Decibel Geek Podcast

We're back this week to celebrate the second half of 1985 as we dissect July through December. There was a ton of music released in the second half of 1985 and Chris and Aaron are back to bring you some of the best tracks from the year. Without further ado, here are the stories, the people, and the sounds that made 1985 an interesting year for Decibel Geeks:

July:

July 13 – The Live Aid concert takes place in Wembley Stadium, London, UK and Philadelphia, USA. The headlining acts at the latter venue included a Led Zeppelin reunion, the first since their 1980 disbandment.

Rough Cutt – Take Her (Rough Cutt) 

August:

August 31 – Richard Ramirez, the serial killer known as the Night Stalker, is captured in Los Angeles.

Metal Edge Magazine is Launched.

Pantera – I Am the Night (I Am the Night) 

DIO - Fallen Angels (Sacred Heart) 

KIX – Sex (Midnight Dynamite) 

September:

September 6 – Michael Jackson purchases the publishing rights for most of the Beatles' music for $47 million, much to the dismay of Paul McCartney, whom he is bidding against.

September 19 – The Parents Music Resource Center's (P.M.R.C.) United States Senate hearing on rock censorship begin in Washington, D.C. Heavy metal singer Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, rock star Frank Zappa and country singer John Denver testify against the P.M.R.C.

September 22 – The Farm Aid concert is held in Champaign, Illinois, USA.

KISS – Who Wants to be Lonely – (Asylum) 

Slayer - At Dawn They Sleep (Hell Awaits) 

Vandenberg – All the Way (Alibi) 

October:

October 18 – The first Nintendo home video game console in United States is released by the Nintendo Entertainment System.

ZZ Top - Planet of Women (Afterburner) 

The Cult – Rain (Love) 

November:

Aerosmith – Let the Music Do the Talking (Done with Mirrors) 

Twisted Sister - Kill or Be Killed (Come Out and Play) 

Dokken - The Hunter (Under Lock and Key) 

King Kobra – Shadow Rider (Ready to Strike)

WASP - The Last Command (The Last Command) 

December:

December 23 - Two young fans of Judas Priest in Sparks, Nevada shoot themselves, one fatally, after listening to the band's records. A lawsuit is brought against the group in 1986 claiming that they were compelled by backwards subliminal messages hidden in their music.

Bands Formed:

Britny Fox, Dream Theater, Drivin and Cryin, Roxx Gang, Guns N Roses, Jane’s Addiction, LA Guns, L7, The Mr. T Experience.

Band Breakups:

Diamond Head, Hanoi Rocks, Mercyful Fate, The Power Station, Quarterflash, Scandal

Births:

Orianthi, Reggie Bush, Bruno Mars

Deaths:

Nicolas Colasanto (Coach from Cheers), Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch), Rock Hudson (AIDS), Orson Wells, Ricky Nelson 

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Rough Cutt

Pantera

DIO

KIX

KISS

Slayer

Vandenberg

ZZ Top

The Cult

Aerosmith

Twisted Sister

Dokken

King Kobra

WASP

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After a full month of celebrating KISS, we're back to celebrating all things that rock. KISSMAS in JULY was a huge success and we're ready to now turn you on to some stuff you aren't getting on the radio.

For the new listeners, the Radio Sucks Radio Show's premise is simple. We expose you to some great quality music (old and new) that rock radio is just not giving you. We do this as a service to you, the listener, to encourage you to go out and purchase this great music and support the artist. Check the Amazon links for each artist played at the bottom of these show notes to hook yourself up with great tunes!

We start off volume 13 of this series with a palate cleanser for the non-KISS fans in our audience that endured a full month of us extolling the virtues of how much KISS rocks. Teenage Bottlerocket, from Wyoming, released an album in 2009 that featured a tongue-in-cheek punk ditty pronouncing the band as being 'Bigger Than KISS' with lots of jabs thrown at the band. We want to play this for the non-KISS fans and those of you that have a sense of humor. We love KISS, you know that. We think it's good to laugh at things you love once in a while.

Supagroup, from New Orleans, started up in 1996. In this episode, we take a listen to a rock track that's sure to get you in trouble if you take it too seriously. Have a seat over there...

One of the benefits of rock/metal podcasts are the fact that you can get turned on to music that you certainly can't find on the airwaves. Such is the case with The Wildhearts. Fronted by the enigmatic Ginger, the band has gone through numerous lineup changes but due to Ginger's amazing songwriting, has continued to put out some of the catchiest rock songs you've never hears. We listen to a track from their self-titled debut that's easy to love.

One of our favorite interviews was with former Alice Cooper guitarist Dick Wagner. Dick has an amazing musical history with his connections to Alice, KISS, and Aerosmith among others. His solo output is also very good. We take a listen to Dick's take on a rock and roll classic that inspired him. This track comes from his autobiography 'Not Only Women Bleed' which is available HERE. Highly recommended!

We return from the first break to listen to a track from a modern-day power trio. Richie Kotzen, Mike Portnoy, and Billy Sheehan combine their chops to form The Winery Dogs. Their new release has already become one of the biggest rock albums of 2013; charting high despite limited airplay. We try to do our part in supporting this awesome release with a track that will leave you wanting more.

Another recently-released album that's getting critical praise yet not nearly enough attention on radio is ...Like Clockwork, the latest offering from Queens of the Stone Age. Picked up on Aaron Camaro's recent excursion to Los Angeles, the album has been in constant rotation on his playlist. We take a listen to to a sampling of this new album.

2013 has proven to be a good year for rock and metal as Chris' next pick proves. With one of the more surprising releases of the year, King Kobra returns with a sophomore effort for their new lineup featuring Paul Shortino on vocals. King Kobra II has a full slate of solid material and we take a listen to the lead-off track that will run right over you.

Heading into the next break, we hear from longtime Chicago doom metal legends Trouble with a track from their new release 'The Distortion Field.' Hailed by some as one of their stronger albums, we take a listen to a great track that will have you headbanging in no time.

For those familiar with the Decibel Geek podcast, it's no mystery that Chris has become a Thin Lizzy fan over the show's history. This is due to many listeners pushing him to check out their catalog. Now rebranded, The Black Star Riders, have released a new album with 'All Hell Breaks Loose,' an album full of dual-guitar leads and swagger; hallmarks of the Thin Lizzy sound. While Phil Lynott can never be fully replaced, it's hard to argue with Ricky Warwick's channeling of the gone-too-soon frontman/bassist on this new track.

Closing out the show is a band that's long been a go-to pick for our Radio Sucks Radio Shows. LA Guns, with their ever-changing lineup, have released a massive amount of good tunes over the years. We couldn't think of a better way to close out this new installment than with this edgy track from the Shrinking Violet sessions.

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Teenage Bottlerocket

Supagroup

The Wildhearts

Dick Wagner

The Winery Dogs

Queens of the Stone Age

King Kobra

Trouble

Black Star Riders

LA Guns

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Last week's conversation with original KISS road crew member, Peter "Moose" Oreckinto, was the fastest downloaded episode in Decibel Geek history. On top of that, it's elicited some of the best feedback we've ever had. This week we're proud to bring you another long-form discussion with Moose!

In this week's episode, Moose returns to share more road stories from the early days of KISS as well as some memories of his return to the band in a management capacity on the Destroyer tour.

First, some business to attend to:

The interview clip that you hear at the beginning of the show of Peter Criss speaking of Moose  is courtesy of Annika Sonic from The Sonic Boom LIVE show on 95.3 DNH in Honesdale, PA. Check out the show HERE

As some of you may know, the original intention of this week's episode was to have an in-person discussion between Moose and Aaron Camaro. The conversation did take place, at The Rainbow Bar & Grill no less, but technical gremlins got hold of the file and the audio was lost. Luckily, Moose was nice enough to do part 2 through Skype. 

While at the legendary Rainbow, Aaron and Moose received some first class service and food from their waitress Julie and the staff there. So, this week's Geek(s) of the Week are the staff at The Rainbow Bar and Grill. Check out the Rainbow online HERE.

We dive into the conversation discussing KISS' rehearsals and showcase at the famous Fillmore East in late December 1973 into early 1974. With Paul wearing the short-lived bandit makeup and the band using a short-lived spiderweb backdrop, it's an interesting moment in KISStory. We get Moose's memories of this time including a heated exchange between him and a Casablanca Records executive.

In this discussion, you'll also get Moose's recollections of KISS' first trip out west to provide the entertainment for the Casablanca Records launch party at the Century Plaza Hotel as well as their television debut a few days later at the Aquarius Theater for Dick Clark's In Concert program. Speaking of television, we also get Moose's memories of the band's wild appearance on the Mike Douglas Show and how the low ceilings in the studio presented some problems for the band's pyrotechnics.

KISS' first appearance on June 1st, 1974 was a big moment on the band's climb up the ladder but money problems were plaguing the band and, especially, the crew. Moose shares his memories of the crew being stranded in San Francisco with no money for food or gas to get to the next show 1800 miles away in Minot, North Dakota.

We also hear Moose's memories of returning to KISS after his injury to be the assistant road manager on the Destroyer tour and how it differed from his previous job working with the special effects. Some interesting takes on Ace and Peter from the road.

Other subjects touched on in this in-depth discussion include KISS' strange appearance at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska in front of a very shocked group of soldiers and their families, Moose's memories of Joyce Biawitz/Bogart, his time after KISS working with artists such as Angel and Alice Cooper, and how he met his wife (there IS a KISS connection).

The book that has been referenced in this episode, and last week's, is the upcoming 'Nothin' to Lose: The Making of KISS (1972-1975)' in which Moose is quoted as well as 200 others that worked with/for the band during those formative years. This book was put together by the band and author Ken Sharp and is expected to be one of, if not the, best KISS-related book to be released. Pre-Order Nothin' to Lose HERE.

The Decibel Geek podcast thanks Peter "Moose" Oreckinto for his time and amazing stories on the early days of KISS. This will, no doubt, lead to more appearances in the future as we've really become close with Moose and look forward to more in the future. We wish him all the best in his personal ventures as well as for the success of the upcoming book.

The Decibel Geek podcast also wants to thank Lydia Criss for providing this great photograph of some of the road crew including Moose (far left), Sean Delaney, and JR Smalling. Pick up Lydia's amazing 'Sealed with a KISS' book HERE

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When preparing for this year's KISSMAS in JULY episodes, we wanted to dig in and talk to some people that were first-hand witnesses to KISS' rise to stardom. This week's guest not only witnessed it; he helped make it happen.

Peter Oreckinto, or "Moose" as he's known in KISS circles, was brought into the KISS family very early in the band's history. Having a background in theater, as well as pyrotechnics, Oreckinto was tailor-made for his job as a member of the early KISS road crew; and what a crew it is.

Setting up and tearing down a KISS show these days is a task of military precision, with a military-sized crew handling the job. But back in the early days of the band, the KISS road crew were a tight-knit group of guys that worked tirelessly to help assemble the ladder that the band would use to go on to bigger success. The amount of blood, sweat, and tears that went into working for KISS in those early days is not to be underestimated. 

In this discussion, Oreckinto shares what it was like barnstorming the country with a group of 4 struggling New Yorkers that were out to see the world for the first time. It was doubly hard for KISS' crew in those days due to the ridicule they would endure from rival crews as well as the attitudes they would run into due to KISS routinely blowing the headliners off the stage with their wild stage shows.

It's well-known that Bill Aucoin financed a lot of KISS' early road expenses on his American Express cards. What you may not know is there were other forms of financing for the band in those early days; and not at all in the cleanest sense. During this conversation, Oreckinto reveals some "family" ties to the KISS organization and how not keeping a certain promise led to some near-death incidents that threatened the lives of the band and their crew.

KISS' early tours were scatter-shot affairs that were known as "dart board" tours due to the crazy nature of travel routing. In this discussion, Oreckinto shares what it was like to cover thousands of miles between gigs, crisscrossing the United States on very little money, and even less sleep.

KISS also had to tour with a wide variety of acts for different reasons including being thrown off tours for upstaging the headline acts. During our Conversation, Moose shares his recollections of the numerous acts that KISS toured with; including some heated exchanges with acts such as Black Sabbath and Lyrnyrd Skynyrd and even a knife fight with members of Aerosmith's road crew.

We only get to scratch the surface in this discussion but there's plenty of interesting conversation about the early days of the Hottest Band in the Land. We thank Peter "Moose" Oreckinto for his time. It's truly an honor.

Stay tuned for Part 2 and submit your questions through any of the contact methods below!

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A new KISS tribute album is coming out in August. Many KISS fans will let out a collective yawn when they hear this news. But, this time it's different; for many reasons.

Good friend of the Decibel Geek Podcast and a podcast personality in his own right (Dropping the Needle and Three Sidesof the Coin), Mitch Lafon joins us to discuss project he's put together that is nearing completion that helps celebrate 40 years of the Hottest Band in the Land. The kicker? It's all done for a good cause; and the KISS Army has supported it in droves. 

A World With Heroes features professionally recorded performances from many artists that warm the hearts of Decibel Geek listeners everywhere. The artists involve donated their time and efforts for free and all of the proceeds go towards helping The Vaudreuil-Soulanges Palliative Care, a cancer care hospice that took care of Mitch's father-in-law in his final days.The project has been funded through Pledge Music

We hear the whole story of how this project was launched, its personal meaning to Mitch, and why KISS fans truly have the biggest hearts of any rock fans with how they've embraced this project and helped it come to fruition.

Also in this long-form discussion are takes on specific tracks on the album and personal stories from Mitch about how this project served as an open door for many musicians to meet one another and, in one case, actually form a band that plans to play live. 

Mitch Lafon can be found on his own podcasts at the following links:

Three Sides of the Coin (KISS-themed podcast)

Dropping the Needle (All music discussion)

Both are fantastic shows. Mitch's co-host on both shows is former KISS webmaster Michael Brandvold and Three sides of the Coin features Tommy Sommers as well. All KISS fans would be well-advised to check out both podcasts as they offer a great discussion-based show that can be very thought provoking.

A World With Heroes Track List

DISC 1 – Track Listing

1) PSYCHO CIRCUS (Paul Stanley/Curt Cuomo)
Performed by: DDrive (Phil Naro, Don Mancuso, Dave Sessions, JT Taylor & Bobby Bond)

2) SPIT (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley/Van Zen)
Performed by: Ken Dubman, Jimmy Callahan, Scott Metaxas, and Mark Tornillo

3) DEUCE (Gene Simmons)
Performed by: Bill Leverty, Kevin Valentine, John Regan, & Russ Dwarf

4) SURE KNOW SOMETHING (Paul Stanley/Vincent Poncia)
Performed by: Chris Buck & ANTHONY CARDENAS MONTANA

5) DETROIT ROCK CITY (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin)
Performed by: Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, Rex Brown & Brian Tichy

6) EYES OF LOVE (Eric Carr/Bruce Kulick/Adam Mitchell) 
Performed by: Eric Carr, Benny Doro & John Humphrey

7) SHOUT MERCY (Paul Stanley/Tommy Thayer)
Performed by: Jeff Paris, Troy Lucketta, Eric Brittingham & Jeff LaBar

8) CREATURES OF THE NIGHT (Paul Stanley/Adam Mitchell)
Performed by: Brighton Rock (Gerald McGhee, Greg Fraser, Stevie Skreebs, Johnny Rogers & Mark Cavarzan)

9) LARGER THAN LIFE (Gene Simmons)
Performed by: Rex Brown, Brian Tichy & Mark Zavon

10) COLD GIN (Ace Frehley)
Performed by: DON DOKKEN & TOMMY DENANDER

11) LOVE GUN (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: Tony Harnell, Mark Kendall, Scott Snyder, Sean Michael Clegg, Kevin Valentine & Tommy Denander

12) LITTLE CAESAR (Eric Carr/Gene Simmons/Adam Mitchel
Performed by: Ron Young, John Regan & Tommy Denander

13) HARD LUCK WOMAN (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: Chris VanDahl, Stacey Blades & Adam Hamilton

14) OUTERSPACE (David Askew/Jesus Mendez Jr.)
Original demo later covered by Ace Frehley on his Anomaly album
Performed by: Shredmill (David Askew, Jesus Mendez Jr, Jaime Moreno)

15) GOODBYE (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: IMPERA & Bob Kulick (J.K.Impera, Matti Alfonzetti, Tommy Denander & Mats Vassfjord)
Additional guitars by Lars Chriss

16) SEE YOU TONIGHT (Gene Simmons)
Performed by: Todd Farhood and Mystery (Todd Farhood, Michel St-Pere, Sylvain Moineau, Jean-Sébastien Goyette, Francois Fournier & Benoit Dupuis)

17) BETH – The Grand Piano version (Peter Criss/Bob Ezrin/Stan Pendridge)
Performed by: MICHAEL LARDIE

18) TOMORROW (Paul Stanley/Vincent Poncia)
Performed by: Dressed To Chill (Matt Bradshaw, Rav Thomas & Rhys Lett)

19) ANYTHING FOR MY BABY (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: Slaves On Dope (Kevin Jardine, Jason Rockman, Seb Ducap & Peter Tzaferis)

20) UNHOLY (Gene Simmons/Vinnie Vincent)
Performed by: Fred Duvall, Glenn Belcher, Mark Slaughter (Guitar Solo), Rob Zakojc & Russ Dwarf

DISC 2 TRACK LISTING

1) BREAKOUT (Ace Frehley/Eric Carr/Richie Scarlett)
Performed by: Tod Howarth, John Regan & Kevin Valentine

2) ROCK N ROLL HELL (Gene Simmons/Bryan Adams/Jim Vallance)
Performed by: Ron Keel, Troy Lucketta, Eric Brittingham & Jeff LaBar

3) NOWHERE TO RUN (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: Druckfarben (Phil Naro, Ed Bernard, William Hare, Troy Feener & Peter Murray)

4) THE OATH (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin/Tony Powers)
Performed by: Rick Hughes, Chris Buck & Bob Richards

5) MASTER & SLAVE (Paul Stanley/Bruce Kulick/Curt Cuomo)
Performed by: Adam Hamilton, Scott Griffin, Stacey Blades & Phil Lewis

6) CALLING DR.LOVE (Gene Simmons)
Performed by: Burning Rain (Keith St John, Doug Aldrich, Sean Mcnabb & Matt Starr)

7) I STOLE YOUR LOVE (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: S.U.N. (Brian Thomas Tichy, Sass Jordan & Tommy Stewart) with Derek Sharp (of The Guess Who)

8) REASON TO LIVE (Paul Stanley/Desmond Child)
Performed by: Johnnie Dee & Derry Grehan of Honeymoon Suite with Michael Foster & Bill Leverty of Firehouse

9) HARD LUCK WOMAN – Canadian mix (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: Fred Duvall, Glenn Belcher, Rob Zakojc & Russ Dwarf

10) FOREVER (Paul Stanley/Michael Bolton)
Performed by: Terry Ilous, Sean Kelly with Jeff Paris.

11) SWORD AND STONE – Live In Wacken (Paul Stanley, Bruce Kulick, Desmond Child) – Taken from Bonfire Live in Wacken
Performed by: BONFIRE (Claus Lessmann, Hans Ziller, Chris Limburg, Uwe Köhler, Harry Reischmann)

12) GOD OF THUNDER (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: American Dog (Michael Hannon, Steve Theado & Keith Pickens)

13) SHE (Gene Simmons/Steve Coronel)
Performed by: RAZER (Chris Powers, Chris Catero, Jordan Ziff, Paul Sullivan, Eric Bongiorno & Chuck Alkazian)

14) NEW YORK GROOVE (Russ Ballard)
Performed by: Slaves on Dope (Kevin Jardine, Jason Rockman, , Elizabeth Lopez & Peter Tzaferis with Marty O’Brien of Methods Of Mayhem, Kelly Clarkson, Lita Ford)

15) MAGIC TOUCH (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: Jim Crean, Phil Naro, Vinny Appice, Steve Major & Stan Miczek

16) TEARS ARE FALLING (Paul Stanley)
Performed by: WILLIE BASSE, Bruce Bouillet, Scott Warren & Mike Hansen.

17) ROCK N ROLL ALL NITE (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley)
Performed by: Harley Fine, John Regan & Atom Fellows

18) SHANDI (Paul Stanley/Vincent Poncia)
Performed by: Dani Luv, Scott Griffin & Matt Starr

19) BETH – BONUS TRACK (Peter Criss/Bob Ezrin/Stan Pendridge)
Performed by: Chris VanDahl & Scott Griffin.

20) BETH – BONUS TRACK (Peter Criss/Bob Ezrin/Stan Pendridge)
Performed by: Phil Naro, William Hare & Ed Bernard

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One of the most popular KISS-related shows we've done was our GPS: KISS Landmarks episode with special guest host Chris Epting. Chris is well-versed in KISS, pop culture, and travel as he's written books on all three. He also now hosts a great new music talk show that you can access HERE. 

We had such a great response to that episode that we knew we had to do a part 2 for this year's KISSMAS in JULY. We're fortunate that Chris was equally enthusiastic about coming back to discuss KISS Landmarks. So, let's crank up the engine and hit the highway!

1 Washington Blvd  Detroit, MI 48226 - Cobo Hall

A  very pivotal location in KISS’ history. Most well-known for a sold-out 3 night stand in January of 1976, Cobo was one of the hosts of the Alive! album and was a meeting place for the blue-collar faithful that made up KISS’ early fan base. 

It’s also worth noting that it was the host venue for 1984’s Animalize Live/Uncensored performance as well as the venue chosen for the kickoff of the Alive 35 tour in 2009.

238 Bagley Avenue, Detroit, MI - MichiganPalace

Another well-known marker of KISS’ early Detroit dominance, the Michigan Palace was built in 1926 as a movie theater and hosted KISS on their earliest American tours. 

It was also a beneficial presence for KISS’ promotional efforts as it was utilized for the videos for Rock N Roll All Nite and C’mon & Love Me as well as the cover photo for the Alive! album shot by Fin Costello. The majority of the structure was torn down but the ornate ceilings can still be seen above the parking garage that sits in its place today.

Corner of 23rd & 8th, NYC – Dressed to Kill Cover site.

The only non-structure on our list, this street corner will always big popular in the annals of KISStory. In 1975, a then-struggling KISS was working on a creative photo shoot with legendary New York photographer Bob Gruen. 

Inspiration struck during this shoot and the members of the band were in quick need of some business suits. Peter, being the only one that actually owned a suit, looked spiffy on this cover but the rest of the band looked awkward due to having to borrow manager Bill Aucoin’s duds and Gene borrowing Gruen’s wife’s clogs. It’s a strange album cover for sure but always a destination for KISS fans visiting the Big Apple.

1255 Hempstead Turnpike  Uniondale, NY 11553 - Nassau Coliseum

While Madison Square Garden will probably always be the crown jewel of New York rock concerts, Uniondale’s Nassau Coliseum has a special place in KISStory from a special time. On 12/31/1975, the band was presented with their first gold album awards prior to taking the stage. 

Also of note for this concert was the fact that Blue Oyster Cult were the opening act. This was symbolic in the fact that a year prior, KISS was opening in this venue for BOC. This took place 2 years to the day of their first public performance at the Academy of Music. A true crossroads for the band on their way to superstardom.

3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92110 – San Diego Sports Arena

Now known as the Valley View Casino Center, the San Diego Sports Arena was host to many classic rock bands from the 1970’s and KISS is no exception. Built in 1966, the arena has hosted numerous sporting events as well as notable concerts by acts like Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner and Metallica. 

San Diego Sports Arena fits in the KISS ether by way of one very famous photograph. The gatefold image of KISS in full bombastic glory from the Alive II album has always been a stern message to other bands to “Top this!” While it’s one of the most iconic photos in rock history, it’s origin location is refuted by the original photographer. Barry Levine has claimed in interviews that the photo was not snapped at Sports Arena but, in fact, at L.A.’s Forum. Regardless of where it was taken, it still makes many say “Wow” upon first glance.

254 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 – Studio 54

Studio 54 will always be strongly tied to the disco era. The Manhattan haven for debauchery was an escape for many well known celebrities from the entertainment and fashion worlds including members of KISS. Paul Stanley was actually inspired to write ‘I Was Made for Lovin’ You’ after a night at 54 listening to pulsating disco beats that were on top of the charts. 

Also of KISS note, Studio 54 was the host venue for one of the only times that band performed as a trio. KISS were set to lip-synch to the song ‘I’ from the Music from The Elder album during a live satellite broadcast for the San Remo Festival in Italy in January 1982. Ace Frehley was a no-show and the band had to soldier on despite his absence. A very strange location for a very strange performance from a very strange album. Strange, indeed.

Cascais Hall, Lisbon Portugal

After taking a huge leap of faith by unmasking on MTV in 1983, KISS decided to go half a world away to break in the fresh-faced version of the band. Located. literally, in a highly vegetated jungle-like atmosphere, KISS unveiled their new look for the Lick it Up tour at Cascais Hall in Lisbon, Portugal. 

As evidenced by the footage on KISSOLOGY Volume 2, the Portuguese fans were a bit surprised by the band’s new appearance but were quickly won over by the energetic ferocity that they still brought to the stage.

T C Industrial Park, Depew NY, 14043 – Borden Ink Plant (Marvel Comics)

By 1977, KISS were keenly aware of what it took to generate press attention. They took full advantage of a good story by flying out to the Borden Ink Plant near Buffalo, NY to pour viles of their own blood into the red ink for use in their upcoming Marvel comic. 

Marvel master Stan Lee was on hand as well as a notary and members of the press. This was an iconic moment in the band’s history and it also ushered in the saturation of non-musical merchandise that was to come.

1 Stuart St  Binghamton, New York 13901 – Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

We’re sure a lot of KISS fans are wondering what Binghampton, NY could possibly have to do with Kisstoric landmarks. Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena was built in 1973 and has hosted a number of notable events including a pair of Elvis’ final concerts. 

Of KISS note, it is the only venue to feature a full Mark St. John KISS performance. Struggling with Reiter’s Syndrome, St. John was sidelined for most of the Animalize tour and played a couple of split shows with then-replacement member Bruce Kulick. But in Binghampton, St. John would play the entire set. Being a rather small arena, only a select number of fans got to witness one very unique and short-lived lineup of KISS.

100 1st Avenue Nashville TN - Riverfront Park

Fresh off the release of KISS My Ass: Classic KISS Regrooved, the band was only playing a handful of U.S. dates in 1994. Decibel Gee’s own Chris Czynszak was fortunate enough to see one of them. 

Headlining the Gibson Guitars 100th Anniversary concert, KISS played after an eclectic mix of artists including Pat Travers, Brother Cane, and Fleetwood Mac. The band threw down a musical gauntlet without the use of pyro or flashy stage effects. Performing on a floating stage, the band pulled out a barrage of heavy and obscure tunes that had the diehards panting for more. Truly a unique concert in KISStory.

1000 Elysian Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012 - DodgerStadium

After record-breaking attendance numbers on the reunion tour or 1996-97, KISS were determined to assault the media with the launch of new album and tour Psycho Circus. On Halloween night of 1998, the band received wall-to-wall coverage on the FOX Network due to their guesting on numerous shows including Mad TV and Millenium. 

The network also aired the beginning of a raucous concert at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium. While the merits of the album and pre-tour hype are hot-button topics for any KISS fan, it’s pretty clear that this venue, on this night, hosted a band that had truly returned to form.

8255 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90046 – Casablanca Records Offices

Soon to be documented by a Hollywood film and already documented by the great book by Larry Harris, Casablanca Records Offices were abuzz in the 1970’s in more ways than one. 

With cocaine running rampant and hype spilling out of every corner thanks to the enthusiasm of label owner Neil Bogart, the Casablanca Offices provide a perfect example of the phrase “If walls could talk.” There are some famous photos in KISS-fan circles of the large billboard outside the building that would regularly feature KISS album advertisements.

3000 West Alameda Avenue, Burbank, California – NBC Studios

This location is famous for some of the biggest moments in television history; The Tonight Show being one of the biggest. But, for KISS fans, this sacred ground is the site of one of KISS’ most explosive television appearances. 

On 4/1/1975, KISS ripped through a handful of future-classics in front of a slack-jawed audience on The Midnight Special. This fiery performance included loads of energy by the front three as well as machine gun-like drumming from Peter Criss as well as Chris totally trashing his drum kit at the end of the set (a la Keith Moon). This footage is a great way to show a newbie how powerful KISS was in the early days.

483 George St  Sydney NSW 2000, Australia – Sydney Town Hall

While KISS’ popularity was certainly waning in the United States in 1980 after a big change in sound and a personnel change at drummer, the band was massive in Australia. The KISS tour of Australia in 1980 was as close to Beatlemania as a band could get. 

Playing soccer stadiums, making front page news every day, and parties that seemed to never end, the band had their official welcome on the balcony of Sydney Town Hall looking down on thousands of fans that had gathered to get a glimpse of their heroes.

2121 Trumbull St., Detroit, MI 48216 – Tiger Stadium

If there was ever one place that every KISS fan wanted to be it was Detroit’s Tiger Stadium on June 28th, 1996. Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter finally delivered on what so many fans had dreamed of; a full reunion with the original band. 

Playing to a massive sold out audience, KISS was there to say “Meet the new boss….same as the old boss”

8852 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 – The Viper Room

Guest host Chris Epting has a personal KISS connection to this venue and the next. The Viper Room was the venue that Chris and his son were allowed to interview all four members of KISS on August 13, 2012. 

The band were there to unveil the massive Monster book. Chris and his son had a special moment with the band as Gene took note of the strong father and son bond that had connected the two through the love of the band.

6300 Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA ‎- Rock and Brews Restaurant

Closing out our discussion of KISS Landmarks is another location near and dear to Chris Epting. On May 13, 2013 the band performed and impromptu 3 song set at the grand opening of Rock and Brews PCH location. 

Not using their trademark gear, the band performed with the gear that was laying around but still pulled off an energetic set that had KISS fans in the crowd excited. We close out the show with an exclusive audio clip of KISS performing ‘Hotter Than Hell.’

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Seasons Greetings Geeks!

Welcome to our annual KISSMAS in JULY celebration. We devote our show/site/facebook/twitter etc. to the Hottest Band in the Land for the entire month of July. There's even more reason to celebrate in 2013 as July has 5 weeks this year!

This week we kick off KISSMAS with some of favorite tunes performed by past and present KISS members outside the confines of the band. 

In this episode, you'll hear a track of our choosing from the career of each member of KISS spanning their 40 year career.

Aaron and Chris made their member selections draft-style and we start things off with Chris' choice of Gene Simmons. While Gene has only released one full-length album in the post-1970's (2004's Asshole album), Chris dug up an interesting demo that can only be found on the lunchbox version of 2003's Sex Money KISS audiobook. 

Aaron chimes in with his first song choice and it's from the current catman in KISS; Eric Singer. From the 1999, self-titled ESP album, we check out a scorching cover of a SWEET classic.

Up next is Chris' choice of Bruce Kulick. Bruce has released a number of solid solo albums but he really stepped up his game with BK3, his most recent release. It was a difficult choice in what song to play but this track featuring vocals from The Knack's Doug Fieger, is a power pop monster.

It's hard to believe that Eric Carr left us 22 years ago. In his void, a few projects have been released in his memory. One such project was 1999's Rockology; an album that featured songs Carr was working on before his death. 

Band mate and friend Bruce Kulick helped flesh out and complete the songs for this release. Aaron's song choice is a great testament to the talent of The Fox.

After the break, we return with Chris' choice of a track by, arguably, the most polarizing member of KISS ever. Vinnie Vincent seems to elicit passionate opinions on both sides of the fence. Chris' selection of a young Vincent taking on the lead vocal from an early demo showcases what might have been had Vinnie not preferred the helium-induced singing style that was so popular in the 80's.

Peter Criss has released a handful of solo albums spanning three decades. Aaron decided to go back to the beginning with a troublesome track from his 1980 solo debut Out of Control.

Mark St. John was very much a man of mystery outside of KISS. Aside from the short lived White Tiger project, St. John's releases were largely ignored; even by KISS fans. Chris found a real gem of a ballad from his Mark St. John Project album featuring former Criss front man Phil Naro.

Like Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley has only released one solo album since the 1970's. Released in 2006, Live to Win featured strong songwriting and a modern-day production. While many KISS fans were a bit let down by the new-school sound of the album, Aaron spins a track that still has a strong rock and roll heart.

Chris' next choice is from Tommy Thayer. This is a bit of a cheat as Thayer has never released any solo material but we wanted to have all members represented. It's no secret to many DBG listeners, that neither Aaron nor Chris are very big fans of Black N Blue. For the sake of the show, Chris delved into their catalog and found a pretty strong track from the 1988 In Heat album.

We close out the show with Aaron's pick of Ace Frehley. With a solid string of releases from Frehley's Comet all the way to 2009's Anomaly album, there was a lot to choose from. Aaron chose a lesser known diamond in the rough from the Live +1 album that was released by Frehley's Comet.

That's week 1 of KISSMAS in JULY down. 4 more to go!

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Gene Simmons

Eric Singer

Bruce Kulick

Eric Carr

Vinnie Vincent

Peter Criss

Mark St. John

Paul Stanley

Tommy Thayer

Ace Frehley

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With KISSMAS in July just around the corner, we'll be knee-deep in the Hottest Band in the Land when Independence Day rolls around but we still wanted to celebrate America's birthday. We decided to do our Patriotic duty and spin some rock songs about America this week. 

Before we get down to business, we name Jay Hardman Geek of the Week for his hilarious response to a "Pick Your Poison" question on the Decibel Geek facebook fan page that pertains to some of Metallica's more "experimental" projects.

Chris attended the Geoff Tate-led version of Queensryche's performance at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. In this review, you'll hear his thoughts on the band's performance, concert attendence (or lack thereof), and his memories of the meet & greet after the concert. 

We kick off our ear-bleeding tribute to America with some love for the USA from a Canadian as Sebastian Bach performs 'American Metalhead' from 2007's Angel Down album.

The Offspring are well-known for their tongue-in-cheek, silly tracks from the 90's. However, there's more to this band if you dig a little deeper. We take a listen to the title track from 1998's Americana album.

Only in America would someone name themselves Jizzy Pearl. Love/Hate remains a criminally underrated gem of a band from Hollywood. We feel it our patriotic duty to give Jizzy and company their just due and spin the title track from 1992's 'Wasted in America' album.

Next up is a track about America that got this British hard rock band in quite a pickle during a festival show in England. British metalheads took it upon themselves to shower Def Leppard with bottles of urine during their performance at the Reading Festival in England. We take a listen to 'Hello America' from the On Through the Night album.

Before we get back tot he music, Chris reads some hilarious Letters to the Editor from a 1989 Hit Parader magazine. 

Up next is another rock artist that doesn't get near enough attention from the music buying public. Lizzy Borden has been doing his shock rock show for 30 years. We take a listen to 'American Metal' from 1985's Love You to Pieces album.

We go from Def Leppard telling America 'Hello' to Blackie Lawless and WASP bidding the Land of the Free adieu with 'Goodbye America' from 1995's Still Not Black Enough album. 

It wouldn't be a patriotic Decibel Geek show without a little KISS. To get you primed for next month's KISSMAS festivities, we spin 'All American Man' from the studio side of Alive II.

In 90 episodes (so far), we've never played anything by The Runaways. That changes this week as we take a listen to 'American Nights' from their 1976 self-titled debut album.

A true transplanted American is Lemmy of Motorhead. Always a fixture of L.A.'s Rainbow, Lemmy has written a number of songs about America. We spin 'Stone Deaf in the U.S.A' from 1987's Rock n Roll album.

Closing out the show is the lyrical genius of one, Alice Cooper. 1982's DaDa album has gone down in history as a piece of work that is not in Mr. Cooper's memory banks due to the high volume of alcohol consumption going on at the time. Aside from that, he had a spark of brilliance when he penned a patriotic song that extols on the joys of wonder bread, the A-team and waitresses that love to flirt. A perfect way to cap off our tribute to America. 

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Sebastian Bach

The Offspring

Love/Hate

Def Leppard

Lizzy Borden

WASP

KISS

The Runaways

Motorhead

Alice Cooper

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We're hitting the road this week to go cross-country on a Road Trip! We're spinning some of our favorite songs with cities/states in the title. There have been a ton of songs written about a ton of places so we had plenty to choose from. Let's grab the keys and go.

We begin in the Pacific Northwest. Duff McKagan is a proud resident of Seattle and we take a listen to his ode to home with a track from his Beautiful Disease solo disc.

Up next is Chris' pick of what some would call a supergroup although there wasn't a whole lot of success resulting from it. In 1991 members of Shark Island, LA Guns, Ratt, Michael Schenker Group, and Vixen convened to form Contraband. Their self-titled release did not attain chart success but their cover of a Mott the Hoople classic is certainly worthwhile of play in this episode. 

There isn't a whole lot of information about the band Spearfish. We played their cover of a Sensational Alex Harvey Band track last year. This time we're spinning their take on a Steve Earle penned tune about attaining justice in a Canadian town. 

There's a lot more to Bowling for Soup than just their take on 1985 and the a cartoon theme song. Their tongue-in-cheek lyrics can sometimes overshadow their great ability to craft some great modern-day power-pop music. This time we spin a track that features a singer pining for his girl to come home after leaving the Lone Star state for the Midwest. You can find this track on their album A Hangover You Don't Deserve.

In the 2 plus years we've been doing this show, we've never crossed the Kid Rock line. Until now...Aaron's been wanting to tempt podcasting fate by putting the Detroit golden-boy into the Decibel Geek ether. While he's certainly well-known for the rap and country stylings, there are nuggets of true hard rock material to be mined from Kid's catalog. This track features some heavy guitars, a blues influence, and lyrics about Mississippi. 

After influencing half of the hair metal genre in the early 1980's and fronting a great band like Hanoi Rocks, you'd think Michael Monroe would be happy to rest on his laurels and call it a career. But, this Finnish-born rocker's got other plans. We take a listen to his new single that's a tribute to the seedier parts of Manhattan in anticipation for his forthcoming Horns and Halos album due out August 27th, 2013.

One band that certainly got swallowed up int he hair to flannel transition of the early 1990's was Junkyard. Texas-born transplants to the strip, the band signed on with Geffen but wasn't able to gain any traction in the shifting sands of the music industry. We take a listen to this underrated band's material with a track from their  1989 self-titled debut that's all about that ever-changing Sunset Strip.

One artist that could relate to Junkyard's troubles would be Butch Walker. Now a hitmaker for many Top 40 artists and a well-respected solo artist, Butch came to Hollywood from Atlanta in the early 1990's with his band SouthGang. The group seemed to have all things in place; well-constructed songs, tight musicianship, and a singer that had "the look." The only problem, that wasn't "in fashion" anymore and SouthGang was on it's way out almost immediately. We take a spin back home with a track that seems to have been written out of homesickness from their Tainted Angel album.

We couldn't have a travel-themed episode without taking a spin up to Wisconsin. Aaron is not ashamed of his pride in all things Wisconsin and Packers. Tuff vocalist Stevie Rachelle is definitely of the same mind with his Cheeseheads with Attitude project. We spin a track by CWA that will sound a little familiar but, if you're a Pack fan, you'll certainly feel like a winner.

Closing out the show is, quite possibly, one of the most criminally underrated bands ever. They've had huge success overseas but never could catch on in America (unless it was via Quiet Riot). 

Noddy Holder and company have put together decades of strong material. We finish off this week's show with a track from their Nobody's Fools album from 1976 that celebrates the breaking off of bad luck in Tinseltown. See ya next week!

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Duff McKagan

Contraband

Spearfish

Bowling for Soup

Kid Rock

Michael Monroe

Junkyard

SouthGang

CWA

Slade

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