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| News Archive / November 1-15, 1998 | ||
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KISS NEWS IN EARLY NOVEMBER 1998 | NOVEMBER 16, 1998 |  |
| Disclaimer: Not necessarily all of the news as it appears on these pages is confirmed by or coming from official sources. As much as possible we try to avoid unsubstantial rumors, but KISS Kollector can not be held responsible for the validity of any of the information, nor do we accept responsibility for views expressed here by other people. | ||
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NOVEMBER 15, 1998 |  |
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Psycho Circus enters Dutch Cyber Top 50 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
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The campaign to make Dutch national radio station Radio 3FM play the Psycho Circus
single, by voting it into the Dutch interactive Cyber Top 50, has succeeded. Today Psycho
Circus entered the Cyber Top 50 at No. 45 and was played on the radio show with the same
name. KISS Kollector Online supported the campaign, which was started by some people on the
Dutch KISS mailing list, a little over three weeks ago. We would like to thank those of you
that voted for your support. Please keep voting to make sure the single stays in the Top 50
and gets more airplay.
Surf to www.tros.com/3fmcyber. Here you will see four buttons in the upper righthand corner. Click on the second button 'Stem' (= Vote), after which you can pick three titles from the list. Your first choice gets three points, your second gets two and your last one gets one point. Make sure your first choice will be KISS and choose whatever else from the list you like in the other fields. Then click on the button 'Stem verzenden' below. On the following screen you can fill out your name, phone number and e-mail address, but this is not obligatory. However, it's very important to click the 'Stem verzenden' button once more on this page! Otherwise your vote won't count. You have succesfully voted when you see the line 'Je stem is verwerkt.' Make it so! |
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Second KISS Goldmine interview hits the shelves | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
The new issue of Goldmine (cover date November 20) is now available. It contains a lenghty KISS
cover story by Ken Sharp, who also interviewed KISS for Goldmine two years ago. The 1996
Goldmine interview turned out to be the best and most comprehensive article about the KISS
reunion and became more or less legendary for that. This time around Ken Sharp interviewed all
four members of the band once again. One of the more controversial subjects he touched is the
question: "Did Ace and Peter play on all tracks on the new album?" Here's what Ace,
Gene, Paul and Peter had to say:
Goldmine: "There are many rumors flying about outside musicians playing on Psycho Circus. Set the record straight. First, is Peter playing drums on the entire record?" Ace: "No one played on the whole record. I didn't play on every song. Gene didn't play bass on every song. Paul didn't play rhythm on every song. Peter didn't play drums on every song." Goldmine: "Who did?" Ace: "I have no idea. Getting back to who played on what to me isn't important. I really don't want to go any further than that. But the bottom line is the sound of KISS is on the record and Peter's going to be playing Into The Void live, Within live. He's gonna be doing Psycho Circus. Those are the three killer tracks we decided to start off the tour playing live. We may change that down the road." Goldmine: "It's also been said that Bruce Kulick plays lead guitar on two songs, Within and Dreamin'. I'll be honest, it sounds like it could be Bruce playing on those two songs." Ace: "If Bruce was on the record I didn't see him in the studio. I haven't seen Bruce Kulick since I saw him perform with his band UNION. I just shook his hand and said "good to see ya, (laughing) no hard feelings." All I know is I never saw Bruce in the studio, I swear to God. I have no idea of what Bruce did. Bruce may have worked on some demos. You know what happens, when Gene and Paul go into the studio in L.A., a lot of times 'cause I live back East, they might use Bruce or Eric (Singer) or whoever is around. For my demos I used Anton Fig and I used Karl Cochran. If I would have done that in a studio in Manhattan people would probably have said "so Anton's playing on the album?" When you do twenty four track demos people think that's gotta be part of the album. We re-cut when we went into One On One studios." Goldmine: "There are many rumors flying about outside musicians playing on Psycho Circus. Set the record straight. First, is Peter playing on the entire record?" Gene: "My mother played every part on the album. If anyone says anything bad about my mother, they're on my shit list." Goldmine: "So it's not Kevin Valentine on drums?" Gene: "Kevin Valentine absolutely worked with us. We went down to rehearsals. Peter and Ace were in New York working with lawyers and all this other kind of stuff. We had to move on with material. So material has to be sussed out. Tommy (Thayer) played on material, Bruce Kulick helped out. There was a guy named Curt Cuomo who demoed lots of stuff. Everybody played. But when we got into the studio its got to be KISS. Bruce didn't wind up on any of my demos with the exception of Within, which was an old demo done for the Carnival Of Souls album..." Goldmine: "So Ace is on the entire record?" Gene: Absolutely. Bruce Kulick so help me God didn't play a single guitar lick anywhere." Goldmine: "Did Tommy Thayer play any guitar on the record?" Gene: "No. Listen, I'm not at all on I Finally Found My Way. If somebody in the band doesn't play a guitar they're doing backgrounds or something because we were all there." Goldmine: "There are many rumors flying about outside musicians playing on Psycho Circus. Set the record straight. First, is Peter playing drums on the entire record?" Paul: "Absolutely." Goldmine: "There are rumors that he's only playing on one song, Into The Void." Paul: "The funny thing about this is when Destroyer came out there were people who said "well, that's not Peter (on drums)". I have to say that there is stuff on Destroyer that Peter coulld never have played before. He worked hard to be able to play it. Part of what goes with becoming famous is there's rumors and all kinds of stuff. To spend too much time addressing it takes away from the positive stuff. To me it's more about if you hear the album and you feel the magic, what else do you need? Do you want to know how the magician pulled the rabbit out of his hat? Well I don't and I don't think most people do, either. And quite honestly if I played the drums on the album it wouldn't matter. If the album comes out sounding great and if it captures the magic, I wouldn't care. I mean there were songs in thepast, on Shandi for instance. I'm the only one in the band playing on it. Anton's on drums. A roadie was playing bass. I played all the guitars. And Holly (Knight) played keyboards. There's a lot of Stones songs where the only one on it was Keith (Richards) and whoever else was around. If it captures the essense of the band, why question it? It doesn't matter." Goldmine: "It's also been reported that Bruce Kulick plays lead guitar on two songs, Within and Dreamin'. I'll be honest, it sounds like it could be Bruce playing on those two songs." Paul: "Nope. Ace is on Within. And no, Bruce isn't on the album." Goldmine: "So Ace is on the entire record?" Paul: "Again, we get into this thing of like how much or who played what? What's interesting is it was never an issue before. When Bob Kulick played guitar or when I didn't play or when Eric Carr played bass or when a guitar roadie played bass, nobody questioned it. So who gives a shit at the end of the day?" Goldmine: "There are a lot of rumors circulating so I have to ask this, did you play drums on the entire album?" Peter: "Yeah, sure, pretty much so. I did the album. Believe me, Gene didn't play bass on everything. Ace didn't play guitar on everything and Paul didn't play guitar on everyhing. So it's kinda the same for me. But we all played together, we all did it together so it's a KISS album. I don't have to justify that I played on everything, that's bullshit. I played on the album. My drums are on that album." |
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NOVEMBER 12, 1998 | |
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Second single We Are One available now | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
Today, the second single off the Psycho Circus album, We Are One, was released
in Holland (Catalog No. 010 110-0 LC0268). The limited edition package contains a 4-track cd
single, a 2-track video tape and a white pair of 3-D glasses. The tracklisting of the cd single
is as follows: 1. We Are One (Edit, 3:46), 2. We Are One (Album Version, 4:42),
3. In Your Face (3:35), 4. Psycho Circus (5:30). The video tape contains both
versions of the Psycho Circus video, the 'animated 3-D' version and the 'one dimensional
version'.
In some other European countries, We Are One was released as a single as well, both in
1-track and 4-track format. The tracklisting for the 4-track version differs and includes the
Psycho Circus video, which can be played on Windows computers: 1. We Are One
(Radio Edit), 2. We Are One (Album Version), 3. Psycho Circus (Album Version),
4. Psycho Circus (Video for PC). In the United States Psycho Circus was released as
a cd single/video package on October 27. You Wanted The Best will be released as the second
radio single in North America. Pictured is the cover of the Czech 1-track We Are One cd
single, the cover of the 4-track version looks similar (special thanks to Mike Ruzek).
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More about the new KISS Visa cards | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
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One of the many press releases inside the latest Mercury Records press kit is the following
release by First USA. A shorter version recently could be found on
KISSONLINE, the official web site,
this is the full text:
FIRST USA News Release for immediate release KISS HAS NEW WAY FOR FANS TO SHOW SUPPORT No-fee affinity credit card offers Carmembers strong Platinum benefits, KISS information and merchandise LOS ANGELES, Calif. — September 21, 1998 — KISS, known as 'The Hottest Band in the World,' and First USA, one of the nation's leading credit card issuers, announced today a new way for friends and fans to show their support for and allegiance to the band — the KISS Platinum Visa card. In addition to having a low APR, KISS Platinum Visa Cardmembers get exclusive monthly KISS news and updates, along with offers for special KISS merchandise. "It's your all-access pass to the world of KISS," said Paul Stanley, lead singer and founding member of the band. The no-annual-fee card offers applicants three awesome card designs, including the KISS Mezzo card, the KISS Fire card and the KISS Concert card, each featuring images of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frhely and Peter Criss. Cardmembers can also choose a fourth card design, the exciting KISS Stars card. Applications for the KISS Platinum Visa card will be accepted at many KISS concerts throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, beginning with the band's first Psycho Circus Tour stop on Oct. 31st in LA Dodgers Stadium. Applications will soon be available through direct mail and a toll-free number, as well as via various KISS websites. Cardmembers receive exclusive Platinum priviliges, including automatic purchase protection, exceptional travel-accident insurance, emergency cash and airline-ticket replacement, auto-rental collision coverage, and lost luggage protection. The card features a credit line up to $100,000; a money-saving balance-transfer option; and 24-hour, toll-free customer-service support. First USA (www.firstusa.com), a subsidiary of BANC ONE CORPORATION, is a financial sercvices company specializing in the credit card business and is among the largest providers of Visa, MasterCard and private-label credit cards in the nation. First USA has approximately 43 million cards issued and $41.6 billion in total loans outstanding. |
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VH1 Special: Extreme Close Up | |
| - From KISSONLINE - | ||
| Mark your calendar for Sunday, November 22, when VH1 has a Metal Madness day. Beginning at 8:00 PM (ET/PT), they will air a special on KISS called Extreme Close Up. | ||
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KISS wants you to be in their movie | |
| - From KISSONLINE - | ||
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Step back into 1978 and play a member of the audience as New Line Cinema films KISS in a
scene for the upcoming movie Detroit Rock City.
When: Thursday, December 3, 1998 Where: Copps Coliseum, Hamilton Time: 6:30 PM - 11:30 PM To reserve your place in KISSTORY, call (1) 416-463-1972. You must call to reserve a space. No unreserved admittance! Confirmation/Information forms will be sent at a later date. |
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NOVEMBER 11, 1998 | |
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Econoline Crush lands KISS Tour | |
| - From Rocktropolis - | ||
Canadian rocktronica messiahs Econoline Crush have landed the opening slot on KISS' Psycho
Circus Tour, just days after their tour with Gravity Kills collapsed after the funding was
pulled by Gravity Kills' record label, TVT Records.
According to a source close to Econoline Crush, TVT Records pulled the tour support from the Gravity Kills/Econoline Crush tour, which played its last date on Nov. 5 in Birmingham, Ala., but was scheduled to run through Nov. 25 in St. Louis. TVT Records had no comment at press time regarding the reasons for the tour's abrupt end. Econoline Crush, who have previously toured with KISS in Canada, will join the band for 28 dates initially, beginning with the tour's official kickoff Nov. 12 in Boston and ending Dec. 20 in Milwaukee. "It's like Rock 101 and going back to school to learn how it's supposed to be," says Econoline Crush front man Trevor Hurst, who hasn't forgotten how heartfelt the reception was the last time his band opened for KISS. "I remember [KISS' manager] Doc McGhee sat me down afterwards and said, "You did good, kid! I think you are the only band that has ever opened up for KISS that hasn't had anything thrown at them!" 
Here are the dates for the first leg and the beginning of the second leg of the Psycho Circus
Tour: (...)
Visit the Psycho Tour section for a complete listing of tour dates. |
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NOVEMBER 10, 1998 | |
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Robbie Williams on the rumored lawsuit by Gene | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
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In the new edition of Holland's music magazine OOR, Robbie Williams is asked about the
lawsuit that Gene supposedly filed against the former Take That member:
"I read that Gene Simmons threatened to file a lawsuit, because you are supposed
to have approached the KISS trademark to closely with the video clip for Let Me Entertain
You."
Robbie Williams responds: "That's just a rumor. It's true that he denounces people who take up with it. That's understandable. It is a design for which he layed the foundation. Funnily, he didn't file a lawsuit against me. I would have expected it though. I would have even considered it a compliment. I wonder why he didn't summon me. It's not that I want to suggest the idea to him, but it surprises me that a heartless bully like Gene Simmons, who summons each and everyone, overlooks me. I performed at a festival with KISS, two years ago. I played a rap song in my dressing room and Gene Simmons entered the room and said: "Turn the volume of that fucking music down! I can't sing, so I talk over my music!" I always thought KISS were funny. But because of Simmons' attitude towards the music of young people he came across as a pretty bad guy. I thought to myself: without your make-up you're scarier than with make-up." |
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MTV Europe plays Psycho Circus video | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
| Last night MTV Europe played the Psycho Circus video for the first time. The normal version (as opposed to the 3-D version) was shown on a weekly hardrock show called SUPEROCK. Unfortunately, only the video was shown, no interview segments or footage from Dodger Stadium. This was the first time the video could be seen anywhere in Europe (except for Italian television), since the retail version still has to be released over here. | ||
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KISS in several issues of Australian newspaper | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Recently KISS appeared in several issues of The Advertiser, a newspaper from Adelaide,
South Australia. A little while ago there was a review of the Psycho Circus album
(click here to see and read
the original article), whereas more recently the paper featured a very short piece
(plus a small photo) on KISS touring Australia again: "Guess who's coming to town?
Get out the make-up, because KISS is coming back. Rumor has it the legendary group,
which recently released the album Psycho Circus, will appear in Adelaide next
February."
A short article on Brian May touring with Eric Singer in Australia and the possibility
of Eric touring Down Under with Bruce Kulick appeared as well: "Queen king to rule
in Heaven — Lead guitarist with the legendary British rock group Queen, Brian May,
will perform at Heaven II on November 22 as part of his first Australian solo tour.
Ticket details have yet to be announced. May hasn't been to Adelaide since Queen performed
at Apollo Stadium in 1977. Joining May's band will be former KISS drummer Eric Singer,
who stepped in following the tragic death of May's close friend Cozy Powell in a car
accident earlier this year. Ironically, Queen and KISS were considered arch rivals on
the '70s glam rock circuit. Adding to the irony is the fact that Singer joined KISS when
his predecessor, drummer Eric Carr, died on exactly the same day as Queen's singer Freddie
Mercury — November 24, 1991. Singer wants to stay on in Australia for a tour with
former KISS colleague, guitarist Bruce Kulick. They are negotiating to see whether they
will tour as ESP (the Eric Singer Project) or as Kulick's new band, UNION. It won't matter
much: both outfits are fronted by former Motley Crue vocalist John Corabi. Talk about
rock 'n' roll being one big family!"
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NOVEMBER 9, 1998 | |
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PolyGram Video Benelux reconsiders new home video | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| A while ago PolyGram Video Benelux informed us that they're not going to release the forthcoming home video The Second Coming, but after many consumers have inquired about the two tape package with booklet they are now reconsidering its release in Belgium, Holland (The Netherlands) and Luxemburg. More info once we find out. | ||
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Gene expects three more albums with Ace and Peter | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
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The day after the Halloween concert, Gene was interviewed for a Dutch
magazine. One of the more interesting things he had to say was in
regards to the contract Ace and Peter have with KISS and how many albums
the fans can expect in the next few years: Q: "Is KISS with make-up a project for a couple of years? Did Ace and Peter for example get a contract for three years..." A: "Five..." Q: "And is there also a contract for more albums?" A: "Oh yeah, probably for another three..." |
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KISS to appear in band-themed Playboy | |
| - From MTV Online - | ||
For KISS, last month it was beanie babies, now it's Playboy. Apparently unwilling to let any
marketing ploy for its newest album, Psycho Circus, go unexplored, KISS has agreed to
take part in the March 1999 issue of Playboy, which is tentatively planned to be KISS-themed.
According to KISS' official web site, the special rock issue of Playboy will feature a cover-article on the group, as well as *ahem* photos of some of the group's female fans. In the meantime, KISS looks to launch a world tour in support of the new album on November 12 in Boston at the Fleet Center, and will use a scheduled off-day on December 3 to film a live performance for an upcoming film, Detroit Rock City, at an unannounced location in Toronto. |
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MTV Europe reports on KISS at Dodger Stadium | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| MTV News in Europe had a very short report on the Halloween concert at Dodger Stadium plus a short fragment of an interview with Gene (with Ace standing behind The Demon). The report started with a short clip taken from the Shout It Out Loud video, followed by the opening of the Halloween show, and one or two lines from Gene standing in one of the VIP tents in the backstage area. | ||
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NOVEMBER 7, 1998 | |
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Poll: Simmons is favorite KISS character | |
| - From Billboard Online - | ||
Gene Simmons' flickering tongue and dark persona still reel in the KISS fans, concludes a
Billboard Online poll. When visitors to the Voting Booth were asked to name their favorite
costumed KISS character, bassist Simmons — The Demon — was the No. 1 choice,
winning 28.1% of the electorate. Lead guitarist Ace Frehley — Space Ace — came in
second with 24.1% of the vote, while guitarist Paul Stanley — The Starchild — was
third with 18.7%. Proving the old adage that no one gives the drummer any respect, Peter
Criss — The Catman — ended with 9.0% of the votes. Oddly, 20.1% of those polls
claimed they liked KISS better without the make-up.
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KISS maintains their momentum
and retains the weekend crown with four new dates on sale as their tour prepares for its official kick-off on November 12th in Boston |
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| - From Live Daily - | ||
KISS has booked themselves straight through New Year's Eve on their Psycho Circus Tour. The
Halloween special on FOX was... unfortunate, but the live show promises to make us forget all
that. Four dates, including a New Year's Eve show at Detroit's Palace of Auburn Hills go on
sale Saturday. In addition to Detroit, Dayton's Nutter Center, Minneapolis' Target Center and
Rochester's Blue Cross Arena are set for sale.
Click here for KISS Kollector Online's complete listing of confirmed tour dates. |
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NOVEMBER 6, 1998 | |
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KISS Kollector's review of the L.A. show | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
"ALLRIGHT AMERICA!YOU WANTED THE BEST, YOU GOT THE BEST!! THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD: KISS!!!" This is how KISS' very first Psycho Circus show kicked off on October 31, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. No carnival/circus-intro, just this wellknown phrase (although previously they didn't say "America" but instead named the city where they played) blasted through the PA while huge Psycho Circus curtains opened to reveal the stage and the band in their 1998 Destroyer costumes. The band opened the concert with the new album's title track, surprisingly followed by Shout It Out Loud and then Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll. The next surprise was the fact that Shock Me was the fourth song in the set list. Do You Love Me came fifth, followed by Calling Dr. Love and Firehouse, including Gene's fire breathing act. After Cold Gin the first real big surprise came. Paul said that Peter was going to sing a song that they had played during the MTV Unplugged show, and it turned out to be Nothin' To Lose which was actually sung by Gene, with Peter doing the backing parts. She was up next (a bit of a surprise too) and included Peter's drum solo, during which his drum riser moved to the front of the stage and also went up in the air, which looked very cool! I Was Made For Lovin' You preceded the second new song: Into The Void, sung by Ace. When the song was over the rest of the band left the stage, while Ace started tuning his guitar before he went into his solo... the same solo as the one during the last two years (without the Beethoven part though), but this time it sounded really horrible as if he had never played it before! To make things even worse, his guitar didn't start smoking and Ace was helplessly glancing at his roadie while walking back and forth on the stage to win some time. Eventually he had to walk to the roadie at the side of the stage who probably lit the guitar with a ligther, as suddenly the guitar was smoking and Ace walked back to center stage. 
Before the band tore into Love Gun Paul flew to the middle of Dodgers Stadium to sing
the song from a special platform. The third new song came next: Within, sung by Gene.
Even more than the other two new songs, this one didn't come accross live, unfortunately. Then
100.000 Years and King Of The Night Time World preceded God Of Thunder,
which obviously included Gene's blood spitting and flying-to-the-top-of-the-stage. Although
classic crowd-pleasers, the last two songs of the regular set seemed to be out of place:
Deuce and Detroit Rock City, that ended with Peter and his drums, as well as
the three guitarists, on small hydraulic platforms rising all the way into the air (not over
the crowd this time), something that previously happened during Black Diamond!
For the first encore Peter came out on his own, singing Beth from center stage. Black Diamond was the second encore, and - no surprise - Rock And Roll All Nite ended the show with confetti and lots of fireworks that lit the L.A. sky for minutes after the band had left the stage. So, in short: there was very little as far as different songs in comparison to the last tour, and hardly anything new in regards to stage show or effects. The lighting show seemed to be new (but not better than on the last tour) and of course the (unimpressive) 3 D-effects on the video screens were an addition to the show, but that was about it. If you had never seen KISS before, it definitely was a cool show, but for die-hards it might have been a bit of a disappointment - especially after reading interviews and such in which the band hyped up this show and in fact the entire Psycho Circus World Tour. With a few exceptions, the Psycho Circus side show acts weren't very entertaining either and the only entertaining thing about opening act Smashing Pumpkins was the fact that they came out dressed as The Beatles, complete with costumes and wigs, as well as a Beatles drumkit. 
Appropriately, the Pumpkins opened with the Beatles' Money (That's What I Want) and
this very title seemed to be the overall theme of the festivities at Dodgers Stadium this
October 31st. Especially when you checked out prices of the KISS merchandise and, even more,
the prices of the items as listed in the official KISS merchandise catalog from Sony Signatures,
that was available at the merchandise stands. The band has now really gone way over the top
with the merchandising: the average price for an item listed in this catalog is aproximately
$150, with a set of bronze wall sculptures selling for $999 being the most expensive item.
The autographed pewter figurine, selling for $750, comes in second place and the leather jacket,
selling for $650, comes in third. Fourth is the set of singing dolls, that sells for $600,
and the hand signed Psycho Circus comic paperback comes in fifth place, selling for $500.
There's a few more items selling for over $350, and there's a few affordable items, such as the set of Johnny Lightning funny cars selling for $20 and t-shirts for an average price of aproximately $24. But a lot of items sell for $200, including the Zippo lighter set, the framed gold foiled Psycho Circus album cover, the framed mini gold lp's and the Alive II gold record. However, beware that the (Paul-Washburn/Ace-Gibson/Gene-Axe) guitars in the catalog don't even have prices listed, but only phone numbers where you can get all the ordering info. Merchandise actually available at the concert, included 5 new t-shirts ($30 each), a longsleeve shirt ($40), tour edition Psycho Circus action figures ($30 each), a special Dodgers Stadium tour book, the Metal Edge tourspecial and a few more items. A full, detailed, review of the Halloween show will appear in issue 27 of KISS Kollector Magazine. Click here to see some pictures of Paul Stanley performing Love Gun at Dodger Stadium. |
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KISS Kollector checks out L.A. | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Apart from the opening show on the Psycho Circus World Tour, KISS Kollector Fanclub Holland
and 28 of its members also checked out several KISS sightings in very sunny Los Angeles.
Arriving in L.A. the night of October 29, we all rushed to the Coconut Teaser on Sunset
Boulevard, after we had checked into our hotel downtown. Before the UNION concert kicked off,
a very short haired Bruce Kulick said hello and shared lots of news from the UNION camp with
KISS Kollector. Most of it has already been covered in our on-the-road-update from October 31,
but here are some more details.
UNION's live album, that is set for a release early 1999, has been recorded over two shows and will most probably also include two bonus tracks (they're choosing from a handfull of possibilities, such as Robin's Song and Oh Darling). Bruce is also busy with his solo album and will be recording three songs (Detroit Rock City, God Of Thunder and another one) to be included on the industrial version of the Ace Frehley tribute album Return Of The Comet. Then there are plans for Bruce to return to Australia, where Eric Singer will end his tour with former Queen guirist Brian May. Eric and Bruce plus UNION's singer John Corabi and Karl Cochran, hope to perform live Down Under to promote their E(ric) S(inger) P(roject) album Lost And Spaced. The Scandinavian tour isn't happening and a European tour won't take place either (this year). After this chat with Bruce, KISS Kollector hung out with John Corabi outside on the patio (who welcomed the guests "from overseas" during the concert), and later on also ran into several other familiar faces, such as KISS' former head of security Andre Augustine, Gerri Miller (Metal Edge) and Lenita Erickson (who toured with Bruce in Europe in 1996, promoting her debut album that featured Paul Stanley on one track) as well as fans from the Internet. 
During our stay in LA, we also visited PolyGram's A&M Recording And Mastering Studios, where
KISS recorded part of the Psycho Circus album (vocals and bass overdubs). The band was
also busy mixing tracks there for some four weeks. The studio's manager and his assistent
shared very cool anecdotes (especially regarding Gene) and also showed us all the other studios
and mixing consoles. Just when we left, Smashing Pumpkins (and session) drummer Kenny Aronoff
came in to start his recording sessions with Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi in one of the studios
we had just visited. Of course we also checked out the Hollywood Rock Walk and the Walk Of Fame,
Mann's Chinese Theatre (where KISS held their September 21 press conference), Guitar Center
(where Peter Criss happens to be one of the customers), the Hard Rock Cafes, etc. etc.
Together with the team of Holland's weekly magazine Nieuwe Revu, that travelled with us to do a report about the KISS Kollector trip and the KISS concert (the issue will be out in a week or two), KISS Kollector went to the luxurious hotel just off Sunset where the band was staying. Nieuwe Revu interviewed Gene for 45 minutes. An edit of this interview will appear in Nieuwe Revu, while the entire (uncensored) interview will appear in the December issue of KISS Kollector Magazine! Some of the more interesting things Gene had to say, included his statement that Ace and Peter have signed contracts to stay with KISS for 5 years (so that is indeed up until 2001, as some rumors already stated before), including three albums. 
Gene (who said he's an entertainer, not a businessman) admitted he too was disappointed that
during the Dodgers Stadium concert a couple of things went wrong, but said it had to do with
the Halloween show being the first concert on the tour. Paul, by the way, had to get some
surgery (only a few weeks before the opening show!) on his knee which he injured during the
filming of the Psycho Circus video clip. Detroit Rock City is only the
working title for the movie, Gene is considering to name it KISS: The Motion Picture.
Some of the leftovers from the Psycho Circus sessions (such as Sweet And Dirty,
I Am Yours and I Wanna Rule The World) might be used for the movie's soundtrack
for wich the band plans to start recording early next year. The last couple of days the band
rehearsed every night for the Halloween show, and the night before the concert they did a full
dress rehearsal at the Stadium for which 300 guests (Dodgers Stadium personnel plus guests of
the band) were invited.
More about KISS Kollector's trip to L.A. can be read in issue 27 of KISS Kollector Magazine, due in December, in which a full size print of the pictured message from Gene can be seen as well. Click here to see some pictures of Bruce Kulick performing with UNION at the Coconut Teaser. |
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All the info on the Garbo Talks CD | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
The day KISS Kollector departed to Los Angeles, we received the Garbo Talks album, which
should be in stores in Holland by now. Here's some first hand information in addition
to previous reports. On the backside of the booklet, the project is explained by the band
members. The album consists of demos and recordings by all artists on the album. The last
track, Game Of Love, was written by Paul Stanley and Bob Held (Immaculate Music/ASCAP,
Little L Music/ASCAP). Paul played guitar and did backing vocals, Bruce Kulick played guitar
and Eric Carr played drums. The track sounds very much like a demo with the (new) vocals
dubbed over it. All the other songs on this poppy AOR album sound very well produced.
Here's the full tracklisting with all credits:
Click here to have a look at the artwork of the Garbo Talks album and the credits for the (KISS) track Game Of Love. |
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NOVEMBER 5, 1998 | |
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News updates from KISSONLINE | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
KISSONLINE, the official KISS web
site has been updated with some interesting news over the last couple of days. These are the
highlights:
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NOVEMBER 2, 1998 | |
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Halloween extravaganza launches KISS tour | |
| - From Billboard Online - | ||
KISS kicked off its Psycho Circus Tour Oct. 31 with a Halloween extravaganza in Los Angeles
that dazzled thousands of fans, many of whom arrived in costume. Circus acts and —
appropriately enough — the Smashing Pumpkins opened the show, which was touted as the
world's first three-dimensional concert.
The Pumpkins — who ascended the stage dressed like the '64 Beatles, complete with bowl-cut
wigs and matching suits — began their set with a cover of Money (That's What I Want).
After discarding their hair pieces, the band members performed an hourlong set, mixing new
material with their hits Bullet With Butterfly Wings and Today.
KISS opened with the title track from current release Psycho Circus (Mercury); the album is currently No. 75 on The Billboard 200. The two-hour-long set leaned heavily toward early material and included the group's anthem, Rock And Roll All Nite. The 3-D portions of the concert mixed filmed segments with live action; the blend was broadcast via three video screens and viewed by audience members through 3-D glasses given out prior to the performance. The show was broadcast on Album Network radio stations throughout the U.S.; portions of the concert were also aired at midnight Saturday on the FOX TV network as part of the channel's KISS LIVE: The Ultimate Halloween Party special. |
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Classic KISS kicks off Psycho Circus at Dodger Stadium | |
| - From MTV Online - | ||
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KISS kicked off its Psycho Circus Tour in classic KISS style at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
Saturday night.
While die-hard followers may have been disappointed that there was little in the way of new 
material and only a few new gimmicks, most were happy enough with the adage, "if it ain't
broke, don't fix it."
The set list was little changed from the reunited band's reunion tour back in 1996, with just three songs from their new album, and only two or three old tunes not in the 1996 tour. Yet the added songs combined with giant production features made for, if not a new experience, a highly entertaining one. For fans, the show began the moment the stadium was entered, as huge spotlights criss-crossed the skies, and helicopters buzzed overhead, while giant inflatables of the KISS bandmembers graced the entrance way. Following a strong set by opening act The Smashing Pumpkins, the crowd was entertained by a circus troupe that featured highwire acts and sideshow oddities. Those performances took place at the back half of the stadium floor. As the original lords of pyrotechnics and gore, KISS didn't disappoint. As usual they opened their performance with a bang and kept it up with a steady stream of explosives, flames, fireworks, rising platforms, a flying Paul Stanley and a blood-spewing Gene Simmons. The most notable new twist was the live 3-D camera and the pre-shot images that graced the large video screen behind the band, which came off surprisingly well. Images like Ace Frehley pushing the neck of his guitar into the audience gave concert goers — at least those on the front half of the floor — the impression that the tuning pegs were about to make contact. Frehley himself sang two songs, while drummer Peter Criss again showed off his vocal prowess by taking center stage alone with the backing of a phantom orchestra (karaoke anyone?). The night finished off with a boom, ending with a lengthy massive fireworks display originating from the parking lot outside. Even the fans who initially complained about the sameness of the set left the stadium happy. The KISS arena tour kicks off November 12 at the Fleet Center in Boston. The band is also rumored to be playing the Super Bowl in January. |
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NOVEMBER 1, 1998 | |
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Garbo Talks album has arrived | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
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The Garbo Talks album, which KISS Kollector Online first reported about on October 23, has
arrived in Holland. This album is interesting for KISS fans, because three (former) KISS
members are involved. Paul Stanley, Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr can all be heard on the last
track of the album, a very nice song called Game Of Love. The album is reported to be
well-produced and most of the songs do not sound like old demo's at all.
The full tracklisting of the Garbo Talks CD is: 1. Only Love, 2. Hard Times, 3. This Could Be The Night, 4. Elenah, 5. Give Me Your Lovin', 6. Standing In The Same Room, 7. Fire Me Up, 8. Foolish Heart, 9. Easy Come Easy Go, 10. I Live For You, 11. Game Of Love. There are many musicians involved in this 'supergroup'. The credits for Game Of Love are as follows: Vocals: Jon Gorman 
Guitars: Paul Stanley, Bruce KulickGuitar solo: Tony Bruno Bass: Bob Held Drums: Eric Carr Background Vocals: Jon Gorman, Paul Stanley, Bob Held Recorded at: Track Recording, Los Angeles, CA Overdubs & Vocals: Green Street Studios, New York Produced by: Bob Held Unfortunately, no recording dates are mentioned in the liner notes, but there is a little extra information available: "About the project: The project is an outgrowth of several different bands and is made up of demo's and new recording's by old friends. Tony Bruno, Chuck Bonafante, Gary Taylor, Al Greenwood and Jon Gorman had all been members of the group NYC. When NYC disbanded, everyone stayed in touch over the years and supported each other's individual projects. Garbo Talks finally gave us all the perfect opportunity to work together on a single project". The album will be available in the shops here in Holland on November 5. |
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KISS Kollector reports from Los Angeles | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
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The KISS Kollector party (about thirty fans, mainly from Holland) that is spending a long
weekend in L.A. right now, reported having mixed feelings over last night's Halloween show.
All being huge KISS fans of course (they flew over for the opening show!), they really
enjoyed the concert at Dodger Stadium, but there were some disappointments as well. The
main complaint was that the three new songs that were played didn't go down really well
(includig Ace's guitar solo during Into The Void) and that the stage show was very
similar to the one on the last tour.
On a positive note, there was a lot more pyro (may have been because it was outdoors), the order of the set list has changed radically and to everybody's surprise Nothin' To Lose was included in the set. Peter's new drum riser was reported to be something very special. Watch out for a more extensive report right here in a couple of days, when the KISS Kollector crew returns to Europe. Until then, here's the full set list of the opening show of the Psycho Circus World Tour: Psycho Circus, Shout It Out Loud, Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll, Shock Me, Do You Love Me?, Calling Dr. Love, Firehouse, Cold Gin, Nothin' To Lose, She (Drum Solo), I Was Made For Lovin' You, Into The Void (Guitar Solo), Love Gun, Within, 100,000 Years, King Of The Nighttime World, God Of Thunder, Deuce, Detroit Rock City. Encore: Beth, Black Diamond, Rock And Roll All Nite. |
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Video stills of KISS on FOX TV | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
KISS was the major event on FOX TV this Halloween weekend. The band starred in no less than
three shows during Halloween Screams on FOX. First of all they appeared as themselves
and in cameo roles on the Halloween episode of Millenium on Friday November 30. On Halloween
night KISS were special guests on MAD TV and at midnight the broadcast of KISS LIVE: The
Ultimate Halloween Party started on FOX.
The general feeling among the KISS online community seems to be that the Millenium episode was cool, although the storyline was not really strong. Opinions on the MAD TV show seem to differ and the live concert broadcast on FOX TV was a major disappointment to everybody, because it included only two songs. Fortunately, the Halloween concert in Dodger Stadium was webcasted in its entirety. For all of you who had to miss the FOX broadcasts with KISS (because you live outside the U.S. for example) and for those that have seen them, but want to relive everything once more... KISS Kollector brings you a collection of video captures courtesy of Ron Reed. We'd like to thank Ron for letting us use these wonderful pictures. First of all, check out these stills of KISS' appearence on Millenium's Thirteen Years Later episode:
On Saturday night (October 31) KISS were featured on a special Halloween edition of MAD TV. Don't miss these great pictures:
Here are 54 really cool video captures of FOX's KISS LIVE: The Ultimate Halloween Party:
During commercial breaks on FOX this weekend, advertisements for the Gibson Ace Frehley Signature Les Paul guitar and the Prowler KISS car were also shown. Here are some stills:
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