Blog Entry, 7.24.10 Slim & Chubby's It's the same 'ol...same 'ol situation. Slim & Chubby's in Strongsville, Ohio last night was the next stop on our "Live & Loud" tour. The blistering heat may have been responsible for keeping some of the normal crowd away but for those that did show up we gave them one hell of a show. Of course club shows are always about the music. We hit the stage at 10:30 PM to "Detroit Rock City" while the reserved and smaller than usual crowd voiced their approval. Coming off of our marathon performance last week in New York state we wanted to make sure that we kept our focus on the music and the mannerisms. Standout songs for me last night were "Modern Day Delilah" and "Heaven's on Fire". We hadn't done that song in quite some time and there was a real strong energy with both of them. We really do wish that we could play every song that you want to hear but it's just not possible. Andrew does a good job trying to mix it up with each show...hoping to give everyone something that they are hoping to hear. It's also important for us to play songs that we enjoy playing. Joe and Rob both did very well with their respective solos, trying to dig deeper into their characters to convey the illusion. The first set was a great example of all of our hard work and experience really hitting the mark. With the second set we pulled some deeper tracks from the KISS catalog such as "Ladies Room" and "Rocket Ride". Of course we kept the casual fan embraced with "Deuce" and "New York Groove" so that would still feel a part of the show. But to be honest we do hope that if we play something that maybe isn't too familiar to some fans that it might intrigue them to want to hear it again and maybe even purchase the record that it came from. The show was a very good one, we played well and really enjoyed ourselves. Those die hard fans that remained finished the show with us with real passion. We'll take last nights energy with us to Cadillac for next weekends show. That is where real KISS history still rides the wind in the town that KISS built. Blog Entry, 7.03.10 First Town Days Festival Having not performed at the First Town Days Festival in 2009 we were excited about our return trip on Saturday. This would be our third performance there in the past 5 years and we packed extra hopes that it would be the best of the three by far. Another outdoor show would provide another chance for Mother Nature to tease us with her sense of humor. However, she must have just felt like leaving everything alone and just giving us the chance to enjoy a scorching hot summer's day because that's exactly what we got. New Philadelphia, Ohio sits quietly just off of I-77 and is an easy drive from where we live. Unless of course you're traveling with Rob...now, on with the show. Everything was ready to go by 5:45 PM. The stage was set, the sound check was complete and the crowd had already begun to find their places on the midway in front of the stage. So the four of us slipped away into the recreation center which would serve as our dressing room for the show. The cool air conditioning made our pre-show prep extremely comfortable but we knew that the mid-day sun would still be waiting for us when we arrived back at the stage. We all got right to work and in no time at all we were being whisked away on two golf carts right down the center of the midway towards the stage. Normally this would not be the course of action that we would take but Sam, the festival President wanted to create a larger sense of excitement by letting the people at the festival see us on our way to the stage. At the stage we were met by another wide-eyed and curious gathering of KISS fans and spectators alike. Everything was ready to go. Our intro CD faded and I ripped into the opening riff of "Deuce". We never looked back. Cameras and phones were flashing beneath the stage. Each one capturing it's own moment to remember. Parents held children on their shoulders, some even wearing the make up design of their favorite KISS character. Each one of us was giving it everything we had. Sweat was pouring off of our extremities with every movement that we made. There really aren't too many better feelings in the world than for a band like ours to connect with a crowd at a show. Darkness tightened its grip on the midway and the crowd began to swell from every direction. Two stand out moments in the show for me were "Tears Are Falling" and "Modern Day Delilah". I felt that we really played them both well and the crowd was feeling the vibe too. The others stepped up their games as well. Joe provided another well played solo in "Shock Me" and Rob covered his axe bass with a mouthful of saliva and blood. Andrew's drum solo pushed the show into overdrive as we headed towards the big finish. We had hoped to complete the entire show by 10:00 PM and count down to the celebratory fireworks display that many were there to see. However, we missed it by one song so we paused for the fireworks and picked back up after they were complete. The fireworks display was really amazing and we knew that we had to provide an ending that would compliment it just right. So we thought that we would add "Rip It Out" before we led everyone along with "Rock And Roll All Nite". As you can possibly imagine by this time the crowd was worked into quite a frenzy and when we asked them to respond with a little participation they certainly didn't let us down. Collectively we all did our part to write another chapter in the history of the First Town Days Festival as well as the history of another staged destroyed by the conviction of MR.SPEED. After meeting with fans for photos and autographs we made the short drive back to the recreation center to get cleaned up. Sam and I drove together and he asked me "So, I've got this idea for next year..." To which I curiously looked at him and asked if he meant it. He replied that "I'll catch hell if I don't bring you back"! For us there isn't any better compensation than to be invited back to an event the following year even before we've had a chance to get out of our costumes. He continued "What if we put you on a float in the parade and bring you in on Friday night"? So it looks very good for us that we'll be returning there in 2011. Thanks to everyone at the First Town Days Festival for giving us another chance and for making us feel so welcome. We'll see you next year. Blog Entry, 6.26.10 Old Fashioned Days Festival Having not performed at the First Town Days Festival in 2009 we were excited about our return trip on Saturday. This would be our third performance there in the past 5 years and we packed extra hopes that it would be the best of the three by far. Another outdoor show would provide another chance for Mother Nature to tease us with her sense of humor. However, she must have just felt like leaving everything alone and just giving us the chance to enjoy a scorching hot summer's day because that's exactly what we got. New Philadelphia, Ohio sits quietly just off of I-77 and is an easy drive from where we live. Unless of course you're traveling with Rob...now, on with the show. Everything was ready to go by 5:45 PM. The stage was set, the sound check was complete and the crowd had already begun to find their places on the midway in front of the stage. So the four of us slipped away into the recreation center which would serve as our dressing room for the show. The cool air conditioning made our pre-show prep extremely comfortable but we knew that the mid-day sun would still be waiting for us when we arrived back at the stage. We all got right to work and in no time at all we were being whisked away on two golf carts right down the center of the midway towards the stage. Normally this would not be the course of action that we would take but Sam, the festival President wanted to create a larger sense of excitement by letting the people at the festival see us on our way to the stage. At the stage we were met by another wide-eyed and curious gathering of KISS fans and spectators alike. Everything was ready to go. Our intro CD faded and I ripped into the opening riff of "Deuce". We never looked back. Cameras and phones were flashing beneath the stage. Each one capturing it's own moment to remember. Parents held children on their shoulders, some even wearing the make up design of their favorite KISS character. Each one of us was giving it everything we had. Sweat was pouring off of our extremities with every movement that we made. There really aren't too many better feelings in the world than for a band like ours to connect with a crowd at a show. Darkness tightened its grip on the midway and the crowd began to swell from every direction. Two stand out moments in the show for me were "Tears Are Falling" and "Modern Day Delilah". I felt that we really played them both well and the crowd was feeling the vibe too. The others stepped up their games as well. Joe provided another well played solo in "Shock Me" and Rob covered his axe bass with a mouthful of saliva and blood. Andrew's drum solo pushed the show into overdrive as we headed towards the big finish. We had hoped to complete the entire show by 10:00 PM and count down to the celebratory fireworks display that many were there to see. However, we missed it by one song so we paused for the fireworks and picked back up after they were complete. The fireworks display was really amazing and we knew that we had to provide an ending that would compliment it just right. So we thought that we would add "Rip It Out" before we led everyone along with "Rock And Roll All Nite". As you can possibly imagine by this time the crowd was worked into quite a frenzy and when we asked them to respond with a little participation they certainly didn't let us down. Collectively we all did our part to write another chapter in the history of the First Town Days Festival as well as the history of another staged destroyed by the conviction of MR.SPEED. After meeting with fans for photos and autographs we made the short drive back to the recreation center to get cleaned up. Sam and I drove together and he asked me "So, I've got this idea for next year..." To which I curiously looked at him and asked if he meant it. He replied that "I'll catch hell if I don't bring you back"! For us there isn't any better compensation than to be invited back to an event the following year even before we've had a chance to get out of our costumes. He continued "What if we put you on a float in the parade and bring you in on Friday night"? So it looks very good for us that we'll be returning there in 2011. Thanks to everyone at the First Town Days Festival for giving us another chance and for making us feel so welcome. We'll see you next year. Blog Entry, 6.11.10 Rock the Lock They say good things come to those who wait. I have to admit that Friday nights show was just that...well worth the wait! As I've mentioned in the past we all become amateur meteorologists when the summer schedule kicks into gear. Each time that we have an outdoor show we tend to pay particular attention to the weather surrounding the date. Early reports had the threat of rain ever present into the evening hours in downtown Akron but once again the rock and roll gods were smiling on us. The rain never came and the show was amazing. I want to make sure that I thank everyone at 97.5 WONE for all of their support. This was our third performance at the event and by far the best of the three for sure. I'd also like to thank the staff at the Akron Civic Theater and Lock 3 Live. They really do put on a family friendly event better than anyone that we work with and we appreciate the luxuries that they afford us even for just one night. We arrived shortly after 3 PM for our standard load-in and set up. By 5 PM we were able to begin our sound check. We had 30 minutes to check all of the instruments and vocals and even run through a few songs to make sure that things would sound just right. Typically we start the sound check process with the drums. Now they have to check each one depending on how many the drummer has. ANDREW HAS 1O! Remember that I said we only had 30 minutes to complete the sound check all together? The drums took 23 of the 30 minutes! That left 5 seconds each for Joe, Rob and myself to get our levels and the remaining few minutes to play two songs. I hope that you can detect my sarcastic overtones with this paragraph as we all found it extremely entertaining being a part of the worlds longest drum check in history! In the end everything came together and we only needed a few minor tweaks of the gear throughout the show. As entertainers we long for shows like this. Once we emerged from our dressing room beneath the majestic Akron Civic Theater and made "the Elvis walk" toward the stage we could sense that this night would be one that we wouldn't soon forget. The crowd that had gathered in Lock 3 Park was eager to let loose. Before we even made it to the stage fans were calling out our character names. By 8:30 we were in place and our intro gave way to the ever confident opening riff of "Deuce". From the very first notes that poured from our amplifiers the response from the crowd was deafening. Only one other show, that being last September in Cadillac, Michigan could compare to the passionate response from the fans cheering us on. We used every bit of the 80' wide stage to our advantage. Some moments would prove to be triumphant and others would prove to be humbling (that being when I caught a cable on stage and pin balled between two monitors ultimately hitting the deck unable to stop my momentum). The first of our two sets was a true test of stamina and endurance. Sweat rained off of our bodies like that of a late April shower. Outstretched hands of the fans in the first row all the way to the very back displayed complete appreciation for our efforts. Joe's guitar solo during "Shock Me" electrified the crowd as smoke billowed vertically engulfing his face. Rob stood center stage before "God of Thunder" shielding his eyes from the bright lights overhead only to spew a mouthful of crimson saliva and blood across the strings of his axe bass. Andrew made thunderous use of his entire kit, hitting them with a controlled assault that tore flesh on his fingers in the process. These are the shows that we never want to end. I can attest that the happiness on the faces in the crowd will linger with me for some time. It didn't matter whether they were four or fifty-four one thing was true, there was a true connection between the crowd and the stage and everyone knew it. A point that I would love to mention is that for the first time in 13 years I was able to have both of my sons present at one of our shows. It was really a special moment for me as they are both becoming more interested in music as they grow. So I took them to the park on Thursday evening to show them where we would performing the following evening. My older son mentioned that the place didn't look that big. Stunned by his comment I merely said "just wait". As they sat on stage during the show it became very evident to them that they had a lot to learn about first impressions. The crowd of nearly 4,000 never wavered and hung in there with us until the very end. This in itself is a true testament to the connection that was made between the crowd and the stage on Friday night. If you were there we want you to know how much your time meant to us. You helped to create another chapter in our history that we'll want to revisit over and over again. If you missed it...shame on you for six weeks. We'll be rocking all summer long so make every effort to come out and see us. Bring the kids, bring a friend, bring your love of KISS and we'll create a memory for you to remember. Blog Entry, 6.05.10 The Sly Fox Amazingly another four months has passed us by. Winter is a memory and summer, or at least the humidity of summer has us in its grip. So we packed up the show and headed for the Sly Fox for our second show there this year. We've been performing at the Sly Fox for years now and we've become very comfortable with the club and the fans that repeatedly show up there to rock with us. By 8 PM we had the show set up and just before 9 PM we began our make-up preparation. For the past two years we've been working with Dave as our sound man at the club but tonight we were pleased to see Mike, the original sound man that we began working with when we first started playing there a few years ago. After our sound check we realized what we had been missing by not having Mike behind the board at our shows. It's always rewarding to be able to hear our vocals more clearly and to have fans tell us how good we sound at the end of the show. It's no coincidence. On with the show. An enthusiastic but not SRO crowd met us as we took the stage for the following 3 hours. The energy that we felt during our sound check carried through to the beginning of our first set. We found a good formula with "Detroit Rock City" into "Cold Gin" and then "Strutter". Harnessing the excitement and keeping the tempo consistent is the trick. The fans in front of the stage were really into our set. We didn't break out any real surprises for this show but I felt that we played really well. Of course we weren't perfect with every song but that's the beauty of rock and roll. As much as we tried to control the tempo as I mentioned we ended up adding 3 extra songs to the first set in order to keep us where we needed to be time wise. Those of you who are "Ace" fans would have loved hearing "Rip It Out" and "Talk To Me" as two of the last minute additions to the set. We ended the first set with "Love Gun", "Beth" and "Shout it out Loud". During the break we met with fans both new and old. The mix of fans that had seen us before to those that had not was pretty even. Our second set began with "Deuce" and we didn't look back until after 1:30 AM when the the last notes of "Rock and Roll All Nite" were absorbed into the walls. This ended up being the perfect show for us to use as a warm up to next week's show in Akron. We'd like to encourage as many of you as we can to come out to Rock The Lock and help us to fill the streets of downtown Akron with the passion and energy of classic KISS! Blog Entry, 5.22.10 Quaker Steak & Lube Fate revealed an ominous grin last evening for our performance at the Quaker Steak & Lube in Shefflied, Ohio. Announced as a typical performance we were in fact hired to grant the wish by a local fan's wife as a surprise birthday gift. Upon our arrival we weren't quite sure if the weather would cooperate for us as the area had been hit by intermittent rain showers throughout the morning. But in typical rock and roll fashion the skies cleared up and revealed as Andrew likes to call "the rock and roll blue" umbrella that would serve as the backdrop for the early evening performance. This is especially key as the show would take place outdoors in the parking lot of the establishment. Working once again with our sound man Steve Sigl and his son Andy we knew that we would be pleased with the overall sonic assault. We ran through our sound check by performing "Detroit Rock City", "Talk To Me" and "Hotter Than Hell". As soon the sound check was completed we ascended a back stair case to the room that would serve as our dressing area for the show. What we didn't expect is that the temperature in the room would feel as though it was hovering around 100 degrees! We quickly remedied the situation by taking over a small office space that luckily had an air conditioner built in so we could cool the room down enough to apply our make up. You might be surprised to hear how many places hire us and never give a second thought to the fact that this one aspect of our preparation is extremely critical in getting our make up just right. In record time we were all finished and in costume ready to go. The show was about to start. We made our way to the stage to find a decent crowd that was waiting for us. By this time all of the secrecy behind the surprise event was revealed and we were truly proud to be a part of Mike's big day. Once again Brandy we applaud your efforts with a big rock and roll chord! As the sun disappeared over the roof of the Quaker Steak & Lube we hit the stage with "Deuce". Even with the amount of people that were there it took some time for them to loosen up and realize that it was alright to have a good time. One by one hesitation gave way to fascination and the crowd drew closer to the front of the stage. No one song seemed to be a stand out favorite, each recalling a memory for those who sang along. More than half way through the set we brought Mike on stage and led the crowd in an acapella version of "Happy Birthday" as Andrew presented him with a show used drum head signed with a personal message from the four of us. As the show drew near to its end the crowd had truly settled in and began shouting out songs for us to play. We didn't disappoint. "Love Gun", "God Of Thunder", "Shock Me" and even "Modern Day Delilah" spewed from the PA speakers that stood guard at the front of the stage. Another dedication to our troops before "Rock and Roll All Nite" brought everyone to their feet. Feeling as though we had finally won the crowd over I decided to join them to try to get a sense of what they were experiencing. So I walked out into the middle of the crowd and sang along with them as Rob, Joe and Andrew kept things rolling on stage. This really seemed to be just what the night needed to bring the whole event to perfect end. If you were there, thanks for showing up. If you missed it, don't make the same mistake twice. Next stop...the Sly Fox on June 5th! See you there! Blog Entry, 5.09.10 Return to the Recording Studio Yesterday afternoon we once again slipped into AudioWorks Studio outside of Cleveland, Ohio. Our goal was to capture three more classic KISS tracks to use for promotional purposes. Leading up the session we discussed what tracks we would record and over a series of rehearsals we decided upon "Black Diamond", "Calling Dr.Love" and "Shock Me". Based on what we learned with our first session back in February we wanted to push ourselves just a little bit more with this session. The songs weren't so much the challenge but we wanted to make sure that everyone in the band had a chance to shine with a lead vocal. We were excited about the opportunity and in the end it turned out to be more than we were expecting. As I mentioned the music really came together quite well for us. Of course we didn't use the first take of any of the songs but it didn't take more than two takes to get it right. The interesting dynamic to this process is when we perform "live" we have a lot going on stage. We're moving here and there and pointing here and wiggling there. But in the studio we perform the songs musically without any vocals, keeping time so that we don't miss a cue. Once the music is done we then record the vocals. Of course any sour notes are sweetened up with additional takes with every effort being to not sterilize anything too much. Each one of us took turns re-recording a few minor parts. For me I tackled a new intro to "Black Diamond" ala "Double Platinum". I am really pleased with the way that leads off the track. All in all we spent over 6 hours having a really great time. That's two hours longer than our first session in February. We haven't heard the finished product yet but we should within a few days. Once we have the tracks you'll be able to access them on our "Promo" page along with the "Detroit Rock City", "Shout it out Loud" and "Modern Day Delilah". We also managed to capture the session with still photos and even some video. We'll hope to add these images to our site very soon. Blog Entry, 4.16.10 The Omni Friday night in Toledo can only mean one thing, it's time to rock and roll. Without question the best place for us to be is the Omni. I've said it before and I'll say it again...the people of Toledo have rock and roll running through their veins. Every time we show up at this place it just gets better and better. Our trip began in it's usual style...with Joe and Rob traveling together and Andrew and I traveling together. As we pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the Ohio Turnpike a driver in another vehicle next to us pulls up and starts yelling at us "you're trailer door is open"! We thought "whatever...no it's not". We immediately thought of that scene in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles". So we pull over and discover that he was right, our trailer door was open a bit and here we were about to start traveling at 70 miles per hour down the highway with our door open! After securing the door and wondering if we should tell anyone about it we shrugged it off with a few good laughs. We rolled into town around 3 PM and got right to work. This particular occasion was a little different in that we didn't have the MR.SPEED road crew with us. Many of you may know that Joe and Ann are expecting their first child so Ann was resting at home for this show. Tina had come down with a virus earlier in the week and sadly this would be the first show that she's ever missed since we met...that's 13 years! Fortunately for us we have back up. Our friends Jeff and Kelly from Michigan made the trip along with Andrew's childhood friend Anthony from New Jersey. So we pressed them into duty right away upon their arrival and to everyone's credit we didn't miss a beat. By 5 PM we began our sound check. We decided to try another new song, one that this version of the band has never done before and that song is "Psycho Circus". I was able to stretch my voice a little with this and to be honest with having only practiced this one twice at rehearsal it sounded pretty good. So we decided that we would replace "100,000 Years" with it for the show. By 7 PM a line of fans had started to form outside the main door of the club. Within a half hour their was a great crowd inside taking their places around the bar and the stage. Disappearing to our dressing area shortly before 8 PM we sensed that this was going to be another incredible night for us at the Omni. Soon after we were escorted down a back staircase and through the parking lot to the stage door. This little maneuver helps to keep the mystique alive so that we don't have to walk through the crowd. We hit the stage unleashing "Deuce" and the crowd went crazy. It's amazing to me how much they appreciate a good band and great tunes at this place. The sea of faces were everything that we dream of as a band. Their smiles and gestures (many of which were just like Paul and Gene would do) kept us entertained all night long. The guys seemed to be really into their characters a little more and I'm sure having the larger than normal stage was the reason. Joe's guitar solo during "Shock Me" was the highlight for me. He incorporated two new effects into it which gave it new life. This new approach to his solo seemed to elevate his game and that's what we strive to deliver with each show. We packed the set list with all of the classic tunes, make up and non-make up era alike. We even added "I Love it Loud" which wasn't in the set because I thought this guy in front of me who was screaming for it all night long was going to come out of his skin if we didn't play it! The show climaxed with another terrific version of "Rock and Roll All Nite". The crowd response was as loud as we could have hoped it to be. We typically meet with fans for up to an hour after each show at the Omni but this time would be an exception. I announced from the stage that due to Tina's illness and that I wanted to get home to be with her that we wouldn't be meeting after this show. But that next time, and it looks like we'll be back in November, that we'll make up for the lost opportunity then. The fans were very understanding and that just adds to why they are so special to us. We'll see everyone again very soon. In the meantime we'll hope to have you catch another show on our summer tour...it's going to be hotter than hell! Blog Entry, 4.10.10 The Breakfast Club Every time we arrive at a place where we've never performed we have a sense of apprehension of the unknown. At the same time we're excited about the possibilities that lie just inside the door. In our minds we were ready for the show tonight. Andrew had assembled a classic selection of tracks that blended classic and current KISS into a 2-hour onslaught for the ears. After preparing the stage and completing our sound check we took a few moments to enjoy some laughs while watching 80's rock videos on a large video screen above the stage. We then descended to the depths of this hauntingly revered club on the west side of town. Quite a few of our musical inspirations in one form or another have stepped onto the same stage that now held our backline. Many autographed images also adorn the stairwell that leads to the dressing room that was our safe haven for the 90-minutes leading up to the show. As we climbed the stairs shortly before 10:30 PM we took a few moments to pose with Karen for a few band images, trying to capture a moment that might serve us online. We never really know what to expect as we approach the stage for a show in regards to the size of the crowd that waits for our arrival. With this being our first time in this place we were thrilled to feel the heat of a 150 or more eagerly awaiting our presence. There were many KISS t-shirts on those in the crowd worn by many fans that we had never seen before. As I've mentioned in the past this is always a testament to what we're doing that we can appeal to new fans with every show. The music began with "Deuce" and after some minor bass guitar problems the show flowed very effortlessly. I didn't feel that the PA was very kind to us or maybe we were too loud on stage. You want to find a good balance between the two so that the music sounds as good as it possibly can. Once again we mixed in two tracks from "Sonic Boom" to the set those being "Modern Day Delilah" and "When Lightning Strikes". Another cut that we dusted off was "Rock Soldiers" from Ace's Frehley's Comet days of the 80's. There really seemed to be a good energy between the crowd and the stage with just about every song that we performed getting a good response from the fans. One fan in particular took many moments to shout out what he personally wanted to hear which by my standards would have been a tremendous KISS tribute show. We heard suggestions such as "She's So European" and "Dark Light". I wonder what the mystery fans online that comment on our songs outside of the box would think about that guys tribute if he had one? We will continue to push the envelope and try songs that challenge us instead of only playing the songs that every other KISS tribute plays night in and night out. More of the classics like "Love Gun" and "Black Diamond", "God of Thunder" and "Shock Me" poured from the PA. As the songs faded from the set list and the show came to an end we felt as if once again we had accomplished our goal. We came, we saw and we rocked for KISS. We'll be back to the Breakfast Club two more times by years end. We'll look forward to building on our reputation at this club and winning over more and more fans in the process. Blog Entry, 3.28.10 2010 Cleveland KISS Expo Just when we thought that the Indy Expo was going to satisfy our thirst for everything KISS we climbed on stage at the Cleveland Expo the very next week. The Cleveland event was by all intents and purposes supposed to be smaller than the Indy event but in the end proved to be just as successful. This year's event was held at the Holiday Inn on Rockside Road which was an all new location. We arrived at 8 AM on the day of the event and commenced with our load-in. The ballroom was very spacious and offered us more than enough room to set up our show. In about an hour's time we had our backline completed and Steve our sound man was putting the final touches on the sound and lighting for the show. Most of the vendors were busy filling their tables with KISS collectibles both old and new. Before long we began our sound check with "Modern Day Delilah" and "New York Groove". As far as we were concerned we were ready to go. So we spent the next few hours meeting with fellow fans and chatting with a few friends that had arrived for the day's festivities. The biggest surprise for me was running into my high school bass player from Pittsburgh. Nick and I had not seen each other in 8 years so it sure was great to see him if only for a short while. Joe was once again very busy painting kids faces next to our merchandise table. What's funny for me is when I see a child that has his face painted and I think to myself that "wow, that kid's make up looks really good" and then I realized that Joe did it! Andrew had set up a table to finish selling off the majority of his KISS collection and to his amazement had done so within the first hour after the doors were open. I took my camera and tried to capture some images of the fans that had shown up, especially the kids. By mid-afternoon it was time for us to get ready for the show. So we all gathered in our hotel room and by 5:00 PM were back in the ballroom ready to rock. The fans waited patiently for us to arrive and were anxious for us to hit the stage. So after a few photos with some fans and a brief encounter with Bruce and a photo with him on the stage we grabbed our guitars and dimmed the lights. As promised we began the show with side one of "ALIVE". But prior to the show as we walked around the room many fans approached us and asked if we were going to play anything else besides "ALIVE". So we thought "why not...let's do what the fans are asking for". So the fans began suggesting songs for us to perform and in all honesty the improvisation was just as effective as following a script. We really mixed it up with songs from just about every KISS album there is. Even pulling a few tracks from "Sonic Boom" which once again included "All for the Glory", "I'm An Animal" and "When Lightning Strikes". The crowds at expos never cease to amaze us. There isn't a better gathering of pure emotion and energy for KISS in one place than when we're performing at an expo. It's great to see the faces on the young children and the adults as they relive their childhood memories in their minds as we play the songs that accompanied those special years. As the day came to a close and we celebrated it's finale with "Rock and Roll All Nite" it was very clear that KISS and the legend that they have created our very much alive here in Cleveland. In my opinion the Cleveland Expo has no where to go but up and I beleive that it will become one of the "must attend" events on the expo circuit for years to come. It all starts with each one of you. So make plans next year to be a part of it...and we'll look forward to seeing many of you on our summer stretch of dates that are increasing by the day. Check our "Tour" page for up to the minute additions and get ready to "Say Yeah" to MR.SPEED. Blog Entry, 3.21.10 2010 Indianapolis KISS Expo It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. But with that passing year we once again find ourselves back in Indianapolis as an invited guest at the annual KISS Expo that is held there. When I received the email asking if we wanted to perform at the event I immediately thought of how we could make our performance stand out like we had last year. If you remember we performed the entire “Hotter than Hell” album from cover to cover. So this year would be no exception. The decision was really rather simple…this year it would be “Dressed to Kill”. So for two months leading up to the event we dug deep into the grooves of that classic KISS album from March of 1975. To our credit we perform quite a few of the songs on a regular basis but there were a handful that we had never even tried before. So the rehearsals took on a whole new meaning again for us as we had something to prove to the fans as well as ourselves. Each of us looked at the songs differently from one another. When we approach a new song we want to make sure that it’s performed with conviction and not just to say that we did it. So each week we would tackle another new song and work on it until we felt that it was receiving the respect that it deserved. It really was a great process to go through and in the end I think that we really accomplished what we had set out to do. That is, take the fans back to that magical time before anyone knew about Cadillac, MI and even before the world was questioning “who the best really was” with the release of “ALIVE!”. The stand out track for me was “Anything for My Baby”. As an added bonus we also gave the fans an added surprise by pulling 5 songs from “Sonic Boom”. Of course there was “Modern Day Delilah” which has been a part of our live show since October of 2009. But we wanted to show that we could do justice to a few others as well. Those songs ended up being “All for the Glory”, “I’m An Animal”, “When Lightning Strikes” and “Say Yeah”. As much as we loved playing all of “Dressed to Kill” I have to be honest and say that playing these five songs was exceptionally fun for me. It’s easy to play the songs that the fans know like the back of their hands but what makes it more satisfying for me is to win them over with tracks that they might not be so familiar with. As fans we assume that everyone at an expo has “Sonic Boom” but we’re playing for the fans that might not have it. I play those songs so that those fans will say to themselves “hey, that song was really good, what album is that from”? Understand that we’re also playing those songs for the fans that do have “Sonic Boom” and when they hear us perform them they say “that sounded just like the record”! In the end I felt that we hit a home run with our overall performance. Many fans complimented us on the show and thanked us for taking them back to 1975 when their stereo needle was scratching the grooves in the latest KISS record that they had just snuck into their bedroom to hear. Overall the expo was a tremendous amount of fun. We met up with many fans that have seen us many times over. We took time to expand upon our own collections by getting all caught up in the spending of hard earned money at the numerous vendor tables throughout the room. We even had time to capture a special moment with Eric Singer as we posed for a photo prior to our performance with him at his table. Eric was extremely kind to us and to all of the fans. He loved our version of “All for the Glory” which for any KISS tribute would be exactly what they would hope to hear. He even asked me why I cut my hair. If we end up there again next year one thing is for sure…Indy will not disappoint us. They truly do love their KISS! Blog Entry, 3.06.10 Slim & Chubby's The second stop on our "LIVE & LOUD" tour once again took us to Strongsville, Ohio and to Slim & Chubby's. We were really excited about the show. The weather had broken and we anticipated a good crowd. Our sixth sense was right on the money. We had a great turnout for the show and once again a lot of new faces that made up the crowd. We typically begin the show right around 10:30 PM and each time we prepare at a show the crowd shows up earlier and earlier to get a good spot. This show was no exception. The pre-show prep went really well and after sound check and our band meal we moved upstairs to begin the make-up process. Our pre-show time together is always spent having a lot of laughs at each others expense. We also chat about KISS, our jobs and what ever else might be on our minds. Once everyone is ready to go we get our customary "Elvis-walk" to the stage with Chubby. He leads us to the stage and the awaiting anticipation of the 200+ fans. I always love the beginning of the show because the emotional release between the band and the crowd helps to fuel the electricity in the air. We packed this show full of all of the classics, from "Detroit Rock City" to "New York Groove" and "God of Thunder". We sometimes get the itch to try a new song or two whenever possible and on this night we pulled out all the stops. We gave the fans "She" and "100,000 Years" as well as two gems from Sonic Boom! I won't tell you what they were seeing as we're due to unveil them in two weeks at the Indy KISS Expo or you might try youtube and see if anyone caught them on tape. Those particular songs didn't get the best reaction that we could have wanted but they sure were a lot of fun to play. The show finished with "Lick it Up" into "Black Diamond" and then "Rock and Roll All Nite". A true testament to our conviction is the fact that many stayed the whole night with us and gave us another great memory to hold on to until the next show. We'll continue to promise to give you the best show possible as long as you promise to keep coming back to see us. Make sure that when you do you bring a friend or two. We'll see you all real soon. Until then...never stop rocking! Blog Entry, 2.13.10 The Sly Fox Well we heard that you missed us…so we’re back. The time off that we had seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye with the holidays and New Year. In those few shorts weeks we managed to begin work on a number of new songs and even get into a local studio to record. But the one thing that we thrive on is the live performance and being out there with the fans. Starting off our 2010 “Live & Loud” tour at the Sly Fox provided us with the perfect atmosphere to get things rolling again. We knew that the show would be well attended and we were right. We also knew that the reaction from the fans would be just what we were hoping for and they did not disappoint us. I’ve said it before and it remains true, each time we perform it’s great to see all of the new faces in the crowd along with the familiar ones that we recognize from show to show. The ones that had not seen us before clearly outnumbered those who had so that only goes to serve our growing fan base here in our hometown. As you might expect we dusted off all of the usual classics to start the show beginning with “Detroit Rock City”. The familiar opening riff felt very comfortable and we knew that there was no turning back. As is usually the case it took Dave a few songs to “dial us in” if you will to get the sound to where we were happy with it. For some unknown reason Rob usually gets the better mix on stage and I’m still trying to figure out how that keeps happening. For the most part we were happy with the majority of the songs that we performed with the exception of one that is newer to us. That song is “100,000 Years”. We had been working on an arrangement of this song at rehearsal and in the end it was painfully obvious to us that there is still a lot of work to be done. I can’t blame us for trying but we’ve always believed that until a song is absolutely ready to be played “live” that we keep it under wraps. So we’ll get back at it soon and make sure that in a few weeks we’re focused on giving that particular song the respect that it deserves. It seemed that the fans were really hungry for the classic sounds that they were familiar with and so we replaced “Say Yeah” with “Watchin You” at the request of one particular fan who insisted that we play it. It shows our diversity that we can change gears like that on the fly especially if it means that someone will leave happier that they heard us play something that they wanted to hear. I’m not sure what they says for the rest of the set list that we performed but in the end it worked out for us all. The second set seemed to have a better flow to it and the timing worked out quite well. The time off didn’t seem to hinder us in any way and the fans reaction drove us to keep the pedal to the metal. We ended the show with “Lick it Up” into “Black Diamond” and then “Rock And Roll All Nite”. Like clockwork the interaction between the fans and the stage created a tremendous thunder within the room. Overall we were very satisfied with our performance and in my mind I know we’re capable of pushing ourselves to be even better the next time out. We’ll look forward to seeing as many of you as we can at one or many of our upcoming shows this year. Blog Entry, 12.05.09 Front Row Bar & Grill You’ve heard the saying that “all good things must come to an end”…but in our case it’s just temporarily. Last night was our 27th and last show of 2009. We pulled into the Front Row Bar & Grill in Brook Park, Ohio shortly after 6:00 PM to unload the show for the last time. Only having played here once before which was back in May we were hopeful that we could build on our following with the KISS fans in the area. I must mention that here in Cleveland people can be very territorial. That’s not to say that we don’t have some fans that will come and see us just about anywhere because we do. I also found it interesting that even before I sat down with the band to commence the make-up routine for the show that the club owner approached me to make sure that we confirmed at least two shows at his place for 2010. That’s what we like to call job security. If you’ve been following my blogs for the entire year I want to thank you. It’s really a labor of love to wake up the next day and recreate in my mind what we experienced the night before on my keyboard for those of you that couldn’t be there. For the most part we worked with a show that flowed well musically thanks to Andrews’s attention to our set list. But for last night’s show we pulled out all the stops. As is usually the case with club shows we need to extend the length of the show to accommodate the hours of 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM. For this show we certainly made sure that we used everything that we had in the tank, so to speak. From the opening notes of “Detroit Rock City” to the thundering tom-fills of “War Machine” our mission was to give this show our all. At recent rehearsals we had been working on a few songs that we have never performed “live” before. As we stood in the dressing room before the show we looked at one another and decided that if the vibe was right we would give a few of them a shot. So for the first time with this version of the band we performed an edited version of “100,000 Years” and the soon to be released second single from Sonic Boom “Say Yeah”. Both songs were very well received and we looked at each other after they were performed and thought “not bad”. It’s enjoyable for us to try newer songs from time to time and these both added a fresh musical shot in the arm to both us and the fans. There were also a few other songs that we added like “Rock Soldiers” and “Heavens On Fire” even “C’mon & Love Me”. For the most part it was a veritable feast of classic KISS. You can bet that by the time we hit the stage again in 2010 we’ll have even more tracks from the KISS catalog to wet your appetite with. So as I put the final key strokes on our calendar year of 2009 I want to thank everyone that helped to continue making my dream come to life. To Joe, Rob and Andrew…I’m nothing without each of you. From my poster-filled room as a kid to the stages that we walk on together, thank you for everything that I remember and even the things that I forget. To Tina and Ann…I don’t trust my dreams to just anyone and the two of you continue to make it possible for me to dream with my eyes wide open. I love you both. To Rodney…thank you for giving the world our vision with your computer. We’ve never looked so good. To Karen and Pete…thank you for sharing us with the world through your photos. To all of the fans…thank you for sharing your life with us and for giving us memories that we’ll talk about forever. To anyone that carried an amp, lifted a drum case, tuned a guitar or just lent a hand in some small way THANK YOU! Lastly…thank you KISS. Thanks for allowing us to continue to share with our fans the legend that you have created. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…it is an honor to walk in your shadows. See you all again in 2010… Blog Entry, 11.21.09 Slim & Chubbys Show day in Strongsville once again and Slim and Chubbys is the place. Our arrival at the club was pretty typical as darkness fell and the cool grip of the November air was all around us. We had quite a week within the confines of the MR.SPEED camp but we knew that we could make everything seem alright with a good show. Our normal sound man Bill was unable to work the show with us so he arranged for a replacement. We really missed Bill. By 8:45 PM we had sound checked a few songs and felt good enough to leave the stage and go begin the make-up ritual that we all love. Chubby gave us the green light to hit the stage at 10:30 PM and that’s exactly what we did. To our surprise as we entered the stage area from a back entrance the surge of heat that hit us was unbelievable. I was the last one to hit the stage and the sea of fans that greeted us was truly inspiring. They must have had a can opener at the front door to allow as many people into the club as they did…the place was packed! There were quite a few familiar faces staring back at us and just as many first timers too. We unleashed another classic set of tracks on the SRO crowd and it didn’t take long to work up a sweat. This crowd was intense and it really makes us feel great when their responses match the intensity to which we’re performing the songs. For me personally I love seeing the smiles and watching the crowd doing the choreography right along with us. That validates for me that we’re reaching them deep inside. As usual with a club show we break up the set into two different stages. For this show we added another special song that we recently began working on. Not a KISS song per say but one from Ace’s “Frehleys Comet” called “Rock Soldiers”. Having seen Ace recently here in Cleveland and fielding requests through our site from fans we were inspired to add the song as soon as possible. It was pretty clear that we had quite a few rock soldiers with us last night. To the delight of the fans we were able to add a few extra songs to the show. They were “Heavens on Fire”, “Parasite” and “Rip It Out”. One of the attributes about our band is that when someone is in need of a little help during the show we lend support to make it work for us and the fans. Andrew has had a tough bout with tonsillitis recently and so he asked if I could help him with “Black Diamond”. This would be a first for me as I’ve never had the chance to sing the song much beyond the usual intro. So I decided to give the guys an extra break by extending the beginning of the song. I started with the first verse of “Shandi” and then moved on to the first verse of “I Still Love You”. From there I enticed the crowd to clap along with me for the transition into “Black Diamond” as we all sang the intro together…tonight we had them under our thumb. As the gear was shut off and all of the chords were unplugged on the stage many fans approached us with extremely nice things to say. One fan in particular came up to me and said that she had seen us at least five times. I was really grateful for her continued support. She followed that up by continuing to say that tonight’s show for her was “phenomenal”! She told me that she wanted to make sure that I knew that. Thank you Lisa, that was very kind and we all really appreciate it. We’ll be back to Slim & Chubbys in 2010. If you get the chance to catch the show there please do…it’s a great place for us and for classic KISS! Blog Entry, 11.07.09 Fremont American Legion What a show! I don’t know how else to put it. To be honest going into this event we were a little skeptical of how things would turn out seeing as this show was being promoted by the opening band. But in the end we were amazed at the efforts of everyone involved with seeing this show to fruition. We have nothing but admiration for Angie McConnell and the guys in Down Under Thunder for allowing us to be a part of such a great, great show. We arrived mid-afternoon to find a hall that echoed of 1970’s nostalgia and before. Crushed velvet drapes hung silently at the back of the stage almost as if they were guarding the history of the hall itself. Opening the door to our dressing room you could smell the years of pride and courage of those that had come before us. The atmosphere was truly lending itself to that of a rock and roll show that many of us there could have only dreamed of growing up. The opening band was a local AC/DC tribute called Down Under Thunder. We had performed with them in Tiffin, Ohio back in June so we were somewhat familiar with what they were going to offer the sold out crowd. They tore into their set with both old and familiar tracks from many of the classic AC/DC albums that their fans love. The crowd’s response after each song was incredible and we knew that by the time we hit the stage that they would be ready to tear the roof off this place. We hit the stage right around 10:00 PM. The fans had surged towards the front of the stage. Many there wore the t-shirts of the band that they were representing and there were quite a few KISS t-shirts strewn throughout. Many parents brought their kids to the show and they were pressed right up against the stage straining to get as close as they could to us. As is normally the case it takes a few songs for everyone to process what it is that they’re seeing. They stare at us but quickly look away if we catch their eye. Our boots and guitars were not safe even with the ornamental railing affixed to the front of the stage as a barrier between us both. I must have given out close to 40 guitar picks which I have to tell you is a lot. Our set was nothing short of classic to say the least. We quickly got out of the gate with “Detroit Rock City” right into “Deuce” and then “Do You Love Me”. With each song the crowd loosened up just a little bit more. Their response rivaled the same response that we received in Toledo just one week earlier…it was loud! We had taken “Cold Gin” out of the set for this show but due to an overwhelming response we added it along with “Strutter” about half way through the show. Performing in a new town for us is great. But getting the reaction that we did from the fans there last night was one we won’t soon forget. For this small town they have a lot to be proud of when it comes to knowing classic rock and roll and appreciating those that are playing it. We ended typically with “Rock And Roll All Nite” and just when I thought they couldn’t get any louder I was proven wrong. It amazes me sometimes when I think why it takes so long for some crowds to get as into the show as they do when we play this song. I think it really boils down to the fact that if you play it well enough and you have real passion in the room for what the song says it makes for an unbeatable combination. After the show many fans approached us and asked when we’ll be coming back to Fremont. I can honestly say I hope it’s much sooner than later. We had a blast! Blog Entry, 10.30.09 The Omni I couldn’t think of a better place for us to have a show on the eve of Halloween than the Omni in Toledo. We arrived at the club and entered the cavernous room as the sound and light crew were making hasty preparations for our arrival. Everyone was in extremely good spirits with great anticipation moving throughout the club. We always look forward to the crowds that we get when we perform at this place as they really know how to have a great time. Tonight would be no exception. After slipping out for dinner we arrived back to find a small crowd gathering in the parking lot for the show. Inside we made a few last minute preparations to the stage and the doors were slung open welcoming those who arrived for a good spot. Our set list tonight would be one full of classic cuts from most of the KISS albums. This would include “Modern Day Delilah” which received a thunderous response when it was through. We felt that the crowd really appreciated the effort that we put forth in performing a track from Sonic Boom, KISS’ new studio album. One cosmetic change that we made to the stage for this show was the addition of an extra vocal mic on a platform in the center of the stage. We talked about the use of the microphone before the show started citing that it wasn’t very “KISS-like” but it did offer an extra advantage if we found ourselves out of place and needed to add a vocal part in a pinch. The best advantage that it offered was during my intro to “Black Diamond”. I utilized the platform and was able to sing an extra verse of “I Still Love You” before leading the crowd through our usual call and response of “Black Diamond” that we’re all very used to. Finishing the show in typical KISS fashion with tremendous participation from the crowd was exactly what we were hoping for. The fans in Toledo are loud and proud of their passion for rock and roll. This night would be another example of why we love playing at the Omni. After the show we met with fans for almost an hour taking photos and signing autographs. Thanks to everyone that hung around with us and made us feel as welcomed as always. We’ll look forward to seeing everyone once again in 2010. Blog Entry, 10.17.09 The Sly Fox The cool chill of fall was in the air last night as we arrived at The Sly Fox. Not having performed in a club setting for some time we knew that our fans were going to be ready for a long night of rock and roll. We quickly transformed the empty duct tape covered stage into a reasonable facsimile of a rock and roll show. The guys were soon ready to sound check but I discovered a technical glitch with my guitar rig which unfortunately caused me undue stress and also set me back with my make up preparation. We quickly ran through one song to get things close to where we needed them to be and it was off to the dressing room. By this time a decent crowd had started to gather and the adrenalin began to flow. Cramped in our beer…I mean dressing room, we really do get ready in the room where they store all of the alcohol for the club the rest of the guys were well ahead of me in the prep. But I rose to the occasion and we all crossed the finish line neck and neck. To be honest, all I have to do is a lousy star on my face, right Andrew? So just before 10:30 we began the short walk to the stage. An enthusiastic crowd greeted us with many new faces looking back this time. We sometimes find ourselves so pumped up when we hit the stage that we seem to race through our opening set faster than we would like to. But tonight we kept the tempo of each song very steady and the show worked out very well. Once again we performed our two newest songs…Modern Day Delilah and Tears Are Falling. Many fans agreed that we perform the new KISS single very well and that’s a great compliment for us. It’s very gratifying to know that our hard work with this new material is reaching the fans in that way. We have talked at rehearsal about which other songs from Sonic Boom we’d like to try and add to the show. Once we narrow it down and begin rehearsing which ever song it is we’ll be sure to add it to the live show soon after. I can’t say that this was our best effort but it had some shining moments for sure. A number of clichés come to mind but in the end it gives us something to work towards. I’m certain that many that attended the show went home with a satisfied feeling and a renewed sense of why they listened to KISS to this day. I did meet a very nice couple after the show ended that told me this…they came to the show with some friends and really didn’t know much about KISS. By the time the show was finished they were thrilled with what they had seen and wanted to know more about KISS and will definitely be coming to see us again. Mission accomplished. Blog Entry, 09.26.09 A Homecoming KISS - Cadillac, MI As I begin writing this blog I quickly become aware that I will struggle to put into words exactly how I felt this past weekend in Cadillac. It seemed like only yesterday that Jim Neff and I starting putting the blueprint together for what would ultimately become one of the defining moments in our bands history. A tremendous amount of anticipation surrounded us for the ten months leading up to this show. Let’s fast forward to Friday, September 25th. We had arranged with a good friend of ours to travel in style for this weekend on his motor home complete with a 16’ trailer. This way everyone could sit back and relax and take in the 6 hour trip into northern Michigan. I must interject that Cadillac wasn’t our only stop along the way. We did manage to catch the opening night of the KISS tour at Cobo Hall as well but that’s a completely different story in itself. So after leaving the KISS show we continued our trek north into Michigan arriving at our destination just before 4:30 AM on Saturday. Everyone quickly grabbed a few hours of sleep before we were on our way to the high school for our load-in and sound check. Jim met us at the high school with a great group of friends that also doubled as MR.SPEED roadies for the day. Their help was invaluable. We turned a quiet and empty auditorium stage into a lurking monster about to unleash it’s fury on an unsuspecting victim. Before long we were almost ready to go. Our vocals were giving us a problem so we took a break and headed into town to be the guest judges at a “70’s style” dance competition. Back at the high school we put the finishing touches on our sound check. We then all took some time to grab lunch at our favorite restaurant in Cadillac called Maggie’s Saloon. By now it was closing in on 3:00 PM and the show was five hours away. We gathered back at the high school and put the finishing touches on all of the incidentals associated with the show. Also along for the trip this weekend were three friends of ours that were collectively working on two different video projects for us. Dustin has been employed to create our new promo video. Jim Sweeney and Lynn Ischay are working on a short film or documentary about MR.SPEED. I also must mention that Karen and Pete Menyhart were there too taking hundreds and hundreds of photos making sure that we documented this momentous occasion with still photographs as well. We wanted to make sure that we took advantage of our time with Karen so we put together a photo shoot in one of the school hallways. In the end we discovered that the worst time to try and accomplish a photo shoot is on the day of a show. Things really didn’t go as planned and we all sort of felt a sense of emptiness as time ran out on our opportunity. By this time it was nearly 6:30 PM and Jim had arranged for us to meet with a group of VIP’s for photo opportunities. Many city officials and alumni posed for pictures with us including the 1975 Homecoming Queen and even Coach Dave Brines. Mayor Bill Barnett and his wife Denise were there too. Bill would be instrumental during our show as he would accompany Andrew on piano for a very special version of the KISS classic “Beth”. The photos were finished and the show was about to begin. Electric anticipation was in the air as over 700 fans packed the auditorium seats for our show. Not since October of 1975 had there been quite this same feeling running through the halls of Cadillac High. At precisely 8:00 PM a special video segment from Kissology1 was played on a giant video screen above the stage. As the video ended the curtain opened and we hit the gas and headed for “Detroit Rock City”. Through the darkness we could see many painted faces throughout the crowd. Not quite to the magnitude that KISS may have seen but surreal just the same. After a few songs Joe enticed the crowd to come up to the stage and really let loose and that’s exactly what they did. From the final notes of “Do You Love Me” the room was filled with the intensity of Tiger Stadium and Cobo Hall all wrapped into one. It was very apparent to us that these fans had waited a long time to see something that would resurrect the magic that KISS brought to their town some 34 years earlier. As with each show we strive to add something special not only for the fans but for ourselves as well. In the few weeks leading up to this show we began rehearsing two new songs to add to the show. They were “Tears Are Falling” and the soon to be KISS classic “Modern Day Delilah”. The reaction to both songs was overwhelming and you can be sure that these two songs will become staples of our live show from now on. With each song that we performed the crowd seems to get more and more into it. Their responses to our songs at times were deafening. It was sad to know that with each song that the end of the show was drawing near. Before we finished in our usual fashion with “Rock And Roll All Nite” we presented Jim with his very own honorary membership in MR.SPEED. We presented him with a plaque commemorating the special event. It was a tremendous pleasure for me to do this and it was a special moment between Jim and our band that we will always remember. We closed the show with everyone giving it their all. The call and response between us and the crowd has never been so loud. As an added surprise we showered the first few rows with gold streamers as the final chorus of the song began. Afterwards we met with almost 100 fans for photos in the lobby of the school. The biggest thrill in meeting the fans came when a student from the ’75 class handed us each an original KISS flyer that the band threw out of the helicopter as they left the football field at the end of that historic visit. We were blown away, truly the coolest way to end an amazing day for us all. Exhausted and exhilarated were the feelings that came over me as I made my way back to the dressing room after the show. I can only hope that the outpouring of appreciation for our tribute will bring us back to Cadillac before another 34 years passes us by. I miss them already… Blog Entry, 08.22.09 Holmes County Fair For anyone that knows what it’s like to grind it out during the work week like we do the weekends offer us the best therapy that we could hope for. As is typically the case when we have an outdoor performance the wind is usually swirling. As we arrived at the Holmes County Fair for our first ever performance there we were met with beautiful blue skies. The stage was set on a grassy field that was separate from the midway full of rides and concessions. As is typically the case with a fair the aroma of manure could be sampled quite frequently even with the wind beginning to pick up as evening drew near. We found ourselves with a little bit of a time restraint seeing as there were two other bands performing before us. So we all worked together and set up our show in record time…I believe it was pretty close to a half an hour. We were extremely pleased with our progress but I’m sure that the band that performed right before us was less than enthused. Nonetheless we transformed a rather unattractive stage into one that was chomping at the bit for some classic KISS. Once we were set up we took in a quick meal and relaxed before beginning the make-up process at 7:30. Darkness fell just before our show was about to begin. The temperature also dropped which seemed quite unusual for the end of August. But once we hit the stage a great crowd was awaiting us. Many young fans had their faces painted with their favorite member's design. Once again KISS and MR.SPEED tee shirts could be seen throughout the crowd. We wanted this show to be a stand out performance seeing as we would be taking a few weeks off before our next event. Kicking off the show with “Love Gun” everything seemed to be right on track. The sound was very good and the initial reaction from the fans was extremely positive. Quite a few familiar faces were among the crowd along with many that were new. The young fans can’t ever seem to get close enough straining for a better view or even a guitar pick. One woman even held an infant right in front of the stage. The amazing fact about this was that the child was unaffected by the sight of us or the volume that was pouring forth from our Marshall amplifiers. Andrew tried some new pairings of songs for our set list including one that had us play “Watchin’ You” into “Hotter Than Hell” and then into “Shout It Out Loud”. One of the drawbacks to performing live at times is the adrenaline rush that we get when we’re on stage. We really try to pace ourselves so that the tempo of the show remains even all the way through. But inevitably we find ourselves adding extra songs to compensate for the energy rush. We managed to add “War Machine”, “I Love It Loud” and “I Stole Your Love” to the delight of the fans that were requesting many different options to us. As the show drew to a close we brought the fans remaining closer to the stage. Smiles could be seen on many of the faces as they sang along to “Rock And Roll All Nite” with us. The temperature didn’t seem to matter much any longer. Fists were pumping in the air creating enough energy to light a small city. As my boots came to rest on the stage from my last leap of the evening we gathered with a good number of fans for photos near our merchandise table. The response from many expressed a sincere hope that we will return to the fair again next year. I met with many on the committee after the show and the likelihood looks very promising that we will return. We look at that as another victory for both KISS and our tribute to them. We’ll look forward to our return next year and to seeing you there as well. Blog Entry, 08.14.09 Rally in the Alley After having not played for some time we were chomping at the bit to get back at our “live” show. But this wasn’t going to be just any show. This show is the show in town especially because two of us live here. With each outdoor show we keep a close eye on the weather forecast to make sure we know what we’re in for. Thankfully the rock gods were smiling on us as we brought the show to the alley behind the Main Street Café in Medina, OH. We were somewhat reluctant that we would be able to fit our whole show on the stage after having attended a few previous performances to sort of scope things out. But all of our worries were laid to rest once we arrived on Friday afternoon. We fit our show perfectly on the stage and the sound and lighting crew that worked the show with us could not have been nicer. We really want to tip our hats to them for a job well done. Our dressing room was set up in the back room of Woodsy’s Music, a great local music store next door to the venue. Thanks to Greg and Brad for all of their help in keeping us cool and helping us to get into our gear for the show. Our show was split into two sets. We hit the stage right at 7:30 for the first hour of our set. A very good crowd met us as we exploded into “Detroit Rock City”. It didn’t take long for our on stage antics to be sweat covered from the near 90 degree temperatures that persisted into the early evening. There were lots of KISS and MR.SPEED tee shirts strewn throughout the crowd which always makes us feel good. It’s very satisfying to know that what we’re doing as a tribute to KISS is bringing fans back time and time again to see us. I could tell by the faces that were staring back at me that a good bit of the crowd at this point wasn’t quite sure what to make of us. So we turned it up a notch as the first set came to close with a smoking version of 1977’s “Love Gun”. We took a much longer break than normal which is customary for the event each week. So from 8:30 – 9:30 we met with fans by the side of the stage. There we posed for photos and signed tee shirts and 8x10’s. By this time the crowd was growing in size. It was becoming difficult for us to maneuver among them to accommodate the requests that many of them had. Soon it was time to retake the stage for the second half of the show. If you listened closely you could almost hear the needle drop on the record of “ALIVE!” as we tore into “Deuce” to start the second half of the show. For any performer it’s extremely satisfying to know that what you believe in so much is making an impact on the fans that are coming to see you. By this time the crowd has swelled to an unbelievable number with some fans even daring the heights of nearby rooftops just to be a part of the show! This night we witnessed an amazing display of emotions as Mother Nature and the KISS Army met at the holy church of rock and roll for one unforgettable night. By the time we brought everyone to the climax of the show with “Rock And Roll All Nite” it was very evident that our long wait to be a part of the Rally had paid off. Everyone will attest that this will most definitely not be the last time that classic KISS is brought to the alley just off the main square in Medina. I guarantee that when it returns it will be brought on the platform boots and chrome covered drums of it’s hometown KISS-heads…MR.SPEED! Blog Entry, 07.10.09 Ritz Theater The last time that we performed in Tiffin, Ohio was just about 10 years ago. So I guess you could say that this show was long overdue. The eight months of preparation and waiting for this show to arrive went by with the blink of an eye. There we were on the stage of the Ritz. What a beautiful place. It truly is a gift to be able to play at places like this. The stage held our back line and KISS sign perfectly almost as though we were meant to play there. Of course we weren’t the only band performing but in our minds the only band that mattered. For this show we were sharing the stage with a local tribute to AC/DC and Draw the Line, a tribute to Aerosmith. Our set up routine seemed effortless and our sound check was an absolute treat. The PA sounded great and the feeling that came over me as I stood on the stage was one of real accomplishment. In true MR.SPEED fashion we arrived on time and got right to work. Once our set up was complete we had time to take in a local pizzeria for a pre-show meal. Back at the venue shortly thereafter we put the final touches on our gear and our instruments before heading back to our dressing room. The Ritz was set up with not one but two dressing rooms so we had plenty of room to set up our kits and lay out our costumes. Our show time was on the earlier side at this show, 7:50 PM and our set was to last 75 minutes. As usual our normal banter took place as we got into our “war paint” for the show. By the way…don’t leave your cell phone unattended in the dressing room. Everyone was ready with time to spare so we made our way to the stage a little earlier than planned. The crowd was beginning to sense the start of our show and we began feeding off of their energy. As our intro concluded we ripped into “Love Gun”. The crowd was stunned at first with many showing looks of shock and amazement. We didn’t hold back and as each song passed we could feel the crowd beginning to loosen up. Joe’s smoking guitar solo seemed to be just what we needed to ignite the flame. We put together a set of KISS classics knowing that the crowd was looking for the songs that they knew the most. But in true MR.SPEED style we did add “Mr.Speed” to the list as a result of an on-line fan vote that was held prior to the show. When we played “Lick It Up” it seemed that the flood gates just burst open. Fans began dancing in their seats and pumping their fists in the air. From there Rob dug deep for an extended version of his blood routine just prior to “God of Thunder”. Andrew seized the moment to add an impromptu drum solo as a prelude to the finale of the show that included “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock And Roll All Nite”. Sometimes you don’t want to see the show end and this was one time that I had hoped for just that. I was very happy with our performance and I felt that we left the fans wanting more. We quickly exited the stage and gathered in the main lobby. There we met with fans for photos and autographs. It seemed that many of the fans that met with us were extremely pleased with our performance, many seeing us for the very first time. Overall we really had a great time being a part of this event. Since we have retuned home we have had a few emails from fans that already are asking us when we’ll be back in Tiffin. Time will tell and I hope that it won’t take as long between show dates for us to do just that. We want to thank George Vastag for his passion and desire to put on a show like this for the fans. George is just like us…he’s a fan too. We hope that in the end your Relay For Life team gets one step closer to helping those in need to see a brighter future. Click here for Blog Archives Home  •  Introduction  •  The Band  •  Tour Dates  •  Promo Page  •  A Few Kind Words  •  Links  •  Contact