The KISSFAQ - April '05 News

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 every other KISS website. Should you want official announcements please visit the band's official website at: KISSONLINE.COM. 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.

Saturday, April 30, 2005 8:59:50 AM - KISS "CHRONICLES"...

Due for release on June 21, 2005, the KISS "Chronicles" classic albums Box Set... «Post A Comment»

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 3:23:23 AM - Ace Frehley Birthday...
The KISSFAQ wishes Ace Frehley a very happy and healthy birthday! «Post A Comment»

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 12:53:31 PM - KISS Versus Bootleggers...
Yesterday the following was posted on KISSONLINE:
"Last August, the attorneys for KISS obtained an injunction against the sale of counterfeit KISS merchandise and seized bootleg videos of KISS concerts that were being offered for sale at a KISS Expo in North Carolina. Our attorneys (Ray Scott and William Randolph), following up on that seizure, obtained last week a permanent injunction against defendant Roy Damm and damages awarded to Kiss Catalog of $7,000,000, plus attorneys fees.

We hope that this judgment sends a clear message that KISS will not tolerate being ripped off by counterfeiters and bootleggers. This is also a rip-off of KISS fans who have a right to expect that when they spend their hard earned money for KISS merchandise and videos, they are getting high quality, authorized KISS products. When you purchase bootleg videos, including bootleg DVD’s marketed under the KISSVISION label, we ALL lose. This is our $7,000,000 warning to those who are selling counterfeit and bootleg KISS goods, that they risk the same fate as Roy Damm. We have directed the KISS attorneys to continue protecting KISS’ rights as aggressively as allowed. No slaps on the wrist. We will find you and we will take you out."

KISSFAQ Says: What can I say? The law is the law. Some people seem to be making a living selling bootlegs at Expos and on Ebay. Sadly, there's a reason why these videos are so popular, and have been for a long time - KISS hasn't officially released the material, and in some cases the material for sale is superior to clips that have been released by the band. The word "fan" is derived from "fanatic," so it's not surprising that many of us get hot 'n bothered when new footage of our favorite band surfaces. The problem is that KISS are deprived of their "cut" when bootlegs are bought/sold. After all, they created the material, and in many cases paid for the professional filming of shows. They have a legal right to be compensated for their work. Yet, they also don't seem in a rush to release any of the material either, so the "KISS Vision" stuff have filled a void for years. That doesn't make it right... «Post A Comment»

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 4:04:48 AM - Paul Stanley Collaborates With Power-Pop Outfit "The Click Five"
(From Blabbermouth.com) "KISS frontman Paul Stanley has collaborated with Boston-based THE CLICK FIVE on the track "Angel to You (Devil to Me)", which is set to appear on THE CLICK FIVE's debut CD, "Greetings From Imrie House", due on August 2 via Lava.

Stanley reportedly co-wrote the track with THE CLICK FIVE keyboardist Ben Romans at Stanley's home studio. The song also features a guest appearance by Elliott Easton of THE CARS.

THE CLICK FIVE, which bills itself as a power pop quintet "on par with CHEAP TRICK and MATTHEW SWEET," has sold over 10,000 EPs in a few short weeks on tour and has experienced countless tales of fan frenzy at their after-show signings, according to SILLive.com. THE CLICK FIVE's first single, "Just The Girl", will hit the airwaves May 23.

THE CLICK FIVE have already graced concert bills with the likes of ASHLEE SIMPSON, ALANIS MORISETTE, BARENAKED LADIES and ROD STEWART and will announce their summer tour shortly. "... «Post A Comment»

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 4:04:48 AM - Veteran TV Host Tom Snyder Diagnosed with Leukemia
(From Reuters/Yahoo) "Veteran late-night talk show host Tom Snyder says he has been diagnosed with leukemia, although doctors assure him his condition is treatable and is "nothing to worry about." In a statement posted on Friday on his Web site, the 68-year-old former host of NBC's "Tomorrow" and CBS' "The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder" identified his illness as chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which he said doctors would treat with "pills or chemotherapy or a combination of both." Snyder, who quit smoking five years ago, said the illness was detected through medical tests conducted to determine the cause of several troubling symptoms, including night sweats, abdominal bloating and a general lack of stamina.

He said his younger brother recently received the same diagnosis. Snyder's statement suggested he regarded doctors' optimism about his prognosis with a measure of skepticism. "My doctors assure me this is nothing to worry about, and I have to accept that, I guess," he wrote. "They say this kind of leukemia is not fatal, that people can live with it for 30 years. Notice, they don't say people will live 30 years. ... "Considering I will be 69 years old next month, I ain't looking for 30 years, but 15 more would be nice!" He added, "But I have made one decision today: I am now actively spending my heir's inheritance."

Snyder, known for an idiosyncratic manner that bemused and annoyed late-night TV viewers through three decades, hosted "Tomorrow" in NBC's post-"Tonight Show" slot from 1973 to 1982, and later followed David Letterman's "Late Show" on CBS from 1995 to 1999."

Get out your copy of the infamous Tom Snyder KISS interview, and wish him the best for recovery... «Post A Comment»

Friday, April 15, 2005 6:46:39 PM - KISSFAQ books on Amazon.com
Clearing out my last copies of the "KISS & Related Recordings Focus" and the "KISS Album Focus, Volume 1." These can be ordered via Amazon.com from the following links:

"The KISS & Related Recordings Focus"

The KISS Album Focus: Volume 1 - "Kings Of The Night Time World, 1972-82"

... «Post A Comment»

Saturday, April 09, 2005 5:03:30 AM - COS Reissue
"Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions" is being reissued in the US on May 24, 2005. The album carries the same release code as used on the 1997 original issue, and it is currently not clear whether there will be any differences between the two. It seems likely that there'll be no difference... «Post A Comment»

Saturday, April 09, 2005 5:03:30 AM - KISS & The Rock Hall of ~~Shame~~Fame
(From: MTV) A couple of quotes from the MTV article, "So how do you get into the rock hall of fame":
"every year, another list grows: The artists you'd think would be members, but aren't. The artists on that list — many of whom have been nominated but not voted in — include Black Sabbath, the Sex Pistols, Kiss, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Grandmaster Flash, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Patti Smith, the New York Dolls, the MC5 and many others."

"KISS is not a great band, Kiss was never a great band, Kiss never will be a great band, and I have done my share to keep them off the ballot," Marsh says. "And there's your problem: There's a wide discrepancy in points of view about who should be in, and there's an enormous field of candidates. There's nothing you can do to change the fact that other people's taste is different." - Dave Marsh is a music journalist and nominating committee member for the Hall...

Nom-anon #1 says: "With Kiss and Black Sabbath, I don't believe those are conspiratorial cases. I think [the nominating committee members are] very split and very acrimonious about them. Kiss is brought up every year, and some people feel very passionately that they should be in, and some people feel very passionately that they shouldn't, based on the fact that they hate Kiss, and it's a similar thing with Sabbath. Some people think the hall of fame is invalidated by not having them in there, and other people just think they stink" ... «Post A Comment»

Saturday, April 02, 2005 4:22:15 PM - KISS @ USMC Air Station, Camp Pendleton

(Pictures: AP Photo/Denis Poroy (L); REUTERS/Fred Greaves (C, R))

Attendance: ~36,000
Other Acts: Destiny's Child, Godsmack, Ja Rule, Hootie & the Blowfish, Richie Sambora, and Ted Nugent

Setlist:
Detroit Rock City
Deuce
Love Gun
God Gave Rock 'N Roll To You II
Rock And Roll All Nite... «Post A Comment»

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 2:49:25 AM - Paul to guest on Ronnie Montrose album?
(From: melodicrock.com) Eric Singer actually toured with a version of Montrose, Ronnie, vocalist Keith St. John, and bassist Ricky Phillips, in 2003 into 2004. During the summer of 2003 Eric, Ricky and Ronnie went into the studio and layed down several tracks, probably around 10, though without a vocalist. According to Ronnie in 2004, "I'm now working on bringing 10 of my favorite singers together to each contribute lyrics and vocals to some incredible 'Power Trio' tracks that Ricky Phillips and Eric Singer and I recorded live in the studio last summer. The tentative title will be 'Ronnie Montrose and Friends - 10x10' and the complete list of singers will be listed here as soon as everyone is on board... I've contacted many of my friends, and am very excited to bring this assemblage of talent together on one project" (RonnieMontrose.com). According Melodicrock, "Guest vocalists lined up to do a track each include Sammy Hagar, Eric Martin, Tommy Shaw, Paul Stanley, Gregg Rolie and more. The style of the album says Ricky 'is old school 70's heavy rock n roll...no overdubs, no computers...'"

We'll have to see whether this one comes true! People attending KISS concerts have regularly heard Montrose's classic "Bad Motor Scooter" and "Rock The Nation" (from the debut Montose album from 1973) prior to KISS hitting the stage... «Post A Comment»

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 8:39:01 PM - Ace on Stern

(Images from HowardStern.com)
(From: howardstern.com) Bullet points of Ace's appearance on the show:
Ace more interested in promoting the "Remedy" movie than talking KISS...
Ace's manager apparently didn't want him talking about KISS and cut the interview short...
Ace has no hard feelings for Gene, even though they've had their issues...
Ace still reveiving checks from KISS 'cause he's one of the "original 'family' members"...
"Sal the Stockbroker" was painted in full Ace make up...
Sal tried to talk KISS with Ace during a break, and get his picture with Ace, but Ace blew him off...
Ace instead had Sal take a picture of him and Howard... «Post A Comment»