On this day in KISSTORY - May 20, 1980, KISS released Unmasked, their eighth studio album. The artwork featured Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, although Criss actually had no involvement with the recording of the album. Anton Fig (uncredited) played all drums on the album.

The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on July 30, 1980.

UNMASKED Track Listing:

Is That You? / Shandi / Talk To Me / Naked City / What Makes The World Go Round / Tomorrow / Two Sides Of The Coin / She's So European/ Easy As It Seems /Torpedo Girl / You're All That I Want

Here's the music video for "Shandi."




Check out this commercial for the KISS "Unmasked" album.

KISS ROCKED AMERICAN IDOL FINALE

On this day in KISSTORY - May 20, 2009, KISS rocked over 25 million Americans with Detroit Rock City and Rock and Roll All Night as the band was front-and-center on the American Idol finale show performing with runner-up Adam Lambert.

- KISS was just about the best thing on Idol ALL SEASON LONG. - Rolling Stone

- a jaw-dropping, fist-pumping, pyro-enhanced performance with legendary rockers KISS. - MTV

- KISS Blow Up American Idol. Now that's the way to rock the house! - Associated Content

- It was a night to remember for all those members (including me) of the KISS Army. - WBAL Radio

- Carlos Santana had the unenviable task of following the act. He strummed out some of his famous licks, which felt very slow-paced after the unbelievable energy KISS brought to the theatre. I was actually screaming to see more KISS by this point. - TV Envy

Here's an excerpt from yesterday's Montreal Gazette story - "We want your opinion: Jimi Hendrix? KISS? Which musicians, bands should make Top 10 in our series Who wrote the book of rock?"

By Bernard Perusse, Gazette Music Columnist
Photograph by: Kevin Winter/ , Getty Images

Some of our readers have weighed in with their thoughts on who should make the Top 10 list. Here’s a cross-section.

KISS belongs in your Top 10 list.

They revolutionized music MARKETING. They took the plain old concert tee and turned it into a billion dollar industry.

Perhaps Jimi Hendrix defined rock guitar playing and the Beatles define an era, but KISS changed the marketing of music, and their lessons helped create MTV (visuals being important to music). Madonna stole from their book.

– Mitch Lafon

KISS PERFORMED AT MAGIC MOUNTAIN

On this day in KISSTORY - May 19th, 1978, KISS performed a free concert at Magic Mountain Amusement Park in Valencia, California to film the concert scenes for the "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park." The concert took place in the parking lot of Magic Mountain. Tickets were distributed through a California radio station and approximately 10,000 fans attended the show. KISS performed a full regular set list and then lip-synched "Love Gun" and "Shock Me" for the movie. Between the concert and filming the extra scenes, the shoot lasted several hours and the band members interacted with the crowd through out the event.

Paul on the concert and film shoot:

"I remember it all like it was yesterday. Doing a film and a concert in a band where some were barely speaking to each other and others not speaking at all was even weirder than the script! I still can't figure out the end of the film."

KISS Meet & Greet and VIP packages for 'THE TOUR' are selling quickly! Only a limited number of packages remain for most shows. Act now if you plan on having the ultimate KISS experience!

The following cities are either SOLD OUT or only have a few packages remaining.

Virginia Beach (7/21), Atlanta (7/25), Charlotte (7/25), Birmingham (7/31), The Woodlands, TX (8/3), Dallas (8/4), Englewood (8/8), Las Vegas (8/11), Irvine (8/14), Tulsa (8/26), St. Louis (8/27), Cincinnati (8/31), Indianapolis (9/1), Detroit (9/5), Chicago (9/7), Toronto (9/13), Mansfield (9/16), Camden (9/19) and Wantagh (9/22).

Here's your chance to have the ultimate KISS experience on "THE TOUR" 2012 tour! Enjoy a KISS VIP Tour package, or a KISS Meet & Greet package that includes exclusive access to KISS' preshow soundcheck!

KISS and Motley Crue will bring "THE TOUR" to the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky on Aug. 1.

General public tickets for the 7 p.m. show go on sale today at 10 a.m. and are $151, $96 and $66, reserved. There is a ticket limit of 8 per person for the first day of sale. Tickets may be purchased at the KFC Yum! Center, the Kentucky Exposition Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center ticket offices. Tickets may also be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets.

KISS guitarist to perform at military museum fundraiser

Tommy Thayer, lead guitarist for the rock band KISS and son of an Oregon war hero, is scheduled to perform at a fundraiser for the Oregon Military Museum on Friday, May 18 at the Oregon Golf Club in West Linn.

His father, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) James B. Thayer, will be honored by the museum during the event. James Thayer helped save the lives of thousands of Hungarian Jewish refugees during World War II when his platoon liberated a concentration camp, and is the recipient of the Silver Star and Bronze Star.

The dinner, auction and music event, which begins at 5:00 p.m., kicks off a two-year, $6.5 million capital campaign to renovate the Oregon Military Museum at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas.

KISS INDUCTED IN ROCK WALK

On this day in KISSTORY - May 18th, 1993, KISS featuring Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Bruce Kulick were inducted into Hollywood's famed RockWalk. At the ceremony in front of fans, friends and family, Paul, Gene and Bruce spoke to the crowd and then left impressions of their hand prints in a block of cement. After adding plates of the KISS logo and their signatures, the stone plaque was later added to RockWalk located at the site of the famed Oriental Theatre now Guitar Center Hollywood. Eric Carr was posthumously inducted into the Rock Walk in 1995 and added to the KISS plaque.

Visit RockWalk's website at http://www.rockwalk.com/ and look up KISS under inductees for some more photos of the induction as well as photos of some of RockWalk's KISS memorabilia including an Ace Frehley Les Paul guitar, Peter Criss' boots and Paul Stanley's Iceman guitar and boots.

Dedicated to honoring those individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to the music industry, Hollywood's RockWalk became a reality on November 13, 1985. At last, the Rock 'n Roll world could claim for itself an institution every bit as compelling as Mann's Chinese Theatre, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Hollywood's RockWalk has honored such creatively diverse and equally as accomplished individuals and groups such as KISS, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Johnny Cash, Dick Clark, Willie Dixon, The Doobie Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, Les Paul, John Lee Hooker, The Moody Blues, Phil Ramone and Smokey Robinson.

KISS ALIVE III ALBUM RELEASED

On this day in KISSTORY - May 18, 1993, KISS' Gold ALIVE III album was released. Their third live album featured a tougher sounding KISS, as Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer tore through sixteen KISS Classics, that focused mainly on material from the 80's and 90's . ALIVE III opens with a bang (literally) to the crunching "Creatures Of The Night" and slows down only briefly along the way for a beautiful version of "Forever". Performances on songs like "Duece", "Unholy", "Detroit Rock City" and "God Gave Rock And Roll To You", show just how tight and flexible this lineup was both vocally and musically! The album ends with a stellar version of the "Star Spangled Banner", featuring some tasty guitar work by Mr. Kulick, which should make any American KISS Fan proud!

Alive III was produced by Eddie Kramer and KISS and was recorded in November 1992 during KISS' REVENGE tour at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit, Michigan, Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland, Ohio and Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Track List:

Creatures Of The Night / Deuce / I Just Wanna / Unholy / Heaven's On Fire / Watchin' You / Domino / I Was Made For Lovin' You / I Still Love You / Rock 'n' Roll All Nite / Lick It Up / Forever / Take It Off / I Love It Loud / Detroit Rock City / God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You / Star Spangled Banner

Note: "Take It Off" only appeared on the Japanese and European versions as well as the US Vinyl release of ALIVE III

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.