We haven't had one of these in a long time so.. I desided to try this out :)<BR>-----------------------<BR>The atrist(s) of the day.. are not country.. but with the New album release from Garth.. I think it is only fair to have this :)<BR>-----------------------<BR>Here we go......<BR>In December 1971 Gene and Paul, using the money provided by Epic Records for the aborted record attempt, rented the famous loft at 10th East 23rd Street in New York. This would remain their base of operations for quite a while after the demise of Wicked Lester MK. II. The whole premise of the style that they wanted to pursue was now a matter of cutting the excesses out of the music. Lester had been experimental, and somewhat eclectic, with a lack of unity. What started out, in the case of Molly, as a tribute to the McCartney style, became overblown, over-bearing, and over the top. Gene states, "so we decided to just strip away all the fat and get to basics" (KKO), and the premise of <B>KISS</B> was born. Simplistic, perhaps, but "it's hairy gorilla music" (Bass Player), and pretty far apart from the direction Wicked Lester were taking. Soon Paul and Gene knew that they were going to require a drummer, and to that end they scoured the music trade papers until they came accross a simple add in the April (East Coast) Edition of Rolling Stone stating, "Drummer with eleven years experience willing to do anything to make it"... Enter Peter Criscoula, the final member of Wicked Lester Mk. III who "signed on" with Gene and Paul in May 1972. The logic behind Peter's inclusion, apart from the positive facts of Peter not being fat, the "visual" acceptability of him, was his style. Gene didn't want an excessive John Bonham style drummer in the band. He states, there's "something about Ringo and Charlie Watts not being great drummers kept the band basic" (KKO) which would be more appropriate as the band moved towards the more visual. During the remainder of the year Gene (and the others) would start to develop the songs which would become standards later while he would also finally leave teaching, after figuring out that it was being in front of a class and being the center of attention that he was really motivated by. Gene, like Peter, eventually started doing radio commercials for AMC trucks, and as a result of this managed to get a gig singing backing-vocals on two tracks on ex-Laura Nyro backing singer Lyn Christopher's album. This album, released in early 1973 on Paramount records, is Gene's (and Paul's) first professional credit, and his first using his "new" name as Gene Simmons. In January 1973 guitarist Paul "Ace" Frehley was added to the band, the Wicked Lester name finally dropped, and <B>KISS</B> was born. For the rest of that year the band honed their skills, show, and tunes, before embarking on their conquest of the World. While it would take 2 years, from the formation of the band to the time that <B><I>Alive!</I></B> finally broke the band into the big time, Gene would become the central character of the band with his towering blood-spitting, fire-breathing, 6' 3" frame... The rest is <B>KISStory</B>.<BR>********************<BR>Members:<BR><I>Gen e Simmons</I> - <B>THE DEMON</B><BR>-Birthday:<BR>--Aug. 25, 1949<BR>-Birth Place:<BR>--Haifa, Israel<P><I>Paul Stanley</I> - <B>THE STARCHILD</B><BR>-Birthday:<BR>--Jan. 20, 1952<BR>-Birth Place:<BR>--Queens, NY<P><I>Peter Criss</I> - <B>Catman</B><BR>-Birthday:<BR>--Dec. 20, 1945<BR>-Birth Place:<BR>--Brooklyn, NY <P><I>ACE FREHLEY</I><BR>-Birthday:<BR>--Apr. 27, 1951<BR>-Birth Place:<BR>--Bronx, NY <BR>*************************<BR>THE ALBUMS<P>KISS - Released: February 18, 1974<BR>HOTTER THAN HELL - 10/22/74<BR>DRESSED TO KILL - 3/19/75<BR>ALIVE! - 9/10/75<BR>DESTROYER - 3/15/76<BR>THE ORIGINALS - 7/21/76<BR>ROCK AND ROLL OVER - 11/11/76<BR>LOVE GUN - 6/30/77<BR>ALIVE II - 10/14/77<BR>DOUBLE PLATINUM - 4/2/78<BR>GENE SIMMONS - 9/18/78<BR>ACE FREHLEY - 9/18/78<BR>PETER CRISS - 9/18/78<BR>PAUL STANLEY - 9/18/78<BR>DYNASTY - 5/23/79<BR>UNMASKED - 5/20/80<BR>MUSIC FROM "THE ELDER" - 11/10/81<BR>CREATURES OF THE NIGHT - 10/13/82<BR>LICK IT UP - 9/18/83<BR>ANIMALIZE - 9/13/84<BR>ASYLUM - 9/16/85<BR>CRAZY NIGHTS - 9/18/87<BR>SMASHES, THRASHES AND HITS - 11/16/88<BR>HOT IN THE SHADE - 10/17/89<BR>REVENGE - 5/14/92<BR>ALIVE III - 5/18/93<BR>MTV UNPLUGGED - 3/12/96<BR>YOU WANTED THE BEST... YOU'VE GOT THE BEST - 6/25/96<BR>GREATEST KISS - 4/8/97<BR>CARNIVAL OF SOULS: THE FINAL SESSIONS - 10/28/97<BR>PSYCO CIRCUS - 1998<BR>********************<BR>Official Site: <A HREF="http://www.kissonline.net" TARGET=_blank>www.kissonline.net</A> <BR>********************<P>Jason :)<BR>N
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