The waiter who served us breakfast at the hotel in CABO, pulled up his right leg and showed us this.

Gene

It's been 40 years since KISS put on paint and changed the face of rock and roll

New York band has sold more than 100 million records and played to 22 million fans since they first formed on E. 23rd St. in 1973

By Ethan Sacks / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Back before they could afford to party all day, they were already rock ’n’ rolling all night.

Forty years ago this month, KISS bassist Gene Simmons, guitarists Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss dabbed on some black and white facepaint bought in a Manhattan hobby store and forever left their mark on music history.

“We were just four kids off the streets of New York that dreamed big," Simmons, who was born Chaim Witz, told the Daily News this week.

There’s no historical plaque in front of the six-story, cast-iron building at 10 E. 23rd St., where KISS first formed and practiced their three-chord riffs in a dingy fourth floor loft with yolk-encrusted egg crates nailed to the walls to muffle the noise.

But maybe there should be one: KISS has gone on to sell more than 100 million records and perform live in front of an estimated 22 million fans.

By Hart Baur

Paul Stanley doesn’t do anything half speed. The KISS frontman is now getting into the restaurant biz. He and bandmate Gene Simmons will co-host this weekend’s opening of Rock & Brews in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. There are plans for 50-plus locations in North America, possibly Miami.

So taking on the restaurant business now?

Absolutely, man. Obviously for me to get involved in something worthwhile is important. I’m not out there selling liquid, soap or detergents. The idea when I got involved was that I was never going to be in the back seat. I have a pizza oven at home, I grow my own produce, so I know a lot about what we are doing.

Is KISS ever going to show up and play?

There is no live music. You can see the lyrics on the screens so you can pick up the words you’ve never heard before [laughs].

Want to talk a little bit about the latest ‘Monster’ album?

I couldn’t be more pleased or proud of it. It speaks a lot about the band and it really backs up what this band is about, what it’s been about and what the future holds for us. One of my rules for this album was no recycled old material. And don’t reinvent the wheel. A lot of times as you grow you learn your craft better, but you don’t necessarily become better at it. You may become a technically better songwriter, but you’re not writing better songs. So the idea for me was: Let’s simplify things and don’t over-think things.

Drummer Eric Singer first became aware of KISS when he saw their picture in Rock Scene magazine. He’s now 22 years in the band and explains their mass appeal “from little kids up to people a lot older than us even at this point”, to Bryget Chrisfield.

"The Tour” – KISS and Mötley Crüe’s double-headed touring stint – was always gonna make many rock’n’roll dreams come true when Australian dates were added and KISS drummer Eric Singer promises, “We’ll all come down there together to keep the party going.” Cue excitement for potential debaucherous after-parties. “The great thing is that everybody is a little older, a little wiser and knows how to be smart and to make the whole thing work. And, you know, everybody keeps their ego checked at the door and we realise, ‘Hey, Mötley does what they do, KISS do what we do and together it’s a win-win, because everybody gets a better show – you get two great bands instead of just one.’ And it’s a bigger party and more fun for everybody and I always kind of try to adhere to that philosophy in general, in my own personal life: I like to see everybody benefit from things, not just one person.”

KISS KIDS Proves You’re Never Too Young to Rock!

The tiny terrors hit stands in an all-ages new series!

Ah, the simple pleasures of just being a kid. Lemonade stands, little league games, advanced fort building, rocking the faces off of millions of screaming fans all over the world while thwarting the plans of your evil school Principal.

If a couple of those cherished childhood memories sound unfamiliar, that’s because they can only be found in KISS Kids, the new series starring the pint-sized rock gods! Join Starchild, Li’l Demon, Spacey, and Catkid as they get into trouble and kick out the jams in strips featuring familiar characters and settings from KISS lore. Helmed byKISS series writers Chris Ryall and Tom Waltz with fun, expressive art by Jose Holder (Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters), KISS Kids promises to be a treat for fans of all-ages!


“KISS is used to rocking and rolling all night and partying every day, but back when they were little’uns, those things only happened around nap time,” said Chris Ryall, also IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “This series will appeal to kids and Kiss fans of all ages, as we see the school-age band engage robots, evil teachers, other students, and much more, all filtered through the KISS lens. Beth, the school’s Doctor Love, the snooty Torpedo Girls, the bratty “Wicked” Lester, nefarious Principal Elder… they’re all here for this accessible, funny, and appealing new series.”

The new KISS Kids series, coming this fall, is being previewed in the form of a one-page strip on the back cover of all four issues of this spring’s Kiss Solo series. Fans will get their first real look at the Kiss Kids on April 10, when Kiss Solo #1: The Demon by Ryall and artist Angel Medina is released.

"Rock and Roll All Nite….and Potty Every Day," added the L’il Demon himself, Kiss founding member,Gene Simmons.

This fall, there’s only one place for proof positive that whether you’re a Starchild or a Demon, there’s nothing better than rocking and rolling all night and reading comics every day!

KISS MINI GOLF ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Celebrate the one year anniversary of KISS by Monster Mini Golf with a special VIP Party on today, March 23rd from 6pm - 8pm in Las Vegas! Special guest KISS drummer Eric Singer will be available for photos and autographs, and will also be doing an intimate Q&A!

Platinum and MONSTER ticket packages are available for the VIP Party. Sales are limited as we would like everyone in attendance to enjoy the party!

The day will kick off with a free KISS Expo outside in the parking lot of KISS by Monster Mini Golf from 10am - 6pm.

Special Expo Guests include Bob Kulick and Ken Kelly.

- Shop for KISS collectibles at a KISS venue!

- Get your Face "KISS" Painted!

- Get your Photo taken in the KISS boots!

CLICK here for more info and tickets

Check out this incredible hand-drawn sketch of the Elder album cover that Gene drew and just re-discovered in his collection this week! Take note of the details he's written around the sketch too.

Last Friday was Comic Relief here in the UK, a great charity that helps worthwhile projects in both Africa and the UK. Myself and my team at work decided to make an effort this year dressing as IT Geeks led by... Gene Simmons! It was a 6AM start for me to get the make-up & outfit sorted along with a very strange journey to work with a lot of confused/scared pedestrians. It was well worth it though, Gene and his geeks prowled the office collecting money, selling cakes, shaving heads & waxing legs and made a massive £850 ($1300)! A brilliant effort from a brilliant team, apart from freaking most of them out by being in character all day I’m pretty sure they enjoyed working for Gene...

Paul, Editor kissinuk.com

LETTERS

THE KISS ARMY IS INVITED TO JOIN PAUL STANLEY AND GENE SIMMONS FOR A ROCK AND ROLL WEEKEND IN LOS CABOS MARCH 22 AND 23 FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF ROCK & BREWS

Paul and Gene are heading South of the Border to open their Rock & Brews™ restaurant in San Jose del Cabo March 22 and 23.

KISS Army Fans are invited to join the celebration at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, Los Cabos, the rockin’ AAA Four-Diamond host resort for the event, which is offering a KISS Army Rock & Brews weekend package to welcome them.

The KISS Army Rock & Brews package includes a two-night stay in a deluxe room with a Jacuzzi and private terrace (double occupancy) March 22 and 23, two tickets to the invitation-only Rock & Brews grand opening on March 22, a private seaside reception and photo opportunity with Gene and Paul at the resort’s Five Star Diamond De Cortez restaurant prior to the opening event, a breakfast buffet for two at the resort’s Tomatoes restaurant, and a Rock & Brews t-shirt for $749 (including tax, based on availability). The rate code is KISARRB. For more information, or to make reservations, please visit www.sheratonloscabos.com, or call (011) 52-624-145-8000.

The new Rock & Brews Los Cabos features a unique concert themed-atmosphere, complete with giant murals of classic rock artists, album and tour art. Guests can take advantage of the al fresco dining offered, or enjoy sitting indoors in an authentically themed backstage concert site. The restaurant features a full bar and the largest selection of craft beers in Los Cabos. It is set to be a main late-night attraction for locals and tourists alike, as after the dinner rush, a DJ will be spinning tunes nightly.

Check out these great KISS tattoos spotted during KISS' Australian MONSTER Tour.


_{Photos by Keith Leroux for KISSONLINE.}

WIN A TRIP FOR 2 ON THE KISS KRUISE III

Come Celebrate our 1st Anniversary at KISS by Monster Mini Golf with us and you can WIN a cabin on the KISS Kruise III for 2 including Airfare! No purchase necessary, all you need to do is show up and party with us! How easy is that?

Details at: www.monsterminigolf.com/kiss/one.php.

Celebrate the one year anniversary of KISS by Monster Mini Golf with a special VIP Party on Saturday, March 23rd from 6pm - 8pm in Las Vegas! Special guest KISS drummer Eric Singer will be available for photos and autographs, and will also be doing an intimate Q&A!

Platinum and MONSTER ticket packages are available for the VIP Party. Sales are limited as we would like everyone in attendance to enjoy the party!

The day will kick off with a free KISS Expo outside in the parking lot of KISS by Monster Mini Golf from 10am - 6pm.

Special Expo Guests include Bob Kulick and Ken Kelly.

- Shop for KISS collectibles at a KISS venue!
- Get your Face "KISS" Painted!
- Get your Photo taken in the KISS boots!

CLICK here for more info and tickets

Here's a fan-filmed clip of "Rock and Roll All Nite" from the Perth show.

Paul, Gene, and the Rock & Brews crew stops by NBC's "TODAY IN LA" in Los Angeles to talk all things Rock & Brews. Check out this video!

For more information about the restaurant and how you can book the special KISS Army Package for the grand opening, please visit the Rock & Brews website at rockandbrews.com.

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.

Gene and Paul talked with Fox Business anchor Melissa Francis about their Rock & Brews venture and bringing affordable and fun family-friendly dining to music fans. Watch the video!

Photographer Ross Halfin sure knows how to photograph KISS! Here are a few more of his behind-the-scenes KISS photos taken last week in Australia.

CLICK here to visit Ross's website to see more photos from the tour.