Kiss News

On this day in KISSTORY - January 25, 2014 - We rocked Dodger Stadium as part of the NHL's Stadium Series.

Thanks to Caylie Klooster for sharing this awesome concert display with us! 

Dear KISS, This display was created to immortalize the best night of my life! Every part of this display was taken from the Edmonton Kiss concert, from the confetti background and the shiny streamer bow, to the lanyard and guitar picks; and I wanted to create something to keep it all together. Each memory that is tied to the components of this display holds a special place in my heart and serves as a permanent reminder of the night I met the hottest band in the world, KISS! Thank you for giving me the chance to fulfill my lifelong dream! - Caylie Klooster

Show us your KISS displays at www.KISSOnline.com/letters

By Jim Clash / Forbes

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this interview series with Kiss frontman Paul Stanley, we covered a lot: his painting, his relationship with bandmate Gene Simmons, the band’s extensive use of makeup, why this past tour was Kiss’ final, his childhood bullying and more. Here, in this final part, we drill into Stanley’s musical influences, among other things. Following are edited excerpts from a longer phone conversation. (By the way today, January 20, is Stanley’s 72nd birthday. Happy birthday, Starchild!)

Jim Clash: We touched a bit upon you being bullied as a child because of your hearing birth defect (Stanley was missing a right ear). But you were pretty smart as a kid, no?

Paul Stanley: I was always in the most intellectually gifted classes, the ones where I actually belonged, but it was more because they knew I belonged there, whether it was IQ testing, what have you. Because of my hearing difficulty, and some learning disabilities, I just never lived up to any of it, though. Today, thankfully, our school systems and the people running them, are aware of dyslexia and other learning problems. I was in school at a time where they thought kids like me were just lazy.

Clash: I want to play word association with a few of your contemporary musicians. I knew you listened relentlessly to Beethoven’s Fifth early on, but how about later? Say, Dion DiMucci?

Stanley: Dion, initially with the Belmonts, had swagger. He clearly knew how to sing. His phrasing was steeped in an earlier generation. The guy could certainly swing the melody with a lyric. I thought he was terrific, and what he went on to do later was really steeped in blues and traditional music. I’ve always admired him.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the interview.

By Jim Clash / Forbes

In Part 1 of our interview series with Kiss frontman Paul Stanley, we discussed his paintings, his thoughts on bandmate Gene Simmons, drugs and the band’s extensive use of makeup. Here we address Kiss’ final tour, Stanley’s biggest fear, advice he might give to his younger self and his being bullied in school. Following are edited excerpts from a longer phone conversation.

Jim Clash: You’ve sold hundreds of millions of records. You must be quite wealthy. Why keep working into your seventies?

Paul Stanley: I love what I do. I think that ultimately when you’re in a position to not do something is when you find out how much it means to you. You also find out when you’re losing it. When your career is in trouble, how much are you willing to fight to regain it? Once you’re financially set, at least in my case, the idea of sitting back and watching television or sitting at the top of a mountain is nowhere near as appealing as playing stadiums around the world. I loved it.

Clash: When you all perform with the heavy costumes and makeup - what is it, like 30 or 40 pounds - over time, that takes a toll on your body, correct?

Stanley: Yes. We reached a point where we realized that life and time are finite. When you play beat-the-clock, the clock wins, always. There are no 70-plus-year-old basketball players or football players. In essence, we are athletes with guitars. To do what we do at the level we do it means it’s just a matter of time before we can’t, or that people coming to see us will say, “You should have seen them when they were good.”

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the interview.