Gene Simmons - Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Gene Simmons today!  Born August 25th, 1949 Chaim Witz became one of the iconic performers that formed the band, KISS.  For those of us that are mathematically challenged that means Simmons is 67 years old today.  While most 67 year old men are out playing golf on their birthday, Simmons and his bandmates are ON TOUR right now on the "Freedom To Rock Tour".

When KISS released their first, self titled album in 1974 it met with some success, reaching the US Billboard Top 200 peaking at 87 (and 82 in Canada). The album was certified Gold in the US and Canada but that was far from the last bit of success for the band.  In the forty-two years since the release of that album, the band has released a total of twenty studio albums, seven live albums, thirteen compilation albums, eight boxed sets, sixty singles, four solo albums, and three instant live albums.  That is fifty-five total albums (including the boxed sets) which is incredible.

August 20th, 2016 I saw Simmons and KISS at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, Illinois and it didn't look like Simmons was 66 (now 67) years old.  There will be a review of the performance forthcoming so stay tuned for that.  Simmons was incredible, he performed at a level that I remember when I saw my first KISS concert in the '80's.

Happy Birthday Gene!!!

Check out KISS and The Dead Daisies on their 2016 Freedom To Rock Tour, for dates when they may be at a venue near you, click HERE.

The Dead Daisies - BMO Harris Bank Center Rockford, IL - August 20th, 2016

With a few exceptions there are some times of the year that are really, really special, take Spring for example.  As the snow melts (for those of us that see snow), we get the first peek at the grass as it takes in the rays of the sun, popping between the other dormant blades of grass and the patches of snow.  Summer brings the heat, and the world is renewed but as Fall approaches the green of the grass, and the petals of the flowers begin to fade and fall.  The leaves begin to cover the ground and the flowers die but what it I told you I have seen some dead flowers that are full of life right smack in the middle of Summer?  Would you believe it?  Well?

I Miss My Old Vinyl Records

Do you remember your first vinyl album, I still remember getting KISS Alive 2 for Christmas and two days later having to get another needle just so I could continue the repetitious playing of that album.  I still have in my music collection (somewhere), 45's and those big, bulky 33 1/3 RPM vinyl albums.  By the way, why was it 33 1/3, couldn't it have been 32 or 34?

Concerts - The Hammer of the Gods

Now that is one dramatic title isn't it?  It seems to me that the description, "Hammer of the Gods", does fit a concert setting but in a non-religious fashion.  What is a concert really?  Isn't it our attempt to connect with our musical heroes?  Don't most of us seek a connection in the realm of "hero worship" and what do we worship?  No not the "almighty dollar", we worship our gods.