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Walmart Launch Rockets Band to Top of Charts! A Kweevak.com Rock Report by Rich and Laura Lynch So, 2009 is proving to be a good year for classic rock band KISS, who are reaching career milestones with the release of their new Sonic Boom three-disc package of new songs, re-recorded classics and a live concert DVD available exclusively from retailer Walmart. The band is also in the midst of their well received "Alive 35" Tour which celebrates the three and a half decades since their landmark live album. On October 10, 2009 the four masked men delivered a homecoming performance for the ages when they rocked and rolled all night for the sold-out Saturday night crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
 KISS Alive on stage at Madison Square Garden in 2009. (Photo by Ken Pierce/PiercingMetal.com) KISS is possibly more "alive" now than ever. Their first studio recording in eleven years was poised to sell between 150,000 and 175,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release positioning them for their first chart-topping release ever in their long and storied career. In fact, the recording industry is now affording the band a newfound respect with a recent nomination for next year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. KISS joins ABBA, Darlene Love, Donna Summer, Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, Laura Nyro, LL Cool J, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Chantels, the Hollies, and the Stooges on the balloting list which will be narrowed down to five finalists in January 2010. If the Hall wants the best, they'll get the best by making sure KISS is on their list -- because the heavy metal glam rockers are a well oiled machine as their concert in New York testified. KISS blew the doors off the world's most famous music venue when band blasted the hometown crowd during their triumphant return to Madison Square Garden. By all accounts the band that took the stage at MSG are a group of revitalized rockers - led of course by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley - and joined by guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer who replace Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in the band while donning their classic caricatures. KISS has settled on this current incarnation following last decade's reunion and dissolution of the original line-up. While many fans regard modern day KISS as a top quality cover version of themselves the current group has been legitimized by recent recording projects. The Bonus Audio KISS Klassics CD included on Sonic Boom was originally released in Japan as KISSology and features 15 re-recorded must have hits by KISS. The CD gave the current line-up a chance to hone their studio chops together and gives new fans a chance to familiarize themselves with a modern day "Best Of" package. While many of the tracks may lack the energy and urgency of a band in its early years the music is well-produced and the songs benefit from years of live performances and recording techniques. There are many great "alternate takes" such as "I Was Made For Lovin' You" and "Detroit Rock City" with only "Christine Sixteen" getting creepier with age. As for Sonic Boom the Paul Stanley-produced 11-track effort, and the band's first release in 11 years opens strong with Paul's delicious "Modern Day Delilah" -- a fast paced rocker in praise of fast women. Gene's "Russian Roulette" is this generation's "Love Gun" and is just one of the reasons this CD is off and running with a bullet. We hear from the new guys Tommy and Eric on "When Lightning Strikes" and "All For The Glory" which are two of the most anthemic numbers on an album that's loaded with them. Also included in the package is a special 30-minute concert DVD called KISS Live In Buenos Aires which captures the current grouping slaying a large South American crowd with six classic numbers.
 Sonic Boom - KISS Korners the market on hard rock at Walmart. Back to the concert - KISS came out in a furor with the opening chords to "Deuce" as the curtain dropped and bombs exploded with much fanfare. Dominating the giant stage was a larger than life KISS logo powered by enough bulbs to light up the Manhattan skyline. Gene, Paul and Tommy were backed by drummer Eric as his drum kit roses above the scene. For the next two and a half hours three and four chord power rock jolted the Garden as older fans and the next generation were treated to a taste of KISS. When we were growing up in the seventies KISS was not a band your parents condoned. It was the secret pleasure of youth. Now, parents are bringing their kids to the show to share their love of rock and roll and to teach the children a bit of KISStory. There were tons of fans - old and young - marching up and down the city streets adorned in face paint and dressed in KISS-themed garb in anticipation of the evening's performance. It is these new younger fans who are in the sights of the band's marketing brain trust as the rockers have additionally partnered with Walmart to provide special "KISS Korners" in Electronics departments and Halloween aisles during October. KISS T-shirts, wigs, makeup, limited edition KISS M&M candies, the band's past discography, and even KISS Mr. Potato Head spuds of all four band members -- will be offered at all stores in special areas through Halloween. KISS joins Journey (Revelation) and Foreigner (Can't Slow Down) as acts with three-disc sets featuring a CD of new material, a concert DVD and a best-of collection -- made available exclusively as a Walmart-only release. The retail giant is quickly becoming the go-to outlet for bands looking to make a splash in the ever-changing recording industry where weekly sales are a fraction of what they once were. So, if you're excited about Sonic Boom and looking to join the KISS Army for the first time -- or if you're looking to reenlist your membership to relive your youth -- it's time to shine up your boots, sound-off, and march on down to Walmart, or bust!
October 10, 2009 - MSG Set List:
 Native New Yorkers Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS. (Photo by Ken Pierce/PiercingMetal.com) Related Links: For more information on KISS and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- KISSonline.com | PiercingMetal.com
Originally Published: 10/15/2009 on Kweevak.com |
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