Rock Music

Huffington PostWhen this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs on HBO Saturday night, Rush, Heart, Public Enemy, Donna Summer and Randy Newman, among others, will be seen joining those already enshrined in the Cleveland museum. But one group that won't be represented, yet again, is the self-proclaimed "hottest band in the world," KISS.Longtime fans can't believe the group that taught America how to rock and roll all night and party every day still hasn't made the cut. The Huffington Post asked lead singer Paul Stanley if there's hope of a reprieve. "Well, it depends on who lives longer, us or Jann Wenner," Stanley said, referring to the Rolling Stone editor-in-chief who co-founded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in the mid-1980s. Fans have a tendency to blame Wenner for the KISS snub. (One brave loyalist even confronted Wenner on the street to demand answers.) But the real obstacle may be journalist Dave Marsh, who plays a key role in the selection process and once told MTV, "Kiss is not a great band, Kiss was never a great band, Kiss never will be a great band, and I have done my share to keep them off the ballot." Stanley, who has been making the media rounds to publicize the opening of a new branch of his Rock & Brews restaurant chain, questioned the legitimacy of the hall itself. "Look, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is marketing," he said. "You've got a bunch of faceless people in a back room who trademark a name that sounds very official. Well, if you had thought of it first, you would have been the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Stanley, who turned 61 in January and has been playing with KISS for 40 years, also complained that artists who aren't generally considered rock 'n' rollers keep getting inducted, even as his group keeps getting overlooked. "I am one of the biggest Laura Nyro fans. I still listen to that stuff incessantly. Laura Nyro does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Songwriter Hall of Fame? Absolutely," he said. Some rock purists dismiss KISS as a "comic book rock band," to quote Steven Tyler, but their kid-friendly costumes and easy-to-learn riffs have arguably enhanced their influence over ensuing generations of musicians. Garth Brooks, Lenny Kravitz and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam have all expressed their indebtedness to the band. "It's absurd for anybody to look around and hear the acts and artists who cite us as an inspiration, and then tell me that we're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," Stanley said. Not that he cares! "I'm not here to make converts, and I think that the people who choose not to see things, I'm not missing their adoration." If anything, Stanley said, he'd like to see KISS recognized for the sake of the fans. "I would certainly accept on their behalf because it seems to be a major sore spot for them," he said. "But I don't need the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." The third Rock & Brews restaurant opened on the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles on May 8. According to a press release, Stanley and KISS co-founder Gene Simmons, who are partners in the franchise, plan to open "as many as 100 Rock & Brews restaurants over the next five years." "I'm a real foodie," said Stanley, adding that he admires the chefs Thomas Keller and Julian Serrano. (KISS has deep roots in Brooklyn, but Stanley, who grew up in New York, admitted he hasn't yet sampled the borough's now-celebrated fare.) It's tempting to assume that Stanley handles the food and Simmons, who once vied for the approval of Donald Trump on "Celebrity Apprentice," is the marketing whiz, but Stanley said that's not the case. "I would say if somebody said to the two of us, 'You guys should make a cake,' Gene would tell me that it's gotta be six feet tall and what color it should be, and I'd say, 'Yeah, but there's gotta be a cake underneath it.' But we work great together," Stanley said. "Our track record together is far better than

www.ultimateclassicrock.comIt might surprise some to find out how many great Kiss 'without makeup' songs are out there. Of course the band is more famous in their face-painted incarnation, but for thirteen years and seven albums, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and company dropped the masks (they still dressed ridiculously) and relied almost solely on their wrongly maligned musical talent. It worked, too; many of these songs are still played in concert by the re-costumed rock crusaders to this day. Here's our list of the Top 10 Kiss 'without makeup' songs: See list HERE: http://bit.ly/15WqacM

Poll created by Misomex777 — Who performed the best on ELP's Love Beach cd

Review by aapatsos — A classic and often hailed as BJH's best work to date, "Once Again" was remastered in 2002 and thisis the version that caught my attention as I looked to familiarise myself with them.Originally released in 1971, it is no surprise that this album is covered by a general veil ofpsychedelia, even if this expressed through the softest of approaches, quite often pop. The closestact that comes to mind is certainly The Moody Blues, where this album shares the "nostalgic" late60's feeling to the nth degree.Eight compositions and another five (although three are simply different takes/versions) comprisethis release, the majority based on very slow tempos - actually many of them can be simply describedas sophisticated pop-rock (and possibly proto-prog) ballads. The one element that stands out isHolroyd's work on the bass lines, easily the proggiest aspect of "Once Again", that otherwise doesnot show any sign of outright innovation. The orchestral work of Robert Godfrey on 'Galadriel' and'Mocking Bird' is certainly worth of mention, giving these two tracks a more pompous, grandioseatmosphere with beautiful arrangements. If it wasn't for the latter I pretty much doubt that theywould be remembered and hailed as fan favourites.'She Said' is possibly the best number here (with the best guitar work), with 'Happy Old World'being possibly the weakest. Although the vocal melodies are pleasant, I get the impression that thetracks tend to drag much longer than they should have, and the experimentation/diversity is notthere to sustain the duration, often leading to repetition towards the end.All and all, a good album with its own character but not in my top list of the early 70's;nevertheless, this psych/blues feeling of nostalgia I get from "Once Again" will make me spin this afew more times in the future.

Communication is an integral element in business and only effective tools can facilitate communication within and outside a company. Among the communication tools that we have today is web conferencing which has received popularity as a result of the benefits it has. Its spectacular conferencing facilities ensure maximum connectivity between individuals separated by distance. The choice of conferencing solutions depends on the type of business as well as the needs of that business. It is possible to know how the members of your company are taking a certain issue through online conferencing because you are able to see them. In addition to this, web conferencing enhances communication in a manner that it is done using sophisticated equipment. A computer, headsets, conferencing software as well as amazing features of the software allow putting across any message clearly and accurately. The video and audio quality of the software used is refined giving clarity and precision required of every topic of discussion. With the internet swiftly becoming accessible by anyone in the world, members of a company scattered worldwide can converge simultaneously. This will strengthen a business and provide room to iron out any issues negatively impacting the performance of the company. As the cost of living, rises it becomes almost impossible to afford some facilities and services necessary for meetings like conference halls and equipment. This negatively impacts the company because its members are not able to meet and catch up on the latest in business. With web conferencing all these problems are eliminated. There is no need of conferencing equipment or space therefore expenses incurred whenever meetings have to be carried out are removed from the budget. At the end of the day, the company spends less and gains more from the achievements of the meetings held. The better part of such meetings is that both the staff members and clients can participate. The web conferencing software has tools that enable presentations to be made and important information shared. To a business, it is a great opportunity for members to share new ideas and display them through video or audio form channeled through the software. A company can deliver demonstrations to various clients around the world about their products and services hence inducing purchase of either of them by these clients. Whenever clients or members of the company have questions or opinions needed to be aired, they can be passed across and discussed during those meetings. Online conferencing is a sure way of increasing productivity of a company and satisfying its vast clientele.

Review by psarros — Marc Ceccotti is mostly known as the leader of Edhels.Born in Monaco, he started his career actually in early-70's with the group Legende, where he met future Edhels' bandmates Jean-Louis Suzzoni and Noel Damon.Legende split up in 1976 and his next stop was the short-lived act Royal Flush in the beginning of the 80's, followed by the formation of Edhels in 1981.During his main band's hiatus in early-90's Ceccotti found time to write and release his debut solo album ''M.A.S.C.'' on Mellow Recorrds with the help of Mauro Moroni and Ciro Perrino in the production section.Future Edhels' keyboardist Jean-Marc Bastianelli appears in a few tracks along with Mike Sabre, playing electric mandolin in another one.This first solo work by Ceccotti is somewhat different compared to his offerings with EDHELS, although some resemblances, especially in his guitar work, are more than evident.Following the abscence of a back up group of musicians, Ceccotti relies heavily on the work of his guitar talent and synthesizers, thus ''M.A.S.C.'' can be fairly considered as a Guitar/Electronic Rock album as a whole.However his obvious talent cannot save alone this work from bland mediocrity.Basically ''M.A.S.C.'' could have been a nice Electronic/Fusion album if it wasn't of all these programmed sound parts making it completely unnatural and cold mechanic.The electronic drums are just awful and inhuman with not even the slightest sense of the physical presence of a fake man behind the kit, the electronic loops and synthesizers sound very plastic and thin like coming from the cheapest equipment on earth, while some sampled instruments like the sporadic flutes sound completely fake, moreover these factors are strengthened by the length of the album (a full hour).Under these circumstances the album cannot pass the thin line between a good and a mediocre release.Pitty, because some of Ceccotti's ideas are interesting, even if the music flirts with New Age at moments.The amalgam between some good guitar moves and solos and the constant presence of synths and pianos result a few nice ideas with both a jazzy and Electronic edge, but things go in fact even beyond these simplistic references, as one can find also elements from KING CRIMSON-esque complex Prog, Avant Garde and Classical Music in this effort.However the lack of natural instruments holds the whole thing down and makes it more of an average home production than a professional recording.For fans of Edhels and anyone familiar with Ceccotti's work with them, ''M.A.S.C.'' will propably hold some interest.For the rest I would only recommend this album to fans of more experimental forms of music with a strong Electronic edge.

Source: www.antiquiet.com | Fernando Scoczynski FilhoSome people will tell you that looks don’t really count for anything in rock music. Others will tell you that what you’re playing doesn’t mater at all – it’s all about how you’re playing. We’re here to tell you that those people are wrong, and give detailed reasons for why the most important instrument in rock music can have an impact that goes beyond the sound. Here are the twenty-one most iconic guitars in rock music: 12. Gene Simmons’ “Axe” Bass Say what you will about Kiss and their music, it’s pretty much impossible to deny how powerful the band’s image has been over the years, always making them the act to see live rather than listen to at home. But enough about that – Gene Simmons has a bass guitar shaped like a fucking axe. Originally conceived in 1978 as something to make his “Demon” character look a bit more iconic onstage (fire-breathing and spitting blood didn’t give Simmons quite the amount of attention he craved, apparently), it went on to be a fine example of “instrument shaped like ordinary object.” View the full list HERE: http://bit.ly/10LbZPP

www.KISSopolis.comToday In KISStory - 1980: Peter Criss' first departure from KISS. Apparently, Peter Criss was 'voted out' in a band meeting with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Bill Aucoin. Bill Aucoin: "Gene and Paul came to me and said I think we have to replace Peter." A spoken word CD released in 1999 titled "13 Classic KISS Stories" features Bill Aucoin (KISS' first manager) where he also discusses Criss being 'let go': http://youtu.be/RVWXHmD1XGU KISS bassist Gene Simmons has made it clear that Peter Criss was fired; Paul Stanley too has discussed Criss' departure in several interviews, including the commentary on KISSology 2. In Ace Frehley's book "No Regrets", Ace also stated that Criss was fired during a band meeting in which Frehley was outvoted by Gene and Paul. Peter Criss however has maintained that he quit the band. The video for the song "Shandi" was shot in one day, and Peter was out of the band at that time; said Paul Stanley, "After we finished shooting, Peter packed up his things, and went home." Peter Criss officially left KISS on May 18, 1980. As a result, KISS postponed the European tour until the end of August, thus giving the band enough time to find a replacement drummer, whom they found in Eric Carr.

www.KISSopolis.comToday In KISStory - May 18, 1993: The KISS album 'Alive III' is released. The recording of Alive III took place over multiple dates (in Cleveland, Detroit and Indianapolis) during the band's 1992 tour in support of 'Revenge'.

www.KISSOnline.comOn this day in KISSTORY - May 18th, 1993, KISS featuring Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Bruce Kulick were inducted into Hollywood's famed RockWalk. At the ceremony in front of fans, friends and family, Paul, Gene and Bruce spoke to the crowd and then left impressions of their hand prints in a block of cement. After adding plates of the KISS logo and their signatures, the stone plaque was later added to RockWalk located at the site of the famed Oriental Theatre now Guitar Center Hollywood. Eric Carr was posthumously inducted into the Rock Walk in 1995 and added to the KISS plaque. Visit RockWalk's website at http://www.rockwalk.com/ and look up KISS under inductees for some more photos of the induction as well as photos of some of RockWalk's KISS memorabilia including an Ace Frehley Les Paul guitar, Peter Criss' boots and Paul Stanley's Iceman guitar and boots.