Sly Fox
North Olmsted, Ohio
February 18, 2012
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MR.SPEED & Eric Singer Rock Indy!
03.22.2011 | MrSpeedOnline.com
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MR.SPEED Photo Shoot
03.17.2011 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Last Saturday we took part in another photo shoot with our friend and band photographer Karen Menyhart. We actually transformed her living room into our studio for 4 hours worth of hair primping and pose manipulating to create new images for our web site. Here is just one example of the outcome of our hard work. Stay tuned for brand new images of all four band members and group shots as well.
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Andrew receives Endorsement
03.03.2011 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Andrew is proud to announce that he is now endorsed by BIB Drums. In the coming months look for Andrew to debut a brand new custom drum kit provided exclusivly by BIB drums. BIB drums is your only source for custom drums.
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MR.SPEED Rocks Indy KISS Expo!
02.23.2011 | MrSpeedOnline.com
We're thrilled to announce that MR.SPEED will be performing at the upcoming Indianapolis KISS Expo on Saturday, March 19th! Many of you were curious if we would be returning this year and we're happy to say that we are. For us it's a great thrill to be a part of such an exciting day celebrating everything that is KISS. The line up for the event is tremendous with something for everyone. We'll be taking the stage later in the day for a 75-minute performance of classic and a few rare tracks from the KISS catalog. We'll also be celebrating "Destroyer" by unleashing as many tracks from KISS classic 1976 release as we can.
So make plans now to attend the 2011 Indianapolis KISS Expo with your friends from Kiss Army Warehouse and MR.SPEED. It's sure to be a rock and roll party!
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Rich Promotes Akron Civic show with brand new interview
01.18.2011 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Mr. Speed Interview – Playing Akron Civic Saturday January 22...Click Here!
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Creating the Demon
01.02.2011 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Over the course of a year's worth of shows our outfits take quite a beating. The worst of which is the armor suit for "Gene". The pieces are molded out of delicately created molds that are done completely by Joe. Through months of countless hours spent in the basement of his home he works passionately to repair and recreate the amazing outfit that ultimately winds up on stage. Now you may be asking yourself why we don't just buy one that we find on ebay or the internet. Well, to be honest Joe takes a lot of pride in his creation of the outfit. The only item that we have purchased online has been the scales with which to complete the boots. Those were purchased at www.kissarmywarehouse.com. Through trial and error Joe has researched local businesses here in the Cleveland area that assist him in the process. That would include steps such as creating the molds to even airbrushing the dragon boots and the armor pieces.
We thought that we would give you a sneak peek at the many pieces that make up the "Demon" in MR.SPEED as they make their way from the basement to the stage.
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MR.SPEED attends 2010 OF&EA Convention
11.15.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
This past weekend we attended the annual OF&EA Convention in Columbus, OH. The event brings together festival committees from all over the state of Ohio for two straight days. While there we have the opportunity to meet with many festival committee members in hopes of securing performances to include in our 2011 schedule. It's an opportunity for us to present ourselves in a positive light with a new promotional package that includes both a DVD and current images of the band. Each member of the band takes time to speak with association members during the two day event. Being one of many acts that are active members, many of which are country inspired we attract quite a crowd for photos seeing as we really do stand out in a crowd. As a result of our time and efforts we have secured a few festivals with almost as many events pending confirmation over the next few months.
We are completely satisfied with our time spent in the states capital city and we will add a number of new dates to our Tour schedule very soon. Stay tuned for details on these events.
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MR.SPEED: Inside the Camera Eye
10.05.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
On Sunday, October 3rd we set up our show to capture a fresh new look for our web site and beyond. Once again we utilized the safe surroundings of AV Audioworks in Strongsville just outside of Cleveland to accomplish our task. For four short hours we set up our entire back line including our new lighted staircases and joined forces with Karen Menyhart, our band photographer. We wanted to capture new images that would reignite our web site and paint the pages with striking shots of not only the band but the four individuals as well.
While we were hard at work I shot of few images of my own. Here you can see Joe and Karen working together to bring our "Spaceman" character to life. I also included a shot of Joe relaxing between shots. We are really excited about what we accomplished and look forward to breathing new life into our web site with the finished results. Check back often for visual updates...you're going to love them.
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MR.SPEED ROCKS IN CHICAGO WITH KISS!
09.06.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
One door opens and another door closes. That’s a saying that has
become famous in this band. At first the four of us were pretty
disappointed when our Gary, IN show was cancelled, but a simple log on
to KISS’ website would prove that we had something just as cool in
store.
This summer has proven to be one of our best. If any of you have been
following us you know that we’ve played almost every weekend. That
being said our schedule only enabled us to see 2 KISS shows on their "Hottest Show on Earth" tour.
We’re all huge fans and usually we like to see a string of shows, but
doing what we do sometimes puts a damper on that. After I got word our
show was cancelled I logged onto Kissonline to see where KISS would be
playing. As luck would have they were in Chicago. I immediately asked the other guys if
they wanted to go. After some minimal back and forth it was decided that
Rich and his wife Tina and I would be making the trip.
Using some different avenues we were able to score awesome tickets at
the last minute, and by awesome I mean 2nd row! Rich and I decided
that we would get in full makeup and costume for this show. This would
be my first experience doing something like that so I had no idea what
to expect. As soon as we pulled up to the venue and got out of our
taxi we were mobbed! People were freaking out taking pictures with us and
complimenting us on how good we looked. It was nuts! I couldn’t believe how
much of an impact we made on the crowd that night.
After a few hours of hanging out and meeting with other fans we
finally took our seats just in time to see the famed KISS curtain
cover the stage. I’m gonna go on record and say there is nothing
better than hearing the famous intro at a KISS show. The guys came on
stage and just destroyed the place. This is by far one of the best tours
KISS has ever had. What makes this show cool is that both Tommy and
Eric pointed us out from the stage during the show. We were closer to
Tommy and he kept tossing picks to us throughout the show. I caught 2 and so
did Rich.
The show came to an end. As the smoke cleared and every last piece of confetti had settled to the floor we were able to meet up with a
few familiar
faces. Keith from Kissonline came over to say hi and a few other
friends as well. All in all it turned out to be a great weekend with
many laughs and tons of good times. Next up we’re all going to see
KISS in Cleveland September 12th!
Andrew Sgambati
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MR.SPEED Adds New Stage Prop!
08.22.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
This past Friday another page was turned in our ever-evolving tribute to KISS. After months of preparation and hard work we added two new sets of lighted staircases to our back line. They really were a labor of love and we're extremely proud to be able to improve upon our already impressive back line with their addition. We hope to be able to bring you striking new images that will include the new stairs very soon. Until then here is an image that was shot at our most recent show here in Medina, Ohio at Rally in the Alley. The initial response from the fans at that show was overwhelming...they love them!
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MR.SPEED thanks Gene Simmons & Family Jewels
08.04.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
On behalf of everyone associated with MR.SPEED we would like to thank Gene Simmons and Family Jewels for including us in the most recent episode of the show. Part of the episode, Link to Episode, dealt with the numerous tribute bands that honor KISS and our image was shown and Gene mentioned our name. Not bad for a little band from Cleveland, right?
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Back to Cadillac!
07.11.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
In support of our upcoming show on July 31st at The Wex in Cadillac we wanted to share with you a few videos from our unforgettable performance there last September. We're calling this our "Cadillac Collection". All the videos that you will see were shot "live" at the Cadillac High School auditorium on September 26th, 2009. Each one was shot in high definition and really capture the excitement and emotion that was re-created that day with the sold-out show. MR.SPEED was the first KISS tribute band to perform in Cadillac since the original KISS themselves did it back in October of 1975! We know that you will enjoy watching these as much as we enjoyed creating them that day. Thanks to Jim Neff for believing enough in us to make it happen and to the amazing people of Cadillac, Michigan for showing us what real rock 'n roll passion is all about.
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MR.SPEED Video Blog
07.10.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Here is something new that we would like to offer our fans from each show...Video Blog. We're now going to offer you our personal insights straight from the dressing room after every performance. So for those of you that couldn't make it to the show you'll be able to hear first hand how the show went and what we liked and even didn't like about the show. We hope that you will enjoy this new addition to our site and we look forward to updating you after every performance.
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MR.SPEED Confirms Performance at the Akron Civic Theater
06.29.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
MR.SPEED will return to downtown Akron, Ohio on January 22, 2011 for a hot night of rock and roll. The show is part of a winter rock series sponsored by the Akron Civic Theater and WONE 97.5 FM. This venue holds significant history for MR.SPEED as it is the same hall that saw KISS with RUSH on April 8th of 1975 as part of the "Dressed to Kill" tour.
Stay tuned to our "Tour" page in the coming months for all of the details surrounding show times and ticket availability. More details will be coming soon. This is one night of classic KISS that you won't want to miss!
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MR.SPEED Celebrates it's 16th Anniversary!
06.24.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Today, June 24th, marks the 16th anniversary of MR.SPEED's tribute to KISS. It was on this date back in 1994 that the band first took the stage at the Decade in Pittsburgh, PA. We had no idea what to expect when we hit the stage for the first time. We certainly didn't expect 250 rabid KISS fans to be there pressed right up against the stage to rock along with us. It has been an amazing roller coaster ride ever since.
I'd like to thank everyone who has ever come to one of our shows, your support is immeasurable. I'd also like to thank Joe, Rob, Andrew, Tina and Ann for believing in me enough to keep it going.
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"Joe lets it rip at Lock 3 Park"
06.11.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
MR.SPEED played to one of their largest crowds this past Friday in downtown Akron. The show was a huge success and early indications are that the band is being invited back in early 2011 for a winter concert series at the Akron Civic Theater. Stay tuned to our "Tour" page for all the details.
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MR.SPEED cuts more classic KISS!
05.21.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
As promised you can now hear 3 new classic tracks, done MR.SPEED style on our promo page. We're really proud of these versions and hope that you dig them too. You can also hear these songs "live" if you attend one of our selected "Live & Loud" tour stops throughout the summer of 2010. Enjoy!
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Rich Interviewed at www.classicbands.com
04.08.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Gary James recently interviewed Rich over the phone and posed numerous questions to the MR.SPEED frontman. Many topics were covered and you can read the entire interview by clicking on the following link:
Gary James' interview with Rich
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"MR.SPEED meets Bruce Kulick in Cleveland"
03.28.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
MR.SPEED had the chance to catch up with Bruce Kulick on Sunday at the Cleveland KISS Fan Expo. Before our set we had a few moments to chat with Bruce about his new project "BK3" and also discuss some of our gear. Bruce was kind enough to want to pose for a photo with us before we began our show and we were only too happy to join him. Thanks to everyone that turned out for the great event. Read all of the details in my blog which I will add very soon.
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"MR.SPEED meets Eric Singer of KISS"
03.21.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
"MR. SPEED met up with Eric Singer at the 2010 Indy KISS Expo. The band took a few moments to speak with Eric prior to their performance. We discussed the tracks we were set to perform from KISS' latest record "Sonic Boom". One track in particular was "All For The Glory" on which Eric sings lead vocals. Eric asked if we would perform the song before he had to leave to catch his plane and of course we obliged. So we jumped up on stage ahead of schedule and treated the fans to this killer track. Afterwards we were curious as to what Eric thought of our performance so Andrew ran over to find out. Eric looked up at Andrew and gave him the "thumbs up" and that "it sounded good"...inquiring as to what other songs we were going to play from Sonic Boom. Those songs included "I"m An Animal", "Say Yeah", "When Lightning Strikes" and "Modern Day Delilah".
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Back to Cadillac!
02.17.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
That’s right…MR.SPEED is heading back to Cadillac, Michigan. Due to overwhelming response America’s tribute to KISS will return for one night, Saturday, July 31 at the Wexford Civic Center. MR.SPEED will be well into their “LIVE & LOUD” tour of 2010 when they bring their show back to the town that KISS built. Fans that were there at Cadillac High last September will want to relive the magic of all the classic hits. MR.SPEED will perform songs from the very first KISS album up to and including their latest release Sonic Boom. This will be an “all-ages” show so you won’t want to miss it. Tickets and show time information will be available soon. Check out our “Tour” page for all the details. MR.SPEED and Cadillac…it’s a rock and roll party!
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MR.SPEED goes into the recording studio!
02.08.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
February 5th, 2010...MR.SPEED entered On Tap Studios in Strongsville, Ohio. Our mission was to record a two song promotional demo. Over the years we’ve been asked many, many times if we have a recording of ourselves performing any of KISS’ music. The answer has always been “well, we’ve thought about it” or “we used to, a long time ago”. But this time our focus was clear. We felt that the time was right to go in and basically recreate a rehearsal atmosphere but have it recorded.
It may have been snowing outside but inside the vibe was heating up. Everyone was very comfortable and with minimal takes we laid down two KISS classics. We cut “Detroit Rock City”, using the second of two takes and “Shout it out Loud” using the only take that we played. After hearing some of the playback in the control room we all looked at one another and thought…let’s try one more. So we thought let’s combine classic KISS with current KISS and performed “Modern Day Delilah” using the third of three takes. The music seemed effortless to us and with minimal tweaking (a bass fill here and a guitar lick there) the basic tracks were complete.
We stripped the room of all of the musical gear and a single microphone was set up to record the vocals. The choice was made to have all of the lead vocals done first. Each song was again attempted with encouragement being done from the control room after each take. With “Detroit Rock City” we used the second of two takes and the only take of “Shout it out Loud”. With “Modern Day Delilah” it took two takes to get it where we wanted it before Rob, Joe and Andrew added their background harmonies to all of the tracks. Once the vocals were cut we spent just about two hours listening to playbacks of each song as Eddie performed his magic. He very effortlessly layered each vocal track on top of each other to build up the overall sound. We wanted a professional touch added to how we play the songs and we made every effort to limit the amount of repair work so that we could maintain a true “live” feel.
What began shortly after 6:00 PM and ended just after 10:00 PM is what we were hoping for. We wanted to be true to the best of our abilities to the original versions and give you, the KISS fan an idea of what you can expect to hear when you see us on our 2010 “Live & Loud” Tour. Enjoy…
Click Here.
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MR.SPEED to rock Indy/Cleveland KISS Expos!
01.30.2010 | MrSpeedOnline.com
The acclaimed tribute to KISS, MR.SPEED, will be an added attraction at two upcoming KISS expos. First, the band will perform at the Indianapolis KISS Expo on Sunday, March 21st along with very special guest Eric Singer. Eric will be on hand to sign autographs and take photos with fans. The event is celebrating the 35th Anniversary of the release of “Dressed to Kill”. MR.SPEED will perform the entire record from front to back during their performance. In addition, MR.SPEED will also be celebrating the triumphant release of KISS’ latest release “Sonic Boom”. The band will perform a selection of tracks from this modern day classic.
The following weekend MR.SPEED will be back home in Cleveland to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of “KISS ALIVE” at the 2010 Cleveland KISS Expo. The band will be performing the album in its entirety. The Cleveland Expo will take place on Sunday, March 28th and will feature special guest Bruce Kulick. Bruce will be on hand to sign autographs and take photos with fans throughout the day.
If KISS is your passion then make plans now. We’re proud to be involved with Kiss Army Warehouse at both of these great events. So grab a friend or bring the kids to be a part of something special. Expo room rates are available in each city so don’t miss out. We’ll see you all soon.
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MR.SPEED attends the 2009 OFEA Convention
11.15.2009 | MrSpeedOnline.com
We just returned home from our third trip to the OFEA Convention in Columbus, Ohio. The OFEA stands for The Ohio Festival and Events Association to which we are active members and have been for almost three years. Every year the association sets up camp on the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio for 2 days. This allows entertainers of all sorts to participate in a showcase and meet and greet with festival buyers from all over the state of Ohio. Each year that we have been a part of the event we are given the opportunity to set up a booth and promote our tribute to the best of our ability.
This year we unveiled our brand new promotional DVD as the main focal point of our booth. You can now view that DVD here on our home page. The DVD received rave reviews from buyers and fellow entertainers. In the past we took the approach that more was better but this year we stripped away some of the excess and kept things very simplistic. For two straight days we put on our outfits and did our best to impress as many buyers as possible that MR.SPEED is worth their time. This year was an amazing two days for us. We had interest from 17 different events and are looking at serious bookings with at least 6 annual festivals within the next few weeks. Many of the festival committees have winter meetings to discuss their plans for 2010 so the possibility of us hearing from a few more is very good as the grip of winter takes its hold on the north coast.
Below we’re pictured with Steve Cover from Columbus, Ohio. Steve is a strong supporter of MR.SPEED and does his very best to secure events for our band whenever possible. The other image is our booth at the event. Stay tuned to our “Tour” page for up to the minute details surrounding each and every performance that we confirm as our 2009 calendar year comes to a close.
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MR.SPEED PHOTO SHOOT
10.20.2009 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Last night we took part in another photo shoot. Once again our aim was to improve upon our promotional material as well as updating our web site. So we gathered at an undisclosed location with our good friend Karen Menyhart behind the lens.
The whole evening got off to a later than normal start due to an overturned tractor trailer on the freeway that all of us were using to get to the site. We really put Karen through her paces with this shoot. We all arrived by 6:30 PM and by 8:00 PM we were under way. Individual shots were the first order of business and they were then followed by the group images. We referenced many tour books and magazines to try and capture the look that we have all come to know and love.
To the right is a sample of what it looked like from behind the scenes. Three hours later we felt that we had captured a good number of images to use. In the end we’re hopeful that very soon you’ll see a fresh look to many of the pages here at our site. We hope that the time devoted to improving our image gives you, the fans, the sense that we really do care about paying tribute to the legend that is KISS.
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Fans welcome MR.SPEED to the Old Fashioned Days Festival
1,500 fans of all ages welcomed MR.SPEED to the 29th Annual Brunswick Old Fashioned Days Festival last night. A perfect setting in the Cleveland suburb saw one of the largest crowds in the festivals history rock and roll to the sounds of classic KISS for 2 hours. An intense energy filled the air surrounding the stage as fans both young and old sang in unison to their favorite songs. Early indications are that MR.SPEED will very possibly return to the event in 2010 based on last evenings performance. Check the “Gallery” page for live images of the band in action.
“MR.SPEED visits Cadillac to promo September Show”.
From 06.21.2009 | MrSpeedOnline.com
We just returned from our brief visit to Cadillac, MI. The trip was set up to help promote our upcoming show there this September. We met up with Jim Neff on Friday and went over our itinerary for the next day.
On Saturday we set about our whirlwind tour of the historic KISS town. First stop, McGuire’s Resort to set up and sound check for our acoustic show on Saturday night. From there we sped off to Cadillac High School
to tour the auditorium in which we’ll be performing on Saturday, September 26th. Once that was completed we were off once again to McGuire’s Resort to get into costumes and make-up for the filming of a local cable
ad and Cadillac News interview.
Both the interview and the commercial will run in advance of our show to alert fans that this is one event that they won’t want to miss.
All of this was great fun and meeting with the fans that turned out for our acoustic performance was inspirational to say the least.
We can’t thank Jim enough for his hospitality and generosity over the two days that we
were there. We’d also like to thank Kayla Kiley
from The Cadillac News for a great interview along with Eric Wotila for making us look good on film. Also the McGuire Family for the amazing accommodations. Lastly we would
like to thank Cadillac’s Mayor Bill Barnett for his generosity in supplying the PA for our show.
Mark your calendars and make plans now to get to Cadillac on September 26th for
“A Homecoming KISS”.
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“At last…MR.SPEED Unplugged from Chicago”.
From 10.19.2008 | MrSpeedOnline.com
Click
Here
to view the fan submitted video of our performance associated with the world premier of Paul Stanley’s “ONE LIVE KISS” DVD release. Thanks to the Andrews family for sending us their contribution. Enjoy!
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THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our Guest Bartending event
at P.J. McIntyres Irish Pub on Friday night.
Through the gifts of your time and donations, we were able to raise over $15,500 to support
the Barry Winovich Endowed Chair for ALS Research at the Cleveland Clinic.
With your generosity, we can continute to support the Cleveland Clinic
and its mission to identify the cause and cure for ALS.
Forever Grateful,
Barry Winovich and the Bright Side of the Road Foundation
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From
KISSONLINE.com
Here are a few photos from the Dayton KISS FAN FEST.
Though the event was billed as a KISS FEST, this one was all about Paul Stanley! Though not present, Paul was definitely there in spirit as several hundred fans enthusiastically celebrated the release of Paul's 'ONE LIVE KISS' DVD. Fans were treated to a Q&A with the film's director, Louis Antonelli, and a screening of the entire concert & additional unreleased footage from Paul's LIVE TO WIN Tour!
The day also featured two great performances from KISS Tribute bands - KIDS and MR. SPEED. KISS collectibles were on sale through out the event and everyone in attendance received a 'ONE LIVE KISS' laminate, guitar pick and over sized postcard.
Just another great day of celebrating with fellow members of the KISS Army!
The top and bottom photos were taken by Joe 'Big Dog' Frey for KOL. The middle photo of the bands, KIDS and MR. SPEED, was provided by Tony Nealeigh.
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The license plate: SHOCK ME
The car: 1999 Chevrolet Blazer.
The owner: Joe Hess, 33, bank employee, in his $1,200 custom-made Ace Frehley Kiss costume.
The reason: My sister bought me my first Kiss album, Love Gun, in 1978 when I was 4 years old, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I loved their whole mystique: The fact that you didn’t know who they were, the explosions, the fire, the blood, the catchy music and, of course, the toys: the Kiss dolls, the Kiss comic books, the Kiss lunch boxes.
Kiss consisted of four guys: Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss and Gene Simmons. I always liked Ace. He had the coolest costume, and he had the best guitar solo in “Shock Me.” His guitar would start smoking as if it was on fire.
I was looking to start my own Kiss tribute band in “Established Kiss tribute band looking for Ace.” 2000. I put an ad in Scene that said, “Ace looking for Gene, Peter, Paul.” Diagonal to my ad was another ad: The name of the band was Mr. Speed. Mr. Speed is what we in the Kiss world
call an obscure song because most people don’t know it.
We do everything the way Kiss does. We have the lighted logo. We have the stack of Marshall amps. Our costumes are dead replicas of theirs. We have the smoke, the blood. We even use the same kind of makeup they do.
“Shock Me” was the first song I had to learn. It was kind of my identifying moment with the band. That’s why I put it on my license plate.
Most people mistake what SHOCK ME means. People driving by, they’ll flip me the bird and stuff like that. Like they want to see if they can shock me. A lot of people take it that way. They moon me.
Christopher Evans, Plain Dealer Reporter
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Copyright 2012 MR.SPEED
All rights reserved.
The Gibson Sound: A Night with Henry Juszkiewicz and Special Guest Ace Frehley
By invitation only Joe and I along with our wives Tina and Ann entered the building just before 6:00 PM. Very few fans had arrived by the time that we pushed our way through the revolving door and as we did we saw Ace himself ascending an escalator surrounded by security and a few Rock Hall employees. As we patiently waited in line to enter the main theater on the top floor of the hall Ace passed by us two more times still surrounded by the same entourage. Moments later we met up with a few friends that support our band and prepared ourselves for entrance into the theater.
say the least. But to be honest you could feel the suspense building because we knew that Ace was there so the atmosphere took on an almost pre-concert feel. His introduction was subdued to say the least but as he strolled on to the stage just after 8:00 PM we knew that we were experiencing something special once again. With his familiar black
shades and thin shoulder-length hair Ace took his place at the center of the stage. Visibly unsure of himself and quite uneasy with a regimented program Ace quickly took control and reminded everyone why he is so endearing to all of us as KISS fans. Being asked questions as to how he came up with some of the signature riffs for classic songs such as “Cold Gin” and “Shock Me” he simply replied that “he stole them”. That’s right, he stole them from the likes of The Who and Free. But just as he tipped his hat to those two bands in particular he also noted that his riffs have also been stolen by contemporary artists such as Buckcherry. For me the feeling in the room took on an almost comedic feel reminiscent of the “Tomorrow” interview from 1979. Ace seemed more at ease poking fun at the various questions that were being asked more than answering them directly. At one point we witnessed an instant classic Ace moment as he struggled with his posture on the stool to which he was sitting. He accidentally tugged on the chord that was plugged into his cherry sunburst Les Paul and dislodged an acoustic guitar from its stand. Everyone roared with laughter as the strings rang out their vibrations over top of the gasps from everyone in the crowd. Ace himself seemed unphased by the mishap and very lazily grappled with the guitar to put it back on the stand. Ace introduced a short video montage during the event that showcased film footage from his days with KISS as well as his more recent “Rocket Ride” tour from this year. All of the signature effects that he is known for were highlighted which got an immediate reaction from the crowd. He even treated us to a little history of how each of the effects came to be from the very earliest incarnation of the smoking guitar up to the rocket launching effect used back in 1996.
I wish that I could express for you just how incredible I feel today. It's the kind of feeling that I wish for all of you to experience at some point in your life. Last night I was given the opportunity to jam with Ace Frehley! So as the notes of our performance rang out Ace approached the stage to address and thank the crowd that had waited patiently to meet him. I could feel all of my senses really coming to the surface and my emotions were definitely on overload. It seemed as if time stood still as my memory conjured up years of trips to record stores and poster shops. The thousands of times that I've watched KISS videos and read interviews from Grooves, Hit Parader & Metal Edge magazine.
