KISS is out on the road for their “we really mean it this time” farewell tour, and lead singer Paul Stanley is under fire. For years both fans and detractors have noted […]
From The Stacks: KISS, ‘Paul Stanley’
Deep Cuts: Thanksgiving Dinner Songs
I wrote an edible Thanksgiving playlist for a website a few years ago, but it’s not mine anymore.
On Diffuser: That Artist You Hate? Maybe It’s a Character
Quick question: Do you believe that Bruce Springsteen is Bruce Springsteen? What about Gene Simmons — do you believe that he’s a fire breathing demon? Does it even matter? I mean, it’s […]
From The Stacks: KISS – Love Gun
KISS’s sixth LP was the beginning of the end for the world’s biggest band. This was the last studio album recorded entirely by the original lineup, and the first featuring an Ace […]
Writing’s Dead They Say (Long Live Write)
The worst day of my writing life was attending a Kurt Vonnegut lecture entitled “How To Get A Job Like Mine.” Great title, right? I couldn’t wait for the big man to […]
186. Lies Lies Lies Yeah
The graphic design firm where Michael worked was located on downtown Los Angeles’s Traction Avenue. I’d never ventured downtown, much less on a Friday night. On the way I passed the Atomic […]
From The Stacks: KISS ALIVE II
By the time KISS Alive II was released in 1977, the mighty KISS machine was essentially a money press. In three and a half short years, Casablanca Records managed to stuff the […]
169. Since I Packed Up and Left On My Own
Life settled into a pauper’s groove. I enjoyed Record Bar but the pay was terrible, so I tried to hustle up a better job wherever I could. The guy at the end […]
The Stupidity of Rejection Letters
Some time ago, I sent off a revised version of this story to a small literary magazine. It’s not the greatest story, but it’s very unique: A Holocaust tale told in the […]
Deep Cuts: Weird Television Musical Appearances
Music television predates MTV — it even predates the Ed Sullivan Show — and as a kid I would watch any show with a special guest appearance. From Bobby Sherman on The […]
