Chris Czynszak | Decibel Geek

Photographer and ex-wife of KISS drummer Peter Criss, LYDIA CRISS is the featured guest on the latest episode of the Decibel Geek Podcast as part of their KISSMAS in JULY in which each episode for July 2012 will be KISS themed.

In the interview, Criss shares details of the 2^nd printing of her well-received coffee table book Sealed With a KISS. Published 2006, Sealed With a KISS quickly outsold its initial limited print run. This 2^nd printing features more never before seen photos as well as a listing of Peter Criss’ musical performances before joining KISS in 1973.

Also included in this conversation are Criss’ memories of the inner-workings of KISS from struggling Manhattan musicians to their crest in popularity in 1977 being named the #1 most popular band in America by a Gallup poll.

Lydia Criss became known to fans of KISS in 1976 when she accepted the award for Beth being the top single of the year at the People’s Choice Awards. In this conversation listeners will learn about the conversation Lydia had with Gene Simmons that led her to appear in their place to accept the award. Also of note is Lydia’s recollections on why the song, originally titled Beck, became known as Beth and how it differs from previous reports from Simmons and Destroyer producer Bob Ezrin.

Lydia Criss is now accepting pre-orders for the 2^nd printing of Sealed With a KISS at www.lydiacriss.com. Publication is expected for late July 2012.

The Decibel Geek Podcast was launched in June of 2011 by Chris Czynszak, a former rock journalist and webmaster. With co-host Aaron Camaro, the Decibel Geek Podcast is quickly earning a reputation as one of the go-to music commentary podcasts on the internet. All episodes are available on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, as well as the official Decibel Geek Podcast website.

 Direct Link to Interview: http://dbgeekshow.blogspot.com/2012/07/episode-40-peter-criss-discussion.html

To access the Decibel Geek Podcast visit www.dbgeekshow.blogspot.com .

Chris Henry | WinkBall

Alan Cole | Xperedon

US glam rockers are extending the hand of reconciliation between America and the British on the occasion of American Independence Day…

The band, known for their outrageous make-up and performances as well as selling more than 100 million albums, are supporting the British military charity Help for Heroes today, July 4, on American Independence Day with a benefit concert in London.

Although the Fourth of July holiday is not widely celebrated in the UK for obvious reasons…something to do perhaps with the British defeat at the hands of American independence forces in 1776…

Despite all that being largely forgotten now, the move by Kiss will no doubt be welcomed as a move to further enhance the international relations between the two countries for the ‘minor troubles’ that involved colonisation of America by Britain and later a protracted war in the 18th Century over tea prices that spilled into a global conflict.

Putting that to one side Kiss have taken it on themselves to pay tribute to the UK forces charity Help for Heroes on American Independence Day as a mark of respect for the modern military charity and as part of celebrations of democracy taking place…

The Fourth of July fundraiser at The Forum in London for Help for Heroes sees all proceeds from the concert go to the charity that cares for sick and injured troops. The band are also donating proceeds from a new single ‘Hell or Hallelujah’ to Help for Heroes.

Help for Heroes founder Bryn Parry says the money raised will be used to provide practical support for wounded service persons…

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Michael Porter | Music Room

Kiss are confident their new record Monster will impress rock fans worldwide.

Frontman Paul Stanley told BBC Newsbeat: “What we wanted to do this time was not make a great Kiss album, but make a great classic rock album. I think it’s more sure of itself.

“I don’t think that the heaviness or harder feel comes from anything other than being that much more sure of what we’re doing.”

And Stanley said the UK is a special place for the band, with respect for the nation’s musical heritage.

“The UK for us is the holy land. It’s where all our heroes come from. Rock n’ roll may have been invented in America but what it became over here is what we emulated.”

The band released their new single Hell Or Hallelujah this week, which Stanley described as ‘a battle-cry’.

And the legendary rockers recently supported military charity Help For Heroes after playing a charity gig at the Kentish Town Forum.

Gene Simmons said: “No matter what your political persuasions, the reality is that any freedoms that England and America have, has to do not with politicians but the brave men and women in uniform here, in the US and in the free world.

“They actually put their lives on the line. The least we can do is to show them respect and appreciation.”

Jodi Jill | Examiner

KISS rocked London on Independence Day. The legendary band was performing a show as a fundraiser for the Help for Heroes charity, at the Kentish Town Forum on Wednesday and couldn’t have been more excited to sing for the fans while helping others. Proceeds of the tickets went to the charity and it was such a symbolic gesture of the Fourth of July.

While the band might not have been in town for the event, there was a scheduling conflict when this weekend’s Sonisphere rock festival at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire was cancelled. With an opening on their calendar and already being in London promoting their new book KISS Monster, it seemed like the perfect venue.

The night was full on rock and roll. Dressed in costume and pulling out the guitars, the band brought the music to the stage as the fans got her hear some of the latest hits. Such a generous gift from KISS had the fans and the charity appreciative for the donations.

Alexis Petridis | The Guardian

Kiss have fetched up in a venue slightly smaller than their usual arenas in aid of a charity. Help For Heroes benefits servicemen wounded in the line of duty: “So that we can rock,” avers singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, a man reassuringly steadfast in the belief that Iraq was invaded largely for Kiss’s benefit. Lest any long-term fans think the self-styled Hottest Rock Band in the World have taken leave of their senses and started acting entirely out of munificence, it’s worth noting that they’re also over here flogging something. Not a record but a book of photos: Monster, which is three feet high and retails at $4,299. “Kiss got an up close and personal look at a ‘finished proof’,” offers the book’s website, “and were quite impressed” – not perhaps the ringing endorsement you might hope for were you considering spending $4,299.

A three-foot-high photo book is obviously a ridiculous idea, which means, of course, that it’s entirely in keeping with Kiss’s ethos. Without wishing to underplay the band’s music – which tonight veers from the grunty glam-rock plod of 1974’s Deuce to the gleaming pop-metal ofCrazy Crazy Nights and Shout It Out Loud – ridiculousness is their very lifeblood, a state of affairs underlined in no uncertain terms by their live show. Bearing in mind Kiss have not one, not two, but three walls of speaker cabinets on stage, the sound is oddly weedy and muffled – anyone would think the cabinets were empty – but it’s difficult to find the energy to worry about it, bombarded as you are by other distractions. There are fireworks and flashbombs going off almost continually. Gene Simmons concludes one song by breathing fire. Tommy Thayer finishes a guitar solo by shooting fireworks out of his guitar. Drummer Eric Singer ends his own solo by extravagantly tossing his sticks in the air. He fails to catch one of them, but nil desperandum: he’s got a fake bazooka, and that shoots fireworks as well.

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Sky News

Paul Stanley would never be friends with Peter Criss or Ace Frehley again.

The KISS singer would never allow the band’s former guitarist and drummer – who left in the 80s, but rejoined the band between 1996 and 2002 and 2001 respectively – to play with the group again and claims they were never very close even in their 70s heyday.

Paul exclusively told BANG Showbiz: ‘Friends? No I was never really friends with them. The band was never about friendship, the band was about commitment to a cause, but friendship? We were all very different people.

‘I loved them for what we created together, I certainly don’t love them today. But the band as it is today is far more the embodiment of what we started than what we became.’

When asked when he had last spoke with his former bandmates, Paul said: ‘I spoke to Ace probably three years ago. Peter I haven’t spoken to in probably a decade.’

Paul also expanded on the reasons why he could never see the band – now made up of himself and original bassist Gene Simmons with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer – play with their original line up.

He said: ‘They were instrumental in what we created as a team, but they became impossible and intolerable, on more than one occasion necessitating their removal. And unfortunately when people don’t really learn from their mistakes they repeat them. At some point you just lose tolerance. It’s ultimately disrespectful to the fans to not give them what they deserve. I don’t miss them.’

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Rock and Metal News

KISS Debuted new song Hell or Hallelujah Live July 4 2012 HMV Form London England!

KISS played their new song Hell or Hallelujah for the first time live Jul4 4th 2012! When in London promoting their Monster Book and CD, KISS performed at the HMV Forum in London, July 4th 2012 . Check back for the link of the song live as we will post it in the description of this video when available!

KISS London setlist :

‘Detroit Rock City’
‘Hell Or Hallelujah’
‘Deuce’
‘Shout It Out Loud’
‘Makin’ Love’
‘I Love It Loud’
‘Shock Me’
‘Calling Dr. Love’
‘100,000 Years’
‘Love Gun’
‘Black Diamond’

Encore:
‘Crazy Crazy Nights’
‘Lick It Up’
Rock and Roll All Nite
‘God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You II’