He’s calling it the band’s best work in 30 years, so all eyes will be on Gene Simmons when KISS releases its new album later this year. It will be the band’s first studio album in the 11 years that have elapsed since Psycho Circus, and although Gene’s claim about the album may seem unrealistic, the same statement made five years ago would have been much more bold. Now that it’s 2009 however, the last 30 years don’t include KISS classics like Destroyer or Love Gun. Even Dynasty‘s May 1979 release date keeps it out of the literal interpretation of the 30 year time frame by just a hair. Critics didn’t exactly warm up to the last two KISS albums, and some fans look down on the band’s sans-makeup years that followed 1983′s Lick It Up. So with only ’80s and ’90s releases to compete with, maybe Gene will be proven right after all. Here’s just a glimpse of the statement Gene made over the 4th of July weekend: “Paul and I trade vocals on a few tunes and had a lot to say about each other’s songs. Result? Maybe the best record we’ve done in 30 years. Bold statement? You bet. Wait till you hear it.”
Gene Simmons isn’t the only one talking it up about the new record. “No ballads, no slow songs, no filler” says drummer Eric Singer. “The band really has come full circle. Just pure straight ahead Rock and Roll that has all the elements that made you love KISS from day one.” Guitarist Tommy Thayer also made a statement today, singling out Paul Stanley as the only member yet to speak on the project. That shouldn’t come as a surprise given that Paul is producing the album himself – he’s probably still locked in the studio as I write this. Read the full statements by all three band members at KissOnline.com.
New record aside, do you recall the method by which KISS decided to pick cities for their tour this fall? They created the first ever ‘fan-routed’ tour in which the cities with the highest vote tallies receive a concert. Well the voting is now over, and the announcement is coming in August. Although the city rankings are no longer visible at Eventful.com, there were some surprises on that list including the top city of Oshawa, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto hit hard by the recent economic downturn and GM closings. City Councillor Robert Lutczyk encourages more than just a single KISS concert in his town, adding that Oshawa should be the first and the last city on the tour – and that it would be a great spot to film an episode of Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels. Speaking of Jewels, you can watch new episodes of the rockin’ reality program Sundays at 9:30 eastern on A&E.
