Kiss Report #2

The Kiss Report is back! Part deux

A no holds barred conversation about the biggest Rock band in the world, KISS, by it's biggest FAN in the world, Gary DeAngelis.

I know everyone has been waiting for this new update. I can't blame ya.

Let's see. What should I talk about. Last post, I said I would recount the first time I saw Kiss live and my thoughts on the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. Let me start with the Hall. I mean if there is anybody out there that knows about the Hall of Fame it's me. Right?? Kiss after years and years of not being able to get in, they finally did in 2014. To say its about time is one of the biggest understatements in the world.

Kiss has been around since the early 70's and really helped shape the sound of Music that rock currently has. Well that's my Opinion anyways. Kiss Has left their stamp on so much. Live shows, looks of a band, merchandise...do I need to go on. Ok I will....


Live shows have changed because of Kiss. When you see Kiss not only do you get to hear a great concert, your eyes are treated to one of the best shows that your eyes have ever seen. You can not like Kiss and go see a show and leave feeling that you got your moneys worth. A Kiss concert seems like a performance. I have been to a lot of concerts. To see a band come out and just stand on stage and play can be and is very boring. I have been to a Megadeth concert and Dave Mustaine walks out on stage and stands in one place for an hour and plays. He never moved, not once. To me that sounds boring.

Look of a Band. Before Kiss, can you really think of bands that looked even close to them.
Had costumes?
No?
Well me neither.
Listen, there is nothing wrong with coming out on stage in jeans and a tee. I mean if I was in a band, I would wear that. Kiss just looks different and that's the point. I could show you 100 pictures of 100 different bands then ask you what stood out, or what you remember about them and I bet you Kiss would be one of the bands you most remembered. Stand out.

KISS CARDS

Merchandise. Hands down If you have never heard Kiss I bet that you have seen a piece of Kiss Merch because honestly they have so much stuff out there. Don't believe me? Let me name a few things. Caskets? yup. Urns? yup. Toilet Paper? yup.

Kiss in the mid 70's realized that you can make money in the music business on record sales and live shows. After all the expenses how much do you really make? I'm sure a great living and certainly a lot more then me, but why not try and make as much money in this world as you can. Some people might say maybe Kiss has overdone it and stuck their name on everything. Maybe you are right.
Some might say "Kiss has sold out" and to that I answer with a Jason Newsted quote I once heard. "Yes we Sell Out, every seat in the building." Kiss has some of the most loyal fans in the world and will buy anything with the logo on it. I would assume Kiss knows this and markets their stuff to this demographic. Some might say Greedy, I say Smart.


Now with the Rock ' Roll Hall of Fame, you would think its the Holy grail and all bands should strive for this honor. But lately it seems like a joke. Acts like Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and Donna Summers are going in over Rock n Roll acts. I have nothing against any of those acts I just listed but are any of those acts Rock? NO. Bands like Deep Purple and Cheap Trick are not in but those are. Rush and Kiss waited years and years to get in and it seems like they were only let in because frankly they couldn't find any reasons to keep them out.

KISS was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014

It's weird because it's a personal thing that they were held out for so long. The Hall of Fame board has "beef" with Kiss over something and I have no idea what it is. They say its not real music and Kiss only prevailed due to a live show. If you like Kiss's music or not, you would have to agree that when it came out in the 1970's it was catchy and people bought it.

The Hall of Fame board are a bunch of old assholes holding on to the flame of Led Zeppelin being the best band in the world and that every other band can't hold a candle to them. I hate Led Zeppelin and think they are very overrated. I guess I should be on the Hall board, I would fit right in.

Did I actually accomplish anything with this post? Did anyone actually read the whole thing through? I'm not actually going to reread what I wrote until its posted on the site, so in 4 years when I write a part 3 I know what to write. (side note - This last line made the editor chuckle.)

Truth be told I had actually started writing this piece shortly after part one was finished and I had plans to write a whole series of entries and get them out on a normal schedule....But real life happened and then being Lazy happened. I guess if I was a real writer I would never admit to being lazy and I would tell you that I had alot of other huge deadlines to hit and I tried to juggle everything and now I finally got to it. Well I tried to juggle this, life and being lazy. Lazy won.

Now guess what?? Part 3 will be coming a lot faster than you think. Tomorrow I leave for Miami, FL for the KISS Kruise 4. (side note - editor is lazy and Gary has returned with lots of photos and stories coming in part 3)
Hold the excitement everyone. I plan on doing a real review of the kruise and the time that I had there and maybe, just maybe, score an interview with a certain Heavy metal guitarist. Probably not but I'll take a picture with him.

Also part 3 will also tie up any loose ends this post had and finish off my thoughts on the Hall and maybe the first time I saw Kiss Live.

So in closing -
Sometimes days are so hard to survive,
a million ways to bury you alive
The sun goes down like a bad bad dream
You're wound up tight, gotta let off steam
They say they can break you again and again,
if life is a radio, turn up to ten!


-Gary