The year is 1974 and the band KISS is half way through their first ever tour of North America. They are ruling the world with their over the top theatrics, fire breathing bass player, and makeup clad faces.
Kathleen Black is a 22 year old journalist...
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April 17, 1974
Memphis, Tennessee
Forget everything you've heard about KISS...
A drop of blood fell onto my hand straight from the gash on my newly opened skull. I couldn't see straight from the amount of smoke circulating through the air, but my instincts told me to get as far away from the chaos as possible.
"Sorry, dude!" a small girl no older than 16 yelled at me. "Are you okay?"
I spun around on my heel and bolted through the crowd of teenagers in face paint. Blood dripped profusely down my face and began to soak onto my T-shirt. The Lafayette had no breathing room to spare.
"Come back! I'm sorry!" I could barely hear the girl yell, but I didn't bother going back.
A loud explosion caught me off guard and I turned just in time to see a man on stage blow fire from his mouth. I couldn't quite tell if what I was seeing was really happening, or if the effects of a concussion were setting in - I chose the former.
"I'm okay!" I shouted at the worried onlookers. Who knew a flying Chuck Taylor could cause such a devastating injury.
Even though I got my head bashed in, even though I had to leave the concert early due to the amount of blood I was losing - I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Forget everything you've heard about KISS because it's not true. These guys are true entertainers who have a long career ahead of them...
I finished up my article after a long night of holding ice to my forehead and decided I'd spoken my mind enough for one night. Rolling Stone had been hounding my ass all week about getting my new piece in about Kiss, the band ruling the world. After everything I heard about the satanic worshiping, makeup wearing, rock and roll band from hell I expected nothing short of a disaster.
That concert changed everything for me.
The way in which it would actually change my life would come much sooner than I thought.
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The very next night at around 6 pm I found myself waiting outside of a hotel that Kiss was rumored to be staying at, The River Inn, hoping to score an interview with anyone who would be willing to give one. The hotel wasn't far from mine but was a lot nicer than the one I was staying at. After much research from many other magazine articles who have cashed in on writing about Kiss, I learned the names of the 4 men who dared to wear tight leather pants and high heeled boots.
