Eric Carr RIP

Eric Carr, the former drummer for KISS, died twenty-two years ago today.

Here’s Eric Carr with KISS at the Budokan in Tokyo in 1988:

Unfinished Business

Peter Criss was the original drummer of the rock band KISS. His “character” was the “Catman”.
But Peter Criss left the band in 1980 and was replaced by Eric Carr…the “Fox”.

Eric Carr ended up being a member of KISS for a longer period of time than Peter Criss. Eric was in the band from 1980 until he passed away in 1991.
Eric Carr was a legendary hard rock drummer and also a classy person…he was happy to meet with fans after a concert and he personally answered all of his fan mail.

I was very sad when I heard the news that Eric Carr died of cancer on 1991 November 24th! And I can’t believe that today is already the twentieth anniversary of his passing!

To honor Eric Carr, his family and friends have put together some previously unreleased songs and interviews of Eric’s onto a new album titled “Unfinished Business“.

This album, Eric Carr “Unfinished Business” goes on sale today, 2011 November 24th, the twentieth anniversary of his death.

Here’s a promo clip for this new album:

Oh yeah…today is also the 20th anniversary of the death of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen. He died the same day as Eric Carr.

Rest in peace, both Eric Carr and Freddie Mercury.

In memory of “The Fox”

The late Eric Carr died nineteen years ago today.

Eric Carr was the second drummer for the rock band “KISS“. He replaced the original drummer Peter Criss who quit the band in 1980.

When Eric Carr joined KISS, they were still wearing their trademark make-up. So it was decided that Eric Carr would wear make-up in the persona of “The Fox” (former drummer Peter Criss had been “The Catman“).

"Creatures Of The Night", the only KISS album cover that has Eric Carr in his "Fox" make-up (he's at the top of the cover).

Eric Carr remained a member of KISS until he died of heart cancer at the age of 41 on 1991 November 24th.

I was already in Japan when Eric Carr passed away and I was shocked when I first heard the news that he had died.
As a KISS fan, I was dismayed that Eric Carr’s death was overshadowed by the death of Freddie Mercury, the vocalist of the band Queen, who died of AIDS the exact same day.

It’s not overlooked by KISS fans in Japan that Eric Carr died at the age of 41.

In Japan, there are three ages for men and three for women that are considered by be unlucky with a higher chance of illness or injury.

These ages are called 「厄年」 (“Yakudoshi“) which means “Calamity years”.
For women these ages are: 19, 33 and 37.
For men, they are: 25, 42 and 61.

Maybe you noticed that Eric Carr died at the age of 41 and the closest 「厄年」 (“Yakudoshi“) age is 42.
But the year before and the after 「厄年」 (“Yakudoshi“) are considered dangerous as well. They’re called 「前厄」 (“Maeyaku”) and 「後厄」 (“Atoyaku”), respectively.

It’s believed that people’s bodies are changing at those ages and are prone for sickness or injury.

Actually, I twisted my ankle a few days after my 41st birthday a few weeks ago. True story.

Are you at the age of 「厄年」 (“Yakudoshi“)? Take care!

Eric Carr, 1950 July 12 - 1991 Nov 24, R.I.P.

Car recall isn’t an issue in Japan

In America and China many 「トヨタ」 (Toyota) cars are being recalled because there’s a possibility that an ill-fitting floor mat can cause the accelerator pedal to stick which could cause an accident.
And now 「ホンダ」 (Honda) cars overseas are being recalled too.

I heard that Toyota and Honda dealers in those countries are losing a lot of potential business because the public has become hesitant to trust the safety of those cars now.

「トヨタ」 (Toyota)

「ホンダ」 (Honda)

This issue isn’t an issue at all in Japan.

Most Japanese feel that the cars being recalled overseas are different because they were made in America or China.
Japanese cars in Japan are made here…and anything “Made in Japan” is seen as superior in quality and safety.
So, Toyota and Honda dealers here in Japan aren’t feeling the affects of the recall overseas at all.

In fact, Toyota is the best-selling car in Japan…and has been for many years.

Has your image of Japanese cars changed because of this recall?

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On a totally unrelated subject…
I found out that Gene Simmons (of the rock band KISS) did a TV commercial in America for the Dr. Pepper soft drink.
His son is also in the commercial.

As I don’t live in America, I don’t normally watch America TV…but thanks to the internet in general, and YouTube specifically, I was able to see it.

It’s here:

Do you live in America? Have you seen this commercial on TV before?

In Japan, KISS has done a few TV commercials too.
I wrote a post about them last year. Click here to see that post.

Victor Stabin interview

Have you read the interviews I did with a number of interesting people?
They’re on the “Interviews” page of my main website (Click here to visit it).

Well, I just added an interview that I did with Victor Stabin to that page.

Do you know who Victor Stabin is?

He’s the artist who designed the album cover for KISS‘s 1980 release titled “Unmasked“.

His artwork is very fascinating.

I have not listened to KISS “Unmasked” since Jesus was in diapers.

Victor Stabin

Victor Stabin’s interview with me is very interesting…Check it out.

My “Interviews” page: Click here
My interview with Victor Stabin: Click here.

KISS are icons

The new KISS album “Sonic Boom” is excellent!

If you haven’t bought it yet…I highly recommend getting it.

This album is currently at #16 in Billboard magazine‘s “Rock Album” ranking…and #8 in their “Hard Rock Album” ranking.

And it peaked at #1 in both of those categories!

Number one selling album!! I don’t think KISS has ranked that high since the late ’70s!

Also, KISS has been eligible to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 1999*.

(* to be eligible, a band’s first album must be at least twenty-five years old. KISS debuted in 1974).

But they’ve always been passed over every year since they became eligible…that is, until now.

KISS have been nominated to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next year (in 2010).

In March 2010, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will vote to see which of the twelve nominees will be inducted.

The nominees for 2010 are:

• KISS
• ABBA
• The Chantels
• Jimmy Cliff
• Genesis
• The Hollies
• LL Cool J
• Darlene Love
• Laura Nyro
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Stooges
• Donna Summer

Who do you think should be chosen?

In my opinion, besides KISS only two other acts might be worthy!

You Wanted The Best…

KISS was on the American TV show “Late Show With David Letterman” to promote their new album (Click here to read my post about their album).

I haven’t seen the David Letterman show (or any other American TV show) in many years…but thanks to YouTube, I was able to find out about this and watch it!

Here it is:

I got Sonic Boom

As I mentioned in an earlier post (click here to read it), the band KISS has recorded a new album titled “Sonic Boom“.

"Sonic Boom", 2009

It’s due to be released on 2009 October 6.

Well, thanks to my friend Masa, I was able to get the CD early.
I got it today and listened to it already.

It’s very good!
It’s not their best work…but it’s still a great KISS album.

Gene Simmons, bass player of KISS, said that their new “Sonic Boom” album is similar to classic ’70s albums…in particular, their 1976 album “Rock And Roll Over“…

"Rock And Roll Over", 1976

…and their 1977 album “Love Gun“.

"Love Gun", 1977

Personally, I don’t think it’s like either of those or any of their other albums from the 1970s.
I think it sounds more similar to their under-rated 1989 album “Hot In The Shade“…

"Hot In The Shade", 1989

I think “Hot In The Shade” is a very good album, and “Sonic Boom” reminds me a bit of it.

Those two albums have another similarity…”Hot In The Shade” is the only album to feature former drummer, the late Eric Carr, singing a new song (he sang vocals on the song “Beth” on the Smashes, Thrashes & Hits album…a song which the original KISS drummer, Peter Criss wrote and sang on).

On “Hot In The Shade“, Eric Carr sang lead vocals for the song “Little Caesar“.

And “Sonic Boom” is the first KISS album to feature current drummer Eric Singer and current lead guitarist Tommy Thayer each singing lead vocals on a new KISS song.
Eric Singer sings on “All For The Glory” and Tommy Thayer sings on the song “When Lightning Strikes“.

The track listing for “Sonic Boom“:

1. Modern Day Delilah
2. Russian Roulette
3. Never Enough
4. Yes I Know (Nobody’s Perfect)
5. Stand
6. Hot & Cold
7. All For The Glory
8. Danger Us
9. I’m An Animal
10. When Lightning Strikes
11. Say Yeah

I’d say “Modern Day Delilah” and “All For The Glory” are the best songs on the album. But the whole album’s good!

Also, KISS have new costumes for the Sonic Boom Tour:

KISS 2009

Top 5

If you had to choose your five favorite movies and five favorite music albums (CDs) of all time…what would they be?
No pondering it for a long time…just off the top of your head write them in the comment section of this post.

As for me, I think I’d choose:

MOVIES

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (starring: Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd)

Die Hard (starring: Bruce Willis)

Dirty Harry (starring: Clint Eastwood)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (starring: Steve Martin, John Candy)

Shaun Of The Dead (starring: Simon Pegg)

…..

MUSIC

KISS "Double Platinum"

KISS "Revenge"

Ozzy Osbourne "The Essential Ozzy Osbourne"

Pantera "Reinventing The Steel"

Queensryche "Operation: Mindcrime"

What are your “Top Five“?

New KISS album

I have been a fan of the band KISS since I was about eight years old in the late 1970s (at the height of KISS‘s popularity in America).

I have a number of KISS-related posts on this site. For example, click here to see one that gets many visitors (I wrote it in 2008 August, and it still gets alot of hits.)

KISS has recently announced that their first studio album since their 1998 “Psycho Circus” album will be released this Autumn (2009).

KISS is getting old. Founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were in their late-forties when they released their last album eleven years ago, already a bit old for a rock ‘n roll band…but now they’re both almost 60!

Although KISS is notorious for over-commercializing their brand by putting the KISS logo on anything and everything (they sell KISS notebooks, KISS golf equipment, KISS dolls, KISS comics, KISS condoms, even a KISS funeral casket and much, much more!), and KISS bassist Gene Simmons is infamous for behaving like a “dirty old man” (when he was young and single, it was acceptable for him to flirt with young women. But now that he’s old and has a family…he just embarrasses himself).

But, regardless, I’m still a KISS fan. And I’ll be buying the new KISS album when it’s released in Japan (there are about 40 albums in the KISS catalog so far, and I have them all (I have some of them on LP record, cassette tape and CD!)).

I will also see them in concert again if they include dates in Japan on the tour to promote this new album.

KISS has also announced the titles of three songs that will be included on their new album (the album has yet to be titled).
The song titles are:
“Russian Roulette“, “Modern Day Delilah“, and “Stand“.

It was also announced by KISS that on the new album, lead guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer will sing lead vocals on a song each.

This is interesting to a KISS fan because the current line-up of KISS is: bassist Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, lead guitaris Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer…of which, only Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have ever sung lead vocals.

Current KISS line-up

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are founding KISS members…but the lead guitarist and drummer position in the band has changed members a number of times (there have five different lead guitarists and three different drummers in KISS). All of the original KISS members have sung lead vocals on various songs…but of the replacement members, only Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr have been allowed to sing lead (one song and two, respectively). Vinnie Vincent and Mark St. John never sang on a KISS album.

Anyways, I’m looking forward to hearing the new KISS album (and seeing the artwork)!

Have you ever owned a KISS album? Which one? Have you ever seen one of their amazing concerts? Which tour?
What’s your favorite KISS song?