Kisser STILL Rocks!
Learn more by checking out Randy Paul's website devoted to the KISSER Zine-- just kiss, er... click HERE!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Kisser #1 Vol. 1 (KISS Fanzine '76)
Jumping forward in time from the 50's and 60's with a rare relic from my somewhat extensive collection of 1970's KISS memorabilia-- it's "America's 1st and ONLY" (at the time) Kiss Fanzine! Kisser #1 Vol. 1 came out in 1976, shortly after the great Rock 'n Roll Over album was released, and everything about this zine is super lo-fi awesome in Kiss devotion. From the hopelessly inspired writing and schoolboy illustrations, to the washed-out xeroxiness of it all... those involved were practically just kids anyway and that's what's so endlessly great about it. Undoubtably my own first glimpse into the world of "fanzines" back in the day, and also being a rabid Kiss freak (aka card carrying member of the Kiss Army), this was totally appealing to me because it was so relatable to the type of stuff that me and my own midwest chums were also doing at the time, (but minus the printing / publishing.) Kudos to original editor Randy Paul and production man Greg Kline for all their hard work!
Kisser STILL Rocks!
Kisser STILL Rocks!
Karswell: God, one look at that cover makes me want to cry in nostalgia and outright love for the raw devotion and enthusiasm of the thing. The way everything is hand drawn – from the banner to the “No. 1 still 75¢” (I think it’s the “still” that I love the most). Can you imagine how long that took? Seeing this kind of rocking awesomeness makes me hate Photoshop all the more.
ReplyDeleteJeez, I loved it so much, I double posted!
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Mykal... and yes I know EXACTLY what you mean about photoshop. I'm partial to Paul's chest hair on page 2!
ReplyDeleteAs a fan of Kiss and fanzines I have to say thank you so much for posting this! It is such a great piece of rock and roll history.
ReplyDeleteRon
(sigh)no more fanzines, just blogs now...
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Anon, thanks for checking it out. And I hear ya Prof... wah.
ReplyDeleteSomething Spooky up next...
I'm curious about the multi color centerfold poster. Looks like a last minute addition.... I bet they cranked them out in junior high art class.
ReplyDeleteHi. I'm the Gary in the thank you's on Page 2. I drew the pictures of Gene and Ace that are on the cover. I was 15, an avid KISS fan. I answered a want ad in, maybe Aquarius? I sent a couple of pencil drawings on lined paper. I received an answer from Randy Paul with his number, asking me to call him so we could discuss what he was doing and what he needed. He was, I believe, the wizened old age of 19. We talked on the phone for about half an hour. He told me about seeing KISS in clubs. It was all very exciting.
ReplyDeleteRight on, Gary! I love this zine! Thank you for writing!
ReplyDeleteWell! I'm honored! This is Greg Kline, the person who did the production for Kisser. Randy and I had both been huge Kiss fans since Kiss played in small clubs (my first show was at Joint In The Woods in NJ). We met through unusual connections, and things just skyrocketed. The fanzine was Randy's brain-child, but he had no reasonable options for production. I actually printed them in my high school Lithography class. I was a favored student, but still I had to almost plead with the teacher to use up so much of their resources. My favorite photo of the fanzine was at MSG. Randy and I had front row center seats. I tossed a copy of Kisser up on stage, and miraculously, it landed standing upright on it's edge right in front of Gene's boot. Got the shot before it eventually fell and was cleared away. Feel free to contact me at Starfield8@aol.com if you want to know more. All Good Things, Greg
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