4/27/00 - EDITORIAL
- Remember, a beautiful life is merely prayer in motion, and a world without prayer has no center to it. God bless us all.
I love KISS!!
And why I'm crying as we KISS them goodbye....
- Ok, Ok, I know I'm gonna catch a lot of flak for this story. So first, I'm want to tell you all a little thing about me.
- When I was in the 8th grade, I fell in puppy love with a girl who had a very wealthy father, lots of friends, and existed in a social realm that I could never understand, let alone penetrate.
- One day at lunch, I over heard this girl (we'll call her Carrie) talking about this great band, and a great new song. The band was KISS, and the new song was a piano ballad called "BETH".
- I immediately went home, rode my bike to the mall, and got a copy of the 45 containing "BETH." (this was in the days of 8tracks, and real LP's, or vinyl records)
- Now, up to this point, my mom had been trying to get me to play the piano. No way. It was for sissies. Wimps. Nerds. Dorks. Mama's boys. Churchy boys. Not me.
- But when I heard Peter Criss sing that song, slightly out of tune, full of power and raw emotion, I knew I needed to learn this song. Up til then, the only thing I knew about KISS was that they were a bunch of freaks wearing their mother's makeup in the wrong way. Kind of Kabuki like, except I didn't know about Kabuki back then. But how wrong I was.
- So I learned how to play "BETH", note for note. I practiced and practiced. I got to where I could play it in my sleep. I sang the song while I walked to school, I sang the song at lunch breaks. I wanted to be Peter Criss, except I couldn't play the drums. (Still can't)
- Soon, the Jr. High School Talent assembly came. I auditioned by playing "BETH". I got into the show. I played the song. I gave it the best of myself that any 12 year old kid could ever do. And it brought down the house. It wasn't my first performance ever, but even now, it was one of my best. Because my heart was totally in it. All because I wanted to impress a girl named Carrie back in 1975. And you know what? Carrie became my girlfriend for nearly 2 weeks. And I somewhat penetrated that social circle of hers, even though I don't understand it even today.
- Know what else? I became a die-hard KISS fan. I still have my KISS Army patch and card from 1976. I learned how to spit fire just like Gene Simmons, burning my eyebrows and lashes off several times in the process. I went to see them in concert that year, and was blown away by the power of their stage presence. The music wasn't the greatest, but the presence, the desire to impress their audience, and their showmanship set a new level and force in live concert entertainment. And from that moment on, I had a dream. I wanted to be just like KISS when I grew up.
Fast forward to the year 2000.
- KISS are on their farewell tour, announcing that they are going to be auctioning off their guitars, stage clothes, stage, effects, everything, because they are hanging up their fire, blood pellets, makeup, and music. When I hear this news, I'm in total shock. No way! How can this be? I'm hearing and witnessing the end of an era in the dissolution of KISS forever. And I don't know what to do.
- You see, all my life I dreamed of being admired, loved, respected, watched, and as exciting as those 4 guys that changed the face of music forever. From 1975 to now, I've dreamed of being like them. And since I haven't quite achieved my dream, watching them break up forces me to realize that my time too, has come to a milestone shorter than the original goal. Not necessarily final, but nevertheless I can see failures in the midst of my successes.
- I went to the KISS show last week with some friends. I jumped, I danced, I sang, and most of all, I cried. Through Gene's amazing bass solo, spitting pillars of fire, spitting blood, and flying to the top of the auditorium like a bat out of hell. Through Paul's amazing flight through the audience and his choked up words about realizing the same dream that I've always had, and thanking the fans for letting him be there. Through Ace's mundane guitar solo, and Peter's titanic drum demonstration as he flew into the air. And when he sang "BETH" I was once again 12 years old, sitting in the Junior High, singing to a girl I haven't seen in 20 years. Crying my eyes out for the years gone by, for the memories that the words brought. Carrie, if you read this, thank you for inspiring me to play the piano at the age of 12. Thank you for the gift that music has brought to my life, simply because I thought you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen in my 12 years of life.
- And you know what else? I'm gonna fly out and see them again. And again. And again.
- Another twist of irony, is that my son had purchased a Christmas gift for me before he left this world. On Christmas Day, I opened it. It was a KISS mask, of Gene Simmons face. So if you walk into my studio, don't you dare make a negative comment about the Gene Simmons mask with the tongue hanging out. Because my son's final gift to me means more than nearly anything in the world. And now you know why.
- Today, I owe much of my ability, talent, and opportunity in a very real way, to KISS. Yeah, I played the guitar starting at the age of 8 or so, and I've played the flute since I was 12-13, but the piano and the ability to project emotion came from that one song, that one lesson. One I'll never forget. And I'm pained to see the era end, as it marks a milestone in my life. And the funny thing is, although I've been fortunate enough to meet Gene Simmons, none of those guys will ever know the impact that they've had on my life. I wonder if the same goes for my music somewhere out there.
- And I know that even when I'm old and grey, wrinkled and toothless, I'll still know how to play "BETH". Just ask me.
Please.......
- Sincerely,
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