On September 7th, the former GUNS N’ ROSES guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal performed Paul McCartney, IRON MAIDEN, KISS and GUNS N’ ROSES classics on his solo acoustic concert at the Twice Café in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, Japan.
Watch below the fan-filmed footage:
Paul Stanley has rushed to the defense of his KISS bandmate Gene Simmons after Nikki Sixx slammed Gene over the KISS bassist’s statement that the death of Prince, allegedly from a drug overdose, was “pathetic“, according to Blabbermouth.net.
Last week, Simmons received backlash from friends, family and fans after insinuating that Prince died from a drug overdose. The MÖTLEY CRÜE and SIXX:A.M. bassist also ripped Simmons on Twitter, saying his “recent heartless and uneducated remarks about Prince‘s death shows why he’s not my hero anymore or anybody’s.” Sixx elaborated on his criticism of Simmons on his nationally syndicated radio show “Sixx Sense”. He said: “I think that [Gene] is [an] overrated, lucky guy that dresses like a clown. [He] wrote some good songs, [but] hasn’t in a long time, and loves to brag about himself.”
Last night, Stanley took to his Facebook page to address Sixx‘s comments. He wrote: “Jesus Christ, Nikki Sixx! Would you please shut up, find another way to be in the news and get off your self-inflated pedestal?
“Regardless of some things Gene Simmons has said that I may take issue with, his influence on musicians (you included) is undeniable and will continue. More importantly, his work, generosity and monetary contributions to numerous causes and charities for those less fortunate makes your ongoing rant, in the scheme of things, the unimportant but annoying squeak it truly is.
“Move on.”
Stanley‘s remarks prompted a quick response from Sixx, who wrote on Facebook: “Looks like good old Paul doesn’t like that someone called out his buddy Gene again…I will give him a standing ovation for calling out Gene himself publicly and then trying to hold my feet to the same fire, but you can’t save him. If the press wants to run with a story, they got legs and we all know they need fresh content. I have to admit calling the next KISS album ‘Move On’ would be a clever idea though…Love to the Starchild.”
He added: “We all give to charities and support our troops etc because that the right thing to do with our success.Telling a depressed kid to kill themselves etc etc etc etc is not… So don’t confuse issues.”
After Simmons‘s original comments about Prince were first published, Stanley denounced his bandmate’s “cold, clueless” statement on Twitter, saying that he was “embarrassed” by Simmons‘s remarks and offering his apologies.
Simmons last week took to Twitter to clarify his remarks about Prince. He explained: “I apologize — I have a long history of getting very angry at what drugs do to the families/friends of the addicts. I get angry at drug users because of my experience being around them coming up in the rock scene.”
Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has released his new video for “Fire And Water”, a track originally made popular by the English rock band, Free. Ace enlisted his former KISS bandmate, co-founding frontman, Paul Stanley for a feature on this clip. This video marks the first time in 14 yearsthat both Frehley and Stanley have shared a stage together since 2002’s Winter Olympic Games. It is also the first music video released by Frehley since 1989.
Ace spoke to Rolling Stone about his collaboration with Stanley. Frehley said:
“I thought Paul did a fabulous vocal on it. He jumped at the chance to do this because it’s something that’s outside of KISS and his character in KISS, and it gave him a chance to, y’know, sing. With Paul, you usually think of him singing in a slightly higher register and on ‘Fire And Water’, he’s singing deep from his diaphragm, and it’s a real cool vocal. Everyone’s who heard it was just thinks it’s the shit.”
Aside from Stanley, there are significant features on the upcoming release. Guest stars on the album include Slash, Lita Ford, Mike McCready, and John 5. Along with “Free”, Ace and his guests take on major classic rock hits by Cream, Steppenwolf, Led Zepplin, Thin Lizzy, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks — and of course, KISS.
Watch “Fire And Water” here:
“Origins Vol. 1” track listing:
01. White Room (CREAM)
02. Street Fighting Man (ROLLING STONES)
03. Spanish Castle Magic (JIMI HENDRIX) (feat. John 5)
04. Fire And Water (FREE) (feat. Paul Stanley)
05. Emerald (THIN LIZZY) (feat. Slash)
06. Bring It On Home (LED ZEPPELIN)
07. Wild Thing (THE TROGGS) (feat. Lita Ford)
08. Parasite (KISS) (feat. John 5)
09. Magic Carpet Ride (STEPPENWOLF)
10. Cold Gin (KISS) (feat. Mike McCready)
11. Till The End Of The Day (THE KINKS)
12. Rock And Roll Hell (KISS)
There are few rock bands as legendary as KISS. So with America’s # 1 Gold Record Award Winning Group of all time having announced its 2016 Summer American “Freedom To Rock” Tour and to get an opportunity to play with the masked foursome – let alone open a tour for them – is an instant career highlight. And this summer, THE DEAD DAISIES will be doing just that – opening a month’s worth of dates for KISS in the U.S. (beginning August 10th in Green Bay, WI, and wrapping up on September 10th in Huntington, WV) – in support of their forthcoming SPV/eOne release, ‘Make Some Noise’ (arriving on August 5th 2016).
An Australian-American collective of musicians originally formed in 2012, the current THE DEAD DAISIES line-up is comprised of John Corabi (vocals), Doug Aldrich (guitar), David Lowy (guitar), Marco Mendoza (bass), and Brian Tichy (drums). ‘Make Some Noise’ is their third studio effort overall (preceded by 2013’s self-titled debut and 2015’s ‘Revolución’).
Doug Aldrich: “The Daisies playing with KISS – how cool is that? I have known the KISS guys for ages, so I’m very happy that we get to bring the Daisies to the US on this tour. This will be awesome!”
Brian Tichy: “Once again, I’m psyched to go out on tour soon with The Dead Daisies opening for the mighty KISS! There’s never anything wrong with playing drums in a cool rock band, with your buds, in amphitheaters, in the U.S., in the Summer, opening for one of the world’s greatest live bands! Hope to see you there!”
The Dead Daisies have already established itself as a must-see live act, having toured with the likes of ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Bad Company, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Def Leppard, as well as their old friends Kiss (including previous U.S., Euro, and Australian tours, plus two appearances aboard the Kiss Kruise). Additionally, the band has been a part of such renowned festivals as the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival, Rock in Vienna Festival, Download Festival, and Graspop Metal Meeting.
Get ready to rock and roll all night, when the Dead Daisies unite with Kiss this summer!
THE DEAD DAISIES/KISS TOUR DATES:
Wed, Aug 10, 2016 Green Bay, WI – Resch Center
Thu, Aug 11, 2016 OFF
Fri, Aug 12, 2016 Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County Memorial Coliseum
Sat, Aug 13, 2016 Saginaw, MI – Dow Event Center
Sun, Aug 14, 2016 OFF
Mon, Aug 15, 2016 Kalamazoo, MI – Wings Event Center
Tue, Aug 16, 2016 OFF
Wed, Aug 17, 2016 Springfield, IL – Illinois State Fair
Thu, Aug 18, 2016 OFF
Fri, Aug 19, 2016 TBA
Sat, Aug 20, 2016 Rockford, IL – BMO Harris Bank Center
Sun, Aug 21, 2016 OFF
Mon, Aug 22, 2016 Dayton, OH – Nutter Center
Tue, Aug 23, 2016 OFF
Wed, Aug 24, 2016 Toledo, OH – Huntington Center
Thu, Aug 25, 2016 OFF
Fri, Aug 26, 2016 Youngstown, OH – Covelli Centre
Sat, Aug 27, 2016 Erie, PA – Erie Insurance Arena
Sun, Aug 28, 2016 OFF
Mon, Aug 29, 2016 Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena
Tue, Aug 30, 2016 State College, PA – Bryce Jordan Center
Wed, Aug 31, 2016 OFF
Thu, Sep 1, 2016 Allentown, PA – The Great Allentown Fair
Fri, Sep 2, 2016 OFF
Sat, Sep 3, 2016 Worcester, MA – DCU Center
Sun, Sep 4, 2016 Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena
Mon, Sep 5, 2016 OFF
Tue, Sep 6, 2016 OFF
Wed, Sep 7, 2016 Bridgeport, CT – Webster Bank Arena
Thu, Sep 8, 2016 OFF
Fri, Sep 9, 2016 Richmond, VA – Richmond Coliseum
Sat, Sep 10, 2016 Huntington, WV – Big Sandy Arena
More information at:
http://www.thedeaddaisies.com
http://www.facebook.com/TheDeadDaisies
After 4 years of absence returns GODS OF METAL, the rock/metal festival, loved by the Italian public! The 17th edition is set to take place on June 2-3, 2016 at Parco Di Monza – Autodromo Nazionale, near to Milan.
Today Gods Of Metal Organizers, together with Live Nation, have announced the first 2 headliners: KISS and RAMMSTEIN!
Here are the dates to mark on your calendars:
02 June – RAMMSTEIN
+ more TBA
03 June – KISS
+ more TBA
More information here.
https://www.facebook.com/Gods-Of-Metal-694826700617710
http://godsofmetal.it/
Gold 104.3 radio DJ Gav conducted an interview with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons ahead of the band’s recent concert in Melbourne, Australia. They discuss everything from the spider stage set KISS brought with them, Australian accents, make-up techniques, creativity and whether Simmons has political aspirations, as reported by blabbermouth.net.
Asked if he would ever run for office, Simmons responded: “You know, in all seriousness, they don’t pay enough. Teachers, policemen, firemen… The most important jobs don’t pay very well, which is why you’re not gonna get the best talent. The best talent are in the financial sector — you know, big corporate entities, hedge fund and venture capital and so on. So… Or if you’d make me the benevolent dictator, just give me six months, I’ll do it for one dollar — ’cause I make a living — but I want total power. You can fire me — if the masses vote and so on, ‘Get rid of him’ — without cause. As long as the majority wants me gone, I’d be gone. But while I’m in office, democracy is wonderful, but it’s messy. A benevolent dictator is the most effective way of running a country. I would clean up the mess immediately; you know I would. The bad guys are going, ‘Uh oh, he knows.’ Yeah. I’d have to have lots of security, ’cause all the bad guys would wanna take me out.”
Back in 2012, Simmons expressed regret over his endorsement of President Barack Obama in 2008, telling Fox News’ “Fox and Friends”, “Hindsight is 20/20. I have some real issues with the economy and how it’s being done. America should be in business and it should be run by a businessman.”
He continued, “America is a business. If you can’t afford to do something, no matter how much bellyaching everybody does… I’m so sorry, if you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t do it. If you can afford to take care of two kids. Have two kids. Don’t have ten kids. If you can’t afford to have a $400,000 home, you can afford a $100,000 home, then do that.”
Asked by host Gretchen Carlson who his pick for president was, Simmons responded, “Strictly speaking on the economy and in my humble opinion, Mitt Romney.”
During a 2012 interview with Noisecreep, KISS frontman Paul Stanley made it clear that he didn’t share his bandmate Gene Simmons‘ views on voicing their political opinions publicly.
“I don’t know what’s more embarrassing, these musicians and actors talking about politics in interviews or the media actually giving them credibility about it,” Stanley said. “It’s absurd that a celebrity could speak out on the economy or politics with no more justification than a hit album or a movie. Not to deride Gene, but I just think he’s part of a symptom of absurdity where you’ll see somebody on television whose only criteria for being there is success in a field far away from what they’re being asked about. I really don’t know who is more ridiculous, the celebrity answering these political questions or the person asking them.”
He continued, “I’m usually not at a loss for words, but this whole celebrity political thing always gets me. It’s so embarrassing to see people with absolutely no inside knowledge of anything they are talking about. I have friends who are intimately involved with world affairs and these are the people who won’t give opinions like these celebrities do. For my friends, it’s far more complex and sensitive than that, unlike these celebrities who read some newspaper story, or watch CNN, and then spout out some opinion on something they truly don’t know anything about.”
Listen to the full interview here:
