KISS : A Monster That Can't Be Tamed

KISS is at a point in their career where they don’t have to put out a new album. After 28 US Gold albums, 40 million US sales and over 100 million worldwide, they have nothing to prove to anyone, other than themselves. They don’t need to have a Top 40 hit and they definitely don’t sit around worrying if an album will go gold or platinum because none of that matters. If you’re a KISS fan, you probably thought that after the release of 1998’s Psycho Circus, there would be no more new KISS in your future. Well, funny how things change.

2009 saw the release of Sonic Boom. It was the first studio album from the band in over a decade and the first to feature the current lineup of founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons along with Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. That album and tour saw resurgence for the band. It wasn’t a platinum seller, but it proved that the band still had alot of fire in the musical furnace of this machine. Here we are three years later and the band is releasing its 20th studio album entitled Monster.

The album opens with “Hell or Hallelujah” which is the first single and was released as the band began their tour with Motley Crue this past summer. It’s a guitar driven anthem whose riff sounds a little similar to “Any Way You Slice It” from their 1985 Asylum album. Just go back and listen and see what you think. Another déjà vu happened when I listened to the song “Freak”. Now, call me crazy but it sounds a little bit like “Thief in the Night” off of their 1987 Crazy Nights album. Yet, it’s still a great song and a standout on the album.

I’m not really sure what got into Gene Simmons on this album, but he’s playing with a renewed energy and he delivers some of his strongest material in a very long time. “Back to the Stone Age” and “The Devil is Me” are two great examples of The Demon firing on all cylinders. The Stanley/Simmons track entitled “Take Me Down Below” is a (clears throat) tender love story. It’s classic KISS innuendo, which we haven’t heard in ages. It may not be Lennon and McCartney but it’s been a longtime since we’ve heard such lines as “I raised my flag and she dropped her dress”. The added touch of having Stanley and Simmons share vocal duties on this one is a major plus.

Stanley also has his fair share of shining moments on the album as well including “Freak” as well “Shout Mercy”, on which Stanley proves he still has a knack for writing a killer hook. His standout may be “Long Way Down”, which is a well crafted song with great melody and it’s infectious. The acappella intro to “Eat Your Heart Out” will probably catch you off guard, as it did me. This song is loud and fun and the harmonies on the chorus are a throwback to some of the boys early rock influences.

The new guys, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer also have lead vocal duties on the album. Thayer, in his tenth year with the band, offers up “Outta This World” which a good song and his voice sounds a little bit like Gene on this one. The chorus is pretty damn catchy too. Singer, in his sixteenth overall year with the band, offers up “All for the Love of Rock and Roll”, which didn’t blow me away, but it does allow Singer to show that he has a great voice.

 A tip of the hat needs to go to, here comes the collective moan from fans fixated on the 73-79 era of the band, Tommy Thayer. He shares writing credits on 10 of the 13 tracks on the album. A good rock song without a solo is like an Oreo with no crème. Well, Tommy offers up lots of Oreo filling on this album as he is laying down some great solos every time you turn around.

I really hate when the band is about to deliver a new album and they say it sounds like Destroyer or Revenge or a combination of both. I think a great album by any band needs to stand on its own merit. Now, I don’t think that this will go down as one of their all-time classics, but it actually is a very strong album. It’s not the Son of Destroyer or the Son of Revenge. Are they re-inventing the wheel on this one? Of course not, but they don’t sound like a band that’s about to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

Thayer and Singer were both KISS fans themselves before joining the group, which is not news to anyone. They were able to connect with Stanley and Simmons on a level that has seemed to re-energize them to some extent. Stanley may have had his hip and vocal issues and Simmons may seem determined to find more and more products to slap the KISS logo on, but they still know how to rock. Once considered all style and no substance, I think the group has finally shaken that image off. It may have taken them 40 years, but I think they have proven to the critics that they are a balance of both. They pull no punches and you get exactly what you expect from them, classic guitar driven rock and roll that’s fun.

KISS and Motley Crue: A Night of Rock and Roll Excess

“The Tour”, as it was christened at a press conference a few months ago, pulled into the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina on July 25. The crowd, despite the heat and humidity, was ready to experience two of the biggest spectacles ever in the history of rock and roll. Tonight, they were sharing the same stage and promised to bring a full production, 90 minute set of maximum rock and roll.

The Treatment, heralding from the U.K., opened up the show with a brief, yet power packed mini-set with selections from their debut album This Might Hurt. After a short break, the curtain covering Motley Crue’s stage dropped and the house lights went down. Scantily clad girls holding Motley Crue signs marched their way across the walkway from one side of the amphitheater to the other. In the middle of this precession were both Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx from the Crue. They made their way to the stage and the show began with a pyrotechnics bang.

Motley Crue’s show was filled with theatrics including stilt walkers, scantily clad female back-up singers, girls suspended by tapestries above Tommy's drum kit and a ton of pyro. The band sounded tight even though poor Mick Mars can barely move around the stage because of his ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine and pelvis. Don’t let that fool you though; the guy still plays like a beast. Speaking of playing, drummer Tommy Lee brought along his roller coaster drum kit from last summer’s tour. He even took a lucky fan along for the topsy turvy ride.

Motley Crue’s set was hit filled and included such Crue classics as “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Dr. Feelgood” and “Home Sweet Home”. They even included their new single “Sex”, which got a decent reaction from the rowdy crowd. Speaking of reaction, bassist Nikki Sixx and his newly found syndicated fame thanks to his radio show The Sixth Sense got the biggest crowd reaction of all the Crue members. It seemed as if every time he spoke, the crowd would cheer wildly.

The Crue exited the stage and the tear down began as the road crew attacked the stage at a fever pace. They were tearing down the Crue’s set and clearing things out for the huge KISS stage show. After a brief period, the big, black curtain with the KISS logo on it dropped down covering the front of the stage and the crowd was brought to its feet. Then, the anticipation stated to build.

Then, the intro known to millions worldwide began to bellow over the PA system. “Alright Charlotte, you wanted the best, you got the best, the hottest band in the world….KISS!!!!” The curtain dropped and “Detroit Rock City” began to ring out. The guys were lowered down from the ceiling. Yes, we have seen this stage intro before, so that part was a small disappointment.

The band stuck close to the original make-up days playing such KISS classics as “Black Diamond”, “Love Gun” (during which Stanley flew out into the audience) and “Firehouse” (which saw Simmons breathe fire). They did include their new single “Hell or Hallelujah”, which sounded really good, and one non-make-up classic “Lick It Up”. Simmons also did his blood spitting routine and then flew to the rafters to sing his trademark song “God of Thunder”. "War Machine" sounded almost as menacing as the looks Gene was directing towads the cameras throughout the song.

Stanley and Simmons were particularly animated on this night in Charlotte, NC and seemed in great spirits. Guitarist Tommy Thayer, who is still receiving criticism for wearing the Spaceman makeup even though he has now for almost ten years, sounded just as sharp as ever, although not as animated towards the crowd. The band included all their trademarks including lots of pyro, cherry pickers that raised Simmons and Thayer almost to the top of the amphitheater, Stanley smashed his guitar in half and drummer Eric Singer’s drum kit was raised high in the air also. Oh yeah, “Rock and Roll All Night” was the finale and the confetti covered everyone as far back as the eye could see. No matter how many times I experience that, it never gets old.

Now, for the bad stuff. Vince Neil of Motley Crue still manages to mumble his way through songs. KISS have been coming out at each show and mentioning a curfew that won’t allow them to play any longer. It seems the truth of the matter is that it’s taking much longer to tear down the Crue’s stage to get ready for KISS to come out. This has cut into each band’s playtime with each one clocking in, on average, 75 minutes. That’s not exactly the 90 minute sets that we had been promised. KISS’ set list has become somewhat stale and needs to change up a bit. There are so many non-makeup songs that could be included into the set that would go over big with the crowd. “Heaven’s On Fire” and “Forever” are just two examples.

Overall, it was a great show. You had one up and coming band that sounded great and two legendary bands that have been doing their thing for 30 years (Motley Crue) and 40 years (KISS) and show no signs of slowing down. These two bands definitely know how to throw a party when it comes to a concert. It was a rarity to see anyone sitting down on this eventful night, unless they were just catching their breath. On this hot and humid night in Charlotte, KISS solidified why they are still called the hottest band in the world.

Super bob......Different Name, Same Rock And Roll Attitude

Washington, DC. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? President Obama? The White House? Politics? Probably alot of negative stuff involving the government is the first thing that comes to alot of people’s minds. Yet, there is something refreshing coming out of DC that just may take the country by storm.

They go by the name of Super bob, although they played under the name bob for many years. That story will come later. I discovered these guys by accident one night when I went to a club in North Carolina to see another band and I happened to get there early. You know how sometimes you want to go late so that you don’t have to sit through some lame group while waiting for the good stuff to begin? Boy, was I about to be pimp slapped into paying attention to who this band was setting up their equipment.

Four young guys were up there and two were pretty average looking while the other two consisted of a guy with very long dreads and another with shorter, multi-colored dreads and tats. Ok, that did catch my attention a little bit. Then, the sampled music began to play over the PA system and their first song began. It was shaking up a hot soda and then letting the lid off. The guys just erupted on the stage and began jumping all around and slinging instruments and totally killed it. They grabbed your attention and refused to let you go. Their sound is like a hybrid of Korn and Rage Against The Machine and early Red Hot Chili Peppers, yet they do it in a way that makes it their own, not like they are imitating another.

That was over a year ago and I finally caught up with these guys shortly after the release of their new CD “Rock n Roll” at a small venue in VA before their show.

JP: “Hey guys, first off thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I saw you last year at the Somewhere Else Tavern in North Carolina and you totally blew my mind. I had never heard of you guys before, but you won me over that night. You were amazing. I was trying to find some stuff online about you and how things got started. Can you catch me up to speed?”

Adam: “Well, Matt and I have been friends since we were really little and we always knew that this was what we wanted to do. In our first band, Matt played bass and I sang. I didn’t like the sound of my voice for what we were attempting to do so we switched.”

Matt: “Yea, I didn’t really think that I had a great voice but it just worked. Drew, he used to be our sound guy, but he sucked at it. He was the world’s worst sound guy! So, we needed a drummer and he learned the set in like a week and a half. Then Carl came in and this lineup has been together since 2004.”

JP: “The name bob, which of course is now Super bob, how did you guys decide on that for a name?”

Matt: “Well, we just wanted something simple. You know, a name that everybody would get. You see the name and you have no idea what we will sound like but after hearing us, you always associate our sound when you see that name.”

Adam: “Yea, kinda like Korn, plus we wanted it to look good on a sticker. As far as the name goes, it was something that we decided to do because another artist had a similar name and we just went ahead and instead of waiting, we decided to change it. We wanted to keep our logo and just add an adjective. So far, it has been a smooth transition.”

JP: “So, tell us about the early days of the band.”

Adam: “Oh, we sucked! Well, musically we did. We went to see Korn and we knew that’s what we wanted to do. I high energy type show, not just stand around.”

Matt: “Yea, the fans were always commenting on how great we were on stage and how they loved the show. We are always pushing each other on stage to be better.”

JP: “With the way you guys are always jumping around on stage, there have got to be alot of accidents.”

Adam: “About every month and a half, we usually have some sort of accident. Carl has gone through several stages. Matt’s back has been sliced open with a guitar before.”

Matt: “Six seconds before a sold-out show at the 9:30 Club in DC, I blew my ankle out. I tore the tendon off the bone and proceeded to do the rest of the show on one foot.”

JP: “I am amazed that nothing worse has happened to you guys with the energy that you bring to the stage. Let’s hope tonight’s show is accident free.”

The guys are touring no win support of their second CD entitled “Rock n Roll”. The stage to them is their ring and they dare you to step in. They are on a crusade to save rock and roll and they will not take no for an answer. Powered by a diet of crack and steroids, they let you know who they are and that they mean business from the start. Just listen to track one of their new CD. The song, “Pleasure To Meet You”, lets the listener know that they are not just “another played out radio song”. Carl’s pounding bass and Adam’s crunching guitar riffs combined with Drew’s amazing back beat has created am amped up sound for them that is very contagious. One listen and you cannot help but to bob, no pun intended, your head long with it.

“Push” is an awesome song that is more in the vein of one of their influences Korn. One of my favorite songs on the CD is entitled “Coffee and Guns” and is both lyrically and musically one of the standout tracks on the disc.

The guys told me that they tried different things on this CD because they wouldn’t have to be performing them in their live set. They experimented with acoustic guitars, like on “Lonely as It Takes” and “El Chupacabra” as well as some new electronic tricks of their own.

Their set that night in Roanoke had the crowd in that tiny club on their feet the entire time. No matter the size of the venue, these guys bring it 110% each and every performance. They tour up and down the East coast doing 120 dates last year and looking to surpass 150 this year. It’s that old school mentality of bringing it to the people live and proving themselves that is making believers out of people. Check them out on Facebook or at www.myspace.com/bobband or www.superbobmusic.com.

If these guys hit a club anywhere near you, then drop what you are doing and take the time to check them out. If you are a fan of Rage Against The Machine or Korn, then their sound will be right for you. It is an addictive combination that they have put together. Carl lets his bass do the talking as he pounces around on stage. Adam is very energetic and likes to snarl out at the audience and get the crowd involved and feel like part of the show. Drew, hide behind his drums is always working up a sweat providing the back beat for these guys. Matt, what can we say about Matt that hasn’t already been said. A guy who is more energetic than a daycare class on a fieldtrip to the zoo! His unique multi-colored dreads make him stand out and his unique voice is insane. These boys are old school believers in hard work, blood, sweat and tears...well, not sure about the tears part. Check out their crusade to keep rock and roll alive.

American Sixgun (Formerly Switchblade Killers): The New Rock and Roll Militia

American Sixgun were out of their element this summer. Instead of being in a smoke filled bar, they decided to take part in the Vans Warped Tour. "We definitely do not fit in here! The crowds have been great, they’ve been very receptive; actually a lot better than we expected," said lead singer Zach Neil.


I saw the band play in Charlotte, NC on the Warped Tour and spoke to them shortly after their rain filled set. "Yeah, this is our fifth show as a band. We seem to play right about the time a rain shower is coming along. We’re kind of like the underdog on this tour. It’s like us and Shooter (Jennings), the great American musicians who are not being produced right now. We want to work with Shooter and maybe go out on the road. We’re working on him about that. Each night we end up smoking his pot and he drinks our whiskey!" said Zach.

The band plays a style of rock that is sorely missing in music today. " We’re going back to the rock that we grew up with. We’re influenced by Zepplin ,Sabbath, Guns and Roses, Motley Crue and pretty much all rock between 1968 and 1989. The rock show seems to be missing these days. There are a lot of sissy bands on this tour and a lot of bs going on. We’re the rock and roll militia and we’re here to show this kids how to rock," responded drummer Mike Lucchetti and Bassist Tim O’Grady.

The band’s name definitely does not in any way resemble a sissy band. "We wanted something badass, an American badass name. Switchblades were associated with gangs in the fifties. It just paints a picture of who were are about," said guitarist Josh Bodwell. Shortly after this interview, the band was forced to change their name to American Sixgun.

Their debut CD is entitled "The Devil In Your Bones" and it is pure testosterone driven rock and roll. "Let It Ride" is one of my favorite tracks and it has a sort of sixties feel to it. "Friends And Lovers" has a Guns and Roses meets Buckcherry groove. "All For Lovin’ You" is a tongue in cheek song with very insightful lyrics. The entire CD is showcase for this up and coming band.

If you are hungry for some "ballsy" rock and roll that has more substance than style, then these are your guys. They put their main focus on writing great songs and performing them live. These guys are putting the swagger back in rock and roll. Go to their My Space and check them out and relive your glory days when rock and roll actually did rock.