KISS have released a phenomenal amount of merchandise over the years, with a lot of it being hit and miss. The MONSTER book, limited to 1000 at a price of US$4250 ? No thank you. US$2000 for a box set of GENE SIMMONS songs that weren’t good enough to be released before? Plus, if you want, another US$50,000 and he’ll hand deliver it. Hmmm, let me think… No.
Every now and then though, they get it right.The KISSOLOGY DVD box sets were the best collection i have ever seen and the KISSOLOGY books were a work of art. Now, along comes another KISS book and this one is an absolute gem. And artistically it’s a winner with all of the photos taken by LYNN GOLDSMITH, one of the very first female rock and roll photographers.
We start with an introduction by the photographer herself detailing her meetings with KISS through the years. There could be some very interesting things to say but sadly it is too short to really get your teeth into. Then we get to what this mighty 336 page book is all about. PICTURES.This is where it comes into its own. Being a one person show, as it were, we get to see pictures from their private portfolio.
For any KISS fan, this is where this book becomes amazing.Some of the photos here are a real treat. There are some amazing live shots of the band and solo members.A huge amount of studio shots. Not surprisingly, this book centres mainly on GENE and PAUL with some incredible shots of GENE wearing a stage outfit he never used and some pics of him wearing braces on his teeth. There are also shots of PAUL in an unused costume (because the trousers were too tight !!!) but there are also some wonderful pics of ACE and PETER too. Some of the behind the scenes and dressing room before and after the shows have to be seen to be believed.
The only thing i would have liked to have seen more, would have been a few more stories but that is probably
being a bit unfair as there are quite a few snippets accompanying these pics from PAUL and GENE.
For any KISS fan, this is a joy to behold and something you`ll keep going back to.To see most of these pictures
for the first time is amazing and you want more but that`s just being greedy.There are a few nice ERIC CARR
snaps thrown in too. It is interesting to see how nervous he looks in them.
It is hard to pick out favourites here but the behind the scenes pictures of the dressing room are incredible with pictures of the gear being dried out with hair driers and there is a beautiful and very touching hand written message by GENE’S now sadly deceased mum after a show at MSG but other than that, every page here holds something
very special.
A must have. This is a really great book. Although, unless my eyes deceive me, the photo on the inside back cover
has ERIC SINGER & TOMMY THAYER in it!
A shame it isn’t a larger book because a lot of these photos deserve to be framed. A staggeringly good book. A work of art and one of the best KISS books I have ever seen.