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hey
gene yesturday july 23rd the day after the relese of kiss symphony was my 14th
birthday and for my birthday I got alive 4 and i havn't stop lisining to the cd
and i have to say for 14 years i have been lisining to kiss and this is the by
far the best live cd you have done!!
sincerly
shandi potter
Hey Gene.
My name is Josh and I'm 14 years old and live in Canada. You are absolutly the
"greatest" bass guitar player ever, growing up and listening to KISS and
watching your concerts on tv you have inspired me to play bass guitar. I live in
Oshawa Ontario and was wondering if you or KISS would be doing a concert here in
Oshawa or Toronto again soon. It has always been me and my dad to attend one of
KISS's concerts and see u doing you awesome acts. Hope to see u soon but until
then keep playin bass and keep Rock N'
Rollin!
Josh.....
Hey Gene,
I was in Manhattan today when you and the band did the photo session and let me
tell you it was the first time I have ever met the band and even if I stood in
line for who knows how many hours and only got to spend a second snapping a
photo IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!!!! I can't wait untill i see you guys on tour in
August I'm going to be at the jones beach event on the 4th. ROCK AND ROLL!!!!
You guys are the greatest band in the world.
Eric,
Hi, Gene.
I just wanted to let you know I picked up the Alive IV CD and it is a sonic
blast to hear KISS's music played with an orchestra!!!! All, I can say is you
did it again and by the way Sex, Money, and KISS twice and applied some of the
principles. My friend, as simple as I can put this you are a GENIUS!!! Thank you
again for all the great stuff.
Lenny Moreno
Gene,
Wow. Just finished my own private listening session with the KISS symphony. What
an experience: First Act: Great, Second Act: Stunning, Third Act: True
Greatness.
But you know all of that.
What struck me as really poignant is the treatment of Tommy. If I understand you
at all, it embodies your philosophies. I opened the booklet in the two CD set
and the second page is dedicated soley to Tommy, who's photos in my opinon,
portray an immense amount of passion, respect, and appreciation for the music
and, perhaps more importantly, the history of the band.
And then you listen.....
The riffs soar, the licks inspire.
But, to me, most telling is the way Tommy seems to have been treated. As an
early fan of Black and Blue, I understand his musical talent and musical past.
Having followed you and the band, I hope I have an appreciation for the
opportunity you provided Tommy when Black and Blue didn't achieve the commercial
success you (and Tommy) might have wished for. The opportunity to become a
member of the KISS family.
Tommy seems to have seized the opportunity. I met Tommy only once: Backstage in
Dallas, I was told to seek him out to meet you. I did. He couldn't have been
more gracious or pleasant (admittedly in the face of hundreds of people hoping
to garner a minute of his time). Through Tommy I was fortunate enough to spend
five minutes or so chatting with you and recording the moment for prosperity
with a photo. Seems to me that he's earned being on stage and his playing
demostrates he has a right to be here. Given the fact that Tommy has such a
prominent role musically and photogenically with Alive IV, I take it that you
agree.
Do I wish Ace was here? Sure, wish I would win the lottery too. As someone once
said.... "what guy wouldn't give their left nut to be Ace Frehley?" Ace decided
not to play. Tommy seized the moment.
"Raise your glasses" to Tommy. I will in Dallas.
Charles W. Branham, III "Trey"
Hey Gene,
Was just going through your letters and was wondering if you have ever read or
listened to the tapes "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsh? If you
have not, I highly recommend that you pick up that book or set of tapes. What an
interesting spin it puts on religion and our human existence. Let me know if you
have or not. Oh and keep rockin'.
Cheers,
Kevin
Response from Gene:
Read it. Highly recommend it. Also recommend 'GOD - A BIOGRAPHY"
Gene,
You are very privileged to be receiving fotos from gorgeous girls, from around
the globe, for your ladies in waiting section. Your most recent addition,
Shellani, What a bombshell!
Tell me you don't forget your own name when you read, "missed you somewhere
along the road. Would be my pleasure to meet you". I mean, do you have any
recollection of your last thoughts just prior to reading her letter?
I'm a huge fan of Gene Simmons, GSTongue and now Shellani. I demand she be
included in GST #6.
I salute you.
Al Snakey
http://www.chaosmusic.com/wikkedbliss
Gene,
Picked up my copy of the Kiss Symphony/Alive 4 cd yesterday and had a question.
Whose idea was it for the cover, with the blood dripping down and all black for
the cover.
It was really cool, just wondered if you had that idea.
Also, I thought originally Alive 4 was going to be released with this, and was
to be the New Year's Eve show you guys did in B.C Canada.
just wondering what happened to that idea
Keep up the good work and keep rockin
Jeff Rotondo
Houston,Texas
Response from Gene:
It was Paul's idea.
Dear Gene:
I just purchased ALIVE IV yesterday in NYC. Sir, you sure know how to make it
worth EVERY PENNY! The gatefold design is nothing short of amazing. I had my
doubts without Ace being on the project, but once I heard the riffs on "Deuce" I
was sold. The orchestra addition is incredible. It compliments the music without
overbearing the original feeling, and adds new meaning to your music.
I got home late last night and had to play it through my DVD player on a small
speaker so as to not wake my Dominican roomates. They wouldn't understand.
Nonetheless, wait until Saturday. ALIVE IV goes on FULL F*CKIN' BLAST on my
surround sound, baby!!!
Looking out for the KISS DVD, keep up the great work.
All the Best,
Corey Stuart
Manhattan, NYC
Hi Gene,
I am just writing to express my heartfelt thanks to yourself and the rest of the
band for including my son's letter in the Alive 4 cd packaging.We are both big
fans of the band and he was so excited that I was able to take him to the
symphony show.When the opportunity arose to be included in the CD packaging,I
told him what he needed to do to be considered.He wasted no time in composing
his own letter and getting it back to me to scan and send in.You could not
believe the reaction it got as I opened the CD to find his handy work had been
included (my wife almost crashed the car!).
So far he has told all of our family and taken the CD to school to show all his
friends.The school is talking of putting him in the school newsletter.He seems
to be enjoying being a celebrity.
You and the rest of the band have made him one of the happiest kids alive,and
his parents very proud.Considering his birthday is on the 1st of August it has
come as a very timely Birthday present.
Once again, I thank you so much.He will probably e-mail you himself,but I just
wanted to get in and thank you personally.Thank you,Gene and Kiss,
Yours sincerely,
Greg Archer.
Dear Gene,
I'm having a tough time believing that all official Kiss-endorsed items sold as
"autographed by Gene" are in fact hand-autographed by Gene. I'm referring to
items promoted by you as autographed, not the questionable items on eBay.
I believe the Gene Simmons Axe and Punisher basses had runs of 1500 units each.
(I may be mistaken on the number.) I just can't see 3000 basses lined up while
you are signing each one, flipping them over to be numbered, and then moving
down with 2999 to go. The Gene Simmons autographs on the guitars also appear
much more similar to the completely legible 70's Gene autograph than the rougher
latest version we're seeing now in your books. Any long time fan could forge
your old signature, especially with the 1/4" wide silver marker that's found on
the basses that hides the lack of precision.
I know some stuff is legit. On "The Second Coming DVD" there's a scene of you
sitting at a table with a stack of Kiss posters that eventually sold for big
bucks on Kissonline. In that scene you're hollering for the other guys to come
over and get to work. Well, the video doesn't lie.
But I'm also thinking about eight zillion copies of Kisstory I & II that
supposedly are all hand-signed. I own a copy of Kisstory and always wonder if it
was in fact Gene's own hand on this copy and in fact EVERY last copy right down
to the end of the production run. It seems doubtful. There was also some talk in
the Kiss rumor mill that Kisstory autographs started out legit, then moved into
machine-printed as the run went along.
Did it happen, Gene? Did you hand-sign every one of those 3000 basses and eight
zillion copies of Kisstory?
John
Response from Gene:
The truth:
All KISSTORY books were signed. All PUNISHER and AXE basses were signed by me. A
lot of E BAY is crap and NOT signed by me. Beware.