KISSasylum

Our good friend Tony Confessore, better know as C.C. Banana, passed away today at his home in New Jersey due to an apparent suicide. He was 43.

Tony incorporated his love of KISS into much of his professional comedic work, including the KISS tribute CD “KISS My Ankh“, a Tribute to Vinnie Vincent, which he produced and performed on with his own irreverent version of the KISS classic, “Unholy”. One of his more brilliant pieces was his 20 Questions with Eric Singer which was conducted live on-stage at a KISS Expo in 2007. He had many personas, the most well-know among KISS fans being the Ace Peeley banana character as well as a his more elaborate Maul Stanley – an incarnation of Paul Stanley and Darth Maul from the Star Wars Episode 1 movie. More recently, Tony appeared as AJ the Clown at the 2011 New Jersey KISS Expo where he entertained and lent himself to face painting for all the children attending the event.

Halloween 2006 in NYC

Tony posted his final goodbye from his Facebook last night:
Xanadu has been breached, my friends. Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the vultures and jackals. No more past. No more future. Both have been taken away…. If only those who knew less didn’t always think they knew better. It took just one year of Hell to undo a lifetime of hope. I am too lost to be found and too broken to be fixed. Let the Monday morning quarterbacking begin. – Anthony John Confessore 

Tony was the victim of long-time financial problems and the stress apparently had taken it’s toll on him. He was loved by many and will be missed as much.

Amy Sciarretto | Ultimate Classic Rock

Original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley took the stage on Tuesday (May 15) to perform his former band’s classic song ‘Black Diamond’ with Flight to Mars, a UFO cover band lead by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready.

It’s certainly a cool “WTF?” moment. The only thing more unusual than the idea of a UFO tribute band featuring a grunge rock millionaire covering a Kiss song would have been if Frehley appeared on stage in full Kiss regalia: makeup, boots and more!

That said, we’ve gotta throw props to McCready and to the more casually attired Frehley, who turn in a pretty kicking rendition of the song, performing on the tiny stage of the Casbah in San Diego, Calif. (Editor’s note: How is it that nobody ever thinks to cover ‘Back in the USSR‘ from the Beatles there? The place is right at the end of the airport runway, you get the necessary introductory plane sounds every 30 minutes.)

Flight to Mars are on tour through May 23, with proceeds benefit Camp Oasis for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America’s and Advocacy for Patients With Chronic Illness. McCready suffers from Cohn’s, so it’s a cause that means quite a bit to him.

Tim McPhate | kissfaq

KF: Lydia, I have to ask the obligatory “Beth” question. “Beth” is a song that generates much debate among KISS fans. Before its release, “Destroyer” was hovering around the million mark but seemed to have stalled. If “Beth” was never released as a single, what would have happened?

LC: They had already gone gold on “Alive!” I’m not really sure … but I know Gene and Paul [didn’t] want the song on the album. I think it was Bill Aucoin who really pushed for it.

When we were going to Japan, we were at the airport. We had a long wait at Kennedy [International Airport] before we got on the flight. And I looked over to Gene and I was thanking everyone in the band for making it possible for me to go to Japan. And I said to Gene, “I really want to thank you for making it possible for me to go to Japan.” And he said, “Don’t thank me. Thank ‘Beth’ — it made it possible for all of us to go to Japan.”

KF: I’m not sure if you’re aware but KISS have been playing “Beth” in concert with Eric Singer singing. What do you think of that?

LC: I’ve seen them do it on YouTube. I think it’s kind of strange because he’s standing instead of sitting and the guys are playing guitars in the background?

KF: Yes, acoustic guitars.

LC: I’m not that crazy about it. I guess I’m so used to the way Peter sang it.

KF: Of course, Eric Carr recorded it.

LC: Eric Carr did a good job.

KF: So you liked Eric Carr’s version?

LC: I was shocked when I first heard it. When I saw him at the Hot In The Shade party, I was talking to one of my girlfriends. He walked by, and I said, “Eric come here.” And I asked, “When you sang Beth, did you think of me?” And he said, “Of course, I did!” And I said, “That’s a great answer.” He was such a sweetheart. And I really did like the way he sang it.

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Chicago KISS Expo

RockCamp.com

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas or so they say! Celebrating our 15th anniversary, Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp is proud to announce the next installment of our highly successful music-magic experience taking place in sin city this coming Fall. Headlining the October camp at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will be co-founder and bassist for KISS and the face of A&E’s “Gene Simmons Family Jewels”– iconic rock god and media mogul Gene Simmons.

“I can’t think of a better way to kick off our next installment of Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas with none other than rock god Gene Simmons,” says Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp founder David Fishof.

“I can’t wait to reveal the secrets of becoming a rock star,” says Gene Simmons. “Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp is a grueling, military style musical training process. And I’m just the guy to be your Sergeant. Now, drop and give me twenty.”

Kicking off October 10th and culminating October 14th Gene Simmons will jam with campers of all talent levels providing them a taste of what it’s like to live the “rock and roll” lifestyle and a memory that will last a lifetime. The camp will host special rock stars including Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne guitarist, Black Label Society), Vince Neil (Motley Crue), and Sebastian Bach (Skid Row).

The rock camps allow music fans a chance to jam nightly with legendary rock stars, write and record an original song and perform live on stage in front of family and friends. Campers have the option of purchasing a three-day rock star package or five day headliner experience. Both packages will cover hotel accommodations, breakfast/lunch, daily classes and jam session, opening night dinner and cocktail party as well as a DVD copy of the final concert performance. To celebrate the camp’s culmination on October 14th, campers will jam at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas during a live concert.

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Jason Miller | Busineess 2 Community

With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, KISS is arguably one of the biggest and most successful bands on the planet. Led by the marketing genius that is Gene Simmons, they continue to reach new audiences while engaging lifelong fans. Gene Simmons may be best known as the fire-breathing, bass playing demon in one of the most influential rock bands in history, but he can also teach us a thing or two about content marketing.

KISS is a rock n’ roll band, but it is also a business and Gene Simmons is the CEO. Gene has showcased his entrepreneurial expertise through interviews with such influential publications such as Forbes and Business Week just to name a few.

Below are five business quotes from Gene that translate into great advice for B2B marketing professionals looking to build or improve their current content marketing strategy.

1) “We need the people to like what we do. The more they like us, the more they will buy.” Producing quality content that adds value, solves problems, is consistent, and entertains can have a humanizing effect making your business more likeable. Likeable content translates to likeable business and of course more adoring fans that are much more likely to buy your product.

2) “The most important thing is to use the right language.” When creating content for your business, you have to understand your target audience. What topics are relevant to them and what their pain points are. Monitor the conversations that are taking place in the social world then write your content addressing hot topics and providing solutions to their problems.

3) “If you want to hit the bull’s eye you should do it with a bomb instead of a bullet.” Having a solid inbound marketing strategy behind your content is important to get the maximum reach. It allows you to canvas a much larger online presence and boosts the likelihood of your content being found.

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Jon Stickler | Stereo Board

It looks as though the rumors about KISS performing in the UK this summer are getting stronger and stronger after Tommy Thayer revealed the band will be in London in July promoting a new ‘Monster’ book.

Last month Stereoboard reported news that KISS were “in negotiations to play at the London HMV Forum on July 4th” after the Knebworth Sonisphere Festival, which they were due to headline, was cancelled.

Today KISS news site deucenews.com has revealed that while at the Indy KISS Expo, Kiss lead guitarist Tommy Thayer confirmed the band will be in London during the first week of July promoting the ‘Monster’ book. This of course means that the possibility of KISS performing at London’s HMV Forum on July 4th is getting more and more.

Such news fuels speculation following Gene Simmons’ recent revelation that: “KISS and Motley Crue tour starts in July. And before then KISS will be in Europe for a festival or two.”

KISS ‘Monster’ book will be released with 15 different covers, each of them with 15 different country flags.

Mother Nature Network

Links-loving stars turned out for the 5th Annual George Lopez Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting the George Lopez Foundation to raise funds and awareness for kidney disease and organ donation. Held at the Lakeside Country Club, the event raised $500,000 for the cause. “It goes to send kids to camp and help people who are sick and may need a kidney and also may need information. It’s nice to see it get bigger every year,” said Lopez, himself a kidney recipient, who regularly donates a portion of his concert proceeds to the cause. He’s currently doing warm-up dates in preparation for a new HBO special, “It’s Not Me, It’s You,” that he’ll perform July 14 from L.A.’s Nokia Theater.

KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer said his band hasn’t quite figured out how to reduce energy consumption on tours like the big one they’re launching this summer, but he does what he can to do so at home. “We try to cut back and conserve as much as we can on our utilities. You get perks from the electric company and the water company if you do that. We recycle regularly and are really diligent about that. I probably could do better, to be honest with you — I think we all could — but it’s something I think about.”

A self-described “middle of the road golfer” who plays every week or so and tries to squeeze in an occasional game on the road, Thayer came down to support Lopez, who did the same for him at a fundraiser a couple of years ago. “I’m on the board of trustees of Pacific University in Oregon, and I host a fundraiser for the school’s endowment every summer,” he explained. Band mates Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons don’t share his love of golf, but Simmons “did make a valiant attempt” for the Oregon benefit. “He came up with a crew from ‘Gene Simmons Family Jewels’ to film, and they did a whole episode around him trying to play golf.”

Read the entire article HERE.

Gary Greenough

The KISS Tribute Harley, known as the KTH, was built during the ALIVE35 Tour, 2009. Although a stock platform rarely wins any prizes at bike shows, it is the most photographed bike at every show; KISS fans come out to see it.

When KISS took on the Wounded Warriors Project as a charity, the KTH became a magnet for donations to that event. At every bike show, a donation can, with an explanation for the donation, is put out with the bike. To date, nearly $3,000 has been collected and sent to WWP. People would be allowed to sit on the bike for a photo and a donation.

At the Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show of 2010, a member of HEROES, A KISS Experience, (now Las Vegas KISS), Luis Reyes, a Demon impersonator, stood behind the bike for four hours posing in full DEMON attire with people who sat on the bike. Over $1,000 was collected in those four hours. ALL proceeds of these events are sent to WWP.

Time, fuel, or hotel, are on the tab of the owner. As long as there are conflicts, as long as there are wounded warriors coming home, the KTH will be out there bringing in pennies, nickels, dimes and dollars, to be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Kreatures of the South

Chris Epting | Noisecreep

Shannon Tweed has jumped into the video game realm with Attack of the Groupies, a new mobile game which offers fans the opportunity to battle it out with hordes of groupies.

In the game, which is available for the iPad, iPhone and PC, Shannon enlists the help of a few trusty sidekicks, daughter Sophie Tweed-Simmons and her sister Tracy Tweed, who are in game as focal characters. Featuring stereotypical groupies inspired by Tweed’s stories of her years being with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, the game allows players to unlock exclusive, rarely seen content of the life of the starlet.

As design of the game neared completion, Gogii CEO and founder George Donovan visited the family and made a surprise appearance on Gene Simmons Family Jewels, the popular A&E reality show that features the Simmons clan, to demo the game. The episode featuring the game will air early in the upcoming season.

Noisecreep had the extreme pleasure of talking with Shannon herself about the game, the show’s new season and more.

Shannon, what’s it like to finally get some revenge against the groupies?

Believe me, you can’t make this shit up. These girls are out of their minds. So this feels really good right now. The characters were my ideas, and Sophie’s, and they are true to form. As far as choice of weapons, we kept it PG this time so kids can play with it, but I’d like to do a more hardcore version of the whole thing down the line. Basically it’s a power game – these are bitches from hell we deal with, just like in real life.
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From now until May 21, 2012 you can bid on the Bill Aucoin lot on eBay. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society so be generous! The main item being auctioned is the jacket, but there is much more so check out the link below for more details and photos:

Bill Aucoin eBay auction for the American Cancer Society.

Tim McPhate | KISSfaq

When I think of the “must-have” books for the KISS library, the ones that come to mind are “KISS Alive Forever,” “KISS: Behind The Mask” … “KISStory.” Chris Lendt’s ability to recount four-course meals from the ’70s and what “rankled” the late Bill Aucoin make “KISS And Sell” a winner. Can’t go wrong with the excellent research and extensive detail found in Julian Gill’s KISS Album Focus books. Nestled at the top of the bookshelf is also Lydia Criss’ excellent “Sealed With A KISS.”

What makes “Sealed With A KISS” arguably a cut above the rest is the personal feel of the book. It’s like looking at an insider’s personal scrapbook from the ’70s. And the photos. Criss’ book contains more than 1,500 images, offering fans a unique time capsule of a most magical period in KISS’ history as well as some great never-before-seen images from the unmasked era. Coupled with the text, it’s as if you’re right alongside Criss on not only her personal journey, but KISS’ rocket ride to superstardom.

Originally released in 2006, not surprisingly “Sealed With A KISS” ultimately sold out of its first printing. While Criss released an ebook version last year, fans’ best opportunity to land a physical copy is by scouring eBay, where copies run anywhere from $100 to $300. But that’s about to change with the second printing of “Sealed With A KISS,” which is set to be available in June. KissFAQ caught up with Lydia Criss to put her book back on the table and discuss the second printing, as well as a potpourri of KISS topics.

KissFAQ: Lydia, thanks for taking time to speak with us. We’ve been in touch for the past few months and you mentioned to me that you were working on a second printing of “Sealed With A KISS.” Can you give KISS fans an update on what’s going on in your world?

Lydia Criss: Well, first I was working on my ebook since my first printing sold out. I didn’t really think it would take long to get the second printing done. Especially since most of the work was done already. But the ebook came out during last summer. The second printing of the book is being printed in Italy now, the same place [as the first printing].

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Roman Fernandez

For the Very First Time: Bill Aucoin Auction to benefit Relay for Life / The American Cancer Society

On Friday, May 11 at 12:30 pm, Acreage / Loxahatchee Relay for Life team, “Alive n Kickin,” will be holding their annual auction to benefit The American Cancer Society. This year, they are auctioning off the first ever item from original KISS manager, Bill Aucoin’s, personal collection: a yellow “Dolce and Gabbana” leather jacket. Along with the jacket comes one of Bill’s personal KISS Alive 35 All Access Badges, a Certificate of Authenticity, (Bill’s signature is a digital copy), and an 8×10 of Bill and Gene that Bill used to sign at KISS conventions. This certificate will be personalized by Collection Administrator and longtime partner, Roman Fernandez. Also included is a personal bonus gift from the Aucoin family to be disclosed at time of auction.

Auction to be held via eBay beginning May 11 and closing on May 21. Full details to be released on Friday, May 11. For any preliminary questions, please email: AlivenKickin2012@gmail.com

Adopt the Arts

KISS appears in this awesome ad for Adopt the Arts. Apparently Eric has abandoned his drums and is now the third guitarist for the band, or maybe he left his laser-shooting drumsticks at home….

Irene Test | KVideo

Although he has since transformed into a reality television personality, Gene Simmons still has time for KISS. The band that made the tongue-wagging bass player famous is gearing up for their next release, an album titled Monster slated for July 2012. A follow-up to 2009’s Sonic Boom, Monster is produced by frontman Paul Stanley and is considered, by the group, one of their best releases so far. Simmons said: “[It’s] either the best or one of the top three records we’ve ever done. It’s like ‘Revenge’ meets ‘Destroyer’ – just guitar and drums, nothing else. No keyboards, no little boys’ choir, no strings, no nothing. Band-written; literally we’d get in and strum guitars like the old days.”

Their 20ths studio album is more than a back-to-basics approach. Instead, it’s an effort created by the high KISS found during sessions for Sonic Boom. In discussing their quick follow-up to the 2009 album, Stanley said: “I wasn’t interested in making an album unless I was in charge and no one agreed to it half-heartedly. The band’s all there, all the time, and we cut the tracks all facing each other in the same room. Chemistry and camaraderie, that’s essential. That’s what made ‘Sonic Boom’ so great, and this album is thunderously better.”

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Gary Graff | Billboard

KISS’ Gene Simmons is prepping the whip for his role mentoring the next batch of Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp attendees.

“I intend to be a hard taskmaster,” Simmons, who joins the camp Oct. 10-14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, tells Billboard.com. “The guy you hate the most when you go off into war is your drill sergeant, and he’s the guy you love the most when you get on the battlefield and all that hard work he put you through saves your life, or at least made you a better soldier. So I’m gonna be the drill sergeant and take these guys through it. They may not be able to perform in an arena, play in the band of their dreams or become big rock stars, but they’ll certainly be able to step up on their local stages everywhere and be 10 times the performer they were before.”

Simmons also notes that he’s “going to be insulting some people, because in the real world when you get up on stage, sometimes the audience will insult you. All they’re doing is telling you how they really feel — ‘Aw, you suck!’ ”

Simmons will be joined at the fall camp by Black Label Society leader Zakk Wylde, former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach and Vince Neil of Motley Crue, which will be touring with Kiss during the summer, wrapping up Sept. 23. Simmons says most of his lessons will be pragmatic — “Less about celebrity and more like, ‘OK, here it is,’ ” he notes — teaching the campers to “know about your instrument and know how to play,” develop some sense and appreciation for the business side of music and know that “you’ll be judged by not only how you sound but also how you look, how you dress, how you talk, what you say. I really want to treat this seriously.” Details about the fall camp are available at www.rockcamp.com .

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njkissexpo.com

What is the KISS Mart?
– A celebration of KISS merchandise and collecting.
– A place to buy, sell, trade and immerse yourself in all that is KISS memorabilia.
– FREE promotional and discount merchandise available!
– FREE event open to the public!

Not every fan is a collector, but all of the true KISS fans are! KISS collecting is a phenomena that is one of the many things that separates the Hottest Band in the Land from the other plain, average run-of-the-mill musicians.

Be a buyer, be a seller….or bring a bag-full of stuff to trade with other collectors or sell to dealers. The KISS Mart will have tables and tables of every KISS item imaginable. If you want to be part of the selling, tables are still available! Or if you just have a few things to sell or trade, this is the place, so bring your stuff!

FREE merchandise – The first 10 people in line when the doors open will receive a FREE 24″ x 36″ Gene Simmons KISS Meets the Phantom Poster! Plus, EVERY person that is in line when the doors open at 11am will receive a FREE KISS Comic Book and an unopened pack of KISS trading cards!

Best of all, this is a FREE event! Come down with your friends and family and spend an hour or spend all day shopping, trading and socializing with other KISS collectors – what would be a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon? Also, you’ll get to get a glimpse of the new permanent location of the New Jersey KISS Expo, the NJ Convention and Exposition Center. This facility is AMAZING and has everything needed to present all our upcoming KISS events of any size!

KISS Mart – KISS Memorabilia Show
– Saturday May 12, 2012
–  NJ Convention and Exposition Center.
– 11am to 6pm
– Free Admission and Free Parking
– Venue has a family-friendly cafe so lunch and snacks are available all day.
– ATMs available on site.
– Dealer Tables still available for rent. Visit the website for details.

Directions to the NJ Convention and Exposition Center

Mitch Lafon | BraveWords.com

Special Series By Mitch Lafon

May 19th, 2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of the brilliant KISS Revenge album. BraveWords.com will mark the passing of this landmark record with a five part series of interviews conducted in the last couple of weeks with the major players on the disc as well as a few musicians that you may not know took part in the album’s recording sessions. Our second such surprise is drummer, Kevin Valentine (DONNIE IRIS & THE CRUISERS). Like Tommy Thayer before him, Revenge was Kevin’s second appearance on a KISS album (having come in to cut the drums for the track ‘Take It Off’). His drum work can first be found on the track ‘You Love Me To Hate You’ from the band’s 1989 Hot In The Shade album. After Revenge, Kevin continued as a ghost musician for KISS playing on the entire Psycho Circus album save for one track (Into The Void) and before the recording of that album, he served as Peter Criss’ drum coach on 3-D Psycho Circus tour that came on the heels of the highly successful 1996 Reunion tour. Kevin has kept quiet over the years about his involvement with KISS, but in this exclusive interview with BraveWords.com, he finally breaks his silence.

BraveWords.com: How did you get involved with KISS? It’s been suggested that you first played with KISS on their Hot In The Shade album.

Kevin Valentine: “Correct. I did play on some stuff, but let me back up. Eric Singer and I are friends from high school in Euclid (a suburb of Cleveland). So, the Hot In The Shade record – he’d been playing live with Paul and doing demos with Paul, but he had to go back on the road with ALICE COOPER. He said to Paul, ‘Kevin’s a good guy, why don’t you give him a shot.’ So, I went in a played on a lot of Paul’s stuff. That was with Pat Regan at Fortress (studios). It was an electric kit except for the cymbals. Supposedly, my drums were replaced even though Pat said that most of my drums ‘weren’t quite replaced’. I don’t really know.”

BraveWords.com: But if you listened to the album, would you be able to recognize your parts?

Valentine: “Well, yeah I recognize my parts because it’s what I played when Paul and I put them down, but it’s hard to tell if they were actually replaced or not. There’s an issue of ‘feel’, but if someone is playing the same exact parts – it’s tough to tell.”

BraveWords.com: The accepted truth is that you played on the song ‘You Love Me To Hate You’. Does that sound reasonable?

Valentine: “Yeah. There’s always the craziness with the band, but sure it’s reasonable. I view the drum track and rhythm track as the foundation of the house and sometimes it’s hard to just rip out that foundation and put another one underneath there – no matter who is playing the foundation. It just doesn’t work and sometimes the demo has a certain feel over the master. So, you keep the demo because of that.”

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Andrew Barker | Variety

Last week, Kiss co-founder and frontman Paul Stanley was busy preparing for an upcoming co-headlining tour with Motley Crue, just after putting the final touches on the group’s studio record, “Monster,” which is due out this fall and will be inevitably followed by yet another tour.

By now, this is all old hat for the 60-year-old arena rock veteran. Yet as staunchly stratified as Kiss’ flashpot-and-greasepaint-aesthetic has become, the group seems set to enter its 40th anniversary year in 2013 amidst a music industry that has in many ways reformed into the band’s own image.

Though no longer attempting to stay abreast of every change in the musical weather, — as it did with disco and glam metal in its middle period — Kiss has managed to keep its name in the pop music conversation admirably well, slotting in on “American Idol” and launching a previous co-headlining tour with Aerosmith. Yet what’s perhaps most remarkable is the degree to which Kiss’ longtime operating procedure — aggressive multimedia licensing and an overall reliance on touring over record sales — has positioned the group for the industry upheavals of the last decade.

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