(no subject)
Like most normal American men my age, I spend an inordinate amount of time contemplating which member of the original Kiss line-up I most admire. This is a very time consuming philosophical process which requires alot of solitude, a willingness to reflect on one's inner light, and at least one beer-stained copy of "Double Platinum" which one inherited from their older sibling (preferably on vinyl, preferably to be analyzed at top volume on the living room stereo).
I should first explain that I am not a.) pretending to love Kiss to be clever, witty, or ironic and b.) I am not one of these obsessive morons who totally worship Kiss without a hint of sarcasm and have a clause in their will stating that they want to be buried in a Kiss coffin (assuming George Lucas still hasn't authorized a Star Wars coffin at that point, in which case, they would ask to switch coffin designs, but have the burial garb changed to a replica of Ace Frehley's "Destroyer"-era space suit). Nah, I'm kind of an in-between. I really like Kiss, but I can't honestly say I "love" them. I didn't grow up with Kiss during their heyday; I came of age when they were already sort of a make-up-less joke. I mean, I WANT TO love Kiss, but I only just really like them, you know?
Anyways, I don't think you can become totally Kiss-obsessed unless you were one of those kids who saw them in 1977 when you were nine. Those people have a GOD GIVEN RIGHT to be as crazy and dumb as the people I tried to satirize in part "b" of the first sentence of the above paragraph. They have earned that place. Same goes for Star Wars nerds who were around during that time. But Lord knows, there are enough people who weren't even born during that time period who act like they are completely geeked out about all things Kiss and Star Wars. That's a phenomenon I call "fond childhood non-memory disorder". You act like you grew up on something which, in actuality, your oldest brother (or at this point, your mother) did.
But so anyways, out of respect for my elders, I'll say that I don't "love" Kiss, I just really like them.
So for those un-initiated with Kisstory: Gene Simmons played bass, Paul Stanley sang/played second guitar, Ace Frehley played lead guitar, and Peter Criss played drums. Everybody kind-of took turns singing, but Paul was the "main guy". Paul dressed up like a "star". Gene was suppoused to be a Japanese-style Kabuki theatre monster. Ace was suppoused to be an alien. Peter was suppoused to be a cat.
Stop laughing.
Basically, the band has always been divided into two camps by their fans: Gene and Paul were the business men. They were straight laced, non-drug using, very money oriented carear oppurtunists who helped make the band a world-wide success. Peter and Ace were the "musicians" of the group: they drank alot, weren't very business-like, fucked up interviews, and eventually quit the band when they realized it had become a complete lampoon of itself.
Gene and Paul kept the band going.
The band completely sucked from then on.
Hence, the modern day revisionist obsession with 70's-era original line-up of Kiss.
Anyways, on to the case for and against each band member. (to be continued, my friend just came over).
I should first explain that I am not a.) pretending to love Kiss to be clever, witty, or ironic and b.) I am not one of these obsessive morons who totally worship Kiss without a hint of sarcasm and have a clause in their will stating that they want to be buried in a Kiss coffin (assuming George Lucas still hasn't authorized a Star Wars coffin at that point, in which case, they would ask to switch coffin designs, but have the burial garb changed to a replica of Ace Frehley's "Destroyer"-era space suit). Nah, I'm kind of an in-between. I really like Kiss, but I can't honestly say I "love" them. I didn't grow up with Kiss during their heyday; I came of age when they were already sort of a make-up-less joke. I mean, I WANT TO love Kiss, but I only just really like them, you know?
Anyways, I don't think you can become totally Kiss-obsessed unless you were one of those kids who saw them in 1977 when you were nine. Those people have a GOD GIVEN RIGHT to be as crazy and dumb as the people I tried to satirize in part "b" of the first sentence of the above paragraph. They have earned that place. Same goes for Star Wars nerds who were around during that time. But Lord knows, there are enough people who weren't even born during that time period who act like they are completely geeked out about all things Kiss and Star Wars. That's a phenomenon I call "fond childhood non-memory disorder". You act like you grew up on something which, in actuality, your oldest brother (or at this point, your mother) did.
But so anyways, out of respect for my elders, I'll say that I don't "love" Kiss, I just really like them.
So for those un-initiated with Kisstory: Gene Simmons played bass, Paul Stanley sang/played second guitar, Ace Frehley played lead guitar, and Peter Criss played drums. Everybody kind-of took turns singing, but Paul was the "main guy". Paul dressed up like a "star". Gene was suppoused to be a Japanese-style Kabuki theatre monster. Ace was suppoused to be an alien. Peter was suppoused to be a cat.
Stop laughing.
Basically, the band has always been divided into two camps by their fans: Gene and Paul were the business men. They were straight laced, non-drug using, very money oriented carear oppurtunists who helped make the band a world-wide success. Peter and Ace were the "musicians" of the group: they drank alot, weren't very business-like, fucked up interviews, and eventually quit the band when they realized it had become a complete lampoon of itself.
Gene and Paul kept the band going.
The band completely sucked from then on.
Hence, the modern day revisionist obsession with 70's-era original line-up of Kiss.
Anyways, on to the case for and against each band member. (to be continued, my friend just came over).