Actu!!!!

INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR ALAN G. PARKER



L4LM Exclusive Interview: Alan G. Parker – Director of Upcoming KISS Documentary

Live for Live Music was fortunate enough to get an exclusive interview with filmmaker Alan G. Parker, who is currently working on the official KISS documentary, which is set for release in theaters in 2014. We discuss everything from the film, working with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Lydia Criss, and the entire KISS crew, and the difficulties of pleasing everyone involved, to his obvious admiration and fan status for the band and what it is like to be a member of the Kiss Army directing the official documentary on them.

-Bob Wilson

KISS has an official documentary being filmed now, to be released in theaters in 2014 from Universal Studios. Lydia Criss, Richie Fontana, and director Alan G. Parker talked to Live For Live Music music with some insider info for the faithful in the Kiss Army. Lydia is the former wife of Kiss drummer Peter Criss, and is a Kiss historian and archivist, as seen in her book SEALED WITH A KISS. Richie Fontana is her longtime flame, and drummed on the first four tracks of Paul Stanley‘s 1978 solo album.

Parker is the chosen director for the new Kiss project entitled YOU WANTED THE BEST…YOU GOT THE BEST (coming in 2014). His past films include HELLO QUO! (2013), NEVER MIND THE SEX PISTOLS, WHO KILLED NANCY (2010), MONTY PYTHON: ALMOST THE TRUTH (2009) and REBEL TRUCE: THE STORY OF THE CLASH (2007). Lydia Criss said that she was on “Gene’s wish list” (no, not that wish list!), of subjects to be interviewed for the film. She was first “approached via email”, but she was not immediately certain that the project was for her. At first she “hemmed and hawed”, but then she came around, deciding to participate.

Then, about two months later, Parker came to film her in her apartment with a “six person crew.” Parker is described by Lydia as being a “big Kiss fan”, and as making her feel at ease during “a three hour interview.” Lydia joked that perhaps she was desirable for the project because she “was there”, as they say. As well as being one of those who were on the scene who “still have their memory intact.” Lydia’s longtime beau Richie Fontana remarked that the group of ex-wives and musician friends comprise “a family.” With the Billy Squier-led band Piper, Fontana “opened for Kiss at the groups Madison Square Garden shows on the band’s LOVE GUN TOUR” in 1977. Both bands were managed by the Bill Aucoin Firm, so they knew of one another. In fact, when Peter Criss left Kiss, Fontana was considered as his replacement. “My name came up in discussions, but Kiss had not ‘unmasked’ yet.” Had Fontana not been in publications such as CIRCUS MAGAZINE in photos with his band PIPER, he may have joined Kiss instead of Eric Carr in 1980. The Kiss mystique required someone that the public had not seen without makeup before.

For the Madison Square Garden shows, Fontana recalls a “giant bottle of Tanqueray and fruit” arriving to celebrate his birthday on December 17th, and a limousine arriving to drive him to the shows. Today, Lydia meets fans at Kiss conventions, and signs copies of her book and photos for avid fans. One such convention was held recently in Helsinki, Finland, with the band also in town for a show on June 3rd, 2013. Lydia attended, and remarked that this was her “first Kiss show since the Psycho Circus Tour which featured all four original Kiss members onstage through parts of 1998 and 1999. She was given “ground level seats, but we didn’t want to (stay) there.” So she “switched seats” with some appreciative fans, and she watched the show from the perch from which the professional rock photographer took the shots depicting the band’s Helsinki show (see photos). “Paul Stanley designed most of the stage, and lighting”, and she remarked it was the most impressive such design she had seen since her lens focused on the band Queen.

Last week, Lydia said Kiss (with new members Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer) were running around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Simmons and Stanley were said to be in full makeup, but wearing suits (which brings to mind the band’s classic 1975 DRESSED TO KILL album cover). Lydia said she did not see the performance, but the group apparently played in New York’s Greenwich Village. Lydia went on to say that we can look forward to the likes of Jimmy Page, David Coverdale, and Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee to also be interviewed in the forthcoming film.

Now we move on to the thoughts of Alan G. Parker:

PART 2: INTERVIEW with ALAN G. PARKER

L4LM: You have been reported as a KISS fan, as well as a rock documentarian. -Do the two lines cross, and if so how do you deal with that?

Alan: This one is a big one, capitol B, it’s the one I wanted to make from as far back as I remember… I first joined the KISS ARMY when I was 14! So that’s 34 years of commitment in any language… Am I a fan? Yes, a totally rabid one with a collection that grows almost every week!! But, am I clever enough to step back and look at the whole story rather than my favorite bits?… Yes of course, I have to be that too, understanding the format of good documentary is the only way we made Python, Quo or Nancy work… You just have to remove yourself from the subject matter enough to see it through new eyes…

L4LM: What has the band asked you to produce (what point of view)?

Alan: The idea is to produce a long form cinematic documentary, somewhere in the area of two hours plus, which travels a time line from Wicked Lester, or if you like Paul & Gene actually first meeting, right up to present day with ‘Monster’ and, of course, The Spider Tour… And everything that fills the gaps for those 40 years in-between… Of course being KISS there is no shortage of the ‘everything’ we need to fill those gaps!

L4LM: How will the points of view of Ace and Peter be covered?

Alan: At first, being the fan, I was more than happy for both Ace & Peter to be in the movie, as indeed were the group and it’s management, but then to some degree the none-sense began, he wants this… He said that… I’m taking my ball home so no one can play! We made everything so easy for them to be involved, and like so many times before they made everything difficult about being involved… In the end, we decided to give them their say, and they will be in the movie… But via archive… Life is too short for that kind of stuff… But remember this, the door was always 100% open for both of them…

L4LM: Lydia Criss mentioned that she was on Gene’s “wish list”? Anyone else on that list you can tell us about?

Alan: Before we shot a second of interview footage, the group gave us a wish list of people they would like to take part… It was a long list too… Including people from behind the scenes and a number of famous rock stars… Every effort was made to contact all the people on that list… Lydia would always have been on my list because I loved her book, but I wasn’t sure what everyone else thought about me speaking with ex-wives! But, all fairness to Gene, from the day I first mentioned her name he was very much “Sure, she must be in it!”…

L4LM: What areas did you delve into with Lydia Criss, if you can tease us with a bit of what to look forward to?

Alan: All kinds of everything. Her memory for a story is incredible… She tells it very much like it is/was too… I’m not one for teasing at this stage, I’ve no idea what will make the cut… We still have a long way to go yet… But just lets say nobody is going to be disappointed by her… Or any of her stories…

L4LM: Any exciting concert footage, and maybe a soundtrack for us to look forward to?

Alan: Oh boy, we have mountains of footage covering all areas of the groups existence… I have a huge bootleg collection too! So I will be doing a lot of digging before I do any gardening!! As with the previous documentaries that we have made, I’ll make sure there is footage included for die-hard fans and a few things for those people who truly just need to know the story… The ‘casual punter’ as we call them… With regard to a soundtrack, at this stage I just don’t know…

L4LM: As a “fan” myself, I wondered about the Dynasty-era, which seems to have been the when the seams came loose, leading to Ace and Peter eventually leaving. Will you cover that? Anything you can expound upon here?

L4LM: As a “fan” myself, I wondered about the Dynasty-era, which seems to have been the when the seams came loose, leading to Ace and Peter eventually leaving. Will you cover that? Anything you can expound upon here?

Alan: We’ve got to cover the ‘Dynasty’ period… That would be like making a documentary on Slipknot and not mentioning the masks?? It was the fall of the Roman Empire… Big hit single and no-one actually speaking to each other?? The solo albums, the TV movie, everything should have been perfect for the group… Then you watch The Today Show and realize just how much tension is going down… Don’t worry, that area of the story is safe…

L4LM: Gene is a complex character. I was always deeply moved by his family history at the hands of the Nazis in WWII. Will you get into that at all?. -Those experiences seem to have affected his worldview immensely. The story seems to have been influenced by that, in that it affected Gene so deeply.

Alan: It is going to be touched upon in the lead up to their story and indeed how they develop as people… Chalk and Cheese, yet both working for the same aim… They truly are brothers from two mothers… And we do have Gene talking about his beginnings and family…

L4LM: The THREETLES played together a bit at the end of ANTHOLOGY. -Any chance the original KISS members may give fans a new song or a jam together?

Alan: I wouldn’t have thought so… And for this movie I’d find it hard to see why… ‘The Threetles’ was born out of an old Lennon demo and the want to do something new with it… Remember Ace & Peter barely play on ‘Psycho Circus’ which was the last attempt at anything like that…

L4LM: Was Vinnie Vincent involved in this film? Can you talk about that a bit (either way)?

Alan: Vinnie wont be in the movie outside archive, that was a decision made by everyone very early on… To be honest, I don’t see a need for him to take part, that’s just my personal opinion… There are many reason why it just doesn’t work…

L4LM: The Eric Carr era brought us a wonderful, fan friendly drummer. Will you cover him in the film?

Alan: Speaking as a fan rather than a Director for a moment Eric was one of the best, and a big part of KISSTORY… We have been in contact with his family from the minute we got this thing green lit… Eric will be a big part of the movie, his personal story is already covered by a good number of our interviewees… Everybody, all 10 members of KISS, will appear on screen in order to tell the story… Just that in some cases it will come from archive, at times un-seen archive… So there is a lot to look forward too… And as with all our previous movies we don’t skimp on extras either…

L4LM: Is this along the lines of your work on STATUS QUO, THE SEX PISTOLS, or THE CLASH? How has this experience been different so far?

Alan: I think of those three it’s going to be closer to Quo than any of the others… Although it is already taking on a shape of it’s very own… I’ve learnt a lot about film making since we started, and it’s worth mentioning that in the early days as with any new Director I was making things for TV or straight to DVD… The very angle of cinema gives you a way bigger canvas to paint on…

L4LM: Can we expect a bigger tour with the release of the film? -Any chance the original four might wind up doing it again if you have a big hot here?

Alan: Oh dear, don’t get me involved in that one! I am but a humble film maker sir… Anything like that would be totally up to KISS…


http://liveforlivemusic.com/features/l4lm-exclusive-interview-alan-g-parker-director-of-upcoming-kiss-documentary/
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HOW MY TWO HIGH SCHOOL BUDDIES MADE IT BIG




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PAUL STANLEY RECALLS BIRTH OF



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LA PRESS CONFERENCE




Gene Simmons, Doc McGhee, Brett Bouchy, coach Bob McMillen and Paul Stanley at today's Head Coach announcement at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California.

Here's a photo from today's LA KISS press conference, where Bob McMillen was introduced as the team's first head coach.

FOX NEWS INTERVIEW WITH PAUL AND GENE


KISS founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley: Peter Criss and Ace Frehley got what they deserved

By Nicki Gostin

Legendary KISS founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have collaborated on the memoir ‘Nothin’ To Lose,’ an oral history of their rock band’s genesis. “It’s an overview of the band,” explained Stanley. “How it came about from its inception, almost from the time the sperm fertilized the egg really.” Indeed. FOX411 spoke to both Stanley and Simmons about the book, their football plans, and what went wrong with original KISS members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley.

FOX411: Ace Frehley and Peter Criss both have memoirs out that paint pretty harsh portraits of both of you. Was that upsetting?

Simmons: Ace took me to lunch before his book came out and he read me a chapter about how he almost drowned in a pool and I saved him by diving in and pulling him out. He asked if it was accurate. I said, '95 percent of it was accurate, except it wasn't you; it was Peter Criss who was drowning. You've been a f**king drug addict all of your life. Both Peter and Ace were at one point pure, innocent, believed all for one, one for all, and then they succumbed to the clichés of rock. So neither Ace nor Peter were fully conscious when any of those things happened. It's up to you if you want to believe them. We wish them the best, but those books, to my estimation, they're closer to fiction.

Stanley: The fact remains from what I've seen of those books, they clearly still see themselves as victims, and when you can't take responsibility for your situation, you blame others. The proof is what they have done outside of the band and it amounts to a big zero. I would say nothing if they had not said something first. I certainly wish them well and you can't help but believe that they're incredibly envious of the success we've had without them, which was part of the problem in the first place. If somebody thinks they're irreplaceable they're either completely deluded, stupid, or intoxicated. In their case they abused their position in the band under the assumption that they were then only people who could do what they do, and here we are 40 years later playing arenas and venturing into areas most other bands would find impossible, like having an AFL football team, the first new football team in L.A. in decades, LAKISS, which will play in Anaheim.

FOX411: It's kind of amazing that both of you never got caught up in drugs or drinking.

Stanley: I've never had any aversion to a good bottle of wine, but certainly moderation and common sense tells you what to stay away from. If somebody said to me, 'Hey, here's something that will make you impotent, lose your teeth and get hepatitis,' you'd have to be an idiot to say, 'Sign me up.' People who get involved in drugs have problems that are so deep seated that fame will not cure it. If anything, it will only take it to another level. It'll exacerbate everything that's bad.

Simmons: The real idea is, if you're serious about life and consider every 24 hours as if they're the only 24 hours of any day that you'll have, you'll get up and you'll work hard no matter how much money you have, you'll respect yourself, your other band mates and your fans. If you're remiss in doing any of that stuff, you get to get exactly what you want out of life. You get to sleep in the bed you make, there's just no other way to think about that.

FOX411: You're doing great now, but the band lost money for quite a while.

Stanley: It goes back to victories are not necessarily won by individuals. It's a team, or an army. In this case KISS Army started early, people believing in us perhaps as much as we did, who were willing to make any sacrifice to keep the band going. We had a manager that was willing to put a quarter of a million dollars on a credit card to keep the band going, and he didn't have a quarter of a million dollars to pay it off. It all goes back to the idea of surrounding yourself with people who believe like you do.

FOX411: You guys had a lot of groupies.

Stanley: It was exhilarating. It certainly took some getting used to, but I'm a quick study. To go from being an unpopular, chubby little kid who was chasing girls and couldn't seem to catch them, to being chased after and making sure I ran slow enough that I did get caught, it was 180 degree turn. It was being given the keys to the candy store.

Simmons: Let's just say that the male of the species should feel blessed if the female of the species allows him to come near enough to her. Just one would be heaven, everything else is cream.

FOX411: Can we say you've had a whole lot of cream?

Simmons: Yes ma'am.

FOX411: Is there any licensing idea you've said no to?

Simmons: Long ago we decided not to listen to people who weren't qualified to make any rules. The people who write for a living aren't even journalists, they still live in their mother's basement, their faces are still pockmarked and girls still won't pay them attention. We decided to make our own rules. One of them was, we're going to have a great time and be spectacular and do all kinds of things that have no precedent. Toys and games, we love them! From our perspective, it's a KISS world, you're just living in it.

Stanley: In terms of merchandise you can't force anyone to buy something. All we've done is given the fans what they want. The only thing we can take credit for is acute hearing. We also don't put out anything we have moral issues with. We've had opportunities to be sponsored by cigarette companies and have always turned that down no matter how much money was involved.


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PAUL AND GENE WITH LA FIREFIGHTERS




Here's Paul and Gene with a group of Los Angeles firefighters outside the House of Blues in LA following today's big LA KISS press conference.

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ACE & PETER REFUSED TO TAKE PART IN NEW MOVIE



KISS documentary latest: “Ace and Peter refused to take part…”

Ace Frehley and Peter Criss have snubbed Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons by refusing to appear in the official KISS movie, You Wanted The Best You Got The Best, which has just entered production.

The erstwhile guitarist and drummer, co-founders of the veteran US band but ex-members since 2002 and 2004 respectively, have declined to be interviewed for the project, which is being directed by Alan G Parker, who among other movies was responsible for last year’s acclaimed Hello Quo!

“Gene and Paul were shocked at first, but now they don’t seem to be,” comments Parker. “There’s been so much bitchiness down the years, and so much said about and done to Ace and Peter that they interpreted the request to be in the movie as a favour to Gene and Paul. Because of that they won’t go anywhere near it. The negotiations were interesting to say the least.”

It was Tommy Thayer who saved the day. As the producer and editor of several past KISS projects before officially joining the band, having recalled that a KISS documentary was filmed and shelved a dozen years ago, the ex-Black N’ Blue guitarist presented Parker with several hours of chat with the Spaceman and The Catman. In addition to the current line-up of KISS (completed by drummer Eric Singer), former guitarists Bruce and Bob Kulick have both participated and there were positive meetings with the family of Eric Carr, the group’s drummer who died of heart cancer in 1991. With five more interviews to be shot, Parker hopes to show the finished film to the band in February or March, followed by a spot at the Cannes Film Festival in May and a worldwide opening in the autumn of 2014.

Gene Simmons, who visited the Classic Rock office this morning (Monday 30th September), having sung the American National Anthem at Wembley Stadium before last night’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers, says that KISS are allowing Parker complete artistic freedom.

“The results won’t be sugar-coated,” insists the bassist, who expects to tour the UK with KISS in the early part of 2014. “Alan has one hundred per cent freedom to present us the way he sees fit, and if that makes us look like capitalist pigs then so be it. It’s exactly what I am – I will charge you for everything I do.”

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/kiss-documentary-latest-ace-and-peter-refused-to-take-part/

Paul and Gene checking out the latest KISS ARMY Japan Fan Club merchandise.

BRENNAN R&R ACADEMY FUNDRAISER DEC. 5TH



Join Us For A Rockin' Good Time To Benefit The Kids

The Fundraiser to Benefit the Brennan Rock & Roll Academy

When: Thursday, December 5th, 2013
Where: The Orleans Arena - Las Vegas, Nevada

We are holding a phenomenal concert & live auction to raise money for the Brennan Rock & Roll Academy. The greatest lead singers of the era will perform with the best 80's and 90's cover band around today to back them up in style; HAIRBALL. Hairball has been performing arena rock for decades and will rock the house to help the future of Rock n' Roll; the children.

The Brennan Rock & Roll Academy gives children the opportunity to grow by offering free music lessons to those that may not be able to get them. We help keep children off the streets, away from drugs, and in a positive environment that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. We will have one band and many singers performing; no timeout to reset the stage, just continuous rock from one rock legend to the next.

Confirmed Performers

Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Alice Cooper, Vince Neil, Rob Zombie, Dee Snider, Tom Keifer, Stephen Pearcy Joey Tempest, John Norum, Jack Blades, Kip Winger

http://brraevents.com/upcoming/

merci lolo  

PAUL & GENE SHOW SUPPORT TO K9s FOR WARRIORS

Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons attended the CMO Club Summit today, to show their support for K9s for Warriors program. The CMO Club donated $20k to the program at the event!

In the photo: Captain Jason Haag and his Dog, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Shari Duval, and Founder of The CMO Club, Pete Krainik.

- Third Day Of Rehearsals For KISS In L.A.

KISS is rehearsing today for a third day in a row at SIR rehearsal studios in L.A. for the upcoming shows in Japan, Calgary, and on the KISS Kruise III.

Photo Source: https://twitter.com/tommy_thayer

PHOTOS: ROCK & BREWS LAX GRAND OPENING

Gene Simmons, who visited the Classic Rock office on Monday 30th September, having sung the American National Anthem at Wembley Stadium before last night’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers, says he expects to tour the UK with Kiss in the early part of 2014.
 
http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/kiss-documentary-latest-ace-and-peter-refused-to-take-part/

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/features/gene-simmons-ive-got-funny-looking-hair-and-a-beautiful-face/

KISS SYMPHONY 2014
During the interview with Mending kids (after 28 minutes) Gene mentions there will be Kiss Symphony concerts around the world.

Faut il le croire ?

Selon ce que Gene Simmons a révélé dans une interview récente, le groupe travaille déjà sur du nouveau matériel pour un nouvel album ,un nouveau titre s'appelle  "Your Wish Is My Command’".Il déclare qu'ils vont revenir en studio .
Le groupe prépare également une tournée pour le 40e anniversaire qui couvrira le monde entier. Ils pensent même faire quelques spectacles symphoniques, comme celui de 2003 du Kiss Symphony ,Alive IV.

là ça sent le four.. enchainer trois albums si rapidemment c'est moyen je trouve..

ça va trop vite la !!

Moi je trouve que ce sont deux bonnes nouvelles, d'abord parce que j'aime beaucoup  les 2 derniers albums (bien plus que Carnival & Psycho) et une tournée mondiale, ça veut dire passage (s ?) en Europe.

oui.. d'accord par contre en ce qui concerne la tournée..   mais l'album tout de suite c'est too much..

Ils en sortaient deux par ans, dans les 70's et je pensent pas qu'ils
étaient dégueulasses!!

Il faut prendre ceci avec des pincettes, les effets d'annonces de Gene   

Ensuite si c'est vrai alors réjouissons nous pour les 40 ans un album + tournée mondiale je n'en demande pas plus ah si un passage dans la capitale en salle et ça sera parfait.....

Pour un retour en salle je suis d'accord aussi