I am a KISS fan, ever since I first heard Strutter, back when I was in sixth grade, (around 1978). With that in mind, here is my KISS collectible story: Sometime back in the late ’80’s, I paid a visit to a store called Coins and Collectibles. This is the store where I made one of the best trades in my entire Metal life… the trade was for an unopened box of KISS wax packs, (dated 1978). This cool and very untidy store was full of treasures, ranging from sports cards to coins and just about anything else in-between. The proprietor of Coins and Collectibles was a swell guy named Jeff, he was very friendly and had a remarkable gift to gab… about anything. (I gravitate towards anyone who wants to gab about anything it seems… except for gossip, I can’t stomach gossip). Oh yeah… back to the real story. Used records were always around his store too… so Jeff and I would have many conversations about Classic Rock Bands… Grand Funk Railroad, The Doors, Uriah Heep, Nazareth and yes… KISS. When I first caught a glimpse of this unopened box of KISS wax packs in Jeff’s store, man, I was shaking. These were the KISS cards that I could never get my hands on when I was a kid back in ’78… they were either not in stock at the corner market or my parents were too broke to buy them for me.
I asked Jeff what he was asking for the box… he stated quite easily, seventy five bucks. Seventy five bucks was a chunk of change for me back around 1986. (It still is quite a chunk of change for me now). Jeff being the good guy that he was, offered to “trade” with me instead of a cash only deal. At the time, I was very much the sports card collector, (I still am, only extremely toned down now), so Jeff knew he would score something from me that he could turn around quickly in his store for a profit. The item that I offered to Jeff in trade for this wax box of KISS cards was… an unopened wax box of 1985 Donruss Baseball Cards. Back then, there were hot-shot baseball players that were considered valuable in this box, (if they were in the packs that is)… Dwight Gooden, Roger Clemens, Darryl Strawberry and Don Mattingly, just to name some. Looking at this trade now, Don Mattingly is the only player that probably has any value at all, to his baseball cards, out of that bunch.
Jeff accepted this unopened wax box of baseball cards with glee in his eyes. I accepted the KISS wax box with Metal glee in my eyes. Done deal. Jeff later sold this wax box of baseball cards for profit in his store and I never parted with this box of KISS wax packs to this very day. I made out on this deal too… I have seen this box of KISS wax packs selling for twice as much as the initial $75 asking price over the years. Honestly, value aside, I’m just happy to still have this piece of KISSTORY in my collection. My wife took a picture of what this box of KISS trading cards/wax packs looks like with her iphone… she has easily become the Metal Odyssey staff photographer, (as well as graphic design consultant too). I truly appreciate any and all of the consultation she provides with my blog. Uh, yes, she is into Metal too… thank goodness. Here is the KISS wax box, note that I have kept it in a thick, plastic, see through bag over the years for its own protection.
The card manufacturer is Donruss. At the top right corner of the box, it reads: Aucoin MGT. 1978 BY AGRMT WITH KISS. The only printing on the bottom of the box is: Made and printed in U.S.A.. There is 36 packs in this box, each pack has a real cool, stick of stale hard bubble gum too.
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* For more info on KISS, click on the link below!
LONG LIVE KISS.
Stone.
Each member of Kiss had released a solo album back on September 18, 1978. I remember back then, being a young Kiss fan, there was much to rejoice about… four new Kiss albums to choose from. Being just twelve years old, I could not just run out and buy all four new albums. Back in 1978, my parents did not have a bounty of expendable cash to dole out to me, thus I was only earning a quarter here and there for the yard work I did. (Sounds like the 1930’s or something, doesn’t it?). Instead, I waited patiently to obtain or receive as a gift, one or all of the Kiss solo albums. Not until January 26, 1979, did I receive the Paul Stanley solo album, as a birthday gift from my parents. To say that I was ecstatic on that day would be an understatement… Paul Stanley was and still is, my favorite musician and vocalist from Kiss. At that age, I remember just staring at the front cover portrait of Paul Stanley, holding the album jacket in my hands, thinking this was the greatest birthday of my entire life. The memories are so cool to reflect on… what is more cool is that Paul Stanley is still making music both solo, (“Live To Win”, October 24, 2006), plus with an upcoming new Kiss album.
I am a lifelong Kiss fan, guilty of admiring a Heavy Metal band that has influenced the genre of Metal both musically, theatrically and of course… commercially. Out of the entire Kiss catalog of Heavy Metal, there has to be my favorite album of all time… my choice of favorite Kiss album seems to change yearly. (Oh well, that is my Metal dilemma I have to live with). As of today, Sunday, July 26, 2009, my favorite Kiss album of all time is “Creatures Of The Night”, (released in 1982). This Kiss album came out after “The Elder” album, making for quite the triumphant, Heavy Metal return. When I first heard the song “I Love It Loud”, man, was I ever psyched out of my Metal mind! I was serving time in High School when this album released, having this Kiss song to play loud back then was true innocent rebellion. Playing this song and the entire “Creatures Of The Night” album loud today, well, is just because I want to and can. (No more rebellion is left in my system… I think). 
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
Why I feel KISS gave Rock n’ Roll back to America and other KISS points too
Posted in 1970's classic rock albums, 1970's classic rock bands, 1970's classic rock songs, 1970's hard rock bands, 1970's hard rock, 1970's heavy metal, 1970's heavy metal albums, 1970's heavy metal music, 1970's Rock, 1970's rock music, 1980's classic rock bands, 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's classic rock, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, classic hard rock, classic hard rock bands, classic hard rock music, classic heavy metal albums, classic rock, classic rock albums, classic rock bands, classic rock music, classic rock songs, current heavy metal music, essential classic rock albums, essential heavy metal albums, Gene Simmons, glam metal music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands this decade, heavy metal memorabilia, heavy metal music, heavy metal this decade, Metal, metal music, metal music today, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, Rock, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock and roll hall of fame complaints, rock music, rock music commentary, vintage hard rock albums, vintage heavy metal albums, vintage heavy metal bands with tags 1970's classic rock music, 1970's hard rock music, 1970's heavy metal music, 1970's rock music, 1980's heavy metal bands, ace frehley guitarist, american rock and roll bands, bruce kulick guitarist, classic heavy metal music, classic rock, classic rock music, eric carr drummer, eric singer drummer, gene simmons bass guitarist, Heavy Metal, heavy metal music, history of rock and roll, kiss albums, kiss army, kiss hard rock band, kiss heavy metal band, kiss rock band, mark st. john guitarist, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, paul stanley guitarist, peter criss drummer, rock and roll hall of fame, rock and roll history, rock and roll music roots, rock music, rock n' roll music, roots of rock and roll, the british invasion of rock and roll, tommy thayer guitarist, vinnie vincent guitarist on August 28, 2009 by Metal OdysseyKiss being introduced to the world in 1974 may have had more of an impact than some Rock historians think… The Grateful Dead, with their extremely loyal and abundant following with unmatched touring was American – I will never disagree with this bands unique impact on Rock Music history. However, Kiss was not about peace and love… this was the loudest band in the land Dressed To kill, singing about girls that are Hotter Than Hell, partying, Makin’ Love, God of Thunder, a Love Gun and all things against the norm in ways that were not quite presented before in Rock Music history. What Rock Band from the 1960’s used Pyrotechnics like Kiss? How many Rock musicians could spit up blood and still play the bass and sing? Who used such an elaborate and eye defying stage show before Kiss? Kiss not only made Rock n’ Roll powerful, they (gasp) made it fun and entertaining too. The marketing blitz of items that portrayed the Kiss logo and band were everywhere during the 1970’s… if you look around today, these same items plus new products bearing Kiss are around us. Any Kiss tour during the 1970’s was nothing to ignore, the Kiss Army was never just a fictitious entity… it was and still is real.
After Kiss broke all the Rock n’ Roll rules, more Rock bands than I could ever mention here took their lead and emulated Kiss either musically, with make-up, through stage shows and/or marketing. When I stop to think about it, what other Rock or Heavy Metal Band garnered more media attention during the 1970’s than Kiss? With their all around power of Rock, Kiss let it be known, through their albums, that they were not fooling themselves or the fans all along. Kiss is setting the stage again, ready to unleash their brand new album Sonic Boom onto the masses… October of 2009 should be quite the month in the life of this middle aged Metalhead, for Kiss shall return… giving back their brand of Rock n’ Roll to us all again. That is why, in my Metal opinion, Kiss gave back Rock n’ Roll to America back in 1974, they are now only going to remind us as to why their music lives on.
It is high time for the so called Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, to stop playing nonsensical games and induct an American Rock Band that redefined American Rock n’ Roll history through their music and pop culture impact, Kiss over the decades has become an American institution. Since I am on the topic, I could care less about the voting process or who votes at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, all I know is that the ignorance is growing by leaps and bounds over there in each passing year of it’s existence. I do have one word of advice for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (if you can consider this an actual word), DUH? I would guarantee this… more fans will go to this Hall of Fame to see Kiss than than anyone could ever imagine. Once again, this is my Metal opinion and I am steadfast about it.
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