Tickets only $10 in advance!
KISS Tribute band KISS Nation playing in full makeup and Dressed to Kill suits!
Photographer Lynn Goldsmith shooting fans for upcoming KISS book!
Huge after show party with all your friends, old and new, at the Hilton Garden Inn
Visit NJKISSExpo.com for all tickets and Information!
Katherine Turman | Village Voice
Rob Menzer
Two Naked Cowboys, one Spanish-speaking SpongeBob, a headless Hello Kitty, and an ersatz version of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” all vie for attention on a teeming, muggy, late-summer Times Square afternoon. Unbeknownst to the masses, though, the coolest cartoon character of all is dining on salmon sushi on the second floor of nearby Bluefin restaurant. Ace Frehley, Kiss’s onetime Spaceman, is still spacey after all these years: to wit, his just-released solo record, entitled Space Invader. It’s the 63-year-old guitar icon’s fifth solo outing since his self-titled effort back in 1978.
Frehley, in sunglasses and a striped button-down shirt, flashes back to that moment before the coordinated September 18, 1978, release of all four Kiss solo efforts. “We all had a big meeting sitting around the table prior to going our separate ways for those records, and the others were a little cynical to me, kind of hinting, ‘Hey, if you need any help, we’re here if you need us.’ As if I did need help, you know?” remembers Frehley with a slight hint of aggro. “It kind of just put fuel on the fire for me to work twice as hard on my solo record. We all know what happened.”
What happened was Frehley’s nine-song LP was both the critics’ favorite and best-selling of the solo discs (it went Platinum), thanks in part to a song that would become his hallmark, the Russ Ballard (Argent)-penned stomp-along anthem “New York Groove.” On August 12, some 37 years after he first recorded it, Frehley sat in with the Roots to play the song on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, the band laughingly following Frehley’s orders — “I think it’s just a cunt-hair faster,” he instructed between commercial breaks in his trademark nasal Noo Yawk drawl, as the tuba blatted out the tune’s signature riff.
Three or four times during the course of recording Space Invader, which took 10 months, Frehley “sat down and threw on my old ’78 solo album. I tried to take elements from that record and incorporate into this new record, because fans are always psyched that it’s their favorite Ace record.”
See also: Photos: Ace Frehley’s Space Invader Listening Party
One of those fans is Tom Morello, the revolutionary Rage Against the Machine guitarist who inducted Kiss into the Hall of Fame in 2014 with an elegant, on-the-money speech and was the band’s biggest champion in the behind-closed-doors nominating committee meetings. “I don’t think anyone, even the members of Kiss, would argue that Ace’s [’78 solo album] was the best one. It was fantastic,” Morello says. “His core sensibility was that he just wanted to rock, he had no artistic pretense, there was no aiming for hits, and it was just a great rock ‘n’ roll dude making a rock record.”
David Rolland | New Times
Kiss’ bassist, frontman, and legendary tongue, Gene Simmons, made headlines last week for saying these four very wrong words in an interview he did with his son for Esquiremagazine: “Rock is finally dead.”
You should always be hesitant to expect too many profound thoughts from athletes, entertainers, or straight men who wear makeup. But anyone would be curious why a guy who cowrote “I wanna rock and roll all night” would now be quoted as saying, “The death of rock was not a natural death. Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered.”
Could the reason Gene Simmons thinks rock is dead be because nothing being produced right now interests him? Could it be that he thinks audiences have moved on to other forms of entertainment? Maybe it was an observation on how guitars have become less and less noticeable in modern music. Or maybe he thinks no rock stars out there are pushing the envelope.
Those might be valid reasons for his comment, but in reading the interview, nowhere in there does Simmons say there’s a lack of quality. He even shows good taste in raving about psych Aussie rockers Tame Impala. Rather, Simmons’ big thesis is that it’s not lucrative for kids to focus on a career in rock anymore.
He then goes on an Ayn Rand-inspired rant about how file sharing and illegal downloading of music has killed the dream of a 15-year-old kid who hopes to become rich by playing music that provokes an immediate reaction of: Fuck that hypothetical kid. Let him become a hedge-fund manager or design an app if he wants to be rich. If profit is his goal, he’s going to make some crap music.
The best rock ‘n’ roll has always been inspired by a desire to get laid, look cool, or, at the very least, start a revolution. Look at your favorite bands and you can see the quality of their music spiral downward the longer they have been gifted with wealth; think Elvis or Axl.
Cindy Ord
‘The death of rock was not a natural death. Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered,’ he declares.
‘It’s very sad for new bands. My heart goes out to them. They just don’t have a chance. If you play guitar, it’s almost impossible,’ he adds during an interview with Esquire.
But everyone loves a guitarist in a band, right?
‘You’re better off not even learning how to play guitar or write songs, and just singing in the shower and auditioning for The X Factor. And I’m not slamming The X Factor, or pop singers. But where’s the next Bob Dylan? Where’s the next Beatles? Where are the songwriters? Where are the creators? Many of them now have to work behind the scenes, to prop up pop acts and write their stuff for them.’
Harsh man, harsh.
So what was the ultimate cause of death for rock and roll?
Cassius Morris
ATTENTION – Legendary photographer Lynn Goldsmith will be photographing and interviewing fans for an up-coming KISS book at this year’s New Jersey KISS Expo – be sure to dress the part to be included in this piece of KISStory!
Lynn produced some of the most recognizable photos of KISS as well as many other rock bands of the ‘70s and ’80s, (in the Land of Hype and Glory TV show from ’77, she is the photographer on the stage yelling, “gimme more tongue” to Gene, to give him motivation). A simple Google search will show you the astonishing amount of iconic KISS photos she is responsible for that we have loved for decades!
Lynn also has photo credit on album covers for many other artists including Ted Nugent, the Village People, Police, Grand Funk Railroad, Frank Zappa and has also worked with Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, the Ramones, Prince and Ozzy Osborne, just to name a few.
Do not miss the opportunity for the chance to meet Lynn and be part of her new KISS book. Come dressed in your KISS costumes or wear all your KISS paraphernalia for the photo shoot!
See more of Lynn’s work at lynngoldsmith.com.
If you’re a KISS fan in Israel then you’re in luck. Frontman Gene Simmons announced on Facebook this week that the band will be performing in Israel as part of their world tour.
Simmons was born in Haifa under the birthname of Chaim Witz, and emigrated to the States when he was only 8 with his mother, who’s a Holocaust survivor. Simmons and his fellow bandmates formed KISS in New York in 1973, and have gone on to sell over 100 million albums and have 28 gold records to their name (and counting). The band was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year, though they refused to perform.
Simmons, known for his candid opinions and outright political view, has openly said he’s pro-Israel and publicly defended the country in the wake of a media outcry following their recent war with Hamas. Simmons has also spoken out about artists who refuse to play in Israel as part of their pro-Palestinian tactics or who encourage other artists to cancel their Israeli performances to put pressure on the country.
Ace Frehley‘s new album, ‘Space Invader,’ includes a song (‘What Every Girl Wants’) that makes use of the phrase “shakin’ sharp shooter.” As fans may recall, this isn’t the first time Frehley’s used those words in song — in fact, he originally tried to use them on his last album with Kiss, 1998′s ‘Psycho Circus.’
“‘Into the Void’ on ‘Psycho Circus’ used to be called ‘Shakin’ Sharp Shooter,’” Frehley tells Ultimate Classic Rock in an exclusive video interview, which you can watch above. “That was a song I originally wrote with that music, and [Paul Stanley] and [Gene Simmons] didn’t think it was working with the rest of the songs the the record.”
Determined to wrangle a songwriting credit onto the album, Frehley pressed on undaunted. “I said to Gene, ‘Give me half an hour,’ and I went up into another room in the studio and I wrote all the lyrics for ‘Into the Void’ — boom!” he laughs. “I work good under pressure.”
August 28th, 2014..KISS played a blistering set in front of 18,000+ screaming KISS freaks in St. Louis, Mo.!!! Your STRANGE WAYS pals felt compelled to discuss the festivities, and are joined by special guests, and local KISS freaks, Lonnie Weishaar, and Maria Shepard to talk about a great night!!! We hope you enjoy, KISS ARMY!!!
Joe Polo
The New Jersey KISS Expo returns Saturday, September 13 in Edison NJ at the NJ Exposition Center at the Raritan Center. Growing bigger and bigger every year, this show is slated to be our best yet!
We still have a few Dealer Tables left – click HERE to reserve yours!
Tickets are on sale now – Discount if you buy in advance HERE!
All info and directions are HERE!
The NJ KISS EXPO is proud to announce Danny Anniello, ‘The Farrow’ – sculptor behind the current line of KISS action figures.
Under an exclusive arrangement, he will be creating OFFICIAL 12 and 8 inch figure variants for sale ONLY at this year’s New Jersey KISS Expo! Yes, these are OFFICIAL items endorsed by Figures Toy Company! Each extremely limited figure will be specially enhanced from the regular figures as well as SIGNED and NUMBERED by The Farrow.
Also, The Farrow will be showcasing prototypes of upcoming KISS figure releases including a 12 inch Gene Simmons variant that spits blood! Yes, actually SPITS BLOOD!
“The Farrow” Danny Anniello is currently the official lead Sculptor for Figures Toy Company on the well-known KISS product line. A self taught sculptor who got his start creating custom 1-of-a-kind, high end, incredibly detailed, life-like figures of his favorite bands KISS, Motely Crue, Eddie from Iron Maiden, Punky Meadows from Angel, etc. An eye for detail, and the ability to sculpt realistic figures, eventually lead to professional work for Figures Toy Company and Neca, (licensees for many Music, Superhero, TV, and Movie product lines). He has sculpted many Mego-style figures for Figures Toy Company such as KISS, BATMAN 66, EVEL KNIEVEL, and with many more to come!
The Farrow also plays with ‘LORDS OF MERCY’, a band rising fast and has played with legendary acts Ace Frehley, Michael Schenker, Twisted Sister, Accept and will be touring with ANVIL in October 2014.
See all of The Farrow’s figures on his official website HERE.
Fox 5 News
Elliot in the Morning
David Hinckley | New York Daily News
With all the promotion that now surrounds professional football pretty much year-round, it’s not a big surprise that the quarterbacks of the rock band Kiss would get in on the action.
No band has ever promoted itself more flamboyantly than these rockers who started in the ’70s, and now original Kiss-ers Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are presenting an AMC show called “4th and Loud,” about their adventures running the Arena Football League team the LA Kiss. It airs Tuesday nights at 9.
They do say they rejected the idea of having the team wear the face paint that has long been a stage signature of the band.
“There are some pragmatic reasons why our great athletes should not be wearing the Kiss makeup,” says Simmons. “For one thing, you’ve got to earn it. Secondly, it’s got to be real football, not stuff going into everybody’s eyes while they are running on the field and getting tackled. Not a good idea.”
Elsewhere, though, there are Kiss touches all over.
Ben Smith | VH1
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It’s not uncommon to hear fans opine that the best Kiss album isn’t a Kiss album at all, but is actually the 1978 solo album from their extraterrestrial former-lead guitarist Ace Frehley. So it was welcome news when Ace let it be known that he was looking back to that first solo album while putting together his latest, entitled Space Invader, which came out last week. From the thick, memorable guitar riffs to the spacey artwork courtesy of Ken Kelly, who painted the cover of Kiss’ landmark Destroyer album, there’s plenty for Kiss and Ace Frehley fans to get excited about. And that’s a nice change of pace considering all the drama that surrounded past and present members when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But the affable and good-natured Bronx native remains reflective about the incident, as you’ll read below, and is excited to be taking his new album on the road. So let’s turn things over to him or as his former-bandmate Paul Stanley would say “ACE FREHLEY, LEAD GUITAR!! COME ON!!!”
VH1: What are your feeling now about the events surrounding Kiss’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Ace Frehley: The rock and roll hall of fame was an exciting experience. We could’ve been inducted 15 years earlier you know, but we finally got inducted this year in April. I know there was a little controversy going on preceding the event. Originally we were asked to perform and at the last minute Paul and Gene decided they didn’t want to perform with me and Peter(founding Kiss drummer Peter Criss). Me and Peter were up for it. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was insisting that only the four original members perform and you know, Paul and Gene opted not to do it, after 40 years they couldn’t give the fans 15 minutes. Go figure. I think they’re going to regret that decision.
Tell us about your new album Space Invader.
