Destroyer:Resurrected Billboard Top 200

The remixed Destroyer:Resurrected has dropped to #168 from #58 on the album charts. The album also charted on the Catalog Albums Charts at #28. The album has now spent 81 weeks on the charts since it's release in March 1976 and peaked at #11.

Music: Confessions of a Kiss fan

The 330

By Mark J. Price
Beacon Journal staff writer

All I really need to know about music, I learned in middle school.
Rock and roll all night. Party every day.
Could the guidelines be any simpler than that?
I owe my questionable taste in loud, flamboyant rock to Billy Barath, a seventh-grade classmate at Manchester Middle School who changed my life in 1976 with a startling pronouncement.
“Kiss is the best,” he told me.

Kiss, from left to right, singer/bassist Gene Simmons, singer/guitarist Paul Stanley and guitarist Tommy Thayer, are photographed as they perform on stage at the Kentish Town Forum, north London, in aid of the charity Help For Heroes. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)

What?!?! Those weird guys in the makeup? Better than Bachman-Turner Overdrive? Better than the Captain and Tennille? Better than K.C. and the Sunshine Band?
This merited investigation. Listening intently to the radio, turning the knob from station to station, catching songs like Rock and Roll All Nite, I determined that Billy was a genius.

Kiss rocked.

The first album I ever bought — actually, it was an eight-track tape — was Kiss Destroyer, which included such classics as Detroit Rock City, Shout It Out Loud, God of Thunder and, of course, Beth. I played it every day after school, blasting the speakers of my home stereo, memorizing the words to each song, strumming air guitars and pounding imaginary drums.

Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss became my heroes.

I worked my way backward through the Kiss record catalog, buying Alive, Dressed to Kill, Hotter Than Hell and the self-titled debut Kiss. I spent countless hours blaring music, analyzing album covers and reading liner notes. I recall studying each face in the crowd photo on the back of Alive and thinking that the two girls holding the Kiss sign were total foxes. Decades later, I was shocked to learn they were boys with long hair.
As my obsession grew, I plastered Kiss posters on my bedroom wall, scoured magazine racks for Kiss issues and raided candy stores for Kiss bubble-gum cards. My friends and I debated and exchanged the latest Kiss gossip. Did the band’s name stand for Knights In Satan’s Service? Did Simmons have a cow tongue surgically grafted to his own? Was the band killed in a tour bus crash and replaced by imposters in identical makeup?

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Photo gallery: KISS fans deliver with Detroit Rock City dedication at DTE Energy Music Theater

By Eric Lacey/Michigan Live

Check out Photo Gallery Here.


CLARKSTON, MI - Pyrotechnics, half-naked women, glam metal guitar riffs, epic drum solos, lasers, smoke, acrobatics and even blood-spitting.

Thursday's KISS/Motley Crue concert at DTE Energy Music Theater had it all, but it really wouldn't have been anything without the fans.

Specifically KISS fans, young and old, who dusted off those old t-shirts, smeared on some face paint, squeezed into those tights and strutted to "Strutter" in platform boots


"I want to tell you how proud we are of a city that took us in," yelled KISS frontman Paul Stanley. "Other places didn't consider us real rock until Detroit did."

The mutual love and respect between the band and fan base was obvious, on an attention-getting night that reminded me of how much fun glam metal is.

Strolling through the parking lot a few hours before the show made me feel nostalgic and hope that KISS, now all either in their 50s or 60s, will hang on and keep kicking ass.

Enclosed in this post are photos of some of the moments that caught my eye before, during and after the show. Met a lot of cool people from the great state of Michigan who love their music.

Enjoy! 

KISS' MONSTER Has New Release Date

KISS has changed it's North American release date for MONSTER from October 16 to October 9.

Gene Simmons to throw beer festival in downtown L.A.

By Todd Martens/Los Angeles Times

Rock star/opportunist Gene Simmons is bringing his growing beer empire to downtown Los Angeles, at least for a week. The Kiss leader, with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and restaurant impresario Michael Zislis, will stage a seven-day Octoberfest celebration at downtown's L.A. Live.

Simmons with his Rock & Brew partners, Michael Zislis (L) and Dave Furano
Photo: Mel Melcon

Full details about what beer will be available hasn't been made public yet, but Simmons is no stranger to craft beer. He's a partner in the budding Rock & Brews chain, which has its flagship location in El Segundo.

Just don't try to pin Simmons down on what kind of beer he favors. In an interview about his beer ambitions with Pop & Hiss, Simmons dodged a question about L.A.'s fast-rising craft beer scene and instead said he simply favors customer choice.

 

Continue Reading LA Times Article

American beer drinkers also can't sample the Kiss-branded Destroyer lager, which is brewed in Sweden and has limited availability outside the country. That's probably for the best, at least judging from the few reviews available on BeerAdvocate.

Read an Except of PETER CRISS' New Book

Click AMAZON to read an excerpt of Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss.

LEGENDARY founding KISS drummer Peter “Catman” Criss has lived an incredible life in music, from the streets of Brooklyn to the social clubs of New York City to the ultimate heights of rock ’n’ roll success and excess.

KISS formed in 1973 and broke new ground with their elaborate makeup, live theatrics, and powerful sound. The band emerged as one of the most iconic hard rock acts in music history. Peter Criss, the Catman, was the heartbeat of the group. From an elevated perch on his pyrotechnic drum riser, he had a unique vantage point on the greatest rock show of all time, with the KISS Army looking back at him night after night. Peter Criscuola had come a long way from the homemade drum set he pounded on nonstop as a kid growing up in Brooklyn in the fifties. He endured lean years, street violence, and the rollercoaster music scene of the sixties, but he always knew he’d make it.

Makeup to Breakup is Peter Criss’s eye-opening journey from the pledge to his ma that he’d one day play Madison Square Garden to doing just that. He conquered the rock world—composing and singing his band’s all-time biggest hit, “Beth” (1976)—but he also faced the perils of stardom and his own mortality, including drug abuse, treatment in 1982, near-suicides, two broken marriages, and a hard-won battle with breast cancer.
Criss opens up with a level of honesty and emotion previously unseen in any musician’s memoir. Makeup to Breakup is the definitive and heartfelt account of one of rock’s most iconic figures, and the importance of faith and family. Rock ’n’ roll has been chronicled many times, but never quite like this.

GENE SIMMONS to Perform the National Anthem This Monday

by Levi Damien/Silver&Black Pride

The Raiders are continuing their recent incentive for fans to arrive early to games this seasons. There are contests and giveaways to fans who arrive at least an hour before kickoff. And on Monday, everyone in attendance wins.
All fans in attendance an hour before kickoff at O.co coliseum Monday night will be treated to a performance by Ice Cube who will perform his Raiders anthem "Come and Get Some". It's the Pepsi NFL Anthem in which Ice Cube dubs himself "The President of the Raider Nation" as arguably the most famous diehard Raider fan.
In addition, Gene Simmons, of the legendary rock band KISS, will perform the National Anthem (not to be confused with the NFL Anthem.

Detroit Show Postponed Until Thursday

THE SHOW TONIGHT IN DETROIT AT THE DTE ENERGY MUSIC THEATRE IS POSTPONED UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT!
Kissonline

To All KISS AND Motley Fans:

On its way to Detroit, our pyro truck was involved in an accident and flipped, spilling our gear all along the freeway.

We owe you the show you expect and deserve, so we've jointly decided to give our crews the 24 hours necessary to piece everything together to make it possible.

THE PARTY IS NOW THURSDAY NIGHT SEPTEMBER 6th.

See you there!
KISS and MOTLEY

Tim McGraw Accepts 50,000 From Rockers Kiss and Motley Crue For Operation Homefront

Nashville.com

Rock legends KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE announced at their concert in Nashville, TN last night that they will donate $50,000 to Operation Homefront, an organization that provides emergency financial and other assistance to families of service members and wounded warriors coping with deployment and injury recovery by providing funds for immediate needs such as food, housing, childcare, moving costs and vehicle expenses.
Tim McGraw, who partnered with Operation Homefront, Chase Bank and ACM Lifting Lives- the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music-to donate a mortgage-free home in each city during his summer tour accepted the check on behalf of the organization.

KISS’ Paul Stanley states “The freedom we all enjoy and may take for granted is only made possible by the brave servicemen and women who chose to put themselves in harm’s way to protect this great country. Tim’s work for Operation Homefront with ACM Lifting Lives is a great example of how those in our position can show our appreciation while also urging all Americans to contribute on whatever level they can and KISS is proud to support this worthy cause.

Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx affirms ““We wanted to give back to the servicemen in need. They are the ones who bravely go out to defend our freedom so the least we can do is support them & their families when they return. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with our friends KISS to donate money. Hopefully it will help create awareness and inspire many others to follow suit”

Operation Homefront was formed in February 2002 to support the families of deployed service members immediately following 9/11. A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers with nationwide presence, and has met more than 590,000 needs of military families since its inception. A four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 94 percent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to assist service members. The majority of military families served by Operation Homefront are the lowest-paid service members, the E-1 through E-6 enlisted ranks.

To donate, please click here.

Contact: jerry@nashville.com

"PAUL STANLEY on the Drum"

Check out this photo from the Kiss Army Sweden of Paul Stanley behind Peter Criss' drumkit from the Dynasty Tour.

GENE SIMMONS and VINCE NEIL Team Up for Make-A-Wish Event

Motley Crue singer Vince Neil and Kiss bassist and entrepreneur Gene Simmons put their money where there their mouths were the night before a recent Kiss/Motley Crue tour date in Oklahoma. The big-hearted rockers teamed with Jim Glover Chevrolet and Make-A-Wish Oklahoma for an event to raise money and awareness for Make-A-Wish, which helps grant wishes for children who are struggling to overcome an illness.

The event raised more than $5,000 in a couple of hours, and Jim Glover Chevrolet stepped in to match that amount, making the total for the event more than $10,000. “These events really fuel what we do on a state level,” said Make-A-Wish Oklahoma CEO Jeff Summers. “Make-A-Wish Oklahoma is set to grant 175 wishes in fiscal year 2013, and every single dollar needed to grant wishes has to be raised each and every year. So dollars like this will help directly to grant wishes to children all over Oklahoma, and this is the mainstay of what we do.”

Vince Neil said his support of Make-A-Wish is personal to him. His daughter Skylar passed away from cancer in 1995. “Any time we can do that — myself or the band, Motley Crue — we try to help out,” he stated. Gene Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed made one little boy’s wish come true in person, meeting with Timmy, a sick fan whose dream had been to meet Simmons. “You’re my favorite,” the boy said shyly after Simmons gave him an autograph — to which the ever-humble star replied, “You’ve obviously got good taste!”

Japanese MONSTER Contains 3-D Artwork

Twentieth studio album release from KISS including 12 songs total. This Japanese edition exclusively features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD players). Comes with a description and lyrics. This edition features 3D jacket artwork. *The packaging of this Japan release is identical to the worldwide release.

You can purchase here at CD Japan

Catalog No.	UICY-75380
JAN	4988005738806
Number of discs	1
Item weight	120g
Label/Distributor	Universal Music

ACE FREHLEY: "Rock Soldiers" Long Island Rock Fest

Here is video of Ace performing "Rock Soldiers" from Sunday's Long Island Rock Festival in Brookhaven, NY.

It's Official, MONSTER on Vinyl!

It has officially announced, MONSTER, will be released on vinyl. Details to follow. Pre-Order at AMAZON

Concert Review: Kiss, Motley Crue bring impressive performance to First Niagara Pavilion

By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Gene Simmons performs with KISS at First Niagara Pavilion Sunday night.

 

Photo by Matt Freed

 

Paul Stanley actually came out and said it in a recent interview. Kiss will go on without him and co-founder Gene Simmons. Mr. Stanley explained that Kiss was not just a band, but an "ideal" that was bigger than any one of them.

It's a little ridiculous to think of them blowing fire and running around in giant heels at, what, 65? 70?
But for now, the Kiss frontmen are a sprightly 62, and tonight at the First Niagara Pavilion, they pulled off the same tricks they did in 1976, and more, with a truck full of pyro and some well-placed wires.

On this "Tour," Kiss has a band of relative youngsters barking at its heels. Motley Crue was the kickstart, and it's still a tough act to follow.

The devilish Crue, which, by some miracle, still has all four original members, entered in a ghoulish procession through the back of the pavilion and took a fiery, steampunk-themed stage with "Saints of Los Angeles," the title track from its most recent (2008) album, played at punishing volume.
Most of the set, on the coolest stage the Crue ever had, was a hard rock blast from the '80s, with such hits as the driving "Wild Side," the obligatory power-ballad "Home Sweet Home," the sing-songy "Girls, Girls, Girls" and signature classic "Kickstart My Heart."

The Cr??e updated its set list with a trashy new single, "Sex," on which the screechy Vince Neil drove home a subtle message to the little kids who came out to see Kiss: "Oh! No! Don't need no love and no respect!/cause it's all about the sex!" Fortunately, they may have been distracted, not by the scantily clad dancers/backup singers, but by the water cannons.

Musically, the band is still a live wire with an explosive rhythm section (Nikki Sixx even had a fire-shooting bass) and the freakish Mick Mars freakishly nailing every guitar part. If you missed it at Stage AE last year, you got another shot to see Tommy Lee's drum rollercoaster, which took off on a vertical loop while he pounded to a techno track. He then took a fan on a ride to the tune of "Love Rollercoaster."

Kiss came down from a riser with all guns blazing on "Detroit Rock City" and "Shout it Out Loud." A few songs in, the band lit into "Firehouse," wherein Mr. Simmons gave the kids (of all ages) a cheap thrill with the fire-spitting trick.

The one downside to Kiss going out with co-headliners is that the main set is reduced to 13 songs, leaving some old "Kiss Alive" favorites on the shelf.
The band teased its forthcoming "Monster" album with the single "Hell or Hallelujah," which we can safely say doesn't point Kiss in any radically new direction. Tommy Thayer, who took over guitar and Spaceman duties from Ace Frehley, shot off some instrumental fireworks, literally and figuratively, on "Shock Me."

The high resolution video screens came in handy on the bass solo leading into "God of Thunder," giving us a monstrous close-up of Mr. Simmons spewing blood and flying around to the rafters on Kiss' most metal song. Mr. Stanley got to fly too, out over the audience to a smaller stage, on "Love Gun." Kiss signed off with drummer Eric Singer taking the vocal on "Black Diamond" and closed the concert and the Pavilion season with a celebratory "Rock and Roll All Nite."
As they say, a Kiss concert is like the circus coming to town, and it might just go on forever -- no holograms necessary. Lucky us, we get some of the original ringmasters.

KISS Set List

Detroit Rock City
Shout It Out Loud
I Love It Loud
Firehouse
Hell or Hallelujah
War Machine
Shock Me
Bass Solo
God of Thunder
Love Gun
Lick It Up
Black Diamond
Encore:
*********
Rock and Roll All Nite

KISS Destroyer:Resurrected Sales 1st Week

Destroyer:Resurrected drew sales of 7,000 copies in the US to land a debut at #58 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums.