Interview с Kiss : DARKSIDE.ru

u have cooperated with quite many artists during your artistic career, so which project do you identify yourself with and what such versatility gives to you as to an artist?

One thing I’ve always told people: I think I can say, which I think is very rare for most people, (that) every band I worked with – I was a fan of their music, or I was influenced by them growing up. Even the first gig I got touring was Lita Ford. I remember that on a way, I decided they sounded very cool, and I thought it was cool playing in her band; and I ended up playing in her band. So whether it was Black Sabbath or Bryan May – it was my favorite band. I was a huge KISS fan

as a kid, Alice Cooper – the same thing. All people I worked with, I am genuinely fan of their music and I think that’s important. I think what is the most important – is to have passion for what you do. So if you have passion for playing music or passion for playing drums, whatever you do, that is the most important. I’ve been blessed ‘cause I’m passionate about playing music, but I also have passion for the artists I worked with. So I think it makes it a double benefit, if you know what I mean.

What was your favorite cooperation?

Oh, it hard to say, because obviously I would have to say, playing with KISS has probably been the most ben

eficial to me with regards to being recognized and variety and this kind of things. But I would say it is a unique band… putting on a costume and the whole show. I’m always in bands that put on theatrical show. I feel fortunate that I was able to play with Alice Cooper for so many years and with KISS: both very theatrical bands, a big influence for me. And even playing with Bryan Mae, who was in Queen, to me – very theatrical band too, this style of music, kinda bands that have their show. This is I think is part that makes me who I am; and working in this kind of bands I think was my destiny, because I was so much attracted to the style. For me, probably, KISS is th

e ideal band. Because when you are in a band like KISS, you can be anything that you wanna be. You can perform and do anything you want, you are allowed to, because in fact this is what you should do. But I also like it because it is very simple, straight rock-n-roll music. So to me that is important. I think most people identify themselves with more simple straight-ahead type of music.

What do you think is the secret of long-time popularity behind such bands as KISS and Alice Cooper?

Well, I think ultimately you need to have something people identify (themselves) with. But I think it always comes down to songs, to music: i.e. if you ha

ve some kind of music people identify (themselves) with. I mean the reason to call the bands “classic rock” is that you find it like a classic car: something that becomes timeless, it still looks good today as 30 years ago, and it still affects you in the same way. And I think that’s the beauty of bands like KISS and Alice Cooper. When you put on all these records, you still go, “Yeah, I like this”. It is not like, “Yeah I liked them when I was a kid”. A lot of music is fad. Popular music is (something) when you listen to it a couple of years later, and you realize, “I’m surprised I so much liked it, I don’t like it anymore”. Classic stuff is always gonna be good, t

imeless forever.

Do you still remember your first show with KISS?

The very first one ? Yeah. The first show was at the Stone in San Francisco, 1992. We did a club tour when I just joined the band. Bruce (Kulick) was in a band at that time. One thing I really remember is that Gene and Paul were really nervous, except for me – I wasn’t nervous. And I remember telling to the guys, “Why are you nervous? I’m the one here for the first show, and I’m not nervous”. And I remember they seemed kinda unsure.

KISS has a very deliberate stage set and the performance in general, so did ever anything unexpected funny happen on that side?

Sometimes Gene gets stuck when he tries to “fly”, he gets high over the ground and then he gets stuck, maybe a couple of feet above. You know, things like these happen. Or then somebody slips. I mean you don’t want people to get hurt, it something fun to see with Gene, because he is kinda always so funny, in general.

Is there any particular song that represents your drumming skills at their best?

I never really think about it that way. I don’t know. Maybe songs like KISS ‘Unholy’, this kind of stuff. I like heavier, not so fast songs, mid-tempo, slower heavier type, power-rock style. Yeah maybe ‘Unholy’ would be a good so

ng.

Was it hard to deal with certain animosity from the fan side when you took on the Catman image?

Nah, no. Because I never get emotional about it. For me it is not an emotional issue really. I was asked to do a job, I could either say ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and I said, “Yes”. And I always realized this: if I don’t do it, somebody else will do it. Believe me, there is a lot of drummers who would stand in line in order to play in KISS. Not that I would disrespect the fans, but I don’t care what they think about this. Because KISS gonna exist whatever KISS chooses and that’s the way the band has always been. They gonna do what they want. When I fi

rst started wearing this makeup, they weren’t sure. I remember I asked them, “ What do you want me to do? To wear makeup or make a new design?” First, they hesitated, and then they told, “Let’s ignore, we gonna stick with regular makeup”. There was not much time to think about it. And I think they made a right decision. Because it is funny why so often people ask about it. There is a reason why they don’t have other characters.

Sonic Boom was the only album recorded with current lineup.

Yes and we are going to studio to start a new record.

How did it feel working with this lineup?

Oh it was very easy. Actual

ly, one of the easiest works I have ever made. No pressure. Gene put it like that, “I wanna make this record with just four of us. No outside song writers, no other musicians. Let us get together , put the songs on tape, play live – like the bands used to make records in the old days, and that’s it. Because we can’t try to be something we are not. We are KISS and this is the way we sound, and we are not gonna try to change that”. And that is what we did.

So are Paul and Gene willing to accept each other’s’ input now?

Oh yeah, they worked together in a last record, they co-wrote some songs together, and they have already been working together trying to write some songs. They work more like they used to in the early days. Because even the manager said, “This is important, this is the way guys you used to make the records.Y ou need to do it this way”, and this is how we do it.

And the last question... (At that moment Chuck Garric, Alice Cooper's bassist, who also plays with Eric in ESP, sits down at our table. - auth.)

The last question is did I like to play with Chuck? (grinning) It was great …

How many more alums do you think KISS is going to record in future?

Oh I don’t know. To be honest with you, after we did Sonic Boom, I didn’t think we would do any more records. Gene and Paul kept saying, “ I don’t wanna do a record”. But then they were very happy with the band was touring and the way we get on, the way band plays together. And they decided, “You know, I think I wanna do a record”. And that was it.

Victoria Maksimovich, Tatiana Caciur.
24 авг 2011 the End


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