KISS: The Hottest Brand In The Land is a new coffee table book by Nicholas Buckland. Clocking in at 390 pages, it is the officially licensed story of the KISS merchandising craze of the late 1970s and early 1980s. While the Ultra Deluxe Edition, which was autographed by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, and the Deluxe Edition are sold out, the Standard Edition is still available for $99.
Last night I attended my third concert, so far, on KISS’ End Of The Road Tour, and it was great! I previously saw the band back in the spring in Philadelphia and then Atlanta. Both of those shows were inside large arenas, while this one was outside, making for a totally different atmosphere. With 20,000 fans in attendance and sweltering heat, it was a high-energy performance that had people on their feet the entire time. And with it taking place in an amusement park, I know it conjured up images for fans of the cult classic KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park.
KISS performed its final concert ever in Philadelphia on March 29, 2019. I was there, along with my wife, and it was a blast! Even though I’ve seen KISS live many times, including on three KISS Kruises, I’ve never seen them in the Wells Fargo Center. It was awesome seeing them in a large arena, filled with face-painted fans of all ages. Even better, the band left all access passes for us, something I’ve never had, which meant we could walk almost anywhere we wanted in the building, including backstage, without restriction.
Boring. That’s not a word typically associated with Gene Simmons. Unfortunately, it’s the best one to describe his new book, 27: The Legend and Mythology of the 27 Club. I went into this book wanting to enjoy it, as I have with his other literary work. However, I just couldn’t get into this one and found it to be dry compared to the charismatic and compelling style found in his other books.
After a long hiatus, I returned to the KISSFAQ Podcast for episode 226, where Julian Gill and I discussed the gauntlet of topics hitting the KISS ecosystem today, including David Garibaldi opening for KISS on its “End of the Road” tour, Vinnie Vincent cancelling his postponed comeback concert, and Ace Frehley taking the gloves off and going after Gene and Paul on social media. It’s a jam-packed episode and, as always, it was a blast to take part in. I hope you enjoy it.
Ace Frehley is more than just the former lead guitarist of KISS, he’s also an immensely successful solo artist whose sound – both vocals and guitar – is immediately identifiable. For decades Ace has blazed a path all his own and inspired millions of fans and musicians along the way. His new solo album, appropriately titled Spaceman, is out October 19. I’ve listened to Spaceman numerous times and it’s fantastic – easily one of his best. Ace was kind enough to speak with me about his new record and a variety of other topics. I hope you enjoy the interview.
This past weekend I met former KISS lead guitarist Vinnie Vincent, who I’m interviewing in a few weeks. Vinne was as nice as could be, and our photo together turned out great. After autographing the photo for me, as well as the hardcover book that came with the KISS Box Set, Vinnie asked me to stick around so I did. We chatted for several minutes about a variety of topics, including our mutual appreciation for diverse types of music.
Lydia Criss is the former wife of Peter Criss, KISS’ original drummer, and she’s the author of the fabulous book Sealed With A KISS. Her book, which has received universal praise from fans, is a deluxe hardcover collection of more than 1,500 rare and unpublished photos, as well as fascinating stories and memories from Lydia about KISS’ early days and her life with Peter. It’s a beautifully crafted book that KISS fans should absolutely pick up, as it’s one of the most intimate and personal accounts by someone who was close to the band during its formative years. Lydia was kind enough to speak with me about her book, as well as her marriage to Peter, her career as a photographer, and more. I hope you enjoy our discussion.
Paul Stanley, founding member and lead vocalist for the classic rock group KISS, has an art show at Wentworth Gallery in Short Hills, NJ on April 28. I recently interviewed Paul about his artwork, KISS, and much more.
“Big” John Harte is the former head of security for KISS. He also worked for Prince, Iron Maiden, and Billy Idol, as well as numerous TV and movie stars. His autobiography comes out this summer, and he has a Pledge Music campaign going on right now that you should check out. John was kind enough to speak with me about his impressive and exciting career.