The widow of Paul Stanley’s former guitar tech is suing Kiss for wrongful death By Matt Parker published 13 October 23 The crew member died in 2021, after contracting Covid on the End of the Road tour
“Gene Simmons is breaking ground again”: Gibson unveils second signature bass guitar for the Kiss icon – and it’s the brand’s first 30.5” scale custom shop model By Matt Owen published 20 September 23 Following Simmons' G² Thunderbird model from last year, the limited-edition EB-0 is based on the bassist's heavily modded '59 example, which he used throughout the 1970s
“I get off stage, and Paul and Gene want to talk to me: ‘We think you’d be perfect for Kiss. Would you consider playing a Les Paul?’” White Lion’s Vito Bratta on the time he nearly joined Kiss – and his failed Ozzy Osbourne audition By Andrew Daly published 18 September 23 The ’80s shred icon explains what stood between him and the gig of a lifetime with Ozzy – and why he turned down Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley
“Gibson represented vintage makeup-era Kiss – Paul Stanley wanted me to be part of the new generation of guitar players”: How Bruce Kulick gave Kiss a hair-metal makeover with his iconic ESP ‘Banana’ guitar By Andrew Daly published 23 August 23 By 1984, Kiss had ditched the makeup and recruited a hot new gunslinger, who was on the hunt for a six-string identity worthy of the Superstrat era. Kulick tells us why his beloved yellow shred machine was “special from the first power chord I hit”
Bruce Kulick looks back on the time he rocked out with Michael Bolton and ended up in a Rodney Dangerfield movie By Andrew Daly published 7 July 23 The year is 1985, and producer Neil Kernon wants Bolton to tap into the electric heat of the glam-metal rock revolution. They make the call to Mr. Bruce Kulick, and the rest is history
From rocket-shooting Les Pauls to 'bananas' Superstrats: 10 iconic Kiss guitars that powered rock's most outrageous band By Andrew Daly published 28 June 23 10 bonkers guitars that chart the history of the American hard-rock institution
Vinnie Vincent's 10 most explosive solos By Andrew Daly published 2 June 23 From the bombastic to the utterly ballistic, we count down the best of the mysterious guitarist's always-entertaining lead breaks with Kiss and the Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Gene Simmons: “Eddie Van Halen talked about being a fan of Eric Clapton. I’m sorry, I don’t see that. What he did was closer to classical music” By Matt Parker published 15 May 23 The Kiss frontman has been fretting over the guitar hero’s legacy, sharing concerns that “millennials need to know about the most important musician since Jimi Hendrix”
Kiss's Tommy Thayer names 11 guitarists who shaped his sound By Andrew Daly published 10 April 23 The Spaceman offers his pick of the greatest riff-masters, salutes the player who invented the power chord and reveals the guitarist his bandmates compare him to (and it's not Ace Frehley)
Bruce Kulick names 10 guitarists who shaped his sound By Andrew Daly published 17 March 23 The hard-rock guitar slinger names the unlikely influences behind a number of his best-known Kiss riffs, and the player he likens to "a race car champion with the soul of a great blues musician"
“I don’t buy the idea that the bass player is the quiet one”: The 5 most notorious bass guitarists in rock By Nick Wells published 3 March 23 From Mötley Crüe hellraiser Nikki Sixx to GN‘R’s Duff McKagan
Only known Kiss soundboard recording with Mark St. John set for official release this spring By Sam Roche published 30 January 23 The latest installment of the band's Off the Soundboard live bootleg series showcases their November 28, 1984 set – one of the only to feature St. John on lead guitar – in Poughkeepsie, New York
Robert Fripp and Toyah are on their usual ridiculous form in this bizarre cover of Kiss's I Was Made For Lovin' You By Sam Roche published 23 January 23 Watch the ever-intriguing husband-and-wife duo tackle one of the rock institution's biggest hits
The greatest rock concerts in music history By Richard Bienstock last updated 11 January 23 From Metallica's Damaged Justice to Ozzy Osbourne's Diary of a Madman tour, Guitar World presents the most incredible concerts and roadshows in rock and metal history
Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons talk classic Kiss tracks, including the lick they ripped off from the Rolling Stones, and the song they nearly gave to Rod Stewart By Guitar World Staff published 21 December 22 In this classic 1992 Guitar World interview, Kiss's Starchild and Demon share the stories behind 18 key tracks, including Strutter, God of Thunder, I Was Made For Lovin' You and more
Richie Ranno on auditioning for Ozzy Osbourne, how a uniquely inlaid Strat helped rename Starz and why “there is no future” for the influential hard-rock outfit By Andrew Daly published 5 December 22 The former Stories axeman recalls his friendship with Randy Rhoads, dodgy dealings with Kiss's management and explains why he thinks Ernie Ball Music Mans are the best guitars around
Gene Simmons: "Everything Vinnie Vincent did sounded like Yngwie Malmsteen on crack" By Andrew Daly published 29 November 22 Kiss's always-colorful bassist reflects on how he and Paul Stanley wrestled with the band's identity – and Vinnie Vincent's unorthodox, fleet-fingered ideas – on Creatures of the Night, 40 years on
Vinnie Vincent's controversial Kiss solos drove Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley mad – watch one of the guitarist's craziest live wigouts By Jackson Maxwell published 26 October 22 Vincent brought an of-the-moment edge to Kiss's hard-rock sound in the early '80s, but his attention-grabbing antics proved to be unpopular with the band's two leaders
15 of Kiss's best guitar songs that don’t feature Ace Frehley By Andrew Daly published 14 October 22 Most of Kiss's biggest tracks feature the original Spaceman, Ace Frehley, on guitar. But there's plenty more six-string ear candy in the band's catalog – some from surprising names…
Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird review By Amit Sharma last updated 31 August 22 Shout it out loud! The God of Thunder's Gibson collaboration is here, and it's pretty darn awesome