now brought together KISS fanatics from over 30 countries so there’s more to come for sure!
The second KISS Kruise is setting sail October 31st to November 4th, 2012 from Miami, FL to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas onboard Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Pearl, but Hurricane Sandy may affect its departure.
An update reads: “We are aware that Hurricane Sandy is affecting many of your travel plans getting to Miami this week. We’re working with Norwegian Cruise Line to delay our departure time from Miami on Wednesday as well as an alternate destination port to allow guests to meet the Kruise on Friday should they miss their Miami embarkation.
We hope to have more information to you by tomorrow afternoon, but please know we’re putting all efforts into making sure this long-awaited vacation is everything it should be. Please note, there are no plans for a change of departure from Miami on Wednesday, only a potential delay of a few hours to accommodate guests arriving late. Thanks for your patience while we explore our best options. If you need to contact Sixthman while you’re traveling, please call us at 877-379-9183.
The weather forecast for the Bahamas and Caribbean looks beautiful for our vacation so do your best to get here safely and know we’ll be looking forward to seeing you.”
The line-up features KISS, SKID ROW, ADLER, YACHT ROCK REVUE, BIG ROCK SHOW, VINTAGE TROUBLE , A THOUSAND HORSES, LEDFOOT MESSIAH and RADIOLUCENT RADIOLUCENT.
Check out a new promo video for the kruise below:
Cruise itinerary:
- Wednesday, October 31, 2012 – Depart Miami, FL (approx. 4:00 pm ET)
- Thursday, November 1 – Day at Sea
- Friday, November 2 – Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas (8:00am – 5:00pm)
- Saturday, November 3 – Day at Sea
- Sunday, November 4 – Arrive Miami, FL (approx. 8:00 am ET)
KISS channel, “Scare Nation,” to launch on October 26
The legendary, multi-platinum selling band to do private sit down Q&A with SiriusXM listeners for a “Town Hall” special
NEW YORK–October 10, 2012– Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that it will celebrate the release of Monster, the 20th studio album by rock legends KISS, as the band members sit down for an intimate Q&A session with a select group of SiriusXM listeners at the SiriusXM studios in New York City.
“SiriusXM’s Town Hall with KISS,” the two-hour broadcast event, will air live on Hair Nation, channel 39, on Thursday, October 11 at 12:00 pm ET.
The KISS special is part of SiriusXM’s “Town Hall” series, intimate gatherings with iconic musicians and a studio audience of SiriusXM listeners. Previous “SiriusXM Town Hall” specials have featured Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Coldplay, Ringo Starr, Roger Waters, Ziggy Marley and the surviving members of Nirvana.
Hosted by SiriusXM’s Jose Mangin, the “SiriusXM Town Hall with KISS” will feature all four members of the globally-known band answering questions from the studio audience about their career, including their new album Monster, released on October 9.
“No band has more embodied the spectacle side of rock and roll than KISS. Whether in makeup or not, KISS has represented the party attitude of rock and roll for generations of fans,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. “They have some stories to tell from their years on the road, and fans will have the chance to get the uncensored truth when they step into our latest Town Hall at SiriusXM.”
Additionally, SiriusXM will launch “Scare Nation,” an all-KISS limited-run channel scheduled to air Friday, October 26 starting at 6:00 pm ET through Monday, October 29 at 3:00 am ET on channel 39. From their 1974 self-titled debut through their 20th studio album, “Scare Nation” will showcase the music from the band’s entire career. Listeners will also hear the band members talking about their new album, touring, their fans and more. “Scare Nation” will also feature an encore broadcast of “SiriusXM’s Town Hall with KISS” on Saturday, October 27 at 12:00 pm ET.
After the live broadcast, “SiriusXM’s Town Hall with KISS” will be available on SiriusXM On Demand for subscribers listening via the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and other mobile devices or online at siriusxm.com. Visit www.siriusxm.com/ondemand for more info on SiriusXM On Demand. And, “SiriusXM’s Town Hall with KISS” will air on SiriusXM’s Halloween channel, “Scream Radio,” Sirius channel 123 and XM channel 142 on Halloween, Wednesday, October 31, at 12:00 pm ET.
For more information on KISS, please visit www.kissonline.com.
For more information on SiriusXM, please visit www.siriusxm.com.
In this interview by Tales from the Stage author, Michael Toney conducted last night with Bruce Kulick (GFR, ex-Kiss). They discuss his tenure with both bands, how he feels going backstage at a Kiss gig now, and discusses Mark St. John’s mysterious hand ailment and if that was why he truly left Kiss.
ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ROCK AND ROLL BANDS OF ALL TIME RETURNS TO SWEDEN!
You Wanted The Best, You Got the Best – KISS comes to Sweden for shows at Friends Arena in Stockholm on June 1st, and at the Sweden Rock Festival in Blekinge on June 6th.
Tickets to Friends Arena will go on sale on October 12th at 9:00 am. The tickets to the Sweden Rock Festival are already on sale.
After nearly forty years, and over 90 million records sold all over the world, the legend continues to grow from generation to generation, transcending ages.
A band that has marked a line in the history of music– there is before KISS and then there is after KISS. They exploded on the music scene in the 1970’s. Their live shows offered a completely new way to experience music: pyro, lights and smoking guitars are just a part of the reason they have gained a reputation as the best live show on earth.
Now KISS is back in Sweden with their 20th studio album “Monster” and to play their classic hits with all of the bombastic theatrics KISS fans expect.
The Monster album which was released last week received great reviews from all media – Aftonbladet calls it “Classic Shock’n Roll for the 2010 decade”.
The devotion they provoke on their fans is unique:”KISS ARMY” is one of the biggest fans club on the planet. – Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer are KISS, one of the most important and awaited visits is confirmed.
Legendary rock icons KISS are back with their new album MONSTER. The album, the 20th studio release in their long lasting career, is set for release in the middle of October through Universal Music. The follow up for the 2009 release SONIC BOOM includes 12 straight-ahead rock ’n’ roll tracks and it features collaborations of all four band members: Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. The band landed in Europe in early July for a brief promotional tour which included live shows in Oslo and London. We met a very cheerful Stanley in London prior to the bands sold out performance at the HMV Forum and discussed about MONSTER, Kiss Kruise, future plans, as well as many other interesting topics… Read on!
THIS INTERVIEW IS RELEASED BY THE COURTESY OF THIS IS ROCK -MAGAZINE
THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ROCK BANDS ON ONE STAGE THE TOUR
SUMMER 2012
LOS ANGELES, CA (March 20, 2012) – Rock ‘n Roll doesn’t get any bigger than this! KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE… On the same stage… On the same night. This spectacle of spectacles announced today, KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE are uniting to launch THE TOUR of 2012. The summer’s biggest, baddest rock tour will level 40+ cities nationwide starting July 20th. The Live Nation promoted tour will go on sale beginning Friday, March 23rd at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. Both bands will have fan club pre-sales beginning Wednesday, March 21st at 10am.
Citi® cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets beginning Wednesday, March 21st at 2pm local time through Citi’s Private Pass® Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com.
With combined album sales of almost 200 million, KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE are more than just iconic; they remain today as the dominant powerhouses of rock music tallying 30+ chart-topping hits, countless sold out tours and awards and accolades from around the world. Known for their elaborate and spectacular stage shows, each band plans to give fans the ultimate summer concert experience with the most impressive lighting and sound production ever and their signature over-the-top pyrotechnics. This is the first time KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE will share a stage since 1982.
KISS consists of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. MÖTLEY CRÜE consists of Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee.
These veterans of the music business are still at the height of their popularity. KISS is the juggernaut of them all, with 3,000 licensed merchandise products, including the KISS golf course in Las Vegas and a new album. KISS has broken box office records set by The Beatles and Elvis. MÖTLEY CRÜE is the first rock band in history to have just completed an epic sold-out Las Vegas residency at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The band is best known for continuing to reinvent not only their live show (with mind blowing elements such as Tommy Lee’s 360 drum roller coaster) and music (brand new song due out this spring), but remain on the cutting edge via social media interaction. MÖTLEY CRÜE’s New York Times bestselling book The Dirt is currently being adapted into a major motion picture. Last month, the band was featured in one of the highest rated Super Bowl ads of all time for the KIA Optima.
For tickets & VIP packages, including opportunities to meet KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE, please visit www.KISSonline.com or www.Motley.com
KISS AND MÖTLEY CRÜE THE TOUR:
DATE CITY VENUE
Jul 20 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
Jul 21 Virginia Beach, VA Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
Jul 22 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
Jul 24 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Jul 25 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Jul 27 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheater
Jul 28 Tampa, FL 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
Jul 31 Pelham, AL Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
Aug 3 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Aug 4 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavillion
Aug 7 Albuquerque, NM Hard Rock Casino Presents The Pavilion
Aug 8 Englewood, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Aug 10 Phoenix, AZ Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion
Aug 11 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Arts Center
Aug 12 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Aug 14 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Aug 16 Concord, CA Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord
Aug 18 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
Aug 19 Ridgefield, WA Sleep Country Amphitheater
Aug 24 Grand Junction, CO Rock Jam
Aug 26 Tulsa, OK BOK Center (on-sale 3/30)
Aug 27 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Aug 29 Minneapolis, MN Minnesota State Fair (on-sale 3/31)
Aug 31 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Sep 1 Noblesville, IN Klipsch Music Center
Sep 2 Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion
Sep 4 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
Sep 5 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
Sep 7 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Sep 8 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley Music Theatre
Sep 11 Allegan, MI Allegan County Fair (on-sale 5/5)
Sep 12 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
Sep 13 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
Sep 15 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Sep 16 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
Sep 18 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
Sep 19 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
Sep 21 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sep 22 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
Sep 23 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
About KISS
KISS remains one of the most influential bands in the history of rock and roll. As one of America’s top gold-record champions, KISS has released 44 albums and sold more than 90 million albums worldwide. Decades of record-breaking tours around the globe have included high-profile appearances at Super Bowl XXXIII, the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the Rockin’ The Corps concert dedicated to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and special guest appearance on the 2009 American Idol finale that boasted 30 million viewers and a 2010 Dr. Pepper Super Bowl commercial and advertising campaign in support of their Hottest Show On Earth tour.
The KISS legacy continues to grow, generation after generation. The unparalleled devotion and loyalty of the KISS Army to the “Hottest Band in the World” is a striking testament to the band’s unbreakable bond with its fans, and just one of the reasons KISS was nominated for induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. KISS is currently in the studio recording “Monster”, the followup to their 2009 chart topping album ”Sonic Boom” and preparing for a soon to be announced major world tour starting in summer of 2012.
For more information, please visit www.KISSonline.com and follow the band: @KISSonline
About MÖTLEY CRÜE
Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, the quartet—Vince Neil (vocals), Mick Mars (guitars), Nikki Sixx (bass) and Tommy Lee (drums)—has commandeered the rock pantheon for over 30 years. In that time, they have accumulated worldwide album sales exceeding 80 million, seven platinum or multi-platinum albums, 22 Top 40 mainstream rock hits, six Top 20 pop singles, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, three Grammy nominations for Best Hard Rock Performance, a New York Times bestselling memoir, and countless sold out gigs across the globe, playing to millions of fans.
For more information, please visit: mailto:www.motley.com
Follow the band: @thevinceneil, @MrMickMars, @nikkisixx, @MrTommyLand
About Live Nation Entertainment:
Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and ecommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five ecommerce sites, with almost 27 million monthly unique visitors. Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally. Front Line is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 250 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.
More unique, rare and one-of-a-kind items are now up for auction to benefit rock & roll comic C.C. Banana, currently in crisis.
SplitScreen Entertainment, producers of the tribute albums “KISS MY ANKH: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent” and “WHOLE LOTTA LOVE: An All-Star Salute To Fat Chicks,” is coming to the aid of its friend and colleague, rock & roll comic C.C. Banana. A performer on both of its aforementioned tributes, C.C. Banana is best known for his humorous interviews with members of such bands as Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, Cinderella, Kiss, L.A. Guns, Winger, Ratt, W.A.S.P. and many others. C.C. was recently in the process of recording a solo album (in commemoration of his 10th anniversary) when his family was struck by severe financial hardship, brought on by the sudden decline of an ailing family member. As a result, he is now on the verge of losing the house he has lived in since birth.
In effort to save the family home, SplitScreen Entertainment is organizing a series of auctions on behalf of C.C. Banana, including autographed items from his rock & roll friends and heroes. This week’s spotlight auctions include a Schecter guitar signed by the members of Prong and the exceedingly rare Kiss remote control van.
The guitar is a SchecterDiamond Series Omen-6 in Walnut Satin and is signed by Prong frontman Tommy Victor, as well as the entire “Power of the Damager” era lineup. It was won by C.C. Banana during the 2007 Eddie Trunk Halloween Bash at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City, which featured a return to the stage by founding Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley after a 6-year absence. C.C. Banana won the guitar by entering the annual costume contest dressed as “Ace Peeley, the Psycho Citrus.” A prized trophy of his collection, C.C. is now parting with the guitar in the face of his current emergency.
The Kiss Radio Controlled 3-Funciton Van is a true rarity in Kiss collecting circles, produced and distributed in limited quantities by Azrak-Hamway International in 1979. The packaging is in off-the-shelf condition, showing only minor signs of wear and possessing a glossy and rigid top flap. This version of the packaging is believed to be the less common one, featuring the extended flap illustrated by a full-color photo of the band in their Love Gun outfits (from the well-known “glowing cubes” photo session). The van itself has never been played with and is still affixed to the styrofoam insert by the factory-installed screw. All stickers are attached as originally applied, with no cracks or tears whatsoever. RC antennas are curled as originally inserted with no dents or defects. Even the paper instruction sheet is included, wrinkle-free and folded as when new (albeit somewhat yellowed from age). This rare diamond is a virtual time capsule of the 1970s, combining Kiss, van culture and the then-burgeoning RC hobby. Gene Simmons himself probably does not own a copy of this item in such nice condition!
Other noteworthy items available this week include autographed CDs from members of Quiet Riot, Cinderella, Twisted Sister and more.
Also being auctioned are many of C.C. Banana‘s own rock & roll treasures and pop culture collectibles, including rare and out-of-print CDs, DVDs, action figures, toys and assorted collector’s items C.C. has acquired over the years. SplitScreen Entertainment will also be helping in its own way via proceeds from sales of its two albums featuring C.C. Banana. Fans wishing to donate directly may do so via GiveForward in exchange for various levels of rewards. SplitScreen Entertainment will deduct no administrative fees and every cent raised will go toward C.C. Banana‘s immediate financial concerns.
The latest batch of auctions is now online, with more to be added in the coming weeks. SplitScreen Entertainment asks all who have enjoyed C.C. Banana‘s many interviews and adventures over the years to come to his aid in his time of need. No gesture is too small or unappreciated. Further details can be found at the SplitScreen Entertainment website.
We are very pleased to have a chance to speak with Greg Prato, author of THE ERIC CARR STORY. Greg is the author of a number of books including TOUCHED BY MAGIC: THE TOMMY BOLIN STORY. Look for our book review this month as well. For more information about Greg and his work check out the links at the bottom of this interview. Enjoy!
Helix are a Canadian hard rock/heavy metal band formed in Ontario in 1974. The band are best known for their early 80’s albums NO REST FOR THE WICKED, WALKIN’ THE RAZOR’S EDGE and LONG WAY TO HEAVEN which was a chart topping album in Sweden in 1985. Their most known lineup was the 80s version of the band: Vollmer on vocals, accompanied by guitarists Brent Doerner and Paul Hackman, bassist Daryl Gray, and drummer Greg “Fritz” Hinz. The history of the band has been marked by many lineup changes, with Vollmer being the sole constant member and only remaining member of the original lineup. Although guitarist Paul Hackman was tragically killed in a tour van accident in 1992, the surviving members of the 80’s lineup reunited in 2009 for the album VAGABOND BONES. The line-up is now completed by young guitarist Kaleb Duck and the band released its latest EP SKIN IN THE GAME in the fall of 2011. In October 2011 Helix finally returned to Finland after a near 26 year absence and played a show at the Legends of Rock festival in Oulu. There we had the honor to sit down with Mr. Vollmer himself and hear some of the latest news as well as some blasts from the past… Read on!
Bob Kulick is an American guitarist and Grammy Award-winning record producer. If there was a “fifth member of KISS” award to be handed out, Bob would probably be the front-running recipient. Not only was he in the running to become the original lead guitarist for the band, but he has played as a session musician on ALIVE 2 and KISS KILLERS albums and Paul Stanley’s self-titled solo album. In the late 80’s he was a part of Stanley’s solo band. During the years, Kulick has appeared on several releases by Meat Loaf, as well as session work for Mark Farner, Diana Ross, Lou Reed and W.A.S.P. among others and has produced/played on countless heavy metal tribute albums. We had a pleasure to sit down with the man himself in November 2011 when he appeared as a special guest for his brother Bruce Kulick and John Corabi who did an acoustic performance at the KISS EXPO in Helsinki. The chat lasted almost two hours, so there’s plenty of material to read, and for that reason this interview has been split in two pieces. Read On!
Bob Kulick is an American guitarist and Grammy Award-winning record producer. If there was a “fifth member of KISS award to be handed out, Kulick would probably be the front-running recipient. Not only was he in the running to become the original lead guitarist for the band, but he has played as a session musician on ALIVE 2 and KISS KILLERS albums and Paul Stanley’s self-titled solo album. In the late 80’s he was a part of Stanley’s solo band.During the years, Kulick has appeared on several releases by Meat Loaf, as well as session work for Mark Farner, Diana Ross, Lou Reed and W.A.S.P. among others and has produced/played on countless heavy metal tribute albums. We had a pleasure to sit down with the man himself on last November when he appeared as a special guest for his brother Bruce Kulick and John Corabi who did an acoustic performance on KISS EXPO in Helsinki. The chat did last almost two hours, so there’s a plenty of material to read, and for that reason this interview has been split in two pieces. Read On!
Last year in July, TMD unearthed a KISS demo entitled “Smoke”. Not much was known about the 70′s era sounding track. To this point, it has received nearly 30,000 views on You Tube since being uploaded.
Now… the mystery at last has been explained. Here’s the word from Kiss historian Julian Gill:
“This song, actually entitled “It Ain’t the Smoke”, was post-Dressed to Kill but before the legendary act brought in Bob Ezrin, which would place it in and around 1975…”
