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NEWS UPDATE MAY / APRIL 2012
May 8 : KISS
: MONSTER - The Official Album and Tour Magazine
From:
Kissonline.com
Brought to you by FANGORIA, the planet's number one cult film,
horror and fantasy culture entertainment magazine, KISS: MONSTER -
The Official Album and Tour Magazine is a KISS magazine made by KISS
fans for KISS fans. Celebrating the upcoming release of MONSTER, the
band’s 20th album and their upcoming summer tour with Motley Crue,
this glossy, 72 page collector’s magazine features dozens of rare,
new and never before published photographs as well as new interviews
with KISS members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric
Singer, wherein they muse on the past, reflect on the present and
look to what lies in store for “the hottest band in the world…KISS!”
You’ll also get a thorough, critical look at the full KISS
discography; a preview of MONSTER written by the band; secrets
behind THE TOUR; a look at the design of the new KISS costumes as
well as their costumes worn through the ages; Gene and Paul
remembering classic KISS albums like CREATURES OF THE NIGHT and
ALIVE; in-depth retrospective of the delirious KISS TV movie KISS
MEETS THE PHANTOM OF THE PARK and so much more!
Edited by FANGORIA editor-in-chief (and lifelong, card-carrying KISS
ARMY member) Chris Alexander, this towering salute to the
ever-evolving KISS mythology is one that every self respecting KISS
fan MUST have.
KISS: MONSTER – The Official Album and Tour Magazine will be on
newsstands EVERYWHERE late June and will be available to order
through
KISSONLINE.com and
FANGORIA.com.
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May 8 : GOOD
RATS - Blue Collar Rats (The Lost Archives)
Bruce Kulick
From:
Kiss Related Recordings
Peppi Marchello recently released a GOOD RATS compilation entitled
"Blue Collar Rats (The Lost Archives)". Except for the new song
"Boom Boom", which recorded with the current line up, the disc
contains 19 songs that were recorded sometime between 1975 and 1985
by the musicians that have been in the Good Rats over the years,
including Bruce Kulick and Schuyler Deale. |
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May 3 :
KISS - 20 Years Of Revenge Part II - Kevin Valentine
 From:
Mitch Lafon / Bravewords.com
May 19th, 2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of the brilliant
KISS Revenge album.
BraveWords.com will mark the passing of this landmark record
with a five part series of interviews conducted in the last couple
of weeks with the major players on the disc as well as a few
musicians that you may not know took part in the album’s recording
sessions.
Our second such surprise is drummer, Kevin Valentine (DONNIE IRIS &
THE CRUISERS). Like Tommy Thayer before him, Revenge was Kevin’s
second appearance on a KISS album (having come in to cut the drums
for the track ‘Take It Off’). His drum work can first be found on
the track ‘You Love Me To Hate You’ from the band’s 1989 Hot In The
Shade album. After Revenge, Kevin continued as a ghost musician for
KISS playing on the entire Psycho Circus album save for one track
(Into The Void) and before the recording of that album, he served as
Peter Criss’ drum coach on 3-D Psycho Circus tour that came on the
heels of the highly successful 1996 Reunion tour.
Kevin has kept quiet over the years about his involvement with KISS,
but in this exclusive interview with BraveWords.com, he finally
breaks his silence.
Read the interview clicking here. |
May 1 : DAZ
OF OZ covers "Love Her All I Can" - free download
 From:
dazofoz.com / Darren Grant
/
Kiss Related Recordings
Darren Grant just released an album with his new project DAZ OF OZ
entitled "Daz Of Oz 1".
The album contains a cover version of the KISS classic "Love Her All
I Can", and is (only) available as a
free download.
DAZ OF OZ began as a solo project that grew into much much more.
Australia born Darren Grant was previously the lead
vocalist/guitarist of the hard rock band “Eruption” (signed to U.K
label Escape Music LTD) that nearly broke through with their 2009
debut album "All Screwed Up" but fell victim of an untimely band
breakup. So Darren set about recording a backlog of songs. Calling
upon the services of session drummer Marty Smith, and some previous
band members and guests for bass guitar duties, they hit the
recording studio. The aim was to go against the modern
"over-produced" sound and achieve an honest and organic sounding
hard rock album, with the sonic bench mark of AC/DC's "Back In
Black".
No triggered drum sounds, auto tuning or modern studio tricks were
used, just real drums, real singing and real guitars. The songs are
quite varied in style, ranging from good ol’ 80’s arena rock to a
more crafted work, but rest assured it’s all energetic rock with not
even one ballad to be found.
A great cover version of the slightly more obscure KISS classic
"Love Her All I Can" was added and fits in really nicely with the
flow of the album.
Darren used every last dime he had to make this album, but instead
of negotiating a new record deal, he was to go against the grain
once again. He decided to test the statement "the foolish things
confound the wise" and make the album a "free download" for anyone
to own.
Download DAZ OF OZ 1 album
clicking here. |
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May 1 :
KISS - 20 Years Of Revenge Part I - Tommy Thayer interview
From:
Mitch Lafon / Bravewords.com
May 19th, 2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of the brilliant
KISS Revenge album. BraveWords.com will mark the passing of this
landmark record with a five-part series of interviews conducted in
the last couple of weeks with the major players on the disc as well
as a few musicians that you may not know took part in the album’s
recording sessions. Our first such surprise is Tommy Thayer. Many
may know Tommy as the current Spaceman of KISS, but back in 1992, he
was Gene Simmons’ protégé and former guitarist for the band BLACK N’
BLUE. Tommy’s role on the album was limited to adding backing vocals
on a few tracks along with his former Black N’ Blue singer, Jaime
St. James. Revenge would mark Tommy’s second appearance on a KISS
album. He had previously contributed two acoustic tracks to the
band’s Hot In The Shade opus. Thayer’s song ‘Nasty Nasty’ from the
Black N’ Blue album of the same name formed the basis of the Gene
Simmons composition, ‘Domino’ on the Revenge album. BraveWords.com
caught up with Tommy via email as KISS preps to head out on the road
in support of their new album, Monster.
“I was there during some of the recording and I sang background
vocals on a bunch of those tunes,” said Thayer when asked about his
work on Revenge.
When asked about the song 'Domino' and his general impression of the
album, Thayer replied, “the song 'Domino' and the Revenge album were
great. It’s definitely my favorite album from the non-makeup
1980-90s KISS.” When asked why he added: “The reason is that it was
the most cohesive record. All the songs fit together and made a
singular statement and that's hard to do unless you have someone
driving the process like producer, Bob Ezrin. Bob definitely had the
band's ear and drove the recording process with great arrangements
and song selection.”
Though the album marked a brilliant return to form for the band and
drove fans back to the fold, the album failed to reach significant
chart success. Thayer offered his thoughts: “The Revenge album would
have done so much better commercially if it hadn't been released in
the era of 1992. By that time ‘80s hard rock was on the backside of
the curve and entire new style of rock music was coming into vogue.
It was bad timing for a great song like ‘Every Time I Look At You’
which a couple years earlier would have probably been a top ten
single.”
Keep your eyes on
bravewords.com for the second part of this special five part
series... coming soon!
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April 22 :
The SWEET covers "New York Groove"
 From:
thesweet.com
/
Kiss Related Recordings
The legendary The SWEET will release a brand
new studio album entitled "New York Connection" on April 27.
The album is a kind of cover album, including songs originally
penned by other artists, for example the Russ Ballard penned "New
York Groove" (previously covered by HELLO and former KISS guitarist
Ace Frehley).
The track listing for "New York Connection" is as follows:
01. New York Groove (written by Russ Ballard)
02. Gold On The Ceilings (THE BLACK KEYS)
03. It's All Moving Faster (ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN)
04. New York Connection (originally the B-side of SWEET's "Wig Wam
Bam")
05. Shapes Of Things (THE YARDBIRDS)
06. You Spin Me Right Round (Like A Record) (DEAD OR ALIVE)
07. Because The Night (BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, also recorded by the PATTI
SMITH GROUP) (Lead vocal: Tony O'Hora)
08. Sweet Jan (THE VELVET UNDERGROUND) (Lead vocal: Andy Scott)
09. Blitzkrieg Bop (RAMONES) (Lead vocal: Bruce Bisland)
10. Broadway (written by a team including Jerry Lieber and Mike
Stoller)
11. Join Together (THE WHO)
The SWEET's "New York Collection" is available for digital download
@
iTunes. |
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April 22 :
Doug Aldrich interview
... about his 1982 audition for KISS
From:
rockpages.gr
Rockpages' Sakis Nikas and Yannis Dolas recently interviewed
Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich. Among the topics are Aldrich's
audition for KISS in 1982. An excerpt follows:
Rockpages.gr: In 1982 you auditioned for the replacement of Ace
Frehley in KISS. Describe to us the whole experience and do you
remember which songs did you play together?
Doug Aldrich: I remember meeting the drummer (ed.note: Eric Carr)
and he invited me to come down the rehearsals and meet Paul
(Stanley) and Gene (Simmons). I was a kid…
I was only 17-18 years old. I was nervous because no one had ever
seen them without their make-up…they were really protective about
the whole thing. I remember being afraid of looking them at their
faces when they were speaking to me (laughs)!
Read the interview, including the songs he had to learn for his
audition
clicking here. |
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April 9 :
KISS Tribute 'Music From The FAQ V'
free download
From:
musicfromthefaq.com
/
Kiss Related Recordings
The latest KISS Tribute of the Music From The Faq series
"Volume 5" contains 12 tracks and is available for free download
right now.
The final tracklisting is :
The Wildflowers - I Was Made For Lovin' You
Ypke & Willem - Crazy Nights
Travis Humbert - Strutter
Shawn Fox - Doncha Hesitate
Shandi777 - The Oath
Kameron Duty (LoveGun07) - Who Wants To Be Lonely
Lespaul & Eriksen - Kiss The Girl Goodbye
Andy Samphord - Almost Human
Yahoo & the Beaters - She
Jim and Andy - Parasite
Mbroz - Love Theme From Kiss
Music From The Faq is an online creative and unique creative
self-produced KISS covers project, spanning all different eras of
the band. While the songs were not produced with the benefit of a
big-budget recording studio, the creativity, quality of the material
and unique performances shine nonetheless.
In 2008 some members of the KISSfaq forum, who were also musicians
themselves, conceptualized an idea for a KISS Faq tribute CD and
posted a thread to gauge forum interest. The response was
overwhelmingly positive and
musicfromthefaq.com began receiving many submissions.
With participants having retreated to their respective home studios
to polish their tracks, the first compilation was completed and
assembled on May 5th 2008.
Music From The Faq (released May, 2008)
contains 23 tracks of creative and unique self-produced KISS covers
spanning all different eras of the band. While the songs were not
produced with the benefit of a big-budget recording studio, the
creativity, quality of the material and unique performances shine
nonetheless.
A second compilation
Music From The Faq II was put online
August 2008 and contains 19 tracks.
Music From The Faq III followed February
2009.
The last tribute compilation
Music From The Faq IV is dated from
September 2009.
Visit
MusicFromTheFaq.com to download the
previous 4 KISS tribute compilations. |
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April 9
: GARY MOORE (with
Eric Singer) :
Wild Frontier Tour - Live At Isstadion DVD + CD Due Out this month ?
From:
KISS-Related-Recordings
 March
last year
kiss-related-recordings.nl mentioned that
the long deleted GARY MOORE's Wild Frontier Tour - Live At Isstadion
1987 DVD featuring the all-star line-up drummer Eric Singer, bassist
Bob Daisley, guitarist/ keyboardist/ vocalist Neil Carter would be
released by
EMI music May 10th, 2011.
But this release was postponed again.
June 23, 2011, Dutch label Immortal released "Gary
Moore - Live In Stockholm 1987" as a digipack CD - IMA 104180.
This CD is probably a kind of bootleg that has been going around on
Amazon and HMV. The sound quality is very poor and has been
taken directly from the VHS tape of "Live At Isstadion
Stockholm - Wild Frontier Tour 1987".
According to
www.ginza.se the DVD + CD set of GARY MOORE's "Wild Frontier
Tour 1987 - Live At Isstadion" is now planned for a April 25, 2012
release .... |
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April
9 : GOOD RATS
"archives" CD feat. Bruce Kulick out this month
From:
Peppi Marchello / goodrats.com
PEPPI MARCHELLO : It is now my intention to get out both old songs
of mine that
were recorded but never released, and new songs I've written over
the last few months. This music is being made available to you for
many more years of enjoyment, and for my legacy as a
singer/songwriter. I am pressing the "Blue Collar Rats archives" CD
right now which has 20 songs on it, including my new song "Boom
Boom".
Its players include the original Good Rats, my son Gene Marchello,
Bruce Kulick, Schuyler Deale, and other
great musicians I've been fortunate enough to work with from 1974 to
1984. It has a terrific fold out color poster which I will be happy
to personally autograph for you. It is also dedicated to the memory
of my dear friend Jimmy Rainey.
"The Blue Collar Rats Archives" CD will be available on April 14,
2012.
Thirteen of those songs will be available on i-tunes, Amazon, and
other music download
sites on April 17th. You can place your order for the CD now thru my
Uncle Rat Music, PO Box 585, St.James NY 11780. Make check or money
order out to Uncle Rat Music, $15 for the 20 song CD plus $5
shipping and handling, total $20. Don't forget, if you want me to
autograph the color foldout and have a specific message you want me
to write, then include that with your order.
By the way, the first 100 orders will receive a free copy of CRIB
DEATH AND OTHER BEDTIME STORIES by my pal, author Clifford Meth.
CRIB DEATH was Cliff's first collection before he began selling
movies to Hollywood that were never made. Fifteen years ago I wrote
the introduction to Cliff's book CONFLICTS OF DISINTEREST. Seriously
twisted stuff. But you've all got to be a little twisted........
Three songs from the upcoming Good Rats CD, including new
fan-favorite 'Boom-Boom',
have been released on
iTunes!! |
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April
5 : What do KISS and
FNA Records have in common ?
From:
melodicrock.com
/
sleazeroxx.com
/
fnarecords.net
Actually, Kiss and FnA Records (www.fnarecords.net)
have three things in common.
 FnA
Records is ecstatic to announce the signing of Gypsy Rose.
We are not referring to the Gypsy Rose that featured an early Jerry
Cantrell and Mike Starr from Alice In Chains, and we are not
referring to the Swedish band that ex-Accept vocalist David Reece
recently joined; we are referring to the one and only
GYPSY ROSE that was signed to a major
label contract via Kiss' Gene Simmons. In 1988, Gene Simmons (KISS),
approached Canadian Rockers by the name of
GYPSY ROSE and made them one of his early
signings to his imprint label, Simmons Records/RCA (House Of Lords,
Giuffria, Silent Rage). Gypsy Rose released two singles, "Poisoned
By Love" and "Don't Turn Your Back On Me Now" which were fan
favorites. Nearly a quarter of a century later, lead singer Michael
Ross has resurfaced, not only with a solid solo career that once
again shows off his high caliber songwriting, but with old demos and
never-before-released Gypsy Rose material in hand.
For those fans who have always been bummed out that there was one
and only one
GYPSY ROSE album, the wait is now over.
FnA Records has attained the rights to these early recordings which
will most likely see a mid to late spring release.
In addition, FnA Records sent Michael Ross into the studio to record
exclusive 2012 acoustic versions of "Poisoned By Love" and "Don't
Turn Your Back On Me Now".
Keep your eyes and ears open as Gypsy Rose is looking to reform.
 First
there was Kiss, then there was Creature!
It may be said that now days, Gene Simmons is the brains behind
Kiss, but that wasn't necessarily the case in the early days. Famed
manager, Bill Aucoin successfully guided a fledgling Kiss to
superstar status. However within a decade, Kiss and Aucoin would
part ways due to creative differences when Kiss decided to take off
the make-up. But Aucoin wasn't done exploring the make-up and crazy
costumes. Enter the band Creature in 1986, and Aucoin found himself
using the same blueprint that led to Kiss obtaining success and fame
beyond anyone's dreams. He guided Creatures career carefully, just
as he had previously with Kiss. He planned their every stage move
and their wild stage show. Honestly, Creature was every bit the
theatrical stage performance that Kiss was. From the band literally
blowing a whole in the roof of Gazzarri's night club with a confetti
cannon to have the oversized Sleaze-O-Matic machine on stage in
which a pure, virginal school girl stepped into the machine where
the dial was cranked to ten, and a rock-n-roll slutty metal chick
stepped out, every show was a spectacle. FnA Records is set to
release, To Boldly Sleaze, a 15 track party in a package with a band
that was clearly being groomed to be the next big thing in
theatrical rock. All the tracks have been fully remastered and many
of the tracks have never even seen the light of day until now. This
is definitely one of those uncovered gems that you have to hear to
believe. Watch your local west coast rags, as Creature may just don
the make-up and costumes one more time for a special upcoming
surprise show.
 Kiss
Konnection #3 is a special treat for those hard-rockers that were
there in the late 70's and early 80's.
FnA Records proudly signs one-time Kiss labelmates and all-around
bad-asses, The Godz. The Godz were signed to Casablanca Records in
1977 and would later that year open up for Kiss on the Love Gun
tour. The Godz were sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll...and definitely
worthy of the cult status they now have been given. Major tours were
nothing new for The Godz, as they warmed the stages for bands like
Angel, Blue Oyster Cult, Kansas, Iggy Pop, and others. The stories
revolving around The Godz are legendary as they quickly became
well-known as rebel-rousers. Whether it was starting a bar brawl,
shooting up the stage monitors, or doing tons of Jack Daniels,
drugs, and women...the band became favorites to the biker crowd.
While many cult bands are just that - cult bands whose stories have
been written in stone, The Godz have yet to call it quits. Band
leader Eric Moore is entering his fourth decade in the music
business by releasing three albums and a first ever dvd via FnA
Records.
The label will release three albums by the Godz in May of 2012.
The first album will be the legendary 1978 Laredo Texas show. The
full show has been remastered and the sound has been enhanced and
will surely be a treat for old-school Godz fans. The second release
will be the first ever American release of the classic Godz album
Mongolians. Mongolians is a highly sought after gem that Godz fans
have been clamoring for over the years. Probably the bands heaviest
album, Mongolians initially sold well (if you could find it) with
very little label support. This album usually commands a high dollar
price tag and trying to find a copy in this day and age is like
trying to find a needle in a haystack. Mongolians, which will be
sonically enhanced and remastered, will now be available to fans new
and old for a decent price via FnA Records. The last album being
released will titilate and stimulate true Godz fans. Chock full of
never before released tracks, b-sides, import only tracks, live
tracks, and more The Godz - From The Vault Volume 1 is sure to
become a collectors piece amongst the die-hard Godz fans. All CD's
will be available at a fan friendly price, and a limited number of
each CD will come autographed and numbered with an official hologram
sticker. Special package deals will be available for those that want
to purchase all 3 albums at once. The first ever Godz DVD will be
completed sometime this summer as fan material is still being
compiled. |
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 April
5 : JOHN CORABI new CD
Sampler
From:
blabbermouth.net
/
johncorabi.com
John Corabi - former lead singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM and
UNION - has released a limited-edition two-song CD sampler at
this location. The disc features John's
last live performance with THE SCREAM singing "Father, Mother, Son"
as well as the track "If I Never Get To Say Goodbye..." from his
upcoming unplugged CD.
Corabi's acoustic album will include "old songs, new songs and just
a sample of things to come." Tentatively due in the spring, the set
will contain two versions of the MÖTLEY CRÜE's song "Hooligan's
Holiday" - a stripped-back acoustic version and a more elaborate but
still acoustic-based band arrangement - as well as a version of the
CRÜE's "Loveshine" and even a song by Corabi's first band, ANGORA,
which was originally produced by Steve Vai.
Corabi originally joined CRÜE in 1992 as the replacement for the
group's original singer, Vince Neil, who was fired due to personal
differences. With Corabi on vocals, MÖTLEY CRÜE released one
critically acclaimed full-length CD, which ended up being a
commercial failure in the wake of grunge despite a Top-Ten placing
on the album chart. When Neil returned to the fold in 1997, Corabi
was left on his own and formed the band UNION with ex-KISS guitarist
Bruce Kulick.
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