Next up in the Getting To Know You series we sit down with Eric from rock legends KISS. What a great guy he was!!

What were you doing when we interupted you to do this?

I was eating in the other room actually some... chicken quesadilla, with my shoes off, relaxing.

Date of Birth?

May 12th

Where did you go to high school?

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and I went to High School on the east side of Cleveland. At that time it was in the Seventies and I was lucky to grow up in a cool time of music and culturally, at least in America. It was a typical mid western town but Cleveland's a real rock n roll city its where the rock n roll fame is at. It was a great place, very open minded - I mean as regards to music (not so much culturally with people), but when it comes to music people just really loved rock n roll there, always have and what we looked forward to was buying records every week or going to a show. I saw so many great concerts in my formative years as a kid so I'm glad I grew up there. It was a great place to grow up, no doubt about it.

Hey Guys,

How cool is it that "All For the Glory" was played by TBS last night durning the Major League Baseball playoffs!

KISS is truly everywhere!

Chuck

LETTERS

Hello KISS!

My name is Andy Moyen and this is my buddy Dave Johnson. We are from Massachusetts. I attended the recent KISS shows in Montreal, Mohegan Sun, Ct, Boston, Ma and NY city !!

In NY, it was our Mission not only to see the greatest band in the world come home...but to find the famous spot were KISS' Dressed To Kill album cover was shot. WE FOUND IT!!... on W. 23rd and 8th Ave. We took our time finding out which of the four corners it was, and when we found it we just stood there frozen!! We had chills.. not only were going to see KISS tonight at MSG ( I dressed up as Gene) but we had found this Special spot.

If you look close some of the old paint (cross walk) from the shot is still there !!

What a Special moment for us in NYC!!

Thank you KISS!!

Andy

LETTERS

Here's a Paul Stanley Washburn ad in the latest Guitar Player Classic Rock Lead Guitar magazine.

Thanks to Linda from KISS Fan Site for sending it over!

By PAMELA WILLIS

Photo by Dan Trittschuh

A host of creepy creatures descended on Creekside Park for "Creepside" last week, although cold winds and cold rain may have kept quite a few ghostly ghouls and goblins at home.

Cheeks may have been pink from the cold, but excited kids dressed as witches, warlocks, ghosts, rock stars and even baby birds still skipped excitedly from booth to booth and store to store, holding out trick or treat bags for Halloween treats, while parents tried their best to keep up.

Jagger Henthorn, 3, of Gahanna, made the scene dressed as legendary rock superstar Gene Simmons.

Get ready to rock and roll all night -- KISS is back.

The veteran rockers' "Alive 35" world tour is an homage to KISS Alive, the double album that rocketed the guys to global fame in the mid-'70s.

At Thursday night's BankAtlantic Center concert, the always kinetic foursome -- with founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons still at the helm -- will play fan favorites, plus a song or two from Sonic Boom, their first studio album since 1998's Psycho Circus. We spoke to Stanley, 57, about how they keep it going after 35 years:

How many songs from the new album are you doing?

"We didn't want to do songs people didn't know, but here you are the No. 2 album in the country and obviously people are getting to know these songs. They had to sound great live because we recorded them live. Music isn't supposed to be made under a microscope. Everything we did was on the first or second take. If it's perfect, it's not rock 'n' roll."

KISS,

I just want to say, THANK YOU for playing Oshawa Oct, 7 2009. That concert was the greatest... as you guy's are the greatest Rock band in the WORLD. This is a picture I put together for my friend Sean Shane. It's his truck with the 2 murals he has on it. They are pretty Kool!! Sean is also Oshawa's Number #1 KISS fan.



Thank you KISS... The Shwaa wants you back !

Ed Dwernychuk

LETTERS

KISS,

I just want to say, THANK YOU for playing Oshawa Oct, 7 2009. That concert was the greatest... as you guy's are the greatest Rock band in the WORLD. This is a picture I put together for my friend Sean Shane. It's his truck with the 2 murals he has on it. They are pretty Kool!! Sean is also Oshawa's Number #1 KISS fan.

Thank you KISS... The Shwaa wants you back !

Ed Dwernychuk

LETTERS

A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket pre-sale for five KISS Alive 35 shows takes place today.Premium KISS ARMY Members will have access to Members-Only tickets...these are among the best available seats in the arenas. PLEASE NOTE - Pre-sale for the KANSAS CITY SHOW begins at noon

Presale starts: Wednesday, October 21 @ 10AM (local venue time)
Presale ends: Wednesday, October 21 @ 10PM (local venue time)

Meet & Greet and Premium Upgrade Ticket packages will also be available starting Wednesday, only to KISS Army Fanclub members.

If you are a Premium KISS ARMY Member: LOGIN and visit the tour page to get your unique code to access the presale.

If you are not a current Premium Member of the KISS ARMY and would like to participate in the Pre-sale: JOIN NOW

Tue, Dec 08, 2009 BOK CENTER TULSA, OK

Thu, Dec 10, 2009 SPRINT CENTER KANSAS CITY, MO

Fri, Dec 11, 2009 MID-AMERICA CENTER COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA

Sun, Dec 13, 2009 MELLON ARENA PITTSBURGH, PA

Tue, Dec 15, 2009 ESSAR CENTRE SAULT STE. MARIE

By Jon Waterhouse

Nearly four decades after the band put on its first layer of make-up, Kiss continues stomping forth in its high heel stacks. Its 19th studio album, "Sonic Boom," recently arrived exclusively at Walmart stores. The $12 package includes the CD, a second disc of re-recorded Kiss classics by the current line-up and a DVD of a 2009 Buenos Aires concert. (Grab your Kiss M&M's and Kiss Mr. Potato Heads while you're at it.)

Marketing madman and Kiss co-founder, Gene Simmons, says there no sign of slowing. The brand, er, band has an animated TV series and Broadway musical in the works.

But Kiss, he says, is first and foremost a live experience. Long-time Atlanta fans and a new generation of Kiss lovers can see the pyrotechnic pageantry of the band Monday at Philips Arena.

You say "Sonic Boom" is classic Kiss.

This time around it sort of happened naturally. There is such a thing as the right time, right place, right thing. We were literally in the middle of playing the stadiums of South America in April, and we found ourselves getting together in [guitarist Tommy Thayer's] room with two guitars and trading riffs and writing on the spot. It happened so fast that the material was written in about a month and a half. Then we got into the studio and did the record in six weeks. One of the fastest records we've done.

What sort of modern technology are you using in concert these days?

We've poured millions back into the show to make sure there ain't a bad seat in the house. When you get the cheaper seats way up in the peanut gallery, sometimes the sound isn't good, you can't see much. No such thing at our shows. ... And the technology has enabled us to put Kiss on steroids, if you will. ... Our stage show is also like a Transformers kit. You can take this show and it actually balloons up to stadium size. We can physically move it into itself, so that's why it's flexible with any size hall that we do. It only takes money.

Go behind the scenes with the KISS crew as they pack KISS's stage show into the Ed Sullivan Theater for KISS's performance on "The Late Show with David Letterman."

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

KISSCostumes.com is the exclusive retailer of officially licensed KISS costumes and they are ready to bring the world of KISS to your living room. Their collection of authentic KISS costumes, including all of the band members, The Demon, Starchild, Spaceman, and Catman, is sure exceed the expectations of even the biggest KISS fans.

The online retailer features all four band member's, the Demon, Starchild, Catman and Spaceman, costumes in a variety of sizes for toddlers, children and adults. These costumes and the matching accessories have also been approved by the band.

KISS Costumes offers shoppers and fans a complete package. Matching boots, wigs, masks and makeup kits complete each individual look. Both half and full masks with hair are available and the makeup kits include step-by-step application instructions. The kits also feature cover art of the designated member in a letter of the band's name. Fans can collect all four to spell out KISS.

Other exclusive accessories such as belts, armbands and a buckle can also be purchased from KISS Costumes. The online store also sells fire hats that feature a replica of Paul Stanley's signature and the KISS logo. They resemble the hats Stanley gave away after the band's performance of 'Firehouse'.

In '77, blood from each member of the rock band KISS was drawn by a registered nurse and poured into vats of red ink used for printing the band's first comic book. It was created by Marvel legend Stan Lee and was the beginning of a hugely successful KISS comic book franchise. All are now out of print.

Now, for the first time, the KISS Kompendium combines the most breathtaking KISS comic books into a lush oversized collector's compilation. Brought to life by graphic illustrations as riveting and hardcore as the band's real-life fire-breathing line-up, the Demon (Gene Simmons), Starchild (Paul Stanley), and the other band members' superhero alter egos defeat evil in over 1200 pages of stunning KISS comics!

This is a book authorized by KISS. KISS founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have contributed the forewords to this. The book also includes exclusive never-before-seen backstage photos from KISS' newest tour along with commentary by the band-members.

This is a must-have for every KISS fan eagerly awaiting the band's new album, their first in over 10 years, and a perfect holiday gift for comic-book lover to pour over time and time again.

This title will be released on November 24, 2009.

PRE-ORDER HERE

By Lawrence F. Specker

Today is officially "Kiss Day" in Pensacola, according to a proclamation issued by the Escambia County, Fla., Board of County Commissioners.

The proclamation is prompted by the fact that the classic rock group Kiss will bring its "Kiss Alive 35" tour to the Pensacola Civic Center this evening. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show range from $19.50 to $129 and are available through Ticketmaster.

Kiss' 35th year isn't the only anniversary being celebrated at the show. According to information provided by the Pensacola Civic Center, Kiss played the very first concert at the arena after its opening in 1985; this will be its fifth appearance there.

For more information, visit www.pensacolaciviccenter.com.

By Julio Diaz

Tommy Thayer, a long-time KISS fan who worked behind the scenes with the band for more than a decade before taking on the lead guitarist role, spoke to the News Journal by phone ahead of Monday's concert at the Pensacola Civic Center.

Q: KISS was an inspiration to you growing up. What did you think when your old band, Black N' Blue got the call to open for KISS back in 1985?

A: Well, that was one of those life-changing experiences. I know that sounds kind of dramatic, but there are a few things that have happened in my life that are dreamlike experiences. When I found out we were going to tour with KISS, that was one of them. When we got to the first stop in Little Rock in November 1985, that's when I met the guys, and we were a little intimidated by Gene because he puts on such an aura.

Q: That was the start of a long relationship with the band and with Gene in particular. Has he been something of a mentor to you?

A: He has, and Paul has too, actually, but initially I got to know Gene more because he produced two of our records. Later, he asked me to write with him for KISS. When Black N' Blue ran its course, they hired me to come and work for them, and that was kind of a dream job. I worked on the "KISStory" book and the KISS conventions, and that led into the whole reunion with the original members. Everything came full circle and I was thrust into the band officially. It's interesting how life takes you sometimes.