KISS ON THE MOUNTAIN
THREE-HOUR RADIO SPECIAL IS NOW A
PODCAST
BY ALAN K. STOUT
MUSIC ON THE MENU
October 19, 2012
On Saturday, September 15,
2012, 102.3-FM presented “KISS ON THE MOUNTAIN,” a three-hour radio special
which celebrated the musical history of one of the most successful American
rock bands of all-time. The show was done in conjunction with the group’s
September 18 show at Montage Mountain in Scranton. We had a great time putting
it together. And based on the feedback we received, we know a lot of people
enjoyed it. In fact, thanks to the fact that info about the show was posted on
the official KISS website and Facebook page, as well as some of the most
popular KISS fan sites in the world, we knew we had people listening not just
in Northeastern Pennsylvania, but also all around the globe.
We were also aware, however,
that a show broadcast in Pennsylvania, USA, from 8-11 p.m. (EST) might not have
been the best time for someone to listen in Australia, England, or Japan. And
we also had some of our regional listeners tell us that they'd like to hear it
again. Thus, in celebration of the recent release of KISS' new album,
"Monster" - which is currently
the No. 1 album in Northeastern Pennsylvania - the entire "KISS ON THE
MOUNTAIN" program is now also podcast. You can now listen to the entire
radio special right here, commercial-free. And to make it even more convenient,
we’ve broken it down into three segments.
What will you hear?
1. Excerpts from a new 2012 interview with
Gene Simmons, during which he talks about
“Monster,” as well as several other musical topics.
2. Audio excerpts from archived newspaper
interviews that I had done with the band dating back 18 years. They include
conversations with Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss and Simmons from
1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2011.
3. Commentary on the music of KISS. I’ve been
a fan since 1976, have interviewed the band more than dozen times, have written
more than 35 articles about the group and have now seen them live 32 times.
Thus, I had fun sharing a few stories.
4. More than 30 songs from all eras of the
band’s career. This includes the classics and some gems that you'll probably
never hear anywhere else on the radio.
What do Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley think
guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer bring to the KISS lineup? What
are Simmons' thoughts on the 2012 tour? And, from the archives, how did Stanley
feel, in the early ‘90s, when the band suddenly became the inspiration to
countless KISS tribute acts and began to receive long overdue critical acclaim?
What were Ace Frehley’s and Peter Criss’ fondest memories of KISS? What were Simmons' thoughts on the grunge
movement and how it affected live performances, and how do both Simmons and
Stanley feel about the legend of the KISS live show? What are Stanley's
thoughts on the successful non-make-up era of the band, which saw KISS continue
on as a platinum act? And how does Simmons feel about the loyalty often
displayed by the group's fans?
You can hear it all on the “KISS ON THE
MOUNTAIN” radio special, as well as some of the band’s best songs. When
discussing KISS, it’s easy to get caught up in the image, the innovative stage
shows and all of the pomp, but KISS is a band that has sold 100 million records
and has 28 gold albums. It has a band
that has recorded some fine rock and roll music, and this radio show, more than
anything, is about that music.
You can hear the entire program
simply by clicking on these three links. Just click on the image and that hour
of the show will play:
Hour #1:
Hour #2:
Hour #3:
We hope you enjoy the show.
AKS
