This is the Kiss article I probably read most times during the early 80′s. Anders Tengners article about the Scandinavian part of the European tour in 1980. Anders have graciously give me permission to post a English version of the article (translated by me). Be sure to check out Anders book “Access All Areas – Mitt liv med hårdrockens giganter”. Reviewed here by me. – Nils

Now over to the good stuff!

On Tour with Kiss – By Anders Tengner

All stories have a beginning and this one started a long time ago, back in 1975. It was then I discovered the phenomena KISS. Earlier I had been a hot-blooded Alice Cooper fan. Suddenly there were something better. Four guys from New York who had a dream. The dream was to become stars. And becoming stars were something they had real talent for.

Stockholm October 7th 1980
“The Kiss elite” in Stockholm. We maniacs that realize that Kiss is both great music and a fantastic show are getting ready for the big happening tonight. The three are Anders (me), Bent and Heikki. Bent and I also represent the Swedish fan club, The Kiss Army. So most meetings and other happenings had been arranged long time before the tour.
Bent had a short conversation on the phone with Gene, which mostly was about Gene’s fondness of Hebrew and his fearless attempt trying to convince Bent that he really was Gene, because he had checked in under the name Van Helsing. After that Bent and I thought it would be a good idea to go to the hotel and introduce ourselves.
The only one present at the hotel was a really tired Paul Stanley that went up to his room to sleep. But we got a short welcome anyway. Bent and I drowned our little disappointment afterwards at Monte Carlo.

Stockholm October 8th 1980
This is the day it all begins. We are all very tired and I really hate waking up early in the morning.
But we have thousand things to do. First we have to book hotel rooms in Copenhagen and Oslo. We have to do it by Telex so we don’t have to pay the rooms in advance. Then we have to check with the guys in the band when they have the time to meet us. After that we have a talk with Bill Aucoin and Jack Tessler to be sure that we have tickets for all shows.

About five o’clock we are supposed to meet the Kiss guys so we leave early for the hotel. Even then we manage to get there fifteen minutes late, not that it mattered much. The guys had gone to see a movie anyway. They had never been told that they were supposed to meet us. So Bent and I head home a little more disappointed to do more work, while Heikki gets to meet Kiss during the TV recording and interview at Östermalm in Stockholm. A guitar freak like Heikki could not resist the temptation to try out Paul Stanley’s guitar when he had the opportunity. But he was not able to be present when Kiss played “Talk to me” playback for the Swedish TV.

Night over Stockholm doesn’t mean goodnight for night people like Heikki and me. “Evil tongues” has told us that Kiss will be at the “Atlantic disco” tonight. We hurry over and get inside without any problem. Non of the Kiss guys have shown up yet and it’s already eleven o’clock. We do meet some girls we know at one of the tables. They also want to meet Kiss and we pass the time with Coca Cola and some San Francisco’s.

Half past twelve the Kiss guys appears and head for the dance floor. Gene and Paul dances with finesse. Ace is mostly occupied with his champagne, but is not unwilling to talk when Bill Aucoin introduces us. We shake hands and have some small talk. Ace is talking a lot about rock’n'roll and how hard their next record will be. ” It’s gonna be heavy metal, man “, he mumbles at least five times. Bent shows up among the “in-people”, and just like me and Heikki he doesn’t fit in at all. Are not jeans and T-shirts good enough for Stockholm’s party elite? Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons come over to Bert and me and asks if we are from Kiss Army? Yes, we do reply and then the conversation starts. It’s quite fascinating talking to the guys without make-up about anything without any hesitations. The guys are great and to really seem to spend time with their fans. Our work with the Swedish Kiss Army does get full approval and the conversation turns over to film.
Eric Carr arrives at the club and proves to be a really nice guy! At least as short as Peter and with the same charm and charisma.

Eric will later prove that he is the one in the band that has most to offer of himself. If that’s probably because he has not yet grown in the roll as a superstar or maybe not, I don’t know. But to me and Heikki he seemed like the coolest guy. Kiss do not stay long at Atlantic. So we go to another disco called Alexandra and meet up with Iron Maiden. They are also great guys. Later, after a long quite busy day the bed seems pretty tempting.

Stockholm October 9th 1980
Tonite it’s show time for Kiss!! Eriksdalshallen is the place for the event and I really doubtful about the location. Bernt and I have a lot of work to do for the club and a lot of details have to be ready in time. The phone seems to go off the hook. And as nice as we are, we answer every call. Books and drawings from our hard working members are laid in order and the last details are sorted out.
Heikki who is the proud owner of a Volvo 244, gets the important assignment to go to Arlanda and fetch about 100 kilo of membership appliances (20 000 ex). We all go with him.

When we arrive at Eriksdalshallen we deliver it all to the guys who are selling Kiss merchandise. They have decided that they will spare us the trouble with the 100 extra kilos and will transport it for us in their trucks. Nice guys! During the period Heikki and I are carrying the famous boxes, Bernt finds the opportunity to disappear. Girls and boys in different age groups dressed in Kiss shirts are starting to fill up the place outside the concert hall. The clock is about four in the afternoon. “It’s Kiss feelin’ in the air”! (We are also present at the press conference at Operakällaren). Heikki and I decides it’s time to go over to my place for a fast change of clothes. We remember not to forget cameras. Even if its written that its not allowed to take pictures everywhere, nobody cares about that. The dinner is postponed and eaten at good old McDonalds instead. While Bernt in despair is looking for us around Eriksdalshallen. At last we get there, met up with Bernt and get our backstage passes. Dressed in Kiss tour jackets we mingle with the large audience and deal out thousands of membership folders. Seven of our best members have won a competition we have had. The first price is to meet Kiss. These members are informed that they should meet at the entrance at 8 o’clock. We get back in with the audience just in time for the support band Iron Maiden. it doesn’t sound very good, even if it’s powerful and fast. I do like Iron Maiden on record, but live they do sound terrible. The only song I really do like is “Remember tomorrow” a great song with nice tempo changes.

Bernt and I have to miss the last part of “Maidens” set. The clock is getting close to eight an our seven members has lined up nice and in order. We then march backstage with me and Bernt in front. backstage we meet Magnus Uggla and Stig Vig and other celebrities(?). But it is the guys in Kiss we are looking for. And wait it seems like we have to do. We have to wait for 30-45 minutes and it is getting closer and closer to show time.”Will we really have the time to meet them?” one of the girls wonder. But some minutes later we march in a hurry in on the side of the stage. Who is there but Gene, Paul, Eric and Ace inn full war paint and big as monsters. A quick photo session with POSTER and a hello to the members is all that there is time for before the cameras start flashing, and we go away so were not in somebodies way.

We get back to our seats (its not numbered) just in time. The light goes out and the screams from the audience is really loud. A disco light bowl in the roof sends out light stars in the hall. Its exciting, its cool and the anticipation is growing… Now its time!! “AAALLRIGHT STOCKHOOOLM!!! YOU WANTED THE BEST AND YOU’VE GOT THE BEST!! THE HARDEST BAND IN THE WORLD K I S SSSSS!!!! The voice rumbles out of the PA system blended with a mystical echo. Kiss is on stage, guitars are being heard, the lights are on. “Detroit Rock city” are bee in driven out like a trailer crash out of the sound system. The round silver colored drum podium displays a Ludwig set double bass drums, and in the middle an energic Eric Carr! To the right strutting around is Paul dressed in a mix of the Love Gun and Dynasty outfit with a new purple jacket and his “mirror” Iceman Ibanez guitar reflecting light. Gene is easiest to spot on the left in his outlandish Dynasty outfit with red cape and special built bass guitar. The logo changes a lot of different light patterns and Detroit Rock City goes over into Cold Gin. Kiss do say themselves that the public expects the good old ones. “Heavy metal is back!” a quote from Paul.

Strutter is number three in this medley and I’m pleasantly surprised how skilled Eric carr is behind the drums. The sound isn’t very good. Not that its Kiss fault but it bothers me. Bad and too loud! But even if the sound is not that good the concert overall is. These are the hardest band that have ever played in Sweden. I can’t find words for people who find Kiss offensive. Its just a rock party! That’s all it is. Everybody has fun, Kiss has fun, we have fun. Things are happening on stage. Bombs are exploding. It’s time for 2000 man the old Rolling Stones hit, Ace makes it into a dynamic version of his dreams of the future. Now its time for the guitar solo, but its not the best Ace solo. The guitar starts to let out smoke as usual. The new effect is that the guitar flies up under the roof and swirls around over the mixing board. Ace gets hold of a new guitar and plays a couple of riffs, then aims and……bang! A rocket shoots op from the guitar and kills the screaming, smoking guitar under the roof. Two confetti bombs get a taste of the same medicine. Then Ace ends the solo with a great solo part a la Eddie Van Halen.

”I was made for lovin´ you” is in the set and Paul presents the song in a daring manner to the fans enjoyment and the journalist and critics despair (enjoyment?). “God of thunder” shows of Genes blood dripping tricks in a really scaring way, and its impossible to imagine that he really is a nice and likable guy. The song sounds good, and its one of favorites. But its the drum solo that really interests me just now. Eric starts off almost as Peter on Alive II, but then he starts off doing his own stuff, series, fill-ins and all kind of cool stuff. The solo last for about eight minutes, and after a solo of that finesse and fantasy I have no doubt that he is a good replacement for Peter. The double bass drums gives Eric a capacity to variable more and combine twirl, bass drums in the most refined way. Eric Carr is a great drummer! There were only one son from the solo albums represented, New York Groove. Ace shows up his new “flashing light” guitar. A real cool gadget.

The songs follows rapidly like “Love Gun, Calling Dr.Love, Firehouse, Is that you, Talk to me” and more. Paul keep the spirit up with all his usual talk between the songs and the audience just love it. The last song is “Rock’n'roll all nite” and it pushes them to a climax. Paul gets mad at his guitar and smashes it. As the nice guy he is he lets the audience fight for the remains of it.

“Shout it out loud” is the first encore, and it really gets the audience to “shout loud”, then its time for “King of the nighttime world” and at last “Black Diamond”. But first its time for a little game on stage and some handing out of towels, plectrums and drum sticks to the audience. Paul starts his solo. Even our “starry eyed” rhythm guitarist do play a decent solo, that turns into the acoustic start of “Black Diamond”. Eric carr sings lead, just like he was Peter Criss. I have no doubt that he is the perfect replacement for Peter. The shows ends with “Kiss loves you” and lots of confetti. This is the best show I have seen since Kiss in 1976. And there are still three more shows to see.

Gothenburg October 10th 1980
Problems and even more problems do that we cant take the plane to Gothenburg and hotel Savoy. In the last second we manage to get on the train that are supposed to be in Gothenburg 18:43. We are Anders, Heikki and Bene, Heikkis friend. Bernt is in his way to Arlanda trying to get on a plain. We are really not sure. Five hours on the train is one of the most boring things one can do. Specially when the other passengers are middle aged and don’t care a damn for hard rock. We have to play “Gurka” instead. A really stupid but funny card game. We arrive Gothenburg at 18:50 and its 50 minutes until Iron Maiden starts playing. We also have to distribute our membership folders. After an hour of stress and nagging Heikki and I get our passes and let the three member who ar supposed to meet Kiss inside.

We wait like the kind boys we are in the lounge room with cute Elisabeth from the record company Polygram and a nice guy called Peo from the same company. Bill Aucoin soon comes and keeps us company with Kiss bodyguards John Harte and Sascha. In the end its time to meet Kiss again, this time we are first and Kiss arrives a couple of minutes later. Eric greets us smiling and the other members nods recognizing. A couple of fast autographs and some pictures with the band and then out! We out in the audience Kiss out on stage. Time for yet another gig!!

This time everything is much better than the day before. The sound is great and Gene are abel to fly from one side of the stage to another. Everything is just great, a really fabulous night. Can there be anything better to do than seeing Kiss live? In the middle of the concert Bernt shows up and after the show we leave Kiss alone. we go back to the hotel to get some sleep. But in our room there is a party. Some members have invaded Bernts hotel room. From now on we have another girl in this story. Carina. She is like Bene not connected to the KISS ARMY, but she went with us because were friends and then she didn’t have to go alone. Heikki and I get the people out of our room before the eyes of a scared portiere and then the bed feels like heaven.

Copenhagen October 11th 1980
We are up early in the morning as usual. Then we book places on the plane to Copenhagen. After a quick breakfast we rush down to get the newspapers. GT one of the worst papers in the country could not avoid to throw more dirt on the Kiss name than the other newspapers. “VIOLENCE, BLOOD, SEX and URINE!!” were the headlines on the billboards. GT has for several years had their own hate campaign against Kiss, maybe its time for a hate campaign against GT?! Even with the negative reviews we are really happy when we leave in the taxi to Landvetter. Just because we don’t have to take the train. Plane is the best way to travel. Landvetter is probably the best and most modern airport in Sweden. And things really don’t get any worse when we see Kiss is taking the same plane as us!! We check in and Kiss do the same, then we sneak away for a little talk.

Eric who seems to think Heikki is a real likable guy start our conversation with: ”Hello Andy! Where´s Heikki?”  I point in Heikkis direction and a couple of minutes later the two guys have found each other. Gene and I start a conversation and Bernt comes running with a lot of fan-club merchandise. Gene seems to like our work more than we had expected. He also says that our magazine is the best fan magazine he has seen. A lot of illegal clubs have started in the USA. “Kiss Underground, Kansas Kiss” etc. But Gene doesn’t seem to be bothered about them being illegal. They do it from their hearts and Gene encourages them by writing a couple of lines, if he is abel to get their addresses that’s said.

Ace Frehley comes gliding in a spaced out look. Dressed in a yellow/gray jumpsuit. He seems still to be a little reduced from the Champagne the day before and “crashes” on a sofa in the waiting room. Gene waves Paul and Eric over so they can see our work. Eric is given a commercial from the paper Expressen where a fox is dressed in a sweater. The conversation starts to center around music and hard rock before its time to enter the plane.

Kiss travels in first class, but for us 350,- is expensive enough. Under the flight Eric comes running over shouting “Can I have your autograph, man”, and we break out in laughter. When we get to Copenhagen we get our luggage. The guys tells us “see you backstage” and disappears in their limousines. We then take the airport bus into the center of town. The hotel we have booked is a really shitty hotel an we decide to find a better one. We find Hotel Regina so then we at least have a place to leave our bags. Lunch/dinner at a Kina restaurant and then taxi to Bröndbyhallen and the press conference.

This time Kiss have make-up an stage clothes on, so we are allowed to take pictures. We keep a in the background and let the press ask questions. And that is a thing their good at. The questions are the usual ones like “Why the make-up, why do you like violence, are you nazis?” etc. Eric Carr looks really bored. But then he sees us and his face lightens up. With two small sign he tells Heikki to take a picture and guess who takes pictures like a madman. The press conference ends in a real photo session and we get great pictures. Then Kiss say thanks and leave, so do we.

Out in the hall we get invited up to the mixing board. The guys have started to recognize us now, and they invite us up so we get a better view The stuff I see up there is much cooler than anything I have ever seen before. The mixing board is gigantic and costs about $150 000. Racks with studio equipment, echo harmonizers and a lot more fills the space. Suddenly it breaks loose for the third time. The audience goes crazy and we have a real nice view over the stage from the mixing board. The guys on stage delivers the best stuff yet another time.

Ace got some problems with his rockets on 2000 man. But he solved the problem with pointing at the bombs so they exploded. The drum riser did not go up or forward but the sound was much better than expected. We left after the concert finished after yet another Kiss concert. Back at the hotel there is no food, so we have to go around Copenhagen looking for some place to eat. Do you believe we succeeded? He,he,he…not! After an hour we find a little store that’s open all hours so we at least get some chips and lemonade. Then we go as soon as possible back to the hotel to get some sleep.

Stockholm October 12th 1980
This is the most boring day of our tour. We are not abel to se the guys because Jack has told us not to. The guys are tired and are having a day of for relaxing. We decide to fly home to Stockholm to sleep and them take the train to Oslo.

Oslo October 13th 1980
Trains, trains and even more trains. I hate sitting on trains, but what would one not do to see Kiss again? Card games, Coca Cola and the restaurant on the train is the main occupation during the seven hour trip. But when we get to Oslo were suddenly in a hurry. There is only fifteen minutes to the press conference at hotel Grand (Grand Hotell). Heikki could not be with us nor could Bene. They could not get any time off work.

Just in time we storm into the hotel. There we are presented for the norwegian press and the record company. We get to our seats and the press conference begins. If you have seen one press conference you have seen them all. There are no make-up this time. After the press conference its time to deliver all the stuff from our members, books with drawings, a Ace T-shirt, a ceramic”thing” with Kiss motif, Kiss dolls, and other cool stuff. Kiss thanks and wishes all the best through us.

Kiss are playing in a city called Drammen, which is forty kilometers outside Oslo. So we have to take us there by train. On the train we meet some Kiss fans who tell us that Kiss are huge in Norway. “Unmasked” has sold almost 50 000 ex and Kiss have received a silver record for it, and it will probably reach gold.

6000 people has come to Drammen to see Kiss. And we get our passes without any problems. We have 6000 membership folders and the go out really fast. Everybody is pulling in us and they are crazy for our fan magazine. This seems to be promising. Many people come in Kiss make-up and to our surprise many as Eric. We walk a little around talk to some members and then its time for Iron Maiden.

Drammen is in extacy. We do check out the gig a little sporadic. But when Iron Maiden surprisingly gets an encore something happens. Paul Stanley comes rushing in on stage with a cream cake and places it directly in the face of the guitarist. Paul DiAnnon, the singer doesn’t get away either, Ace places a cake right in his face also.

The Kiss concert starts and it is one of the better ones on the tour. But Maidens revenge is soon to be seen. A roadie in a women’s dress suddenly walks over the stage. But it will become worse. Kiss plays to their entire show and the crowds response is wild.

After “Shout it out loud” which is the first encore, Kiss comes on stage to to “King of the nite time world” and then things start to happening. In the middle of the song the guys from Maiden rushes on stage with cream cakes and buckets full of confetti and smashes and pours it all over the Kiss members. A big “fight” breaks out, but its all in good fun. On the last concert of a tour there always happens something wild like this.

After the concert we are invited to a Kiss Disco Party so we go there. Norwegian celebrities are gathered and we mingle with them and get some drinks. Kiss arrives and keeps to themselves and a lot of other people in a separated room. We just look inside and say hi. Eric rushes towards us and starts to talk. He is a great guy. We take the time to get our own autographs. They could be really cool to have. Gene then shows up and wants to talk about horror movies. Ace is just to busy with his champagne to see us or anybody else and Paul is busy with some girls.

Therefore it is Gene and Eric that does all the talking to us on the eve of this tour. Tomorrow we go home to Sweden and Kiss to London and then home. The end is soon near and we change mutual friendly words and shake hands. Kiss are the nicest “rock blokes”. The best they are also, just in case you missed it.

To follow the tour was “like a dream come true”. Just like Eric described joining Kiss. Eric fits in Kiss. He is Kiss. But for the most he is just an incredible nice guy. We will welcome the next year when Kiss will return. Guess who is going to be there!
A new record will be out in April. It will contain only hard rock and heavy metal. Kiss has discarded all that’s called producers and songwriters. Back to Rock’n'roll that is what it is, and that not a little when it comes to Kiss. We are looking forward to the new LP!!!

Scandinavia loves you Kiss!!
By: Anders Tengner

PS. Scandinavia’s most beautiful girls are in Norway!!