Michael Brandvold

I am excited to announce the release of my first ebook, “KISS School of Marketing: 11 Lessons I Learned While Working With KISS.” This book expands on the 2011 article I wrote that outlined 10 lessons I learned from working with KISS. The original article was even re-posted by Gene Simmons on his official website. This expanded book includes one additional lesson and a special encore chapter contributed by Steve Jones, author of the book rand Like A Rock Star: Lessons from Rock ‘n Roll to Make Your Business Rich and Famous. In addition I have added some of my favorite photos that I have taken of KISS over the years and some interview quotes by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley provided by the original interviewer.

Michael’s ebook can be downloaded here.

HLN

Forbes

Take this test.  Go and visit the website of Cool Springs Life Equity Strategy.   Go ahead.

The firm provides a form of wealth management services to its high end clients using a combination of bank loans and insurance products.   Pretty boring, isn’t it?  Now, look at the photo on the top of the homepage.  Those are all the investors.  Just about all of them look like you would expect:  balding, older, boring businessmen.  This is the perception of guys who would be running a wealth management services firm.  Except for one.  Doesn’t one guy kind of stick out?  Yeah, that’s the guy from KISS.

That’s Gene Simmons.  He sticks out.  Like a sore thumb.  And you know what?  If that’s your perception, he could care less.   Gene Simmons is an entrepreneur.  A very successful entrepreneur.  He got this way by sticking out.  And not caring.

I spoke to him last week, along with 2,842 other members of the media, because he’s currently promoting his latest venture, called Rock & Brews, which opens tomorrow in Los Angeles.  According to an industry website the restaurant’s concept “captures the excitement of live concerts in an authentically themed backstage environment including’ “The Great Wall of Rock,” rock posters and rock art and multiple flat screen televisions.”  Besides Los Angeles, future locations are planned in Denver, Atlanta, Maui, Tokyo and Los Cabos with others to follow.

During our 40 minute conversation Simmons lectured.  He pontificated.  He talked about his business successes (of which there are many) and his failures (which he claims there are none).   He was arrogant.  Unapologetic.  And smart.  Really smart.  He spoke like a professor teaching a class in entrepreneurship.  He never really talked about KISS.  He talked about how to be successful in business.  And I learned.

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WFJA

As the long-suffering significant other of Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed-Simmons knows a thing or two about the danger determined groupies can pose to a committed relationship.  The actress and one-time Playboy Playmate’s experiences with backstage bimbos have inspired a new video-game app called Shannon Tweed’s Attack of the Groupiesthat’s available now for the iPad and iPhone.

“It’s a sort of tongue-in-cheek attack of all the girls who’ve been the bane of my existence for the last 30 years,” Shannon tells ABC News Radio.

Attack of the Groupies came about after a chance meeting Tweed-Simmons had with Gogii Games president George Donovan, who liked her off-the-cuff idea for a game that would feature her killing groupies.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, is just take something and just blow ‘em away, and this is a chance to do that without actually hurting someone,” she declares.

Attack of the Groupies features the animated likenesses of Tweed-Simmons and her daughter, Sophie, as they try to keep a variety of obsessed female fans away from Gene.

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Blip TV

Blip TV

Don Chareunsy | Las Vegas Sun

Erik Kabik

Rock and roll all night legends KISS arrived at the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena this afternoon in a monster truck and full makeup, stealing the spotlight from the nominees, presenters and performers walking the arrivals carpet.

Erik Kabik

And if it couldn’t get any better, it did, with entertainment legend and Las Vegas resident Wayne Newton posing for a photograph with Gene Simmons of KISS. Thanks to Erik Kabik for his photographs from MGM Grand, as well as to Glenn Pinkerton of Las Vegas News Bureau. Kabik reports that fans chanted, “KISS! KISS! KISS!” (for the band, not Newton).

Check back Monday for our 2012 ACM Awards wrap with reports from Robin Leach and John Katsilometes, as well as photo galleries and videos, as the week that Vegas Goes Country winds down for another year. Meantime, follow @robin_leach and @johnnykats via Twitter for their live coverage.

Awesome professional video of KISS’s ENTIRE performance from yesterday in New Orleans at the Final Four! One hour and 23 minutes of KISS performing on their new stage and in the new costumes!

1.Мodern Day Delilah
2.Shout It Out Loud
3.Deuce
4.Hotter Than Hell
5.Let Me Gо Rock’N’Roll
6.Shock Me
7.Calling Dr. Love
8.I Love it Loud
9.100,000 years
10.Love Gun
11.Black Diamond
12.Detroit Rock City
13.Lick It Up
14.Rock And Roll All Nite

WWLTV

An amazing photo gallery from earlier tonight of KISS’s performance in New Orleans at the Final Four. See the entire gallery here. A second gallery of just the KISS fans dressed up for the show is here.

Chad Bower

Denise Quan | CNN

(CNN) — There are pros and cons to holding a press conference in the middle of an outdoor shopping mall, especially in Los Angeles.True, the weather will probably be nice, and pretty people will be walking around for a built-in audience straight out of Central Casting. But on the downside, your event is in danger of being upstaged by the random celebrity who happened to be shopping at the mall with his family.Just before Aerosmith made a grand entrance at Wednesday’s presser to announce details of their summer tour, CNN stumbled across Paul Stanley from KISS…in a hut with the Easter Bunny.The guitarist said he and his wife needed to get something from Pottery Barn, and decided to bring their three young children to pose with the oversized white rabbit. They pulled up in their car, walked to the center courtyard and were immediately bombarded by a 50 foot poster of Aerosmith – strategically positioned right behind the bunny hut. He whipped out his cell phone and blew in a call to Steven Tyler.”Hey man, where are you?” asked the Aerosmith singer.”I’m at The Grove,” Stanley replied.”Oh man!,” said Tyler.

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Jenna Strucko | NPR

KISSasylum

Photographer Steve Sils returns to the KISS Monster Mini Golf course in Las Vegas to take some detailed shots of the new facility that were not possible during the mayhem and excitement of opening day.

Noisecreep

My Fox LA

LOS ANGELES – Gene Simmons (with tongue in-tow…) dropped by Good Day L.A. to talk up his upcoming KISS tour with Motley Crue.

Gene is a rock and roll legend, and a reality TV star. Now, his latest venture is a new restaurant chain going global called Rock and Brews….

The upcoming tour, simply titled “The Tour” starts rockin’ July 20 in Bristow, Virginia…and scheduled to wrap up on September 23 in Hartford, Connecticut.

Restaurant Info: http://rockandbrews.com/

Although the bands are officially co-headlining the tour, Motley Crue will open for KISS each night.

Lone Star 92.5 

Kreatures of the South

Achtung KISS Army! Proudly celebrating 19 years of KISS Expos! The long awaited date for the 2012 Atlanta KISS Expo has arrived! Sunday, May 20, 2012 at the Atlanta Hilton Northeast in Norcross, Georgia.

This will be the first KISS Expo this year, and you won’t wanna miss it! Yes, we’re back where it all started! A great hotel, and a fan favorite! Become mesmerized at the over (100)+ tables of pure KISS Collectables with some various Rock ‘N Roll thrown in! Tons of great surprises, and a fantastic announcement or two! Come celebrate the forthcoming new KISS CD “MONSTER” with your fellow members of the KISS Army!

2012 will be a year of excitement in the KISS Kamp, and as usual we too are ready to raise the roof with some great expos! Kids 10, and under are ‘FREE’ with a paying Adult admission. For more details visit: www.kreaturesofthesouth.com.

KISSasylum

A very interesting track has just surfaced online – the pure and simple isolated vocal tracks from the 1976 Destroyer album recording of Detroit Rock City. There are numerous edits, versions, remakes, etc of this classic song but to hear the original in such a different light is quite a rare treat indeed!

Revolver TV