This "News" page generally only relates to matters of interest to the KISSFAQ. There's no need to replicate news that can be seen on other KISS websites. If you use information appearing on this or any other KISSFAQ page, in print (fanzines) or online (directly quoted or rewritten), please have the courtesy to say where it came from. If printing in fanzines, I'd love a copy sent to the KISSFAQ PO Box. Should you want official announcements please visit the band's official website at: KISSONLINE.COM.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004 8:26:08 PM - Gene Comments on Music Downloading
(From Financial Post) "1970s rock star Gene Simmons said the music industry needs to adopt some of the tactics of services like Kazaa to survive. The Post's Robert Thompson quotes Mr. Simmons, bassist with rock band Kiss, as saying: "The music industry completely ignored the MP3 downloading business for a few years. Instead of ignoring it, they should have just gone out and bought it. If you can't beat them, buy them." Mr. Simmons was in Toronto to offer advance press for an album to be released later this spring on Sanctuary Records. His comments came as the United States launched 532 new lawsuits in its campaign to curtail free music downloading and on the same day that giant Wal-Mart Stores announced it would officially enter the legal music downloading business in the United States after three months of testing"... «Post A Comment»
Wednesday, March 24, 2004 8:26:08 PM - Gene Simmons 100 Song Box Set Due Out In 2005
(From BraveWords.com) "BW&BK can exclusively reveal that a GENE SIMMONS box set will surface sometime in 2005 and will contain 100 never-before-heard solo tracks from the KISS legend. Simmons is currently in Toronto promoting his forthcoming album, Asshole, (due out through Sanctuary on May 18th).
When asked if the release of Asshole feels like a weight being lifted off, Simmons, in fine form shot back, 'Well, I took a shit this morning. No, it's nothing like that. I consider it a privilege. I never take any of this for granted and I'm thrilled to be given a chance by anybody. There but for the grace of god go I, I could have easily been behind a turnstile someplace asking the next guy if he wants fries with that. Let's be honest. Here I sit being a member of a band that's got more gold records than any other band in North American history. More than the BEACH BOYS, THE SUPREMES... that's heavy stuff. In fact I just got my Canadian gold (50,000 copies) for our Symphony album (Alive IV) which continues a 30 year career. It's ridiculous. It's amazing. What's also amazing is that I haven't done a single solo record in 26 years. Also, when we released our first solo records in 1978 (September 18), there were four solo records (self-titled records from Simmons, vocalist/guitarist PAUL STANLEY, guitarist ACE FREHLEY and drummer PETER CRISS) that came out on the same day. Five million records just popped out of there. Anybody who made a big deal about the fact that too many records were shipped... they all went platinum. We have those hanging on our wall.
When I first made that first solo record it was a relief just not to keep aiming for the bullseye in the middle. I don't mean in terms of hit records, 'cause we never play the singles game. There's more of a chance of not using a guitar as the main focal point of the song writing and not always using rock 'n' roll as the genre in which to write a song. I started using keyboards, choirs, girls, funny stuff and all kinds of stuff. And there were people like CHER, BOB SEGER, JOE PERRY, HELEN REDDY, DONNA SUMMER - everybody in the world was on that record. Along the way the purists were the stupidest of all the people - it's like a horse going down the street with blinders on; you can see, but it's only straight ahead. You can't see to the left or to the right. It's a small vision. The truth is the hardest core punk fan is actually listening to the ABBA Greatest Hits record when nobody is around. Everybody knows that. The guy with the biggest tattoo will listen to AIR SUPPLY and go 'that's a good song.' It's true. And the one who doesn't, methinks he doth protest too much. So the album was a chance to get a lot of musical styles out, but also I've been writing alot. And since that time, I've got close to 200 songs lying around, all sizes and all shapes. Next year there will be a 100 song Gene Simmons Box Set of songs that have never been released. In the meantime, the Gene Simmons 'Asshole' record will have to suffice.'
Watch for more updates from the interview on BraveWords.com, as well as a full feature in a forthcoming issue of Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles"... «Post A Comment»
Saturday, March 20, 2004 4:15:17 PM - "Spin The Bottle" Tribute Update...
A new Bob Kulick produced KISS tribute is due from Koch Entertainment on April 27th called "SPIN THE BOTTLE:KISS TRIBUTE" which will apparently feature:
Detroit Rock City (Dee Snider)
Love Gun (Tommy Shaw, Stevie Lukather on guitar)
Cold Gin (Mark Slaughter)
King Of The Night Time World (Chris Jericho
I Want You (Kip Winger)
God Of Thunder (Buzz Osborne)
Calling Dr. Love (Page Hamilton)
Shout It Out Loud (Lemmy Kilmeister)
Parasite (Doug Pinnick)
Strutter (Phil Lewis)
I Stole Your Love (Robin McAuley)
The album apparently features appearances by Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer. Eric is featured on "Shout It Out Loud" with Lemmy and Vivian Campbell. This song has already been released on the "Ash Wednesday" Soundtrack. Amusingly, Robben Ford gets to play on a KISS song again, playing on "Cold Gin" with Mark Slaughter. The Japanese version will be released on Universal Music with 2 bonus tracks performed apparently by Japanese artists. Initial pressings will include a bonus 40-minute DVD featuring behind-the-scenes footage, performances and interviews with many of the musicians... «Post A Comment»
Saturday, March 20, 2004 4:01:02 PM - KISS Tribute: Spin The Bottle MP3 samples
(From MelodicRock.com) Melodicrock have samples of some of the songs appearing on the forthcoming Bob Kulick produced Koch tribute album "KISS Tribute: Spint The Bottle"... «Post A Comment»
Thursday, March 18, 2004 10:22:06 PM - MTV VJ JJ Jackson Dies
"J.J. Jackson, who helped define the term VJ as one of MTV's first hosts, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 62." JJ was the VJ who hosted KISS' unmasking in September 1983, way back when MTV actually played music... «Post A Comment»
Tuesday, March 16, 2004 10:27:02 AM - "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" Book @ The Cincinnati Expo 3/21
There should be copies of the "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" available for purchase at the Cincinnati KISS Expo this Sunday, March 21... «Post A Comment»
Monday, March 15, 2004 5:04:42 PM - "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" And Fanzines Ebay Auction
Auction includes a copy of the "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" book and all 8 current issues of the KISSFAQ Fanzine which have randomly been included in shipping orders of the book... «Post A Comment»
Wednesday, March 10, 2004 6:55:16 PM - "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" Book In Stock & Shipping...
The full remainder of the "KISS & Related Recordings Focus: Music! The Songs, The Demos, The Lyrics, And Stories!" book print run was received today. All remaining pre-orders will ship by Saturday 3/13. The pre-order discount offer ends on 3/12... «Post A Comment»
Wednesday, March 10, 2004 3:56:52 PM - KISS Return To Australia?
(From Herald Sun) "ROCK legends Kiss have announced yet another tour of Australia. The million-selling rock band will play at Rod Laver Arena on May 13. Supports are Grinspoon and Machine Gun Fellatio. Tickets go on sale on March 26 from Ticketek.
Kiss last performed in Melbourne in February last year as part of the one-off Kiss Symphony concert with the Melbourne Symphony. The band will take 12 members of the MSO on this latest tour for a 30-minute encore set"... «Post A Comment»
Wednesday, March 10, 2004 4:36:32 AM - KISS On Mars...
(From JPL) Mars lander Opportunity sol 44 wake-up music included "'X-ray Eyes' by Kiss for the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer"... «Post A Comment»
Sunday, March 07, 2004 6:55:03 AM - Brides Of Destruction Pass on KISS Tour...
According to a post by Nikki "All Caps" Sixx on the band's message board, Brides Of Destruction have passed on being included on the KISS Tour. Meanwhile, Bret Michaels of Poison has denied confimation of any 2004 tour on his website... «Post A Comment»
Sunday, March 07, 2004 6:55:03 AM - Gene Comments On Peter...
(From 99.3, The Fox) "Kiss drummer Peter Criss recently posted an angry message on his Web site, petercriss.net, telling fans that his contract with the band, which ran out on Tuesday (March 2nd), has not been renewed, fueling speculation that he won't be with Kiss in the spring when the band tours Australia and Japan.
Kiss has not made an official announcement regarding Criss, but Kiss leader Gene Simmons told The Fox that Criss should be satisfied with his three tenures in the band: "Most people only have one chance, if at all, to swing the bat. Peter's had many chances. When there's a party, not everybody comes. And if you're not in the party, from outside looking in, you scratch your head and say `Why wouldn't anybody want to go to the party?' Lots of girls, lots of money, lots of good times...You got me."
Criss was with Kiss from 1972 to 1980, again from 1996 to 2001, and again in 2003. He's expected to be replaced by Eric Singer, who was in the band from 1991 to 1996. Kiss will hit the road in May, playing Australia and then Japan. The Australian dates have not yet been revealed, but the Japanese tour starts May 27th in Tokyo. No North American dates have yet been announced"
[KISSFAQ Says]: That's rather too many metaphors and cliches in one short paragraph to deal with. I wonder if Gene's been taking lessons from Paul... «Post A Comment»
Friday, March 05, 2004 5:00:33 PM - "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" Book Shipping...
Copies of the "KISS & Related Recordings Focus: Music! The Songs, The Demos, The Lyrics, And Stories!" book started shipping today. Since this first lot is a batch I had Express'd from the printer I've only managed to ship 50 books out (not bad since I did go to work today). The rest of the book consignement will arrive next week and be shipped to purchasers on receipt. If you paid via PayPal or included an email address with your mail order, then you'll receive a email from me confirming shipment. Other than that orders are being filled in the order in which they were received, so the rest of the pre-orders should ship by 3/12... «Post A Comment»
Thursday, March 04, 2004 5:07:18 AM - ACE FREHLEY Attends AA Meetings, Gets Serious About Sobering Up...
(From Blabbermouth) "According to a posting at KissKollector.com, original KISS lead guitarist Ace Frehley is making a serious effort to get clean and sober again with the help of ex-wife Jeanette, with whom he has re-established a romantic relationship. Frehley, who has grown a full beard, has been steadily attending AA meetings and has stayed away from the party scene for almost six months now.
In other news, it now appears that one of the opening acts previously announced for KISS' Australian tour has been removed from the bill. At first it looked like SPIDERBAIT and GRINSPOON would be the opening acts, but SPIDERBAIT have already been taken off the drawing board so it's gonna be GRINSPOON and another Australian band that is yet to be named"... «Post A Comment»
Thursday, March 04, 2004 5:07:18 AM - GENE SIMMONS' 'Asshole' Delayed Until May...
(From Blabbermouth) "Simmons Records/Sanctuary Music Group has pushed back the release date of Gene Simmons' highly anticipated sophomore solo album, "Asshole", to May 18 from the previously announced April 20. The title track, "Asshole", will be the first single released to rock radio on April 15.
Like his 1978 self-titled solo album, "Asshole" features a number of outside songwriting contributions and guest appearances. Bob Dylan and Gene co-wrote the album's "Waiting For The Morning Light". Frank Zappa and Gene share co-writing credit on "Black Tongue" and the Zappa Family, Dweezil, Ahmet, Moon, Gail and Frank Zappa himself sing and play guitar on the song. Other guests featured on the album include Dave Navarro, ex-KISS members Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer, new Simmons Records/Sanctuary Music Group signing BAG, as well as Gene's longtime live-in Shannon Tweed and their two children, Sophie and Nicholas"... «Post A Comment»
Wednesday, March 03, 2004 10:44:18 PM - "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" Book News (Psst. Printing completed!)...
The KISSFAQ is pleased to announce that the printing of the new "KISS & Related Recordings Focus: Music! The Songs, The Demos, The Lyrics, And Stories!" book has been completed. The books are currently shipping to me - then they'll be available for immediate dispatch, though a few copies should start shipping this weekend to purchasers. The discounted pre-order offer for the book ends Friday March 12... «Post A Comment»
Tuesday, March 02, 2004 8:01:24 PM - Peter Speaks...
(From PeterCriss.net) "I have been receiving thousands of fan mail as to what is going on with KISS. Today, my contract ran out. No one, again no one has called me, or my attorney about an extension for future touring. As a founding member I find this to be disrespectful to me, and to the fans that have made us one of the biggest bands in the world. You will always get the truth from me, I have no reason to lie to the people that gave me such a wonderful life. And that’s the god’s honest truth.
God bless,
Peter Criss
P.S. This is the stuff that breaks my heart"... «Post A Comment»
Tuesday, March 02, 2004 8:01:24 PM - "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" EPs Completed...
Four (of six or so) mini fanzines (Extra Publications) have been completed and will be randomly included with orders of the new "KISS & Related Recordings Focus: Music! The Songs, The Demos, The Lyrics, And Stories!" book which is due back from the printer soon. This "Focuses Companion" fanzine won't be a permanent FAQ publication, just a special edition issue while the book is available (or while stocks of the fanzine last)
#2 (Blue) - "KISS Album Focus" 3rd Edition New chapter 57, K&RR Focus Cut Appendix III, An uncut interview with ?, KAF Cut Appendix XXIII, more...
#3 (Purple) - "KISS Album Focus" 3rd Edition "Pre-KISStory" part I
#4 (Green) - "KISS Album Focus" 3rd Edition "Pre-KISStory" part II, more...
#5 (Brown) - Unreleased demo/song lyrics...
#6 (Yellow) - "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" corrigendum and additions...
#7 (White) - KISS Family Trees...
#8 (Grey) - More unreleased demo/song lyrics... «Post A Comment»
Friday, February 27, 2004 11:43:05 AM - Nikki Sixx comments on KISS/Poison/BoD Tour Rumors...
(From BoD) "NO WAY IN FUCKING HELL WOULD WE ((BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION OR MOTLEY CRUE) EVER, EVER TOUR WITH A FUCKING BAND LIKE POISON...WE HAVE HAD TALKS WITH KISS AND I TOLD THEM VERY CLEARLY THAT WE WOULD NOT DO THE TOUR IF THEY USED POISON.THAT WOULD BE THE DEATH OF US...I WILL NOT BE ATTACHED TO THAT KIND OF FAKE BULLSHIT...
LOVE AND BLOODY KNUCKLES
NIKKI SIXX"... «Post A Comment»
Friday, February 27, 2004 4:58:54 AM - Australian Tour Dates?
(From Grinspoon) Australian band Grinspoon has posted on their website that they'll be opening for KISS for the following dates:
May 8 - Burswood Dome, Perth, Australia
May 11 - AEC, Adelaide, Australia
May 13 - Rod Laver
May 17 - Superdome
May 20 - BEC
Again, please don't construe this as being either confirmed KISS concert dates or line-up details... «Post A Comment»
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