Awesome artwork courtesy of Fro1013 (June 6)

"I Was Made For Loving You" revisited (June 6)

"Family Jewels" preview for new season (June 6)

'Gene Simmons Family Jewels': New Preview Clip Available - June 5, 2009

Legendary rock god multi-hyphenate Gene Simmons and his unconventional family are back and better than ever for an all-new season of A&E's hit unscripted series "Gene Simmons Family Jewels", premiering with a special one-hour episode on Sunday, June 7 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The 15-episode season kicks off with Sophie's sweet sixteen party, giving viewers an all access pass to the milestone celebration. When a case of sibling rivalry spirals out of control, Nick pulls on dad's heartstrings and his sense of theatrics to escalate the low-key party she wanted into the blowout of the century, all to the dismay of shy Sophie.

Watch a preview clip below.

In addition to Sophie's sweet sixteen, the new season will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the entire family's many adventures. From Gene's appearance on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" to Gene filming a Japanese monster flick, to Shannon preparing for a role in a roller derby exploitation film, to Nick getting his own apartment, to Sophie fending off ill-intentioned teenaged boys, viewers will follow the Simmons-Tweed clan as they set out to prove, yet again, why they are the most non-traditional, traditional family in America.

Leslie Greif, Adam Reed, Adam Freeman and Gene Simmons are the series executive producers. "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" is produced by The Greif Company and the Gene Simmons Company. Robert Sharenow and Neil A. Cohen are the A&E executive producers.

Gene Simmons talks new album (June 4)

Gene on the new KISS Album:

"[It's the] first studio album in 11 years. And you can't force those things — either it's in your blood and it's happening or... This is, I have to say... this might be the best new record we've done since 'Destroyer'. In fact, it has a similar sound — 'Rock And Roll Over'-meets-'Love Gun' kind of a record. That's coming out in September/October, and then we're gonna be doing a 60-city American tour."

Today in KISStory June 2,1974 (June 3)

KISS PLAYED ALASKA FOR FIRST TIME

KISS played Anchorage, Alaska on June 2, 1974 on their first tour in support of the album, KISS. The band performed with Savoy Brown at the Sundowner Drive-In Theatre. This was KISS’ only concert in Alaska until they returned over twenty five years later on January 3, 2000.

Paul recalls the visit to Alaska:

"It was surreal to get to Alaska expecting blizzards and polar bears, only to find that with heaters near our boots all over the stage, we would be playing outside! Every time we went too close to the heaters, our guitars went completely out of tune! It was cold out there!

KISSology around the world (May 31)

KISSOLOGY AROUND THE WORLD

KISSOLOGY Volume 1 is now available in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxemborg, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.

The DVD set will be released in Russia on June 6.

New pro shot Buenos Aires 2009 full show concert DVD (May 30)

It's out there,it can be found. Always good news when a new pro video pops up!!

New KISS "360" trading cards coming in August (May 29)

PRESS PASS ANNOUNCES NEW KISS SET


Press Pass released preview information for its second set of non-sports cards for the band KISS on Thursday with KISS 360 scheduled for release on Aug. 12

Each box will include 24 packs of five cards with a suggested retail price of $1.99 a pack with autographed and memorabilia cards from the band’s four original members — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss – included. (Odds still to be determined.)

The 360 set follows on the heels of the popular KISS Ikons set that Press Pass released earlier this year. See more on it here and here.

There will be a 90-card base set, made up of several subsets — nine Unmasked cards, nine The Demon Speaks cards where Simmons “reveals the secrets to his success,” nine 2009 cards with highlights from this year, 18 Behind the Curtain cards, 12 Road Stories cards, nine Behind Starry Eyes cards, six Welcome to the Show cards and 18 Albums cards focusing on, well, their albums.

The insert card lineup will include Snapshots, a 12-card plastic insert (1:6 packs), and Transformation a six-card lenticular insert featuring mask on/mask off transformations that will be found one per hobby box. Also returning will be the Blood-spitting parallel cards as well as a few other surprises.

Latest KISS magazine cover (May 28)

TOMMY ON 'GUITARRA TOTAL' MAGAZINE COVER

Tommy Thayer is featured on the cover of the latest Spanish 'Guitarra Total' Magazine! The issue includes a 6 page interview with Tommy.

Thanks to Javier Rueda for sending KOL the Cover image!

KISS American Idol performance over 1 million views on Youtube (May 26)

OVER 1 MILLION YOUTUBE VIEWS!


Wow! We're already over 1 MILLION YouTube views of our American Idol appearance where we were joined by finalist, Adam Lambert. By all reports, it was the high point of the show, and this seems to confirm it! Adam, we are sure is destined for great things and with supreme confidence and pride we can promise you that the new KISS album and tour will show you that we are in peak form and never better.

You never fail to amaze us. Now it's our turn!

PAUL STANLEY

Ace Frehley on "What's In My Bag" (May 26)

KISSteria special on A&E (May 25)

KISS: More 'Kissteria' Details Revealed - May 24, 2009

"Kissteria", the one-hour KISS tour special produced by the Greif Company (co-producers of "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" show), will air on the A&E network sometime in the fall. A description of the program reads as follows: "For the first time in their 35-year career, rock icons KISS give you an all access pass to the 'Alive 35' Australian tour. When Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons] decide to launch a spontaneous mini-tour with only one week's notice, the entire KISS family must scramble to make it a reality. Malfunctioning pyrotechnics, faulty flying righs and missing drummers are the least of their challenges."

KISS on the cover of Metal Hammer (May 24)

METAL HAMMER KISS POSTER SPECIAL

KISS is featured in the Spanish Metal Hammer #2 Poster Magazine Special. The issue contains 8 KISS posters, as well as KISS on the front and back covers!

Thanks to Javier Rueda for the image.

Today in KISStory May 23,1979 (May 23)

KISS DYNASTY ALBUM RELEASED

KISS released their DYNASTY album on May 23rd, 1979. The album features KISS’ first international top 5 smash hit, “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”. This song was the first collaboration between Paul Stanley and Desmond Child for KISS. Though known for that great disco song, other more rockin’ DYNASTY tracks included “X-Ray Eyes”, “Save Your Love”, “Magic Touch” and “Hard Times". The album is filled with some of KISS’ most melodic and catchy hooks. Led by the success of “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”, DYNASTY spent 25 weeks on the charts peaking at #9 and was certified Platinum by July!

Except for Peter Criss's sole appearance on “Dirty Livin”, which featured his lead vocals and drumming, it was Anton Fig who handled the drums on all other songs on DYNASTY.

KISS released two promotional videos for DYNASTY, “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” and the great Paul Stanley pop rocker “Sure Know Something”.

DYNASTY Track Listing:

I Was Made For Lovin' You / 2,000 Man / Sure Know Something / Dirty Livin' / Charisma / Magic Touch / Hard Times / X-Ray Eyes / Save Your Love

KISS American Idol video #1 on iTunes (May 23)

KISS AMERICAN IDOL MEDLEY CLIP #1 ON iTunes

The KISS / Adam Lambert American Idol Medley clip is currently #1 on iTunes Top Music Videos!

CLICK HERE to purchase the clip .

KISS CD sales increase after American Idol (May 22)

First A.I. effect on cd selling is the big jump on The Very best of Kiss on Amazon chart from pos.#2.100 (yesterday) to #420 (today)
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #429 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Popular in these categories:
#2 in Music > Hard Rock & Metal > Pop Metal
#11 in Music > Classic Rock > Arena Rock
#51 in Music > Classic Rock > Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)

Some pics from the Idol performance (May 21)

KISS AMERICAN IDOL PHOTOS

Here are some more great photos of KISS and Adam Lambert from their performance on 'American Idol' tonight!

(Photo by Kevin Winter/American Idol 2009/Getty Images for FOX)

KISS on American Idol clip (May 21)

Possible new KISS CD title? (May 20)

From Bravewords...might be true might not, might link into Gene talking about a 360/3d show?

Rock Hard
New KISS Album Title Revealed?
Posted on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 13:35:45 EST


KISS On Fire reports:

"As you all know, the new KISS album will be released in September. There are a lot of rumours regarding the title of the album. One of the most common rumours seems to be that the title will be "360". This is definitely not confirmed but it might be true."

Today in KISStory May 19,1978 (May 18)

KISS PERFORMED AT MAGIC MOUNTAIN

KISS performed a free concert at Magic Mountain Amusement Park in Valencia, California on May 19th, 1978. The concert, which took place in the parking lot of Magic Mountain, was filmed and used for the concert scenes in the movie, KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. Tickets were distributed through a California radio station and approximately 10,000 fans attended the show. KISS performed a full regular set list and then lip-synched “Love Gun” and “Shock Me” for the movie. Between the concert and filming the extra scenes, the shoot lasted several hours and the band members interacted with the crowd through out the event.

Paul on the concert and film shoot:

"I remember it all like it was yesterday. Doing a film and a concert in a band where some were barely speaking to each other and others not speaking at all was even wierder than the script! I still can't figure out the end of the film."

Today in KISStory May 18 1993 (May 18)

ISS ALIVE III ALBUM RELEASED

KISS' Gold ALIVE III album was released May 18th, 1993. Their third live album featured a tougher sounding KISS, as Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer tore through sixteen KISS Classics, that focused mainly on material from the 80’s and 90’s . ALIVE III opens with a bang (literally) to the crunching “Creatures Of The Night” and slows down only briefly along the way for a beautiful version of “Forever”. Performances on songs like “Duece”, “Unholy”, “Detroit Rock City” and “God Gave Rock And Roll To You”, show just how tight and flexible this lineup was both vocally and musically! The album ends with a stellar version of the “Star Spangled Banner”, featuring some tasty guitar work by Mr. Kulick, which should make any American KISS Fan proud!

Alive III was produced by Eddie Kramer and KISS and was recorded in November 1992 during KISS’ REVENGE tour at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit, Michigan, Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland, Ohio and Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Track List:

Creatures Of The Night / Deuce / I Just Wanna / Unholy / Heaven's On Fire / Watchin' You / Domino / I Was Made For Lovin' You / I Still Love You / Rock 'n' Roll All Nite / Lick It Up / Forever / Take It Off / I Love It Loud / Detroit Rock City / God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You / Star Spangled Banner

Note: “Take It Off” only appeared on the Japanese and European versions as well as the US Vinyl release of ALIVE III

Today in KISStory May 18 1987 (May 18)

KISS EXPOSED VIDEO RELEASED

KISS released their full length home video KISS EXPOSED May 18th, 1987. This fan favorite release featured both classic footage of KISS as well as some hilarious tongue in cheek humor. KISS Exposed was certified both Gold and Platinum.

Review by Paul Diamond Blow

Now this is what I call a rockumentary! The KISS Exposed video is freaking hilarious, in fact it's funnier than Spinal Tap - mostly because this is full of campy humor and involves a REAL band. This video runs like a feature length movie, at an hour and a half, and is the most entertaining music video I've ever seen.

This rockumentary, if you will, stars Paul Stanley (the hairy-chested one) and Gene Simmons (owner of the world's biggest ego). Paul and Gene, after all, ARE KISS, at least they were in 1986 when this video was released. Eric Carr and Bruce Kulick make brief cameos (about 10 seconds worth), but Paul and Gene are what it's all about, and they know how to entertain, let me tell you.

Here's how the video plays out... A nerdy interviewer and his camera man go to the KISS mansion to shoot the video. A red-eyed Paul Stanley gives us a tour of the house - scores of scantily clad women passed out every where - "Leftovers from the party last night", Paul explains, or something like that. We enter Gene Simmons "room", actually a dungeon, complete with live women with their heads on trophy plaques. A caped Gene Simmons sits on a throne, surrounded by - you guessed it - scantily clad women. This is hilarious stuff.

Paul and Gene lead us down to the bowels of the KISS mansion, to the archives - where everything related to KISS exists. This is where all the historic live concert footage is kept, and we're treated to scores of live KISS tunage. This is some fantastic footage - some of it is very early KISS, filmed in black and white, and other footage is from the huge concerts KISS have been known to play. All the KISS hits are included in these archive tapes - "Love it Loud", "Christine Sixteen", "Deuce", "I Wanna Rock and Roll all Night" and the best live versions of "Strutter" and "Detroit Rock City" I've ever heard! Paul and Gene treat us to lots of footage never seen before, some footage even with axemeister Vinnie Vincent on guitar.

There's many a post-makeup video here, also, some of those videos that were hits on MTV in the '80's, featuring some of the most atrocious costumes I've ever seen (and hordes of scantily clad women, of course).

The music aside, it's the total camp humor that makes this video. When the interviewer asks Gene about a scantily clad woman tied to a stick like a roasted pig, carried by two men, Gene replies "That is my lunch." Paul Stanley shows us his secret to maintaining a healthy rock and roll lifestyle - granola cereal with root beer (instead of milk). "It's all natural", explains Paul, "made from roots." Those are just two of my favorite chucklers.

Yep, this rockumentary has it all - Rock and roll music, scantily clad women, campy humor, scantily clad women, Gene Simmon's big tongue and bigger ego, scantily clad women, Paul Stanley looking pretty, and one topless woman scene. Did I mention the scantily clad women?

If you're a KISS fan, or if you loved Spinal Tap, you've got to watch this video. I've watched it about a hundred times, and it still makes me laugh. And of course, the music footage is very cool. This is a must have for KISS fans, period. I give it three thumbs up.

Today in KISStory May 17 2003 (May 17)

KISS ROCKED THE ROSE BOWL

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

KISS performed at KIIS-FM's Annual 'Wango Tango - The Ultimate Reality Show' at the Rose Bowl on May 17, 2003 in Pasadena, California. The band rocked over 50,000 fans as the closing act of the event!


SET LIST: Detroit Rock City / Deuce / Love Gun / Rock And Roll All Nite

NEw KISS compilation out (May 16)

Was actually released in Canada in April, though it's taken longer than expected to make it into retail channels south of the border...

For your money, you get a whopping seven classic Kiss tracks:

01. Shout It Out Loud
02. I Was Made For Lovin' You
03. Lick It Up
04. Strutter
05. Hotter Than Hell
06. Detroit Rock City
07. Rock And Roll All Nite (Live)

Today in KISStory May 16,1975 (May 16)

KISS HEADLINED COBO HALL FOR FIRST TIME

On May 16th, 1975, KISS headlined Detroit's Cobo Hall for the first time. The show before a sellout crowd of 12,000 plus, was part of the seventy-two date Dressed To Kill tour. It was also the first of five shows that KISS recorded for their classic album, KISS ALIVE! The famous photo on the back cover of ALIVE!, featuring KISS fans Bruce Redoute and Lee Neaves holding their hand drawn KISS sign, was taken at this concert.

Paul Stanley comments on the Cobo show and Detroit:

"This concert and the release of "Alive!" marked a pivotal giant step towards achieving domination in the 70's. "Detroit Rock City" was written as a salute to the people who championed us as a headliner when others still saw us as an opening act. We can never forget them. We decided, that was the only place we would start the Reunion Tour."

"New KISS album 2 weeks from being completed"-Paul Stanley (May 16)

KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley was a guest this morning (Friday, May 15) on NBC Philadelphia to promote his art exhibitions this weekend at Wentworth Gallery in King of Prussia.

When asked about a possible KISS tour of the U.S., Stanley replied, "We're about two weeks from the album being completed — the first album in ten years. [It's] very much a vintage, classic-sounding album, right back to our roots. We are really thrilled with it, and you will be, too. And that will be followed by a classic KISS tour — flying around the stage, blowing stuff up; all the stuff you want to see. When you are paying hard-earned money for a ticket, you should know where that money is going. And when you come to see us, it's like seeing Superman at the circus."

Ace Frehley "Anomaly" in final mixing stage (May 14)

ACE FREHLEY's 'Anomaly' In Final Mixing Stage - May 14, 2009
Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is currently in Los Angeles putting the finishing touches on the mixes for his new solo album, "Anomaly".

The CD was produced and recorded in Westchester County, New York between 2007 and 2009 and is being mixed by Marti Frederiksen, who has previously worked with AEROSMITH and DEF LEPPARD, among many others.

"Anomaly" track listing (not confirmed):

01. Outer Space
02. Foxy & Free
03. Sister
04. Too Many Faces
05. It's A Great Life
06. Skels
07. A Little Below The Angels
08. Fox On The Run (SWEET cover)
09. Change The World
10. Pain In the Neck
11. Genghis Khan
12. Fractured Quantum

Today in KISStory May 14,1992 (May 14)

REVENGE RELEASED

KISS released their critically acclaimed REVENGE album May 14th, 1992. With producer Bob Ezrin at the helm, a ferocious KISS delivered one of their heaviest and best albums ever! All the band members shined on this release! Ever reliable Paul Stanley was on top of his game here, delivering impassioned vocals through out the album. Even the Demon returned and proved what a committed and focused Gene Simmons is capable of! New drummer Eric Singer' power and intensity added to the KISS assault and Bruce Kulick recorded what many consider his finest KISS guitar work. REVENGE debuted at #6 on Billboard and remained on the charts for twenty three weeks. The album was certified Gold on 07/20/92.

REVENGE, which was dedicated to Eric Carr, also featured "Carr Jam 1981," an instrumental track written by Carr that Ezrin discovered from The Elder recordings. The song featured a thunderous Carr drum solo as the centerpiece and was a fitting tribute to the beloved drummer.

KISS released four music videos for REVENGE, "Unholy", "I Just Wanna", "Domino" and "Everytime I Look At You". A video for “God Gave Rock And Roll to You" was released in November 1991 to support the Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey movie soundtrack.

REVENGE Track Listing:

Unholy / Take It Off / Tough Love / Spit / God Gave Rock & Roll to You II / Domino / Heart of Chrome / Thou Shalt Not / Every Time I Look At You / Paralyzed / I Just Wanna / Carr Jam 1981

"New album almost finished"-Paul Stanley (May 13)

Paul Stanley Says New Album Is Almost Finished
Yesterday (May 12th) Paul Stanley was the guest at the John DeBella radio show. Paul then mentioned that the new Kiss album is almost finished and that the release will happen in September. Paul also said that the released will be followed by a tour with the biggest show Kiss ever has made. The entire programme can be streamed here: http://wmgk.com/DJs/JohnDeBella/tabid/100/Default.aspx

Happy birthday Eric Singer!! (May 12)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!

Happy Birthday To Eric...A Very Cool Cat!

All of us wish you a very happy birthday!

Have a purrfect day!

Montreal show SOLD OUT (May 12)

MONTREAL SHOW SOLD OUT
(from Patrick Hughes)
The July 13th MONTREAL show is now SOLDOUT, all 15,000 tickets are sold.
Called the production company this morning for tickets and was told the show was a sellout.

KISS to rock Canada in July (May 11)

KISS CANADIAN ALIVE 35 TOUR

KISS will bring their ALIVE 35 Tour to Canada this July!

KISS 2009 Canadian tour dates:

July 10 - Sarnia, ON - Rogers Sarnia Bayfest
http://www.sarniabayfest.com/.

July 11 - Windsor, ON - Caesars Windsor
http://www.CaesarsWindsor.com .

July 13 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
http://www.geg.ca/en/show/event/2883 .

July 15 - Ottawa, ON - Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest
http://www.ottawabluesfest.ca .

July 16 - Quebec, QC - Summer Festival (Festival d'été)
http://www.infofestival.com/Html/en-ca/index.html .


July 18 - Halifax, NS - Halifax Commons Park
http://www.halifaxrocks.ca/ .

July 20/21 - Orillia, ON - Casino Rama
https://www.casinorama.com/ .

New Paul Stanley custom guitar. (May 11)

RACING RED PREACHER

Here's another update on Custom Paul Stanley Guitars from our friend Eric McKenna over at Boogie Street Guitars.

‘RACING RED’ USA Custom Shop PS5 Preacher!

It’s here!

As discussed in our prior video I mentioned that Washburn Custom Shop Director, Terry Atkins, did a couple of our PS5 guitars up in solid colors and high gloss! And this Racing Red monster does not disappoint!

I saw the guitar at Washburn last week but somehow - it looks even BETTER here at BSG!

Dan did a great job photographing the guitar however - Red is a very, very tough color - maybe the toughest - to photograph digitally.

This guitar is RED. Racing Red. Not Orange. Not Burgundy. RED!

It’s outfitted with Red/Black open coiled Seymour Duncans. A JB in the bridge and a ‘59 in the neck. It has black hardware including a TonePros bridge and Grover 18-1 with… of course…KEYSTONE buttons. It’s the BSG WAY!

There will other solid color PS5 guitars and more oil finish PS5 guitars. Paul digs them. I dig them. Washburn digs them. And most importantly - the PS5 owners really dig them!

Here are some pics and take note of a video to follow soon. The PS5 will be part of the May 6th Video Update.

THANKS!!

Eric McKenna

For more information - check out www.BoogieStreet.com or email me at eric@boogiestreet.com or call me directly at 412-716-3150.

More photos at http://boogiestreet.com/?p=974

Today in KISStory May 9,2008 (May 10)

EUROPEAN ALIVE 35 TOUR OPENED

Believe it or not...it's already been a year since KISS opened their European ALIVE 35 Tour in Oberhausen, Germany! The 2008 Tour became KISS' most successful Tour of Europe ever!!

Here's a review from opening night:

WOW! What a way to open their Alive 35 European Tour! KISS just destroyed Oberhausen Arena with a blistering 2 hour and 17 minute set that featured the complete ALIVE album and a six song encore! From the opening of "Deuce" to the ending of "Detroit Rock City", KISS grabbed the audience by the throat and never let go.

The band's performance was a true team effort and everyone was on top of their game! Paul danced, pranced and belted out vocals like it was 1975. Gene was, to put it simply, the DEMON - menacing on both bass and vocals. Eric pounded the drums, sang lead on "Nothin' To Lose" & "Black Diamond" and also sang along with Gene on several other songs. Tommy blazed his way through lead after lead, as well as an awesome solo complete with rocket shooting special effects.

KISS is always powerful and energetic, but tonight they some how turned it up a notch! And to think, this was just the first show..can't wait for Munich!

SET LIST IN ORDER:

Deuce / Strutter / Got To Choose / Hotter Than Hell / Firehouse / Nothin' To Lose (Eric lead vocals) / C'Mon And Love Me / Parasite / She / Watchin' You / Rock Bottom / 100,000 Years / Cold Gin / Let Me Go Rock 'N' Roll / Black Diamond (Eric lead vocals) / Rock And Roll All Nite

Encore:

Shout It Out Loud / Lick It Up / I Love It Loud (Gene split blood and flew to rafters) / I Was Made For Lovin' You / Love Gun (Paul flew to back of arena) / Detroit Rock City

New KISS virtual concert lighters (May 9)

KISS VIRTUAL CONCERT LIGHTER

Spark of Blue Software to build licensed iPhone apps, starting with KISS concert lighter

Yes, you too can own your very own virtual KISS concert lighter on the iPhone.

Just in time for the upcoming rock band’s world tour, a new company called Spark of Blue Software has released the app on the AppStore for a mere 99 cents. When you go to a concert, you can run the app on your iPhone display like a screen saver and wave the flame around without any worry of burning your hand.

This is just the first of a series of Virtual Concert Lighters coming from the Los Angeles startup for the iPhone and iPod Touch, based on licenses from famous bands in partnership with the live concert firm Live Nation, and artist representative firm Signatures Network.

The KISS app comes with a choice of 24 official lighter cases, “concert mode” that emits a screaming rock guitar chord if you shake your hand, a user-programmable scrolling text marquee, and a realistic swaying flame. Concert lighters based on other bands are coming this summer.

Spark of Blue Software has four employees and is self-funded. It’s the brainchild of Vincent Bitetti, a former video game executive and music label founder who has spent his whole career working with licensed products. In the early 1990s, Bitetti created a company called Sound Source Interactive, which made sound bytes, screen savers, and other fun stuff. It sub-licensed its business to Berkeley Systems, which made the famous Flying Toasters and Star Trek screen savers. Sound Source went on to create all sorts of desktop personalization software through the 1990s and it moved into children’s video games. The firm went public in 1996.

In 2000, Japan’s TDK bought Sound Source and made it into TDK Mediactive, which made video games based on the Shrek film license and Pirates of the Carribbean. In 2003, Take-Two Interactive bought TDK Mediactive. Bitetti moved on to run game developer Crave Entertainment as president. He left to start a record label, Shelter From the Storm Records, but sold his interest in that to his partner last year. In December, he started Spark of Blue Software with Bob Bryant, a seasoned game development executive.

Beyond the virtual concert lighters, the company also plans to build two other classes of iPhone apps: virtual worlds and games. The company works with Rhode Island’s Koinkydink Software to build the apps. Spark of Blue Software will evaluate making its apps for other smart phones beyond the iPhone.

It will be interesting if the brands take off on the iPhone, where so far many home-grown apps have succeeded. Rivals include Zippo, which has a free lighter app, and Smule, which has its own virtual lighter. Bitetti thinks that the brands are going to gain traction as long as they’re part of a quality product. That’s the only way to stand out among 40,000 apps, Bitetti thinks.

I’m sure there are more rivals, and there will be many more to pile into this market, since we all know that the number of iPhone app makers in a certain category is directly proportional to the lack of societal value of the app. Of course, if Bitetti comes out with a Bruce Springsteen concert lighter, I’m all over it.

Ace Frehley Supergroup footage "New York Groove" (May 8)

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has posted more video footage (see below) of his appearance at the second annual "Supergroup" benefit concert on Sunday, April 26 at Berklee Performance Center in Boston, Massachusetts . Joining him for the show were Alice Cooper, guitarist Ricky Byrd (ex-JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS), drummer Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), drummer Simon Kirke (ex-BAD COMPANY), guitarist Barry Goudreau (ex-BOSTON, Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis (ex-GUNS N' ROSES, ALICE COOPER), bassist Will Lee ("Late Show with DAvid Letterman"), singer-harmonica player James Montgomery, singer Kate Taylor, bagpipe and tin whistle player Scruffy Wallace (DROPKICK MURPHYS) and guitarist Damon Johnson (ALICE COOPER).

The event, which benefits the Arlington-based recovery center for artists and entertainers, was hosted by Lynn Hoffman of A&E's "Private Sessions" and comedian Chris Zito.

Today in Kisstory May 8,2004 (May 8)

KISS' Rock The Nation Tour began May 8th, 2004 in Perth, Australia. The first full tour of the Paul, Gene, Tommy and Eric lineup, would take the band to Australia, Japan, the US and Mexico. Throughout the tour Gene spits blood before "Unholy" and breathes fire during "War Machine".

In Australia, KISS performed eight shows including two intimate theater shows. During the Sydney, Australia Superdome show 12 members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra joins KISS for the last five songs. KISS also performs "I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock and Roll" for the first time live, while in Australia.

KISS then plays six shows in Japan, including three nights at Budokan in Tokyo before returning to the US for forty-two shows including Washington DC and Virginia Beach, VA, where KISS record their Rock The Nation DVD. Instant Live CDs are also available at many of the US shows. Fans order before the concert begins, and then pick up a CD live recording of the actual shows they've just attended on the way out!! During the West Palm Beach show, Paul becomes ill and dehydrated, forcing KISS to cancel the next two shows in Florida.

KISS end their 2004 World Tour with three dates in Mexico, performing twice in Monterey and the final night in Mexico City!

Set list most nights includes:

Love Gun / Deuce / Makin' Love / Lick It Up / Got To Choose / War Machine / Christine Sixteen / I Want You / I Love It Loud / 100,000 Years / Unholy / Shout It Out Loud /
I Was Made For Lovin' You / Detroit Rock City / God Gave Rock And Roll To You II
Rock And Roll All Nite

KISS also performed the following songs at some shows on the tour:

I Pledge Allegiance / Tears Are Falling / Creatures of the Night / Dr. Love / She / Strutter / C'mon and Love Me / Parasite / Love Her All I Can / All the Way / Hotter Than Hell / Cold Gin / I Stole Your Love / Shandi / Goin' Blind / Psycho Circus / King of the Night time World

New KISS action figures coming in August (May 7)

NEW KISS ACTION FIGURES

Pictured are the unpainted sculpts of the new KISS Action figures being released by KISS licensee Promotions Factory.

These fantastic 3.5 inch non-articulated, highly detailed figures set features the Starchild, Catman, Spaceman and the Demon in a limited edition collectible window box that represents a stage scene for one of the bands concerts!

The figures will be released in August.

Cool Alive 35 KISS tribute (May 6)

Today in KISStory May 4, 1990 (May 4th)

KISS began their Hot In The Shade Tour May 4th, 1990 in Lubbock, Texas and went on to perform over 120 shows before ending Nov. 9th at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The tour featured the biggest KISS stage since the 70's with a huge Sphinx nicknamed Leon as the center piece. KISS made a dramatic entrance through Leon's mouth while surrounded by green lasers. Though there was no "You wanted the best, you got the best" intro, an energetic KISS tore through a 21 song set list spanning their entire career.

Several other KISS concert staples, Gene breathing fire and Paul smashing his guitar, were also absent from the show. But Leon was the perfect compliment to the powerful KISS set, shooting fireworks out of his eyes and "singing" the middle section of "God of Thunder" before collapsing to the stage during the bombastic end of "Detroit Rock City". On the encore, KISS brought out the mirrored ball and the famous lighted KISS sign finally made an appearance, rising slowly from below the stage to the roar of the crowd as KISS kicked into "I Want You".

Set list most nights:

I Stole Your Love / Deuce / Heaven's On Fire / Crazy, Crazy Nights / Lick It Up / Black Diamond / Shout It Out Loud / Strutter / Calling Dr. Love / Rise To It / Fits Like A Glove / God Of Thunder / Forever / Hide Your Heart / Cold Gin / Tears Are Falling / I Love It Loud / Love Gun / Detroit Rock City / I Want You / Rock And Roll All Nite

On a few occasions during the tour KISS would also perform "C'mon And Love Me" and "I Was Made For Lovin' You". Eric Carr also sang "Little Caesar" at least once on the tour, which would be his last.