GENE SIMMONS AND DOC MCGHEE TALKS KISS, NEW VENTURES AND MORE

KISS frontman Gene Simmons and legendary manager Doc McGhee attended an invite-only breakfast event in Nashville, sponsored by SOLID (Society of Leaders in Development), where they were interviewed by Ray Waddell of Billboard Magazine. The two talked about the history of KISS, business leadership group, KruiseII and: NEW SINGLE out in a couple of weeks!! MONSTER out October 7th!!

SEPTEMBER-07-12

KISS "MONSTER" ALBUM RELEASE DATES INFO
According to "KissNews.de" Universal has given the following information about the realese of the new KISS album:
The "Monster" album is scheduled to be released in the following formats at the following release dates (as of today, subject to change):
5.10.2012: Germany, Austria and Switzerland
8.10.2012: rest of Europe
9.10.2012: USA
10.10.2012: Japan
The album will also be released in other countries, but the available formats and release dates may vary. In Japan at CD Japan the first pressing will also contain a free Bonus-Poster. The album is supposed to be available in the following formats:
CD (USA, EU-pressing with original logo and German pressing with censored logo). CD with original logo is available at Amazon USA and at Wow HD.
CD (limited edition with 3-D cover): probably also available as US-pressing, EU-pressing with original logo and German pressing with censored logo. Seems to be available here already at Amazon Germany.
Picture Disc: strictly limited US-Picture Disc, which will also be available in Europa as import. However, it will only be available from one retailer in each country. Since it is a stricly limited edition it will be rather expensive.
There are no confirmed infos concerning Bonus Tracks.

AUGUST-23-12

MONSTER ALBUM AVAILABLE ON VINYL TOO

"Monster", KISS 20th studio album, set for release on 16 October through Universal Music Enterprises will be available both on CD and vinyl. The 12-track, straight-ahead rock 'n' roll album features collaborations among all four members — including co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer . "Monster" has been produced by Paul Stanley with Greg Collins at Conway Studios in Hollywood, California, and The Nook in Studio City, California. "There are no symphony orchestras, boy choirs, keyboards, outside producers or songwriters on this album," promises Gene Simmons. "The best thing we did was to turn inwards to ourselves. Tommy and Eric have revitalized this band, with a work ethic and the talent to back it up. This is a real band effort. KISS has become a behemoth. We're going where no bands have gone before."

Here the song list details for the vinyl version:

Side 1
1. Hell Or Hallelujah 4:07
2. Wall Of Sound 2:55
3. Freak 3:35
4. Back To The Stone Age 3:01
5. Shout Mercy 4:04
6. Long Way Down 3:51
Side 2
1. Eat Your Heart Out 4:06
2. The Devil Is Me 3:41
3. Outta This World 4:29
4. All For The Love Of Rock & Roll 3:21
5. Take Me Down Below 3:24
6. Last Chance 3:06

An additional recorded track, Right Here Right Now 3:58 will be available as iTunes bonus track.

AUGUST-22-12

MONSTER GOES HOLLYWOOD

From Rolling Stone: Hours after their Viper Room appearance [Monster Book press conference], Simmons and Stanley stopped by Universal in Santa Monica to share four songs in a private meeting with the label's movie and TV music supervisors. In a downstairs lounge, the rock icons sat on a small stage and introduced each of the songs, beginning with the driving Sixties-style grind of "Long Way Down" and continuing into "Wall of Sound," which rocked with a grinding boogie rhythm. Still wearing what he called his "asshole glasses," Simmons joked with Stanley between tracks and offered to personally close the deal with any filmmaker considering use of a new Kiss song. Both also complained about the room's sound system, which gave the songs a muddier sound than intended; Stanley joked about buying the label a new one. Tellingly, the new cut "Freak" banged with classic-rock riffs and a searing Thayer guitar lead. "It doesn't matter how rich you are, how successful; we proudly wave that flag," Stanley told his audience of the song. "We are freaks, remain freaks, and hopefully you do, too."

JULY-03-12

MONSTER INVASION CONTINUES! BIGGEST BAND IN AMERICA – KISS - ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM MONSTER IN STORES OCTOBER 15, INTERNATIONALLY, OCTOBER 16 IN NORTH AMERICA
Worldwide Premiere of Lyric Video July 3, 12 Noon EST across VEVO
“We’re a real, flesh-and-blood rock and roll band with people who’ve spent 40 years doing what we believe in.” – Paul Stanley, 2012 Rock legends KISS return with Monster, the 20th studio album in their historic career, set for release in October 15 (October 16 in North America) through Universal Music Enterprises.

JUNE-23-12

HELL OR HALLELUJAH FIRST SINGLE OFF MONSTER

Amazon.co.uk offers a 30" sample of the first single off MONSTER (due in October via Universal), Hell or hallelujah!!

JUNE-14-12

MONSTER OUT IN OCTOBER, SINGLE DEBUTS JULY 2ND

From Kissonline.com:"The hottest band in the world… are back in the UK! With their new album Monster out in October. New single to be released July 2nd, Monster Book to be launched July 2nd, Special show at The Forum in London for Help for Heroes on Independence Day, Wednesday 4th July."

JUNE-11-12

GENE SIMMONS TALKS MONSTER & THE TOUR: "WE MAY STICK IN ONE TUNE OR TWO INTO THE SETLIST"

Recently Gene talked Monster with Ultimate Classic Rock, here some excerpts:

Monster will come out “in probably September or October.” ‘Monster’ “could be one of our top two or three records ever.” “We sat together in the same room for the first time in decades and came up with some pretty classic stuff. You’ll hear everybody in the band singing lead.” “Everybody co-wrote the songs – that includes Eric [Singer], our drummer. It really is a band record.” Simmons says that they “may stick in a tune or two” from ‘Monster’ into the setlist for their shows this summer.

MAY-21-12

MONSTER SOUND: LISTEN TO A SNEAK PEEK

More then one year ago a video has been posted in which Gene&Tommy were working an a new Monster tune. And this is, so far, the only small sneak peek of the too long awaited new KISS album, apparently set for release sometime this year after THE TOUR...

MAY-19-12

SNAKE SABO: HEARD MONSTER AND IT'S GOOD

Sanke Sabo: "Heard the new KISS record yesterday & its very good!! For real! More Revenge than Destroyer from what I heard."

MAY-17-12

TOMMY&ERIC ON MONSTER: OUT IN THE FALL

Among many things KISS talked during the last Indy Expo, Tommy and Eric confirmed the recent news about Monster. The album is recorded and mixed and will be out in the fall, although no proper date has been planned yet. The album release will be followed by a world wide Monster Tour. "All for the love of rock and roll" has been confirmed as a new song title.

MAY-03-12

MONSTER IS DUE OUT THIS FALL

From Variety.com "Last week, Kiss co-founder and frontman Paul Stanley was busy preparing for an upcoming co-headlining tour with Motley Crue, just after putting the final touches on the group's studio record, "Monster," which is due out this fall and will be inevitably followed by yet another tour."

APRIL-29-04-12

KISS MONSTER NEW SONG TITLE REVEALED: "THE DEVIL IS ME"

From Sebastian Bach twitter account:"WOW! Just heard the new KISS song 'The Devil Is Me' on Gene's iPod & it kicks TOTAL ASS! Thanks @genesimmons 4 the sneekpeek!"

APRIL-16-12

PAUL STANLEY TALKS MONSTER!

APRIL-14-12

NEVER ENDING MONSTER STORIES: GENE SAYS OUT IN JULY

Recently Gene Simmons talked to Vorterix.com in Mexico promoting the upcoming Rock-N-Roll All Stars Tour and he announced that MONSTER will be out in July along with the MONSTER book and Kissology IV, in addition he confirmed The Tour will go on for two years. Apparently there will be 13 or 14 songs on the new album.

APRIL-04-12

ERIC SINGER: MONSTER IS GOING TO COME OUT SOMETIME IN JUNE

Out of the numbers of interviews to promote the upcoming KISS/Motley Crue tour, both bands drummers, Eric Singer and Tommy Lee were recently interviewed by Revolver.tv. According to Eric Monster "is monstrous sounding. It's very cool. I think it's going to come out sometime June, right before the tour starts." The 19th seems to be "The Date" preceded by the single "Hell or Hallelujah" in April/May, but no words came out from the KISS camp so far...

MARCH-22-12

PAUL STANLEY TALKS MONSTER: SINGLE OUT BEFORE THE TOUR KICKS OFF
"Monster is really the culmination of everything this band has been in the past and where we're going. When we did Sonic Boom, it was a big task for us because we were saying, 'How do we define who we are today without losing who we've been?' So, that was a tall order for us, but once we got that under our belts, we wanted to go back in and 'Monster' is far, far beyond anything we've done in terms of 'Sonic Boom' and yet it's right up there with some of the best stuff we've done. It's KISS."
About a single coming soon, Stanley added: "It should be right around the time of the tour," he said. "It does have a name but we haven't chosen it yet. I think our problem right now is that we have 13 great songs and any one of them has possibilities."

JAN-07-11

NEW ALBUM UPDATE FROM PAUL AND GENE
Paul checked in with KISSOnline this morning to give us the latest update on the new KISS album:"Friday we officially completed work on the new album. Listening to the tracks back to back is like sensory overload. Everyone who has heard any of it is completely blown away. Powerful, heavy, melodic and epic.
It makes us very proud. You all will be too.
Mixing starts next week."

Gene Simmons: "KISS Studio Album is done. Great job by Paul producing. Tommy and Eric  = really kicked it up a notch. Without overstating the obvious, when you hear the album, every single track rocks. No ballads. No outside writers. No keyboards. No children's choirs. No nothin'. Just meat and potatoes."

JAN-06-11

MONSTER TITLES TRACKS REVEALED AND PAUL'S COMMENTARY

Classic Rock Magazine February issue presents 6 MONSTER's track titles and Paul's commentary!!
1 It's a long way down
2 Back to the stone age
3 Shout Mercy
4 Out Of This World
5 Wall Of Sound
6 Hell or halluja

traduzione in Italiano qui

JAN-02-12

MONSTER TO BE DONE BY THIS FRIDAY

Recently Eric Singer chatted with young KISS fan Cassius Morris and while talking about Monster recordings he revealed that drums on the album are way heavier than on Sonic Boom and that the songs really do sound more like Revenge, they'll be done with the album by this Friday. Both Eric and Tommy will sing lead, one song each while Gene's bass playing is in the mood of the early KISS days.

Also Gene Simmons referred to Monster from his site the other day:"...I have to run into the studio with Paul to finish a vocal on the forthcoming KISS studio album."

2012 will be a KISS year!! Monster is set for release May, June this year

16-12-11

MONSTER! UPDATES

Gene Simmons: Dec 15th- ...Then went over to Paul's to write with him and Tommy.

22-11-11

KISS "MONSTER" A 15 NEW SONGS COLLECTION

Recently Gene Simmons, before hitting the red carpet at the 2011 American Music Awards, revelead (see video below) that KISS' forthcoming album "Monster" will include 15 brand new songs, all studio written by the band. Together with the album a 4 foot high book and 10 hour DVD called "Monster" will be out in June. KISS will embark in a world tour in support of "Monster" that "promises to take technology to the extreme". Release date of the album is set to "a late Spring of next year"

03-11-11

GENE SIMMONS: MONSTER ALBUM RECORDED ON A 24-TRACK TAPE

Recently Gene Simmons talked to Mojo Magazine about the forthcoming Monster album, here some excerpt.“Technology is a seductive bitch, she will seduce you. You press this button, you don’t have to do anything. But analog is the love of your life. You can push real hard and it always gives back. For the new album, the actual recording process was 24-track tape and an old Trident board. And as many tubes as possible. You need tubes, electricity and thick wood to make that thick sound.”

05-10-11

MONSTER UPDATES

Tommy Thayer: "Pissing rain in LA, driving to the studio to record more vox & solos. This stuff is killer!"

26-09-11

KISS TO LAY DOWN SOME VOCALS FOR UPCOMING MONSTER

Tommy Thayer: "Just heading to 'The Nook' to meet Paul, Gene and Eric.. Gonna lay down some vocals today + maybe guitar solos too.."

07-09-11

12 SONGS RECORDED FOR MONSTER AND BOTH TOMMY AND ERIC ARE ON LEAD VOCALS

Recently Eric Singer talked with KISS Army Chile, some news on new KISS album: "Both me and Tommy sing lead. We had already recorded 12 songs but I don't how many songs will be on the album, can be 12, 11 or 10 I do not know yet because we will choose once we will finish all the songs. We will decide which will be on the album and how many, so 10 or 12 songs I do not know yet. But we recorded 12 songs."

06-09-11

GENE STILL WRITING LYRICS FOR MONSTER

From Gene's twitter account: "Slaving away on lyrics for new KISS studio album. Try to disconnect the brain and connect the gut. This one is a MONSTER."

23-08-11

GENE SIMMONS IN WRITING MODE

From Gene's twitter account:" Wrote a new song with Tommy Thayer yesterday. Rockin'."

21-08-11

KISS NEW ALBUM TITLE REVEALED (via kissonline.com)

KISS' follow-up to the critically acclaimed "Sonic Boom" album will be called "Monster." The band is currently working on the album in Los Angeles for a 2012 release. KISS is planning a massive 2012-2013 "Monster" world tour which will take the band around the globe.

16-08-11

CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE INTERVIEW, TALKING NEW ALBUM:

IT'S SONIC BOOM ON STEROIDS (thanks The Dward for the scan)

Here's an excerpt of the interview by Dave Everley. Read the rest on Classic Rock Mag.
Nearly 40 years into their career, and the fire is burning stronger than ever for Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. KISS's senior partners are back in the studio with guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer to record their 20th album. Just as 2009's Sonic Boom revitalized them as both a viable recording band and a proper unit, this new album -- recorded, like its immediate predecessor, at L.A.'s Conway Studios -- finds them more focused than ever. "KISS, over the years, has strayed," says Simmons, giving Classic Rock the exclusive low-down on the as-yet-untitled album with Stanley. "We've had bitches who didn't love us, we just liked their asses and we did them for the night. But I will say unequivocally that the new record feels honest."
How far into the album are you?
Paul Stanley: We've recorded eight tracks. Everything's on except the vocals. There'll be 10 on the album, with a couple of tracks as bonuses for different projects.
How does it build on Sonic Boom?
PS: Sonic Boom was a pivotal album in the sense that we were aware of who we were as a performing band, but we had to re-establish who we are as a recording band. That being done, this is much easier and that much more self-assured.
Gene Simmons: This new record feels heavier than Sonic Boom. It feels like there's a connection between Destroyer and Revenge.
Care to throw us a few song titles?
PS: I'd be surprised if the album didn't start with "Hell or Hallelujah." It's up-tempo, a great riff, definitive KISS. There's a track called "Born to be a Sinner," and Tommy has a song called "Out of This World" which is terrific. They're anthemic songs. That's the nature of how we write. There are no ballads.
GS: "Are You Ready?" is a new track that I worked out, wrote, and brought everyone into the studio and said: "Let's bang this out." Another of the new songs, tentatively titled "Wall of Sound," we just came up with on the spot. The guts of that song were written in 40 minutes.

16-08-11

KISS RE-ENTER THE STUDIO TOMORROW AUGUST 17

Tommy Thayer via Twitter on August 16:"At Paul's finishing up some really cool new songs. Start pre-production reheasals w/the band tomorrow."

08-07-11

TOMMY THAYER:"NEXT ALBUM WILL BE MORE RIFF-ORIENTED AND HEAVIER"
Tommy recently sat down with Dustin Schoof from "The Express-Times", talking new album, replacing Ace Frehley and inaugural Kiss Kruise. Here an excerpt on new KISS album: "The band is good. The last several years, the last two or three years, we've been on fire out there. the songs on the next album, that should be in stores by early 2012, will be "more riff-oriented" and will be slightly heavier than those on "Sonic Boom". It's going phenomenally ,we've been in the studio for several weeks. We've cut eight songs already. I've heard Paul and Gene. This is definitely some of the best stuff Kiss has ever recorded.The idea was to create a classic Kiss record going back to the roots of the early records and really try and capture that vibe. I think we did and then some of "Sonic Boom." I slowly wanted to put a little Tommy Thayer in there. I think on this record, we're taking it to the next step. We're spending a lot of time making sure it sounds like a great Kiss record."

15-06-11

NEW ALBUM PRETTY MUCH DONE?

Gene Simmons spoke to Toronto Sun: "We have all the songs arranged and written and all that. Like Sonic Boom, all the songs were written by the band. Paul is producing this one too"

07-06-11

GENE SIMMONS IN WRITING MODE

From Gene's twitter account:

"Worked on two new toons today. Heavy"

"Writing more for new KISS album.This one rocks hard."

21-05-11
NEW KISS ALBUM PUSHED BACK TO JANUARY 2012
Originally set for release this fall, the follow up to Sonic Boom will see the light of the day January 2012, this is what has been said by Gene&Paul during last day online chat with fans. Also the long awaited KISSology IV DVD will be released January nexy year.

In addition Paul revelead new album cover will be similar to the Destroyer one but painted by another artist (not Paul Stanley though).

20-05-11

TOMMY TALKS NEW ALBUM

Tommy Thayer: "Been rehearsing a new batch of GREAT tunes last 3 days.. Start tracking em tomorrow..."

04-05-11
GENE TALKS NEW ALBUM:

5 SONGS READY, BUT ALBUM RELEASE DATE NOT SURE YET

Gene Simmons was interviewed the other day on the radio show "Elliott In The Morning".(you may listen below) Besides promoting the recent new ventures he talked about the new album. KISS have now recorded 5 songs out of the demos presented to the producer Paul Stanley. The new album will be a mix between Destroyer and Revenge and it will be pure rock music all written and recorded by KISS without any help from external musicians or producers, but due to the Summer Tour commitments he's not sure yet the album will be out this year...so wait and see!!

29-04-11

GENE SIMMONS TALKS NEW ALBUM:

DESTROYER MEETS SONIC BOOM MEETS REVENGE

"It Will be Like Destroyer Meets Sonic Boom Meets Revenge...You know its going to be like Santa Claus. Up and down, everybody gets used to this and that, and things change, and fashion changes, but it's good to know that Santa comes, and he’s not going to change his outfit and you know what you’re going to get: gifts. Consistency of message"

POSSIBLE SONG TITLES:

"Wall Of Sound" and "Tell her Hallelujah" are song titles as possibly being on the new album, Gene on 95.5 KLOS.

20-04-11

KISS IN THE STUDIO

Gene, Tommy & Eric working on a song idea...

17-04-11

KISS IN THE STUDIO DAY 3 (via Gene Simmons)

Lead guitars under way on new stuff. Killer...

KISS IN THE STUDIO DAY 2

KISS IN THE STUDIO DAY 1

12-03-11

GENE SIMMONS: WE HAVE ALMOST ALL THE SONGS (via blabbermouth.net)

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons spoke with DJ JC Green of Alfa Rock 105.7 FM and Metal Messiah Radio's "Heavy Metal Thunder" program last night (Thursday, March 10) ahead of the band's March 12 concert at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in Hato Rey. Excerpts from the chat follow below. On "Sonic Boom" and its planned follow-up: "We have almost all the songs written. In fact, we have too many songs; we have about 20 to 25 things that look and sound good. And we're gonna get into the studio in about three weeks, and then we start recording. At the same time, I have to do the TV show ['Gene Simmons Family Jewels']… I mean, it's a very busy time, but the album is gonna take precedence, that's the most important thing." more