Ohio Northern University isn’t exactly known for loud, raucous mayhem—but on May 9, 1975, things were different.

On that night, the now legendary rock band KISS performed for a packed, frenzied crowd in the newly-opened King Horn Sports Center. KISS debuted what would be become their anthem—“Rock ’n Roll All Nite”—and their pyrotechnics scorched the ceiling.

It was wild. It was unforgettable. And for Dr. Jimmy Wilson, associate professor of management & geographic information systems—and a lifelong rock ’n roll devotee—it became a passion project.

“KISS has this huge following and there’s a mystique that surrounds the band,” he said. “To think they played on campus for $5 a ticket right before they gained worldwide fame— it’s just incredible to consider.”

For more than a decade, Wilson has conducted research, gathered first-hand accounts, and worked on a video documentary about this sensational night in ONU history. Travis Yammine, BSBA ’19, a KISS fan since middle school, assisted Wilson when he was an ONU student. The two co-authored a paper on the concert that Wilson recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Geographers in Detroit.

“Some may wonder why undertake a whole project surrounding a single concert—what’s the point?” said Yammine. “But it’s actually a very interesting story to tell, and this little pocket of Midwest rock ’n roll culture that would otherwise get lost if it wasn’t for someone like Dr. J. keeping it alive.”

How did KISS end up in Ada?

It’s the question Wilson hears a lot: How did a band like KISS land in the quiet village of Ada?

Wilson explains that Ada, though rural, sits near what was known in the ‘70s as the “Iron Triangle”—a circuit between Detroit, Cleveland, and Toledo, where up and coming bands toured. The ONU students charged with bringing entertainment to campus likely had access to the circuit booking agents, and in KISS’s case, may have caught a lucky break.

“Believe it or not, the Midwest was rock ’n roll central in that decade,” said Wilson. “It was the place where many bands got their start.”

ONU administrators likely had no idea who KISS was at the time—and likely regretted it later.

“After the show, ONU President Samuel Meyer openly vowed something like this would never happen again,” Wilson laughs.

KISS was relatively unknown in May 1975. According to Wilson, most people came to the concert expecting to see Rush (a no-show, replaced last minute by The Flock) or The James Gang, a popular garage band.

It wasn’t until a few months after their ONU performance that KISS exploded onto the international music scene.

“I am not really a fan of their music,” Wilson admits, “but you can’t talk about rock ’n roll in America without talking about KISS. There’s no denying that what they did was innovative and very, very lucrative.”

KISS wasn’t just known for their music—they became famous for their over-the-top stage presence: face paint, pyrotechnics, and blood-spitting theatrics.

“They appealed to a specific demographic—young men, usually rebellious,” said Wilson.

Campus Legends

KISS’s appearance on ONU’s campus, not surprisingly, caused quite a stir at the time.

In his research, Wilson uncovered some legendary stories.

Band members, dressed down in street clothes before the concert, were mistaken for broke students and handed free meal tickets by a faculty member. They stayed in a dorm room—because the student budget didn’t cover hotel accommodations. (Peter Criss shared this in his memoir, “Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of KISS”).

And, according to Wilson’s research, strong evidence suggests this was the band’s first public performance ever of the now-iconic chorus: “I wanna rock and roll all night, and party every day.”

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@KISS @GeneSimmons on his solo tour surpised the @The Wellmont Theater crowd with a rendition of “Mony Mony” by the original singer/writer @tommyjamesofficial #kiss #genesimmons #monymony #tommyjames #concerts #livemusic #musictok

♬ original sound – LouisAtAShow

“This is more of a fan gathering,” Simmons says of the Kiss Army Storms Vegas event, which takes place between 14-16 November this year.

Fans heading to Kiss’s upcoming Vegas event would do well to know that it “ain’t a concert,” according to Gene Simmons, who recently admitted that he isn’t even sure if the full band will be there.

Speaking to Rob Rush of New York’s 94.3 The Shark radio station, the bassist – who recently postponed 17 dates of his upcoming solo tour – discusses the three-day Kiss Army Storms Vegas event set to take over Virgin Hotels Las Vegas from 14 to 16 November.

While the name may conjure images of pyrotechnics, platform boots, and makeup-clad rock theatrics, Simmons says this event is something entirely different.

This is much more a fan gathering,” he explains [via Blabbermouth]. “The Kiss Army… are taking over the Virgin Hotel and we will show up, but I don’t even know if the entire band’s gonna be there.”

“I know Paul [Stanley] and I are gonna be there, and Tommy [Thayer]. [Former Kiss guitarist] Bruce Kulick probably will show up, and we’ll jam, answer questions and stuff. It ain’t a concert – we’re gonna do none of that stuff.”

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Professor Of Rock has released the video below, along with the following introduction…

“Coming up, it’s the ultimate countdown of classic crushes, heartbreaks, and unforgettable anthems. Some of these songs were written about real people, while others just needed the perfect name to make them timeless. It’s our Girl In The Song countdown, including Prince’s naughty song ‘Darling Nikki’ that offended every politician’s wife in Washington DC. And ‘Angie’, a song that Mick Jagger allegedly wrote to make peace when his buddy’s wife found them in bed together. Plus ‘Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)’, which made an obscure girl’s name one of the most popular of the 70s. And another song, ‘Beth’, that KISS hated so much, most of the key members didn’t even show up to record it, and then it became their biggest hit. Interviews and stories are next on Professor Of Rock.”

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Gene Simmons and his solo band kicked off their 2025 tour with gigs in Georgia and Kentucky, albeit the first was cut short due to weather.

Simmons and company only made it through six songs at the tour kickoff show on Friday (May 2nd) at the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City, Georgia. The setlist opened with two KISS classics, “Duece” and “Shout It Out Loud,” and Gene later ran through a cover of Van Halen’s “House of Pain” before the gig was called off due to heavy rain.

The following night (Saturday, May 3rd) went better, with Simmons’ band running through the full setlist at the Beaver Dam Amphitheater in Kentucky. The first six songs remained the same, with Simmons also throwing in covers of Motörhead (“Ace of Spades”), Thin Lizzy (“Bad Reputation”), and The Beatles (“And Your Bird Can Sing”). The rest of set was filled out by Gene’s own solo songs and material he penned for KISS and even some he didn’t (i.e. Ace Frehley’s “Cold Gin”).

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KISS frontman Paul Stanley expressed his enthusiasm for David Lee Roth’s return performance at the M3 Festival on X (formerly Twitter). His comments highlighted a milestone moment following Roth’s extended break from live performances.

“I watched Diamond Dave’s return at M3 Festival and LOVED IT!” Stanley wrote. “Looks Great. Great staging. Great band. Great vibe. The whole thing was cool. Back-up posse too. Check it all out on YouTube. Welcome Back Dave!!”

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Guitarist Bruce Kulick, who was a member of KISS from 1984 – 1996, has shared details of three upcoming events he is confirmed to be part of.

“Looking forward to the RetroMania show in Aurora, CO May 17-18th. It’s an awesome collectible show. Come enjoy the event with me!” Complete details can be found here.

In the history of rock and roll, KISS has been one of the biggest bands ever. From their music to their merchandise sales to their live performances, they’ve made strides very few have. To measure their impact against others in their genre, you would have to look at bands such as the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, or the Beatles. With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, KISS has positioned themselves to be mentioned in the rarefied air alongside these fellow contemporaries.

Beginning as Wicked Lester, Chaim Witz and Stanley Eisen tried to make the band work, but both knew changes needed to be made if they were ever going to make it big. A major step they took was changing their names, with Witz becoming Gene Simmons and Eisen becoming Paul Stanley.

Eventually, the two would be joined by Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, starting a new band named KISS. It didn’t take long for the band to make an impact. Their signature makeup and costumes made them stand out, but surely one significant thing that has set them apart over the years is the hit songs that have come to define them.

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Cornerstone Trading Card Series 2 Cards 91-180 set. Silver foil. Becoming hard to find.

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