Today for KISS&KISS we go down in the dark side of KISS, in the Demon lair and we meet the Demons’ Queen, the SEXY Vampire, Michi.
Hi Michi, here few questions for you.
Since the beginning Gene represented the dark side of KISS.
How did you enter in the character and what are the points of contact between your character and your real being?
I did not chose to be Gene Simmons, I found myself in there. I liked Kiss but it was the passion of Barbara, our drummer in KISSEXY, to push me on that. And playing bass I could not be other then Gene. His "vampire" is a two-meter tall monster who spits blood with a roaring voice. I am skinny and 1.54 "high".... You can easily imagine the effort to "reinvent" the character, rather than be him. I put a touch of femininity and I turned it into a "sexy" vampire ... Gene and I have anyway some traits in common (I mean the real person, not the character ...), we are both excellent organizers, pragmatic, and charismatic on stage (even if for what it concerns me not really in the daily life). What separates us rather clearly: the physical weigh and importance given to money. I hate waste and I am happy when I have what I need, I do not look to get it more. He on the contrary accumulates money...
Personally I think that Gene compositions are the most complex of all the musicians who have composed and written in KISS.
How did you approached his musical style and what aspects of the Demon music do you like the most to play?
I like the bearing bass lines, simple, not too articulate, that support the piece with a nice groove. My favourite album is "Revenge", and those are the songs that I prefer to play (the bass line of Take It Off for example, I like it very much ...). The bass lines in Unmasked are more articulate, I like to study them, but not playing them live. Gene plays with the pic, I use the fingers, and in some cases I adapted my self to use the pic even if I don’t love it at all.

Can you tell us about your instruments and a comment on the two Gene’s "monsters", the Punisher and the Axe bass?
My equipment is simple, having small hands I have chosen a bass for the size of the neck, not for the sound, then I became accustomed to I never changed it. It’s Warwick.
Gene basses have certainly of great scenic effect, but they are not easy to play and they weight a ton, they are not right for me.
In your biography you say you like Gene’s pragmatism and intelligence (me too!!!), he is hyperactive by definition.
What do you think of the thousand extra KISS projects run by Uncle Gene?
I like the idea that he is always busy on several fronts, he is an eclectic man. One might say that its plans are aimed at business, sometimes I see hem more as an entrepreneur then a musician. Among the thousands of activities films certainly (I am passionate of) are the thing that impressed me the most, I still remember his "evil" character in Runaway against Tom Selleck. Best of all, however, I adored Rock School; it’s wonderful to see him while relates with children.
We are somewhat all waiting the much highlighted “Monster box set” of unpublished Gene tunes.
Have you ever written a song, and what kind of music do you like and play outside KISS?
Yes, I tried, but with little results. I’m a player more than a composer. And writing my music it has never appealed to me as a form of art. I like to play metal music in general (Iron Maiden and AC/DC), instead my favourite bands to listen are Halloween. I have a predilection for instrumental music (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai), and the classic music, the only and real medicine against the daily life stress.
...and we need it all in this days eh eh!

Well, Michi, thanks fro this nice chat and let's see us at your next gig!

Thanks to you and see you really soon Fabio!!

On the 24th November we all remember a great man.
It 'a sad day, but I want to let it shine talking with a person like the legendary Eric has a great heart full of MUSIC.
Here we are with Maurizio Musicway.
Tell us a little about you and your passion.
Hello Fabio
I approached music when I was 4 years old starting to sing and my parents brought me to a music teacher who was also a graduate in accordion.
After two years I was given the opportunity  to sung around with the my brother band then rename because of me "The 5 + him" I was immediately fascinated by the drums (very common for all children) and then after lots breaking the ….to the drummer (thanks Gianfranco) I began learning how to play the drum. My brother who already played the guitar suggested me to learn howe to play also a that so let’s go with the guitar.
Take note that in the ‘70 radio were not the shit they are know and they played  Zeppelin, Purple, Genesis, and others so the sound of the electric guitar was always in mind ...
You are perfectly right! Sometimes I wish I would be born 10 years before and not in Italy ....

You are perfectly right! Sometimes I wish I would be born 10 years before and not in Italy ....
Look, how did you know KISS?
I met with KISS in 1977 at that time there was  a local TV GRP and the plays some music videos .. I was 11  ... they played one after the other love em , leave em, hard luck woman ... BUM I jumped in the air,  try to imagine an eleven years  old boy which crashes in the transformation of the rock just heard on the radio with KISS .....
That was the turning point I started to look for every single piece of paper where I could find some news about them even if it was only a short article in the newspaper ...
My great old daddy, because my huge passion for the group bought me KISS, Hotter Than Hell, Dresses to kill three tapes in a row!!.. I still keep those tapes.
I suppose I’ve done all the way like many others, once you know KISS you do not come back any more if you love them.
Really true!
And a meeting in the meeting I think, as for may of us, was with the myth of Paul Charles Caravello.
Eric, a  great man, right?
It was a simple person, who had a beautiful light in the eye, but at the same time he was a great one, with a unique personality that only working hard to get it in a big city like New York you may have as I think it is not so simple to emerge there.. asking KISS for the autograph the end of audition really expresses all what Eric was.
Your love is gone beyond the love of a fan, you even tributed him, right?
It was natural. My style is very close to him and although of course I like all drummers in KISS  Eric was the turning point for the band and I assume that if He did not passed away  his style had evolved even more gracing us of great performances.
I make a couple of examples, the introduction of Creatures, the fill in King of the mountain on time with double bass, the power of Under the gun, or the uptempos of Danger, we must always keep in mind the output of those songs.
My son has the same name ....

What is the most beautiful memories you have of that period?
Surely KISS a Discoring (Italian TV show), they had been  already at the San Remo Festival via satellite but Discoring was different, I was at a friend house who had a VCR so obliged him to tape the show... I bet that consumed those tape ...
Currently, what are you doing in music?
A lot of things, playing guitar in a very special band, Milito, since 12 years.
Before I was the drummer then there have been changes and now I play guitar.
Then I play the drums with a singer with whom I have already recorded 2 CD and a third is ready to be added, also with my old friend I play in a Dokken  tributeband, I make substitutions in orchestras , and I play in studiosr for a lot of people as they collaborate with a pair of studios in my area.
I am also seriously considering again to tribute KISS…  I am very determined and when I decide something I do:))
Maurizio, thanks so much for the beautiful chat and...
Rock on!
Thank you for space that you have given me and grant to many of us ..
See you soon and keep on doin tha way, it’s an excellent job ..
Musicway Carr

Hello to all, we are in the third leg of our journey in the KISS& KISS world.
We now try to deepen our knowledge of George Peter John Criscuola with another Peter, the Still Alive’s cat.
Hello Alessandro, first of all, congratulations for your drumming!
Hello everyone, and hello Fabio! Thank you for this interview and also for the compliments..!
Many of us (perhaps not all) know that old Peter had among its major influences, Jazz and, indeed, was the original member of KISS with the greater distance from Rock.
Which training you had and what's your relationship with the style of Peter (citing an historical Gene"... a crazy like style)?
I am self-taught, and it happens to me also that I have not properly rock musical roots ...
The first steps have moved was into pop (not in jazz!) And the path towards the rock was short, my first band was a metal rock but with pop contamination. I later abandoned pop, continuing to hard and metal sound, that lead me to KISS, which had a "particularly" drummer  and his originality was not evident in technique but greatly in style, at the service of song and not as in front line , and this is a feature that I appreciated very much.
Peter entered in the history of contemporary music tank to Beth, the Hit single for KISS and his voice is considered by numbers as the best or the most characteristic of all the KISS "voices", what do you think about what do you think about his post KISS works?
Beth is not only a beautiful song, but also its placement was successful in an album like Destroyer and at a time when we lived in the deflagration of KISS, Beth is the pearl that you do not expect. Peter’s voice is here in the foreground and thus receives the proper attention, too, in fact, I’m among those who identify as the best of the four.
Even among the songs of his production you may find some worthy of his voice, but though their value was clear from the beginning (his first solo album, it seemed to me as the most superior compared to the rest of KISS solos) the following works struggling to keep pace.

Starting from the abused motto sex, drug and rock & roll, Criss, together with his buddy Frehley, was certainly the drug part of KISS. This has deteriorated his performance at times, but in others, as for his legendary sols from the early years it has increased the capacity.
Is it really so difficult to replicate the solos of the 70s?
Well, maybe not for everyone, but for me yes! I think that this refers to what Gene called "crazy style" ... I think the most important part in the solos is the heart, pathos, the emotional charge of the moment, and everybody will agree with me that it is very difficult to interpret a madman! I have heard excellent solos but the drummer did not feel the part, the result was like a subheading scream. Peter performance were dotted by small screams, that perhaps were amplified and processed by drugs, but which were dictated by what is usually called artistic sensibility, so no relation with drugs.
Can you give us a technical description of the set used by Peter and any differences with what you use?
Peter in the 90s used Pearl (also for commercial reasons) stuffed by a dozen toms, then he moved to DW. During and immediately following Destroyer: Toms (5x8, 6x8, 7x8, 7x10, 9x12, 10x13, 13x14, 12x15, 13x16 and 12x14 at the left of HH ), drums (14x16, 14x18), snare (8x14) and pedal (22x14). I should follow his footsteps but I do not have the audacity to for several factors, one of them is that I think in a KISS tribute most important think I the show and the power of sound not the “copy” of that particular sound.
With my Yamaha I’m able to obtain what is seeks in a tribute to KISS, and for the moment this is enough.
Thank you very much for your time and of course .... Rock on!
Thank you all from Alessandro and the hottest tribute band in the World ... STILL ALIVE!!!

Hello,  
tuesday ONE LIVE KISS is out in the market and for KISS&KISS but especially to celebrate our Stanley Eisen I chatted  with the great Paul Konfusion of the Milan based KISSKONFUSION.
Hello Paul , we start from the end , from the latest publication of Paul, One live KISS.
The eagerly awaited DVD that will show the behind the scenes of Live to Win.
We all have heard the last solo work of Paul, Live to win.
Personally, I found very "Paul'78" with perhaps more modern sounds, but especially with a strong and matured vocals.
What do you think about, and taking into consideration the characteristic  of Paul’s vocal lines what are the thinks you like the most to hear and what you like to perform?
Hello Deuce! I consider Live to Win a beautiful album, the songs are short, essential and remain imprinted in the minds already at the first hearing, sounds good, the rock is melodic but powerful and, in fact, the songwriting remind to the songs of Paul solo from ‘78.
Personally I would have liked to hear some more raw guitars  but in any case is a must have CD in any KISS collection!
My favorite songs are LIFT, WAKE UP SCREAMING, IT 'S NOT ME and WHERE ANGELS DARE!

As for the Paul’s voice, I think that in his career there have been 2-stagee, one goes from 1973 to 1977 and one from 1978 until today.
In the beginning Paul was spontaneous, intuitive at times almost wild and pieces like STRUTTER, C 'MON AND LOVE ME, LOVE GUN, I STOLE YOUR LOVE prove that, then the Starchild, by its own admission, studies and dedicated himself to singing and the voice grows in power and in control, you may recall that changes in pieces like TONIGHT YOU BELONG TO ME or TAKE ME AWAY (TOGETHER AS ONE) from his solo album from ’78 that are a prime example.
Then the music of KISS changes, evolves, adapts to changing times and the Metal coming in the 80s and Paul is still here with to the great songs with the likes of CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, DANGER, EXCITER, LICK IT UP, HEAVENS 'ON FIRE, the 90s witnesses the consolidation of of our son of the stars voice, pieces like I JUST WANNA o TAKE IT OFF or real delight for singers and not only!
What vocal lines I like to follow? I do not follow vocal lines, I interpret the songs that I like most as a whole, I love KISS of the beginnings, a  rock 'n roll band, jumping and strutting and when I listen or sing songs like SHOUT IT OUT LOUD, STRUTTER, C 'MON AND LOVE ME or I STOLE LOVE YOUR I’m totally happy!

Paul has often changed guitar maker, while maintaining, in fact, the same type of guitar.
Which of the Paul’s guitars reflects your choice technically speaking, and what is your arsenal?
If I remember well Gibson guitars, Ibanez, Hammer, BC Rich, Washbourne and Silvertone belonged to Paul Stanley.
Paul has often changed manufacturer but has always tried to maintain its unique style and sound.
He never renounced anyway to the typical black guitars or broken mirror or glitters that we still see today in the arms of our Starchild
Without any doubt my favourite is the Ibanez PS 10! I saw it the very first time while opening the ALIVE II gatefold (I was 13 years old) and these are things you do not forget anymore! The shape is really striking and original, the finishes are great, it’s not heavy and the sound is incredibly powerful and velvety at the same time, and it is also very easy to play!
I have:
Ibanez a PS 10 Original Black (1996 reunion edition) autographed by Paul Stanley
Silvertone Apocalipse a Cracked Mirror a black Silvertone Sovereign Pro an Epiphone Flying V white, very similar to the one used by Paul during the Rock 'n Roll Over tour in 1977.
Well Paul, thanks a lot for your time, best wishes for your 10-year career and.... Rock on!
Thanks to you and a very big KISS to all the KISS fans from Paul Konfusion!!!!!

Hello everyone!
Today we meet the great Marco Ferrario alias JulietACE of JulietKISS from Verone.
It’s a long time I wanted to write about Ace Frehley and especially of its technical skills on guitar and his unique style, a source of inspiration for a growing number of guitarists.
It's true that when I was a little boy aged 8 years I had my beautiful classical guitar lessons and I spent almost 30 years listening to good rock music, but who better than who once worn a black spandex suit shots solos and flames from a steaming Les Paul can help us to understand the genius and craziness of Paul Daniel Frehley, the Space Ace?
Hi Marco, the first thing I’d like to know what is the characteristic of the Ace style of Ace you like the most and on the other way around what do you believe his weak point.
Hello Fabio and hello to all readers…
Ace is a classical guitarist from the '70s… like many of the period, is part of group of guitarists who have been able to see and hear first, the innovations that people like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and especially Jimi Hendrix gave to the instrument, both from a technical point of view that from the viewpoint of sound. Ace has certainly drawn inspiration from these masters and he transferred to the rock'n'roll.
Ace then develops his style from electric blues, including techniques and harmonization … I like his simplicity, his taste in knowing how to hold a note long enough, enriching with vibrato and small tricks made by a guitarist with little "technology" (the most famous I think is  the tremolo effect recreated moving quickly the pick-ups switch of his Les Paul… placing a pick to zero volume and the other at top …). His solos are always cheerful and well integrated into the song… he never places standalone thinks built by … always very instinctive.
He never gad big lacks… sometimes he made small errors made by not being entirely sober… perhaps it can be considered a limit he never used the little finger of his left hand… which may limits the technical skills. But you can almost consider it a characteristic of a self made rock-blues guitarist … and being my self self-taught too, I sound like that!
Although not a talented guy Ace has been able to impose his particular style and a really typical sound to his guitar.
Sound and style that has made the way to many guitarists.
It seems to me, however, that after the exploits of the 1978 solo album Ace no longer updated or improved indeed…
What You do you think?
Ace is not a superhero of 6 the guitar, indeed, technically is also questionable, but it is precisely this "characteristic" to have made him different. It’s hard to imitate. What a purist would define "big errors", are the salt of Ace style. But you can still call him a talented one, as having made himselves… without many lessons, he has created his style typical of a self-taught guitarist. And if someone can be of inspiration for many others, should have a lot of talent. However thanks to the success that KISS had, we can consider him a guitar-hero. I think that his magic is in its simplicity, as we said before. The melodies of KISS are very simple and easy to remember, and then Ace, remaining "in the song" makes sound simple difficult phrasings … this, makes fans and people say, "I can do it too"; reality is that you actually are unable to write songs, remain a “small” guitar player, perhaps good technically but with little aptitude for the group.
Unfortunately, Ace did not evolved, because like all self made musicians, you reach a point where you cannot growth without the help of someone else … it’s a kind of complacency that makes you think: "so people always want those things there, so what? "if this is accompanied by a planetary success… you can not blame. There is to be added then, given his "out of scheme" personality Ace himself was not much interested in improving… since being very instinctive, gives his best when he doesn’t think too much about and therefore he is not devoted to study. The confirmation for that comes from his live performances: Ace rarely does the same solo twice. He always put something in it. Maybe without completely changing the things up, but always putting some variants. He tried, in his discs with Frehley's Comet to exploit the ’80 technology, but his hand and phrasings were always typical from a ’70 guitarist end I like him for that. Simple and sincere.
Apart from the beginning, Ace, since 1974, has always used Gibson Les Paul (apart from occasional excursion with other makers).
You use a signature model, can you tell us the technical characteristics of the instrument and what was Ace contribution into the development of this model?
The choice of a Les Paul was almost a must in the ‘70… the alternative was Stratocaster or Gretsch, but to make healthy energetic rock with a beautiful and plain sound, Les Paul is a guarantee…
Outside KISS, Ace has signed a Washburn guitar(AF40) with innovative techniques features (especially in materials) and the mobile bridge… which was also installed on Les Paul, but I do not believe that he has never actually used (if not in the “Into the night” video). Then we can say that Ace (as almost all the rocker in the world) is a Les Paul man. Ace also has relied to luthier Steve Carr for the special guitars: the most famous is the one used in the “NY groove”  and I was made for lovin'you videos, he used also a "mini-explorer" live in Talk to me (G open chords) and during the period of The Elder… and also the UFO guitar, another lighted guitar (with his name on the fretboard), used in the reunion tour and Farewell tour.
His signature Gibson guitar reply the one used during the Love Gun Tour, a Les Paul Custom with 3 pick-ups cherry sunburst of 1973, an unusual model of Gibson with that finish. The pick-ups installed by Ace (and I believe it is the only substantial change to series guitar) are DiMarzio: Superdistortion DP100, another almost obliged choice in the '70: to obtain certain saturation you should also act at the level of signal as those amplifiers did not have many stages of saturation at as those today… then you should make some “doping”, both with pick-ups or overdrive pedals, or putting in "cascade" more amplifiers. Ace used exclusively one pick-up to the bridge, but for the aesthetic issues he had also the other on the fret (and the center one  on the custom model). Some guitars Ace used live, the not used pick-ups were fake (Ace had a beautiful collection of guitars… who sold to cope with his debts on the hard times). For that reason on the signature model the fret and the middle pick-ups , is to handle that in the middle, there is no DiMarzio superdistortion, but the double cream (functioning but…). Aesthetically is the same, but the sound is less compressed. Like all Gibson LP Custom, the Ace signature has an ebony fret (with the famous pearls lighting bolds and his signature on the 12nd fret) and double finishing binding. Moreover mount a Grover mechanics that are most reliable then the classical Kluson usually mounted on Gibson.
There is a series of 300 guitars Ace signature built by Gibson Custom Shop: more precious materials and gems for collectors like the Ace signature engraved on the lid back… the first 3 or 4 copies are at Ace’s home…
There is also a cheaper signature, less valuable (but with the same pick-ups) edited by Epiphone
Ace has also used a custom black LP with the same characteristics (Unmasked tour period) and first used a standard LP always with DiMarzio. More sporadically used the explorer (probably Ibanez), Flying V and the Greek double handle. It has also a rare example of Poison Guitar… completely metal built guitar in 90 copies and never replicated.
Can you describe your “weapons” and what are the main differences with what Ace used at the pre KISS reunion time?
The main difference is age. In the sense that mine is more modern, but the concept is the same. To get an instrumentation same as Ace would mean go and seek in the market of vintage… with costs and time for sure not affordable for an amateur like me…
So while using the same brands which Ace used, I have "folded" on material more affordable, but really good indeed with all the due respect (I think).
I use Gibson Ace Frehley guitars and a Gibson Signature Standard of'99 customised with Superdistortion (same color as Ace had in '74: tobacco sunbust). For the smokin'guitar I have a replica LP (when it works…)
I use 2 amplifiers with a Marshall Top 30 anniversary and Marshall 'vintage 30 "
I use also some effect and I entrust to the TC electronic G-Major. But in small quantity, moreover even Ace did not use it so much while in KISS (solo show apart, of course)
Ace has repeatedly said that the system to achieve the guitar smoking effect had major problems for the pick ups, how do you cope with that?
Ace problems happened in the early days when the effect of the smoking guitar was made putting the smoke in the cavity of potentiometers and lit (with a lighter!!!!)… clearly the high temperatures generated by smoke (and the flash fire of sulphur) went to ruin the wiring of pick-ups and potentiometers themselves, then had to be rebuild each time… after the early days, with the technology improvement he no longer had these problems.
I modified the guitar, digging in the body an hole and putting inside a metal container housing the smoke bomb. Then I active it with an electric battery  switch and I let the smoke get out from the fret pickup (which is fake). I passed the wire pickup from another party, and then I have no signal problems.
Marshall is synonymous of rock, I think that the combination with Les Paul is unbeatable or exist today of valid alternatives?
In my view, this combination is the standard of rock. It is the standard with which all other manufacturers must compare. The best (but also the worst…) of rock was played with this material, and then is how to define the common denominator, then experiment with alternatives.
The instrumentation is very subjective for each guitarist… nobody says that if you use a combination Gibson-Marshall you automatically become e rocker. You should have the “attitude”, but we may say that’s a good starting. Then obvious exceptions exist: the guitar is like an extension of your body, so you must feel comfortable as well, apart from how the guitar sounds. The amplifier then must meet our own taste and so we go again to personal aproach. Not to mention the economic limits you have at the beginning of a rocker career. So you should also consider other cheaper manufacturers. Some people on the contrary take other directions by intimate conviction… or by "forced" wish (read endorsement…), but nowadays there are many manufacturers that provide quality at affordable prices, or almost ...
Personally, while experimenting with several variations, I nevertheless remained  faithful to these 2 historical manufacturesm by the end of the day they give me what I want and what I need. Luckily I can afford them and therefore I use them, but certainly I will never blame whoever chooses other options. It's like a suit: you need to feel good with it to be satisfied. Whether it’s a dress tailor made suit or an old pair of jeans… if it’s good to you it’s ok. Then, however, there are still some common factors for the whole band in order to have a good sound… but a good instrumentation is always a good start… for a good and healthy rock'n'roll!
If I could meet Ace what would you like to ask him (hoping to get a serious answer)?
Eheheheheheheheh… probably I would ask him to come and have a beer with me… and maybe a nice jam session live with JulietKISS… What would be better then that?
Perfect then I’ll call him and I’ll let you know, OK ???!!!

Deuce