Check out this photo featuring several KISS merchandise sneak-peeks that KISSOnline shared with fans at our booth at the Indy KISS Fan Expo last Saturday!

Pictured are the following KISS prototypes:

Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer Sonic Boom Figures from Figure Toys

Paul Stanley First Album Figure from Figure Toys

Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and the Mini KISS lunch box Christmas Ornaments from Kurt Adler

Paul Stanley Nutcracker from Kurt Adler


_{Photo by Keith Leroux for KISSOnline.}

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas or so they say! Celebrating our 15th anniversary, Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp is proud to announce the next installment of our highly successful music-magic experience taking place in sin city this coming Fall. Headlining the October camp at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will be co-founder and bassist for KISS and the face of A&E’s “Gene Simmons Family Jewels”– iconic rock god and media mogul Gene Simmons.

“I can’t think of a better way to kick off our next installment of Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas with none other than rock god Gene Simmons,” says Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp founder David Fishof.

“I can’t wait to reveal the secrets of becoming a rock star,” says Gene Simmons. “Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp is a grueling, military style musical training process. And I’m just the guy to be your Sergeant. Now, drop and give me twenty.”

Kicking off October 10th and culminating October 14th Gene Simmons will jam with campers of all talent levels providing them a taste of what it’s like to live the “rock and roll” lifestyle and a memory that will last a lifetime. The camp will host special rock stars including Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne guitarist, Black Label Society), Vince Neil (Motley Crue), and Sebastian Bach (Skid Row).

The rock camps allow music fans a chance to jam nightly with legendary rock stars, write and record an original song and perform live on stage in front of family and friends. Campers have the option of purchasing a three-day rock star package or five day headliner experience. Both packages will cover hotel accommodations, breakfast/lunch, daily classes and jam session, opening night dinner and cocktail party as well as a DVD copy of the final concert performance. To celebrate the camp’s culmination on October 14th, campers will jam at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas during a live concert.

A big Congratulations Dawn and Ian Fallon and their 4 legged children...Smokey Joe, Peanut & Jersey Lou of Edmonton Canada on their People and Doggy Wedding at the Hotter Than Hell Wedding Chapel. Never a dull day at KMMG, we love it!

About Doodle Day and NF Network

As part of NF Awareness month, celebrity doodles, including the ones pictured here by Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer, Eric Singer and Shannon Tweed are available for auction on eBay until May 20th.

These doodles have a very important aim: the funds they raise will benefit NF, Inc. Network, an organization dedicated to providing support to individuals and families affected by neurofibromatosis (NF).

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that affects one in every 2,500 births. NF is more common than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy and Huntington's Disease combined. Funds raised from the Doodle Day auction will go to support education, advocacy, coalitions, and research for treatments and a cure.

To learn more about NF, please visit www.nfnetwork.org.

Bid on the doodles now at www.ebay.com/sch/nfinccharity/m.html

A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket pre-sale takes place today, 5/16/12, at 12:00 Noon EST for KISS' August 1st KFC YUM! Center show in Louisville, KY. Premium KISS ARMY Members will have access to Members-Only KISS tickets for shows.

If you are a Premium KISS ARMY Member: LOGIN at http://www.kissonline.com/service/login and visit the tour page to get information to access the presale.

If you are not a current Premium Member of the KISS ARMY and would like to participate in the Members-only Pre-sale: JOIN NOW!

On this day in KISSTORY - April 16th, 1975, KISS headlined Detroit's Cobo Hall for the first time. The show before a sellout crowd of 12,000 plus, was part of the seventy-two date Dressed To Kill tour. It was also the first of five shows that KISS recorded for their classic album, KISS ALIVE! The famous photo on the back cover of ALIVE!, featuring KISS fans Bruce Redoute and Lee Neaves holding their hand drawn KISS sign, was taken at this concert.

Paul Stanley comments on the Cobo show and Detroit:

"This concert and the release of "Alive!" marked a pivotal giant step towards achieving domination in the 70's. "Detroit Rock City" was written as a salute to the people who championed us as a headliner when others still saw us as an opening act. We can never forget them. We decided, that was the only place we would start the Reunion Tour."

Check out the frame-flip video of KISS at their historic Cobo Hall concert on May 16, 1975, which was recorded for KISS Alive! The audio in the video is from Parasite from this exact show.

Here is the Billboard advertising Season Eight of Gene Simmons Family Jewels. Actually, it's Season Nine -- A&E ordered a double series in one of the seasons...

In either case, we hope you like our little show...seen in 84 countries around the world.

A&E’s hit series “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” returns with a special one-hour episode on Monday, May 28 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

The Atlanta KISS Fan Expo returns this Sunday, May 20, 2012 at the Atlanta Hilton Northeast in Norcross, Georgia.

The Fan Expo will feature KISS dealers from around the world with pure KISS Collectables with some various Rock 'N Roll thrown in! KISSOnline will also be attending the event with the latest Official KISS merchandise! We look forward to seeing everyone!

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 a great expo!

Kids 10 and under are 'FREE' with a paying Adult admission.

Visit www.kreaturesofthesouth.com for guest, hotel and ticket info.

The 2012 Atlanta KISS Fan Expo is a fan produced event. By the fans, for the fans!

Over 1,000 KISS fans of all ages celebrated KISS on Saturday at the annual Indianapolis KISS Fan Expo! Fans spent the day catching up with old friends, shopping for KISS merchandise & collectibles, and meeting KISS' Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer!

Tommy, making his first official Expo appearance, and Eric spent over eleven hours signing autographs and visiting with the fans at the KISSOnline booth! The guys also held a spirited Q&A, which featured a surprise birthday celebration for Eric! At one point Tommy and Eric ventured into the hallway to greet the hundreds of fans still remaining in line to thank them for their patience.

Late in the evening, KISS tribute band KIST rocked the ballroom as Tommy And Eric greeted the last of the attendees, some who waited over 7 hours to meet them! The KISS Army truly rocks!

Another great day celebrating the greatest band in the world with the greatest fans ever!

_{Photos by Keith Leroux for KISSOnline.com}

Here are a few photos of Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer offering fans a sneak peek of a few pages of the upcoming KISS MONSTER book during their Q&A at the INDY KISS Fan Expo on Saturday in Indianapolis. The image on the right is the full-sized art mockup of the book's USA limited edition cover.

_{Photos by Doug Cataldo for KISSOnline.}

_{Photos by Keith Leroux for KISSOnline.}

Story by Gary Greenough

The KISS Tribute Harley, known as the KTH, was built during the ALIVE35 Tour, 2009. Although a stock platform rarely wins any prizes at bike shows, it is the most photographed bike at every show; KISS fans come out to see it.

When KISS took on the Wounded Warriors Project as a charity, the KTH became a magnet for donations to that event. At every bike show, a donation can, with an explanation for the donation, is put out with the bike. To date, nearly $3,000 has been collected and sent to WWP. People would be allowed to sit on the bike for a photo and a donation.

At the Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show of 2010, a member of HEROES, A KISS Experience, (now Las Vegas KISS), Luis Reyes, a Demon impersonator, stood behind the bike for four hours posing in full DEMON attire with people who sat on the bike. Over $1,000 was collected in those four hours. ALL proceeds of these events are sent to WWP.

Time, fuel, or hotel, are on the tab of the owner. As long as there are conflicts, as long as there are wounded warriors coming home, the KTH will be out there bringing in pennies, nickels, dimes and dollars, to be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Here's a photo of the advance copies of the new KISS Comics Issue #1. Pictured are the 6 different covers that will be available for the #1 Issue. KISS #1 will officially be in stores on June 13.

In the photos:

Top row: two regular covers available at most retailers; and one limited cover available at select retailers

Bottom row: limited cover available at select retailers; the black cover is exclusive to one retailer only; last one on right is the KISSOnline exclusive.

Click here to pre-order KISS #1 Issue with the Exclusive KISSOnline cover now!

TODAY IS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RELEASE OF REVENGE

On this day in KISSTORY - May 14, 1992, KISS released their critically acclaimed REVENGE album. With producer Bob Ezrin at the helm, a ferocious KISS delivered one of their heaviest and best albums ever! All the band members shined on this release! Ever reliable Paul Stanley was on top of his game here, delivering impassioned vocals through out the album. Even the Demon returned and proved what a committed and focused Gene Simmons is capable of! New drummer Eric Singer' power and intensity added to the KISS assault and Bruce Kulick recorded what many consider his finest KISS guitar work. REVENGE debuted at #6 on Billboard and remained on the charts for twenty three weeks. The album was certified Gold on 07/20/92.

REVENGE, which was dedicated to Eric Carr, also featured 'Carr Jam 1981,' an instrumental track written by Carr that Ezrin discovered from The Elder recordings. The song featured a thunderous Carr drum solo as the centerpiece and was a fitting tribute to the beloved drummer.

KISS released four music videos for REVENGE: 'Unholy', 'I Just Wanna', 'Domino' and 'Everytime I Look At You'. A video for 'God Gave Rock And Roll to You' was released in November 1991 to support the Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey movie soundtrack.

REVENGE Track Listing:

Unholy / Take It Off / Tough Love / Spit / God Gave Rock & Roll to You II / Domino / Heart of Chrome / Thou Shalt Not / Every Time I Look At You / Paralyzed / I Just Wanna / Carr Jam 1981

What can I say? The 2012 Indy KISS Expo ROCKED!!! There was an incredible turnout (almost 1000 fans!) to welcome long time expo favorite Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer appearing at his official KISS expo debut. Those guys posed for pictures and signed autographs for 10+ hours stopping only for a VERY cool Q&A session that revealed EXCLUSIVE shots of the monumental KISS Monster book that is looming on the horizon. Hundreds of Expo guests were treated to numerous merchandise tables with the latest must have items, KISS Karaoke, raffles and appearance from tribute band KIST. Eric and Tommy were there from the EARLY morning hours (arriving in Indianapolis at 5:00 AM and hanging with the dedicated KISS fans until late in the evening. News of the new Monster album still remained under wraps from the two, but was promised to kick some “major ass” upon its impending release. The KISS Army is alive and well… As always young and old came together to celebrate all things KISS in a way that only KISS truly can. The fans have now been properly primed for THE TOUR!!! 2012 is going to be another chapter in KISSTORY! I, for one, CAN NOT WAIT!!!

Mike Mariacher
PodKISST.com

Photo of fan's Tommy and Eric Paintings by Tom Hale

LETTERS