Interview with William Vaughan of Splashlight about his involvement with the KISS M&Ms advertisements.

Who was this image created for?

The illustration was created for BBDO Worldwide's Inner M&M campaign, which runs in magazines worldwide. In the past, Splashlight created M&M characters of sportscasters Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson for a Super Bowl-themed advertisement. They also created M&M characters of country music stars Brooks and Dunn.

How long did it take to create the artwork?

It took about a week to model the characters and their props, and another week for lighting and surfacing. The details in the boots and guitars took the longest to model, as it was important to capture every detail. As usual, we used subdivision modeling to keep the polygon count as low as possible, both for rendering speed and maximum flexibility. We used another month for revisions involving both LightWave and Photoshop.

KISS Live instant USB Wristband and 2-CD-Sets are available now!

Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer und Eric Singer are celebrate the 35 year history of one of the biggest rock bands of all times on a tour across North America.

Most shows of the KISS Alive/35 US Tour 2009 are being exclusively recorded by Concert Online.

The audio recording are be available as a USB leather wristband with a KISS metal buckle. An absolute must-have item for every KISS fan!

In addition an instant live CD set, consisting of 2 CDs in Collector's Box.

USB wristbands and CDs can be purchased right at the venue of each concert!

YOUR VERY OWN KISS LIVE EXPERIENCE

Concert Online exclusively records each show of the KISS ALIVE 35 Tour in North America. To ensure maximum quality, all tracks are recorded live and are mixed with state-of-the-art recording technology by Concert Online.

Yesterday evening, Roadrunner records organized the first Sonic Boom release party in Europe. The album was received with a Boom! Dutch tribute band Kiss on the Rocks (www.kissontherocks.com) performed a blistering live set, including the new single Modern Day Delilah. Give-aways provided by Kiss and Roadrunner included Paul Stanley guitars, proof prints of the album, cd's and huge canvas prints of the album cover.

Here is a picture of the Roadrunner Europe crew with Kiss on the Rocks. Europe loves the new album!

       
By Clark Collins

KISS haven't gotten any subtler in the 11 years since their last studio album ("Baby, feel my tower of power!" declares Gene Simmons on "Hot And Cold.") And why should they? There's no denying the pleasingly hook-laden nature of such anthemic rockers as Boom's "Stand" and "Modern Day Delilah." This Walmart-only three-disc set -- which includes a CD of rerecorded hits and a live DVD -- should remind Hall of Fame voters that the recent nominees deserve consideration for far more than just Simmons' fire-breathing abilities.

Fan-filmed clip of "Shout It Out Loud" from Mohegan Sun last night.

I was watching NCAA football yesterday on one of the ESPN networks and Kiss was featured as part of a "prep for commercial" programming package. "All For the Glory" was noted onscreen along with the album title "Sonic Boom" and "Kiss." The music went well with the visual package of amazing football heroics shown.

I thought it would be good to mention this - you may already know about it.

I visit your site several times a week and enjoy the presentation and content you offer to Kiss fans like me.

John Hall
Murfreesboro, TN

LETTERS

WOW...KISS performing "Flaming Youth" in London Ontario April 1976.

Click here to view today's new exclusive SONIC BOOM recording studio clip on the SONIC BOOM page...ENJOY!

Here's a great fan-filmed clip of "I Love It Loud" from KISS' Toronto show last night!

Posted By BRIAN THOMPSON
Photo By Terry Wilson

The lights go down. A low and steady tone rumbles from the amplifiers. Legions of fans, known as the KISS Army, leap to their feet as a roar of excitement fills the air at the John Labatt Centre last Tuesday night.

A booming voice says the familiar words that have signalled the beginning of every KISS concert. Words that many fans heard for the first time when they purchased the band's landmark 1975 live album Alive: "You wanted the best, and you got the best. The hottest band in the world -KISS"

KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, rise through the stage floor as white smoke spews over the stage. Drummer Eric Singer is in place behind a massive kit perched atop an eight-foot tall KISS logo. Stanley and Simmons show no signs of slowing down as they approach their 60s. Stanley struts and leaps impossibly high in seven-inch platform boots, and Simmons's gyrations, lizard-like tongue-wagging, and Chesire cat grin make it obvious he's still having a lot of fun.

"Are you getting what you came for?" asks Stanley.

The Legendary KISS Is Back On The Road And Starring At Walmarts Everywhere

By GORDON DICKSON

KISS is back with a new record, a concert tour and a promotional blitz coming to a Walmart near you.

Yes, the guys are older now, but they're still wearing spandex, painting their faces and putting on quite a show.

"The thing about KISS is, there's a real timeless appeal to it," lead guitarist Tommy Thayer said in a recent phone interview, before donning his "Spaceman" garb and playing a concert in Montreal. "The same thing that caught people's hearts and passions in the early 1970s is the same thing I see happening with kids today. Obviously, you have to bring kids into the fold for bands like KISS to keep reinventing themselves."

The four-man rock band will unveil its first new music in 11 years as part of a three-disc set titled Sonic Boom that drops at Walmarts nationwide Tuesday. The $12 set, which includes a CD of new songs, a CD of classic hits and a DVD of live

KISS ELECTRIFIES AIR CANADA CENTRE

By JANE STEVENSON, SUN MEDIA

Sure, they wanted to rock and roll all night, but KISS short circuited just one song into their Air Canada Centre show Friday night.

After an explosive fire display, the veteran rockers were about half way through their opening song, King Of The Night Time World, when they appeared to lose power causing the audience to boo loudly.

Without an active microphone, singer-guitarist Paul Stanley held up his hands and mouthed that the group, rounded out by bassist Gene Simmons, drummer Eric Singer and lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, would be back "in about five to ten minutes" and they walked off stage.

Shortly thereafter, and with little in the way of further reaction from the KISS army, the quartet returned and Stanley explained what was going on: "There is a problem with the electricity and the power at the ACC, but we have fixed it and we are here to kick your ass," he said.

Click here to view today's new exclusive SONIC BOOM recording studio clip on the SONIC BOOM page...ENJOY!

By Philippe Renault
Photo By Pascal Ratthe
Rue Frontenac
Translated for KISSonline by Jill Cataldo

Ahhh, Kiss. They could play six times a year in Montreal, and an army of fans (note the subtle allusion) would always be present to cheer for them, as demonstrated by their second visit to Montreal in just over two months at the Bell Center Thursday evening.

We aren't sure exactly how many fans turned out tonight, but for the record, there were barely any empty seats anywhere. KISS's crowd is a family; devoted and noisy: we swear that this audience would be the envy of many rockers.

After the surprising opening of "King Of The Night Time World" (Strutter was expected, as they performed last July), Paul Stanley said: "'Je ne parle pas beaucoup francais' (I do not speak much French,) but tonight, my heart is French Canadian."

The quartet then delivered a well-received "Got To Choose" before launching into the new "Modern Day Delilah" from their highly anticipated 'Sonic Boom.' "It will be released October 6, and can you believe that Walmart will sell it for only $12?" said Stanley. Does this make us happy? Yes, you can believe it, Paul.

Everything that makes a good KISS show (while I am among their faithful, I must say that I am a bit too young to remember the summer of 1977) was on the menu this evening. Gene Simmons' fire-spitting (Hotter Than Hell) and blood (I Love It Loud), Eric Singer's drum lift, the big screens, fireworks exploding everywhere. You must see this show at least once in your life.

Kiss pleased the fans in Montreal by performing "I Stole Your Love" for the first time in this city midway through the set. Among the essential KISS songs included: 100,000 Years, Rock And Roll All Nite, Shout it out Loud, and Detroit Rock City (finale.)

KISS release their BRAND NEW album on Monday (October 5th) in Europe.

The album, SONIC BOOM, features the killer single Modern Day Delilah, and will be available as a standard CD and an awesome CD/DVD package.

Roadrunner / Loud & Proud caught up with the guys in Detroit as they shot their upcoming video and sat them down for a chat. In the snippet below, Paul and Tommy talk us through the first half of the new album track by track. It's a fantastic insight into what you can expect from Sonic Boom. Check it out!! Part two follows on Monday.