Here are some more great shots of fans from last night's show in the Pittsburgh area!

Posted By: Amy Harris

The Hottest Show on Earth tour which kicked off July 23 in Cheyenne, Wyoming and will be hitting Cincinnati Friday, July 30 at Riverbend Music Center. The boy are back with a tour that is bigger than ever and they are attracting whole new generations of fans.

We caught up with Ohio native, Eric Singer aka "CATMAN", drummer for the infamous band, to discuss local sports and the show on Friday.

CB: First question, how do you feel about Lebron leaving?
Eric: I get asked that obvious question a lot because everyone knows I am from Cleveland. We are all in a business. I am in the music business and he is in business as well for himself. I just tell people that there are good ways and not so good way to do these things. I think the way he chose is not the best way and not a good choice. He is trying to market himself and be his own brand like Jordan and he has been pretty successful. The best analogy is like you go on national TV and tell your wife that you are going to divorce her and that you found a new girl in Miami. He should not have done that. He should have done it like a typical announcement through an agent. I read that when Michael Jordon decided to re-up his contract with the Bulls that he just sent them a fax to tell them. He didn't go through some big announcement and make a big deal about it. I believe he knew well in advance and did not just decide that day like he said he did, but I guess only he knows. I am not saying it is a disloyalty thing because he was a free agent. It was just the way that he did it was not appropriate.

Guitarist Thayer aces KISS' 'Spaceman' role

By Paul Clark

The classic metal band Kiss will play tonight at Riverbend, featuring founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley along with drummer Eric Singer and lead guitarist Tommy Thayer. We talked last week with Thayer, who replaced Ace Frehley eight years ago as the band's "Spaceman" character.

Question: You came to Kiss by way of the band Black 'n Blue and after playing with a Kiss tribute band, and you actually started with Kiss as a kind of "Man Friday", is that correct?

Answer: All of the above. I'd been with Black 'n Blue in the '80s, and we were lucky enough to open for Kiss. The relationship evolved from there, through all the ups and downs.

* Take our KISS quiz

Q: You're a better musician than Ace is - do you think beneath all the face paint you've carved out your own identity?

A: When I came in, in 2002, I had big shoes to fill. Ace had a legacy and really helped established what Kiss was. It's a slow process, but I'm the guy now.

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

KISS was featured Tuesday, July 27, 2010 in the "La Nacion" newspaper in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The article was about KISS' current tour, and includes a picture from the KISS show in Buenos Aires, April 5, 2009.

Thanks to Marcelo Garcia for sending the image to KISSOnline.

Gene Simmons talks about the marketing of a rock 'n' roll behemoth KISS

By Scott Mervis

Photo by Sebastian Willnow

When Gene Simmons makes reference below to the Kiss Kasket, he isn't kidding.

The iconic hard-rock band actually took its marketing to the extremes of a casket emblazoned with the Kiss imagery.

Price: $4,500.

Big smiles at the funeral: priceless.

"I love livin'," the bassist known as The Demon once said, "but this makes the alternative look pretty damn good."

Kiss never could have imagined a Kiss Kasket -- could it? -- when it formed in 1973, but the concept from day one was that would be not just a band but a brand. Three and a half decades later, Kiss just might be the most recognizable rock institution in the world.

Here's a tweet from Lady Gaga yesterday:

I push harder, dance longer, bleed stronger. I don't want the greatest KISS tribute band of all time, I want the real band. I want KISS.

Paul responded from the KISS Twitter - KISSOfficial:

Lady Gaga - You Wanted The Best, You Got the Best. We're out on our Hottest Show On Earth Tour. Pick your city and join us. Paul

KISS!

The Dream,..Take my 5 kids to experience Dad's fav band, from a front row experience. age 6-15. We rushed home, edited a nice sampler of the show from a kids pov, so it would be on kiss facebook.. PLEASE POST IT! We were hoping to inspire more families to take the kids!

Thanks again,
Gary Atencio

LETTERS

By Michael Machosky

It's not easy to step in and replace a legend.

When Tommy Thayer was asked to assume lead guitar duties for KISS -- replacing the legendary Ace Frehley -- those were some big boots to fill.

Big, shiny silver platform spaceman boots.

"When I came into the band eight years ago, I was well aware of that," says Thayer. "And I like to say to people, 'Good things take time.' I didn't expect to win over the world the first concert out. But I've always been confident and I know KISS inside out."

The KISS combination of fist-pumping hard rock and catchy pop melodies -- combined with outlandish costumes, makeup, pyrotechnics, fire-breathing, blood-spitting, etc. -- has worked since 1973.

KISS' Hottest Show On Earth Tour continues this week with stops in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

July 29, 2010 First Niagara Pavilion Pittsburgh, PA

July 30, 2010 Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, OH

July 31, 2010 Hersheypark Stadium Hershey, PA


Click here for KISS HOTTEST SHOW ON EARTH Tour Dates and Tickets.

Introducing the new line of RTC officially licensed KISS HDTV LED televisions. Featuring the legendary logos of KISS, the KISS LED TV is one of the finest LED televisions on the market.

These televisions will make the ultimate statement in your home, bar, restaurant or wherever the KISS HD LED televisions find their homes.

This first limited edition KISS LED Television is available in three sizes: 32", 40" and 46". This collector's edition KISS LED TV is limited to 15,000 pieces worldwide and features a diamond plated look to the casing with the KISS logos embossed on each side. The live image of KISS appears on the screen for eight seconds when the TV is powered on and includes a collector's edition packaging.

The KISS LED Televisions offer razor sharp clarity with 1080Pfull high definition resolution and a 120HZ refresh rate delivering sharp, blur free images. The dynamic 3,000,000:1 contrast ratio presents deeper blacks and brighter whites with colors that stand out brilliantly adding to the rich detail and deep contrast on this HDTV.

http://kisshdtv.com/

KISS!

My wife gave me this Gene Simmons cake for my 40th birthday!

Thanks,
Balazs

LETTERS

Stop by Hottest Show on Earth Tour sponsor Dr Pepper's website to visit their interactive KISS Tour map, and to KISS Yourself!

Explore the Dr Pepper map and find out when KISS will be in town near you!

DR PEPPER KISS MAP

Transform your photos with Dr Pepper Cherry!

Think you have looks smooth enough to rock out with KISS? Here is your chance to see if you can pull off the look. To KISS Yourself and experience the Amazingly Smooth taste of Dr Pepper Cherry, just select a photo with a clean shot of your face. Read to take the stage?

KISS YOURSELF

Tommy Thayer will appear on The Golf Channel's popular Grey Goose 19th Hole show Wednesday, July 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT.

Tommy will be on to discuss his hosting of the sold out Pacific University's 2010 Legends Golf Classic (www.pacificlegendsgolf.com) August 1 & 2 at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, Oregon.

More than 400 patrons, celebrity guests and sponsors will attend the two-day event including KISS founding member Gene Simmons and his partner Shannon Tweed; PGA stars Rocco Mediate, Jason Allred and Tommy Masters; LPGA professionals Perry Swenson, Amber Prange and Angie Oberholser; NFL great Leroy Irvin; Major League Baseball stars Chili Davis, Scott Erickson and Chuck Finley; and many others.

Thayer, a member of Pacific University's Board of Trustees, has made Legends a success since its inception in 2007. Over its first three years, Legends has raised more than $400,000 for Pacific's 21-sport NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletics program, which will field a football team this fall for the first time in 19 years.

Check out this full-page spread from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle:

"The hottest band in the world electrified opening night at Frontier Days and proclaimed Cheyenne the rock-and-roll capitol of Wyoming. The ageless thunder rockers delivered a flamboyant stage performance that kept fans rocking and rolling all night!"

A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket presale for KISS' San Antonio Hottest Show On Earth date takes place today at 10 AM local venue time.

KISS Army members can buy a 2-day pass to the festival or a single day ticket for Saturday, September 25th - the day that KISS is playing. Please note that there is a special single day ticket price for the KISS Army . The regular ticket price for a single day ticket is $79.50, and the special KISS Army price is only $69.50.

September 19, 2010 AT&T Center San Antonio, TX

If you are a Premium KISS ARMY Member: LOGIN now 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 Members-only Pre-sale: JOIN NOW