Rock Candy - Issue 8 - Kiss - The Solo Albums Uncovered - 14 Pages

UK retro rock mag Rock Candy’s latest issue (June-July 2018) features a cover story that reveals the real story behind KISS's four solo albums through the personal recollections of many of the people who were there.

The 14-page special features new and exclusive interviews with guitarist Bob Kulick and drummer Richie Fontana, both of whom played on Paul Stanley’s album, manager Alvin Ross, security man Big John Harte, publicist Carol Ross and the band’s art director Dennis Woloch.

The idea that each member of KISS would release a solo album on the same day was a revolutionary concept that showed the band’s limitless ambition at the height of their fame. But Alvin Ross admits that “everyone thought it was risky”, while John Harte says that “Gene was the most maniacal about selling more than the others.”

Carol Ross reveals that, “sales were not good and that was a real disappointment”. But Rock Candy looks at the relative merits of the four albums with the benefit of hindsight and regardless of commercial success.

“Recording the Paul Stanley album was a great experience and a great time in my life,” says Bob Kulick.

While KISS’s many achievements have often been endlessly covered, the solo albums remain much more of a mystery and KISS fans find much to discuss about concerning the relative merits of the four albums. Rock Candy’s cover story will add much, much more to the ongoing debate.

With fantastic photos from Fin Costello and Rich Galbraith, some of which are previously unseen, Rock Candy is delighted to have added to the illustrious KISS story with this fascinating cover story.

“I’d just turned 14 years old when the KISS solo albums dropped in September of 1978,” says Rock Candy editor Howard Johnson. “My excitement levels were off the scale! They may have been a commercial failure, but to my mind these records will always be a huge creative success.”