BILL STARKEY - 35 YEARS OF KISS ARMY

Italiano

Hello DeuceNews readers and KISS fans around the world!
We are all part of the KISS army family, the baddest and biggest fan club ever!
Today I'm so proud to be with the one and only Bill Starkey, the man who started it all!!!
Hi Bill so pleased to have you here on my pages!!
35 years have passed!! Have you ever imagined KISS will last so long and the KISS Army too?
Bill: No, not in my wildest dreams. Then again it’s all because of KISS and their ability to change with the times yet keep and or refine the things that we fans so dearly loved about them.
It's a commonly known Gene was, and still is, the one always more connected to the fans, what you recall of the first times you got to meet him?
I totally disagree with you on that statement. I know Eric fans, Tommy fans and of course Paul Stanley is probably the best front-man in all of rock and roll. His last solo album AND tour blew me away. Easily the best POST KISS material anyone has ever done. I understand Gene fans and the female Gene fans scare me..Just kidding. First, I LOVE Gene. But I love the other three equally. Gene makes me laugh, always has. I love listening to his rants too. He’s opinionated to some but I say so what? He’s very intelligent and is entitled to his opinions, no matter if you think he’s off base.

The first time I met him he came up and sat beside me at a party with a cheese-colored scarf and was eating a pizza. He called me Billy and told me, “Hey. Ya know not everyone is an a-hole in this business.” I think he thought I was still harbouring ill thoughts towards the DJ who refused to play the KISS music. The first think I asked him of all things was , “Gene, what’s the SECOND line in ‘Duece?’ He said, “Pick up, ‘cause Jimmy’s workin hard this year. He was very funny back then. The next morning he teased my mom at the Sheraton Hotel. She was bugging him for a souvenir and he gave her the key to his room...He had already check out. Very funny. Gene always wanted to look at my KISS scrapbook when I took it with me. I always liked the fact that he registered at the Holiday Inn under his REAL name. When you’d call him he’d answer with a growl. He could bark like a small dog too...like I said he made me laugh.
You’ve been living the early years of KISS, the more intense and most probably the most mythological period of the KISStory, any nice and obscure snapshoot of that era to share with us?
I’m older, but I think the older shows were louder and more prone to drugs and violence. Not that KISS would advocate that stuff they couldn’t help it. They were the baddest band in the land. The women were everywhere. It was unbelievable. Of course there was no AIDS or other STD’s at the time. It was special to see a concert because there were no videos and little tv coverage. Most of that “hard rock” stuff was relegated to midnite television and we only had three networks. So seeing KISS live was special and fun when you were taking new recruits. And of course seeing them with their makeup off was incredible. You could brag about it to your friends the next day.
You and your friends basically started the KISS Army., but in 1977 your connection with them ended. What are you thoughts about, and do you thing you might have had a professional role within their organization?
I wasn’t forced to quit. I was getting less and less time with the band like I had been getting in 1976. I had feuded some with Boutwell Enterprises who at the time were running the KISS Army. They were using me as a consultant yet freely admitted that they didn’t understand the band’s appeal. I was crazy back then thanks to the success of the KISS Army. I would have killed for KISS which wasn’t a very healthy way to go about one’s life. I was disappointed that the fan club didn’t exist in Terre Haute. I did and said some things back then which were pretty stupid that I chalk it up to being young and getting bad advice from other people. You learn from your mistakes, that is a part of growing up. I’m sure there were some things said from the people at Aucoin Management too that they probably regret as well. Neither one of us looked good. That SAME spirit that I used against a radio station backfired on me. I’ll admit there were highs and lows but I never got upset to the point of trashing my KISS stuff-it never got that bad. There were some things I’d wished I’d done differently.
What’s your relation with the KISS members so far?

Excellent. I feel closer to these four guys then I ever did the originals. Mainly because Eric and Tommy are just such awesome friends....maybe it’s because they TOO were KISS fans BEFORE they joined KISS. And what can you say about Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons? I saw these guys when they were wild 20 something guys playing last on the bill as the opening act when others had left the arena. That same work ethic and commitment is still there. They are inspirational to me because they are proud of their accomplishments and instead of resting on their laurels like others they continue to climb new mountains. Hell they don’t need any more money or fame. They tour for the fans and the rush it probably gives them. I’m proud that younger fans can see what the hell I was talking about 35 years ago. Other acts are a shell of their former selves. I still love them but I’m not sure I’d pay to see them or expect them to live up to their past. I don’t worry about that with KISS...
I believe I could go on for ever to ask you thinks about our heroes!!! But I believe I need to stop before you get to kill me!!! Last questions, best and worst memories of you life with KISS

Best??? Getting to watch the concert at Hulman Center in TH in 75 sitting on an anvil flight case with Bill Aucoin. The sound was deafening. I think even KISS wore ear plugs back then..they HAD too! Then they bring me onstage to get a plaque. There in the audience of 10,000 people were many of my classmates who told me KISS sucked because they weren’t on the radio and etc etc. Now they were watching me get an award and here’s KISS becoming only the second rock group to sellout other than Elvis in Terre Haute. Where were the Aerosmith and Lynrd Skynrd fans? I’d be lying if I said there were no worsts but they are too personal to discuss publicly, at least for now.
There was a time a while back when KISS shared the stage with Aerosmith which I thought was terrible. I would not go to any of the shows. KISS shares the stage with NO one! There was a time when I heard that there was a lot of infighting within the group which saddened me. But what do you expect after 35 years? I mean I didn’t like it when the Beatles broke up either so that’s rock and roll.
The cool thing is that it’s GREAT to be a KISS fan these days.
Bill Starkey - KISS Army

Thank you so much Bill, way too cool to be in touch with you!!
I’m starting making arrangements for a KISS party next year here in Italy, if you like, we will be honoured to have you with us!!
Let us know and stay in touch!!

Read all the other cool DeuceNews interviews here

BILL STARKEY REMEMBERS

In addition to the Q&A above we publish here some interesting stories that Starkey mentioned in past interviews (all photos courtesy Bill Starkey)

Between 1974 and 1975, Bill Starkey and his friends effectively started the KISS Army by relentlessly barraging radio stations with demands to play the band and by frequenting malls and drive thru restaurants in full KISS make-up.
On Bill's 19th birthday, the band's management - having gotten wind of Starkey's
efforts - offered Starkey the opportunity to be the President of a National KISS Fan Club. What follows are some interesting stories that Starkey has to tell about his experiences with Gene Simmons.
Enjoy!
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For the 'Hotter Than Hell' tour, my buddies and I were on the floor - about 10 people back from Simmons. Gene took the boom mic stand and picked it up with one hand and thrust it over the crowd, wanting us all to yell into it. It just made us even more crazy. Simmons looked so threatening and larger than life.
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After KISS arrived in Terra Haute in 1975, Gene was put into a limousine with an interviewer from a radio station. During the interview, the wheel came off the limo and that's how the interview ended. Gene got out of the limousine and started posing for people on downtown Wabash Avenue while they switched cars.
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The first time I heard Gene talk, I was a bit disappointed. We thought he would be this big bad-ass but he is really intellectual. It was funny to hear him talk because you expect him to be very imposing. But Peter was the one who was actually the most imposing. Peter was "Fuck this and fuck that" and it was hilarious. We more expected that from Gene. To hear these guys actually talk was a cool experience. I couldn't believe how big they were. Their leather costumes had a strange stench to them, I don't know why.
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When KISS visited the local radio station in Terra Haute, Gene picked up the mic and started doing some DJ stuff and read some advertisements over the air. It was really a scream! Then the DJ turned the microphone over to me as the President of the KISS Army. I made an ass of myself by ridiculing the DJ who had previously refused to play the band's records, saying "KISS is here…….so now tell me they suck!" The DJ and KISS were really taken off guard by this and looked at me like I was crazy.
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"KISS Alive!" had just been released and I went backstage and got to meet Bill Aucoin for the first time. He was such a super nice guy, very friendly, very professional, very low-key. I was backstage with Aucoin and the band starts coming through. It was so awesome to be standing next to these guys! I looked at Gene's bass and he said, "I've got four of these basses." I was trying to create small talk with them. They took me upstairs to the side of the stage where I'd be watching the whole show. During the concert, Paul got up and made a big speech about Bill Starkey and the KISS Army and I had no idea that I was going to have to get up on that stage. I walked out and they gave me this plaque with my name on it. Ace put his arm around me, Waring Abbot shot a picture, and that was it. It was just one shock after another.
At the end of the show, management gave me an address where the after concert party was going to be held. 10 rooms on the 4th floor of the Sheraton had been reserved and I would get to see the band without their make-up. I'll never forget sitting at the back of this room when KISS made their appearance without their make-up on and it was somewhat of a bizarre disappointment. I was sitting at this table eating pizza and I'm not the kind of guy who's going to get up and go from table to table. I just basically stayed at my table. Ace was playing pool and he kept accidentally hitting my friend Jay in the back of the head with a pool stick. Then Gene came over to the table and started eating pizza with us. He said, "Now that you've been in front of 10,000 people you're not going to speak to me anymore, is that it?" I started laughing because Gene didn't understand that I was just really shy. Then he bent over and whispered to me: "You know, we're not all pricks in this business." Gene was great. He was a riot. We were just floored that he was like he was. We expected him to be really bizarre, but he was more like an intellectual comedian.
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The next morning I got to have breakfast with KISS. The waitress asked Paul what he would like to have and he said "Money". We all started laughing. Ace sat quietly, eating the food that Paul didn't want off of his plate, which I thought was really weird. After breakfast, gene was in the lobby entertaining my mother and little sister. He gave my mom the key to his hotel room but at the time was checking out of it - - so I still have the key; it was just kind of Gene's way of being funny.
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In 1976, I was invited to New York to a KISS pool party. Bob Ezrin was there and I was interviewed by David McKee from Rolling Stone magazine. Peter and Paul got in the pool while Gene sat there in his black leather pants. I was sitting at a table with Cadillac High football Coach Jim Neff and eventually Gene comes over and sits with us. In typical Gene humor he says "Where did you guys go tonight?" and Jim's wife says "We went to see this guy puke blood and breathe fire" and Gene's eyes got real big and he says "Oh my! Where was that at?" Then we're going around the table introducing ourselves and when it gets to me Gene says "And you are?" I said, "I'm the guy who started the KISS Army". And Gene goes "Oh…oh yeah." And everyone just kind of laughed. I was 19 years old and kind of crushed, like "Oh man! He forgot already!" I was 19 and was in New York and hoping I could be at gene's house with him showing me all his KISS stuff. I wanted him to show me all around New York. I wouldn't expect that now - - but at 19, that's what you're thinking. Instead, I just hung around with Coach Jim Neff.
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In the summer of 1976, I realized I wasn't going to get paid for any of this and that I had to get a real job. Aucoin management continued to send me free merchandise and reserve concert tickets for me. Backstage in St. Louis, I complained to Bill Aucoin that Gene hadn't recognized me earlier in the day and instead had gone straight over to this girl with big tits. Bill laughed and said, "Why don't you get big tits and maybe Gene will recognize you". After the show, Gene asked me to stick around with them because they were going to go on the air with one of the local radio stations there - - but I couldn't do it because I had to be at work the next day. But Gene still wanted to hang out, so we went to his hotel room and I showed him the KISS scrapbook that I had just started to put together. It was cool - - just sitting on the edge of this bed with Gene going over my scrapbook like I would with any other KISS fan. Gene was just really super nice to me.
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By 1977, my time with the band was getting less and less. The people in Terra Haute were asking me "Weren't you supposed to be the guy handling this thing? Wasn't this thing supposed to be headquartered here? Who are these people handling the fan club now? They're not even KISS fans - they're a corporation, right?" By this time, KISS didn't need me. They were so big, they didn't need promotion. They didn't need me to greet them at the airport or take them to the radio station to talk about the new album. It wasn't necessary. My friends were telling me, "You sure got lost in the shuffle. You were somebody at the beginning but now you're not needed."
When KISS played Terra Haute in 1977, I got a very bad vibe from the band like they really weren't in the mood for me. I brought a DJ friend along with me because he wanted to interview Gene. The band looked really tired and I could see that Gene really didn't want to do the interview but he invited us over to his dinner table and we talked. Eventually the conversation got around to the KISS Army and why it was now headquartered in Los Angeles. Gene said L.A. is where it should be and started saying a bunch of negative things about Terra Haute. I think it just wasn't a good day to be talking about something like that. Looking back, gene and KISS had so many things constantly going on at that time - - I'm not sure how many true details of the KISS Army they even knew about. I think it was too much too soon for all of them. In any event, I was angry and drafted a letter to each band member saying "I made the KISS Army, and I can destroy it." The new Road Manager saw the letters and was pissed. He kicked me out of the backstage area and said he could sue me for threatening the band like that. A year and a half earlier I had been brought backstage and treated like a prince and two years later I'm out on my ass. I drove home in tears.
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Almost 20 years later, having had no contact with the band, I went to a KISS Konvention in Indianapolis. Gene had done an interview with a local radio station in Terra Haute and said "Mike Sharkey started the KISS Army". I thought 'Well, that's close'. I went o the the Konvention and was told to hunt down Tommy Thayer. Tommy just couldn't believe he was talking to the guy who started the KISS Army. He said, "Come back at 6:30 and I'll see if I can get you together with the band. I think they'd be really happy to see you." Sure enough, Gene asked me to come up on stage and sit in his chair. I mean, come on, it was great - - what can I say. That was a high for several years. I've been on stage with KISS twice now. Who can say that?
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Looking back now, who could have imagined that a little groundswell movement that was started back in 1975 could have grown to such huge proportions - - to such notoriety that people in the music industry will still say that the KISS Army is one of the most dedicated die-hard groups of fans you will ever find. We were just a bunch of kids doing what we thought was cool and fun.