Amazing interview!
This is a full in bloom interview with producer, Shameless bassist Alexx Michael. Alexx talks about what it was like dealing with Vinnie Vincent, Vinnie’s wives, Vinnie’s arrest, traveling with him in Europe, Mark St. John, Bruce Kulick, and more.
One of the ideas behind all four of Kiss‘ original members issuing their own solo album on September 18, 1978, was to help rekindle and unite the band that was breaking off into different factions.
However, looking back on it today, it did the complete opposite: Peter Criss would exit the band two years later, while Ace Frehley would follow suit four years later.
And with ’78 being the first year in Kiss’ recording career up to that point that not a single studio album of original material was issued, we’ve assembled tracks from all four of the solo albums, resulting in what could have been a single kick-ass Kiss album.
Featuring one of the spookiest sounding openings of any Kiss-related tune, this Gene Simmons rocker also features a short but sweet guitar solo by none other than Aerosmith‘s Joe Perry.
One of Ace Frehley’s hardest-rocking tunes would have served as the ultimate one-two punch if it had followed “Radioactive.” It features some great drumming from Anton Fig years before he became a member of Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band and the house band for David Letterman‘s late-night TV shows.
Episode 596. We discuss Creem Magazine’s review of Rock N Roll Over… you need to sit through seven paragraphs of “what the hell is he talking about” before we get to the actually album review, but it is worth it!
KISS – Rock And Roll Over by Billy Altman
Creem Magazine Feb 1977
In the last few years we’ve seen the notion of image stretched beyond belief, because most of our biggest stars turn out to be all too ordinary offstage and off the record. If pop music reflects the times, and it usually does, then we’re all in the middle of one huge personality crisis. Which is why Kiss makes perfect sense. Their image, their act, is no more or no less an image or act than Elton John or Lou Reed or Rod Stewart. Rock ‘n’ Roll Over’s one concession to the need for an AM follow up to “Beth” is “Hard Luck Woman”, a hilarious compilation of four Rod Stewart songs roiled into one with Peter Criss singing in perfect Stewartian tones. It will probably annoy a lot of people and I like that. Because Kiss’s masks are as valid as Rod’s Sam Cooke vocal mask, aren’t they?
Rock ‘n’ Roll Over does what it says. It rock ‘n’ rolls over. And over. And over. It is loud. It is simple. And it is fun. “Mister Speed” has an Ace Frehley solo that is as succinct and devastating as that incredible break in Slade’s song “Mama, Weer All Crazee Now.” “See You In Your Dreams” is a primer in tongue-consciousness, creating spaces and then filling them with exactly what you anticipated. “Calling Dr. Love,” on the other hand, leaves all of the spaces open, causing a buildup of tension that doesn’t get resolved until the beginning of the next song Ladies Room.”
Add to this a little Hendrix overtone on “Baby Driver” and some Led Zep thump on “Makin’ Love” and you’ve got an amazing album from a band that knows just what rock ‘n’ roll is, and they don’t just like it, they love it. And I love it. And the little girl from Paterson loves it. And what the hell is wrong with fantasies, anyway?
Great looking KISS Logo Christmas light set. 10 logos lights in each set. Limited Supply!
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S. (except for skin cancers), accounting for one-third of all new female cancers each year. In 2024, the ACS estimates that about 42,250 women will die from breast cancer.
To support the ACS’s efforts to save more lives from breast cancer, prominent community member Neil McCurry is putting together a major fundraising event in December: KISS Cancer Goodbye III is a three-day KISS-themed music festival and fan fest that will feature numerous world-class rock musicians, including co-headliners longtime KISS drummer Eric Singer (1991-2023) and former KISS guitarist (1984-1996) Bruce Kulick, who will appear and play all three days.
The event takes place December 6-8, 2024 on the Harvest House campus (3650 17th St., Sarasota). Times and programming vary each day; visit kisscg.com for detailed information.
Some of the musical highlights will include: the performance of select songs from KISS albums “Dynasty” and “Unmasked,” featuring legendary drummer Anton Fig; The Handsome Devils performing the “Creatures of the Night” album in its entirety; a salute to the four original KISS members’ solo albums, performed by various guest artists; the performance of the “Hotter Than Hell” album on its 50th anniversary; Chris Jericho’s band Kuarantine, featuring special guest Kulick; the performance of the “KISS Alive II” album by the all-star band and special guests; the music of Frehley’s Comet, presented by legendary guitarist/keyboard player – and former Frehley’s Comet member – Tod Howarth; and much, much more.
There will also be a Fan Expo, open all three days, that will include some of the biggest names in KISS memorabilia – including KISS Army Warehouse, KISS Replicas, KISS Army Spain and more – as well as opportunities to meet and get autographs from and pictures with many of the visiting musical artists, including Kulick.
LOS ANGELES (TNND) — Rock star Paul Stanley told his fans it is time for them to accept the outcome of the presidential election whether they like it or not.
He also advised them not to be bitter and to work on looking toward the future.
“IT’S OVER. If your candidate lost, it’s time to learn from it, accept it and try to understand why,” he wrote on X Monday, marking nearly a week since Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
The KISS star went on to note it’s best for people to stop arguing with each other.
“There will be no building bridges to those you don’t agree with by being condescending, insulting, talking AT them or removing yourself. If your candidate won it’s time to understand that those who don’t share your views also believe they are right and love this country as much as you do,” Stanley wrote.
He finished the post by saying it’s time to end the division.
According to Desmond Child, Gene Simmons thought KISS wrote better songs than Bon Jovi and Aerosmith.
“When they made this album called ‘The Elder,’ where they didn’t use any outside songwriters, he [Simmons] said, ‘We don’t need outside songwriters like Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. We can do it ourselves and in fact, we put two guards at the front of the studio door to keep Desmond Child out,’” the producer recalled about his time with KISS.
Child went on, “He didn’t say it once. He said it like a hundred times in a global publicity tour and I started getting… Everybody was sending me this quote. He said it the same way every time and my feelings got hurt. So I called Paul [Stanley] up.”
“And I said, ‘Paul why would he slag, why would he attack someone who puts money in his pocket, who loves KISS? There’s so many enemies of KISS that he could attack. Why me?’ He said, ‘Oh, well you know Gene. I can’t… You know Gene.’ I said, ‘Well, I don’t and I don’t understand it,’” Desmond shared the conversation between him and Paul Stanley.
The producer continued, “I said, ‘Paul, you were there when he were saying this stuff. Why didn’t you speak up?’ He said, ‘I can’t control Gene, you know.’ I said, ‘Well, you can tell him to go f*ck himself. All right?’ So, it was not a very nice conversation.”
“Paul wasn’t defensive at all. Well, a few hours later when I got back and checked my answering machine when we had answering machines, there was a four-word message that said, ‘Hi, it’s Gene, sorry.’ Click [laughs], ” Child lastly said.
“I never wrote with Gene Simmons. I didn’t know him until much later. My relationship was always with Paul Stanley, and Paul would bring Gene the songs that we co-wrote. The only time I became aware that he didn’t like ‘I Was Made for Lovin’ You’ was when KISS started doing an album called ‘The Elder,’ produced by the legendary Bob Ezrin,” Desmond also previously said of working with KISS.
The producer worked with KISS on their following albums, ‘Dynasty,’ ‘Animalize,’ ‘Asylum,’ ‘Crazy Nights,’ ‘Smashes, Thrashes & Hits’ and ‘Hot in the Shade.’
Those who live in freedom will always be grateful to those who helped preserve it.
KISS ARMY, IT’S TIME TO ROCK! 
IT’S TRUE!!! Eric Singer – Official will be attending KISS Cancer Goodbye and performing with Bruce Kulick. Information and tickets available at www.kisscg.com
Episode 595. Ken Nardi, known on YouTube as FranKENstein, brings his passion to Three Sides of the Coin to discuss his Hotter Than Hell fan remix. Why he did it? How he did it? What other projects is he working on?
wesome KISS holiday ornament! Gene Simmons as the Demon! Can you imagine this on your Christmas Tree? It’d be awesome! Gene Simmons looking as evil as he can and howling into the air! Get one! This KISS Gene Simmons Demon Howling Ornament stands 4 1/2-inches tall. Ages 14 and up.
Now that Kiss‘ farewell tour is over, Paul Stanley has admitted he feels a bit adrift.
“There’s no way to give that up and not feel a sense of, if not lost, kind of disoriented,” he recently explained on the podcast Rock of Nations With Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern.
“It was time [for Kiss to stop touring], and intellectually it made sense, but that doesn’t mean that emotionally, it doesn’t play a part in it,” he continued. “So, yeah, being home, as I am right now, is normal. What’s not normal is I’m not going back out.”
Stanley clarified that he sees a difference between the continuing legacy of the band, as well as his stage persona, and his real life.
“Kiss remains,” he said. “We’re so involved in what’s going on now and the future and this phenomenal, mind-boggling Kiss avatar show. But, yeah, to not be up there — I see video from 10 months ago, 11 months ago, and it almost seems like a lifetime ago, because I’ve kind of come to grips with not doing that again. … Star Child is forever — but me up there, that’s done.”
Come meet former Demon wrestler Dale Torborg by visiting KISSArmyWarehouse.com at KISS Cancer Goodbye Event in Sarasota, FL on December 7th and 8th!
Get tickets to the event here!