Thanks to Jesus Torres, Robert Baan, Paul Lundgren and Ritchie Florey for sending KISSonline these pictures of their KISS tattoos!

We were recently honored to be given the chance to visit the largest military installation in the free world.

315 square miles of US Army. Let the bad guys beware. The fiercest fighting force the world has ever known is coming.

While there, we visited the USO, which does amazing work to make our soldiers' lives a bit easier.

And the most inspiring of all, is seeing the families of these proud soldiers, paying them homage... They are lined up here, ready to deploy to Iraq.

Honor our Troops.

Visit GeneSimmons.com to view more photos from Fort Hood.

On this day in KISStory - January 31, 1999, KISS opened Super Bowl XXXIII with a bombastic version of "Rock And Roll All Nite!"

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Greetings all!

This afternoon, I participated in the 2011 Polar Plunge, in Annapolis, MD. The event was a fundraiser to benefit the Special Olympics of Southern Maryland. Originally started 15 years ago, it began with a crowd of about 350 people. Now the success has drawn the masses of over 10,000! It was a lot of fun and pretty much just what you could imagine taking a dip in freezing waters would be like! The air temperature was about 35, I don't even want to imagine what the water temps were!

I dressed in costume as many participants do. Being the KISS fanatic that I am, had to represent the KISS Army in the classiest of style! I was Gene Simmons, stepping right off the cover of the "Dressed to Kill" album! I ended up taking pictures with some folks there. Even the Maryland state lottery team asked me to join them!

As for the plunge itself, it probably only lasted for about 15 seconds! I walked in waist deep, turned around, plugged my nose and sat down! The water pulled my wig off and I was up and out with a quickness! Even after growing up in Michigan and New York, I found a new definition of cold!

Thanks again for those who supported this effort!

Enjoy the pic!

Ryan

LETTERS

On this day in KISStory - January 30, 1973, KISS performed their very first concert at Popcorn (The Coventry) in Queens, NY. The band performed 2 sets at the club that night for a crowd of under 10 people.

Gene recalls how that show came about:

1973 was the beginning.

Wicked Lester had just finished its album for EPIC RECORDS. There were five members in the band, including Paul and myself. Though we had a real recording contract with a major label, and though we had finished an entire album, we were depressed. It just wasn't what we had envisioned.

So, we started again. We tried firing the other three guys in Wicked Lester, but some wouldn't leave. So, we quit.

We started again with a vision. 'Let's put together the band we never saw on stage.'

We got a manager named LOU LINET, who managed JF MURPHY AND FREE FLOWING SALT and DIANA MARCOVITZ (or something like that)...and when he heard the newborn baby -- KISS. He thought it was the worst crap he had ever heard. Needless to say, he was gone immediately. So, we were managerless.

I put together a bio kit, while I worked at the Puerto Rican Interagency Council, as assistant to the Director. Peter's friend owned a printing press and printed up our invites.

But, where to play? We didn't have a manager. We didn't have an agent. We never had.

I made a phone call cold to a place called Popcorn in Queens, NY and on the phone convinced the guy to hire a band, who would soon be changing their name from WICKED LESTER to KISS.

We got the gig -- three nights -- Wed, Thurs and Fri for the sum total of $150.

That was the beginning.

General public tickets for KISS' San Juan, Puerto Rico concert on March 12th at Coliseo de Puerto Rico go on sale today at 10:00 PM local time.

Show Info: March 12 - Coliseo de Puerto Rico - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Visit Ticketpop to buy tickets now

Here's the admat / poster for KISS' San Juan, Puerto Rico show at Coliseo de Puerto Rico on March 12.

Earlier today, City leaders presented Gene with the key to the city of Dallas for his support of the military. As you can see from the photo, Gene was also honored with Gene Simmons Blvd.

Next week, Gene will host the Aces & Angels Salute to the Troops, a party and benefit to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project and the USO.

Over 500 Texas soldiers who have recently returned from Iraq or Afghanistan will attend.










Below are WFAA - TV news clips from the ceremony.

Tickets for KISS' Hard Rock Live concert on March 17th at The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, go on sale today at 12:00 PM (EST) Ticketmaster.com. You may also purchase tickets by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Hi KISS & the KISS Army!!

Bought a brand new snowmobile this year and the first thing we had to do was deck it out with a KISS paint job! Just wanted to put this out there for all to see.

Thanks and hope you all like it!

Brent Jacobsen / Lake Park, IA

LETTERS

A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket presale for KISS' San Juan, Puerto Rico show takes place today at 10. Premium KISS ARMY Members will have access to Members-Only tickets.

Show Info: March 12 - Coliseo de Puerto Rico - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Pre-Sale Start: Friday, January 28th, 2011 from 10AM local time
Pre-Sale END: Saturday, January 29th, 2011 from 9AM local time

If you are a Premium KISS ARMY Member: LOGIN NOW 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

KISS Meet & Greet VIP Packages will also be available.

Calling Dr. Love: Dallas Giving Key to City to Kiss' Gene Simmons

By Linda Jones

DALLAS -- Kiss bassist Gene Simmons is legendary for his musical talent and for the tongue wagging, fire breathing and blood spitting of his alter ego, the Demon.

But when the rocker and reality show celebrity comes to Dallas today to be honored by city officials, it will be for activities that are more in keeping with his other nickname: Dr. Love.

On Wednesday, during Super Bowl week, Simmons will be showing his love and continued support for American troops by throwing a fundraising party for them at Centennial Hall in Fair Park. As a show of appreciation, Dallas officials will toss him a key to the city.

"We all know that Mr. Simmons is a talented artist and a famous rock star," said Dallas City Councilman Steve Salazar, who will make the presentation during a ceremony at 4 p.m. today at Dallas City Hall. "But the key is to honor his humanitarian work in supporting our men and women, many of [whom] have been wounded."

KISS will bring their "Hottest Show on Earth Tour" to Puerto Rico with a show at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in Hato Rey on March 12, 2011.

www.coliseodepuertorico.com/

A KISS Army Fan Club Presale will begin this Friday.

Pre-sale Start: Friday, January 28th, 2011 from 10AM local time
Pre-sale End: Saturday, January 29th, 2011 from 9AM local time

General public tickets will go on sale Saturday, January 29th, 2011@ 10AM local time.

New KISS Studio Album – coming soon

KISS heading into studio in March

By Eric MacKinnon

KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer has confirmed that the legendary rockers are heading back into the studio and plan to release a new album before the end of the year. And he reveals it will follow much the same format as 2009’s Sonic Boom which was a massive success on both sides of the Atlantic.

In an interview with BackstageAxxess Thayer says: “The great news is that we are going in the studio again in the next month or two. We are starting to work on writing some songs, approach it just like we did with Sonic Boom and keep it all in the band in terms of the writing, with no agenda besides writing great rock n’ roll songs that we love, then rehearsing them before then recording them. It really felt good to us so we’ll go the same way this time.”

The new record will be the bands 20th studio album and Thayer reveals KISS co-leader Paul Stanley will produce it, after the success he had at the helm on Sonic Boom He adds: “Paul knows more what a KISS record should sound like than anybody, to be honest with you, so he is going to lead the charge and produce it again and we are all really excited about it.

“I know we are going to start working on it really soon in terms of the writing and rehearsing and we’ll probably be in the studio by March, so sometime this year I’m sure you’ll see a spanking new KISS album that’s gonna kick some butt!”

The Funko KISS Pop! figures that we previewed on KOL back in December are now beginning to arrive at retail stores.

Be on the look out for the ultra rare chase KISS Pop! figures with GLOWING faces. Gene's chase figure has the glowing face and a tongue.