Getting to Graceland

A little less conversation, a little more action

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU
AUGUST 16, 2013

In Memphis, the days leading up to August 16 have become known as "Elvis Week." It's a celebration of the life of city's most famous son and The King of Rock and Roll, and it centers around the anniversary of his death. Year after year, people come from around the globe to experience all-things-Elvis Presley. There's even an all-night vigil at The King's former home, Graceland. Last year, on the 35th anniversary of Presley's death, the event was attended by an estimated 75,000 people.

Think about that. There's only a handful of recording artists today that can attract that kind of crowd. They're the ones that play football stadiums, not theaters or arenas, when they're out on tour. Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and U2 come to mind, but they are a select few. And yet in Memphis, that many people showed up just to walk past a man's grave, in silence, while holding a candle. A man who hadn't sung a song in 35 years.

Such is the impact of Elvis Aaron Presley. And though I've never been to "Elvis Week," I did recently have myself an Elvis weekend. Two good friends and I - to borrow from the inspiring song by Mark Cohn - did some walking in Memphis. We're all lifelong Presley fans, and we figured it was time we got down there. And so we put on our blue suede shoes, so to speak, boarded a plane, and touched down in the land of the Delta blues. We made the 1,032 mile journey to Graceland.

It's been nearly three months since our trip, and not a day has passed that I haven't thought about it. Memphis, for anyone with an appreciation for the history of rock and roll, is a special place. And as I told some people upon my return, "I brought home a little bit of Memphis with me, but I also think I left a little piece of me there."

It stays with you.

Graceland was wonderful. Though you sometimes might hear people say that it's not as big as they had expected, I didn't feel that way at all. It's a mighty big house, and yet it still has the feel of a home. There are moments on the Graceland tour that are simply fun, such as the rooms dedicated to Elvis's gold records and jumpsuits, yet there are also moments that are sad and poignant, such as when you find yourself standing before the very same piano that Presley played on August 16, 1977 - just hours before his death. You see a swing-set in the backyard, where his daughter once played, and a pool where good times were had by family and friends. And yet just 20 yards away, you also visit his grave.

Directly across the street from Graceland on Elvis Presley Boulevard is an annex plaza. And while no merchandise is sold at the actual home and the tour is extremely tasteful and serene, the plaza is a haven for the Elvis collector. Some of the gift shops even have special themes, such as "The '68 Comeback Special" and "Elvis's Hawaii." I loved it all, and I admit I bought a bit more than I had expected. While there, you can also visit the radio booth of Elvis Radio, a Sirius XM station devoted exclusively to Presley. My friends and I got lucky upon our visit there, as George Klein happened to be broadcasting at the time. Klein is a Memphis legend on TV and radio and was a close personal friend to The King, and there is certainly something very cool about standing directly across the street from Graceland and chatting with a man who once partied there many times with Elvis. Elvis had also served as best man at Klein’s wedding, and Klein served as a pallbearer for Elvis. And there he was, more than happy to come out of the radio booth to meet with fans.

This is the type of stuff that can happen when you visit Memphis.

Of course, if you're in Memphis, you also have to visit Sun Studio. It's history is well-documented. Early recordings of not only Presley, but also Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, B.B. King and Roy Orbison were all done there. You can stand in the exact spot where Elvis recorded "That's All Right" and you can see some of the vintage recording gear used at the time. For me, however, there was a moment at Sun that remains even more memorable. Just prior to visiting the city, I read the book "Last Train To Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley." Written by Peter Gurlanick, it is considered to be the definitive Presley biography. And the truth behind Elvis's early recordings at Sun, wonderfully described in the text, is actually far more interesting than the myth or the drive-by Hollywood version ...

There is a perception that Elvis walked into the studio off the street, recorded "That's All Right," quickly became a regional sensation, signed with RCA, and soon became King. But that's not what happened. Presley recorded several songs at Sun prior to "That's All Right" without much success. Sam Phillips, the owner of the studio, thought he had a pretty good voice, but there was nothing particularly special about the first few tracks he recorded. But Elvis kept coming back. He'd come to the reception area of the studio - polite, shy and unassuming - looking for more opportunities to record. This went on for about a year. The receptionist at Sun, a woman named Marion Keisker, took a liking to the well-mannered young man. Ultimately, she helped get him the session that led to "That's All Right."

I don't know how many people that take the tour of Sun fully appreciate the significance of that little reception area, where a nice young woman once took a nice young man under her wing and, is essence, changed pop culture history. Most of the people on the tour I took part in moved quickly through the reception area and into the actual recording studio, but I stood there for a while, imagining the inward yet also obviously determined young Elvis coming back again and again, hoping for another chance to realize his dream.

Keisker, when she first met the 18 year-old Presley while working in that small office, asked him what kind of singer he was.

"I sing all kinds," he said.

She then asked whom he sounded like.

"I don't sound like nobody," he replied.

You stand in that little room, 60 years later, and you see Keisker’s little desk, and you can still feel the moment.

These are the types of experiences you can have when you visit Memphis.

My friends and I did a lot of walking in Memphis. We visited Lauderdale Courts, a housing complex where Elvis lived during his high school years, and we stood on the steps of Humes High School, from which he graduated. We walked up on the stage of the Overton Park Bandshell, an amphitheater where Elvis performed in 1954, and we visited the site of the Lansky Brothers clothing store, where The King first bought his cool threads. We strolled by the now abandoned Chisca Hotel, the home of the first radio station to play Elvis, and we visited 1034 Audubon Drive, the site of the home that Presley bought with the royalties from his first No. 1 hit, "Heartbreak Hotel." We also took a ride out to the site of the former Stax Recording Studio, where Presley recorded material for three albums in 1973, and we even visited the old Arcade Diner, one of Elvis's favorite eateries. While there, the grandson of the original owner came over to our table and told us some great stories about some of the times Elvis had eaten there, and he pointed us towards Elvis's favorite booth. Of course, we sat in it.

These are also the types of experiences you can have when you visit Memphis.

You can also party on Beale Street and hang out at clubs owned by B.B. King and Jerry Lee Lewis. You can see the great Mississippi River and the solemn site where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. We did all of that, too. And on the corner of Beale and Main Street, we visited Elvis Presley Plaza, where a striking statue stands in his honor of Memphis' favorite son.

If you are a fan of Elvis Presley, you should really try to visit Memphis. You need to go to Graceland. And Sun. And pack in as much as you can in the time that you have there. I also suggest reading "Last Train To Memphis" before you go, as well as George Klein's "Elvis: My Best Man" and Jerry Schilling’s "Me and a Guy Named Elvis." Both are entertaining and thoughtful books written by two of Elvis's closest friends, and the stories they share of their time at Graceland and growing up in Memphis will make your visit even more enjoyable. I actually read the latter two books after my visit there, and I found that having personal visuals of the city and Graceland in mind really helped bring the texts to life. Simply put: if you go there, and you can truly picture things as they were, the stories are even better.

Elvis passed away 36 years ago today. I was only nine years old at the time, but I was already a fan and I remember it well. Throughout my life, I've always done something to note the day. I'd watch an Elvis special on TV, or listen to some of his music. This year, it feels different. Though I am not at Graceland for "Elvis Week," this was the year I finally got down there. I stood on one of the same stages where he first performed and in the same room where he first recorded. I saw his home, his cars and his airplanes and met one of his best friends. I placed a flower on his grave as a gesture of thanks, for not only his music, but for all of rock music. I paid my respects to The King.

These are the types of experiences you can have when you visit Memphis.

If you've ever thought about going, do it. "TCB," as Elvis would say. Take care of business.

It will stay with you.

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

'82 concert helped define 'Who' I am

Listening to you, I get the music

Gazing at you, I get the heat

Following you, I climb the mountain

I get excitement at your feet ... "

- The Who, 1969

JFK Stadium: September 25, 1982

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU

September 25, 2012

There are days in your life that, as time passes by, you realize helped define you as a person. They are those all-too-rare days that have such an incredible impact on you that, even years later, you are still well aware and appreciative of their significance. For me, one of those days was Sept. 25, 1982.

That was the day - exactly 30 years ago - that I attended my first rock concert.

That was the day I saw The Who play to more than 100,000 people at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

And that was the day I experienced, perhaps for the first time, the power, the energy, the spirit and the beauty of rock 'n' roll.

And if were it not for that day, there's a very good chance I wouldn't have done a lot of the things that I've done over the past 20 years, such as serving as the music editor at The Times Leader, the editor of The Weekender, a music columnist at both papers and a DJ on 102.3-FM, The Mountain. Such work also led to the launch of the former "Concert For A Cause," which led me to the work that I do today with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Many important dots in my life can be connected to September 25, 1982.

Although it's been 30 years since that show, some of the memories remain as clear as the skies above on that gorgeous fall afternoon. I can still recall Roger Daltrey doing his trademark microphone toss high over his head, and the great Pete Townshend doing his patented guitar "windmills." 

(Yes, that old promo in The Weekender of yours truly doing a "windmill" - if you remember it - was my tribute to Townshend.)

I remember how the mammoth JFK stadium, which stood where the Wells Fargo Center now stands, was lined with British flags, and I can still recall some of the banners fans had brought into the facility.

Pete Townshend on the 1982 tour

 "Long Live Rock!" read one.

"Break the (expletive) guitar, Pete!" read another.

Townshend, who had stopped smashing guitars at that point in his career, unfortunately did not oblige. 

I remember my parents being kind enough to drive a friend and I to Philly to the concert. They knew how much I wanted to see the show, so they dropped their teenage son and his buddy off at JFK in the late morning, spent their day in the city, and picked us up after the show. I am still, to this day, appreciative.

I remember seeing opening acts Santana and The Clash, and I remember hearing on the car radio on the way to the show how a disturbed man named George Banks decided to kill 13 innocent people back in Wilkes-Barre earlier that morning. And although I was only 15 years old and extremely excited about going to my first concert, my thoughts also were on the tragedy back home throughout the day.

My biggest memory from the concert itself was simply being overwhelmed and awed by the sheer size of the crowd. I'd been to professional baseball games and football games before, but I'd never seen such an enormous sea of humanity as I did on that day. Nor have I ever seen one like it since. And it was all for music, and all for The Who, which is, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

 A seed was planted in that 15-year-old kid that day, and it was the glorious seed of rock 'n' roll. In the ensuing years, I bought almost all of The Who's albums, and with each one, I seemed to discover more and more of Pete Townshend's creative brilliance. I'd go to the "midnight movies" and watch films such as "The Kids Are All Right," "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia," and I became fascinated with the band's tough-as-nails image yet ultimately discerning music.

JFK Stadium, Philadelphia - September 25, 1982

I wore out a few cassette copies of "Who's Next" and "Who Are You," and my concert shirt that I bought at the show soon became equally worn.

Although The Who's 1982 road jaunt was billed as its "Farewell Tour," the band, thankfully, didn't keep its word. In 1989, the group was out commemorating the 20th anniversary of "Tommy," and in 1996, the band dusted off "Quadrophenia" and brought it to America's stages. I, of course, was in Philly again on both occasions. And I was able to catch them again in Hershey in 2002. Personally, I'm glad they didn't stick to their "farewell" words of three decades ago, and considering Townshend and Daltrey are still playing shows together and packing them in, apparently so are a lot of other people.

 In 1969, The Who, according to some, stole the show at "Woodstock."

 In 1985, The Who stole the show at "Live Aid."

 In 2001, The Who stole the show at "The Concert For New York."

And on Sept. 25, 1982, they stole a little bit of my heart. And every time I hear "Baba O'Riley," "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Love, Reign O'er Me" or any of the band's incredible songs, I revisit that day just for a few moments. And it is during those moments that I again feel the power, the energy, the spirit and the beauty of rock 'n' roll.

It is then that I remember why I became at least a part of who I am.

It is then that I remember, with gratitude, how I got here.

A 'Motley' mission accomplished

By ALAN K. STOUT
MUSIC ON THE MENU
August 1, 2011

I've never really been one to try and go backstage at concerts. Considering I've covered literally hundreds of them over the past 19 years for The Times Leader and The Weekender, you'd think I'd have a wall of laminates in my collection. But I don't. If I had to guess, I'd say I've only gone backstage about 20 times over the years, and I've only done so when I was a big, longtime fan of the artist.

On Sunday night at Montage Mountain, with Motley Crue back in town, I ventured backstage for the first time in a few years. I'd known the band professionally for about 15 years, interviewed them many times, and even back in high school, I was the first kid on the school bus to blast their music. I saw them at Pocono Downs back in '87, at the old Spectrum in Philly, at the F.M. Kirby Center, at Montage a bunch of times, in Camden, N.J., and at the arena in Wilkes-Barre. On one occasion, as part of a radio contest, I even saw them play in somebody's backyard. In total, it's probably been about 10 times that I've caught them live.

On Sunday night, I was on a bit of a mission. And it was both personal and professional. And it all evolved around something that I doubt many of our readers even know: In 1999, I wrote the liner-notes to the entire Motley Crue CD catalog. And though I'm sometimes asked why my name is on all of their albums, and how it all came about, I don't think it's anything I've ever written about. So I'll explain ...

In late 1998, the band had played in Wilkes-Barre and I had done an interview with Vince Neil to advance the show. The story was also picked up by one of the national entertainment news wires and it ran in newspapers all across the United States. I'd also covered Motley's 1997 show in Philadelphia. In 1999, I got a call from the band's publicist telling me that the group really liked my stories on them, and they wanted to know if I would be willing to work with them on a new CD project and write their bio. Of course, I was.

The albums, titled "Crucial Crue," were the original Motley Crue albums, but were digitally-remastered and included special bonus tracks. They also included all new liner-notes written by me with the help of the band. For several days in the spring of 1999, I interviewed Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Mick Mars on their recollections of various albums in their catalog. Those thoughts were then included on the new CDs. The band also credited me on each album. I sometimes joke that I might have to explain to St. Peter someday at the Pearly Gates why my name is on all of the Motley Crue albums. And I hope I get a pass. It was a lot of fun.

At the time of the project, Tommy Lee was in the band, but he never called when he was scheduled to do so for his interviews. Nobody knew why. Not even Nikki. I can still remember having phone conversations and e-mail exchanges with him where we both wondered what was going on. Eventually, with the deadline to finish the project approaching, Nikki filled in and covered all of the CDs that were originally assigned to Tommy. And it was just a few weeks later that we all learned that Tommy Lee had left Motley Crue.

"Well," I thought. "That explains that."

To the band's credit, ever since we worked on the project together, they've always treated this music columnist from Pennsylvania pretty good.  A few years back, when Motley played the arena in Wilkes-Barre, I had requested a phone interview, through the band's publicist, with Nikki, and was told he wasn't doing any one-on-one interviews with the press, just a group teleconference. I politely asked the publicist to tell Nikki it was me making the request. Soon, Nikki and I were chatting on the phone. And he gave me a great interview.    

I had also caught up with the band, sans Tommy, a few times around 1999 and 2000 while they were on tour. They were very nice. In fact, one year they sent a beautifully framed and autographed item commemorating CD sales of 30 million to the "Concert For Karen" rock auction. And when we met, Nikki, Mick and Vince all signed a copy of a "Dr. Feelgood" CD that I wrote the liner-notes for and the original story I wrote for the newspaper. But until yesterday, they were both still missing one signature: Tommy's.

Not any more.

He signed them both last night.

Though the "Crucial Crue" project was 12 years ago, they still hooked me up with a great pair of seats for last night's show and I was able to go back and say a quick hello to Mr. Sixx, who said he remembered the project well. And while Tommy was keeping to himself or roaming about somewhere else in the backstage area, the band's tour manager - who was also aware of the "Crucial Crue" project - asked him sign my two items. And he happily obliged.

Motley mission accomplished. "Crucial Crue," to me - after 12 years - is now complete. And maybe that's why, to me, "Dr. Feelgood" sounded particularly great last night.

Thanks, Crue.

It's always good to see ya.

Farewell to The Times Leader/The Weekender

Dear friends and readers,

Earlier today, after more than 18 years as a full-time employee, I gave notice that I am leaving The Times Leader to accept a position with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of The Bridge and Catholic Social Services. The position is Development Coordinator. Most of my work will be with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program and will involve marketing, event-planning and fundraising. I will remain at the newspaper until Nov. 18 and will begin my new position on Nov. 21. Coincidently, I worked with Big Brothers/Big Sisters earlier this year with "Concert For A Cause 9," and while I always had a great appreciation and respect for the work that they do, that increased even more when I learned more about the program through CFC. Apparently, they also liked me, and when this position recently became available and I expressed an interest, things moved rather quickly. I am looking forward to this new chapter of my life, working with some fine people, and through that work, helping make a difference in people's lives.

The Times Leader and The Weekender have been my home away from home for most of my adult life. I love the newspaper business and the people that work in it and I am proud to have been called a journalist for the past 19 years. I started off as a correspondent in 1992, was hired as an editorial assistant in 1993 and was promoted to the features department in 1995. In 1994, I was given my own weekly column, "Music On The Menu," which I have written for 17 years. In 2000, I was named Music Editor of the features department, and from 2005-2007, I served as editor of The Weekender. Amid all of that, I also covered news, wrote community news features and sports features, wrote editorials, worked on the copy desk and helped launch "Concert For A Cause" and the "Weekender/Mountaingrown Original Music Series." And for five years, I ran the Newspapers In Education program, which is very dear to me and is a program that I believe in very much.

I am proud of all of this work and appreciate the opportunities the paper has given me. In turn, I was happy to have been able to help the paper win awards in both journalism and circulation, and newspaper readers in Northeastern Pennsylvania voted me their favorite writer several times. My former boss, Joe Butkiewicz, always told us, "It's always about the readers," and I am very grateful to them for allowing me to be a little part of their lives for so many years.

And again, I want to thank The Times Leader. Just last year, we launched a new weekly feature, "MEET," which I have thoroughly enjoyed. And I was very flattered to be asked to be a member of this year's Endorsement Board for the upcoming election. I learned something new from every position I held. And the combination of writing, marketing, fundraising, community relations and event-planning skills that I acquired has allowed me to broaden by horizons, and, in essence, present me with this new opportunity.

Some of the years I spent in the newsroom covering music will stay with me for the rest of my life, as it was probably the most exciting time we've ever had for live music in this region. The new arena was built. The new Montage amphitheater was built. Nightclubs all over NEPA were packed four or five nights a week with people going out to see local bands, some of which went on to have national success. For a while, the local music scene was so vibrant that, in 1994, we launched The Times Leader's "Sound Choice" readers' poll, which our readers loved, and I sometimes felt as if - through my work - I was in the center of it all ... writing about the music, celebrating it and trying to promote it. And amid all of that, I was fortunate enough to interview some of my favorite musicians of all-time, from Eddie Van Halen to Steven Tyler to Billy Joel. But what I loved the most about that time - by far - was the friendships that I made, many of which will stay with me for the rest of my life. There are people out there that play in local bands and that have owned local clubs that are like family to me. And that means more to me than you can possibly imagine.

Many of the people that I have worked with at The Times Leader and The Weekender have also been very important to me. I worked for four different publishers and I liked them all. I worked for several editors, and people such as Mary Therese Biebel, Paul Gallagher, Chris Ritchie and Joe Butkiewicz had an incredibly positive impact on my life. Joe B. served as my supervisior on two different occasions, and you will not find a more decent man in the newspaper business or a better mentor. While running the NIE program, I worked in the circulation department and also became close with its staff. And our supervisor, Dick DeHaven, is among the greatest bosses I've ever had. Another wise, fair and decent man. There are too many co-workers to mention here by name that I am so fond of. Some have also moved on. Some are still at the paper. They know who they are. And I hope to tell them all how I feel about them over the next few weeks.

These are the things I am thinking about today. I am thinking about the exciting new work I will be doing with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and as anyone would do, I am thinking back on all of the wonderful opportunities I was given at The Times Leader. I literallly grew up there. I got my first apartment while working there, later bought my first home, and for the past five years, I have supported my family because of my work there. It was a good job and a nice place to work. I leave on great terms and I hope to continue to do some freelance writing for both papers. Once you have written for a newspaper, it's in your blood. I will also continue to host my Sunday night radio show, "Music On The Menu Live," on The Mountain, will host the monthly "Mountaingrown Original Music Series," and will occasionally blog about music. My love for the original music being created in NEPA is as strong as ever and I will continue to support it.

Now, as I move on to a new chapter in my life, I again want to thank my readers and I again want to thank The Times Leader and The Weekender. I will remain a loyal subscriber and reader. And I must thank Big Brothers/Big Sisters for this exciting new position. The work they do is both important and inspiring, and I am very proud to be a part of their team.

Trust me: you'll still be seeing me around.

Alan

(P.S. Some of my friends might be interested in the little slideshow linked below with some photos of the good times I've had at The Times Leader and The Weekender. And of course, it's set to music. What a great ride. THANK YOU.)

Ace unmasks in Scranton

Ace Frehley performs in Scranton, Pa. March 3, 1985
(That's my hand in the photo)

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU

March 3, 2010

A great rock concert can stand out in your mind for various reasons. I've been to quite a few of them, and though some were utterly forgettable, some are still burned deep in the heart. Seeing Paul McCartney live can actually leave you awestruck, and artists like U2 and Bruce Springsteen seem to take you to another place during their live shows. In some ways, it's almost spiritual.


I love those artists. Always have. And it's no secret to some of our readers that I'm also a pretty big KISS fan. I've seen them about 30 times in concert and can honestly say that when it comes to live bands, they remain among the best. Ace Frehley, the group's original guitarist, is also still an all-time favorite. And it was exactly 25 years ago this week that Frehley gave one of the most memorable shows I've ever seen. And it was right here in Northeast Pennsylvania — in Scranton — at the old West Side Theater.


I was 17 years old and it was the spring of my senior year in high school. Myself and a group of good friends all loved Ace, but since he had left KISS a few years prior — right around the time we were finally old enough to start going to their shows — we'd never seen him play live. I can still remember the day the show was announced, and how we were all calling one another and were absolutely over-the-top excited. Within minutes, we were all running off to our little part-time high school jobs, making sure we put in for the night off from work. I called one friend who lived quite a few miles away and said I was on my way over to pick him up. He still jokes to this day that right after I called, he threw on Frehley's 1978 solo album, and before he'd heard even one song, I was already out in front of his house laying on the horn.


Did I mention we were excited?


A few weeks later, it was time for the big show. March 3, 1985. The concert venue was about a 30 minute ride from my house. We left about 12 hours early. There were so many of us that we had to take two cars. Even though Ace wasn't going to come on until around 9 p.m., we were there by late morning. Of course, we spent most of the day on a zany quest trying to meet him. After learning that he was still nowhere near the venue, we decided to scope out a few nearby hotels, and though we did eventually find the right one and had a pretty close encounter with the great guitarist, we had no luck in our attempt to hang out with the Spaceman.

And that, in retrospect, is OK. The hunt to find Ace was a lot of fun in itself, and since that time, I've been fortunate enough to have met him and interviewed him several times. But that first attempt back in '85, when we were still just kids, was something we all still laugh about. In fact some of us, 25 years later, still meet for lunch every year on March 3 to reminiscence and celebrate our love for Ace. At one point, we walked into a hotel lobby with Frehley's solo album and asked a woman at the desk, "Have you seen this man?" She smiled at the album cover — a painting of Frehley in his full KISS makeup — and said, "No, but I wish I had."

And THAT was another thing that made this particular concert so memorable. That type of picture — Ace in his KISS makeup — was all we had to go by. What some younger KISS fans might not even realize is that for a full decade, from 1973-1983, no one knew what the band members looked like. It was a huge part of their persona that offered a unique element to their mystique. Finally, in '83, when they felt that aspect of their career had run its course, they unmasked for the album "Lick It Up" and continued to enjoy great commercial success. Frehley, however, had left the band in '82. And though he was on tour in the spring of '85, he had not yet released a post-KISS solo album.



Ace had not yet "unmasked."

We were all going to see a show by one of our all-time favorite musicians, yet we had NO IDEA WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE.


Thinking back on it, it's pretty wild, and I can honestly say that Ace Frehley's 1985 mini-tour of the East Coast was one of the most unusual rock tours of all-time. I can't think of any other tour, ever, where you knew that when the artist walked on the stage, you were literally going to see what they looked like for the first time. It was incredibly cool, and since he was already a superstar, and since we had already loved his music so much for so many years, it only added to the fun.


Of course, Ace came out and totally rocked. For us, it was pretty much the same as it was with KISS a few years earlier, when we saw them sans makeup for the first time. We were never fans because of the makeup and costumes. Sure, maybe it helped get our attention when we were kids, but we stayed fans because we liked the songs. We loved the music. Again though, most KISS fans had seen the band unmask live on MTV in '83. Or they'd seen their photo on the "Lick It Up" album cover, or they'd seen them in music videos. By the time their tours for "Lick It Up" and later "Animalize" came around, you at least knew how they appeared in person.


Not so with Ace.


Frehley played lots of great songs that night, some old and some new. And he continued to come back to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area from time to time. He played the old Autographs nightclub in Old Forge in '87, and both The Woodlands and Tink's in '95. They're all part of KISSTORY here in NEPA. A history that includes KISS shows at The Paramount Theater (now The Kirby) in 1974 and King's College in 1975, Paul Stanley's solo show at Market Street Square in '89, Peter Criss' show at Market Street in '92 and The Woodlands in '94, and KISS' more recent stops at Montage in 2000 (with Ace back in the band) and 2004, 2010, 2012 and 2014.


Except for those first few shows in '74 and '75, I was at all of them. And though I loved them all, there will always be something very special about March 3, 1985 — the day my friends and I saw Ace Frehley for the first time, both figuratively, and literally. It was a day that, when you really think about it, helped reinforce what what KISS had first proved in 1983. Despite their larger-than-life persona, lavish stage shows and now iconic makeup and costumes, it's really the music and nothing but the music that matters most.


Ace proved it, once again, in Scranton.


And his fans proved it simply by being there.



(Alan K. Stout has covered rock and pop music in NEPA since 1992. His weekly radio show, “Music On The Menu,” airs every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. on 105 The River.) 

ALAN'S PRESS BIO: https://musiconthemenu.blogspot.com/2018/06/alan-k_13.html

'King of Pop' dies

Locals recall Michael Jackson

By ALAN K. STOUT

TIMES LEADER STAFF WRITER
June 26, 2009

WILKES-BARRE – On the day of Michael Jackson’s death, three local residents recalled their personal experiences with the self-proclaimed “King of Pop.” One knew Jackson as a young teen, in 1973, when he was still enjoying his early pop success. Another knew him at the absolute height of his commercial appeal, in 1984, just after the stunning success of “Thriller.” And the third covered his infamous trial during which he was accused of child molestation and from which his career never fully recovered.

Joe Middleton of Pittston worked for the Jackson 5 during the group’s 1973 tour. Middleton assisted with the merchandising on the tour and said he spent a lot of time around the young pop sensation. He recalled Jackson with both fondness and sadness on Thursday.

“The kid was a prankster,” said Middleton. “He was great. He was fun to be with. You could tell he had talent, but he didn’t have a normal childhood. Michael had no life. That’s why the kid was screwed up. He never left his father’s side. He was the cash cow. Nothing could happen to Michael. Without Michael, there was no Jackson 5.”

Middleton said he wasn’t surprised to hear stories, years later, about the negative impact that Jackson’s father, Joe, might have had on his son’s psyche.

 “The father was a very stern taskmaster,” he said. “The other boys would have some time to have fun, but Michael was under the father’s thumb all the time.”

Jim Evans, president of the Wilkes-Barre-based Mountain Productions, worked with Jackson in 1984 when the company was hired by the reunited Jacksons to design and build the stage for the group’s “Victory” tour. The tour came at the height at Jackson’s popularity and was one of his first musical endeavors following the release of “Thriller.”

“He was very professional and knew exactly what he wanted,” recalled Evans, adding that Jackson had a great sense for theatrics and for what worked well in the world of entertainment. Evans said that when the company was hired to build the “Victory” stage, he traveled to California to meet with Jackson and the tour’s production manager. The meeting was arranged by promoter Don King, known best for his work in the world of professional boxing.

“We sat down at his mother’s kitchen, and she made us ham and cheese sandwiches,” said Evans, of Mountain Top. “We drew doodles (of ideas for the stage) on napkins. I wish I still had some of those napkins … but at the time, who knew?”

After the stage was completed, Evans saw several of the tour’s 55 shows. He says Jackson was very pleased with the massive, stadium-sized staging, which took about a dozen semi-trucks to transport from concert to concert.

“They were all sellouts,” he said. “He was quite the draw. There was no doubt about it.”

Steve Corbett, a former longtime newspaper columnist at The Times Leader and current talk show host at WILK radio, wrote about two of Michael Jackson’s trials while working for a newspaper in Santa Maria County, Calif. In 2005, Corbett covered the trial during which Jackson was accused of child molestation. Two years prior, he also covered a civil trial in which Jackson was being sued by a concert promoter for allegedly backing out on an agreement to perform several shows. At that trial, Jackson himself took the stand to testify.

 “That’s where the photographs were taken, during his testimony, of him putting his fingers up to his head like devil horns, and like a rabbit,” said Corbett. “He was acting very, very strange, even for Michael Jackson. He was making contact with people in the audience with hand signals and really, really looked like he was having some difficulties. He was inappropriate. His behavior was wrong.”

At the 2005 trial, Corbett says that he – like many others – began to view Jackson with some sympathy, but only to a certain extent. “He was a tragic figure,” said Corbett. “You could see it. You could sense it. But I also watched testimony from not only the little boy who accused Michael Jackson of molesting him, but also the mother of the other little boy – where there was a settlement – and she would raise the hair on the back of your neck. When you would listen to how Michael Jackson made these friends with these children, it was very, very scary.”

Corbett said that during the five-month 2005 trial, he began to get a sense of Jackson’s inner demons.

“You got to see how Michael Jackson was a child himself,” he said. “He had not developed, even though he was a master and perhaps a brilliant genius. His childhood was far from one to be envied, and he was a clearly tragic figure, but he was a dangerous person as well. I listened to all of the testimony and all of the witnesses, and I absolutely believed that Michael Jackson was guilty.”

Jackson was acquitted on all charges. Corbett’s reaction to his death was diplomatic.

“I learned a lot from Michael Jackson, and I’m sorry that he’s gone, and I’m sorry that his life turned into such a tortured existence,” he said. “And I’m also sorry that I believe he turned the lives of unknown children into tortured existences as well.”

(This story was originally published on page 1 of The Times Leader on June 26, 2009.)