Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley: Still kicking emo ass photo: Courtesy KISS

Oshawa was one of dozens of cities in the running for a KISS concert, and when voting closed on June 30, the Ontario town hard-hit by the collapse of the auto industry won with 14,573 votes, with Winnipeg next at 12,929. In fact, the entire top 10 was made up of Canadian cities, and when I suggest to KISS co-founder Gene Simmons that we should spell Canada with a K, he replies, "I like the idea!"

Then Simmons muses aloud, "Maybe I should move to Canada. There's something to say about all the beautiful women in Canada. My wife Shannon [Tweed] is from Canada. When we're in Ottawa on July 15, it's going to be Shannon Tweed Day in Ottawa!"

And on July 12 in Toronto, Simmons has been named grand marshal of the Honda Indy car race. In fact, on this last leg of their year-old Alive 35 World Tour, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, along with hired guns Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer (replacing Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in their original makeup) are bringing the KISS carnival to eight Canadian cities in 11 days.

And Simmons saws Oshawa will get its own concert when KISS begins a new world tour in September (with 50 one-nighters in America alone) to promote their upcoming album out this October, their first of new material in 10 years and which Paul Stanley is producing.

"There hasn't been an important rock band to emerge in the last 25 years that will still mean something in 100 years," Simmons says. "But from the end of the 1950s to 1980, there was Elvis, The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zep, ABBA - say what you will but they wrote great songs - KISS, there's a hundred bands from that period. All the music from Elvis to KISS was born before MTV, cellphones and the Internet. KISS still trains hard and every emo band at 19 can shine our boot heels! They're gonna get a lesson [from us]: You blow the goddamn place up!"

What about unrepentant rock critics?

"You know, I discovered a band [over 30 years ago] called Van Halen, I signed them [to my record label] and produced their demo. Critics hated them. When singer David Lee Roth was asked why the critics hated Van Halen and loved Elvis Costello, Roth said, 'Because they look like Costello.' It's still true."

Still, this week all anyone can talk about is Michael Jackson. Simmons has refused all media requests to discuss Jackson on the record. Until now.

"I knew Michael and met him. He was shy and charming and self-effacing and obviously very talented. [For me the real story is] sadly about the little boys - not a single girl - all of them little boys under 13 [who] sued him for child molestation. He was never convicted but we know he paid $20-million to settle a case. I think [Jackson] doth protest too much. The story is not complete. I want to hear what those little boys have to say."

KISS has always been about the kids, from the millions who joined the KISS Army at the band's height in the late 1970s to fourth-generation fans filling arenas today. When Ace Frehley once trashed the band's fans because they were mostly kids, he was taken to task by both Simmons and Stanley, who know a good brand when they see one.

"Ace is a sweetheart and has a heart of gold," Simmons says. "But he was a major drug addict and alcoholic which is why he and Peter [Criss] were thrown out of the band. You know, rock stars are morons. What Ace said about the kids was stupid and uncaring."

Speaking of children, what does Simmons think about Chastity Bono, the daughter of his ex-girlfriend Cher, transitioning from female to male?

"I love Chas," Simmons says. "I was living with Cher when Chas and [her brother] Elijah were kids and I was a substitute dad for a while. Life is short and we should all make up and be happy. And everybody else be damned if Chas isn't happy today, God bless. If Chas is happy, then she will have found the secret of life."

KISS
@ Bluesfest
July 15
 
 

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A Little Reason     Not only is there absolutely no record of any musician quitting any of Michael Jackson's tours, it is also well documented that Michael adored children of both sexes. Mr Simmons himself says he met Michael when he was a teenager and that this is the extent of his involvement in Michael's life. Therefore any theories he has regarding the turbulent allegation years of 1993 and 2003-2005, are mere speculation. His 'smoke without fire' comment is no replacement for the fact that after 10 years of being investigated by both the LAPD and the FBI, no evidence of criminality concerning children could be attributed to Mr Jackson. There is also the small matter of the 12 American citizens in the dominantly Republican State of Santa Barbara who found Michael to be unequivocally -not guilty. Anyone can allege anything, and they often do when money is at stake - as the thwarted extortion attempts of Letterman, Travolta and Cindy Crawford attest. What is needed is a clear rebuttal of these outrageous statements by Mr Simmons who it is clear, has not found his days of 'shocking for effect' easy to leave behind.
Deborah Ffrench		February 6th, 2010
old vaudevillians never die     Twisted Sister, Alice Cooper, Ozzy and KISS understood one thing, in a substantial way, that most people only understand in a very fuzzy way: that heavy metal rock is basically a clown show. if you understand your segment of the entertainment industry, you stand a better chance of having some control over it, instead of vice-versa. Keith Emerson used to throw knives at the wooden case of his electric organ. why would anyone with his spectacular skills as a keyboard player feel the need to play pranks like that? it is because he understood that people can listen better, at home, with the album on the stereo. if they come out to "see" a band, they want to See Something. Alice Cooper wrote some great pop singles and KISS wrote some pretty good ones; there are quite a few long lived bands [eg, Spensor Davis, the Yardbirds and the Zombies] who wrote great and pretty good pop songs, but don't have the fan base to headline at BluesFest. try vaudeville - it really, really works !
Rick Fry		July 20th, 2009
Whether you like them or not, they are Klassic with a Capital K!     Well, they are finally coming back to town. It's true...now all the bands out there should take a lesson. People deserve high quality entertainment for their hard earned money. I like this voting for your town idea...it's innovative and makes it clear who will mostly likely come to a show. looking forward to their new album coming out in September. Although the Shannon Tweed day is not happening, I hope she still enjoys her day here. I guess their is a protocol to go through, but like that angry councillor from Barrhaven, I think alot of ottawans are just backwards...they will only celebrate something "they" understand. I think it has either to do with relating to Kiss/Simmons or perhaps her Playboy past. Hey Tom Cruise lived here...why not celebrate him next time. It'll be more hypocracy I'm sure... Ace and Peter WERE great. They are not what they used to be now. This is the reason Tommy and Eric are in the band today. They are committed and want to give their best. That means staying sober. In some instances, I'm surprised Kiss has lasted considering the damage that Ace and Peter have done to themselves let alone the band. I'm not touching the Michael Jackson retort at all. He was talented. He's gone. That's it, that's all. Kiss are legends. Now, that's not to say their won't be more so I tend to disagree with Gene here. We've got Alanis Morissette and Nickelback to add in there. Then again, I find it takes a good 10 years of solid success to demonstrate a legendary group...e.g. U2. The critics never got Kiss and never will. Anyways, everyone is a critic just like Gene so just don't listen to anyone's opinion anyways. what does anyone know. go check out the concert for yourself!
Ger Madden		July 9th, 2009

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