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October 15, 2009
Lifeson Soars, Bertinelli Dishes, Buble Tops KISS and Whitford Races
Rush axe man Lifeson soars on ‘man date’
Not looking much like the menacing owl portrayed on the cover of Fly By Night, Alex Lifeson recently joined Canadian comic Rick Mercer as they filmed a “man date” segment for Mercer’s CBC TV show The Rick Mercer Report.
The pair stopped by Niagara Freefall Indoor Skydiving to float around a bit, which, judging from the photograph, Mercer enjoyed thoroughly. More at The Niagara Falls Review.
Valerie Bertinelli pens new book
The woman who was the object of many a teenage fantasy during her days as a TV actress on One Day At A Time (guilty as charged!) is back with a new book.
This time, instead of Losing It, Bertinelli is Finding It, and sharing her inspirational story about how she “discovered how to live the best life possible at the age of 49.”
Coming as a shock to some of us who watched her every move on One Day At A Time, Bertinelli describes her struggles with her self-image and how she felt inferior to co-star MacKenzie Phillips. Perhaps by now she has come to the realization that it was her that most of us admiring young men had our eyes glued to during each episode. I know I sure did! Check out the full scoop at ABC News.
Buble and Oprah a KISS killer?
In a recent interview with Macleans magazine, KISS frontman and business mogul, Gene Simmons jokingly (at least I hope he was joking) referred to himself as “king of the world.” Unfortunately for KISS, Simmons was not able to proclaim his group as king of the charts at the same time.
Having never had an album make it all the way to #1 on the Billboard chart, the group seemed poised to finally reach the promised land with the release of their new album Sonic Boom.
Those hopes were dashed by none other than Michael Buble, the Canadian crooner who was recently featured on Oprah after the release of his new album Crazy Love. Oprah’s star power was cited as a contributing factor that helped send Buble to the top of the chart with Sonic Boom coming in second. Read more from Gawker.
Aerosmith guitarist takes to the track
If you happen to be an Aerosmith fan who also enjoys things like racing, you will definitely want to check out the footage of Brad Whitford as he zips around a racetrack in a Volkswagen speed machine.
Check it out at Aerosmith’s official website.
October 14, 2009
Sex, (No) Drugs And Rock And Roll For Gene Simmons
KISS frontman Gene Simmons is probably one of those guys that most people either love or hate. It’s hard to imagine an in-between for a fellow who speaks his mind as openly as Simmons. He is, apparently, happy to let the chips fall where they may.
This time he’s dispensing some sound advice through the New York Post by saying that booze and drugs have no place in the life of a rock star.
“The only way to do it is no booze, no drugs. If you are not clean, you don’t belong up there. I’ve never been drunk or high in my life,” Simmons proclaims. Although that is a little hard to believe, it’s difficult to say that it cannot be true – even for a flamboyant rock god like Simmons.
Still, not even just a little bit tipsy, Gene?
Whatever the case may be, his advice would have well served many of his rock contemporaries, 
as well as countless stars that have come before him. The lure of drugs and alcohol have led to the undoing of many a talented performer and in those infamous cases that we remember so well, even their untimely death.
There is, however, one temptation Simmons admits falling victim to. Females, which he refers to it as a temptation that can be enjoyed.
Of course no story about Gene Simmons would be complete without some controversy. Surely there are those that will consider the previous subject controversial, but we are operating within the context of rock and roll here.
The love Simmons has for the ladies is apparently equaled by the hatred he has for music critics.
Quoted in a BBC interview, Simmons refers to music critics as “an unnecessary life form.” Also adding that, “There’s a large Kiss cemetery at the back of our houses where we bury them.”
I’m not sure the vitriol he let lose with is warranted, but there is no arguing with the success of KISS through the years. This may sound a bit unusual coming from someone who does the occasional review in this space, but I think Simmons has a point, although he may have sharpened it a bit too much in this case. Not something all that surprising coming from him, however.
At any rate, reviews and criticisms are merely opinions. I’ve stressed that in the past and have no illusions that I am influencing the masses regarding their music purchases.
For example, I am not a KISS fan. Never owned a KISS album and can only name one song they ever did, which happens to be “Detroit Rock City,” and that’s only because a local band that used to play around the New England area covered it better than KISS did. (Take note: That’s another opinion and yours just might vary!)
Is Gene Simmons going to miss a mortgage payment or have to sell off some stocks and bonds because I don’t like KISS? Hardly. The best I can hope for is that some rock fans out there have taste in music that aligns somewhat with my own, and that they appreciate my viewpoint. Others might want to call me names, and that’s OK, too.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Opinions are like… Well, you get the idea.
October 2, 2009
KISS The Corporation
That may not be the way that fans are accustomed to hearing their beloved band referred to, but it certainly is an accurate description of how the organization is run by boss man Gene Simmons. Simmons’ personality may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but when it comes to business, his no-nonsense approach seems to serve him, his band mates and his business partners very well.
Currently, the legendary rockers with the elaborate makeup and costumes are on tour, but the current lineup is not the original KISS that many fans grew up with. Guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss are not part of the tour, and for the first time, their usual replacements guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer will be wearing the same makeup and costumes that were once exclusive to Frehley and Criss.
It appears that Gene Simmons has had it with his former band mates and perhaps this is his way of telling them that they’re gone for good. Substance abuse problems have continued to plague both Frehley and Criss, according to Simmons, and there is no room within the ranks of KISS, which Simmons is not afraid to refer to has a business, and anything that gets in the way of business is eliminated.
Although Simmons seems to be sending a clear message by allowing Thayer 
and Singer to assume the appearance that makes them look more like permanent members of the group, he does not dismiss the contributions that both Frehley and Criss made in the group’s formative years.
“It doesn’t mean Ace and Peter weren’t important in the formation of KISS,” Simmons said. “They certainly were. But if you can no longer give your ‘A’ game, you step aside. Or you get kicked out.”
Seeing Thayer and Singer on stage decked out in the “space man” and “cat” costumes might not be the thing some fans want to see, however, Simmons maintains that the costumes belong to KISS the business and not to any individual member. He compares the situation to Mickey Mantle, whose famous number 7 belonged to the New York Yankees and not to Mantle himself, despite how many baseball fans might think otherwise.
Simmons can be a controversial figure, since he comes across to some people as arrogant. Statements like the following certainly contribute to that impression: “Thirty-five years and thousands of concerts and thousands of licensed products later, we are clearly the juggernaut of rock licensing. No one touches us, Elvis and the Beatles combined. No other band can do what we do.”
That is a statement that a lot of people would probably dispute. Comparing KISS to the Beatles does seem a bit over-the-top, but that’s Simmons’ style and I’ll leave it up to those whose profession it is to track things like corporate earnings and quarterly reports to determine the truth of the matter.
The Boston Herald has more on KISS and their current tour.
June 24, 2009
Now That’s Just Gross!
Okay, I’m willing to give credit where credit is due, and the idea that the A&E TV network came up with recently is pretty unique. They have put the Gene Simmons’ mug on a new line of urinal cakes.
For you young ladies out there who might not be familiar with this wonderful invention, it’s basically a hockey puck (usually white) that’s made out of some stuff that’s supposed to smell good, and, presumably lessen the stench that one might be expected to endure while in the process of using a urinal. Think of it as a kind of Airwick for the whizzer.
These things are usually placed right in the bottom of the urinal and can be a temptation for guys who like to engage in a little target practice while answering nature’s call. Personally, I’m not a big fan of these things, since all they seem to do is mix the pungent aroma of the “cake” with the stench it is intended to overcome, and the result it simply a sickening blend of the two, but I digress.
Although it might be viewed as a little self-deprecating, which might be something we might not expect from the likes of Gene Simmons, the idea apparently has his blessing, and these unique promotional items have been strategically deployed in various locations to promote his Family Jewels television show.
Like I said, some credit is due for a unique idea like this, but there is a little problem that may not have been anticipated. People are actually swiping these things! Yeah, I know, who would imagine that someone would want to reach into a urinal and take one of those gems home with them? What are they doing, sticking them in their pockets? Or is it one of those, “Hey Honey, put this in your purse for me, will ya?”
Now if a urinal cake with the likes of Gene Simmons is not temptation enough in its own right, you may be interested to know that these things actually talk. Yep, they are designed to produce the sound of the rocker’s voice when they come into contact with a well-aimed stream. I’m not sure what they say, but I know I could have a little fun coming up with some one-liners for guys who are standing in such a vulnerable position.
Simmons has gotten wind of the popularity these items have earned with restroom thieves and encourages fans to leave them in place for others to enjoy, or at the very least, wash them before taking them. Thanks for the advice, Gene, but I assure you that you do not have to worry about any of those things making their way back to my house!
May 23, 2009
Idol’s Adam Lambert As New Queen Frontman?
For me, the moment of the American Idol finale was Adam Lambert singing with Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen. I had been wanting Lambert to give “Bohemian Rhapsody” a shot all season, knowing he was much better-suited to pull it off than Michael Johns did during last season. It was a bold move by Johns and he didn’t sound too bad, although I see Lambert as a much better match for Freddie Mercury.
Lambert’s performance with Queen seemed to “click,” and it appears that May and Taylor, as well as Lambert, feel that there may be something worth exploring there.
The appearance of Lambert on Fox’s morning show Fox And Friends was the first indication I saw that there may be talks going on between Lambert and Queen. When pressed about whether he had been talking to Queen about working with them, Lambert said that he had to “plead the 5th” on that subject.
As one might expect, that statement set the rumor mill spinning at full speed. Rolling Stone magazine managed to reach Brian May via e-mail regarding the issue, and although he was not ready to confirm or deny any plans to have Lambert replace recently-departed frontman Paul Rodgers, May responding by saying: “Amongst all that furor, there wasn’t really a quiet moment to talk, but [drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point. It’s not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn’t that easy. But I’d certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there.”
Will Adam Lambert end up as the new Queen frontman? In a conference call with reporters, Lambert readily admits that Queen was one of his all-time favorite bands and said he would love to work with them. There surely are a lot of hoops to jump through before we hear any definitive word on whether Lambert joins up with Queen, so it is likely to be a while. He is, however, probably the best candidate for the job that American Idol has yet produced.
In addition to his performance with Queen, Lambert also put on quite the glam-rock show with KISS, which all participants seemed to enjoy as well, but now there is some talk that Gene Simmons has said that Lambert is not well-suited to be a rock singer.
Rolling Stone is reporting that Simmons has posted comments on his personal website that read as follows: “Respectfully, I don’t think Adam is a rock singer. He sounds much more convincing singing ballads and Broadway shows. His voice doesn’t seem to have a ‘rock quality.’ But, I’m sure he’s going to do just fine.”
What’s a little odd is that the link from the Rolling Stone article to Gene Simmons’ personal website is broken, but that could just be a webmaster typo. I visited Simmons’ personal website myself and was able to find that exact quote from Simmons in response to a question about Lambert from a fan.
When questioned later by another reader and asked for a clarification, Simmons responded by saying: “Adam is a great singer. He would be great in Queen. Like Freddie Mercury. But Mercury wouldn’t work in the Stones or KISS. Nor would Mick Jagger work in Queen. Got it?”
I guess what we can take away from that is that Simmons thinks Lambert would be a good rock singer for Queen, but not for KISS or the Rolling Stones. I think Adam Lambert would be OK with that.
