Check out this great fan-filmed clip of "Say Yeah" live in London!

Welcome to Classic Rock's new occasional column Then And Now, where we look at classic gigs past and present. We kick off this week with Xavier Russell comparing Kiss across three (or should that be four?) decades.

Xavier first saw Kiss way back in 1976 when they headlined the Hammersmith Odeon and hadn't clapped eyes on them for some 30 odd years. This week he finally saw Kiss again, when they did a their low-key club gig at London's Islington O2 Academy.

THEN

Venue: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Date: May 15, 1976

Kiss first came to my attention when I heard Kiss Alive, the classic double album recorded at Detroit's legendry Cobo Hall in 1975. I remember being blown away by the rawness of the production, and by the whole look and concept of Kiss. I just had to see them LIVE. As luck had it they were due to play two nights at the Hammy Odeon (as it was affectionately known back then) but could I get a ticket? No chance. Both gigs sold out in two hours flat!

I turned up on the night without a ticket and casually asked a tout what price he was charging. "25 pounds for the circle, or 50 pounds for the stalls." This was way out of my price range. So I decided to play a patient waiting game. I knew that once Kiss were on stage, the touts would get desperate.

Kiss were loud, even from outside the venue, I could clearly hear Deuce, Strutter and Flaming Youth from the just-released Destroyer album. A tout approached. "How much have you got mate?" "A fiver," I replied. "Oh, go on then'." And I was in.

Photographer Ross Halfin blogs about his experiences photographing the world's most famous artists. Here's an excerpt from his blog entry regarding KISS's recent London club show:
_____________________________

March 2 - A day of Kiss....

Drove off to the wastelands of Islington where Paul Elliott was holding court in the Hilton hotel, next to the Angel tube.

I had a small conference room to set up in and do a photo shoot with The Gods Of Thunder.

I get Kiss in all their glory at 5.30 pm for an hour. It went ok considering I'm shooting in a hotel. The highlight of the afternoon at the hotel was seeing the three very, very lovely Appleton sisters in the lobby all on the way to see Kiss destroy the Islington Academy.

From my point of view it was a pain in the arse. The barricade was right up against the stage, imagine the feeling of being trampled on by Kiss in platforms, it gave the effect of photographing lying down on the stage. I took a photo of Gene and Paul with The Mighty Boosh. Then The Kings of the Night Time World came saw and nearly literally killed the crowd when the CO2 in the confetti canons sucked the air out of the venue. Gene Simmons nearly passed out behind his amps and Paul Stanley told me he couldn't breathe and the band had to cut three songs out of the show... it was still a great show.

More photos from KISS' Tuesday night show in London.

Thanks to Luc Verdickt for sending KOL these photos from HLN Belgium!

Dear KISSonline,

Just got this tattoo done today. Disney and Kiss - two of my favorite things!

Marc Sherman

LETTERS

Here is our new billboard promo-ing Season V of GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS.

If you see a billboard in your city, take a foto and send it to GeneSimmons.com.

Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott

Yes, KISS actually played a high school's Homecoming weekend, back in 1975.

It was 1974 -- the straitlaced football heyday of Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler -- and in northern Michigan, you could hear a pin drop in the way-too-tight Cadillac High School football locker room before games.

That's when an enterprising assistant coach named Jim Neff had a brainstorm. Why not rev up the Cadillac defense by playing a little pregame rock and roll? Like, for example, KISS?

When the bold plan led to a big winning streak -- and a conference title -- Jim Neff and the band he loved hatched a daring plan... to make Homecoming the following year an event the town of Cadillac would never forget.

Nearly 35 years later, no one has.

CLICK here for the rest of the story and more GREAT photos

Legendary Rock Group KISS 'Rocks the Ratings' on ABC'S Hit Show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

KISS gives to family in need while Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ratings spike.

On last Sunday night's episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, rock icons KISS (www.KISSonline.com) showed their good will to a family in need while at the same time helping Extreme Makeover: Home Edition viewership grow by 2 million viewers from the previous week's telecast. Ratings blossomed 32% in adults 18-49; the networks best young adult performance in that hour in six weeks. Also for the episode, Marvel Entertainment designed a Super Hero themed boy's room and created a custom comic book cover for the boy.

In this interview with the BBC, Paul and Gene reveal KISS' musical influences and heroes:

In this interview with Vintage Rock, Tommy discusses his Hughes & Kettner amps, and how having the right gear helps him get that signature KISS sound. He also talks Sonic Boom, the Alive 35 tour, and plans for 2010! Check it out:

Last night's KISS show in London was cut short because the Co2 canisters used to blast confetti during Rock and Roll All Nite made breathing nearly impossible. Both the band and fans upstairs and in front of the stage were having difficulty breathing from the concentration of Co2 in the air.

Paul reveals, "Once the confetti cannons went off, we barely made it off stage. None of us could breathe or catch our breath. Each of us thought we were the only one until we saw each other. Pretty scary and there was no way we could continue. We came out for the encores but couldn't get past one. Still, all in all, an amazing night that left many breathless!"

(Photo by ImageWire)

By Scott Colothan
Photo by Neil Lupin

KISS rolled out the rock classics at their ridiculously low-key London gig last night (March 2nd).

Bedecked in their trademark extravagant attire and make-up, the Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer took to the stage shortly after 9pm to a rapturous response from the 800 strong rammed-to-the-rafters crowd.

Clearly enjoying playing in such an intimate setting, the rock veterans rattled through a 12-song set packed with hits such as 'Rock and Roll All Nite', 'Calling Dr. Love', 'Love Gun' and the ultimate 'Detroit Rock City'.

Songs from their 2009 album 'Sonic Boom' also got an airing, including rip-roaring opener 'Modern Day Delilah' and 'Say Yeah'.

View more photos from the show here.

Islington o2 Academy, March 2 2010

Catching Paul and Gene in a club venue four decades after the band first set out to recruit the Kiss Army is a surreal experience.

Everything about the band for the past 30 years has been big. Big arenas, big anthems, big heels and big money. But here they were, back to their rock and roll roots and, quite emphatically, back to their best.

Paul Stanley's fixation with the Appleton sisters (yes, of All Saints fame) proved there's life in the old dog yet, and the Love Doctor was aimed almost entirely at his newest fans. They lapped it up.

And the most obvious blonde bombshells in a venue bursting with beautiful people, frenzied fans and The Mighty Boosh (!) weren't alone. This was a spectacular show from a rock beast you would imagine had nothing left to prove. On this evidence they clearly do.

Opening up with Sonic Boom's Modern Day Delilah might have been seen as a gamble by some, but the majority of those present knew every word. Throwing in Say Yeah for good measure, Kiss were keen to showcase their best album for 20-plus years, and why not? It's a quality record from a classy band.

Of course it does beg the question, why wait so long to roll out an album of original material? Maybe it's all about keeping the fans keen, and those inside Islington's Academy were certainly that.

Check out this great clip of "Love Gun" live from the O2 Academy in London last night! (And listen to that crowd!)