KISS Army marches on: Founder of fan club recalls its origins, follows band for 35 years

By Mary Colurso

Bill Starkey doesn't paint his face, wear studded platforms or spit fake blood.

At age 52, he is unlikely to rock and roll all night, or party every day.

Yet inside this Indianapolis elementary-school teacher, there's a man who feels a deep and abiding kinship with KISS.

He's been a fan of the hard-rock band for 35 years, ever since Starkey heard the first blasts of "Deuce" coming from four glam-slam newcomers at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, Ind.

Starkey, then 18, was blown away by the sound and fury of this unknown group - for the record, it was Dec. 8, 1974, and KISS was the opening act for ZZ Top - and he vowed to spread the word to all his friends.

A 16 minute conversation with Gene Simmons is the feature on tonight's "The Pop Culture King Show" - WMLB Radio.

The show airs at 8 p.m. EST and replays at noon on Sunday. It can be streamed live by going to www.1690wmlb.com.

KISS is featured in the new InTouch Weekly. The issue is on newsstands now. InTouch is one of the largest, weekly magazines and the circulation is more than 900,000.

KISS' SONIC BOOM album was released in Australia today!

CLICK HERE to visit Universal Music's KISS Page.

Rock superstars KISS released their new album Sonic Boom today. Featuring 11 brand new KISS anthems, Sonic Boom is an emphatic statement from one of rock's most iconic bands. Says guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley: "Sonic Boom is the perfect title for what we're creating. It's earth-shaking and deafening!"

Tickets for KISS' Kansas City, MO show go on sale today at 12PM (Local Venue Time) at all Ticketmaster outlets or visit the KISS Ticketmaster page.


KISS ALIVE 35 TOUR
THU, DEC 8, 2009
SPRINT CENTER
KANSAS CITY, MO

KISS at BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise

By John Hood

From the number of kids running around the BankAtlantic Center at Kiss' show last night, many replete with full make-up, it's apparent that one need not be of a certain age to appreciate the hard rock demigods -- you just have to feel it. Oh, I'm not talkin' about feeling 30 or 40 or 50 or more. I'm talkin' about feeling like a 10-year-old. And with Kiss, you could be bridging the century mark and still feel as if you were in fifth grade.

And I'll tell you right now: there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I'd argue that it's a damn good thing indeed. And if more folks would let loose their inner child every once in awhile, this wild world would be a much better place.

Of course that would entail Kiss never coming off the road. But hey, if the recently-anointed Rock and Roll Hall of Famers can make it to "Alive 35" who's to say they can't keep it up in perpetuity? And so long as Kiss keeps knocking 'em outta the arena as they did at BankAtlantic last night, everybody's inner child will be running freely for some time to come.

KISS - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NY
10.10.09
KKKK

By Daniel Lukes

There's a moment tonight when Paul Stanley begins to strum Led Zeppelin's Stairway To Heaven, before shuddering and launching into KISS' own Black Diamond. KISS May never receive the critical accolades heaped upon Led Zeppelin, but unlike Led Zeppelin, they are still a living, (fire) breathing, strutting, storming rock band with plenty of life left in them.

One thing you notice approaching midtown Manhattan's Madison Square Garden are the children made up like KISS, holding hands with their parents. In America, KISS are a band who cross and bring together generations, and tonight's filled arena is full of families."This is KISS in KISS country," yells Paul, the star of the show.

Bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, the public face of KISS, is certainly a riot tonight. His blood-spattered tongue waggling, fire-breathing, demonic strutting is straight out of a comic book. And he even flies up to the roof! But it's Paul's tireless preening, theatrical rabble-rousing and all-around outrageous hilarity that make the night.

KISS have so many hits they can't possibly make everyone happy. Nonetheless, high points include Love Gun, during which Paul sails on a trapeze to a stage in the middle of the crowd. And let's not forget the fireworks, flames, rising platforms shooting smoke, and guitar smashing. "Are you getting what you came for?" he yells.

Yes, sir, we certainly are.

Today is the last day you can enter the Autographed KISS Guitar Giveaway.

It's The Great KISS Guitar Giveaway - to help you rattle some walls on your own, KISSOnline.com is giving you a chance to win one of three WASHBURN GUITARS SIGNED BY ALL OF KISS!

How do you enter to win? It's simple:

1) Take a photo of just you, with your friends, family, whatever... but it must be with the new KISS album, Sonic Boom to qualify.

2) Once you have taken your photo, host it on a public album website - flickr, shutterfly, wherever - as long as we can view it, it doesn't matter where!

3) Finally, copy and paste the URL in the field to the right, along with the rest of your info. But make sure to double check the URL, because you can only enter once.

http://guitargiveaway.kissonline.com/

Three winners will be selected at random to receive a Washburn guitar autographed by KISS, but make it a good shot because we'll feature some of the best photos on KISSOnline.com. Pick up the new KISS album, grab your camera, and enter The Great KISS Guitar Giveaway today!

Enter by October 23, 2009 - Good luck!

CLICK HERE to enter after midnight October 6.

Check out these great KISS tattoos that were spotted along the North American ALIVE 35 Tour!

Photos by Spiro Papadatos for KOL

Here are a few photos from last weekend's first ever Los Angeles KISS Fan Expo. Fans of all ages turned out to celebrate everything KISS!

Check out the clip below of former KISS Guitarist Bruce Kulick performing live with the School of Rock Hollywood!



Next up, Bruce is heading to Europe for appearances in Holland, Switzerland and Norway... where he'll sneak peek his upcoming CD, hold a guitar clinic and meet with fans!

CLICK HERE for more info on Bruce's appearances.

Fox 13's Mark Wilson conducted an interview with KISS backstage at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida on October 21, 2009. Watch the interview below.

Check out this great fan-filmed clip of "SHOUT IT OUT LOUD" at last night's show in Tampa!

The experience of attending a KISS concert begins long before the house lights go down. The roads leading to the arena are filled with loyal followers in everything from jeans and black concert shirts to very impressive replicas of KISS costumes from every era in the band's long history. The Irish pub we had dinner in prior to the show was packed with fans talking about "The Hottest Band in the Land," and as people walked about there were high fives, fist pumps, and energetic screams and hollers back and forth. Most of us had a good idea of the sensory assault we were about to subject ourselves to inside the St. Pete Times Arena, and we were sharing the energy built up inside us like the capacitors in the wall of amplifiers humming behind the KISS curtain on the floor of the arena.

Once inside the arena, you can begin to see the complete magnetism of KISS: people from all walks of life and three generations of members from the KISS-ARMY.

Check out these great new temporary one-time use KISS make up decals -Starchild, Demon, Spaceman and Catman.

Much like one of those temprary tattoos; this make-up decal goes on only once. The advantage to this is speed of application as well as accuracy. You get razor-sharp details every time!

To apply, just clean your face, peel off the clear backing, place over your face and then hold a damp cloth on top. In 30 seconds, peel off the backing and there you go - ready to rock! Washes off with soap and water.

Visit KISSCOSTUMES.com for the only officially licensed KISS costumes and accessories.

Last night, I saw KISS rock Tampa....and here is a picture of me (lower left - age 10) and a few friends as we headed out to our first Kiss concert - exactly 30 years ago yesterday on October 21, 1979. The show was at the Summit in Houston, Texas. My father and my neighbor's father took us (notice their Kiss belt buckles) and we've been talking about the concert ever since. I'm 40 now and will be taking my son to see my 175th Kiss show this Saturday in Birmingham, AL.

Thanks for a lifetime of KISS.

Kevin

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