CADILLAC — Arguably one of the best live rock albums of all time was recorded in Detroit by the band KISS, but it was a stop in Cadillac that still has area residents talking about the quartet with heavy makeup 50 years later.

That October 1975 stop included a visit with the Cadillac varsity football team, a homecoming concert in the high school gym and the band members presented with a key to the city.

A 10-foot, 5,000-pound granite monument was unveiled near the high school to mark 40 years since the Cadillac concert and now banners throughout town will honor the band’s visit through the 50-year anniversary celebration this fall.

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It has been 10 years since Ros Radley appeared on Three Sides of the Coin saying the Magic book would be released Xmas 2015, still no updates… but lets be real, the book is not happening.

And Paul Stanley in a recent interview… Stanley told Broken Record about the Vegas event (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “ It started off as something, honestly, that Gene and I kind of took a back seat in, and, honestly, we reached a point not too far in the past where we both said, ‘You know what? This isn’t the way we want it.’ And it’s going to go through some major changes to be what we think it should be.

“We spent 12 years nurturing a KISS cruise and what that means and what goes into it and what you get to participate in and the social aspects between fans from 33 countries,” Paul explained. “So, this virtually will become a KISS cruise in Vegas. [It] doesn’t need a ship. It will have all the familiar touchstones that people love about a KISS cruise, whether it’s bands playing, Q&As, contests, food available, good drinks, social aspects to it.

“So, it started in a way that we kind of took a step back to see what some other people might do. And then we recently found ourselves going, ‘No. This isn’t what we want to do or the way we wanna do it.’ So there’ll be some announcements forthcoming and a lot of stuff where people are gonna be very happy, as I am, that.

The biggest hit single that Kiss ever had in America was in 1976 with Beth — a ballad sung by the band’s drummer Peter Criss.

“It was such a big departure for them,” says Bob Ezrin, the producer and co-writer of the song.

In a new interview for CBS News show The National, Ezrin recalls how Beth was created from humble beginnings and transformed into a classic rock ballad with a unique sound.

“I don’t think Beth was a power ballad,” Ezrin says. “There’s no big rock ’n’ roll guitars, no drums…”

He also recalls how Beth was originally greeted with outright hostility by many diehard Kiss fans: “People thought it was like heresy!” he says.

Ezrin was enlisted by Kiss for their fourth studio album Destroyer after he had produced huge hits for Alice Cooper with songs such as School’s Out and Only Women Bleed.

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These official KISS guitar picks were left over from KISS Kruise V. Each pick features a band member depicted as a blood-spattered KISS zombie! Reverse of each pick is printed with a blood-slashed KISS logo, the band member’s signature, and “Halloween 2015.” Printed on white marble pick stock.  ALMOST GONE!

Order now at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!

Paul Stanley recently reflected on KISS’s evolution after the departure of original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. He shared his thoughts during an appearance on The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan.

The KISS frontman discussed the band’s transition period. He explained how new members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer revitalized the group’s spirit.

“By ‘Psycho Circus,’ we knew the end was coming and what we would what we would do,” Stanley said. “Again, to have created something so wonderful with Peter and Ace and Gene, then to see it just in such terrible shape and the acrimony and everything, it was so difficult.”

Stanley explained his determination to continue despite the challenges. He credited manager Doc McGhee for his support.

“The people that were glad that we went away were the ones who hated us, and they were the ones who were angry when we came back,” he continued. “But I wanted to continue. I couldn’t imagine it (retiring) quite honestly. But Doc was one of those people going ‘You can you can continue.’ And what Tommy and Eric brought to the band was the spirit that Ace and Peter no longer had. So that’s as important as the music.”

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Set of 6 shooters in a beautiful gift box display. Each is 4? tall. Stock photo. In original packaging.

Order now at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!

Very hard to get special edition of Chip Rocks Outtakes book. Hardcover only 50 made signed by Chip Rock. Very difficult to get. Amazing photo book! Probably the best ever!

Order now at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!

by Alex Lloyd Gross

While Ace Frehley was not playing cards , he was playing music this weekend at Rivers Casino in Philadelphia. From the first note of “Shock Me” to the closing of Rock and Roll All Night”, this was a fun night for people that appreciate good music. As soon as the lights went down, the crowd stood up and remained standing .

Those down front stayed close to their seats, until the start of “Love Gun”,then it was controlled bedlam, as those fans claimed a spot right next to the stage. Most in the crowd moved up behind those that were in the front and were singing to every song.

Ace did a standard set. In the past, he would put in a medley of songs, about 45 seconds of say “Hard Times”, or “Torpedo Girl”, songs that were fan favorites, but could not fit into the set as a whole. This time around, he did not do that. He did play songs from when he was in KISS, besides the opener and “Love Gun”. “Rocket Ride”, from Alive 2 and “She” as well as “Parasite”.

He did play “Cherry Medicine,” from his new 10,000 volts release and that was it. It would have been great to hear the title track or more songs from this record that is pure gold. Ace has two cover albums out, Origins and Origins 2. He did nothing off of them. In fact, a lot of albums he never touched on. Like Second Sighting, Trouble Walking or Spaceman for example.

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In a recent interview, Gene Simmons declared that the Beatles are “above and beyond anything that anybody’s seen in music over, oh, 200 years — easily”. 

The rocker made these comments on a recent episode of The School Of Greatness podcast with host Lewis Howes, where he was asked to name some of the greatest musicians and songwriters in the world that he had seen or heard.

Referring to the Beatles, Simmons said: “You have to understand, they only existed seven years and they came from a place that was a pool filled with liver, Liverpool, where nothing ever happened”. 

He continued: “High unemployment rate, no experience, no resume, no nothing. And yet [sings] ‘I wanna hold your hand’, [sings] ‘She loves you. Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ And that last chord, that minor ninth is as sophisticated chord, if you know about music… That thing is almost like a jazz chord — unheard of in rock music”.

Mentioning songs, Simmons added:  “Okay, look, I’m gonna give you something you’ll be able to understand. [THE ROLLING STONES’] ‘Satisfaction’ is one of the great songs… It takes about 40 seconds to get to the first [chorus], ‘I can’t get no…’ Or anything. [CREAM’s] ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’. It takes about 50 seconds to get [to] ‘I’ve been waiting so long’ and all that. On and on and on”.

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