Here's a photo that Eric Singer took for KISSonline of Gene's makeup station backstage in Sarnia.

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

KISS is featured on the cover of the latest issue of the Newfoundland Herald magazine.

Thanks to Mike Altini for sending KISSOnline the image.

To the GREATEST ROCKERS OF ALL TIME!!!

Tonight you will give us what's LONG OVER DUE!!! The Hottest band in the world shows Newfoundland what "Rock and Roll all Nite" really means!!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.The Newfoundland KISS ARMY will be there in FULL force and I'll be leading the way with what we've labeled the "KISS Fan Van." Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for finally coming. You will not be disappointed by the show of love for you and your music. God may have given us Rock and Roll But KISS perfected it!

PROUD KISS ARMY MEMBER
Darren Lewis

LETTERS

KISS 'changed the live concert experience,' Gene Simmons says

by John J. Moser

KISS, with Gene Simmons in front, plays Mountain Laurel Performing Arts Center on July 13

With the rock band KISS coming to Mountain Laurel Performing Arts Center in Bushkill, Pike County, on July 13, fans have quite a show to look forward to, the band’s demon-faced bassist, Gene Simmons, says.

“What you have to look forward to is KISS,” Simmons said in a recent telephone interview. ”And if that doesn’t say it all. I mean, we’re the ones who changed the live concert experience, period.”

There’s little argument that, with the emergence of KISS in the mid 1970s, concerts expanded from exclusively musical to a show experience. With its members wearing painted faces and costumes, fire breathing and shooting, Simmons spitting blood and more, KISS clearly changed the concert paradigm.

“Absolutely,” Simmons says. “Basically we strapped our boot heels down — our platform boot heels down — and said, ‘You paid a lot of money for this concert, you deserve more than me sitting with an acoustic guitar on a Persian carpet and lighting incense.’

“So whether you see Gaga or McCartney or anybody else live, and they’re using pyro and effects, where do you think that comes from – The Oak Ridge Boys?”

Simmons promises a similar experience when KISS hits the stage at Mountain Laurel.

For someone who has spent most of his 38-year musical career covered in a demon costume and Kabuki makeup, Gene Simmons is exposing his innermost self an awful lot these days.

By Nick Lees, Edmonton Journal

The autographed guitar of Kiss bassist-vocalist Gene Simmons sold for $12,000 at the Kids with Cancer's Pinot on the Patio Wednesday.

But buyer Bill Knight, of B&B Demolition, hopes it will eventually raise $100,000.

"I plan to give it to a charity that will auction it for a good price," he says. "I hope the buyer will enjoy it for a while and then pass it on to another charity.

"I'd like to think that after a number of changes of hands, the guitar might generate in the region of $100,000."

The guitar was acquired by Global TV's Gord Steinke and helped carry the total of funds raised at the Royal Glenora Club event to some $54,000.

In the photo: Lucas Robertson, 10, is pictured chatting with Global TV’s Gord Steike at the Kids with Cancer’s Pinot on the Patio at the Royal Glenora Club. Steinke acquired an autographed Gene Simmons guitar, which sold for $12,000 at auction.

Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer discusses new album, replacing Ace Frehley and inaugural Kiss Kruise

By Dustin Schoof | The Express-Times The Express-Times

Tommy Thayer says he is still considered the "new guy" in Kiss — despite having worked with the band for more than two decades.

"I've been so much involved with Kiss and (singer/guitarist) Paul (Stanley) and (singer/bassist) Gene (Simmons) so many years, we're talking 25 years, there's a repertoire there already. For me to start as the new lead guitarist was actually a kind of natural, easy transition because we knew each other so well," Thayer says over the phone. "It wasn't like there was a learning curve there."

Before replacing founding member Ace Frehley as the band's lead guitarist in 2002, Thayer co-wrote two songs for Kiss' 1989 studio album, "Hot in the Shade."

KISS LAUNCHED LOVE GUN TOUR

On this day in KISStory - July 8, 1977, KISS' Love Gun Tour began in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The band performed thirty-three shows in the US & Canada. This was the first tour where Ace sang lead vocals (Shock Me), and the three Los Angeles Forum shows were recorded for Alive II.

Tour Set list:

I Stole Your Love / Take Me / Ladies Room / Firehouse / Love Gun / Hooligan / Makin' Love / Christine Sixteen /Shock Me / I Want You / Calling Dr. Love / Shout It Out Loud / God Of Thunder / Rock and Roll All Nite / Detroit Rock City / Beth / Black Diamond

Here's a clip from the Houston show of the Love Gun Tour.

Frontman Paul Stanley chats about tour, iconic band image

By TIM BUCKLAND / New Hampshire Union Leader

A band that made its career rocking live shows in makeup and futuristic, demonic costumes is coming to Manchester.

KISS never soared to the top of music charts — it only had two songs, “Beth” and “Forever,” reach the top 10 in the U.S. singles chart. But the band made the most of its legendary stage show, and the Starchild, Demon, Spaceman and Catman, also known as Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, respectively, will bring that show to the Verizon Wireless Arena on Tuesday, July 12.

“We built our reputation as a live animal,” Stanley said during a phone interview while he was at a tour stop in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. “The beast is prowling and ready to pounce.”

The band’s lineup has shifted considerably since it was founded by Stanley and Simmons, who began as the group Wicked Lester in New York City in 1971. Stanley and Simmons have been the band’s only constant members.

According to the band’s biography on its website at kissonline.com, Stanley and Simmons saw an ad posted by drummer Peter Criss saying he’d be willing to do anything to be in a rock band. The three got together in late 1972 and then auditioned guitarist Ace Frehley. In January 1973, the band dropped the name Wicked Lester in favor of KISS, with Stanley coining the name and Frehley coming up with the band’s famous logo.

Between the summer tour and making an album, the kraziness of KISS never stops, but Paul, Gene, Tommy & Eric want to give YOU a Kruise shout out. Check out this awesome video from the band and make plans to join the KISS NAVY today!

Join Us on The KISS Kruise! from Sixthman TV on Vimeo.

Here's KISS with the massive crowd in Sarnia last night.

BAYFEST: KISS opens Sarnia's music festival with a bang

In the photo: KISS frontman Paul Stanley playfully spits a guitar pick at photographers during the band's performance at Sarnia Bayfest 2011.

By TARA JEFFREY, The Observer
Photo by Shawn Jeffords / The Observer

The 'Gods of Thunder' didn't disappoint Wednesday with an explosive concert that wowed Sarnia Rock City and kicked off Bayfest just right.

Clad in their signature makeup and sparkling get-up, KISS members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer proved they're as outrageous as ever, with thunderous pyrotechnics and an elaborate stage show that opened in a flurry of fireballs and explosions.

The band took the stage at 10 p.m. sharp, opening with hit singles Modern Day Delilah and Cold Gin.

"So remember I said, 'Can we come back and see ya, people? And you said yeah...'" shouted Stanley to a raucous crowd.

"We're baa-ack!"

KISS ARMY,

We hope you enjoy these pics of Paul’s USA Custom Washburn Guitars! Paul Stanley’s PS2000 Signature Guitars are built here in our factory in Mundelein, IL. Best guitars on the planet are made here in the USA!

Thanks,
Larry Pascale
U.S. Music Corp

In the photos: KISS fans Nicole Vander Zanden, left, and Chantel Brooker donned their face paint and stuck out their tongues at Sarnia Bayfest 2011. The 18-year-old girls made the trip up to see KISS.

Hunter Snyder, 7, spreads his bat wings to show off his Gene Simmons costume at Sarnia Bayfest 2011. The boy from Attica, New York, has been to five KISS shows.

By TYLER KULA, The Observer

Brian Maxwell's bedroom in Collingwood, Ont. is a thousand dollar shrine to the rock band KISS.

"Everybody thinks I'm crazy," said the 16-year-old, who was decked out in Gene Simmons-esque 'Demon' makeup Wednesday.

Maxwell was among the first in line to see the iconic rockers take the stage opening night at Sarnia's Bayfest music festival.

"They're not just a band, they're superheroes," said Maxwell, shortly after buying another $195 worth of KISS swag — a shirt, sweater, signed photo, signed drumsticks, poster and a bandana to add to his collection.

"I think there's maybe about 200 KISS logos in my room," he said.

Many of the more than 15,000-member KISS Army that poured into Centennial Park sported makeup and other regalia in homage to the band.

In the photo: Chef to the stars, Marlon Alexander, works his magic backstage at Rogers Bayfest, Wednesday. He prepared a seared salmon and veggies for the health-conscious members of KISS.

By TARA JEFFREY, The Observer

When you're setting the table for one of the world's biggest rock bands, you have to be prepared for anything.

Just ask Marlon Alexander, chef to the stars, including KISS, who rolled through Sarnia Wednesday night to satisfy some big appetites.

"You never know how many people you're feeding," said Alexander, under his makeshift kitchen tent backstage at Centennial Park. "It could just be the four guys, or it could be 25."

That number morphed to about 100 people when KISS and its massive production crew arrived in Sarnia.

With the help of local chef and veteran Bayfest cook Alastair Mackay, Alexander prepared some staples from the group's strict organic diet — a far cry from their flamboyant onstage persona.

"Everything is always very organic and very healthy, so we try to stick with lots of vegetables, and lots of fish," he said, while preparing wild seared salmon on a bed of white beans and veggies, topped with a dill vinaigrette, with fresh fruit juice.

In the photo: A young KISS fan rushes to the front of the stage as the gates open at Sarnia Bayfest 2011.

By Observer staff

The gates have opened and the fans are flooding into Centennial park where legendary rockers KISS will kick off the 13th annual Rogers Bayfest.

Die-hard fans like Chris Buscema were in line since Tuesday evening for a chance to watch his all-time favourite band.

"I'm so pumped for tonight," said the 20-year-old Sarnia resident, who brought an authentic Gene Simmons Axe bass guitar with him, in hopes that "The Demon" himself will sign it.

Buscema scored a coveted backstage VIP Meet & Greet pass thanks to Bayfest organizers and his performance at The Observer's Superfan contest.

Meanwhile, the official tour bus for Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, the rocker's popular television show, arrived backstage shortly before the gates opened.