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| News Archive / February 16-28, 1999 | ||
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KISS NEWS IN LATE FEBRUARY 1999 | MARCH 1, 1999 |  |
| 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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FEBRUARY 28, 1999 |  |
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Do you want Jetland as KISS' support act in Holland? | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| Dutch rockers Jetland would like to open for KISS in Holland on March 13, when Paul, Gene, Ace and Peter play at the Prins van Oranjehal in Utrecht, Holland. New American band Buck Cherry have already been confirmed as the support act, but still Jetland is trying to get the opening slot. And KISS Kollector Online is supporting them. Both Jetland as well as KISS Kollector Online have been telling KISS and their management McGhee Entertainment that a Dutch band like Jetland might be more successful than an unknown American band like Buck Cherry in helping to sell the remaining tickets for the concert in Holland. We ask the KISS Army to let us know if you too would like to see Jetland opening for KISS in Holland. On another note, Jetland's singer/guitarist Jan Koster will hook up with Paul in Germany during the European Tour, as they want to write some material for Jetland's next album. He has already written new tunes with Bob Held (a friend of Paul's). Jetland is currently in the studio, recording the single for their forthcoming (third) album. | ||
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Highlights from Playboy's KISS cover story: Part 2 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| Click here to view some more photos from the KISS cover story in the March 1999 US issue of Playboy. The article itself isn't much to write home about, but then again, it's the pictures that matter really here. Nevertheless, some more excerpts... Gene: "The most bizarre thing was seeing my face wrapped around the gateway to hell. A tattoo. If you can imagine my mouth wide open — her lips at that point were not shut either. You know the phrase, 'Go fuck yourself?'" Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails: "They were the coolest, fucking demonic monster loud rock band. They were super heroes to me." Paul: "If you're going to watch bands stare at their boots, you might as well come to our shows. Our boots are more interesting." Peter: "I think we're artists. I think the make-up is art. We create a lot of art up there and I don't see a lot of bands coming near it." Ace: "I think my guitar playing is probably average. It's overrated. But I guess I've developed my own style. I didn't realize when I was in my 20s that I'd have an impact on a whole generation of guitar players. Now it looks like I have a chance to affect a new generation. This time I'm going to practice a bit more." | ||
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FEBRUARY 27, 1999 | |
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Highlights from Playboy's KISS cover story: Part 1 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| As reported earlier, the March issue of the US edition of Playboy magazine — the 'Sex & Music Issue', featuring 'The Girls Of KISS' — is now available in Europe too. Click here to view the fold out poster of the four band members and the 20 Playboy Playmates ("The 20 Best-looking Reasons To Start A Band", according to the subheading of the article). Some excerpts from the text: "When Playboy caught up on the band mid tour in a Chicago hotel room, the talk soon turned to second-generation groupies. Simmons, the satirical libertine, shared an anecdote of mother-daughter threesomes and ended by saying, "Within 45 minutes we're all in bed together — one big happy family. (...) I love all women and I will never stop that, no matter what society tells me. In short, yes, I want every girl that ever lived. (...) Sometimes they wore KISS make-up, sometimes I did. Many times beauties have wanted to sleep with the beast. I always found that strange." More photos and more from the article tomorrow. | ||
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Some more stills from The Second Coming | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
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Including the two above (KISS rehearsing for the '96/'97 Alive Worldwide Tour in a very small
room), we have shown you 36 video stills from The Second Coming over the last five
weeks. Because we have eight stills left, that we didn't want to hold back, we have put these
and all the other stills together on four pages. This way you get a good impression of the
kind of footage that can be seen on this great home video. And who knows, now that the Psycho
Circus World Tour has left the North American continent, someone at Universal Music Group might
decide it's a good idea to release the 2-tape package in Europe sometime this year. Or in
Australia. Or in Japan. Or in South America... Until then, check out these great stills:
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FEBRUARY 26, 1999 | |
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Check out the KISS Psycho Circus 3-D action game | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| As officially announced in December of last year, entertainment software publishing company Gathering Of Developers and developer group Bloodshot Entertainment have created a 3-D action game based on the KISS: Psycho Circus comics. You can check out some great graphics on the G.O.D. web site, where you are invited to "Step right up!" and download the KISS: Psycho Circus background. Be warned though: "The Psycho Circus is coming. Don't leave town." In the USA the game is published by Gathering Of Developers, while Take 2 Interactive (co-)publishes KISS: Psycho Circus in Europe. Take 2 is headquartered in New York City, with publishing, marketing, sales and distribution offices in England, Germany, France and Australia. | ||
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European KISS tour kicks off today | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
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Tonight, the Hartwall
Areena in Helsinki, Finland, is hosting the opening night of the European leg of the
Psycho Circus World Tour. While the Grammy for 'Best Hard Rock Performance' went to Page/Plant
last Wednesday, KISS and their crew were already in Europe, preparing for the first show since
January 2 (Nashville). Tonight's concert is the first of 23 shows in Europe, including three
shows in Russia early April, which were only confirmed this week.
Being a European web site, KISS Kollector Online will of course provide you with the best coverage possible in the weeks to come. However, to achieve this, we need your help! If you think you can write a good concert review, if you read something on KISS in a paper, if you stumble across a magazine with KISS on the cover *or* if you bump into Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter at your local shopping mall ;-) ...please let us know. All stories, reviews, photos and clippings are welcome and can be send to us by e-mail (kiss@animalize.com) or by regular mail (KISS Kollector Fanclub, P.O. Box 1159, 1200 BD Hilversum, Holland). For now, here are two more stills from the KISS home video The Second Coming, which we reviewed over the last six weeks, while counting down to today. These pictures show footage of the very first (pre-)reunion rehearsals, when the four original members — together with Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer — teamed up at S.I.R. Studios to rehearse for the MTV Unplugged show. The last bunch of stills can be seen here tomorrow. |
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Psycho Circus video returns in Music Video Top 10 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| KISS' platinum video Psycho Circus has made a triumphant return to the Top 10 of Billboard's Top Music Videos Top 40. In it's 16th week, the video goes up from No. 11 to No. 10, while The Second Coming — KISS' other platinum home video — still remains at No. 6 (in its 12th week on the chart). The Second Coming, by the way, goes up from No. 38 to No. 30 in its 3rd week in Billboard's Top Video Sales chart. | ||
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More European magazines featuring KISS this week | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Yesterday we reported about a KISS contest in Holland's biggest newspaper, last week we
displayed an article from Dutch TV guide Veronica Magazine. Another Dutch magazine,
TROS Kompas (the TV guide of Dutch television and radio station TROS), also features
half a page of KISS this week. Among other things, it mentions the TV special that Veronica
aired last night. The article is accompanied by a 1975 promo shot and the header reads
something like: "Just in time for 2000 KISS is back again!" The article is pictured
to the right.
It doesn't stop there, even Flair, a Belgium/Dutch magazine for young women, has a piece
on KISS in their 'Concert tip' section. It's a short article, including a mid-seventies live
shot of Gene, in which they quickly mention what KISS is all about and list info on the KISS
concerts in Holland and Belgium. In another part of Europe, the Czech edition of Playboy
magazine came out last Monday. Just like the American edition, it has Gene and three of the
KISSettes on the cover and 13 pages on KISS (and the 20 girls) inside. Check out the cover of
the March 1999 Czech edition of Playboy on the left.
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FEBRUARY 25, 1999 | |
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KISS sees Grammy Award going to Page/Plant | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| Jimmy Page & Robert Plant have won the Grammy Award in the 'Best Hard Rock Performance' category, for which KISS was nominated with the track Psycho Circus from last year's album of the same name. In the February 27 issue of Billboard magazine, the newly formed Island/Mercury Music Group has a full page full color advert in which they proudly announce their Grammy nominees. The Island/Mercury Music Group had 15 nominees in total: "Not bad for a brand new company!", as they say themselves in the ad. KISS, obviously, is mentioned as one of the nominees and there is a picture of the album. | ||
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Action League Now animation aired twice in Holland | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| As reported earlier, the Dutch network Veronica will air a KISS special entitled The Second Coming tonight. Although it's purely coincidental, even a kiddies show on Dutch television had a great feature on KISS. In the children's programme Alles Kits the US series Kablam is featured and yesterday's episode included Action League Now with the KISS action figures and the actual voices of the four KISS band members. It turned out that it had already been aired in Holland before, as this was a rerun from 1997! | ||
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KISS guitar contest in Holland's biggest newspaper | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| The biggest Dutch newspaper, De Telegraaf, ran a KISS contest in their Saturday edition. One lucky winner will get a Washburn Paul Stanley Signature guitar signed by Paul. In the newspaper's music section called Hitscore a photo taken from the KISS performance at the recent Super Bowl was printed next to the text in which the contest is explained. The signed Washburn Paul Stanley guitar might be presented to the winner by Paul, backstage at the upcoming concert at the Prins van Oranjehal in Utrecht. Click here to view the actual article. | ||
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KISS song on forthcoming Six Feet Under CD | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| A cover of KISS' War Machine will be included on the European version of the upcoming Six Feet Under album Maximum Violence. Six Feet Under started recording their third album the other day, which is being produced by Brian Slagel. A release date is unknown at this time. | ||
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 40 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
After 40 days, we end our countdown with The Second Coming home video. Tomorrow the
European leg of the Psycho Circus World Tour kicks off in Helsinki, Finland! Over the last six
weeks we have discussed almost every little detail in regards to the awesome 2-hour video set
and its 36-page booklet. You've been able to check out stills from the video, photos from the
booklet and info on what can actually be seen on the two tapes. While you can see the last
still here to the right (kinda different, eh? ;-), we have to wrap up our review today with the
very last part of The Second Coming.
The 1997 European tour footage includes backstage fooling around, the band recording their voices for Nickelodeon short Action League Now at The Studio in Berlin, Germany on May 20, the press conference at London's Rock Circus (where the band members had their hand prints cast in plaster), a photo session at the gates of Buckingham Palace, most of the band sleeping on their jet from London to Stockholm on June 14 and the last show on the tour: Finsbury Park in London, England. It all ends with some short catching up of what the band was up to in 1998, you can see the band doing a photo session for Psycho Circus in their new Destroyer costumes. Without a doubt this home video, which has only been released in the USA (where it quickly turned platinum), is *the* best KISS long form video ever. The only criticism I can think of is that the live clips are way too short, as no song is shown in its entirety — usually only a few seconds can be seen (except for the already well-known Shout It Out Loud video and Rock And Roll All Nite under the Brooklyn Bridge during the MTV Music Awards. But there's so much behind the scenes footage, from dressing rooms to Gene's huge Beverly Hills house, and so on, that this is truly a 'must-have' for any KISS fan. So, keep your fingers crossed that after the 1999 European Tour someone decides to release the home video outside the United States after all. For now, you have to do it with our detailed countdown/review or, if you live in Holland, with the compilation that Veronica airs on TV tonight. For the next few weeks: enjoy the tour of Europe! Special thanks to Barth van der Leck, for providing all the stills you have seen here on our countdown over the last couple of weeks. |
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FEBRUARY 24, 1999 | |
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Limited edition Psycho Circus 2-CD available in Europe | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
The 2-CD limited edition version of Psycho Circus including a 6-track live CD was
released in Holland last Monday, February 22. Yesterday it was available in almost every
record store. Although the package has a different catalogue number (538 938-2) compared
to the original Psycho Circus CD from last year (and therefore doesn't add to the
sales of the original release when it comes to gold/platinum awards), they made the mistake
(?) of including the original booklet that, obviously, has the original catalogue number
(558 992-2) printed on it. The same goes for the disc that contains the 10 Psycho Circus
tracks. The disc that contains the 6 live tracks has the new catalogue number. So in a way
this release has two catalogue numbers. In Holland the 2-CD set sells for 50-60 Dutch guilders,
which is approximately $25-$30.
The 6-track live CD has a running time of almost 40 minutes, so it's not much shorter than the Psycho Circus disc. Still, it would have been better if the guitar and drum solos were replaced by two more songs. The fading in and out between songs is pretty terrible: Paul's stage raps have just been cut off. Here's the track listing of the live album: 1. Psycho Circus (5:08) 2. Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll (5:30) 3. Into The Void (9:06) 4. Within (7:54) 5. 100,000 Years (5:12) 6. Black Diamond (6:11) These live tracks were recorded on December 12 of last year at ISA Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Indiana and on December 13 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. Click here for some images of the packaging. |
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Will KISS win a Grammy tonight? | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
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KISS left for Europe yesterday, but nonetheless the 41st annual Grammy Awards take place at
the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles tonight. There will be 5,000 people in attendance and
CBS will air the event live. Simultaneously, the Grammys will be webcast on the official
Grammy Awards web site: www.grammy.com.
As reported here earlier, KISS' title track off the Psycho Circus album is up against
The Dope Show by Marilyn Manson, Fuel by Metallica, Most High by Jimmy
Page & Robert Plant and Do The Evolution by Pearl Jam in the category 'Best Hard
Rock Performance'.
On Borders.com's Grammy Spotlight page, Psycho Circus is being described as follows: "It's 1978 all over again! Comeback kings KISS reunite the original line-up for their first album in 19 years, and it's as if time had not moved. Following a mega-successful tour in 1996, the grease painted warriors give the KISS army something to sink its teeth into. But rather than copy its past, the album is more of a continuation. From the power chords of the opening title track, the listener is drawn into this R&R Barnum and Bailey world. Keeping things current are Within, a Gene Simmons track left over from 1997's Carnival Of Souls, and Dreamin', co-written by Bruce Kulick (from the Carnival era line-up)." "The rest of the songs are direct descendants of KISS circa '75-'79. Into The Void features a stellar Ace Frehley guitar solo in a track reminiscent of Rocket Ride. I Finally Found My Way is a touching Peter Criss ballad that resembles Beth and Journey Of 1,000 Years holds up to Great Expectations. The band is tight and the album leans toward good-time hard rock anthems that stress unity with their fans. Psycho Circus continues the grand tradition of this innovative rock group that has sold over 75 million albums and shows no signs of stopping." |
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 39 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Only two days to go until the European leg of the Psycho Circus Tour kicks off. Coming towards
the end of the 124-minute home video The Second Coming, Peter explains his drum solo and
we're treated on some pre tour rehearsal footage of Peter working out his solo spot. He has some
help from Gene, who obviously has a lot of input. Next is the the band's Fargo flood relief.
During the April 26 concert in Fargo, ND, KISS donated all proceeds from a special flood relief
t-shirt to the city. After this, you can see the band celebrating Ace's birthday on stage, when
Tommy Thayer gives Ace a cake during the show. The last extensive part of the video is the 1997
European tour. The footage includes short live clips, backstage fooling around and how the band
spends a day off in Europe. Check back here tomorrow to find out how this excellent 2-tape set
ends...
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FEBRUARY 23, 1999 | |
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Russian tour dates officially confirmed | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP, special thanks to Vladimir Ilyin - | ||
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Our Russian correspondent Vladimir Ilyin informed us during the weekend that the KISS dates
in Russia have been confirmed and that the press conference officially announcing the tour has
been rescheduled. In Moscow a press conference took place yesterday, while in St. Petersburg
the press conference takes place today. Promoter Moscovit Concert announced three dates,
including two shows at the biggest stadium in Russia (and one of the biggest stadiums in
Europe): the 100,000 seater Luzniki. Tickets go on sale on March 1. These are the dates:
April 1: Luzniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia April 2: Luzniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia April 4: DK Lensoveta, St. Petersburg, Russia Check KISS Kollector Online's Psycho Tour section for a complete listing of all European and other tour dates. |
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 38 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
The Japanese footage, of which today's still is taken (Paul doing an interview during
the train ride to the next city), is followed by stuff from the Australian tour. It's
mainly footage from the Sydney press conference, which was topped of with a gold awards
presentation for the album You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best!!. There's also
10 seconds of Paul singing Shandi in Sydney, before it's time for the tour of
South America. From the South American tour there's some hilarious footage of Paul doing
some well-known Latin American tunes and there's the obvious snippet of La Bamba.
The tour of South America brought the band to Mexico, Chile and Argentina, before they
headed back to the United States. During sound check at the March 27, 1997 Wheeling, WY,
show Paul tries his brand new flying trick which he would be doing prior to Love Gun
during the rest of the tour. Paul's test flying is followed by bits and pieces from 'in
concert' flying, edited together, while Love Gun can be heard.
Next up is the secret of the dressing rooms, explained by Peter: "The dressing room is a real sacred place. If we got our Superman curtain out — that we've had all our lives — we don't allow anybody in." Ace continues: "When we get ready prior to the show, there's pro's and con's. Number one: we never get a chance to see the opening act because we have to start putting make-up on two hours before we perform on stage. But when I really think about it, you can compare it to, like, you know, women in a beauty salon, sitting under a hair dryer, you know the way they gap. It's the same kinda thing." Paul adds: "We listen to the same music, we'll talk about things that have been going on. We'll talk about the last show, it's a time for us to really bond before we go out on stage." More unique dressing room footage is shown: the band dancing the Macarena, there's backstage joking, Ace practising guitar, and so on. Come tomorrow for more on our countdown with The Second Coming, it's only three days until to start of the European leg of the Psycho Circus World Tour! |
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FEBRUARY 22, 1999 | |
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 37 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
In our sixth week of counting down to the European leg of the Psycho Circus World Tour,
we're still reviewing the awesome home video The Second Coming, which so far has
only been released in the USA and quickly turned platinum, just like the Psycho
Circus home video. It's only a few days before the band destroys Europe once again.
In the next couple of days, we will wrap up the daily review of the two hour double
video set. Today we have reached the part of the video where the band is touring Japan.
First there's some footage of the last Japanese tour of the original line-up, in the late seventies. New footage includes MTV News Japan and bits and pieces from the press conference. In Japan KISS travelled by train, in stead of by tour bus or airplane. They also did interviews during these train rides. On the still to the right you can see Peter enjoying himself on a Japanese train. Unfortunately there's only very short footage of the January 22 Osaka show, where Gene had lost his voice. Paul can be seen singing God Of Thunder, but only a few seconds, though. In Nagoya, on January 20, the band celebrated Paul's birthday on stage. Head of security Andre Augustine and tour manager Tim Rozner bring a huge cake, shaped like a guitar, on stage. The Japanese part of the video ends with the band shooting a commercial for Japanese TV. |
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FEBRUARY 21, 1999 | |
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 36 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
After all the bull shit with the Christian extremists (who tried to stop KISS from performing
live), as mentioned in yesterday's review of The Second Coming, Gene explains all that
goes on during his bass solo. Obviously this is accompanied by footage of Gene spitting blood
and flying. Then it's time for the European leg of the KISS Alive/Worldwide '96-97 Tour. We get
to see a short fragment from the November 20 show in Birmingham (England) and even less footage
from some other shows. More time is dedicated to the press conference in Stockholm (Sweden) on
December 6. You can also see the band arriving at an airport in Europe, where the limos park
right next to the band's jet on the platform. Before the band members get on the plane, a limo
driver wants some autographs. We can also see Paul doing performing some silly, but funny, moves
on the airplane's staircase.
Up next are the 1996 New Years Eve festivities. Most of it consists of Dick Clark, whose Rockin' New Years Eve show came from Times Square in New York City. Dick Clark can be seen on the video screens at the KISS show going at the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey, while the KISS stage is shown on the big jumbotron screen on Times Square. Paul and Dick attempt to have a conversation, but this proves to be difficult. There's some old footage from the very first time KISS appeared on a Dick Clark show, back in the early seventies, too. Photos and live footage of Dick Clark's In Concert from February 14, 1974 are quickly shown. Today's still is taken from the Rockin' New Years Eve show footage. The band can be seen live on stage at the Meadowlands Arena, taking the applause from the crowd just before the encores. |
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FEBRUARY 20, 1999 | |
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French magazine Hard 'N' Heavy supports KISS again | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP, special thanks to Tristan Glassey - | ||
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After the February issue of the French hard magazine Hard 'N' Heavy, in which there were
adverts for the KISS show in Paris and a live poster of the 'Big Bisou' (as French speaking
people sometimes friendly call KISS), the March issue also has some great KISS stuff. The awesome
double page advert for the French show is published once more and a full page color advert for
the new Psycho Circus limited edition double CD (with live EP) is included as well. The
February issue also started a series telling the story of KISS. You can cut out all parts and
collect them. Last time it featured the 1970-1972 era, in the current issue the spotlight is on
the year 1973.
The Psycho Circus ad reads as follows: "KISS - The Album - Psycho Circus - Watch out! Limited edition (2 CDs) with 6 previously unreleased live tracks, recorded in December '98, during the US leg of the Psycho Circus Tour. Includes live versions of Psycho Circus, Within, Into The Void, Let Me Go Rock 'N' Roll, 100,000 Years, Black Diamond." It continues: "For the first time available in remastered edition, the best of the KISS discography: Destroyer / Love Gun / Alive! / Alive II / Dynasty / Creatures Of The Night / Double Platinum / Smashes, Trashes & Hits / Carnival Of Souls / Greatest Hits / MTV Unplugged / You Wanted The Best. Extraordinary concert in 3-D! Paris Bercy, March 22, 1999." |
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 35 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Tape 2 of The Second Coming kicks off with the setting up of the stage, then the footage
quickly changes from the band flying, to backstage going ons and short live clips such as Ace
falling down (and Paul laughing his ass off). Next are the MTV Music Awards and a short clip of
MTV News including a brief shot of Ace getting off the plane at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro,
New Jersey. The band's performance of Rock And Roll All Nite under the Brooklyn Bridge
is shown in its entirety (just like the video for Shout It Out Loud on tape 1) — it's
unbelievable that these publicly available clips are included, while there's so much never before
seen footage that is only shown very briefly.
The voice-over continues the story of the reunion tour: "Everything was going well until Friday, September 13: a group of fanatic Christian ministers and concerned citizens unsuccessfully attempted to stop KISS from appearing in concert there." Gene: "We were going to play Tupelo, Mississippi — the birthplace of Elvis Presley — and some religious knuckleheads decided that they were the ones to pass judgement, even though in a very good book it says: 'Do not pass judgement, unless thee be judged'." Gene ends this topic by asking: "I wonder if they treated Elvis the same way..?" The still you can see here today, shows Gene about to take a nap on a Japanese train during the Japanese leg of the tour. |
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FEBRUARY 19, 1999 | |
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KISS got milk | |
| - From KISS Kollector, RH - | ||
KISSONLINE, the official KISS
web site, reported two interesting bits of news the other day. The first concerns a new
song that KISS has recorded for the soundtrack album that will accompany the movie Detroit
Rock City in August: "KISSONLINE can confirm that the new song on the Detroit Rock
City soundtrack is Nothing Can Keep Me From You. Details on another new song aren't
available." Most likely, this is the — already much talked about — song that
Paul wrote with famed songwriter Diane Warren in January.
The other news is that KISS will join the huge list of famous Americans that participated in the Got Milk? campaign: "KISSONLINE has received this exclusive bit of news... KISS will be the latest celebrities to wear a milk mustache. Before heading over to Europe, KISS are doing a photo session for the Got Milk? print campaign. The exact details of when and where the ad will run are not available, but it should be running for three months starting around April or May. KISSONLINE will have more details next week!" A little explanation for those of you (outside the US) that don't know what this is all about. The Got Milk? campaign is an advertising campaign that started several years ago, to get Americans to drink more milk. The campaign features well-known models, sports stars, movie stars, artists and politicians, wearing a white milk moustache. The campaign really took off when black super model Naomi Campbell was photographed for it. Ever since, 'stars' have been lining up to get photographed with the, now world famous, white moustache. In 1998 a book with photographs from the campaign was published, entitled The Milk Moustache Book. One of the best photos is the one of the Van Halen brothers (Alex and Eddie), which is featured here. If you want to know more, then check out www.gotmilk.com. |
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 34 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Today's still from The Second Coming shows Paul fooling around on the tour bus in England.
After the Donnington sound check and bus ride back to the hotel, we can see the band flying in the
KISS helicopter that takes them from the hotel to the Donnington festival on August 16. Some live
footage is shown before it's back to the USA, the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, to be
more precise. Three sold out days in a row: August 23, 24 and 25. Cold Gin can be heard
and seen. There's also some more live music in the background while Gene explains why they had
so much fireworks in Los Angeles. Then there's Gene's birthday of course. Paul and the audience
sing Happy Birthday to Gene, who has to turn away, because he doesn't want to show his
emotions. Backstage the band can be seen fooling around because of Gene's birthday. Also in L.A.,
Jay Leno shows up to do some skits for his Tonight Show. With several of these skits, tape 1 of
The Second Coming comes to an end. From tomorrow onwards, we obviously will start talking
about tape 2 in detail.
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FEBRUARY 18, 1999 | |
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KISS to play Russia just before South American tour? | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP, special thanks to Vladimir Ilyin - | ||
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The other day we heard rumors about Russian KISS concerts supposedly taking place
in April. Word has it, two shows are in the works for Russia and a press conference is said
to have taken place today in St. Petersburg. Apparently two shows have been confirmed: St.
Petersburg on April 4 and Moscow on April 5. Several sources have more or less confirmed this
and some mention a very rich Russian oil magnat who has been losing money by inviting Western
artists to perform in Russia. Recently he 'invested' money in the Russian concerts of the
Brian May Band with ex-KISS drummer Eric Singer.
According to other rumors KISS might be playing in Ukraine, Belorussia and Baltic countries before the Russian dates. If this all turns out to be true, KISS' tour behind the former 'Iron Curtain' will take place between the European and South American legs of the Psycho Circus Tour. More news as soon as the dates are officially confirmed. |
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Dutch network Veronica puts its weight behind KISS | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Dutch television and radio station (and publisher) Veronica is pleasing the KISS Army
this month. Not only will they air a 50-minute special titled The Second Coming on
television next week, they also have a
full page article in next week's issue of their TV guide (No. 8, February 20-26). The
new issue of Dutch music magazine Samsonic, which is published by Veronica, has
a four page item on KISS (see next article). Veronica is also billed as one of the
sponsors of the KISS show in Holland.
Obviously, in Veronica's TV guide, the KISS special is also mentioned in their TV listing for Thursday February 25 (see picture above). The special is listed as KISS: The Second Coming and starts at 12 midnight. According to the magazine, KISS has made a comeback after 16 years and the Psycho Circus album, which the band recorded last year, is the first album since 1980. Fortunately, not all information in the article is as far off the mark as this is. |
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Four page KISS story in Dutch magazine Samsonic | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| Issue No. 3 of Samsonic, the March issue, has a four page article on KISS. It's a very negative story because the writer, as he puts it himself: "hates KISS." Nevertheless he admits he just had to get tickets to the KISS shows in Holland during the last tour and on the current tour. He couldn't help it, he writes. And he also thinks Gene is the best and nicest salesman ever. "KISS is the nicest band to hate..." Click here to view the first two pages of the article. | ||
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 33 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
While the photo shoot for the Spin cover is shown, you can hear the band members talk
about the session. Says Paul: "Many of the magazines that wanted us on the cover, we
refused, but Spin got it early on. They were ready to do four separate covers, something
they'd never done before. And just like us, they were read to break ground and together, we
did." Other magazines with KISS on the cover are shown, including Forbes magazine.
There's also newspaper clippings and TV footage. Gene explains how the KISS Army came to life,
while old photos are being shown. Paul and Gene talk about the fans. Ace talks about his solo
and his special effects, while short clips of Ace, doing his solo during different concerts
and even different tours, are shown. "Guitars are really my life (...). If I would have
know I was gonna influence so many guitar players, I'd have practised a little more."
All of a sudden there's footage from an airplane and we're in England. August 15, 1996. The band is in full costume and make-up waiting around at their hotel, an old castle in the middle of nowhere. They have to go to Donnington to sound check for next day's performance. The part of sound check that's being shown is, once again, a part where they play Deuce. On the tour bus back to the hotel Paul turns out to be a great master of ceremony, entertaining the rest of band (most of them however are trying to get some sleep) and the crew. Gene: "Paul is absolutely the ringmaster, on stage and off. If there's a stage he will get on it, if there isn't he will make one." On today's still you can see Peter during the Donnington sound check. |
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FEBRUARY 17, 1999 | |
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US Playboy with KISS now available in Europe | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP, special thanks to Raymond van Driel - | ||
| As of yesterday, the US edition of Playboy featuring 'The Girls Of KISS' is available in Holland and without a doubt in the rest of Europe too. As we already revealed earlier, it has Gene (and some of the girls) on the cover. Inside, there's a few pages on KISS as well as two posters. In Europe there are always two versions of the US edition of Playboy available: the original version, which is sealed and sells for 18 Dutch guilders (approx. $10), and one especially for the European market, which sometimes has a different cover and sells for 12 Dutch guilders. | ||
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 32 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
After all the rehearsal and sound check stills from the last few days, we finally show an 'in
concert' still again today: Ace enjoying himself — at least judging by the smile on his
face — on stage. We pick up our review of The Second Coming, where we left off
yesterday. Up next is footage of Peter cherishing the albums by his favorite crooners, Frank
Sinatra and Tony Bennett, that Gene bought for him. Peter sits in the dressing room, checking
out the albums, with the rest of the band sitting in a circle around him. While this is shown,
you can hear Peter comment on the footage: "One thing about Gene: he really listens to
things that a lot of people don't. I found that out more this time around, as I got to know
him better. When I said I love Tony Bennet, I love Frank Sinatra, I love Benny Goodman...
I didn't think he had any appreciation for anything more than KISS. But when I went into the
dressing room, there's the whole Tony Bennett collection! I was pretty taken by that. He
remembered that I liked that music and he went out of his way and got it." After this,
we're treated on a private moment of the band with their manager and tour manager, having a
pep talk backstage at New York's Madison Square Garden. Before we know it, we are already at
the Spin cover photo shoot which took place on May 11, 1996, in Los Angeles. More about
this tomorrow.
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FEBRUARY 16, 1999 | |
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Two KISS related classic albums released on CD | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP, special thanks to Martial Jonard - | ||
| The Hear And Aid LP featuring KISS' Heaven's On Fire, which was released in the mid-eighties, is now available on CD in Japan. Also, the Goodrats LP, on which ex-KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick plays guitar, has gotten a CD release in the United States. | ||
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Eric's Rockheads CD: pre-orders now being taken in US | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
| The limited collectors edition Rockheads CD, the soundtrack to Eric Carr's Rockheads animation project, can now be ordered in the United States. In Europe it will be available at the KISS Expos. The tunes on the album have been recorded by Eric Carr and Bruce Kulick back in 1988. The songs are written by Eric, Bruce and Adam Mitchell. All four tracks have been remastered, the titles are: Too Cool For School, Tiara, Can You Feel It and Nasty Boys. David Snowden Productions in the USA is taking pre-orders now. For more information please e-mail info@davidsnowden.com and tell 'em KISS Kollector Online sent you. In Europe the CD will be out soon. | ||
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Countdown to the Euro Tour with The Second Coming: 31 | |
| - From KISS Kollector, JvP - | ||
Another great still today, you can see Gene taking care of business (signing some lithographs),
while the rest of the band is rehearsing. It's only 10 days to the European leg of the Psycho
Circus Tour, until the kick off we keep reviewing The Second Coming. The opening night
of the previous tour, as documented on the 2-tape video set, was on June 28 at Detroit's Tiger
Stadium. We see extended limousines drive up to the backstage area, the band members get out
in their full stage outfits. The band then walks from the dressing room to the stage. Tour
manager Tim Rozner introduces them: "Alright Detroit! You wanted the best, you got the
best. The hottest band in the world: KISS!" No new live footage unfortunately, the live
video clip for Shout It Out Loud is the only thing we get to see from the Tiger Stadium
show.
Up next is a short compilation of other shows, after which we get to see footage from the sound check at Madison Square Garden. The band sold out four nights at the world's most prestigious concert venue. KISS meets their original manager Bill Aucoin backstage. In the dressing room, where the whole band is sitting in a circle, Peter is surprised by Gene, who bought him Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett compilations. While live footage can be seen, Peter reveals that it was hard on his heart to play the Garden again, now that both his parents have passed away. He tells that his mom used to love blue roses, so he bought the mothers of the other band members blue roses and dedicated Beth to his own mother. |
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