It is a move mirroring the historical sequence of events in the 1970’s: Hot off the heels on his work with Alice Cooper‘s Welcome 2 My Nightmare, long time rock producer Bob Ezrin is reportedly back in the studio remixing the classic KISS album Destroyer, which celebrated its 35th anniversary this year.

Gene Simmons announced that the album will be re-released as a Deluxe Edition during 2012 complete with unreleased tracks, and the original artwork designed by Ken Kelly. Destroyer, along with the band’s breakthrough live album KISS Alive!, is frequently pointed to as a significant album for the band — it was a solid stepping stone to the heights of success they would claim in the late Seventies, and serve as a major influence for many bands ranging from the lightest of popular rock through to the darkest of black metal.

Being a long-time KISS fan and well aware of its bass player’s fear of marriage, I never thought this day would come — Gene Simmons wed his long-time love Shannon Tweed yesterday at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The 62-year-old rocker and the Canadian actress, 54, have been together for 28 years and have two children together: 22-year-old Nick, who stood as best man for his father, and 19-year-old Sophie, who was the maid of honor. The family has appeared together since 2006 on the A&E reality television series Gene Simmons Family Jewels.

28 years ago on this day in KISStory, a bewildering moment arrived for rock and metal fans that for many seemed to have come out of nowhere. KISS had announced they were unmasking, dropping the make-up, costumes, and personae they had previously “worn” for ten years, and moving forward as an “unmasked” band.

The band officially unmasked on MTV (see video below), and the announcement sent shockwaves through the metalhead communities at the time, which was the beginning that this decision was a good move by the band. Up until this stage, KISS enjoyed the height of their career in the 1970s, and as they journeyed into the earlier 1980s, things were beginning to look somewhat dire for the band.

KISS
Destroyer
UK: CD | MP3
U.S.: CD | MP3
Recorded September 1975 and February 1976
Released March 15, 1976

Say it with me: “You wanted the best, you got the best! The hottest band in the world: KISS!”

Despite being the global phenomenon it is today, only a modest reception greeted KISS‘ first three albums on initial release back in the 1970s. While all very good rock albums, it seemed KISS, Hotter Than Hell, and Dressed To Kill just couldn’t find a big audience. Between them they had what are now thought of as classic KISS songs such as “Strutter,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” and “Parasite.” But it was the release of the stunning live album Alive! which turned KISS fever into a full-blown pandemic.

On March 15, 1976, a mere six months after Alive!, the band released its fourth studio album, which was produced by Bob Ezrin. It had rock anthems, ballads, wailing guitars, string sections, thumping drums, and the world’s most iconic musicians. This was to be the album which turned KISS from rock stars into superstars. And its title summed up the band’s intent: Destroyer.

Time to put the “X in Sex” and explode with a “Sonic Boom” like the “God of Thunder” — the band KISS is releasing new KISS Kondoms for fans to stay safe when they’re taking their significant others for a “Rocket Ride.”

Apologies for the song title puns used here, but c’mon… this is KISS and it’s a story about Gene Simmons pimping out some condoms — I just couldn’t help myself.

The difference with this release of KISS Kondoms is that they have pictures on them, which is kind of odd when you think about where these things are going to end up when you’re done using them.