ABC News Radio

It’s no secret that KISS supports the efforts of the U.S. armed forces so it was only fitting that when Gene Simmons was asked to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before a Los Angeles Dodgers game, he shared the spotlight with some USO members.

Before Monday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies, Simmons performed an a capella version of the national anthem with five USO singers, harmonizing and throwing heavy-metal devil horns at the end of the song.

KISS and Simmons have long been vocal in their support for the troops. KISS recently announced that their 2014 tour crew — like their 2012 tour crew — would include two specially-recruited veterans. The band has also played special free concerts for armed forces members and their families.

KISS begins a co-headlining tour with Def Leppard next week in Salt Lake City, Utah. Here are the tour dates:

6/23 — West Valley City, UT, USANA Amphitheater
6/25 — Denver, CO, Pepsi Center
6/27 — Ridgefield, WA, Sleep Country Amphitheater
6/29 — Auburn, WA, White River Amphitheater
7/2 — Concord, CA, Concord Pavilion
7/3 — Wheatland, CA, Sacramento Valley Amphitheater
7/5 — Irvine, CA, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/6 — Chula Vista, CA, Sleep Train Amphitheatre
7/8 — Los Angeles, CA, The Forum
7/9 — Phoenix, AZ, Ak-Chin Pavilion
7/12 — Austin, TX, austin360 Amphitheater
7/13 — Dallas, TX, Gexa Energy Pavilion
7/15 — Cincinnati, OH, Riverbend Music Center
7/16 — Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
7/18 — Atlanta, GA, Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood
7/19 — Charlotte, NC, PNC Music Pavilion
7/20 — Raleigh, NC, Walnut Creek Amphitheater
7/22 — West Palm Beach, FL, Cruzan Amphitheater
7/23 — Tampa, FL, MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater
7/25 — Bristow, VA, Jiffy Lube Live
7/26 — Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Arts Center
8/1 — Mansfield, MA, Xfinity Center
8/2 — Atlantic City, NJ, Boardwalk Hall
8/3 — Camden, NJ, Susquehanna Bank Center
8/5 — Saratoga Springs, NY, Saratoga Performing Arts Center
8/6 — Wantagh, NY, Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre
8/8 — Virginia Beach, VA, Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
8/9 — Scranton, PA, Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
8/10 — Hartford, CT, The Xfinity Theatre
8/12 — Toronto, Canada, Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
8/13 — Darien Center, NY, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
8/15 — East Troy, WI, Alpine Valley Music Theater
8/16 — Tinley Park, IL, First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
8/17 — Minneapolis, MN, Target Center
8/20 — Des Moines, IA, Wells Fargo Arena
8/22 — Noblesville, IN, Klipsch Music Center
8/23 — Clarkston, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
8/24 — Burgettstown, PA, First Niagara Pavilion
8/26 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Blossom Music Center
8/28 — Maryland Heights, MO, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
8/29 — Tulsa, OK, BOK Center
8/31 — The Woodlands, TX, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Forbes

Brands come and brands go. We’ve seen the business cycle get shorter and shorter in past decades (Facebook’s 10-year reign seems like a lifetime) and it makes it harder and harder to carve out a lasting niche for yourself. What’s the use, entrepreneurs wonder, if their brand will be yesterday’s news almost as soon as they’ve started building it?

It’s rare to see anyone break the endless cycle of launches that end in immediate obscurity. That’s why the hard rock band Kiss’ 40th anniversary is so impressive.

Yes, there are important business lessons to be learned everywhere, even when they involve levitating drum sets and strapped leather outfits. Kiss . . . has something special.

Their success defies logic. Most rock bands from the 70s are long gone, but Kiss just keeps getting stronger. They’ve sold more than 100 million records and have the most gold albums of any American rock band—ever.

So what’s their secret? And more importantly, how can we apply that secret to keep our businesses and brands from getting run over by the next fresh crop of entrepreneurs?

The answer: it’s all about identity.

Svenska: Det här är en bild av Gene Simmons oc…
Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, KISS in Stockholm. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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