KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Thanks to Martin Comoglio from Argentina for sending KISSOnline this magazine cover that he designed! "

I’m the conceptualizer, digital artist and designer of the magazine called “Estudiantes – Dinastía Heroica” (“Estudiantes – Heroic Dynasty”), the official magazine of the current football-soccer champion of my country, Argentina. Here's the cover featuring Gastón “La Gata” Fernández, Estudiantes’ goal-scorer, painted by me with real KISS spirit!

Martin

Dear Gene,

On July 28, I got to meet you guys (KISS) at Turning Stone Casino for the Meet & Greet. Meeting you, especially, was a dream come true...Something I have been wishing SO hard for since I was about 5 years old. I just wanted to say Thank You for making me so happy and for making my dream come true.

You were so kind & genuine- And the experience was perfect- I couldn't have asked for better. A very brief meeting- but one that will always stick with me. Oh- and you smacked me on the head with my tourbook- I have never been so honored in my life. Haha :) I love you Gene, you will never know how greatly you have impacted my life...

Love,
Acey

LETTERS

Here are the initial art mock-ups of the KISS Gene Simmons baby costume that is being released by Rubies in 2012. Now that the band has approved the art concepts, the company will move forward with production samples.

Hi KISS & the KISS Army!

On 8/13/11 I drove 16 hours to the 5th Anniversary KISS Coffeehouse party, and I brought a VERY special Piece to have signed, a peice of the Very First KISS (SOLO) 2010 KISS Kasket. Eric was a little taken back by it..lol, and Tommy just smiled. Eric asked me what am I'm going to do with it? I said I grew up to KISS I will die with KISS!!

Thanks again!! p.s. its your turn Gene and Paul to sign it :)

Andy Moyen ( from Massachusetts )

LETTERS

As we reported back in July, neon lights were installed on the KISS Coffeehouse storefront around each individual band member's image... and here are a few pictures of the new neon.

Photos by Eric Singer for KISSonline.com.

Fans from over 30 states and Canada (and some from as far away as Switzerland!) came to Myrtle Beach to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the KISS Coffehouse with Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer!

Tommy and Eric signed for over 7 1/2 hours straight, greeting fans and taking photos. After the long autograph session ended, Eric and Tommy went on stage and held a question-and-answer session with the audience. During the Q&A, it was revealed that the KISS Coffeehouse will be opening a new restaurant / coffeehouse location in Las Vegas next year! More details about this exciting development will be posted on KISSonline in the months ahead.

KISSonline wishes to thank Johnny Rock and the entire KISS Coffeehouse crew for putting together this fantastic event. Tommy and Eric extend a special thank-you to the many KISS Army members in attendance as well!

_{Photos by Keith Leroux for KISSonline.com.}

Here are some more photos taken at yesterday's KISS Coffeehouse 5th Anniversary celebration!

_{Photos by Keith Leroux for KISSonline.}

by Lindsey Theis

Hundreds of KISS fans showed up for a chance to meet two members of the rock and roll band today at Broadway at the Beach.

Saturday also marks the five year anniversary for the KISS coffeehouse in Myrtle Beach.

Fans came for a meet and greet session with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer.

By noon, more than 500 had waited in line. Some, like Jacob Jones who waited as long as three hours, but said it was worth it. "It's something we fit into and it's something we enjoy to get away from regular life."

Among the lucky fans, brothers Evan and Ethan Crookham.

"It was a once in a lifetime thing and I got the guitar signed which was really cool," Ethan said.

"He {Eric Singer} made me pose like a rock star for out picture with my guitar," 9-year-old Evan added.

KISS fans will continue to celebrate Saturday night with a question and answer session with Singer and Thayer, followed by a KISS army tribute concert.

BY KRIS VERHAGE

Today, Cadillac High School is going to get a gift commemorating the long-ago visit by some very memorable guests.

As part of the reunion festivities planned by the Class of 1976, reunion organizers will present to the school a plaque marking KISS' visit to Cadillac during homecoming weekend in October 1975. The public is invited to a presentation set for 1 p.m. in the high school's “Hall of Fame” hallway, said Class of '76 member Harold Falan, who spearheaded the group's effort.

Although the American Bicentennial occurred weeks after graduation, the Class of '76 is best known as the “KISS Class,” and its gift reflects that famous visit. It's a 24-inch by 30-inch plaque featuring photos and other memorabilia from the visit.

Falan, a retired Michigan State Police trooper, said whenever he mentioned his hometown during his law enforcement career, someone always brought up the KISS visit. He brought the plaque idea to the reunion committee and Cadillac Area Public Schools Superintendent Paul Liabenow. Both the committee and Liabenow enthusiastically gave their approval.

Falan then had Spike Lawrence Inc. in Berkley craft the plaque.

“I think this gift is going to be a nice addition to this high school,” Liabenow said, adding the plaque will celebrate a moment in local history. “(The visit) put Cadillac High School on the map, if you will.”

Not only is the plaque meant to inform students and the community about KISS' visit, the reunion committee wanted to replace a plaque the band had given the school. It had been placed on a wall outside the principal's office and had disappeared within six months.

Over the years, there were rumors of who might have stolen the plaque, said Jim Neff, the assistant football coach and teacher who was instrumental in bringing KISS to town.

“It never surfaced,” he said. “That was kind of the odd thing.”

It's hard to speculate what might have happened to the original plaque. It would be difficult to sell today because KISS memorabilia collectors well-versed in Cadillac “KISSstory” are well aware the plaque is stolen, Neff said.

George Lopez has long been a friend of KISS. His television show, "Lopez Tonight," concluded its two-year late-night run with one of the greatest anthems in all of rock and roll! Michael Bearden & the Ese Vatos performed "Rock and Roll All Nite" with an all-star band that included Slash, Sheila E and Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon:

On this day in KISSTORY - August 13, 1999, 'Detroit Rock City' hits movie theater across America. The film is a coming of age story about four teenager members of a KISS cover band, who are desperately trying to see their idols live in concert in Detroit in 1978. The movie is filled with 70's music and US culture. 'Detroit Rock City' has become a cult classic with rock fans worldwide.

Get ready to Rock and Roll all Nite & LAUGH every day on the KISS Kruise! We are excited to announce that SKID ROW, The Envy, Bad City, and Comedian Craig Gass will all be performing on the KISS Kruise!

Stay tuned for more exciting details on the first-ever KISS Kruise!

www.thekisskruise.com

The KISS Coffeehouse would like to remind fans to bring their E-mail order confirmation & Photo ID for tomorrow's event. They can't wait to see everybody! The KISS Army will be well represented, as KISS fans are coming in from over 20 different states!

Check out this interview that Eric Singer did today to promote Saturday's Anniversary Party!

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

I am the creator of the web comic ArDuffle and Gene makes an appearance in today's strip (sort of). Thought you guys might enjoy it.

Joshua Swanagon

http://www.arduffle.com

KISS have long been famous for their savvy approach to merchandise, with the prime example being the Kiss Kasket, an actual coffin emblazoned with the band's logo and graphics (and now there's even a Kiss cremation urn). So, with all that Kiss-related swag and marketing tie-ins, does guitarist Paul Stanley worry that the band name is branded on too much stuff?

Never.

"It's misleading because of the volume of things we have, that Kiss is just a schlock house," Stanley tells Spinner. "The truth of the matter is, we have pride in everything we do. At the core this is a rock 'n' roll band, but we don't put our name on anything that we don't believe in, or that the fans don't believe in.

"People sometimes say, why do you have things like Kiss sleeping bags? Because a fan asked for it. We're not great merchandisers -- we're great listeners. We give the fans what they want. If that's a crime, I'm ready for my trial."

As for what makes the Kiss brand endure like it does, Stanley explains his theory.

"Kiss is a timeless truth," he says. "It was true 100 years ago and it will be true 100 years from today. It's all about self-empowerment, it's about believing in yourself and believing that the only thing in the way of you and your dreams is hard work. We believe a great work ethic will pretty much get you wherever you want to go.

"Kiss will outlive me, for sure. What we've done is create a way of thinking, an ideal that hopefully will go on beyond me and the other guys in the band because the idea is bigger than any individual."