UCR: Talking about Family Jewels, there are a lot of people who are skeptical of how real any of these reality shows really are….
Simmons: "That’s okay. Here’s the answer to that, turn the channel (laughs). Nobody’s forcing you to watch anything. Look, I got married – it’s real. Shannon and I burned the photos of the girls I’ve been taking through the years – that’s real, babe. She wanted to adopt a kid – Nick, Sophie and myself are not for it – that’s real."
UCR: You definitely have a lot of things going on and one of those things is a new Kiss album. How would you describe Monster from your perspective and when can we expect to hear the album?
Simmins: "Paul produced it, because he’s got a clear mind and time to think in those terms. I don’t have the ability and the attention span anymore to do that. We’ve both produced outside the band and both have produced Kiss albums before, but this was the right decision. (The material is) all band-written. We sat together in the same room for the first time in decades and came up with some pretty classic stuff. It could be one of our top two or three records ever.
It’s going to be the year of the Monster when the album comes out. 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. My favorite records are band records where nobody is trying to take over and push their weight around.
There’s also going to be a 10-hour DVD called Monster coming out, which is going to be Kissology number four, the fourth one in our series. The first three sold 20-times platinum – they’re monsters. There’s going to be a four-foot book – literally – called Monster. It’s so heavy that it has its own legs, because you physically cannot pick it up. It weighs, get ready for this, 45 pounds."
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KISS are rolling out into London in July and taking over the UK with not just a single release, but also a book release and an intimate show at London’s Forum on July 4th.
The band will be performing to their KISS Army of fans at the celebrated London venue for one night only as a fundraiser for the Help For Heroes charity. The band has always supported the US troops at their gigs over the years but this year, on Independence Day, the US rockers will be backing our wounded, sick and injured servicemen and women by raising money with this unique concert. All proceeds from the concert will go to the charity.
The show is now officially sold out.
Ahead of the new KISS album, Monster (due out in the fall), the band will also be releasing a single on July 2nd. Also, KISS are happy to announce that they will further be raising funds for our wounded, sick and injured troops as all proceeds from the single will be donated to Help For Heroes.
Paul Stanley states: "The greatest national treasure of any free country is the army that defends it at all cost. Bringing attention to the obligation we all share to those returning heroes has been our mission in the US and now the UK. We pay tribute to those brave men and women and urge everyone to show their thanks with donations".
Bryn Parry CEO and Co-founder of Help For Heroes, “We are absolutely delighted to have the support from KISS and are certain the concert will be a huge success! The money raised will be used to provide direct, practical support to those wounded in the service of our country. We have already spent or allocated £millions and we have a shopping list of future projects that will ensure they get the very best. We may not be able to prevent them from being hurt but we can certainly do our bit to help them get better.”
When the world’s most visual band release anything, everyone notices. And the launch of their latest book is no different! KISS Monster is a collection of artworks, 126 photos from the band’s 40-year career including never-before-seen images from the world’s greatest rock photographers.
Not known to do things by halves, KISS Monster really is a beast of a book at approximately 3ft high, by 2.5 ft wide and 2 inches thick. HUGE in fact! It weighs approximately 4 stone. A must for fans of the band, KISS Monster will be available fully signed by all 4 band members and limited to only 1,000 copies worldwide.
Experience KISS in their natural environment, up close and alive on stage with KISS at The Forum, performing the single from their upcoming album Monster and get the KISS Monster book.
