Here's Eric Singer on the cover of the new issue of the Polish drum magazine, Perkusista. The issue features an interview with Eric, as well a poster.

http://magazynperkusista.pl/

by Mathew Klie-Cribb

"When you're nine years old, they're superheroes. No one ever saw them without their makeup, they were a bit of a mystery." - Dale Kemp

Legendary rock band KISS is coming to Fort McMurray July 2, and while some hope the show will attract widespread attention and improve Fort McMurray's image, one of Fort McMurray's biggest KISS fans said it's a chance for him to pass on his obsession to his children.

Supplied photo Dale Kemp, a KISS fan with a huge memorabilia collection, poses with his children Alex Kemp, left, and Dylan Kemp, right. Dale will take his children to see KISS perform live in Fort McMurray July 2 so they can learn what his collection was all about.

Dale Kemp has been a KISS fan since he was nine years old, and he has collected lunch boxes, radios, guitar picks and other memorabilia since then.

His total collection is valued at $80,000.

General public KISS tickets go on sale today for the following three KISS concerts:

July 18 - Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, IL

Buy tickets beginning at 10 AM (CT).

July 27 - Colosseum at Caesars in Windsor, Ontario

Buy tickets beginning at noon (ET).

July 28 - Turning Stone in Verona, NY

Buy tickets beginning at 10 AM (ET).

KISS COSTUMES TO BE HALLOWEEN'S HOTTEST TRICKED-OUT TREAT

Rubie's Costume Inks Deal to Create KISS-Themed Costumes and Accessories

The "Hottest Band in the World" is about to set Halloween on fire! KISS and Rubie's Costume Company, the world's largest manufacturer of Halloween costumes and costume accessories, today announced a worldwide licensing deal to recreate the iconic style of the blazing band that is always Dressed to Kill. KISS costumes, masks, wigs, and accessories for adults and children will ensure that the notorious Starchild, Demon, Spaceman, and Catman slay the scariest night of the year.

Legendary KISS is famous for its explosive live performances and outrageous rock and roll style. In a career spanning nearly four decades, the band has achieved record-breaking tours, album sales in excess of 100 million, a huge "KISS Army" fan base, and the most memorable look in all of rock history.

"I've always said you may not be able to look like KISS, but you can always feel like KISS. We've finally changed that, and I'm jazzed to see all the Starchilds and other KISS members in full uniform this year!" said Paul Stanley of KISS.

"With your new KISS costumes, you will release the Demon within you. You are the God of Thunder!" said Gene Simmons of KISS.

"This line of KISS costumes and accessories offers something for the rock star in all of us," said Howard Beige, Executive Vice President of Rubie's. "The catalog will cover a variety of price points and include complete KISS costuming for fans of all ages. It's a great collection of must-have gear."

Retailers can preview KISS costumes and accessories now at www.Rubies.com. Orders will be accepted in Summer 2011. Merchandise will be screaming into retail stores everywhere and available at www.KISSonline.com in time for Halloween 2011.

SEE PAUL STANLEY LIVE IN LOS ANGELES THURSDAY, MAY 12

Attention KISS fans in Los Angeles, Paul Stanley will be headlining "Sound Rules! A Sound & Hearing Celebration" on Thursday, May 12th at 3:30PM Pacific at the Director's Guild of America (DGA) Theatre in Los Angeles, located at 7920 Sunset Boulevard.

Stanley, who was born deaf in his right ear, has teamed with the House Research Institute for “Sound Rules!”, a FREE hearing loss prevention education and entertainment event for teens that will feature the legendary lead singer and guitarist from KISS and hearing health experts from the House Research Institute, along with valuable contest prizes and giveaways.

A limited number of tickets will be made available to KISS fans on a first come, first serve basis.

Space is limited; reservations are required. For more information and registration, please visit http://soundrules.org.

WHAT: Sound Rules! A Sound & Hearing Celebration headlined by Paul Stanley

WHEN: Thursday, May 12 at 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: Directors Guild of America, Theater One, 7920 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles

ADMISSSION: Free, but reservations are required

RSVP: Liam Collopy: Lcollopy@lcoonline.com

MORE INFORMATION: www.soundrules.org

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Here's a photo of the John Varvatos clothing store in Las Vegas with a familiar face featured in the window!

Thanks to Lisa Jackson for the photo.

By Dr. Manny Alvarez

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to speak with rock legend, Paul Stanley. You may know him as the lead vocalist from the rock band KISS, famous for songs like "Rock and Roll All Night" and "Shout It Out Loud." And I don't think there are many people who wouldn't recognize his iconic black-and-white makeup and leather stage outfits.

But what you may not know about him, that I think makes him even more remarkable, is that his rise to rock and roll fame was done with a hearing impairment that makes him virtually deaf in his right ear.

The condition is called microtia, and it's a deformity of the outer ear. In Stanley's case, he also lacks an ear canal. Without a canal, sound has no way of traveling to his inner ear.

Until about 10 years ago, there was no way of dealing with this condition, other than rebuilding an ear canal. Now, a device exists that is essentially a bone conduction unit, that allows sound waves to bypass the ear canal and be processed by the inner ear.

MOST FAMOUS DUTCH SINGER MARCO BORSATO CHANGES INTO GENE SIMMONS

Below are quotes of an article that was placed into “Veronica Magazine”, a Dutch television magazine. It features an article with the subject ”Heroes”, in which famous Dutch people can translate into one of their Heroes. The artwork is sold for the benefit of the KIKA (Children Cancer free)-foundation. Below I translated some quotes of the Marco Borsato-interview, in which he explains his choice for “Gene Simmons”.

Marco Borsato is a famous Dutch singer for over 20 years in Holland, where he scored no less than 16 #1 hits, equal to the Beatles! His hit Dromen zijn bedrog was placed on the nr. 1-position for 12 consecutive weeks and he owns the record of the artist with the most #1 hits in a row, 11 to be exact.

From the interview: “Gene Simmons doesn't impersonate at all who I am: he is so extravagant! As a kid I was fascinated by KISS and Gene Simmons in particular. It had nothing to do with being angry at my parents or something like that, I just thought KISS made good music.” I bought all the merchandise I could get as a kid. I thought they were so special and different from all the other bands. There was a kind of magic which fascinated me. How would they look in real life? Although I must confess I never went to a KISS-concert. It never happened for me, but I still want to do it sometime. Maybe In a few years, it’s not possible anymore. As far as I know, they will be visiting Holland next year, so that’s a good time to visit them!"

www.veronicamagazine.nl

Thanks,
Fedor Dibbets

LETTERS

Here are the latest new KISS merchandise items that are available now in KOL's KISS SHOP.

KISS 35th Anniversary KISS Destroyer Tee

KISS 35th Anniversary KISS Destroyer Satin Jacket

KISS 1976 Vintage Style KISS Destroyer Event Poster

KISS 27oz. Stainless Steel Water Bottle

KISS 16oz. Plastic Travel Mug

KISS 4pc. 10oz. Glass Set

KISS 4pc. Wood Coaster Set

KISS Picture Kondoms 3 Pack

KISS Kondoms 3 Pack

Paul Stanley of KISS: MyFoxNY.com

BY ETHAN SACKS

The irony isn't lost on Paul Stanley that the man who sang "Shout It Out Loud" is crusading to warn teens about the dangers of hearing loss.

But the KISS lead singer says he's joining forces with the non profit House Research Group precisely because some of his fans will listen to his warnings.

"I think what young people don't realize is that when you lose your hearing you don't get it back and there are easy ways of preventing that from happening," Stanley tells The News.

"If I want to listen to music loud, I slip in earplugs under my earphones," he says. "I can still turn my brain into a milkshake without melting my ears."

Stanley says he was especially jarred to learn that hearing loss has gone up 30% in just the last 15 years among teenagers. He thinks about it everytime he sees young fans walking down the street with earphones plugged in.

Paul Stanley on Childhood Hearing Loss

KISS's Starchild talks to teens about protecting their hearing.

By Boston Music Spotlight, Staff
BMS File Photo by Rory Flynn

KISS have revealed plans for a summer tour that will bring them back to New England this summer. The legendary classic rockers will play the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire on Tuesday, July 12. Tickets for the show, which range in price from $29.50 to $77.50, will go on sale Friday at noon through Ticketmaster.

“We’re doing these shows to honor our promise to play these cities,” the band declared on their website when announcing the tour. “We said we’d do it, and we are!”

KISS recently started recording their follow-up to 2009′s Sonic Boom with singer-guitarist Paul Stanley once again producing the new material. The band’s current lineup is rounded out by original bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer.

“It truly sounds amazing and the new songs are kicking my ass,” Thayer said of the new album on his website. “We cut basic tracks for a bunch of songs together as a unit in the studio for two or three days. We all agreed that we’ve never got tracks that sound this good before.”

Of course, outside of the studio, KISS remains very busy. At the New York Auto Show last month, MINI USA revealed four MINI Countryman vehicles with Kiss-inspired designs. Each car represented one of the KISS band member’s iconic faces. The cars, which have since been signed by all four KISS members, will soon be auctioned off to benefit UNICEF. Fans will be able to bid on the vehicles during a special eBay charity auction opening May 29.

The band also recently teamed up with Monster Mini Golf to develop a KISS-themed indoor glow-in-the-dark miniature gold course in Las Vegas. The attraction will be located across from the Hard Rock Hotel, at the Shoppes at Harmon Square. It’s tentatively scheduled to open later this fall.

In other KISS news, Gene Simmons appeared as himself on last night's episode of Castle on ABC.

Posted By Craig Sailor

Attention KISS Army: Gene Simmons and the boys are coming to Everett for a June 23 concert.

36 years on and still going strong, fans should expect no less than the visual and musical extravagance that KISS is known for.

Tickets ($49-93) go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. by phone at 866-332-8499 or at www.comcastarenaeverett.com