Gene Simmons News

Starlight Theatre's opening offering for the 2019 summer season 'Rock Of Ages' was the single most disagreeable theatrical experience in more than fifty years spent attending live theater.  The performance of this rude, crude tribute to 1980s rock bands was probably OK, but it was impossible to hear.  Seated directly behind us was a group of ten who competed with the performers with full voice sing-a-longs, continuous hoots-hollars, yelled commentary, hand clapping, and finger snapping.  

EMP Label Group artist Ron Keel Band, has released “Fight Like A Band,” the title track from their new album, as the premiere video and single from that project.

EMP Label Group has released the new Ron Keel Band album FIGHT LIKE A BAND, which hit stores 3/1 via their EMP Outlaw imprint. The collection features 11 brand-new songs and fresh recordings of Keel classics.

The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival is the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music. The annual national competition draws from hundreds of vocal groups from around the country with regional competitions in eight cities, including New York City. The winning group from each festival is flown to perform in front of celebrity judges and a sold out house of enthusiastic a cappella fans at the National Finals. http://harmony-sweepstakes.com/newyork/

For two performances only, more than 200 singers from Seattle Men's Chorus (SMC) will bask in six decades of #1 hits. Believe: The Music of Cher runs at Seattle's McCaw Hall on March 30, 2019 at 8pm and March 31, 2019 at 2pm. It features a special appearance by the nation's premier Cher impersonator Chad Michaels who hair-flipped his way to the championship of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.

SiriusXM announced today that legendary rock band KISS will perform an intimate invitation-only show for SiriusXM subscribers and VIPs on Monday, February 11 at LA's famed Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. The exclusive performance will air on KISS' exclusive SiriusXM channel, KISS Army Radio. 

The fourth season of the critically acclaimed conversation series Speakeasy continues with an episode featuring Def Leppard front man and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's newest inductee Joe Elliott with Rolling Stone editor David Fricke. The duo candidly discuss the early days of Def Leppard, the band's legacy, and unbelievable tour stories never heard before. Speakeasy airs on Public Television and public television's WORLD Channel. Air dates and times are available at www.speakeasytalks.com.

Season two of 'Milo Murphy's Law,' the Emmy® Award-nominated animated series starring legendary satirist Al Yankovic (professionally known as 'Weird Al') as the voice of Milo Murphy, debuts with a one-hour 'Phineas and Ferb' crossover special SATURDAY, JAN. 5 (7:00–8:00 a.m. EST/PST), on both Disney Channel and Disney XD. The special, titled 'The Phineas and Ferb Effect,' will also be available that same day on DisneyNOW and Disney Channel VOD. Both series hail from acclaimed animation producers Dan Povenmire and Jeff 'Swampy' Marsh, who will reprise their 'Phineas and Ferb' roles as Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Major Monogram, in addition to voicing time travelers from the future, Vinnie Dakota and Balthazar Cavendish, in 'Milo Murphy's Law.'

They are coming from across the pond and across the country to strut their stuff, show their art and pay homage to the last music the Beatles created as a group - The White Album. It's fifty years later and the music still sings like yesterday.

Lifetime continues to reinvent classic genres with the greenlight of ground-breaking eight-part event series, My Great Big Live Wedding with David Tutera. Eight inspirational couples will work with world-renowned wedding and event planner, David Tutera, to receive the wedding of their dreams. Slated to join Lifetime's Real Love Tuesdays, each week, one new couple will share their emotional and heart-warming story LIVE from a different city or town across the country. Dramatic reveals will culminate in the live broadcast of the wedding, brought to life by Tutera. Produced by Thinkfactory Media, My Great Big Live Wedding with David Tutera heads down the aisle in early 2019.

Energized by the yearlong celebration of his 50th Showbiz Anniversary, iconic pop singer, Engelbert Humperdinck feels the urge to start his next decade on a celebratory note as well. Coming hot on the heels of his first album of original material in over a decade, the acclaimed The Man I Want to Be, Engelbert decided to launch the next chapter of his illustrious career on October 12, 2018 by surprising the fans with Warmest Christmas Wishes, a brand-new Christmas album – his first in almost forty years.

On May 18th, Public Television's critically acclaimed conversation series Speakeasy, will return to New York City's Iridium to film an all new episode featuring legendary frontman Joe Elliott and Rolling Stone Editor David Fricke. Doors will open at 1:30 pm and the show will begin promptly at 2:30 pm. Tickets are available on May 11th at 10:00 AM EST here.

ASCAP, the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers, hosted its 35th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on Monday, April 23, recognizing four impressive songwriting talents with a 2018 ASCAP Pop Music Songwriter of the Year award, each for their individual achievement in crafting some of the most popular songs of 2017. Steve Mac won for 'Shape of You' (Ed Sheeran), 'Strip That Down' (Liam Payne ft. Quavo), 'Rockabye' (Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul) and 'What About Us' (P!nk); Max Martin, receiving the award for an unprecedented 11th time, for 'Side To Side' (Ariana Grande), 'Can't Stop The Feeling!' (Justin Timberlake), 'Send My Love' (Adele) and 'Just Like Fire' (P!nk); Starrah for 'Now or Never' (Halsey), 'Fake Love' (Drake), 'What Lovers Do' (Maroon 5 ft. SZA) and 'Havana' (Camila Cabello); and Drew Taggart for '1-800-273-8255' (Logic ft. Alessia Cara and Khalid) in addition to three hits by his band, The Chainsmokers: 'Something Just Like This' (ft. Coldplay), 'Closer' (ft. Halsey) and 'Paris.'  ASCAP President and award-winning songwriter Paul Williamspresented the awards. 

Window shopping takes on a whole new meaning at the Sunset Strip-themed retail experience Mastercard is launching with Fred Segal just in time for the start of music festival season. Digital window shopping will make its debut with the opening of a 'Rock 'n Roll Holy Land' at the Fred Segal store on Sunset Boulevard on April 11. The totally immersive exhibit will portray an intimate and authentic glimpse into the history of Sunset Strip by offering stories, insights, and memories from the minds of some of its most influential contenders.

Are you ready to rock? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to have a one-on-one meeting with rock legend Gene Simmons at a recording studio in LA. In addition to coveted face time, Gene will offer you a personalized bass lesson!

Andrew Lloyd Webber has become a household name and he is having a resurgence in popularity of late. His 1970 JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR garnered great accolades this past Sunday in it's TV presentation. Buffalo audiences will have no less than 4 of his works to see in the next year in the Shea's Buffalo Broadway Seasons with PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LOVE NEVER DIES, and CATS all in the lineup. But his latest musical to hit Broadway is SCHOOL OF ROCK and the slick new touring production is in town for the week.

Magical Iguana Productions and Let Us Entertainment are excited to announce the signing of award-winning director Steve Balderson to helm the upcoming romantic comedy feature film, “Maybe This Time” written by Richard DeFonzo, and starring Mel England (“Best Day Ever”) and Chad Michaels (“RuPaul's Drag Race“ and winner of “RuPaul's All Stars”).

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) will present Grammy Award winner and Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee Desmond Child with its prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at the 35th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards in Los Angeles onApril 23, 2018.  From Aerosmith to Zedd, Child's genre-defying collaborations include some of pop's biggest hits over the last five decades including classics like “Livin' On A Prayer,” “You Give Love A Bad Name,” “I Was Made For Lovin' You,” “Dude (Looks Like A Lady),” “Livin' La Vida Loca,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” “Poison,” “Waking Up In Vegas” and “Beautiful Now.”  

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) will present Grammy Award winner and Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee Desmond Child with its prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at the 35th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards in Los Angeles on April 23, 2018. From Aerosmith to Zedd, Child's genre-defying collaborations include some of pop's biggest hits over the last five decades including classics like 'Livin' On A Prayer,' 'You Give Love A Bad Name,' 'I Was Made For Lovin' You,' 'Dude (Looks Like A Lady),' 'Livin' La Vida Loca,' 'I Hate Myself For Loving You,' 'Poison,' 'Waking Up In Vegas' and 'Beautiful Now.'

Legendary rock band KISS is supporting Royal Manchester Children's Hospital by donating an incredible, money-can't-buy prize to help raise valuable funds for the hospital's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.