April 29, 2004
ERIC SINGER INTERVIEW
(from Kiss Underground)
The KISS Underground Archives, the website for the longest running US fanzine in KISSTORY, brings to you another great interview from the world of KISS. Following up great interviews with Tommy Thayer and Bob Kulick, The KISS Underground Archives has nailed a tri-fecto, by presenting an exclusive interview with drummer, Eric Singer.

Eric speaks very candidly about his departure from KISS in 2002, how he feels his drumming style has changed since he first joined the band, why he feels Tommy Thayer is the right guitarist for KISS, and Eric also reveals 3 more songs that KISS are adding to the new set-list.

Click here for Eric's exclusive interview!

April 29, 2004
FIRESTARTER
Click here to see the layout of Gene#s new Solo CD and to hear his first single "Firestarter".

April 28, 2004
EDDIE TRUNK RADIO SHOW
(from www.petercriss.net)
Due to the death of one of his good friends, Peter Criss had to cancel this weekends scheduled appearence. Once Peter is feeling up to it, he will join us (Eddie Trunk) in the studio, probably in a week or two. Keep an eye on this site/page for updates. Our condolences to Peter on the passing of his friend.

April 25, 2004
PETER CRISS ON EDDIE TRUNK RADIO SHOW
(from www.eddietrumk.com)
Peter Criss joins Eddie Trunk in the studio on Friday 4/30! Peter will be talking about his recent departure from Kiss EXCLUSIVELY for the first time anywhere! We will take your calls and also talk about Peter's future plans.

April 25, 2004
PHOTOS
Here you can see photos from Genes first "Asshole" Party from April 22nd, 2004. Gene Simmons could be seen on two episodes of "Third Watch" on US-TV.


April 24, 2004
ASSHOLE CD
Gene Simmons' Asshole CD is now available in the Fan Shop for pre-order until May 5th, 2004. You may also order the Bonus CD or the new Best of Kiss DVD additionally for just a few Euros. More infos here.

April 23, 2004
GOTTSCHALK
Just a reminder: Sunday at 10 pm on ZDF will be Gottschalk with Gene Simons on TV!

April 23, 2004
KISS MAGAZINE & FIGURES
Kiss will be releasing their first quarterly authorized magazine on June 20th, 2004 (cover-price: US $ 5,95). McFarlane will be releasing a "Love Gun Box Set" Action Figures in August/September. Pictures and prices are not yet known.

April 19, 2004
ERIC SINGER INTERVIEW
Here you can find a recent interview with Eric Singer.

April 19, 2004
KISS IN YOUR FACE
(from http://www.kissfanclub.net/)
KISS announce three very special theatre shows in Australia, known as KISS IN YOUR FACE...

* May 15 - Palais Theatre, Melbourne
* May 18 - Hordern Pavillion, Sydney
* May 22 - Brisbane Convention Centre,

Brisbane Tickets for these shows are available by invitation only, normally to only those who already purchased a ticket to a existing Australia show. KISSONLINE has made arrangement to extend the exclusive invite to members of Inner Sanctum, the Australian KISS Fan Club at www.kissfanclub.net. The shows go on sale on Thurs 22 April.

April 19, 2004
ASSHOLE CD WITH BONUS-TRACKS
As soon as all the details are known, which record company will distribute Gene's new Solo CD "Asshole" for which price, you will be able to order it in the KISS FAN SHOP. At the moment it seems, that the FAN SHOP will not carry the Japanese edition with the 2 Bonus-Tracks, because it is extremely expensive...BUT: If you order the normal "Asshole" CD in the KISS FAN SHOP, you will be getting a free official Bonus-CD (not a Bootleg or self-made CD, a real original official CD!) including the 2 japanese Bonus-Tracks. This CD was originally a Bonus-CD in the Lunchbox Audiobook Edition of "Sex Money Kiss", which contains exactly those 2 Bonus-Tracks (Everybody knows & You're my reason for livin') from the Japanese "Asshole" CD. You will also be getting a Promo-Postcard for for "Sex Money Kiss". Here you can hear some samples from Gene's new CD.

April 18, 2004
GENE SONGS
Here you can hear some samples from Gene's new CD.

April 16, 2004
KISS TOUR OFFICIAL!
The KISS/Poison US Tour has now been officially announced. Check out Pollstar for Details.

April 15, 2004
KISS/POISON US TOUR-DATES
(from Frank)
Here are the US Tour Dates 2004:
Thu Jun 10  San Antonio Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri Jun 11   Dallas Smirnoff Music Centre
Sat Jun 12  Houston Woodlands
Sun Jun 13
Mon Jun 14
Tue Jun 15  Denver Coors Amphitheatre - Denver
Wed Jun 16  Albuquerque Journal Pavilion
Thu Jun 17
Fri Jun 18  Phoenix Cricket pavilion
Sat Jun 19  Los Angeles (Irvine) Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sun Jun 20  Concord, CA Chronicle
Mon Jun 21
Tue Jun 22  Portland Clark County Amphitheatre
Wed Jun 23 Seattle White River Amphitheatre
Thu Jun 24
Fri Jun 25
Sat Jun 26  Minneapolis FloatRite Amphitheatre
Sun Jun 27  Kansas City  Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Mon Jun 28  St. Louis  UMB Bank Pavilion
Tue Jun 29
Wed Jun 30  Detroit  DTE Energy Center
Thu Jul 01
Fri Jul 02   Nashville, TN  Starwood Amphitheatre
Sat Jul 03  Indianapolis  Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sun Jul 04  Pittsburgh  Post Gazette Pavilion
Mon Jul 05
Tue Jul 06  Cleveland  Blossom Music Center
Wed Jul 07 Milwaukee, WI  Marcus Amphitheatre
Thu Jul 08
Fri Jul 09  Chicago, IL Tweeter Center
Sat Jul 10 Columbus, OH  Germain Amphitheatre
Sun Jul 11 Cincinnati Riverbend Music Centre
Mon Jul 12
Tue Jul 13 Camden Tweeter Waterfront
Wed Jul 14 Darien Center Darien PAC
Thu Jul 15
Fri Jul 16   Boston  Tweeter Center
Sat Jul 17  Atlantic City  Trump Taj Mahal
Sun Jul 18  Hershey, PA  Hershey Park Stadium
Mon Jul 19
Tue Jul 20  Holmdel  PNC Bank Arts Center
Wed Jul 21 Wantagh  Tommy Hilfiger at Jones Beach
Thu Jul 22
Fri Jul 23   Scranton, PA  Montage Mountain
Sat Jul 24  Washington DC  Nissan Pavilion
Sun Jul 25  Virginia Beach,  VAVerizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Mon Jul 26
Tue Jul 27  Raleigh  AllTel Pavilion at Walnut Creek
Wed Jul 28  Charlotte, NC  Charlotte Verizon
Thu Jul 29
Fri Jul 30  Atlanta, GA  HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
Sat Jul 31 Tampa, FL  Tampa Bay Amphitheatre
Sun Aug 01 West Palm, FL  Sound Advice Amphitheatre

April 14, 2004
"THE PUNISHER" L.A. PREMIER
Click here to see pictures of Gene Simmons, his son and daughter and Shannon Tweed at the Los Angeles premiere of "The Punisher" at the Arclight Cinerama Dome, Hollywood, CA 04-12-04

April 11, 2004
SPIN THE BOTTLE TRIBUTE ALBUM
Click here to get detailed infos (incl. Cover Artwork) for the "SPIN THE BOTTLE"-Kiss Tribute Album.

April 9, 2004
KISS/POISON SHOW ANNOUNCED
(from Blabbermouth via J. Frank Hagan)
The first show has been leaked for KISS' forthcoming U.S. tour with POISON. The two bands will be performing at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, Illinois on Friday, July 9. Tickets (from $ 25,- to $ 78,-) for the concert are scheduled to go on sale April 25. Additional dates will be announced soon.

KISS will kick off an Australian tour on May 8 in Perth. A five-date Japanese trek will follow beginning on May 27.

[P.S.: You can check out concert-details at Pollstar]

April 8, 2004
KISS IN THE PRESS
Kiss are on the Cover of a new Japanese magazine.

April 8, 2004
KISS ON SWEDISH TV
(from Jan Laursen /KISS News Denmark)
There's a TV show on Swedish TV1 tonight called "KISS Loves You!" about KISS and it's fans! It's on at 10 pm - and is repeated on Monday (April 12) on Swedish TV2!

April 8, 2004
BRUCE KULICK IN SCANDINAVIA
Bruce Kulick plays 4 shows in Scandinavia:
8.4.2004: Gothenburg (Sticky Fingers)
9.4.2004: Sala (Rock Land)
10.4.2004: Stockholm (Blue Moon Bar) & Expo
11.4.2004: Rock In (Oslo)

April 8, 2004
GENE SIMMONS' KISS AND TELL
(from Mirror/Jessica Callan)
I WALK into the room and he hugs me like a randy uncle. Gene Simmons from KISS, the most outrageous member of that most outrageous band, is hugging me - and dancing like your dad...

The American shock rocker, famous for his extraordinarily long tongue and bizarre stage make-up, is hip-thrusting away in a room at St Martins Lane hotel in London and insists on playing me every track from his solo album, charmingly entitled A**hole.

It's going to be a long afternoon.

Simmons - who turns 54 this year - has had a career that spans 32 busy years in which he has fathered two children, sold 90 million records - and, by his reckoning, slept with more than 4,000 women.

Four thousand six hundred to be precise. Women, he says, are partial to his long tongue.

It must be the tongue - watching this middle-aged man with long, dyed-black hair, strutting to his own music, it's hard to see what else he has to offer.

But sex is a preoccupation. It's all he wants to talk about, and as I walk into the room he asks: "Do you want to see my family portrait?" He unrolls a poster of himself with more than 30 semi-naked women.[read the rest]

April 7, 2004
TOMMY THAYER INTERVIEW
(from The KISS Underground Archives)
The KISS Underground Archives, the website for the longest running US KISS fanzine, has just conducted an exclusive interview with KISS lead guitarist Tommy Thayer.  Tommy addressed many topics including the upcoming tour, the permanency of his position in the band, what it was like playing with all three KISS drummers, some "complaints" from the KISS Army and what "Tommy Thayer" adds as a member of KISS. Click here to check out this great interview!

April 7, 2004
STATEMENT FROM PETER CRISS
(from www.petercriss.net)
Some people love hearing themselves talk, Gene Simmons is one of them. I read online what he said to the Iowa and German press. Now let me tell you what's really important. I have never been so happy in my whole life. I can finally be free to be an Artist again.

I surround myself with people who love me and respect me. My endearing and supporting wife Gigi, True friends, and a loving family, and always God. If not for him there would be nothing. These are things that make me a rich man, Mr. Simmons.

I sang and drummed my heart out on the Aerosmith tour, FACT. The real fans know that, END OF STORY. And I also missed Ace on the tour.

I am in excellent health, wealthy and working on being wiser. I just wanted you fans to know that. I won't even comment on what Mr. Simmons had to say, because it's NOT TRUE, and I don't need to justify his lies.

The original band is over. And as a founding member I am not shocked at Gene and Paul turning a legendary band into a cover act for just plain profit, How very sad.

But the crazy thing is? The fans will still follow because they are the real heart of KISS. I was proud to be a part of something that was once great.

God Bless and Good-bye to that part of my life.

Peter Criss

April 7, 2004
GENE SIMMONS ASSHOLE CD
Gene Simmons' Asshole CD will contain 13 Songs. According to Gene Simmons, there will be 2 Bonus Tracks (Everybody knows & You're my reason for living) on the Japanese version.

April 6, 2004
SECOND MELBOURNE SHOW
Andrew McManus, the Australian Promoter has just announced a second Kiss show in Melbourne on May 14th, 2004. For this show, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is not announced to play with Kiss. More infos here.

April 5, 2004
ASSHOLE TRACK BY TRACK
(from Joop van Pelt / www.kisskollector.com)
ASSHOLE (Frank Tostrup)
Title track Asshole is a catchy, uptempo bubblegum rocker reminiscent of Avril Lavigne's recent hit Skater Boy. Hearing it once, makes it stick to your mind instantly. Especially the great, singalong chorus "How does it feel to be a real Asshole?" It definately has got a lot of radio potential, but if DJ's will give Gene Simmons ("that KISS guy with the long tongue") a lot of airplay remains to be seen.

WEAPONS (Gene Simmons)
Gene recorded this track with Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer, who also appeared on the original demo. Originally, the song - when still titled Psycho Circus (Weapons Of Mass Destruction) was written by Gene for consideration as the title track for the 1998 album Psycho Circus, but eventually Paul's song with the same name was chosen as the title track in '98. Part of Weapons' lyrics go: "You're guilty 'til you're proven innocent. What you see is what you get. I bring you the Weapons of mass destruction."

CARNIVAL OF SOULS (Gene Simmons/Scott Van Zen)
This track sounds like it has been copied from KISS' 1997 album Carnival Of Souls - it reminds of Hate in particular. Like Hate, Gene started writing the song Carnival Of Souls in 1993 but needed the help of Scott Van Zen (who worked with Gene on several KISS songs throughout the 90s) to finish it. Carnival Of Souls was demo'd during the recording sessions for the Carnival Of Souls album that finally saw the light of day in '97, but it did not end up on the album. A little later, it was also demo'd during the recording sessions for the album that would become Psycho Circus in '98. But again it did not make the album. For his new solo album, Gene recycled the song and invited Ritchie Kotzen to play guitar, while Gene's son Nicholas sings backing vocals in the chorus along with his friend Chris Parrish plus his father. Gene - who admits he stole the instrumental part from the song 7 & 7 by a band called Love - plays bass whereas the drum tracks were done by a drum computer.

IF I HAD A GUN (Bag/Gene Simmons)
A track basically written by Bag - a multitalented musician who happens to be the first new signing on Simmons Records - with Gene adding a new bridge. The song has a provocative and controversial lyric: "If I had a
gun, I'd have me some fun, I'd shoot everyone who pisses me off today. So don't piss me off today." Bag played all instruments, which he recorded in his living room.

SWEET & DIRTY (Gene Simmons)
One of the highlights on Gene's new solo album is a song called Sweet & Dirty. Originally written in 1977 (it was titled Jelly Roll back then), Gene has re-written it over the years (at one time it was titled Rotten To The Core) and in '98 KISS even recorded a version of Sweet & Dirty for Psycho Circus but it never made the final selection for the album. For his solo album, Gene recorded the tune again, this time with Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer. The trio recorded the tune within a day. The track kicks off with a Queen-inspired riff by Bruce, reminiscent of Tie Your Mother Down.

WAITING FOR THE MORNING LIGHT (Gene Simmons/Bob Dylan)
A wonderful ballad that - apart from Gene's vocals - only features
keyboards, keyboardbass and drumsamples, as recorded in Bag's living room. Written by Gene with Bob Dylan in '92, it was originally titled Laughing When I Want To Cry. One day, Gene called Bob Dylan as he wanted to write a song with the legendary musician. Dylan came over to Gene's house and came up with a chordal pattern pretty quick. Gene came up with the rest and a few weeks later he finished the entire arrangement, which sounded like a Traveling Wilburys tune. Gene demo'd the music with Tommy Thayer and two other musicians. When he ran into Dylan again on tour, he asked him to write the lyrics but Dylan said Gene should write the lyrics himself. So, Gene came up with the lyrics and claimed: "The lyrics are okay, but they sure ain't Dylan." When Bag heard Gene's demo, he came up with a different arrangement and thus Waiting For The Morning Light was born.

BEAUTIFUL (Nina Singh/Mark Addison)
Written by Nina Singh and Mark Addison from the band Kitty Gordon, this song tells a classic story. In the first verse Gene sings, while a toy piano accompanies him: "Hey put on those fake eyelashes, wax away the old mustache." The chorus goes like: "You're somebody beautiful, look at yourself, you're somebody beautiful, like nobody else." Gene played around with the vocals a little bit to give it a Beatles sound.

WHATEVER TURNS YOU ON (TURNS ME ON) (Dave Williams/Gene Simmons)
Just like the title track, this song was part of a demo that was sent to
Simmons Records. Gene contacted the singer of the band, Dave Williams, who wrote the song, and obtained the rights to include it on his solo album. Gene altered the lyrics a little bit, and had his longtime girlfriend Shannon Tweed and her mother plus some of their friends sing backing vocals, while Dave Williams and his band play all instruments.

FIRESTARTER (Liam Howlett)
The idea for Gene to cover The Prodigy's 1996 hit Firestarter came from
Gene's partner at Sanctuary Music Group, Merck Mercuriadas. This track was recorded with the hippest technology and produced by The Oversheer ("a very cool guy from England" as Gene puts it), while the rest of the album is produced by Gene himself. Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction) plays guitar on Firestarter. The biggest difference between the original and Gene's cover can be found in the singing and the guitars.

DOG (Bag/Gene Simmons)
Another track recorded in Bag's livingroom, with Bag playing all instruments and singing harmonies and the "Werewolves In London" part. The howling part that kicks off the song was inspired by Little Red Riding Hood from Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs. In the middle of the song there is a spoken part: "What a big tongue you got - the better to eat you with, my dear."

BLACK TONGUE (Gene Simmons/Frank Zappa)
This track is built around an unreleased guitar riff by the late Frank
Zappa, who Gene always admired. Shortly before his passing, Zappa invited Gene to his house and showed him his archive of unused material. After Zappa's death, Gene called his wife Gail and asked if he could use one of the unused riffs for his solo album. Gene sings lead and plays bass, Zappa's son Dweezil plays guitar, while the entire Zappa family (Gail, Dweezil, Ahmet and Moon) sings backing vocals. The song also includes spoken parts by Frank Zappa plus some of his guitar solos. The track starts with Frank Zappa saying: "Allright kids, here's a real rock 'n' roll song."

NOW THAT YOU'RE GONE (Gene Simmons/Bob Kulick)
A recycled version of a song Gene wrote in 1977 with Bob Kulick. The
song's emotional bridge came to Gene when he was working on overdubs in the studio. His father had passed away two years earlier, and the lyrics deal with his feelings towards his father's passing: "You left us when I was much too young, and I was your only son. But you left me anyway, and now my heart ache's just begun. And now you're gone, and I'm all alone." Gene's daughter Sophie and two of her friends sing backing vocals, because Gene wanted to create an atmosphere like Pink Floyd did on The Wall where children sang the chorus' backing vocals.

I DREAM A THOUSAND DREAMS (Gene Simmons)
Gene's original demo was a country song written for Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks. For Gene's own album, Bag changed it into a very Beatlesque tune although the country and western steelguitar part was kept intact. For a while, Gene didn't know how to end this song, until he was reminded of his 1978 solo album of which the closing track is his alltime favorite Disney classic When You Wish Upon A Star, which ends with a falsetto note. Then it connected to him, and he had found the perfect ending for his second solo effort.

April 1, 2004
PHOTOS FROM GENE IN COLOGNE
(from Joop van Pelt / www.kisskollector.com)


April 1, 2004
GENE IS A REAL ASSHOLE
(from Joop van Pelt / www.kisskollector.com)
When Gene was in Cologne, Germany on March 31 to do interviews all day long to promote his upcoming solo album, KISS Kollector Fanclub caught up with him to find out what’s going on in Gene’s world these days. Despite a gruelling schedule (instead of two days in Cologne, there was only one day because the next day he had to be in the UK) Gene found time to invite KISS Kollector into his interview suite for almost an hour. Gene posed for photos, played songs from his album on a very high volume and had a huge photo of the possible album cover displayed next to him, and of course updated us on what’s going on in the world of Gene and KISS.

Gene is currently putting the finishing touches on his album and its artwork. So far, the album cover is going to be a photo of Gene dressed in a black suit looking like some kind of gangsta rap pimp with a lot of black eyeliner, and surrounded by women of all sorts, shapes and ages – ranging from young and beautiful, to big and old. Exactly the way Gene like his women. While KISS will be on tour for the rest of the year, Gene is planning Asshole parties on off-days during the tour. To attend these parties, you’d need an official pass that says "I’m a real Asshole".

April 1, 2004
GENE SIMMONS INTERVIEW
ROCK CITY publisher Jens Reimnitz provided KISS NEWS with an interview he did with the Demon yesterday in Germany. Gene said, that he will release a 100 song Box Set next year and the band will probably start working on the next Kiss album around October/November. Paul is working on a Solo-album as well, which should be out later this year. Peter Criss was contacted to renew his contract, but was too unhealthy and had too many problems with drugs and alcohol. He also said, he never lies and that's why people sometimes call him an "Asshole"... You may read the complete interview here in German.

April 1, 2004
TRIBUTE: A ROCKUMENTARY
(from Yahoo via J. Frank Hagan)
Can struggling, middle-aged rock musicians find happiness cloning classic acts? Does mimicking the maniacal Gene Simmons of KISS doom you to madness? Can the world's biggest QUEEN fan survive the breakup of his favorite QUEEN tribute band? SHOWTIME will provide the answers to these burning questions and more when it airs TRIBUTE: A ROCKUMENTARY, a new documentary directed and produced by Kris Curry ("The Family") and Rich Fox ("Big Brother," "The Family"), and executive produced by Steven Soderbergh ("Traffic," "Erin Brockovich"), on Monday, April 5 at 9:00 PM (ET/PT).

The film, which appears under the network's SHO EXPOSURE programming banner for documentaries, delves into the sometimes strange, but passionate, subculture of tribute bands for such musical legends as KISS, Judas Priest, The Monkees and QUEEN. Although it includes a colorful cast of characters, TRIBUTE: A ROCKUMENTARY never condescends or "gawks" at its subjects. Instead, it shows us that these people are just dreamers and schemers like the rest of us, craving a sliver of satisfaction from their everyday worlds.

TRIBUTE: A ROCKUMENTARY's subjects include a man nicknamed "Superfan," who gets so fueled with excitement before a performance of the QUEEN tribute band Sheer Heart Attack, that he finds it hard to eat or sleep. Mark Luther, aka "Heavy Metal Mailman," is a 38-year-old postal worker who is known to start mosh pits at the gigs of the Judas Priest tribute band Bloodstone. And then there's Andy Patche, the original bass player in Larger Than Life, a band that pays homage to KISS. After losing himself in the character of Gene Simmons, Andy quits the band, finds religion, and barely escapes danger after allegedly setting his house on fire.

Showtime/Showtime 2 is showing a rockumentary showcasing tribute bands--starting April 5 @ 9pm on Showtime/April 6 @ 8am on Show2. Rebroadcasts will follow. Click here for more infos.