Mitch Lafon

Mitch Weissman once played the role of ‘Paul McCartney’ in the original Broadway production of Beatlemania, but it’s his association with Gene Simmons and KISS that fans keep asking him about. Mitch Weissman goes one-on-one in this interview with rock journalist, Mitch Lafon. During the conversation, we find out about Mitch’s involvement in Gene Simmons’ 1978 solo album, writing and submitting songs for the KISS album Creatures Of The Night, Lick It Up, Animalize and Crazy Nights (as well as the heavily KISS connected Wendy O’ Williams album, WOW.) Weissman even lifts the veil of mystery surrounding ghost musicians on those KISS albums and comes clean as to what he did and did not play on. Also, hear Mitch tell stories about Cher, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Jimmy Crespo, former Aerosmith managers Steve Leber and David Krebs as well as Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen.

Talking Metal

On this episode of the podcast former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick announces that his 3 solo albums will soon be released on iTunes for the first time.  He also mentions that the iTunes release of the BK3 album will have 2 new bonus tracks.  Other interview topics include Grand Funk Railroad, Michael Bolton, Judas Priest, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer, Mark St. John, Paul Stanley, Vinnie Vincent, Eric Carr, Ace Frehley and his recent marriage.

Hear the Bruce Kulick interview HERE

Joe Polo

Rolling Stone

Fin Costello

You wanted the best? It took a while, but you got the best: Forty years after the release of their debut album, Kiss have finally made the cover of Rolling Stone. Marking the band’s upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the cover image is a classic 1975 photo of the band’s original lineup: Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, plus Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, who were both gone from the band by the early Eighties.

A lifetime of Kiss: look back at the group’s history in photos

The cover story, by Rolling Stone senior writer Brian Hiatt, tells the sad, hilarious and triumphant story of one of the biggest rock bands ever, taking an in-depth look at the founding members’ lives and careers. Hiatt hung out with all four original members in their homes (in San Diego, Beverly Hills and Monmouth County, New Jersey) where they shared fond memories and, inevitably, some intense backbiting. “I keep thinking about Ace and Peter,” Simmons admits. “”What are they doing now? Where are they?’ It’s gotta be close to the end. How do you make any money? How do you pay your bills?”

Even Stanley and Simmons have had their differences. “We’ve always seen each other as brothers,” says Stanley. “What we seem to be at odds at is how you treat your brother. Gene’s priority, by far, has always been himself. And he’s not one to let anyone else’s feelings or contributions get in the way.”

They also explain precisely why they won’t be reuniting for a performance at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Stanley and Simmons offered to allow the former members to jam with Kiss’ current lineup, featuring guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, but Ace and Peter found that proposition deeply insulting. “I won’t be disrespected,” Criss says. “How can you put me in the Hall of Fame and then tell me to go sit over there in the corner while another guy puts on my makeup and plays? That’s an injustice. To the fans, too.”

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Eddie Trunk | That Metal Show

Mitch Lafon

In June 1980, at age 11, rock journalist (or kid at the time) MITCH LAFON sat down with KISS’ GENE SIMMONS to discuss the following topics ‘Why does KISS wear make-up?’ and what were ‘Gene’s thoughts on bootleggers’. However, the interview starts off with Marianne Stenbaek (Mitch’s mom) speaking with Gene about KISS’ ‘new’ album UNMASKED, their new style in music and concert presentation, and was KISS more about the show than the music. Gene, for his part, brings up The KISS World travelling amusement park, The KISS Unmasked World Tour, The ‘possibility’ of a Peter Criss solo album and answers the question on everybody’s mind back in those days – why did Peter Criss leave?

The interview took place at AUCOIN management in New York City (June 1980) and Gene was NOT wearing make-up. Interestingly, Peter had left the band, but Eric Carr had not been publicly named as his replacement yet. Also, the July 25th 1980 ‘Palladium’ show in NYC was more than a month away. In this video, I have included a picture of the signed PROMO vinyl album that Gene handed my mom (and signed to her) as well as my ticket to the July 25th 1980 PALLADIUM show.

Steve Blevins | 70s KISS Podcast

Dana | EddieTrunk.com

As previously reported, Original KISS drummer, Peter Criss will be special guest on this Saturday’s (March 22nd) episode of That Metal Show.

In the preview clip posted below, as transcribed byblabbermouth.net, Criss explains how he found out about KISS’ Rock Hall induction and he expressed how heartbroken he is that we won’t be performing at the event.

“I got a call from [KISS leaders] Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley], which I hadn’t got a call from them in many, many, many, many, many moons, including when I had my cancer,” Criss said. “And so, all of a sudden, I get a call and I’m being congratulated. ‘We’re gonna have fun.’ And I’m thinking… And I know, as I wrote in my book, there’s a lot of bad blood, and I just don’t trust [those guys] anymore. And I took it with a grain of salt and said, ‘Maybe.’ But then again, I had to go back and read the book myself and go, ‘What, are you crazy? Nothing’s changing. It doesn’t matter what goes on. Something’s gonna happen.’ And I said to [my wife], ‘It sounds too good to be true.’”

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Mitch Lafon

Strange Ways

This episode finds your KISS Army bros, sitting down with an old friend that we haven’t seen in about 20 years, and talking about KISS. We touch on a smattering of KISS topics, and in the wake of much KISS drama, get to the bottom of being in the KISS Army for life! We had a great time, and hope you enjoy it, KISS Army! We also feature a brand-spankin’,although admittedly rough mix of a new KISS cover for you to check out! And as always, check us out on facebook, itunes, podomatic, etc. Thanks for listening, and keep on rockin’!

Joe Polo

KISSonline.com

Chris Baker | Syracuse.com

It’s time to pour some sugar all night long and party every day.

KISS and Def Leppard announced today they will join forces this summer on the Heroes Tour. The 42-city North American tour includes two stops in Upstate New York.

The bands come to Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. on Tuesday, August 5. The tour also stops at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Center, N.Y. on Wednesday, August 13.

Tickets for both shows go on sale Saturday, March 22 at 10 a.m. via Live Nation. Tickets for the Darien Lake show range from $32.50 to $149.50. Tickets at SPAC range from $29.50 to $149.50.

KISS will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame this April, just prior to the tour. In an interview with the Associated Press last Friday, Paul Stanley of KISS voiced his displeasure with the Hall for only inducting the original lineup.

The joint tour marks the first time the two classic rock groups have shared a bill together.

Complete tour dates:

• 6/23 – USANA Amphitheater, West Valley City, Utah
• 6/25 – Pepsi Center, Denver, Colo.
• 6/27 – Sleep Country Amphitheater, Ridgefield, Wash.
• 6/29 – White River Amphitheatre, Auburn, Wash.
• 7/2 – Concord Pavilion, Concord, Calif.
• 7/3 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Wheatland, Calif.
• 7/5 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Irvine, Calif.
• 7/6 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, Calif.
• 7/8 – The Forum, Los Angeles, Calif.
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ABC News Radio

KISSonline.com

KISS is set to mark its 40th anniversary and impending Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with a variety of special releases, including a series of album reissues on high-quality vinyl, a two-CD compilation and a massive vinyl box set.

The LP reissue series will launch on April 1 with the arrival of remastered versions of 10 of the band’s albums on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl.  Additional LPs will be released on May 6, May 27 and June 6.  Among the reissues will be three albums that never have been available before on vinyl — 1997’sCarnival of Souls: The Final Sessions, 1998’s Psycho Circus and 2006’s Alive: The Millennium Concert, which previously was only available as part of the KISS Alive! 1975-2000 box set.

The double-CD retrospective, meanwhile, is titled KISS 40 and will hit stores sometime in May.  The collection will feature 40 tracks, including one from ever major album the band put out.  Among the songs are such classic hits as “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Beth,” “Hard Luck Woman,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “Christine Sixteen” and “Lick It Up.”  The compilation also offers four previously unreleased tunes, a 1977 demo version of “Reputation” and live renditions “Deuce” from 2004, “Cold Gin” from 2009 and “Crazy Crazy Nights” from 2010.

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Kory Grow | Rolling Stone

A quartet of Kiss fans trashed 25 vehicles and caused more than $40,000 worth of damage in a New Jersey auto lot last week, according to NJ.com. Video of the vandals, found on Gothamist, show them wearing masks with vocalist-guitarist Paul Stanley’s (probably) trademarked stars over their right eyes as they spray-painted the hoods of vehicles and smashed windows with crowbars, fire extinguishers and a shovel. At one point, two of the Stanleys chest-bumped. Police believe the men are in their late teens or early 20s.

Kiss’ Long Road to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Photos

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Mike Boehm | LA Times

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of the rock band KISS have long cherished living in aggrieved opposition to critics who said they have failed to respect their heavy metal oeuvre, and the band’s impending induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn’t changing their tune.

LA KISS Football

Sound Cloud

In the 10-minute audio clip above, KISS frontman Paul Stanley discusses the writing and narration of his memoir, “Face The Music: A Life Exposed”. This episode also includes an excerpt from the prologue.

“People say I was brave to write such a revealing book, but I wrote it because I needed to personally reflect on my own life,” Stanley said. “I know everyone will see themselves somewhere in this book, and where my story might take them is why I’m sharing it.”

Well known for his onstage persona, the “Starchild”, Paul Stanley has written a memoir with a gripping blend of personal revelations and gritty war stories about the highs and lows both inside and outside of KISS. Born with a condition called microtia (an ear deformity rendering him deaf on the right side), Stanley‘s traumatic childhood experiences produced an inner drive to succeed in the most unlikely of places: music. Taking readers through the series of events that led to the founding of KISS, the personal relationships that helped shape his life, and the turbulent dynamics among his bandmates over the past forty years, this book leaves no one unscathed — including Stanley himself.

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Miriam Coleman | Rolling Stone

Gene Simmons once had to talk Eddie Van Halen out of leaving his namesake band and joining up with Kiss, potentially altering the course of rock n’ roll history. In a recent interview withGuitar World, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee confirmed the rumor that around the time of Kiss’ 1982 album,Creatures of the Night, the virtuoso guitarist was “very serious” about making the change.

 Kiss’ Long Road to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Photos

“He was so unhappy about how he and [David Lee] Roth were – or weren’t – getting along. He couldn’t stand him. And drugs were rampant,” Simmons said. According to the Kiss founder, Van Halen took him out to lunch at a diner across the street from New York’s record plant studio, with Vinnie Vincent (who ended up joining the band shortly afterwards) tagging along. “Eddie said, ‘I want to join Kiss. I don’t want to fight anymore with Roth. I’m sick and tired of it,'” Simmons recalled. “But I told him, ‘Eddie, there’s not enough room. You need to be in a band where you can direct the music. You’re not going to be happy in Kiss.’ I talked him out of it. It didn’t fit.”

Simmons also admits that he was going through his own identity issues with the band in the early Eighties, and that Paul Stanley was left to take on a lot of the heavy lifting in Kiss as Simmons pursued an acting career in Hollywood.

“It was starting to affect the band. It was not rock and roll,” he said, noting that former guitarist Ace Frehley was among the bandmates rightfully complaining about his extracurricular ambitions. “But maybe I just wanted to be appreciated outside of Kiss. My life in Kiss is like being a girl with huge tits. All anyone talks about is the makeup, or ‘Let me see your tongue.’ Sometimes you want to say, ‘Can’t you just focus your eyes up here so that we can have a conversation?'”

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