The faithful wanna know…..What is the state of KISS?
(Voice of Gene Simmons) “It finally is now what it always should’ve been, which is six people who are grateful and make no bones about wanting to kick your butt.”
Who are these unmasked men and where did they come from? How did they overcome their past differences and finally reunite? Come witness the rebirth of rock’s most incredible band. The story of how Gene, Paul, Vinnie, Mark, Bruce, and Eric reunited and wrote a new chapter in the history of rock ‘n’ roll.
This is KISS, and this is their story.
Press conference onboard USS Kitty Hawk hosted by Kathy Griffin.
“Ladies & gentlemen, if you don’t know, this is being simulcast to 4 cities around the world…..Peoria, IL, Trenton, NJ, Ottumwa, IA, and Bangkok, Thailand. When they asked me to introduce KISS, I had just two questions….’How much will you pay me?’ and ‘Which aircraft carrier?’ Members of the national press and members of the KISS Army!....Here they are!...Paul, Gene, Vinnie, Mark, Bruce, and Eric!!”
Gene: “We’re gonna give the fans exactly what they want. They wanna hear While The City Sleeps, that’s what we’ll do. We’re here for the fans. Everything you’ve heard about ‘80’s KISS is true. It’s not a legend. We’re gonna show everyone how the big boys do it. Trust me, you’re going to see things that’ll make your jaws drop.”
Paul: “The cool thing is our past has cast a huge shadow, but the shadow we have to live up to is our own. There is no enemy. It’s like going to the moon and realizing you wore the correct underwear.”
Some say you’re only doing this for the money.
Paul: “Somebody’s always going to come in and bring up the money, but the truth of the matter is we could’ve done this 10 years ago. The bottom line is if everybody’s not getting along, if everybody’s not liking each other, if everybody’s not putting in their best, I’d rather stay home. The fans have wanted this for a long time. It’s like being really thirsty and pouring a tall glass of Pepsi, but remembering you don’t have any ice. It still tastes good, but does warm Pepsi really quench your thirst? Well, now we have our ice cubes back.”
Gene: “The truth is in the past we’ve all had our differences, so fuckin’ what. The magic is back.”
Vinnie: “I’ve always wanted to time travel, ya know. And it feels like I’ve gone back 23 years in time and here I am again. It’s a fantastic feeling and I really appreciate everyone being here.”
When did you know it could work?
Gene: “We had to meet with Vinnie, Bruce, and Mark and see where their heads were at. The guys who left the band, or were asked to leave the band, were not people I wanted to necessarily ever play with again. Bruce and Mark have changed, which is a big help. Even Vinnie, she’s been great. They’re giving it their best and that’s all you can ask of someone. It reminds us of why we were with those guys to begin with and about camaraderie.”
Mark: It’s something I had almost forgotten. I can’t put my finger on it…literally….but when the six of us play together, there’s just this chemistry.”
Gene: “It’s almost Christian, in a way. It’s a rebirth.”
Bruce: “It’s really weird. It feels like I never left. Gene and Paul have been so gracious to us. We’ve all matured and buried the hatchet.”
Vinnie: “I understand now. I’ve hurt my brothers. These guys are my brothers. It’s good to be home.”
Mark: “With us six, we can’t bullshit each other. We can look at each other’s eyes and we know each other so well.”
Bruce: “I was so excited when I heard about the sellout at the Pensacola State Fair. I didn’t expect it. It’s been a long time.”
Fans are taking this to be the fifth coming of KISS.
Gene: “That’s why we want to be serious. It ain’t just a game. That’s why we want to go back to looking like lumberjacks. Everybody wants to be glam nowadays. We’re going back to KISS of the ‘80’s.”
Paul: “We know the time to find out you’re not in shape isn’t when the bell rings. We’re rehearsing two days a week, half an hour a day. This isn’t for sissies. Everyone has been ordered to be on an all-bran diet, which makes for interesting rehearsals. I have to consistently listen over and over again to the songs, from Murder In High Heels to I’m Alive. To be honest, I had never even heard these songs before.
Gene: “We started with the idea of using the Animalize stage show as a launching place. No one will recognize it anyway. Lets not cheat ourselves or the fans. This isn’t Vegas. That isn’t what we’re about.
When you took the make-up off, what went through your head?
Gene: “The first thing I did was to try on my old Animalize wig. It’s a little snug, but it still looks great.”
Paul: “I looked in the mirror and said ‘What the fuck happened to my chin?!’ But hey, me without that star over my eye is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without pickles. It just makes sense. No wonder this is my favorite band.”
Gene: “To test the waters a bit, the six of us walked into an Arby’s unannounced. I remember thinking ‘It doesn’t matter if they get it. We’re KISS.’ We almost went completely unnoticed, except for the Shift Manager, who was in his 50’s. He did a double-take when we walked up to the counter. He tried to act like he didn’t know who we were, but he knew. I know it and he knows it.”
Did it feel weird the first time you all played together again?
Paul: “Sure it did. There’s almost something fantasy-like about spending time with people you haven’t been with in 10-20 years. You’re revisiting a place you once were. It was like the Twilight Zone. You’ve gone through a time warp. It similar to throwing a football high into the air and having it come back down as a hockey puck.”
How long do you think the tour will last?
Paul: “Up to 8 years. We intend on hitting every state fair at least 5 times.”
Do you intend to record together?
Vinnie: “I think it’s a strong possibility. That’s Gene and Paul’s decision. I’m just a team player. Everyone knows that.”
Will you be re-circulating your back catalogue?
Gene: “Absolutely. All of our remasters will be re-remastered and released in chronological order. The fans demand it and we obey.”
Paul: “We’ll also be releasing our next series of compilation cd’s. First up is KISS: The MTV Years.”
Will there be merchandise tie-ins?
Gene: “Has your mother ever had sex? You won’t be able to walk 20 feet without seeing KISS products. The Official KISS Heaven’s On Fire Microwave is being developed as we speak. Other things to look out for are KISS My Ass mouthwash, KISS remote controls, shoelaces, paper shredders, a garbage disposal, candy, fireplace screens, hangers, shower curtains, and upholstery. The list is endless. There are people out there who really want a Vinnie Vincent teddy bear. We’re giving it to them. Or a Mark St. John pair of gloves. They’ll soon be able to have that too. Again, the fans demand and we obey.”
Paul: “A world without KISS merchandise is like a beanbag chair filled with broken glass. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Are you guys even still able to meet with groupies for encores?
Paul: “Well, having a newly-repaired bionic hip is going to put some unsuspecting fans in traction, I can tell you that.”
Gene: “I’m done with your mother. Now come pick her ass up.”
Proposed Set List:
Read My Body
Dance All Over Your Face
Murder In High Heels
I’m Alive
When Your Walls Come Down
You Make Me (Rock Hard)
Any Way You Slice It
While the City Sleeps
Silver Spoon
Good Girl Gone Bad
Gimme More
Radar For Love
Cadillac Dreams
Under The Gun
Betrayed
Secretly Cruel
Get All You Can Take
Lonely Is The Hunter
And On The 8'th Day
Encores
Read My Body (reprise)
Bang Bang You
Boomerang
hadde vert rått:)