NOV 26th, 2001-

KISS another year goodbye...it's time to get your 2002 KISS Wall Calendar. Now available from the store.

NOV 22nd, 2001-

GENE SIMMONS DRAGONFLY - This is going to be a three pronged new joint venture entity between myself and Dragonfly, a clothing company. The head of the company, Ed Dada is a really creative guy and once we met, we decided to do projects together.

1. GENESIMMONSDRAGONFLY.COM will be the web address where you can order our brand new line of clothing, hats, jewelry and so on. The centerpiece of the line is going to be my MONEYBAG logo. I'll make sure there'll be a link on this site.

As some of you know, close to 30 years ago, I started to sign my name using a dollar sign ($immons). Then, when we started to have jewelry using our names, it occured to me that my $immons name (using the $ sign) may be a trademark. It was. I was also curious if I could trademark the MONEYBAG logo for licensing/merchandising. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the gov't allowed me to trademark the logo.

So, for over 25 years, I've used the moneybag logo for all sorts of things -- SIMMONS RECORDS used the logo (when I had my label through RCA in the late 80's)....I had Simmons Records t-shirts using the logo...I used the logo on my PUNISHER bass guitars as well.

To me, the moneybag logo has always embodied the American Dream. Before I came to America, I heard stories of a place where the streets were lined with gold. And, eventhough the notion obviously smacks of a fairy tale, I'm here to tell you it's all true. I'm living proof that the American Dream is alive and well. You don't even have to be born here to scale the heights.

It has always struck me as curious that native born Americans seemed to have a double standard regarding money. If you don't work for it, and you win the lottery, you think nothing of jumping up and down and publically expressing your joy at your good fortune. But, if you actually have to work hard and then reap the rewards, you seem reluctant to talk about your success.

Hip hop artists seem much more honest in their expression of all the good things in life. They will think nothing of wearing diamonds and gold...surrounded by riches, great cars and beautiful women. White rock artists, even if they're rich, will step up on stage and look like garbage collectors.

I don't get it. It's almost as if they're ashamed of being rich. And, don't let anyone tell you different. Tell me honestly, if God told you that your wallet can have "more" money in it, or "less" money in it.....which would YOU choose?

So, GENESIMMONS.COM will give you all the info..all the who, what, where, when of it all.

2. GENE SIMMONS DRAGONFLY will be the name of the clothing line (as mentioned) and will debut in Las Vegas at the MAGIC SHOW CONVENTION. The show is a place where clothing companies gather to show off their wares. I will appear there in support of our line early in February.

3. GENE SIMMONS DRAGONFLY STORES will debut early in the new year. The first store will be in Hollywood, California. We already have a great site for it. The store will sell all kinds of cool stuff. First and foremost, we will feature our Gene Simmons Dragonfly clothing line. We'll also feature more KISS stuff than you ever imagined existed...both new stuff as well as collector's items and one of a kind items found nowhere else in the world. You'll also have a chance to see great stuff from other bands. There will be celebrity signings at the store as well as multi-media events.

Again, this site (GENESIMMONS.COM) will shortly have a direct link so, with the press of a button, you'll be able to log onto GENESIMMONSDRAGONFLY.COM to get all the latest news.

Ed and I have already done a photo session for a GENE SIMMONS DRAGONFLY advert that will shortly appear in GUITAR WORLD and BLENDER magazines. We intend to have parties in LA and New York to introduce people to our line. More news as it develops. I want to emphasize that all of the above is tentative.

DARK HORSE COMICS, as previously menionted, is the company that will be publishing the upcoming new KISS comic book series. The new series will be different than the previous McFarlane KISS PSYCHO CIRCUS series. It will focus on KISS as super heroes and will use THE ELDER as a mythical back story. Dark Horse head Mike Richardson and editor Scott Allie and I are very excited about the series.

We might kick it off with the long-in-the-planning KISS MEETS SUPERMAN special. Dark Horse and DC comics (which publishes Superman) work in tandem and if the politics work out, Dark Horse and/or DC will publish the book.

MAINFRAME, the company that will be producing the KISS CGI SUPER HERO TELEVISION SHOW, is gearing up start the process. They have just won the video award of the year for their Barbie project, as well as being that company that produces REBOOT, and BEAST WARS. I have already met with a number of very enthusiastic Mainframe staff, including president Brett Gannon and we are all jazzed about the project. I'm trying to keep the tv show consist with the mythology of the comic book. My guess is it will take ten months or so for the show to see the light of day.

MY DAD THE ROCK STAR is a show I created for NELVANA, the company that produces television shows like ROLIE POLIE OLIE. Company head Toper Taylor and I have been working on STAR for over two years. It's been a bumpy road, but Nelvana has just told me the show has been GREENLIT...This means they will commence production.

The basis of the show revolves around a kid named Willy Zilla, who has the usual problems -- going to school...trying to find himself...feeling out of place and not yet comfortable with who he is. To complicate matters, Willy's home life is a little stranger than yours and mine. Well, stranger than yours, anyway. You see, Willy's father is ROCK ZILLA, the most outrageous rock star there is. He may as well be seven feet tall, have fire shooting out of his ass and have a talking cod piece. Willy's sister tortures him and his hippy mother keeps giving him "new age" advice that leaves poor Willy clueless as to what it all means. If all this sounds semi autobiographical...it is. My son, Nick, is six foot, one and a half inches tall. Size 12 shoe size. He is 12 years old!!!

I'm in trouble.
More news as it develops.

GENE SIMMONS TONGUE magazine continues to develop nicely. The joint venture with Sterling McFadden and head Allen Tuller hopes to have our first issue on the stands by the Spring. We plan on shipping 300,000 copies of the first issue.

I have to admit to being slightly disappointed at not being to find an editor as yet. I've interviewed over 20 candidates and so far, no results. But, both Allen and I are confident all of the trials and tribulations of launching a new magazine will soon sort themselves out.

LEAP WIRELESS recently approached me about appearing at one of their confabs to speak. I'm tentatively set to go to Las Vegas around the 23rd of January. Leap Wiresless head Chris Riffle and his staff will meet with me on the 26th and I have a sense there are bigger things we can do together. More news as it develops.

PERRIER sparkling water is tentatively planning a French and Portugese advert campaign that will include billboards. They mailed me an ad layout of my face right alongside Perrier and it looked cool as hell. More news as it develops.

TRIUMPH and I are talking about a KISS relationship. This is in the formative stages, but I have intentions of getting a KISS BIKE out there. During the late 70's, we had a KISS HONDA bike. If any of you have seen MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, I'm sure you saw the cool bike Tom Cruise rode as he fought his nemesis. That bike blew me away. It was sleek...very 21st century. Triumph is a company that thinks about the future and is not stuck in the past. It sounds like a perfect fit with KISS.

More news later...

NOV 20, 2001-

Today we do the TOWER RECORDS instore to promote the BOX SET. We have four 40 foot blowups of the band facing the street on top of the store. It should be alot of fun....

...Just came out of the TOWER RECORDS BOX SET appearance and I have to say it was a real kick. I want to thank all the fans for coming out. It may have been a thrill for you, but I want to be clear with you: it's a thrill for us too. You guys were great.

Thanks.

ADAM RIFKIN (who directed DETROIT ROCK CITY) and I will be meeting tomorrow to discuss some exciting new projects.

ROCKLINE live satellite broadcast is at 8 pm (LA time) Nov the 21st. Call us.

The BBC CHER DOCUMENTARY will film me on Friday, Nov. the 23rd.

NOV 16th, 2001-

Today was a full day. Got up at 6:30 to do an interview with Miss Montana (her name, not her title) at a radio station in Wausau. I was half asleep and I probably made half sense.

Then I ran off to do a one of a kind interview at NPR...that's National Public Radio, which is, apparently heard nationwide. I was oblivious to it and only seldom stood still long enough while switching stations to listen to it. In all honesty and without malice, they need to get better programming and especially better dj's. I was on with PJ Rourke, he of Rolling Stone, who was quite literate and funny...the rest of the cast had as much life as the dead.

The host started off by introducing me as the lead singer of the rock band KISS...I loved that part. I felt as if I was back in sixth grade and the teacher was starting a history lesson. I as much said so on the program. He said he missed out on the KISS thing and preferred going to see PIPPIN (a fairly popular New York Broadway musical). Which is why, he surmised, he wound up on public radio and I wound up where I am. What did I think of that, he asked? I was ready to lower the boom on this guy, but quietly offered something along the lines of "I don't really care."

He continued with a real gem. He was pleasantly surprised to learn I was Jewish and that I had changed my name. Why hadn't I kept my Jewish last name, he wondered? I told him because I wanted to get laid, of course. We make good bankers, lawyers and so on...but we have horrible sounding names. My philosphy was always "Dress British, Think Yiddish." Keep my own culture to myself and try not to push it in people's faces. Everyone is too busy being proud of who and what they are to worry about me trying to earn brownie points by trying to convince them that I was still cool, even though I was Jewish. I wasn't selling religion, OR culture. I was selling ME.

This guy needs to quit the dj business and become a dry piece of toast. He would be more convincing at it if he did. I mean that in the nicest possible way.

I got back in time to prepare for a NEW YORK TIMES SUNDAY MAGAZINE photo session. This piece and the accompanying photos should see the light of day within two weeks in the Sunday Times.

Then by early afternoon, I did another photo session for GENE SIMMONS DRAGONFLY. This is a brand new joint venture company I am starting with Dragonfly. This will be a clothing line that will feature the MONEYBAG logo which I've owned for over a quarter of a century. I intend to go toe to toe with Nike, Calvin Klein and the like. The clothing line will be for guys and girls. The line runs the gamut from girls' bathing suits (moneybag logos tastefully placed, of course...you can guess where), to sweats, hats and robes. I had the pleasure of having Brooke and Kelly, two beautiful girls, wearing our bathing suits. The photo session will result in a forthcoming ad to appear in GUITAR WORLD and the like.

Yesterday, I spent the day with TIM ALLEN on my LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES project. We went studio pitching together with Tim McAnlese (the writer) and Brian Riley, who works with Tim. We visited NEW REGENCY, UNIVERSAL and DREAMWORKS. My partner is Barry Levine.

And, as you may know by now, Paul and I will appear at TOWER RECORDS on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood to promote our KISS BOX SET on Wednesday, Nov. the 21st. at 6 pm.

The following day, Paul and I will be doing a nationwide satellite radio show called ROCKLINE at 8:30 LA time. Call us.

 

NOV 14th, 2001-

We just got back from the NASCAR races that were held over the last weekend in Miami. The KISS car was driven by Sterling Marlin, one of the premier race car drivers. The event was over a two day period. Saturday was the Busch race and Sunday, was the Nascar race. Both were under NASCAR. Paul and I were the Grand Marshalls of the races. The US Army was there. Seventy thousand people were there. All the media was there. Needless to say, we had a ball.

BALLY head Mickey Roemer and I met on the 13th to discuss a KISS /BALLY relationship. Some of you might remember Bally put out the hugely successful KISS pinball machine in the 70's. Since then, Bally has split into a number of companies. Among them is Bally Gaming. These are slot machines which can be found in all the Las Vegas casinos. We tossed around a number of ideas which should see the light of day shortly.

Meantime, I've been up to my neck in interviews...for my forthcoming book, KISS AND MAKEUP...for the KISS BOX SET...for COURT TV (Dec. 4th)...and so on.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think John, your webmaster has been doing an excellent job of manning this site. Thanks John.

Webmaster note: Thanks Gene, it's the least a fan could do.

NOV 7th, 2001-

NASCAR - As most of you reading this already know, Sterling Marlin will be driving the KISS car in Miami on Oct the 11th. Paul and I will be there to press the flesh and hope to see you all out there.

BALLY's KISS PINBALL MACHINE was a one of a kind during the seventies. I have recently started having serious discussions with Bally regarding a modern KISS gaming machine. We are meeting when I get back from Miami next week.

SIREN is a new company I may get involved with - or not...They'll be having their coming out party in LA on the 15th. Do not know of a location as yet. Siren has signed some of the most beautiful girls for online downloads. You can learn more from them. I will get you their web site next time.

Webmaster Note: Added another Lady.

NOV 6th, 2001-

Webmaster Note: Added 2 more Ladies In Waiting.

NOV 4th, 2001-

Russell Simmons had a party I attended to celebrate the release of his autobiography. Russell co-founded DEF-JAM records and along with Rick Rubin, found the Beastie Boys, RUN DMC and so on.

Cher is going to have a special done on her by England's BBC. They asked for an interview and I may do that in a week.

Damian Lichtenstein and I will be teaming up for a new film project. Damian wrote and directed '3000 Miles To Graceland' starring Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell.

Really Useful Group head Austin Shaw, Universal Music's Tony Sturges and I met on the 1st of November to discuss strategy on the KISS Broadway show I've been working on for 5 years. Really Useful produce shows like "CATS" and "Phantom Of The Opera". I've gotten Steven Trask (writer/director of Hedwig And The Angry Inch) and Rob Roth (director of Broadway's "Beauty And The Beast") to come on board. More news as it develops.

Hoping to see you all in Miami for the NASCAR races on the 10th and 11th. Sterling Marlin will be driving the KISS car, and Paul and I will be there.

NOV 2nd, 2001-

Webmaster Note: Added 1 new Lady. Also added several letters to YOUR LETTERS.