Aron Driscoll lost nearly everything he owned in the fires with one exception- Aron, a huge KISS fan by admission, managed to save just one item that day, a Silvertone bass, signed by KISS. If you would like to help donate something to Aron from your KISS collection or have doubles of something, please contact the KISS ARMY AUSTRALIA. CONTACT:www.kissarmyaustralia.com/bushfire/ .
PAUL STANLEY has donated an autographed Silvertone Guitar to aid LA County Deputy Robert Corrales to help with his medical expenses in an effort led by sheriff's Deputy Mike Asoclese. "Several of rock 'n' roll's royalty immediately stepped up," said Ascolese. He and Deputy John Maio organized the fundraiser. Mr. Corrales is fighting acute myeloid leukemia and has been with the County Sherriff's Office for 25 years. Other musician's that have donated guitars and equiptment, RUSH drummer Neal Peart, Alex and Eddie Van Halen, Velvet Revolver'sSlash, Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan. All of the items are auctioning off through Ebay.
EBAY INFO: To bid, the Ebay auction location numbers are:290297815805, 290297821537, 290297834030, 290297835083, 290297837043, 290297839393.
PAUL STANLEY was recently interviewed by AM NEW YORK- Here is the excerpt from the interview-------- By Pete Catapano
amNewYork: What can fans expect from the new KISS record? Stanley: It's very much an album that picks up where we left off in the '70s. It's not an album that reflects trying to pick up whatever current. We've been out a lot on the Kiss Alive 35 tour. Our biggest and most successful tour of Europe, we did 30 shows and about 400,000 people and we leave for South America — a bunch of stadiums — in April. And the band has never sounded better or more focused. And playing the 'Kiss Alive' album and a lot of other classic songs has really just whetted our appetite to go in the studio and transfer that, that same feeling and ferocity into new material.
amNewYork: Do you ever get tired of playing the old stuff? Stanley: I would never, ever grow tired of those songs. The songs have made me both incredibly satisfied and rich and made a lot of other people very, very happy. It would be a show of disrespect — and maybe not deserving — to grow tired of something that's meant that much.
amNewYork: What kind of satisfaction does painting give you that music doesn't give you and vice versa? Stanley: It's much more initiate and it's much more personal in the sense that it lives without a lot of the structure that music does. If you write a song you have to have music and you have to have melody that fits the music and a rhyme scheme that fits the others. With painting for me there's no boundaries, there's no limits. In painting, the only limit is the edge of the canvas.
PAUL STANLEY will appear on "Happy Hour" on the FOX Business Today Network at 5:45 pm. Paul will discuss his art paintings as well as KISS' 35th Anniversary. We will have video. Check local cable lisitings.
Here's one of Paul's latest paintings, "Dream Catcher". It's one of three new paintings that Paul will exhibit at his New Jersey Art shows this weekend.Friday - February 27, 2009 - 6:00 PM - 9:00 PMWentworth GalleryThe Shops at Riverside171 Riverside SquareHackensack, NJ For details on the VIP Reception with Paul Stanley or to RSVP please call 201-488-7661 or 800-732-6140.Saturday - February 28, 2009- 4:00 PM - 7:00 PMWentworth GalleryThe Mall at Short Hills1200 Morris TurnpikeShort Hills, NJFor details on the VIP Reception with Paul Stanleyor to RSVP please call 973-564-9776 or 800-732-6140
Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly gets into his role as Gene Simmons from KISS after he was painted up at the KOOL radio studio on Friday as part of a fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The legendary rock band KISS will play in Halifax on July 18.
According to Fneprintlit.com, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley's KISS Kompendium is a compilation of all KISS comics featuring the adventures of the band's four superhero characters defeating evil with comic icons like Spiderman, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and Wolverine. The foreword is written by Gene Simmons. The KISS Kompendium - featuring 1280 pages - will be released on October 27th via Collins Design.
MONTREAL & HALIFAX MEET & GREET PACKAGES AVAILBLE NOW! (from KissOnline) KISS Meet & Greet Packages for both Montreal and Halifax are now on sale.
KISS Meet & Greet Upgrade Package includes:
Exclusive Meet & Greet with the members of KISS Personal photograph with KISS Autographed 8X10 photo Official KISS Concert Shirt Collectible KISS Tour Poster (limited edition, numbered) KISS Tour Program Official Meet and Greet Laminate Set of KISS guitar picks $50 voucher to the official KISS on-line store
Please note: This package DOES NOT INCLUDE A TICKET to the concert.
You must purchase a ticket to attend the KISS meet and greet.
Limited availability. All sales final. No refunds. Detailed M&G instructions will be emailed prior to show date. All VIP merchandise will be distributed at the M&G session.
St. Petersburg, Russia:-Russian based rock group PUSHKING have issued the following update: "We are glad to inform you that the legend of the world rock stage Paul Stanley from KISS on February 18th recorded the songs 'Cut The Wire' also known as 'Darling' (CD 2003 Darling music by Koha, lyrics by Oleg Savilov) and 'Kukarracha' (CD 1996 V.I.P. music by Koha, lyrics by Koha/Valery Komissarov) for Pushking's project The World As We Love It in an L.A. studio."
Unreleased footage from KISS' 1990 HOT IN THE SHADE summer tour has surfaced on YouTube. Check out some amazing never before seen footage from this monmouth tour including soundcheck, pre/post show, lunch, interviews and photo shoots in several different intervals.
Fabio at Deuce News is reporting a quote from GENE from Paginal2 news source in Argentina- "We are making a new album produced by Paul, because I do not have the patience to get into a studio and stay there for six months. Who better than Paul for that? The idea is to make the record quickly, like we did at the time of Destroyer, Rock And Roll Over and Love Gun. But we must be prepared, so we are now working on songs when we have time. Maybe in March we will go in a studio and recorded two or three songs. The idea is to work well, little by little, we can not spend too much time in the studio, it has to be fast."
As previously reported here, KISS will play Santiago, Chile on April 3, 2009, closing the Pepsi Music Festival which also features Peter Gabriel, Sonic Youth and Chris Cornell during the 5 day event. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow, February 18, via ticket agency Punto Ticket http://www.puntoticket.com/
While on tour with ESP in Europe, my good friend Fabio from Deuce News/Italia, posed the burning question of the new KISS album to ERIC SINGER. Fabio reports: Last friday I had the chance to talk for a while with Eric and, among others, I asked him if he is going to sing lead on the next KISS album. "I don't know! Many fans started asking me about the new KISS album, when it will be released, but I can't tell you anything about, I did not even enter the studio with them so far..." http://deucenews.jimdo.com/ Stay tuned as the new mysterious KISS saga continues...
KISS made the Top 25 Band Logos of all time landing at #4 according to Spinner.com. Here is the text:
"Lead guitarist Ace Frehley came up with the logo, which first appeared on the band's second album, 'Hotter Than Hell.' Frehley's masterstroke was rendering the final two letters in Kiss as stylized lightning bolts. "
Number 1 went to Prince's "Symbol." Why? I don't know
Actually someone at Spinner should brush up on their history and realize that the band used the logo on their first album, KISS, in 1974 and not on their second album, Hotter Than Hell at first.
ESP IN RONCADE 'Parasite' (KISS)'Love' (UNION)'Under My Wheels' (Alice Cooper)'Unholy' (Kiss)'Live Wire' (Mötley Crüe)'Domino' (KISS)'Highway Star (DEEP PURPLE)'War Machine' (KISS)'Master And Slave' (KISS)'Power To The People' (Mötley Crüe)'I Wanna Be' (Union) (Bruce & John alone)'Man In The Moon' (SCREAM) (John alone)'Helter Skelter' (BEATLES)'Ace Of Spades' (MOTÖRHEAD)'I Love It Loud' (KISS)'Black Diamond' (KISS)'Tie Your Mother Down' (QUEEN) Set-list courtesy Fabio/Deuce News/http://deucenews.jimdo.com/
As reviously reported here, KISS will make their first ever appearance in Peru on April 14th! The band will perform at the 45,000 seat Estadio Nacional Stadium in Lima as part of their 2009 South American Tour. Tickets go on sale today at 9AM (Peru Time), at www.tuentrada.com.pe or via the call center : +(511) 618-3838.
BRUCE KULICK will be appearing at in-store clinics in Australia in association with Allan Music. Scheduled dates: Melbourne - April 1st @ 7:00pm (soundcheck 5:00pm) Brisbane - April 2nd @ 6:30pm (soundcheck 4:30pm) Adelaide - April 3rd @ 7:00pm (soundcheck 5:00pm) Sydney - April 4th @ 5:00pm (soundcheck 3:00pm) Bruce's next album "BK3" is in the mixing stages and is slated for a mid-year release. (thanks DeuceNews http://deucenews.jimdo.com/)
David "Gus" Griesinger of Glam-Metal.com recently interviewed TOMMY THAYER at this year's NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) in Anaheim, Ca., last month. Tommy was there in part to promote his Hughes & Kettner Signature Amp Series which in fact Tommy has donated the sale proceeds to the Childern's Hospital of Los Angeles.
The ten minute interview which included conversation of the new album as well as touring plans for 2009-Tommy stated that the KISS's world tour will take them to six or seven countries in South America as well as North America, Japan, Australia and Europe in 2010. No specifics on whether KISS will take part of a touring package (ala Aerosmith 2004).
A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket presale for the Montreal, Canada KISS show begins today at 10AM (EST). Presale starts: Thursday, February 12 @ 10AM (EST)Presale ends: Friday, February 13 @ 6PM (EST)While supplies last, KISS ARMY Members will have access to MEMBERS-
Only tickets for the following KISS Concert date: KISS at Bell CentreMontreal, QuebecJuly 13, 2009
Here's a clip of a song I rarely play live...Wiped Out was co-written by my good friend Anton Fig. Anton played drums on my '78 solo record, the solo stuff in the '80's, and I'm proud to say Anomaly too! You can see him every night on the skins on the David Letterman Show. Hard Times is off Dynasty... Enjoy! ACE - From www.Acefrehley.com
As reported here on February 8, 2009, KISS MASK WEBZINE would like to congratulate PAUL and ERIN STANLEY on the birth of their daughter, SARAH STANLEY.
KISS frontman Paul Stanley and his wife Erin welcomed an 8 lb. baby girl on Jan. 28, the rocker's rep tells PEOPLE exclusively.
"The KISS Army has a new princess and her name is Sarah Brianna," says Stanley, 57. "Erin and I feel truly blessed with the addition of this Star Child into our lives."
Sarah is the second child for the couple, who married in 2005.
The singer/guitarist and his wife, an attorney, live in Beverly Hills with their son Colin Michael, 2, and Stanley's son Evan Shane, 14, from his previous marriage.
In addition to caring for Sarah, Stanley has other big projects on the horizon: The accomplished painter will tour America with KISS this summer to celebrate the band's 35-year anniversary.
A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket presale for the Caracas, Venezuela KISS show begins today at 10AM Local Venue Time. Presale starts: Tuesday February 10 @ 10AM (local venue time)Presale ends: Friday February 13 @ 6PM (local venue time)While supplies last, KISS ARMY Members will have access to MEMBERS-Only tickets for the following KISS Concert date: KISS at the Hipodromo la Rinconada.Caracas, VenezuelaFriday, April 17, 2009
KISS will perform at The Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on Monday, July 13. Tickets go on sale Saturday, February 14 at 10 a.m. Promoter website: http://geg.ca/show/event/2883 ***MORE CANADIAN DATES (Toronto, London & Ottawa, etc.) WILL FOLLOW SOON! Stay tuned to KISS MASK WEBZINE for up-to-the-minute KISS TOUR DATES. I will post them as soon as I get them-JFH*** TICKET INFO (via http://www.kissonline.net/) Tickets for the general public will go on sale Saturday, February 14th at 10 AM. There will be a KISS ARMY Members-only presale, details will be announced shortly on KOL.
Join us as we recognize one of rock radio’s most influential and distinctive voices… the Nightbird herself… Alison Steele. At a time when people still didn’t know what to make of KISS, the Nightbird was one of the 1st radio DJs to allow KISS to explain themselves in their own words, on their own terms. As you listen to these 1974 interviews, you’ll likely notice that KISS were still figuring themselves out. You’ll hear Gene, Paul, Pete, and Ace giving us some early insights into their unique brand of musical mayhem. Plus, as always, we bring you some rare recordings from throughout KISStory. So sit back, relax, and listen… ‘cause it’s KISSin’ time! Click here www.podkisst.com/ to hear PodKISSt #13.
ESP "WATCHIN' YOU" souncheck: Feb 6/09 Kaiserslautern, Germany, Fitz Walter Stadion
SET LIST FROM FRIDAY, FEB. 6, 2009- Parasite (KISS) Love (Union) Under My Wheels (Alice Cooper) Unholy (Kiss) Live Wire (Mötley Crüe) Domino (KISS) Highway Star (Deep Purple) Master and Slave (KISS) Power To The People (Mötley Crüe) I Wanna Be (Union) Man in the Moon (Scream) Helter Skelter (Beatles) Ace of Spades (Motorhead) I Love It Loud (KISS) Black Diamond (KISS) Tie Your Mother Down (Queen) (Special Thanks to KISS NEWS.DE)
Today would be MARK ST. JOHN's 51st birthday. In celebration of Mark's life, who passed away on April 5, 2007, KISS MASK has teamed up with DEUCE NEWS/Italy ( http://deucenews.jimdo.com/ ), who brings us this exclusive interview with Mark's sister, Kathleen Morton. Hi everybody Today is the birthday of Mark St. John. I wanted to remember him, so thanks to his sister Kathleen I have the pleasure and the honour to publish this exclusive interview with her, talking about his late brother Mark. Hi Kathleen, thank you again to have accepted my request. Reading some of the few past interviews I realised how Mark was really modest about his success and really into the importance of human relationship. "So fortunately in my life I had people around me who supported me and pushed me and kept me going because if I hadn't had that support I probably wouldn't be doing this. They pushed me to a point where it became a business. And that way there was some long term and short term goals involved, like the whole family type of thing." (Strike 46)
How do you recollect his efforts at those times to become a number 1? Mark was a perfectionist. He studied all types of music. Beethoven, Mozart, different cultures, ect. He practiced all the time. 24/7 He breathed, lived and probably dreamed about guitar. Mark was really a talented musicians, he might play any kind of strings instruments from violin to ukulele, not talking about any sort of guitars or basses.
I guess you listened him playing all this sort of things, which was according to your personal tastes the instruments that better fitted his style and his being? Mark was truly versatile in playing String Instruments. Everything he played he played with perfection. My favourite would be the Gibson SG Doubleneck guitar. (before KISS) and in his last years the Sitar and the Acoustic.
Mark joined KISS by June 1984 and he was out of the band by end of November. On December 8, 1984 he was officially replaced by Bruce Kulick. Mark was a very nice guy and very honest and simple.
History tells us Paul Stanley did not like his work on the Animalize demos, but he was also the on who brought Mark in. What do you think caused the will to put him out of the band? Mark was a progressive player. I believe Paul Stanley was impressed by his talent when he hired him but when they actually began to play Mark's chops were a bit too much for Paul. Soon after Mark departed from KISS he formed White Tiger which did really well being an independent release, but unfortunately they did not get the right credit soon after.
He also joined another ex KISS member in the late '90, Peter Criss. They played only once together live if I remember well.
What can you tell us about this period in Mark life? Mark and Peter got along great. Peter Criss was a sweet heart. He would come to our house and rehearse and on occasion stay for dinner. It was a time of creativity and exploration. Without the pressure and limitations from KISS.
Have you or some member of your family the demos Mark recorded and have you ever took into consideration to get them published? My Brother Michael is the keeper of those. I'm not sure what will happen with them. There are some Michael played bass on. If something does develop it would be amazing. His style was his own. A truly gifted player. If you get a chance to listen to his last instrumental CD called the "Magic Bullet Theory" its mind blowing. He played all the string instruments on the CD. Kathleen, really really thank you to have been so kind with me over this chat. One last question, how you would like the KISS fans remember your brother Mark? As a great Guitar Player that loved to play for his Fans with all his heart and soul. Music was his life till the very end. (He died while he was repairing a guitar for a local musician) We miss him terribly but would like to believe that he's up there Rockin with all the great musicians and having one hell of a time. RIP Mark Leslie Norton (St.John) KISSOLOGY 2 Easter Egg/MARK ST. JOHN with KISS INTERVIEW
702.tv's Emily Gimmel video reports and interviews GENE SIMMONS from his MoneyBag clothing line launch party at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Wednesday, January 28, 2009.
KISS will play Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 18, 2009. The band will headline HALIFAX ROCKS FESTIVAL at the Halifax Commons. 40,000 ticket will be available for the event which will go on sale (tomorrow) Friday, February 6, 2009. The festival web-site: http://www.halifaxrocks.ca/ . Ticket for an "early bird" price will be $89 (Canadian- including taxes) for general admission and $279 (Canadian-including taxes) for a limited number of VIP seating. Tickets available at the Atlantic box office (451-451-1221 or http://www.ticketatlantic.com/ ) or Atlantic Superstore outlets. **MORE CANADIAN DATES TO FOLLOW**
NEVER BEFORE SEEN KISS FOOTAGE ONLINE TO PROMOTE AUCTIONS! (from EliteWorks)
Several never-before-available privately owned clips of KISS from the 1970s and 80s have been made available online to promote a series of vintage KISS memorabilia auctions on eBay. This marks the first time that retro footage of any band has been released specifically for such a purpose.The footage, which ranges from the band’s first tour in 1974 - through their colorful period in the 1980s includes everything from Gene without makeup in 1980, to the infamous 1974 Paul Stanley “bandit makeup” film, outtakes from the Cadillac, Michigan and KISS Meets The Phantom concerts, to what appears to be an unreleased pro-shot from the Asylum Tour. Additional clips will be made available each week as more auctions are listed. The eBay auctions can be viewed here The vintage KISS footage can be seen here
(from www.Kissonline.net) As previously reported here, KISS will return to Brazil with two huge stadium shows this April! April 7th Sao Paulo- Arena Anhembi April 8th Rio de Janeiro- Apoteose Web ticket sales are available starting at midnight. Phone sales start at 9am on February 5th.Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com.br for both shows. To order tickets via phone call + 11 – 2846 – 6000 : Sao Paulo or 0300 – 789 – 6846 : Rio de Janeiro.
Europe is gearing up for the ESP (Eric Singer Project) tour. ESP is Eric Singer (drums), Bruce Kulick (guitar), John Corabi (guitar) and Chuck Garric (bass).
Feb 6/09 Kaiserslautern, Germany - Fritz Walter Stadion, VIP Lounge
Feb 7/09 Freiburg, Germany - Brauerei Ganther
Feb 8/09 Oberhausen, Germany - Schilderhalle
Feb 9/09 Uden, Holland - The nieuwe pul Feb 10/09 Prague Ceck Republic-Retro
Feb 18/09 Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7 Feb 20/09 Bergen, Norway - Garage Club Feb 21/09 Jevnaker, Norway - Glassheim Jevnaker Feb 22/09 Helsinki, Finland - Nosturi Club
Kissonline is announcing the KISS ARMY pre-sale for KISS' July 18th show at Halifax Commons, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada begins today Tuesday, February 3, 2009 for all registered KISS ARMY members. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 6, 2009. You must be registered KISS ARMY member with www.Kissonline.net A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket presale for the Halifax KISS show begins today at 10AM Local Venue Time (EST + 1 hour). On sale: February 3 at 11AM (local venue time) Off sale: February 5 at 6PM (local venue time) While supplies last, KISS ARMY Members will have access to MEMBERS-Only tickets for the following KISS Concert date: KISS at Halifax Commons ParkHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Saturday, July 18, 2009
KISS will play at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, Peru, April 15, 2009. Click http://www.oidossucios.com/noticias/?id=1218 for show information. Adding to an ever growing tour schedule- April 3 - Anhembi Arena, Santiago, Chile April 5 - River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina April 7 - Anhembi Area, Sao Paulo, Brazil April 8 - Praca De Apoteose, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil April 16 - Caracas, Venezuela July 18- Halifax Commons Park, Halifax, Nova
KISSOnline reports: "KISS will headline Halifax Rocks 2009 on July 18th! The concert will take place at Halifax Commons Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Tickets go on sale to the general public on February 6th. A KISS Army Members-only ticket presale will run from February 3rd at 11AM (EST) to February 5th at 6 PM (EST) on KOL. Both general admission and VIP tickets will be available. The VIP ticket area is special bleacher seating with a fantastic view, private VIP washrooms, catering and bar service. Stay tuned to KOL for additional presale details." As previously reported, KISS will also play the following shows in Brazil: April 7 - Sao Paulo, Arena Anhembi April 8 - Rio De Janeiro, Praca De Apoteose Tickets will be released February 11th. The band will also headline the Quilmes Rock Festival in Argentina on April 5th. CLICK the www.halifaxrocks.ca/ web site for show information.
LAS VEGAS – February 3, 2009 – Platinum Masters' Monster Circus takes over Sin City beginning Thursday, March 19 inside the legendary Hilton Theater.A truly unique spectacle, Monster Circus combines a high-octane live rock concert with sexy dancers, human circus acts, aerialists, freaks and of course, a tour bus full of platinum certified rock stars. An irreverent ringmaster along with Sicko The Clown, Monster Circus' mascot, lead the audience along the 75-minute journey through the powerhouse rock and metal anthems of the '70s, '80s and '90s."The great rock 'n roll stars from some of the great bands of the last three decades in a circus atmosphere. . .it doesn't get any better than that," said Ken Ciancimino, executive vice president, Las Vegas Hilton. "Las Vegas has never seen a show like this."Rock star debauchery begins with an all-star lineup of the jaw-dropping Monster Circus band featuring artists Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Dio), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, Ratt), Fred Coury (Cinderella), Bruce Kulick (KISS), and Tony Montana (Great White). Various guest artists will "join the circus" and perform the hits they personally rock out to, creating an evolving set list. In addition to these rock and metal masters, special theme nights will be dedicated to the songs of a single legendary band. March dates are: 19-21 and 26-28. Tickets can be purchased at the Las Vegas Hilton box office, online at http://www.lvhilton.com/, http://www.vegas.com/, http://www.ticketmaster.com/
BANG Media International (via http://www.bravewords.com/) is reporting: Ageing rockers KISS still have groupies. Guitarist Paul Stanley, 57, claims the band get propositioned by female fans just as much as they did in their heyday, adding the only difference now is they don't "indulge" in sex as often. Explaining how women chase after the group, Paul explained: "They are there in abundance. The only thing that changes is whether you choose to indulge. But the buffet is always there!" The rocker added he, singer Gene Simmons - who claims to have slept with over 1,000 women - guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer are heading back to the studio to record their next album for release this autumn. He confirmed to the New York Post newspaper: "It's a KISS album in the most true and classic sense - we're recording it in analog, not digital, and writing it ourselves." Gene has previously claimed he has slept with so many woman as he thinks it's "rude" not to bed groupies. He explained: "Think of me as a goodwill ambassador. The poor girls spend hours putting on their make-up and their perfume. "How rude would it be if that got ignored? Otherwise, they'll feel their self-esteem lower. You don't want that happening. I'm a Good Samaritan. It's my good-natured side."
Hello all! Today I am pleased to bring you a Q&A with Guitarist Ruben De Fuentes. Ruben was a member of LA based band, the Hollywood Stars (with Kim Fowley), who originally wrote and recorded "King of the Night Time World," which later was re-written with Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin and recorded by KISS for the "DESTROYER" album. Alice Cooper also re-recorded one of the Star's songs, "Escape," for his "Welcome To My Nightmare" album.
Ruben has played in various bands including Firefly 1, Blue Cheer, Steppenwolf, Secret Service (with former teen-throb Jimmy McNichol) and played on the Bay City Rollers album, "It's A Game."
Ruben now resides in Los Angeles performing and session/songwriting work. You can visit Ruben at http://www.rubendefuentes.com/index.htm where you can also hear the Hollywood Stars' original version of "King of the Night Time World." Thank you Ruben!
1) You were in band called The Hollywood Stars and as legend has it, the west coast's answer to the New York Dolls. Tell me a little about the band and the references to the Dolls?
It was Kim Fowley's & Rodney Bingenheimer's idea to start a West Coast answer to The New York Dolls.
2)Were the Hollywood Stars glammed out like the Dolls?
We never wore girls clothes like them. We had our clothes made at a place called "Granny Takes A Trip" on Sunset Blvd. We maybe wore a little eye makeup on stage and for photos.
3)When the Hollywood Stars played the Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood, what was it like to have a huge musical guy like John Lennon come to see you and love every song you played? That had to be an experience of a lifetime?
Yes that was a memorial experience though it was during Johns dark & drunken period. I think he was having a rough time in his life then.
4)How did Kiss discover the Hollywood Star's "King of the Nightime World?" Through Bob Ezrin & Kim Fowley.
5)What lead Kiss to re-record "King of the Nightime World?" You would have to ask them that but I think it was because it fit them well. During the Eighties I saw a special on the 700 Club. They had the top 10 "Devil Rock Songs" listed and album covers displayed on camera. To my amazement both Alice Cooper's "Welcome to my nightmare" (our song Escape) and Kiss' "Destroyer" (our song King of the Nightime World) were there. They claimed "King of the Nightime World" was obviously about the Devil. I rolled around laughing because I knew it was about a young guy going out to clubs in Hollywood on the Sunset Strip.
6)What was your experience like meeting Kiss for the first time?
It was at under the Forum Club (the LA Forum) after the show. They had very elaborate catering complete with huge ice sculptures of their band name. I saw Michael Jackson there but I've seen him a lot because we were neighbors in Encino, California.
7)Had you ever experienced Kiss on the west coast prior to their recording your song?
I was at my Friends house one day and he said he had an album by a group called KISS and it rocked. I liked the tough edge they had.
8)Two of your band's songs ended up on two Bob Ezrin produced albums, Kiss' "Destroyer" and Alice Cooper's "Welcome To My Nightmare" ("Escape"), what was your experience with Ezrin like?
We had worked with him in the studio on the arrangement for "Escape" the song that was covered by Alice Cooper. We were considering him as our Producer but he kept disappearing into the men's rooms and we all came to the conclusion he was into something that we weren't.
9)Is it safe to assume that you were compensated well for "King of the Nightime World?"
No it's not safe to say that. It was the wild and woolly days of Rock & Roll - sort of dog eat dog.
10)"King of the Nightime World" is one of beloved Kiss songs in their catalog. What memories do you take with you from that?
It feels good that at least one of our songs got out there especially from a band like KISS.
10)Ruben, you are still working in Los Angeles? What is in the future for you?
My latest gig was playing with Abraham Calleros (from the Mexican Super Group "Mana"). That engagement is now over. I have aspirations of working for Gene Simmons. He is definitely my Idol. My buddy Steve Delacy played on his solo album. We grew up learning to play guitars together and he got the job after I gave him his first album session credit on my album "The Hollywood Stars". To me Gene is the poster boy for Rock & Roll success.
The 2009 Indianapolis KISS Expo will be held Sunday, March 15th from 1:00PM to 8:00PM (12:00PM for VIP holders) Holiday Inn Indianapolis East 6990 East 21st St.
Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick is the special guest. Bruce will do a Q/A and be available for photos and autographs throughout the day. KISS Tribute band MR. SPEED will perform the complete song list from the Hotter Than Hell album in celebration of the 35th Anniversary of its release!
KISS merchandise and collectibles will be on sale throughout the day. There will be giveaways and contests too. Children 12 and under get in free!
