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March 30th-
Lots of activity.
Finishing up filming Season IV of GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS (20 new episodes). It will debut in June. However, as some of you have noticed (in other countries), our show is played year 'round. We are seen around the world in many languages. Some are dubbed, some are sub-titled. From New Zealand, to South Africa. From Argentina to Russia and Finland. 84 countries!!!
KISS' First New Studio Album -- check out KISSONLINE.COM for all the latest news.
KISS' South American Stadium Tour begins April 3rd in Santiago, Chile. Check out KISSONLINE.COM for ticket info.
Just finalized a few new deals -- one for a new KISS book...and moving our COMIC BOOK lines to a new company -- one of the biggest...
We have a Financial Product we're working on that's shaping up to be (perhaps) the biggest venture we've ever undertaken. Can't say more at this time.
KISSTERIA, our TV Special for A&E will air sometime in the fall.
We're also developing a NEW TV SHOW (soon to be announced) for Network.
And, we are Producing a FILM that's about to start shooting in the near future.
Looks like there's an ANIMATION DEAL that's not too far from the finish line. If and when it's done, it will enable us to fund and own our own animated cartoon show.
Working on a New GUITAR deal -- that will bring you a full, musical line - GENE SIMMONS AXE BASSES and guitars and GENE SIMMONS PUNISHERS and guitars...amps, mics, straps...the works.
My long in the works GENE SIMMONS BOX SET ("Alter Ego") will probably see the light of day in the fall and (looks like) will contain 150 songs that have never been released.
March 25th-
GENE SIMMONS AND DR. PEPPER TEAM UP
Spent the day with the nice people at Dr. Pepper, who loaded me down with a day's full of press and media. TV, Radio and Print.
Here's the commercial. You'll notice as soon as my Young, Studly Son comes into frame, he steals the show.
Click below to watch.
March 24th-
It's a busy time.
KISS is recording its first new album in 10 years and we're rehearsing for the South American Stadium Tour, which starts April 1st. Then we head to start the Canadian Tour. Check out KISSONLINE.COM for all the latest news.
We are also finishing Season IV of GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS. We debut in June on A&E.
Our SIMMONS RECORDS co-venture with UNIVERSAL MUSIC is doing well and we are about to announce some of our first signings.
SIMMONS COMICS GROUP (our venture that has titles like: DOMINATRIX, ZIPPER and GENE SIMMONS HOUSE OF HORRORS) is about to make a big announcement.
SIMMONS BOOKS/Phoenix Books did well with my LADIES OF THE NIGHT book, a Best Seller on the LA Times Best Selling list.
MONEYBAG clothing line is gearing up with lots of new, cool stuff. You'll soon see it out there.
We did a DR. PEPPER commercial, which should be on the air at the beginning of the month.
SIMMONS ABRAMSON is continuing to do well, with our new client FIND.COM.
NGTV.COM. If you don't know what it is, you're obviously not one of the 360,000,000 (360 million!!!) video clicks that have checked it out.
March 17th-
Our SIMMONS RECORDS joint venture with UNIVERSAL MUSIC in Canada is moving along nicely.
I was invited to be the Keynote Speaker at the CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK event. Lots of kiosks, clubs and 500 bands (!!!) pllayed around town. We saw DOWN WITH WEBSTER, who just killed. Love this band. Perhaps they will sign with us. Perhaps not.
Met a 19 year old talent in the lobby of the hotel in the middle of the night, in front of 50 onlookers. She started singing acapella...and I was floored. We are looking into this young talent and before we announce her name, we will see where this goes.
Meantime, the press (some good, ethical journalists, and others who simply rabble rouse) were there in droves. As is my wont, I respond in kind to courteous people and have no problem crucifying those who believe they can hide behind their blogs (and their mommy's skirts).
One case in particular, had to be punished. In front of an audience....because he wanted this, and apparently liked it. Not to worry, any time he wants more public flogging, he knows where to come to. Plenty more where that came from.
You are welcome to go to SIMMONS RECORDS.COM and view the video.
New letters posted...
KISS comes to Bialik College in Melbourne Australia. My Daughter Hannah and her best friend Lily as members of KISS and the KISS army. They are the best original act of the day.
New letters posted...
Hello Gene
I'm 40 years old and have been a KISS fan since I was about 8 years old. I get a thrill everytime I see anything on tv or the movies that mentions or has anything to do with KISS. I recently just seen the movie Role Models with Sean Williams Scott who in the movie is a big KISS fan. The movie also has the main characters do larp (live action role play) and they were dressed as KISS characters in a midevil battles. It was so cool. I thought you would like to know in case you didn't.
THANKS
KISS FAN FOREVER- Mark
March 12th-
KISS FEATURED IN BURRN! MAGAZINE
03/11/2009
KISSONLINE.comTo celebrate the release of the KISSOLOGY DVD in Japan, the April issue of BURRN! magazine features a huge KISS special! Gene graces the cover of the issue and there is also a 9 page KISS section that includes interviews with Paul and Gene.
KISSOLOGY will be released in Japan on March 25.
Thanks to Keith Tarrier for sending us the info on the issue.
For more on this and other stories, go to KISSONLINE.COM.
The only Official KISS Internet Site.
FANS TUNE MUST-SEE LISTS AS CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK HITS TORONTO
Saira Peesker, cp24.com
Tue Mar. 10 2009 9:51:57 AMToronto's music geeks are tuning their must-see lists and preparing for a string of late nights as Canadian Music Week rolls into town, filling downtown venues with five days of concerts, seminars and music-related films.
Now in its 27th year, the event brings together the major players in the country's music industry, supplementing them with acts and speakers from around the world.
KISS frontman and media mogul Gene Simmons will rock the event from the keynote speaker's position, discussing his life in the spotlight and his other business endeavors.
SIMMONS AND STRONACH HOPE TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TOGETHER
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
March 10, 2009 at 11:12 PM EDT
The blood-spewing, kabuki demon is happy to talk “360 marketing” and the search for teen acts to tailor into the next big thing – even a Jonas Brothers-like boy band, if that's what it takes.
“I'd like to sign three acts the first year,” said Gene Simmons by phone from Beverly Hills, Calif., about his new Canadian record label. He's in Toronto tomorrow to make a keynote speech at Canadian Music Week, taking a break from recording KISS's first studio album in 10 years. Although, he quickly noted, the band is in no hurry to finish the album any time soon, not when Simmons has so many other pots on the stove, including his newly resurrected record label, Simmons Records.
If it's unlikely to think of Simmons, who drooled blood on the cover of KISS Alive! II, looking for squeaky clean teen bands – an even stranger image is his business partnership with ex-politico Belinda Stronach, now back in the fold as executive vice-chair of Magna International, and a silent investor in Simmons Records.
But is it such an about face? The KISS bassist turned marketing whiz, turned reality-TV celebrity, turned record-label front man has always had business in his makeup. The result of all that stage paint, platform boots, pyrotechnics and blood-red food colouring are the more than 2,500 licensing deals KISS has signed, according to Simmons's website.
The resurrection of Simmons Records, which had a less than spectacular existence under the BMG umbrella in the 1980s, came about through a deal with Universal Music Canada, hence the focus on Canadian acts.
The head of Universal Canada, Randy Lennox, has been conspicuously in the market for partnerships with new, unconventional record and media companies, such as his involvement with the Toronto-based upstart WIDEawake Entertainment Group, which recently bought the back catalogue recordings of the Death Row rap label.
Simmons's marketing company, Simmons Abramson Marketing, had been working with Magna Entertainment's horse-racing operations. Meanwhile, Simmons had gotten to know Stronach further when they were exploring potential real-estate investments.
But with Magna Entertainment now in bankruptcy protection and real estate having lost its lustre, Stronach is now investing in a record label which has, it must be said, a highly bankable public face. Simmons is currently filming the latest season of his domesticated rock-star-father reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels, and he has a hand in everything from a line of clothing to comic books. You can even buy T-shirts with Simmons's face embossed on a $100 U.S. bill with the captions “Go Green With Gene” and “Gene Simmons for President.”
“I love getting up every day and filling it with as much as I can, otherwise I'd be home watching I Love Lucy,” Simmons said.
He thinks a record label should handle all aspects of a band, from image to songwriting, in the same vein as Motown. And every career move should be carried out with an eye out for tie-ins with licensing deals, TV, movies, you name it – that “360-degree” approach to marketing.
Simmons was a little short on the specifics about where his new label has gone since November when word got out about its development. Then as now, Simmons has been touting the Toronto party rap band Down With Webster, which Simmons confirms he's “unabashedly” clamouring to sign. There is still no signed deal, although he's hopeful. He also suggested, despite his Henry Higgins talk of grooming for success, that he would need to do little, if anything to ready that group for the charts.
Just last weekend, an e-mail circulated by the Ottawa band Rudeboy claims that Simmons has been phoning Craig Simon's house and sending e-mails to say how much he likes the group. Simmons apparently also added in the message that “as a fan of the Special and the English Beat, let me say how much I enjoyed your stuff.” Gene Simmons and ska?
Ultimately, Simmons is open to all ideas. “I'm looking for the next U2 and Led Zeppelin. The only thing that matters is ‘Do you have the goods?'“ he says, but adds “it's not enough to be [just] a band.”
Meanwhile, he's getting set for a stadium tour of South America with KISS, before a swing back to Canada for a few gigs in July. Tomorrow, during Simmons's keynote speech at Canadian Music Week, expect a lot more talk about 360-degree marketing, branding and making the impossible possible. As he likes to say, “TV, music, politics, we're all in the same business. You need to use any and every tool possible in this really difficult economic period.”
Click here to check out all the latest news from Simmons Records:
March 9th-
Just came out of seeing WATCHMEN...and, no matter what you do, and no matter what Jeffrey Lyons (critic) or Entertainment Weekly (2 stars) say, go see this film. If you liked 300 by Zach Snyder (director), you will be blown away by this film. A grown up, dramatic and thought provoking movie -- which just happens to be in an 'alternative universe" that has super heros.
A killer movie. Go see it.
New letters posted...
dear mr simmons
I was wondering if and when you are coming back to tv. we loved watching you and your family. just wanted you to know that your kids for being rock stars kids have been given good morals and respect. but yet they still have a life for them selfs.
thanks, tammy
Response from Gene:Nice of you to say those things. Yes. GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS Season IV coming this June, with 20 New Episodes.
New letters posted...
Gene,
here's another one for the "KISS is everywhere" file, this time from an episode of Beavis & Butthead entitled "The Great Cornholio".
You guys are ubiquitous.
Response from Gene:
Ubiquitous!!!.... You're a powerful and attractive man.
March 6th-
KISS BEGINS SOUTH AMERICA STADIUM TOUR IN APRIL
For more on this and other stories, go to KISSONLINE.COM.
The only Official KISS Internet Site.
New letters posted...
Hi Mr. Simmons
I was Gene Simmons at Super Bowl 2009! I made a costume by myself.. I’m so proud of Me! To be You! People called me “Hey Gene stick you tongue out” But I cant.. I don’t have a long tongue like you J anyways..i’m a girl
My husband loves KISS and if you are on tour I want to go see you and wear my costumes..
Thank you Mr. Simmons
Tickey Barker
March 2nd -
KISS PARADE CONQUERS CARNIVAL IN BRAZIL
The 2009 Rio Parade at Carnivale in Brazil, featured the entire troupe dressed in my KISS makeup. Amazing.
For more on this and other stories, go to KISSONLINE.COM.
The only Official KISS Internet Site.
March 1st-
New Lady in Waiting!
Ariana
