KISS

Kanye West's hilariously titled Good Ass Job is out Sept. 14. —Billboard

In the meantime, 'Ye's been sued for copyright infringement over the lyrics to "Power," which Chicago rapper Vincent Peters says were stolen from him. —Chicago Breaking Business

Vince Neil was apparently wanted by police for questioning in relation to a camera-smashing incident the same night he was arrested for DUI. —TMZ

Playboy is suing Drake for copyright infringement, saying his "Best I Ever Had" samples Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds' "Fallin' In Love," which Playboy owns. They say Drake didn't ask permission to use it. —The Guardian

Nine Inch Nails, My Morning Jacket and Gogol Bordello have joined Rage Against The Machine's boycott against playing live in Arizona. Um, Trent, you aren't really touring right now or ever again with NIN, but OK... —NME

Bill Aucoin, who discovered KISS, died of surgical complications from prostate cancer on Monday (June 28). —Associated Press

The upcoming Bush reunion will only include Gavin Rossdale, not Nigel Pulsford and Dave Parsons. Rossdale will be joined by Chris Traynor and bassist Corey Britz. Learning from Billy Corgan, perhaps? —Blabbermouth

Grinderman 2, the new album from Nick Cave's Grinderman project, is out Sept. 14. First single "Heathen Child" is out Aug. 31. —Epitaph

Interpol have revealed the cover art and track listing for their upcoming new album. —Drowned In Sound

Lots of hair metal bands in the '80s sang about getting oiled up and doing some repetitive motions (mostly involving thrusting), but it was never vital to them performing. Well, that's all about to change.

One avant-garde professor at the California Institute Of The Arts had his students build and program robots who are not only capable of playing instruments, but of improvising on them.

Obviously, this is going to have a large impact on the music industry, so we here at CHARTattack figured we'd make a list of some of the artists and bands who would most benefit from this breakthrough.

Here they are:
 
KISS
Come on, these guys aren't getting any younger. Eventually, even Gene Simmons' legendary "sprocket" is going to break down and no amount of Viagra is gonna revive it. If you get a machine in there, it'll never let the groupies down, so long as you program it to rock 'n' roll all night, and party every day.

The band have also never shied away from replacement members and studio help. Splash some makeup on a robot, strap a Les Paul to it, and send it out on stage while pretending it's Ace Frehley — with the right programming that machine will literally be made for lovin' you. Hey, it can't be any worse than the Vinnie Vincent years.

Daft Punk
These French DJs have been hard at work for 17 years, taking bleeps and bloops, running 'em through computers, and ending up with the most danceable music to ever come out of the city of lights. Considering those stuffy helmets they wear during performances you'll have to forgive them if they want to take a night off here and there and have some mechanized doppelgangers take over. Let's face it: you wouldn't know the difference.

moe.
This is all about efficiency. Take any jam band, replace them with improvising robots, and you automatically cut a tour's costs in half. There ain't a robot alive that needs to smoke half a pound of sticky-icky just to get inspired on stage. So why moe. and not Phish or any other band you can only enjoy on 'shrooms? Robo-moe has such a cool ring to it.

Les Claypool
Look, the guy has played with everyone else at this point, from Stewart Copeland to Henry Rollins to Tom Waits to Metallica. The only things he hasn't shared a stage with are performing machines and Lady Gaga, and they basically come down to the same thing. Les, make it happen.

The Trons
This New Zealand foursome are already all robots, so they're ahead of the game. Still, I find their playing stiff and unimaginative. Replace some original members with those noodling inventions from CalArts, and you'll have audience members to light up a bowl while enjoying a 20-minute mecha-guitar solo.

KISS have postponed their concert slated to take place Tuesday night (Dec. 15) at Sault Ste. Marie's Essar Centre.

The band performed in Pittsburgh last night, but a storm was apparently hovering over the region. The band made the cancellation announcement Monday (Dec. 14) on their website, saying the "severe weather conditions" between the two cities was why they'd delayed the sold-out concert.

"While our attitude is always 'the show must go on,' the safety of our crew and drivers has to be our first priority," KISS manager Doc McGhee said. "Concerns about unsafe driving conditions between the two cities cannot be ignored."

A new date for the show — which was the last North American date KISS had in 2009 — has yet to be announced, but the gig is being scheduled as part of KISS summer North American tour.

Tickets for the original date "may be used for the rescheduled summer show or refunded at the point of purchase."

KISS spent the last few months touring Canada and the U.S. as part of their KISS Alive 35 tour. The group, who mount a European tour next May, also released a new studio album titled Sonic Boom earlier this year.

KISS will play these shows:

May 7 Dublin, Ireland @ The O2
May 9 Glasgow, Scotland @ Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre
May 10 Manchester, England @ Manchester Evening News Arena
May 11 Birmingham, England @ LG Arena
May 13 London, England @ Wembley Arena
May 16 Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion
May 17 Geneva, Switzerland @ Arena Geneve
May 18 Milan, Italy @ Mediolanum Forum
May 20 Vienna, Austria @ Wiener Stadthalle
May 21 Ostrava, Czech Republic @ Cez Arena
May 23 Prague, Czech Republic @ O2 Arena
May 25 Leipzig, Germany @ Leipzig Arena
May 26 Berlin, Germany @ O2 World
May 29 Bratislava, Slovakia @ Bratislava Stadium
May 31 Hamburg, Germany @ Colorline Arena
June 1 Oberhausen, Germany @ Koenig Pilsner Arena
June 8 Trondheim, Norway @ Lerkendal Open Site
June 10 Tampere, Finland @ Sauna Rock
June 12 Stockholm, Sweden @ Stockholm Stadium
June 13 Malmo, Sweden @ Malmo Stadium
June 14 Oslo, Norway 2 Valhall
June 16 Aalborg, Denmark @ Gigantium
June 18 Arnhem, Netherlands @ Gelredome
June 20 Clisson, France @ Hellfest
June 22 Madrid, Spain @ Palacio De Los Deportes De La Comunidad De Madrid
June 25 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain @ Azkena Rock Festival
June 27 Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop Metal Meeting

What is it with Bostonians and peeing on people at concerts?

Remember that cop (who now isn't a cop) who drunkenly peed on a bunch of people at a Metallica show in Boston earlier this year? Something similar happened at KISS' show in Boston on Monday.

A man was arrested for allegedly urinating on a woman during KISS' show at the Boston Garden. Apparently she became aware something wasn't quite right when she "felt a warm feeling on the back of her leg," according to the BPDNews.com website. "As a result of the warm sensation, the victim says she turned around to observe an individual urinating on the back of her leg."

The woman immediately told security about the incident, and security kicked the man, who appeared to be drunk and was slurring his speech and smelled of alcohol, from the building.

Just to be clear: those Gene Simmons urinal cakes and people's legs? Yeah, they're not the same thing.

Chris Morris, 39, of Boston has been charged with open and gross lewdness and disorderly conduct.

Earlier this year, Joseph Houston, a former Massachusetts police officer, was arrested after he peed on several Metallica fans at a show in Boston. He also lunged a few times at women around him when he had his pants down. He pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing and assault and battery in April.

KISS are touring in support of the recently released Sonic Boom, and you can see them here:

Oct. 9 Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
Oct. 10 New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Oct. 12 Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
Oct. 13 Washington, DC @ Verizon Wireless Center
Oct. 16 Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
Oct. 17 Greenville, SC @ Bi-Lo Center
Oct. 19 Pensacola, FL @ Pensacola Civic Center
Oct. 21 Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
Oct. 22 Sunrise, FL @ BankAtlantic Center
Oct. 24 Birmingham, AL @ Birmingham Jefferson Arena
Oct. 26 Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
Oct. 28 Nashville, TN @ Sommet Center
Oct. 29 Little Rock, AR @ Verizon Arena
Oct. 31 New Orleans, LA @ City Park (Voodoo Experience)
Nov. 6 Chicago, IL @ United Center
Nov. 7 Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
Nov. 9 Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Center
Nov. 10 Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
Nov. 12 Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
Nov. 14 Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
Nov. 15 Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
Nov. 17 Portland, OR @ Rose Garden
Nov. 19 Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
Nov. 21 Fresno, CA @ Savemart Center
Nov. 22 Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
Nov. 24 Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
Nov. 25 Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
Nov. 27 San Diego, CA @ Sports Arena
Nov. 28 Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl at the Palms
Dec. 1 Glendale, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
Dec. 2 El Paso, TX @ Utep Special Events Center
Dec. 4 Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
Dec. 5 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
Dec. 6 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
Dec. 8 Tulsa, OK @ BOK Arena
Dec. 10 Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
Dec. 11 Council Bluffs, IA @ Mid America Center
Dec. 13 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena
Dec. 15 Sault Ste. Marie, ON @ Essar Centre

Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is humble and incredibly good-natured, and admits it's been a busy 20 years, what with his reinstatement in the KISS line-up for their reunion a few years back and eventual departure.

"I was in outer space for a while. I was trying to get sober... this and that," chuckles Frehley about why it's been two decades since his last solo effort, 1989's Trouble Walkin'.

Yet he's finally gotten enough music together for a fourth effort, Anomaly, and has been diligently ensuring his unaccompanied return to the spotlight is seamless and a strong representation of Space-Ace.

"I realized it's an important album for me after being away for such a long time, so I really took my time in getting it together," he says.

"Some of the songs were written way back in 2004, but as I was working on them I had to change some a little. My head's in a different place than it was back then. Some of these songs I've rewritten two or three times. I recorded about 16 songs but put a few off to the side because I feel these are the 13 strongest tracks."

While Frehley notes Anomaly boasts a few departures from his signature writing and performing styles via songs in drop-tuning, jazz guitar solos and two epic tunes clocking in at over six minutes apiece, the record's heart is still deeply rooted in his longstanding tradition of straight-forward rock with a few flares here and there.

It naturally features his inevitable cover, this time via a rendition of The Sweet's "Fox On The Run." He credits co-producer/songwriter Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Def Leppard) with helping keep the album on-track while still throwing the odd interesting curve here and there.

"I'm never happy with what I do. I end up settling," Frehley says. 

"Every time I do a guitar solo — it might be a great one — I feel I could do it better.

"So I try to surround myself with good ears to help when I'm producing my work. I need people to help and say, 'Hey, that's enough,' or I'll keep recording over and over again and it'll never get done. Marti was essential in that. He pushed me but also knew when we had something great captured.

"This album wouldn't be what it is without his assistance," he continues. "The people who helped knocked it up an extra notch; gave it more continuity. I learned a lot making this album and I'm really excited about it. Hopefully it's everything people expect and more."

Ace Frehley will appear here:

Sept. 26 Fords, NJ @ Vintage Vinyl (signing)
Sept. 27 West Babylon, NY @ Looney Tunes (signing)
Oct. 19 Melbourne, Australia @ Palace
Oct. 20 Sydney, Australia @ Enmore Theatre
Oct. 21 Brisbane, Australia @ Tivoli

Many musicians say they don't want to end up being aging rockers, still playing their old hits on stage when they're in their sixties.

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor recently said something along those lines when he was asked why he'd announced his band's current tour would be their last.

Of course, when you say you don't want to be an aging rocker, you inevitably have to compare yourself to someone...

"I'd never want to be Gene Simmons, an old man who puts on makeup to entertain kids, like a clown going to work," Reznor told the Philippines' Daily Inquirer last month. "In my paranoia, I fear that if I don't stop this, it could become that."

Simmons fired back in the Letters From Fans section on KISS' website.

"Trent grew up on KISS and cut his teeth on our toons," he wrote. "When he was recording Downward Spiral, he had two action figures on his mix console — Jesus and Gene Simmons.

"Once you're a self confessed heroin addict, who used the stuff for years, you don't look at life the way the rest of us do... I'm told.

"We all wish him well."

Maybe Simmons figures there are already enough people pissing on him.

You can see KISS at the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans' City Park on Halloween.

Nine Inch Nails will play these dates:

Aug. 5 Manila, Philippines @ Araneta Coliseum
Aug. 7 Tokyo, Japan @ Summer Sonic
Aug. 8 Osaka, Japan @ Summer Sonic
Aug. 10 Singapore, Singapore @ Fort Canning Park
Aug. 12 Taipei, Taiwan @ Nan-Kang 101
Aug. 15 Seoul, South Korea @ ETP Festival
Aug. 22 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom w/The Horrors
Aug. 23 New York, NY @ Webster Hall w/The Horrors
Aug. 25 New York, NY @ Terminal 5 w/The Horrors
Aug. 26 New York, NY @ Terminal 5 w/Mew
Aug. 28-29 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom w/Mew
Aug. 30 Oro-Medonte, ON @ Burl's Creek Park (Virgin Festival Ontario)
Sept. 2 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium w/Mew and Queen Kwong
Sept. 3 Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater w/Mew
Sept. 5 Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern Theatre w/HEALTH and Io Echo
Sept. 6 Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex w/HEALTH

KISS bassist Gene Simmons has revealed a few of the titles of songs that will appear on the band's first studio album in 11 years.

The man with the insanely long tongue told CTV News the as-yet-untitled follow-up to 1998's Psycho Circus will feature tracks called "Russian Roulette," "Modern Day Delilah" and "Stand." He also says the Paul Stanley-produced disc will be heavy on the rawk.

"No strings, no keyboards, no synths, no tambourines, no nothing — just meat and potatoes," Simmons said.

Simmons announced on Sunday he was heading to Vancouver to sign the first act to his relaunched Simmons Records. He wouldn't tell CTV who it was, but Simmons told CTV he also wants to sign two more Canadian bands.

It's probably worth nothing The Georgia Straight reported on Thursday that Simmons took in a performance by Hey Ocean! on Sunday before he met with the band for "hours." According to The Georgia Straight, no deal came out of the meeting, though.

"We talked for almost four hours," Hey Ocean! singer Ashleigh Ball told the newspaper, "about how he thinks Canada is the next U.K. He's really nice. And he's very intense — in the first five minutes of the meeting, he pulled out a credit card that had Kiss imprinted on it. He said, 'This is what we're talking about. It's not just music, it's music business.'"

You may be able to hear some new KISS songs at these upcoming dates:

July 10 Sarnia, ON @ Centennial Park (Rogers Sarnia Bayfest)
July 11 Windsor, ON @ Caesars Windsor
July 13 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
July 15 Ottawa, ON @ LeBreton Flats (Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest)
July 16 Quebec City, QC @ Festival D'Ete
July 18 Halifax, NS @ Halifax Commons
July 20-21 Orillia, ON @ Casino Rama
July 28 Paso Robles, CA @ California Mid-State Fair
Oct. 31 New Orleans, LA @ City Park (Voodoo Experience)

Gene Simmons is one demon we can't seem to exorcise.

We were this close to declaring an ignore-him-for-the-foreseeable-future Simmons fatwah after the whole piss-on-him thing, but then the face-painted frontman and feeble TV father announced on Saturday on the KISS website that the band's newest album is "just a few steps from being completely done."

That's right. There's some actual musical KISS news to talk about.

The hell-raising hard rockers took a slightly different approach to recording this as-yet-untitled album — instead of collectively producing the record as they have with past releases, guitarist Paul Stanley was made sole producer.

"It all started with a point of view Paul had," the Simmons Records founder wrote. "The view had to do with ignoring the times, ignoring the critics, not over thinking [sic] who and what we are... and that we had nothing to prove to anyone... nothing. We have been releasing albums and touring for 35 years and why wouldn't we want to do an 'honest' record. Just do it!!! And, he wanted to produce the album himself!!!

"He was serious. And, I saw it was real," continued Simmons. "I saw the commitment he was going to make to the album and the band... and I agreed. We all trusted each other and saw the same vision of the band... and perhaps democracy is overrated... and sooner or later, someone had to decide."

The band have returned to their roots for this record.

"The entire writing and recording process of the album harkened back to an earlier, more innocent time," wrote Simmons. "A time that produced albums such as ROCK AND ROLL OVER and LOVE GUN. And, the new songs have that feeling, I have to say."

According to the self-assured bassist, the album is "Maybe the best record we've done in 30 years."

KISS released their platinum (double-platinum in Canada) album Dynasty 30 years ago.

You can see KISS (and maybe hear some new tunes) here:

July 10 Sarnia, ON @ Centennial Park (Sarnia Rogers Bayfest)
July 11 Windsor, ON @ Caesars Windsor
July 13 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
July 15 Ottawa, ON @ LeBreton Flats (Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest)
July 16 Quebec City, QC @ Festival D'Ete
July 18 Halifax, NS @ Halifax Commons Park
July 20-21 Orillia, ON @ Casino Rama
July 28 Paso Robles, CA @ California Mid-State Fair

Toronto's Frankie Whyte And The Dead Idols have landed a seemingly impossible dream gig for an indie band that hasn't even released a full-length album: the supporting slot for KISS's Canadian tour dates.

"It's totally mind blowing," says vocalist/guitarist Frankie Whyte. "When I hear them on the radio and stuff I'm, like, 'There's no way we're opening for KISS...'"

The quartet combine Joan Jett's in-your-face attitude with gritty 1970s-infused rock 'n' roll — a perfect KISS appetizer. The band have been getting production help on new material from Our Lady Peace's Duncan Coutts and it was Eric Lawrence, Coutt's manager, who had the hook-ups.

"I guess someone from the KISS camp called the Our Lady Peace manager, and we know him through Duncan, but we're not signed to him or anything, and they basically asked 'Do you know any young bands that would be good for the opening slot?' and he said 'You know, if you want the best fit it's Frankie Whyte And The Dead Idols,' so now I'm forever indebted to that guy and Duncan," Whyte says.

Frankie Whyte is no newbie to hair metal champions. At 16, she began taking guitar lessons from Ryan Roxie, who played in Alice Cooper at the time. She'd meet up with him when he was in town and he'd teach her how to play leads. L.A. Guns also took a shining to FW & The DI and the band have supported their Toronto gigs, including an upcoming show at The Reverb on July 1.

The good news follows a winter of misfortune for FW & The DI. Whyte broke her arm in a snowboarding accident that left her unable to play guitar for four months and the band lost two members.

"I was like, 'This fuckin' blows,' but in my head I was like, 'You have to be positive and look on the bright side.' So you continue down that path and emit positive energy to each other in the band and the people around you and it doesn't matter how fucked over you are by someone else. If you can look past that, good things will come.

"I didn't even predict that this kind of good thing would come, I didn't even see it. Then we got the phone call and I was, like, 'There is a fuckin' reason for this shit,'" Whyte said.

Whyte and guitarist Danny Cavalcante have added bassist Zach O'Rourke and drummer Jay Manara to the band. They're currently in the studio working on tracks for a new EP as well as the re-release of last year's Hollywood Ending EP.

You can see Frankie Whyte & The Dead Idols in the following cities:

June 30 Burlington, ON @ The Legendary Red Rooster Cafe
July 1 Toronto, ON @ The Reverb w/ L.A. Guns
July 10 Sarnia, ON @ Centennial Park (Sarnia Rogers Bayfest) w/ KISS
July 13 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre w/ KISS
July 18 Halifax, NS @ Halifax Commons w/ KISS
July 19 Brantford, ON @ Jackhammers
Aug. 4 Whitby, ON @ Johnny B's
Aug. 13 London, ON @ Norma Jeans
Aug. 27 Burlington, ON @ The Legendary Red Rooster Cafe
Aug. 30 Ottawa, ON @ The Rainbow

Gene Simmons has launched a new marketing tactic for his Gene Simmons Family Jewels reality television show that may involve you giving him a golden shower... as long as you're male.

Simmons thought it would be funny to advertise for the new season of Gene Simmons Family Jewels in men's washrooms and A&E came up with the idea of putting talking urinal cakes in urinals. But there's a problem — people are stealing them!

"A&E has put 'Gene Simmons Family Jewels' urinal cakes throughout the country, featuring my face on the cakes," Simmons says in a Blabbermouth.com article. "They're in most bathrooms. Now, for those of you who need detail — all you need to do is point your tool into the urinal, hit the 'cake' with your flow and don't be surprised if the urinal cake talks back to you!!!

"Please leave the urinal cake in the pee hole for others to enjoy. Reports have come in that some of you have been stealing 'em. If so, kindly remember to wash 'em before you take 'em home!"

Gross. The only thing more disgusting than wizzing on Simmons' face is stealing something with Simmons' face on it that's covered in the piss of drunken KISS fans.

Maybe someone will tinkle on Gene at these KISS dates:

June 27 Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre
July 10 Sarnia, ON @ Centennial Park (Sarnia Rogers Bayfest)
July 11 Windsor, ON @ Caesars Windsor
July 13 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
July 15 Ottawa, ON @ LeBreton Flats (Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest)
July 16 Quebec City, QC @ Festival D'Ete
July 18 Halifax, NS @ Halifax Commons Park
July 20-21 Orillia, ON @ Casino Rama
July 28 Paso Robles, CA @ California Mid-State Fair

KISS singer/bassist Gene Simmons says he auctioned one of his kidney stones for $15,000 U.S. (about $16,700 Canadian) on eBay.

"I passed a kidney stone and I put it on eBay for charity," Simmons said on the Today show yesterday (Thursday).

He then told Today's Kathie Lee Gifford to "settle down" when she wondered what would happen if he put "other body parts" on eBay.

We don't know if this is true and a Google search yielded nothing, but Simmons (real name Chaim Witz) has suffered from painful kidney stones before. He admitted in the Q&A section on his website that he's missed meet and greet appearances because of kidney stones.

Honestly, though, we really wouldn't put it past Simmons to do something like this. It's Gene Simmons, for God's sake.

You can see Simmons' admission on the Today show below:

 

KISS broke ground with their makeup, outlandish costumes and stage pyrotechnics in the '70s and their keen marketing skills throughout their career. Now the legendary rock band are asking fans to determine the routing of their North American KISS Alive 35 tour.

Fans can visit the Eventful social networking website to choose where they'd like to see KISS perform in North America, beginning in September. Or you can start the process for having your wish granted here:

Location selections are supposed to be weighted and based on population size versus total votes, so even small towns should have a chance to score a KISS show. But Sebringville, Ont. must be too tiny, because it was rejected. But the site accepted CHARTattack news editor Steve McLean's nearby hometown of Stratford, so, if you want some Simmons with your Shakespeare, hop on that bandwagon and vote for the festival city.

Fans can keep track of the growing tallies and leading cities on the Eventful website, KISS' MySpace and Facebook pages, Ticketmaster's KISS page, VH1classic.com and other sites. Kingston, Ont. is in the early lead, while New York City, Dallas, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Detroit, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix and Toronto round out the top 10.

Fans have the opportunity to purchase pre-sale tickets prior to the general on-sale date when voting. They can also create viral videos to urge folks in their area to join their campaign to have KISS play there. City-specific "best-of" videos will be played on large screens at each venue before concerts.

Here's KISS making the announcement of the contest from a gig in South America:

 

Here are KISS' pre-September concert dates:

April 7 Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Arena Anhembi
April 8 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil @ Apoteose
April 11 Bogata, Colombia @ Parque Simon Bolivar
April 14 Lima, Peru @ Estadio Nacional
Apri 17 Caracas, Venezuela @ Hipodromo La Rinconada
July 10 Sarnia, ON @ Rogers Bayfest
July 11 Windsor, ON @ Caesars Windsor Colosseum
July 13 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
July 18 Halifax, NS @ Halifax Commons Park
July 20 Orillia, ON @ Casino Rama
July 21 Orillia, ON @ Casino Rama

 

KISS — the fake blood-oozing, tongue-wagging, makeup-wearing, pyrotechnic masters of rock — will bring their KISS Alive 35 tour to Canada for four shows in July.

KISS have sold more than 85 million records worldwide since the mid-'70s, and a new album is apparently in the works, but the group now make most of their money from touring and merchandising. They haven't released a new studio album since 1998's Psycho Circus or had a smash hit single for almost 20 years.

As a sign they're not what they once were, KISS will play play Caesar's Windsor Hotel & Casino in Windsor, Ont. as part of their tour.

Bassist Gene Simmons has become an industry of his own and has been spending a fair amount of time in Canada in recent months promoting and looking for bands for his Simmons Records label.

He came under fire from music industry gadfly Bob Lefsetz during last month's Canadian Music Week for being a shameless shill, and the two of them went head-to-head in a hastily arranged debate of sorts at the Fairmont Royal York. You can see it here:

 

 

Simmons and his bandmates will continue to lick it up at these shows:

April 3 Santiago, Chile @ Arena Movistar
April 5 Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Argentina River Plate Stadium
April 7 Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Arena Anhembi
April 8 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil @ Apoteose
April 11 Bogata, Colombia @ Parque Simon Bolivar
April 14 Lima, Peru @ Estadio Nacional
Apri 17 Caracas, Venezuela @ Hipodromo La Rinconada
July 10 Sarnia, ON @ Rogers Bayfest
July 11 Windsor, ON @ Caesars Windsor Colosseum
July 13 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
July 18 Halifax, NS @ Halifax Commons Park

Just because Gene Simmons has resurrected his record label and is scouting for Canadian talent doesn't mean his band can't play a Canadian show as well.

KISS are set to headline the Halifax Rocks 2009 show that hits the Nova Scotian capital city's Commons park on July 18. Four other performers will be announced at a later date.

Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9 a.m. at the Ticket Atlantic Box Office, select Atlantic Superstores, through the Ticket Atlantic website or by phone. Early bird general admission tickets will run you $99, while a limited number of VIP tickets will go for $289. If you subscribe to the Halifax Rocks newsletter, you'll receive an email on Wednesday about an exclusive Thursday pre-sale.

When Simmons was in Toronto scouting Canadian talent late last year, he told the Toronto Sun newspaper that KISS would play some summer shows and specifically mentioned Halifax as being on the band's itinerary.

The news comes just as KISS guitarist Paul Stanley told Classic Rock magazine that the band may record a new album and have European and North American tour plans in the works.

"I have been ambivalent to the idea [of a new KISS album], in the past but I'm much more open to it now," Stanley said. "I just thought I'd be content for KISS to remain a heritage act, just playing our greatest hits — 'Detroit Rock City' and all that.

"But the new KISS lineup with [guitarist] Tommy Thayer and [drummer] Eric Singer is proving to be so good, so strong in spirit, it would be interesting to see how we perform in the studio.

"I must stress that no recording time has been booked at this point. But if we were to go into the studio, the intention would be to record a KISS album in the style of our 1970s recordings. A classic KISS album, unmistakably."

KISS haven't released a new studio album since 1998's Psycho Circus.