Look To The Stars News: KISS

Gene Simmons Encourages Fathers To Take Responsibility

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0000

KISS bassist Gene Simmons has reportedly sold his kidney stone for charity.

“I passed a kidney stone and I put it on eBay for charity,” the musician told The Today Show’s Kathie Lee Gifford last week. “I got $15,000.”

Simmons did not reveal which charity he will give the money to.

In the same interview, the rocker went on to talk about how men need to step up to the responsibility of being fathers.

“Men need to be men and stop acting like little boys. When you have children, it is not just your responsibility to be their friend but to be their father. Step up and give them the guidance so that when they grow up, they know how to treat girls. As men… we need to grow up and become the fathers we wish we had.”

Kiss Singer Donates Wine To Red Cross Auction

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

KISS vocalist and guitarist Paul Stanley will donate the first bottles of his new range of wines to a charity auction to help victims of February’s devastating bush fires in Australia.

The first bottles of the Paul Stanley Collection – produced in the Barossa Valley – won’t be available to the public until 2010, but Stanley has donated the first bottles and an original painting to the Australian Red Cross to be auctioned off simultaneously in Melbourne and Sydney on May 30.

“We have decided to offer something unique that will capture the imagination of bidders,” said Paul Roper of Wines To The Stars. “We are in fact presenting the opportunity to bid for wines that are ‘one-off bottles’ and extremely rare and collectible. Also, the added opportunity to own a piece of art history, a real genuine showpiece to hang in their home, office or where ever they desire. It is Paul’s and our wish that we can raise as much as possible for this very special charity and Paul has personally signed each of the labels as well as the original painting. These wines will be fantastic collectables for years to come. It is only fitting that we use the international and popular status of Paul Stanley as well as one of Australia’s great boutique wine producers, to create interest to attract bidders to raise as much as we can.”

KISS Rocks Sick Young Fan

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer Paul Stanley from the classic band KISS made a sick child’s day when he made a surprise phone call to the 11-year-old after learning of his battle with leukaemia.

Christopher ‘Critter’ Smith was undergoing chemotherapy at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio last week when he received the call from the star.

“At first, I thought it was just my dad messing with me,” he told NKY.com. “When I realized it was really him, I was like, ‘Oh my God!’”

Stanley told Critter – who is undergoing treatment for his second bout of leukaemia – to be strong and that he is praying for him. He also offered to send Critter KISS merchandise.

And if that wasn’t enough, the band’s drummer – Eric Singer – rang a few hours later, inviting Critter to one of their concerts this summer to see the show and meet the band.

“I’ve never even been to a concert at all,” Critter said. “This is just so cool!”

KISS heard about Critter’s cancer battle from a fan who read about his illness and his love of KISS in a newspaper report. They are due to kick off their next tour in Santiago on April 3.

Be A Rock Star For A Day With New Charity Auction

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Do you dream about rock ‘n’ roll stardom? How about playing the guitar of your favorite rock icons? Guitar Center Music Foundation is proud to present the Rockstar Experience Online Charity Auction at www.auctionwire.com and running until Saturday, December 13. The auction will feature hot ticket items such as signed guitars from famous musicians, celebrity meet and greets with rock legends, and The Rockstar Experience — a unique package that will make anyone rock ‘n’ roll!

The Rockstar Experience package will be one lucky winner’s shot at fame; the winner of this item will be featured on a huge “Poster of Fame,” photographed by world-renowned rock photographer Robert Knight. The 80-square-foot poster will be displayed prominently at the entrance of the landmark Guitar Center Hollywood store on Sunset Boulevard alongside famous artists such as John Mayer and Slash.

There is more. The lucky winner will get real publicity for being featured on this Guitar Center storefront. The Rockstar Experience winner will be featured in a story in an upcoming issue of Skinnie Entertainment Magazine (www.SkinnieMagazine.com) – a leading free publication for music, sports, fashion and lifestyle, reaching the young adults of Southern California and Las Vegas for over seven years. Top this off with an appearance of the winner in the popular Flash section of SPIN – the leading music lifestyle magazine with the popular online site www.SPIN.com – and you have the ultimate rock star exposure package.

In addition, the winning bidder will receive a day in a top Los Angeles recording studio with the assistance of a top engineer and production team, a component that, alone, is valued at thousands of dollars. Bennett Music/Sanctum LA is offering one full lockout day of studio time with esteemed head engineer Gary Lux. Gary’s credits include mixing for Usher, Janet Jackson, Rob Thomas, and Ben Harper, among others. Sanctum LA will offer production services as well by the in-house production team of Leo Mellace and Steve Catizone, whose credits include Wyclef Jean, JoJo, Earth Wind & Fire, Ludacris, Damian Marley, Fuel, and Sully Erna of Godsmack, among others. Bennett Group’s men’s lifestyle and entertainment network, MEN7 (www.MEN7.tv), is a proud sponsor of this charity auction.

The winning bidder will also receive a signed copy of Robert Knights’ new book “Rock Gods: Forty Years of Rock Photography.” Robert Knight is best known for his “Guitar Legend” archive, having worked with such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, as well as such contemporary artists as John Mayer, Tom Morello, and John-5.

The highly anticipated auction also includes rare memorabilia and once-in-a-lifetime experiences with rock legends. Items included are a John Mayer Signature Stratocaster autographed by John Mayer himself; a guitar signed by Velvet Revolver band members Slash, Duff McKagan, Dave Kushner, Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland; and a Zildjian gong signed by the Zildjian artists present at the 2006 Winter NAMM show, including Matt Cameron (Soundgarden and Pearl Jam), Mick Fleetwood, The Goo Goo Dolls, Eric Singer from KISS, Stephen Perkins from Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros, Atom Willard from Angels & Airwaves, and many more.

The celebrity experiences include a one-on-one drum lesson and/or meet and greet with Danny Seraphine, one of the most highly respected rock drummers, rated by the legendary Buddy Rich as one of his favorite young drummers. He was the drummer, percussionist and a founding member of the multi-million selling, Grammy award winning band Chicago. Also offered is a guitar lesson and/or meet and greet at with Don Felder, the lead guitarist of the Eagles from 1974 until their breakup in 1980, then from their reunion in 1994 to his firing in 2001. In addition this auction is offering a choice of a meet and greet or a personal one-on-one drum lesson with Alan White, a member of Yes since 1972, who has also performed with a variety of artists, including a recent set alongside Keith Emerson, Chris Squire, and Simon Kirke for the Ahmet Ertegun memorial show, as the opening act for Led Zeppelin. The winner will also have the opportunity to perform with White and a celebrity band in concert. The last package up for auction includes a limited edition, hand-painted Gibson Custom guitar inspired by the Jimi Hendrix Psychedelic Flying V Jimi purchased in 1967 and played during his Europe tour in 1967 and 1968. The guitar was signed by his sister, Janie Hendrix, and is serial number 001 of 300 of the limited edition. This item will be presented to the winning bidder by Janie Hendrix herself.

The Guitar Center Music Foundation is a public nonprofit organization created to provide funding and resources for music education programs across America so that kids and adults alike will have an opportunity to experience the joys of making music. Instruments and equipment are granted to programs throughout the year to school music programs, after-school music programs and music therapy programs. Visit www.guitarcentermusicfoundation.org to learn more.

Look To The Stars News: KISS

Gene Simmons Encourages Fathers To Take Responsibility

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