People, let me get this off my chest...

We all know that in the history of music, Kiss is not that important. But at 11 years old - bombast, machismo and blood simply took precedence over embarrassment due to the musical mediocrity of the band that I aligned myself with. For I will always carry a torch for these four icons of my youth. Somehow despite their ridiculous garb, their primitive and chauvenistic lyrical content and their total admittance to pandering to the most simple of minds - they instilled in me confidence, thick skin and a sense of optimism about life that I carry with me to this day.

Marking their 35th year, Kiss is going out on yet another tour. To most people in attendance this is going to be the most incredible spectacle they've ever seen onstage. Personally, I've dried up the well long ago so much so that I can predict Paul Stanley's between song banter - much to the surprise of nobody around me. (That's because no one who knows me gives a flying shit.)



For the past couple of tours, the shrewder half of Kiss have replaced the two other original members with younger, more agile, more choppy and less troublesome in their personas thanks to Gene & Paul's attainment of the likeness rights at the start of the reunion tour twelve years prior. I suppose this is kind of gross - especially to the people who think they are getting the real deal at the shows they pay through the nose to see. However, it's safe to say that I wouldn't expect anything else from these two masterminds. And like always I respect their decision to be dickbags. They're my step-parents, after all. And at least nowadays, along with a great show, they're giving their dissonant hits a bit of a facelift.

Though it's hard to improve "Detroit Rock City". That song sucks so badly.

View West From DS Tower II

"Zombie movies are going through, like, a total renaissance, bro!"

Ink, watercolor, acrylic and Adobe sprinkles.

Ink on Hot Press 45 min Portrait