Guitarist Tommy Thayer Finds His Footing in KISS
“Even before I started playing guitar, I would come home from school, crank KISS Alive! in my parents’ living room and basically play air guitar to that entire record.”
Attention Shoppers! ‘They Just Seem a Little Weird’ Unmasks the Hidden Players Who Helped the Music do the Talking
A highly entertaining, behind-the-amps tour of the 1970s arena-rock connections, rivalries, misfires and grand designs linking the “hottest band in the land” to Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and the cultishly influential, yet eternally dimmed Starz.
‘Boom!’: An Interview with Gene Simmons
Much to my giddy delight, the following interview with my childhood hero, Gene Simmons, was published in three of the four biggest Texas newspapers (San Antonio, Houston and Austin) in December of 2009 as KISS was touring to promote the “Sonic Boom” album.
KISS’ Paul Stanley: ‘It’s going full speed and anyone in the way is gonna get creamed’
In 2004, I took my wife to her first KISS concert. By then, of course, she had been subjected to the KISS albums, my off-limits collection of memorabilia and the ceaseless, to-the-grave blathering about the band’s indelible influence on my life.
Me, Coe & Vinnie: Rebel Meets Rebels
By Metal Dave I’d like to say I wasn’t looking for trouble when I found myself next to David Allan Coe, but my defense would be pretty flimsy considering we shared a booth at a Dallas-area strip club owned by former Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul. I know this sounds like it’s going from bad to…
Yakking with Dangerous Toys’ Scott Dalhover
By Metal Dave Glessner Scott Dalhover has come a long way since his days of terrorizing Denny’s restaurants. In fact, even he can’t count the miles between then and now. Best known as the longtime lead guitarist for Austin-based hard rockers Dangerous Toys, Dalhover is now a ridiculously fit cycling enthusiast who probably has less…
Ask Anthrax: What’s Your Favorite Album?
By Metal Dave Glessner 2Fast2Die is still stark raving euphoric over the new Anthrax album, “Worship Music.” It’s so good that reviewing it earlier this year became an exercise in superlatives. To sum it up in Anthrax-speak, “Worship Music” is one Mublanikcufecin! Get it? As Anthrax tours through Texas this month (with a stop at…
Peter Criss: A 2003 chat with the Cat
When it comes to KISS interviews, Simmons and Stanley seem semi-rehearsed, rarely off-the-cuff and always geared toward the latest, greatest, biggest, whatever. Peter Criss, on the other hand, seems more comfortable going off script and offering Happy Hour glimpses into his shortcomings and quirks.
Want VIP?: How Fat’s Your Wallet?
By Metal Dave Remember when you had to sleep in a car to be the first in line to get the best concert tickets? Remember when getting a rock star’s autograph was your reward for persistence, loyalty and obsession? No? Well, I do and I’m sure I’m not alone. Today’s sad reality is the…
Rewind: Metallica’s Memories Remain
“I thought everyone was as theatrical as KISS and then I saw Peter Frampton on TV and said, ‘Nope! I was wrong!'”
Yakking with … Stevie Rachelle of Tuff
By Metal Dave The going was rough for TUFF during Hollywood’s 1980’s hair-metal heyday. Admittedly obsessed with Motley Crue, the band did the whole big-hair/skintight/bandanna thing, but never gained the nationwide audience of second-tier peers like L.A. Guns, Faster Pussycat and Dangerous Toys. Best-known for the novelty song, “American Hair Band,” in which singer Stevie…
KISS: C’mon and Call Me!
By Metal Dave Got the go-ahead today to once again interview KISS, which is an honor only a Justin Bieber fan could fail to fathom. To this day, my home is plastered with KISS memorabilia, some of which dates back to the sixth grade. If you would have told me as a kid that one…