Here's the KISS Army Washington getting ready to rock with the Hottest Band in the World!



_{Photos by Jay Gilbert for KISSOnline}

The venerable band teams up with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and BOOMER for a cause that’s deep in the rockers’ roots

— BY DAVID L. ROBBINS —

“This,” says Gene Simmons, “is how the big boys do it.” Simmons, a big boy, is talking about his band, KISS

Nearing 63, he exudes disdain for the modern brand of rocker, the sloppy kids he claims look no different from their own roadies. Metaphorically, he sticks his famous elongated tongue out at them.

“When I’m up there, I’m wearing 40 pounds of armor and studs, in 10-inch heels. I’m like a Marine on a 26-mile trek in a loaded backpack.” Guitarist Tommy Thayer, only a 10-year veteran of the 39-yearold rock band, concurs with the military analogy. “When we’re getting into our outfits and makeup before a performance, we say we’re climbing into our battle gear. Putting on war paint.” Worldwide, the band has legions of fans, called The KISS Army. The likenesses to fighting men go on and on for the members of this ageless group. The similarities go even deeper, and they are not haphazard.

AMERICA – A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
Gene’s mother, Flora, was a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp. The girl, then only 14, watched her mother accompany her grandmother into a gas chamber so the older woman would not die alone. That camp was eventually liberated by the U.S. Army, and Flora was rescued. Gene is adamant – and probably right – that without America’s troops, he wouldn’t be here. Tommy’s father, James Thayer, was a young Army officer fighting in the European theater. He was a captain in May 1945, when his unit liberated a Nazi concentration camp, Gunskirchen Lager, in northern Austria. The other two members of the band, founding guitarist Paul Stanley and 20-year drummer Eric Singer, also have personal motivations for this affinity with soldiering. Both of Paul’s parents fled Nazi Germany in the months before the war, narrowly escaping the horrors of the Holocaust. Eric hails from a long family history of military service, including cousins and his veteran father, the bandleader for whom Eric first played the drums professionally. Anyone who’s ever toiled in a band, from garage to coliseum, knows that the sweet spot is when the band plays “tight,” when you throb, croon and soar on a single united groove, so fused in the music it’s like mind reading. The members of KISS have years of experience together, married with extreme musical talent and a proven bombastic look and formula. When they rock, they really do roll.

Here's KISS with the Washington KISS Army at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn last night!



_{Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSOnline}

Singer Paul Stanley promises spectacular stage show at amphitheater

By Alan Sculley for The Columbian

KISS has never worried about being upstaged by an opening act.

"We've always believed in letting the best bands available go out there and do what they do, because it only fires us up that much more," singer/guitarist Paul Stanley said in a mid-July phone interview. "Our track record is pretty stellar, whether it's, my gosh, Bob Seger, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, early (Mötley) Crüe, John Cougar Mellencamp, AC/DC. The list just goes on and on."

On one of this summer's biggest tours, KISS will close out an evening that also includes a 90-minute set from co-headliner Mötley Crüe, a band known for making its own show a visual spectacle and nonstop party.

But Stanley knows his band will deliver as well, if for no other reason than the enthusiasm he sees in the band 40 years into its career.

"KISS today is KISS as I've always wanted it — four guys who get along great, who play fiercely and are proud of who we are, proud of our fans and celebrate what we do from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed," Stanley said.

While KISS and Motley Crue are undeniably entertaining, their fans are entertaining in their own way as they dress up and pay homage to these iconic bands. KISS and Motley Crue performed at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Aug. 14.

All images by Christopher Victorio.

CLICK HERE to view the full gallery of KISS & Motley Crue fans at Tuesday's show..

Here's KISS with the California KISS Army in Irvine Tuesday night!



_{Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSOnline}

Here are a few photos from last night's KISS Meet and Greet in Las Vegas.

By: Ted Hansen
Photo Credit: Becky Hansen

Daytime temperatures were at 114 degrees and had not decreased much by concert time. Those painted up like their idols found their makeup running more than the mascara of a televangelist’s wife. Yes, Hell (aka the greater Phoenix area) was ready for KISS. But was KISS ready for Hell? After seventy five minutes of fire sans brimstone plus a little blood, on Friday, August 10, 2012 KISS showed the near sold out crowd at Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion that they welcome such an environment.

Somehow the term spectacle isn’t sufficient to describe a KISS concert. From the outset, as the KISS logoed curtain dropped and the band launched into “Detroit Rock City,” the crowd began their mania as bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist Paul Stanley and guitarist Tommy Thayer were lowered from the rafters into Hell while drummer Eric Singer ascended upward on his platform towards the heavens.

The members of the KISS Army, both long time and the newly converted, had no trouble singing along to “Shout It Out Loud,” and chanting the arena rock anthem beginning to “I Love It Loud.” The audience was ready to do its part and KISS was more than willing to reciprocate.

Any doubt that the evening was going to be beyond hot was erased by the flames, sirens and Simmon’s fire breathing that punctuated “Firehouse.” Just in case one was too far back to feel the heat of the flames coming from the stage, a huge HD video screen behind the band projected one of the clearest pictures you’ll see at a concert.

Here's KISS with the Arizona KISS Army at last night's show in Phoenix!



_{Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSOnline}

Posted by PS Hayes

KISS #3 is another AMAZING issue from the folks at IDW!!! The great thing about this book is that it’s a different title almost every month. You’re not sure where you’re going to end up when you pick up an issue. This issue is fantastic for a number of reasons, but most of all, because it’s a total 180 from the first two issues.

Tom Waltz get handed the reins for this arc, and first off let me say, if you’re not reading his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles title, you’re really missing out. That aside, his inaugural issue of KISS brings a totally different vibe than the first two issues, and that’s one of the great things. The other great things — KISS BARBARIANS!!!

I gotta tell you, the more I read this title, the more I love it. This issue, in particular, reminds me, in a VERY good way, of a classic KISS Marvel comic. The premise is so simple and natural that it’s brilliant, and that’s what makes it so entertaining. Waltz creates a natural flow to this book, nothing is forced or shoved into place for the sake of storytelling. He, in one issue, creates a valid purpose for the forming of the members of KISS to team up and fight the Destroyer. VERY well written comic!

CLICK here to read the rest of the review.

The lead singer in Kiss thinks band can live on without current members, him included, and that suits him fine

Written by George Varga

The Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger and Keith Richards? Unthinkable.

Metallica without James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich? Ditto.

But Kiss without Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, who co-founded the larger-than-life band in 1973 and have co-led a dozen different lineups since then? Not a problem.

“The band is bigger than its members,” said Stanley, who performs Sunday with Kiss at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. “And it only takes, in this case, four like-minded people with a similar outlook and talent to further the cause and continue Kiss. It makes perfect sense to me. It may not make sense to other bands, but we’re not other bands. We don’t live by those rules. We never have.”

KISS at Comfort Dental Amphitheatre, 8/8/12

By Billy Thieme

Photo by Karson Brown

After four decades as a band, the things about a KISS concert that stick are those you might imagine. KISS has released some of the most significant collections of live material (non-bootlegs) in rock — which means just about everyone on the planet has experienced KISS “live” in one way or another. The real deal, though, is incomparable.

I finally caught that real thing Wednesday night at Comfort Dental Amphitheatre, and I can tell you that the iconic foursome, indisputably, still brings it.

From the laser-bottlerockets and bazooka fire that spaceman Tommy Thayer and feline percussionist Eric Singer exchanged, to the demonic blood-vomiting and fire-spewing of Gene Simmons, the show offered everything a fan could want. Of course, Paul Stanley played the consummate frontman in the style he damn-near originated, constantly throwing out call and response challenges in that familiar New York accent.

KISS stuck with a comforting selection of classics, starting with “Detroit Rock City” and “Shout It Out Loud” in quick succession. Stanley mentioned old McNichols Arena shows – showing the band’s age – before jumping into “Love Gun,” with a zipline transport to a raised platform in the middle of the crowd. They filled out the set with “Shock Me,” “God of Thunder,” “Lick It Up” and a brilliant version of “Black Diamond” before an encore featuring the mega hit “Rock ‘N Roll All Nite.”

Here's KISS with the Colorado KISS Army at last night's jam-packed show in Englewood (Denver)!



_{Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSOnline}

Here's KISS with the New Mexico KISS Army at last night's show in Albuquerque!

_{Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSOnline}

KISS and Motley Crue played the Gexa Energy Pavilion on Saturday, August 4. Photographer Mike Mezeul was on hand to capture fiery show, and the fans.

CLICK here to view more fan photos from the Dallas show.