KISS,

Next to the birth of my children, (one of whom is actually due today at 2:30 pm!) December 5th, 2009 at the Meet and Greet in Houston was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had in my life. Rarely am I at a loss for words, but I was simply overwhelmed when I got backstage and my turn came up to get my picture taken and autographs. You and the rest of the guys were so cool to me that it didn't really matter that I could barely speak. I remembered you really digging my tat of you on both arms and had your guy take a pic of it. Then, you gave me a hug, and I was off to enjoy the show from the front row. One always wonders what will happen if they get to meet their hero. Will they be nice? Will they brush me off? I got my answer on that day.

The KISS Meet and Greet Experience is EVERYTHING I hoped it would be, and to top it off, I am in the official commercial for the European Meet and Greet on the top of KissOnline.Com!!!! Life does not get much better than that for a lifelong KISS ARMY member. Thanks so much!!

Regards,
Nate Schmidt Houston Texas

LETTERS

ONE NITE KISS: WAITING FOR THE BOOM - SATURDAY, APRIL 17

Get ready for KISS to conquer Europe again with a fan party featuring five of the best Italian KISS Tribute bands live at the Lucille Music Hall in Verona, Italy!! Live 4 Win (Paul Stanley Tribute), Psycho Circus, Reason to KISS, KissKonfusion and JulietKISS are set to perform. KISS Memorabilia will be on display, and KISS merchandise will be available for purchase. A raffle will be organized with prizes that will blow your mind, including a Washburn Paul Stanley Cracked Mirror guitar and an original Rock And Roll Over Print Proof signed and kindly offered by the artist, Michael Doret,

KISSonline will be attending the fan party. We are looking forward to visiting with KISS Army Europe!

Free entrance for all! and 1 free gadget for masked freaks!!!

Saturday, April 17 - Doors open at 8 PM Live Show at 10 PM

Lucille Music Hall
Via dell'Undustria 29C
Sommacampagn, Verona

KISS & the KISS Army!!

Check out my great KISS tattoo! Thanks for all the music.....Please come back to Argentina!

Best,
Diego Ferreyra

LETTERS

Check out the KISS Sonic Boom Over Europe promo poster for the Bratislava, Slovakia.

Thanks to Roman for sending the image to KISSonline.

Visit the KISS on Tour Page for concert dates, Meet & Greet and VIP Ticket packages.

Check out the KISS Sonic Boom Over Europe promo poster for the Hamburg show from the streets of Germany.

Thanks to KISS News.de for the image.

Here's a feature on KISS' London show in Norway's VG newspaper!

Compiled by DAVE ITZKOFF

They call him Doctor Love. They call his partner the Starchild and, occasionally, the Bandit. And now they can call Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, the lead singer and the rhythm guitarist of the rock band KISS, something else: children's show producers. Mr. Simmons and Mr. Stanley, above from left, have had collaborations like the songs "Hotter Than Hell," "Love Gun" and "Lick It Up," but now they have a deal with the Canadian production company E1 Television to create a show for young viewers that will also serve as a merchandising tie-in, The Hollywood Reporter said. The show, a comedy series yet to be titled, will be produced and distributed by E1. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Mr. Simmons said: "KISS continues to be the juggernaut of licensing and merchandising, from KISS M&M's to KISS Dr Pepper. KISS is a band, but also the only music brand."

Hi KISS!

Love you guys and wanted to share an image of my nail artwork with the KISS Army. Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks,
Lena Truong
Santa Barbara, CA

LETTERS

By KIM FUNDINGSLAND Staff Writer

Rumors that the rock band KISS would be included in the entertainment lineup of the North Dakota State Fair were proven true Friday when two new tour dates were announced on the band's Web site.

The State Fair office confirmed the booking of the ageless rockers in a news release Friday.

"We worked hard to get KISS here and we're very excited to have them as the first rock group on the new grandstand," said Renae Korslien, general manager.

KISS will perform at the State Fair on Saturday, July 24. Tickets for the concert are priced at $55 for standing room in front of the stage and $65 for reserved seating in the new grandstand, which is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2010 fair.

Ticket sales for KISS will begin April 7 at 8 a.m.

KISS will perform concerts in Wyoming and North Dakota this July. The The Hottest and in the World will rock Cheyenne on July 23 and Minot on July 24.

KISSonline will hold a KISS Army members-only ticket pre-sale for both events. Stay tuned to KOL for more details soon.

July 23 Cheyenne, Wyoming 2010 Frontier Days
July 24 Minot, North Dakota 2010 State Fair

Photo by Ross Halfin

By Paul Brannigan
Photo by Nick Stevens

The self-proclaimed "Hottest Band in the World" sizzle at tiny London show

This is all rather surreal. In two months' time, KISS will play to 20,000 people in London as part of an eight day UK arena tour. Tonight, their audience numbers just 800. Officially, according to Gene Simmons, the smallest KISS gig in decades is being played on "an impulse," -- the band are in London for promo duties following an appearance alongside world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko and actress Sophia Loren on Europe's biggest TV show, Wetten Dass..? in Germany -- but in truth, it's difficult to imagine a band who've mapped out their career with a forensic eye for detail doing anything spontaneously.

A more cynical soul might note that the buzz generated by flying rock hacks from all over Europe into London for this one-off date won't harm ticket sales for those arena shows at all. Whatever, given that a half-decent KISS tribute band could sell out the Islington Academy, seeing the genuine article up-close-and-personal is a true 'pinch me' moment: cynicism is for another day.

Review excerpt by Michael Hann
Photograph: Neil Lupin/Redferns

There's a sense that creatures from another world are walking among us when Kiss take to the stage at the drab Islington Academy. In their familiar kabuki-style makeup, the four men - "Starchild" Paul Stanley and "Demon" Gene Simmons are these days accompanied by guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer - look as out of place in this tiny room as Wayne Rooney would playing Sunday league football up the road at Hackney Marshes.

Musically, too, they seem alien: no new band makes this kind of bludgeoning, basic heavy rock with any expectation of replicating the success Kiss have had over nearly 40 years; no modern band would sing lyrics like Stanley and Simmons's - "You pulled the trigger on my love gun!" - without an eyebrow raised to signify the joke.

Nevertheless, it's an overwhelming, almost physical sensation to see the giant Kiss logo in flashing lights, and to hear songs that are part of the fabric of American rock - the likes of Calling Dr Love and Rock and Roll All Nite - in these confines. Every word to every song is bellowed back at the stage, and Simmons and Stanley fill the venue with their charisma, projecting to a back row that's a good couple of hundred yards behind where the last member of the audience is actually standing.

After little more than an hour, Kiss finish with their best song, Detroit Rock City, 500 people throwing their hands into devil's horns. And then they are gone, leaving the crowd to wonder if they've imagined the whole extraordinary evening.

Five out of five stars.

At Dublin Arena (0818 719 300), 7 May. Then touring.

KISS UNPLUGGED RELEASED

On this day in KISStory, March 12, 1996, the KISS MTV Unplugged CD and VHS Video were released in the US. KISS MTV Unplugged was recorded August 9, 1995 at Sony Music Studios in New York City. The majority of the CD/VHS features Paul, Gene, Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick. Ace Frehley and Peter Criss join Paul and Gene for '2000 Man' and 'Beth'. All six members close out the CD/VHS with 'Nothin' To Lose' and 'Rock and Roll All Nite'. MTV originally broadcast KISS Unplugged on October 31, 1995.

Comment from Paul on Unplugged:

'Unplugged was a chance for us to celebrate the musical history of the band by stripping, some great songs from different points in our history, down to the bare essence of what makes them great.'

TRACK LISTING:

Comin' Home / Plaster Caster / Goin' Blind / Do You Love Me / Domino / Got To Choose / Sure Know Something / A World Without Heroes / Rock Bottom / See You Tonight / I Still Love It / Every Time I Look At You / 2000 Man / Beth / Nothin' To Lose / Rock and Roll All Nite

'Got To Choose' appeared on the VHS and the Vinyl versions of KISS Unplugged but not the US CD.

Belgium's EEN news featured a segment on KISS' upcoming June 27 appearance at the Graspop festival on the Sonic Boom Over Europe tour. Check it out! Thanks to Luc Verdickt for sending the clip to KISSonline

Hi KISS,

I entered a Rock N Roll Challenge with Quilting Arts Magazine back in 2008 with a mini quilt. The one I made was Gene Simmons' face. I even incorporated a "pull string" on the back that makes his tounge wiggle. It was displayed in the magazine in the April/May 2009 issue, and it went on tour with the magazine for a year!

Thanks, Sue Perkins

LETTERS