Interview: Gene Simmons of KISS talks to Glacially Musical's Danny Nichols

The following is a transcript of Danny Nichols' telephone interview with KISS' bassist Gene Simmons conducted on February 20, 2017.  The audio of this interview was first published by St. Louis Magazine on February 23, 2017 at www.stlmag.com.  

Danny Nichols: Hi, Gene

Gene Simmons: Good morning.



DN: It's really an incredible honor talk to you. I have been obsessed with KISS since I was about twelve years old and I've been in a couple of bands, both of which covered KISS songs. So it's really exciting to be talking to somebody who's an actual architect of this great material. I want to start by asking you about your coming appearance in St Louis. I know you are going to be in St. Louis from April 7th to 9th for the Wizard World comic convention and you're going to be doing a musical performance while you're there. I was wondering about the band you're going to be performing with at the Pageant here in town. Who's going to be in this band, who  are the musicians that comprise this band?

GS: That there is a whole thing, boy that sounds like a paragraph, not a question. Usually it's do you like black or white, boom, then I go on and give the paragraph.

DN: I may have over thought this. I has been a long time waiting for this moment so...

GS: You are a powerful and attractive man! So this, Wizard World and getting up on stage and having some fun, combines two of my favorite things. KISS is in the middle of doing all kinds of wacky stuff, we're gonna be kings of the Mardi Gras in a few days in New Orleans, and we play the Superdome while we're there. So I'm sure there will be a lot of people in that stadium. And shortly thereafter, we'll play a few more casino shows, but then we'll move on to Europe, where we play the first show May 1st in Russia, on what they call May Day. That's when they bring out all the missiles and the tanks. I'm told Putin is going to attack and you'll see.

Stream: "Spewing Disgust" by Demonsmoke

Recently, one of the boys in Demonsmoke caught up with me on Facebook. They've got an album coming up soon and wanted me to check it out.

So check out their first single and the album drops in May-ish(?).

Get with them on Facebook and purchase the single HERE.

EP Review: "Murder EP" by Hollow Leg

Murder EP

Any time we head to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant, we always get an order of Vietnamese Golden Egg Rolls.

These are just glorious. They are very skinny egg rolls that are deep fried and served with a translucent red dipping sauce. Anyone who gets Vietnamese food and doesn't order this is like someone who gets Thai food without ordering Chicken Satay.

In simpler terms: You're doing it wrong. It's like going to McDonalds on MacRib day and getting a double cheeseburger.

The appetizer is a lovely little course in terms of what should end up being a very good meal.

For myself, appetizers serve a wonderful purpose, by giving me a small snack, not only is my appetite whetted, but my blood sugar is sated. It's kind of a strange position, whetted and sated at the same time.

Vinyl Review: "Straight To Hell" Maxi Single by Horace Andy

Straight To Hell

Years ago, my friends and I stood on the lawn at our local amphitheater, what was then known as, Riverport Amphitheater. It's since been renamed twice.

No matter how many name changes the place undergoes, those of us in St. Louis will always call it by the nee, Riverport.

On this particular hot, summer evening, my friend, his younger brother, and I were watching Reggae Sunsplash 1994. This was my first serious exposure to this genre of music.

Maxi Priest headlined the show that year, at least that's what my faded memory tells me about the summer of my 18th year. For the rest of the summer, anything reggae to us was Maxi-whatever.

Robert Guillaume in The Lion King became known as Maxi-Monkey to us. It would seem that this evening was transformative, but like many things, it was temporary.

It's unclear why because that night, attempting to do the electric slide, listening to amazing dance music, and having the time of our young lives has stuck with me more than two decades later.

Video: "Horoscope" by Frederick The Younger

Here's the first single from Frederick The Younger's debut LP, Human Child. They're currently on tour in the Midwest.

Buy the album HERE and connect with them on FACEBOOK.

Upcoming Tour Dates

2/23 - Chicago, IL - Elbo Room (w/ Quiet Hollers)
3/02 - MOTR - Cincinnati, OH

3/04 - Neenah, WI - Short Branch Saloon

3/23 - Knoxville, TN - Barley’s

3/30 - Bloomington, IN - The Bishop (w/ Wax Fang)

3/31 - Grand Rapids, MI - Mulligans Pub

4/07 - New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall

4/08 - Philadelphia, PA - Ortlieb’s

LP Review: "Trance of Death" by Venenum

Trance of Death

Recently it became increasingly obvious to me that I was not nearly well versed in Pink Floyd. Certainly, we all know the big ones, but how many "fans" know their earlier, more off the wall works?

Well, that's a big part of this, off the record, journey with Pink Floyd. They have a long and winding catalog that needs to be fully explored.

Those crazy chaps from England have something on the entire rest of the world. They never stopped and never stood still. Every single one of their albums sounds wholly different than what came before it.

In order to be able to do that, the band must have a wider array of paints from which to choose. Look at Metallica? It wasn't until Cliff Burton was in the band that they were able to jump forward, but even then, the loss of Mustaine and the gain of Burton kind of canceled each other out. It wasn't until their fourth album that they really began growing wings.

Artist Playlist: Escape Is Not Freedom

Alice in Chains - "Junkhead"

Early Alice In Chains had the perfect combination of heavy and melody. This song encapsulates that really well. It's also a great example of how talented of a vocalist Layne Staley really was.

 

Album Revew: "Het Gebeente" by Ande

I  have recently been involved in recording of a one man black metal band.  Not from the creative side, although hopefully this will be the case in the near future, but strictly from the prespective of providing the necessary recording equipment and operating Garageband.  It has been really fun to watch the creative genius of the musician I am recording as he builds black metal majesty right before my eyes.  Although my wife is not entirely pleased with the demonic shrieks emanating from the basement, the experience has granted me a new prespective and appreciation for how a band such as Ande might have created such an album.

Ande is also a one man black metal band hailing from Belgium. The album title, as illustrated by the brilliant cover art, translates to "The Bones".  Ande is clearly well versed in the history of black metal, as the album serves as a journey through the sonic history of the genre.  The band's vision, as filtered through the mind of its lone creator, is clear, concise and dark.  

Video: "The Fallen" by Arduini/Balich

Arduini/Balich have released their latest video for The Fallen. I would think many of my readers would be ready for an epic ten minute slab of metal.

Because I always am! Check out the video below. As always, find them on Facebook and PREORDER their upcoming album, Dawn of Ages coming out on Cruz Del Sur Records.

LP Review: "Retreat" by The Knitts

Retreat

It's about as common as any sight in these United States. How many times have you been watching a movie about the beautiful, Swinging 60's and there was some fictional band all over the movie?

There's one flick that my wife and I watched featuring James Gandolfini vehicle that has never left my consciousness, Not Fade Away.

Certainly, this is not a recommended use of your precious two hours. This movie will leave you confused, annoyed, and wishing you had your two hours back.

Like a thousand other cinema "classics," this one features a fictional band and the viewer sees them from the beginning to the breakup. As is the standard, no one who watches this movie will want to hear anything else of this band, but what about The Rutles, The Wonders, or the unflappable Spinal Tap?

People wanted to keep hearing from that last band.

Stream: "Saffron" From "Stone & Skin" by Thera Roya

Recently, we reviewed Stone and Skin by the Thera Roya.

Granted, the year is young, but this has been one of the best avant-garde metal releases of the calendar year.

Connect on Facebook or buy the album on Bandcamp.

Interview: The Riven "Hopefully All Of These Nonsense Stops Soon!

The Riven

The world of music is growing and changing in ways that it never has before.

It's hard to explain to my daughter that there was a time when we didn't have music on our phones, or that our phones only were used to make phone calls without seeing our grandparents on the screens which of course they didn't even have.

I tried to explain my childhood to her one day, and she said, you mean you didn't even have records back then! That made it even harder, but it's kind of the point.

Unlike musicians in the pre-recorded era or musicians in earlier times, the vast majority of humans have access to basically all of the world's recorded music, one way or another. (Hopefully the way where you go buy it.)

So, bands that are no longer top of the pops can be major influences on people who weren't even born during their heydays.

With that, we have The Riven.

Guest Post: How To Get Noticed by Curtis Dewar

What to include in your album submission

A common error that I see bands going the “do it yourself” promotion route is a failure to include any information whatsoever about them. 

No bio, no album credits, nothing. I’ve had some bands tell me that they want “the music to speak for itself” or to “maintain a mystique” but in reality this is just a cop out for being lazy and unprofessional.

While I can understand wanting the music to speak for itself, the thing is that at least a little bit of information needs to be sent along with the album itself. While you may not feel that you have the skills to write a fancy bio yourself, you can minimally include the following info:

Genre

This is important so that the publication in question knows if your music is even suitable for them. If a metal journalist takes the time to download your album and then finds out that you’ve sent them a rap album that journalist is going to be pissed off.

LP Review: "Dancing On Your Grave" by The Matinee

Dancing On Your Grave

This morning on the way into the office, The Nerdist Podcast was playing in my car. As is his wont, Chris Hardwick was talking to a musician and he was giving his thoughts on the psychology of Americans and why we love what songs we do.

One of Hardwick's common refrains is that we tie experiences to music.

So, let's go full disclosure on the sophomore release by British Columbia's, The Matinee.

This past weekend, your friend and humble narrator was finally able to ditch his conventional engined Honda Civic for a new (to him) Toyota Prius.

Yup. After years of wishing and months of research, I became a hybrid car owner and the feeling of smugness has only been wiped off by the loaner car that was handed to me while they fix up the Prius.

Vinyl Review: "Abominable" by Telekinetic Yeti

Abominable

About 18 months ago, a close friend of mine and I were on a jaunt to eat ramen burgers. This was after our recent vacation where I had the opportunity to get ramen in Japanese restaurants in Hawaii, my favorite part of the trip honestly.

Afterwards we were sitting in the bar having a beer or two. We were talking about all make an manner of things in our lives. Randomly I blurted out, I'm way into doom metal these days.

Now, my buddy is a huge fan of music, but he's hardly metal. We did spend a fun night at Iron Maiden a few years back, but that was an anomaly rather than a staple.

So, frankly, he just laughed at my expression of devotion for a certain sub-genre of metal and since then my love of the lighter side of metal, along with the more extreme side, has really grown.

Video: "Approaching Cauldron of Horror" by Invasion

From their latest album, Destroyer of Mankind, Indiana's Invasion have dropped their latest video, Cauldron of Horror.

The album can be purchased on HERE on CD. Hit the band up on Facebook and check out the video below!

LP Review: "Altars of Devotion" by Harvest Gulgaltha

Altars of Devotion

One of my many maladies is insomnia. It's nothing new and has been treating me to sleepless nights and drowsy days for the past 25 years or so.

Thankfully, my insomnia is mild and rarely are entire nights lost to me, but you know how if you need to wake up early in the morning, you just turn in earlier?

I can't do that.

So, when it's time to turn in, emptiness of mind is what I seek. When my eyes close, my brain starts to work. This way, that way, thinking about that person who unfriended me on Facebook or this or that.

Rarely is it anything important, but this is why I read for a minimum of sixty minutes each night before going to sleep. There's often a record playing in the background too. It gives my mind that relaxing moment it needs to shut off before sleep.

Video: "Beautiful Soul" by Four Star Riot

Florida rockers, Four Star Riot, have released another video off of their album, Waves released on Vital Records.

Check out the video below.

The performance shots were taken when Four Star Riot opened for The Smithereens at the Central Arts Performing Center in Largo, FL. Purchase it on Bandcamp and hit them up on Facebook.

Interview: Witchapter Settles It For Me.

The doom is strong with the world these days. That's something about the trends in music that are swirling around all the time.

At any given time, there are great movements that are taking place on several continents. These days we're seeing doom/stoner/whatever metal growing exponentially. Witchapter stopped by the tallest tower at the Glacially Musical World Domination Headquarters Annex in Northern Wales.

This is what we talked about....

Glacially Musical: Thank you for taking some time for me. I'd love to learn more about you guys.

Witchapter: The pleasure is ours.

LP Review: "Black Cat" by Zucchero

Black Cat

When this blog started, my daughter hadn't turned two yet. She did possess, even then, an artist's soul.

As she has grown up to the ripe old age of five, though she'll tell you nearly six, her artistry has grown by leaps and bounds.

She works in many different mediums. She paints. She colors with crayons, markers, and colored pencils when she's allowed.

During Thanksgiving Dinner this year, my talented daughter sang for us an original composition. Now, would she be able to sing it again? That's probably doubtful, but she did it once.

What her motivation is or how she does it is well beyond me. This girl can, if you'll forgive the colloquialism, paint a picture in any way she chooses. Expressing herself artistically is a big part of who she is.

Stream: "Stories We Tell" by Seven Hard Years/7HY

Seven Hard Years (or 7HY) is a new band comprised of members of Final Sign and Shy.  Check out their first single below and hit them up on Facebook.

Album Review: "Promised Land" by ValFreya

Last week at Comic Headquarters the shopkeep and I engaged in a discussion to determine if there is anything more awesome than Vikings.  After carefully considering all available evidence it was determined there is nothing.

It was this mindset which led me to exhaust great amounts of vacation and resources last summer on a trip to Scandinavia, so I could traverse the same waters and stand upon the same ground as the legendary Norse warriors.  

While on a boat out to Birka Island, a former Viking stronghold which is now an archeological site, I spoke to a Swedish woman about the inherent awesomeness of their heritage.  She told me how many Swedes were mildly amused by the world's fascination with their ancestors, who according to her did not fly, weld magical hammers or summon lightning.  I have an entire room full of America's finest four color literature which proves her wrong, but her point was valid.

DLP Review: "Extinct" by Frowning

Extinct

When I was coming of age, Black Metal was a very different thing.

Why, back in those heady days, we didn't even have to add the qualifier Norwegian to the title. It was just assumed that all black metal was from the fjords.

Naturally, we're talking about the latter half of the 90's. Until that point, even listening to the extreme metal shows in my hometown both Monday Night Metal on KSHE 95 and The Mosh on WLCA, I never heard a single solitary scrap of Black Metal.

The latter of the two shows was pretty on point with extreme metal in those days, so I'm going to presume that no one else here really knew about it either. Please tell me in the comments how wrong I am should you so wish.

This isolationism created a monolithic block and the beginnings of check your box metal were growing there, as well as in Tampa, FL.

Vinyl Review: "Suna Kulto" by Dakhma

Suna Kulto

There was a time in my life when I thought that Black Metal was all the rage and in my head there was never too much of it.

Frankly, I was completely ignorant of what Black Metal was at that point. The keyboards, the monotone vocals, and the rest of the Black Metal Identifiers (read: check boxes) were very bland to me, at least to put it nicely.

Upon that realization, Black Metal bands began getting the cold shoulder (pun intended) from me. It wasn't until my listen to every album as long as it's received on time policy went into effect that Black Metal began showing up on these pages.

By opening up my mind to new possibilities, I was shown that Black Metal, like Death Metal, comes in many shapes and sizes. Bands like Morrow and The Lumberjack Feedback really opened my eyes to Atmospheric Black Metal. Speaking of Morrow, today's vinyl review is from the same label, Halo of Flies.

LP Review: Self-Titled by Heath Green and the Makeshifters

Heath Green and the Makeshifters

In 2017 is the art of making an album dead?

Many times it appears to me that there are major artists that simply do not care about making an album.

James Leg sees his records as sides of albums...so he makes two mini albums each time I suppose.

Far more often than should be allowed, listening to forty five minutes of music by a single artist instead of being a seven course meal, ends up being a trip to the buffet at the casino.

Don't get me wrong, the casino buffet in my hometown here...you can get sashimi and steak and all you can eat at that. So, I'm a big fan of buffets, but there's a difference between eating a meal of wholly disconnected courses and having a proper meal.

Video: "Prison Skin" by Persefone

In case you're looking for a sneak peak of some new progressive metal, Persefone has unleashed the first track on YouTube.

Catch them on Facebook or just simply check out the video below.

 

If you like what you hear, pre-order their new record on Bandcamp.

Interview: Stormie Wakefield of Season of Arrows

Stormie Wakefield second from left.

The music that's been catching my ears lately has been large swaths of doom metal.

We appear to be in the middle of a spectacular renaissance for the genre.

Black Sabbath surely started it, but the certainly did not perfect it.

Their debut album was an absolute masterpiece pressed onto translucent blue vinyl, which may have well been outshined by their follow up, Give It To The Mountain which is due out next month on Argonauta Records.

Glacially Musical: Thank you for taking some time for me today.

I also want to specifically thank you for being in metal.

 My daughter wants to be a rock star and she needs heroes she can look up to and she loves your music.

EP Review: "Spellcaster EP" by Witchapter

Spellcaster EP

A long time ago, I wasn't cool and had very few friends.

That was pretty much how it was for me every semester in school. Until Fourth Grade, never did I attend the same school for two consecutive years and just for a semester was pretty common.

All of that upheaval though created something in me that has served me well lo these great many years.

It's really uncertain when your friend and humble narrator grew into his own skin. Until that point, putting on airs, finding ways to fit in, and doing so were rather important to me. Yes, my friends, it was once of great importance to fit in, to make friends, and to be something other than I was.

Because, when you're constantly the new kid in school, you just want to have at least one friend out there....

Album Review: "Skulthor Ebonblade" by Temptation's Wings

As a strong proponent of all things categorized as European power metal, it is the highest compliment I can offer to describe something as such.  Although Temptation's Wings are usually considered a doom metal band, the ancient vibe, fantasy themes and intricate song crafting remind me as much of Blind Guardian and Kamelot as they do bands such as Witchcraft or High on Fire. 

To this end I would explain Temptation's Wings as European power doom.  Yet, this mastery of the Teutonic arts does not emit from the Alps, but rather from the less storied mountains of North Carolina.  If Carolinian Power Doom was not already a thing, it is now, and it is amazing.

Not since Black Sabbath and Megadeth has there been such a relentless onslaught of mighty riffs.  One right after another, a cavalcade of crunchy power reminiscent of Texas riff lords The Sword.  The vocal style is a combination of  Messiah Marcolin of Candlemass and former Wolfsbane/Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bayley.

The lyrical content is steeped in fantasy with an emphasis on battle themes.  The vocal melodies contain a cadence and intrigue rivaling the riffs themselves. The album tells the story of  a warrior whose village has been destroyed by an evil witch.  He embarks on a quest for a legendary sword which is the only weapon capable of destroying the witch. As much as any album I have heard in the last year I really enjoyed listening to the lyrics of Skulthor Ebonblade.     

LP Review: "Gnosis" by Saille

Gnosis

Growing up as a male in the Nineties was an interesting time, though the statement may be an oxymoron.

One of the most common topics of discussion between myself and the other boy (as we were both boys back then) who'd later go on to become the bass player in my first band and I was...

Who would win in a fight between these two characters from wholly different universes?

Seriously, who hasn't wondered if Sho Kosugi's Cho Osaki from Revenge of the Ninja couldn't take Luke Skywalker?

Well, those were the very ridiculous sorts of conversations we would have. Most male adolescence was just killing time until we at least reached male adulthood (again, largely a contradiction in terms) or at least the full age of majority in order to buy beer....

LP Review: "Let It Slide" by Mark Porkchop Holder

Let It Slide

May I be candid with you for a moment?

My earliest memories are living in the, then uncivilized, suburbs with a man I knew as my father. As my age increased, I could no longer escape that this man was my step-father, but there was never any question in my mind about my place in my family.

Well, fast forward about a decade and this man and an old woman were sitting on the couch in my living room telling me how much they loved and missed me.

Well, that's a kind of a strange thing from two complete strangers to me. In a couple years' time my home was living with them and my time in Illinois began with my father's family.

They were blood, but for the most part, they were never family. The experience that I'd been hoping for never happened, except for with one small segment of this family. My aunt and her husband. These two people, upon meeting them, we had that moment, That feeling of knowing where I came from. On both sides of my family, I'm the black sheep, and not to say that in a disparaging way, but I've always been different even in my own home.

Interview: Ashenspire

The world is undergoing an upheaval. There's a Right Wing Populist movement raging its way across Europe.

Hydro prices in Southern Ontario are going through the roof.

There's very little going on in 2017 that is going according to plan. When this year was drawn up, we are in a tailspin.

The best part in times of unrest is that artists find all sorts of inspiration. Ashenspire speaks about the long standing British Empire...and more.

Glacially Musical: Thank you for taking some time out your schedule for me.

 Ashenspire: Not a problem at all. It’s a privilege!

Stream: Druids "Pulling The Trigger"

Check out the exclusive premiere of Pulling The Trigger by Druids.

LP Review: "Ouija" by Dead Witches

Ouija

Many years ago on my first trip to Chicago, I took the train. At this point, I hadn't ever flown in a plane, so my first trip that wasn't in a car was on a train.

Had it not been five hours late, that would've been pretty awesome.

Because of the lateness...My friend and I went in search of beer. Well, as this particular Chicago Suburb apparently had laws in place and we couldn't find any beer anywhere.

In the end, we went on a long drive to secure some cold beer. The ironic part was that by the time we found beer, the warm beer I'd brought on the train, would have been cold.

But, this trip through Northern Illinois was interesting, and terrifying. We drove State Roads in the fog. It was every bit of something out of An American Werewolf In London. Had the gas gauge not been pushing empty, this would have been an enjoyable experience.