2/25: KISS, LESLIE WEST, MICK JONES, MARTY FRIEDMAN, LITA, TMS, MORE
Jam packed SiriusXM live show last night. Thanks to Wendy Dio for calling in and letting me premiere a song from the new Dio tribute album called This Is Your Life. It’s out April 1 and all proceeds go to RJD Cancer Fund. Also thanks to Vince Neil who called in and talked a little Motley as well as about a charity event for our mutual friend chef Kerry Simon in Vegas this Thursday. Info in the news section on my site. And also thanks to AJ, Russ and Mike of Adrenaline Mob for coming in. New album Men Of Honor sounds slamming. Also took almost two hours of calls from listeners, mostly about Kiss and the HOF and all the different sides to it. This site has become flooded with comments about this situation. I’m glad I can provide my take through the Trunk Report and also allow you guys to have a platform to post also. For the record ALL comments regardless of their position are posted here! Only comments that resort to name calling or pointless hate and bashing are not posted. I have heard from many that Kiss and their twitter accounts have been blocking people that post thoughts not in line with what they approve of in this situation, while retweeting those that do. I assure you all opinions are welcome and reflected on my platforms if I agree or not.
In the time since this news broke with my show Friday night the coverage has been incredible. Huffington Post, Daily News, NY Post, and even the lead story on Howard Stern’s news. Howard by the way called Kiss the “most irrelevant band in music history” and compared them to the 1910 Fruitgum Company. I do NOT agree with this assessment but he has the right to say it. I see all sides of this and in the end, no matter where you stand, it just sucks as fans who fought so hard to see this day happen, we won’t at least get a song from the four guys going in. But who knows, we have about 6 weeks before this all goes down so as we learn being Kiss fans, anything can happen. Many more things to still learn here. Do all of them show up? Who inducts them (hope I can reveal soon, it is a legit Kiss fan. What does the HOF do instead of performance? All star band? Video package? More as we get closer no doubt and as I can share.
Shooting a new TMS today you will see this Saturday night. After going pure metal last week with Lamb Of God, TMS goes classic rock this week! Today we shoot with Mick Jones of Foreigner, Leslie West and Lita Ford on guitar. Plus Marty Friedman from Japan on Metal Modem! Should be a fun one! I can also confirm new guests coming in our current season include Dee Snider on set and Yngwie Malmsteen playing in our last two shows! Loving all the variety in TMS in our current season. Thanks for all the amazing response. Keep watching and let’s keep growing this thing even after 5 years and more than 100 shows. Hearing from new fans every day and I appreciate it!
Follow on Twitter @EddieTrunk for news and photos from the set today.
I am a HUGE Howard Stern fan, But he is totally off on his KISS assesment….He’s always said over the years that he doesn’t get it.. Sal’s the only one on that show that is sane…..the Midwest GETS it and this is where KISS made their mark….I moved from the Midwest to Cali in 1984 and saw up close that KISS was not as popular on the West coast/ California as they were in IOWA . I’ve been to over 40 KISS concerts since 1976 at Vets Auditorium in Des Moines and will no longer support Paul and Gene in their effort to keep KISS alive…give we a break…someone PLEEEASE find Vinnie Vincent in the Louisiana bayou and let him know the True Detectives are lookin for him !!!!
Edde, you are a peach. All of the goofy bad behavior by Paul and Gene aside, this year on TMS has been a huge winner. The show is always great. You can always feel the love that goes back and forth between those being interviewed, the interviewers, and the audience. Your respect for them is always the best part and is what drew me into the show in the first place. The guests have been so much fun! Benante on drums! What a huge thrill! I’m learning much in Vol.II of your book. Please come back to Houston so we can fuss over your some more. Bring the wife and kids. I have an 11 yr old son. It would be a blast! East coast meets South!! Good food, good beer!
I have pretty much beat the KISS topic to death so I will take a few minutes to tell you how much I am enjoying the new season of TMS. Being in my early 50’s, I will be the first to admit that I don’t know a lot about the bands like Lamb of God or Adrenaline Mob but TMS has provided me the opportunity to learn about these bands as well as others. Back in the 70’s, I subscribed to Circus magazine and that gave me my introduction to bands like Van Halen, Cheap Trick, Angel and others that may have not at that time been getting played on our FM stations here in South Carolina. TMS has now become my present day Circus magazine. I also learned about the Classic Rock web site from your show as well and I am now connected with that web site. Thanks for providing a show that helps educate an “old 70’s rock guy” about what current bands and music. Of course I enjoy when you have guests like Ted Nugent and Mick Jones this year and guys like Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer and Rick Nielsen in the past. Being an old KISS fan, the visits from Ace Frehley and Peter Criss are always welcome. Keep up the good work and thanks again for what you do for us, the fans.
I’ve been (or maybe I should say HAD been) a die hard fan of KISS since about ’77. I even stood by them through what appeared to be a self imposed career tanking attempt in the late 70’s/early 80’s. I’ve seen the comments that without Eric or Bruce or Tommy that KISS would not have been as influential as they were. I call B.S. on that one!! How many guitarists cited Ace as their influence? I honestly don’t ever remember reading an article with a guitarist who cited Bruce or Tommy as the reason they picked up a guitar! Bottom line…..when you think of KISS, you think of the 70’s. You think of Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter and the bombastic lives shows. As far as an impact on music and the influence of bands, THAT was the essential KISS. As such, I think it SHOULD be the four original members. NOW, on the flip side of the coin, the argument goes (to each their opinion) that Eric and Bruce and Tommy were also influential members, primarily because they’ve been in KISS for as long as they have. But, if you’re looking at the entirity of KISS’ music, should Vinnie Vincent, Mark St. John, Bob Kulick, and any other number musicians that appeared be inducted as well? These guys contributed as much to KISS’ music as the others, just not for as long a period. KISS has always touted themselves as being all about the fans. Personally, I think not performing at the HOF is the ultimate slap in the face! Fans have screamed for this for years. And for Gene and Paul to snub the fans so blatantly, that’s just disgraceful! And on that note…how long has Eddie been trying to get them on TMS!! Gene is a self-centered blowhard that is only concerned about the all mighty dollar. I’m sorry to say that I’ve lost what little respect I had left for this band. It’s a shame how the mighty have fallen!!
Paul and Gene are hoping that all the press works in there favor and it might since it has really put them in the spot light recently. Only negative is not performing and those fans that are angered by that will not most likely have been part of their cash cow anyway. It does add to the lack of credit they have with critics of KISS. It is a replay of Van Halen, GNR and Blondie HOF debacles. I tend to believe Deep Purple would be a train wreck also if inducted.