The Postmaster General
12-05-2003, 03:28 PM
Gene Simmons ditches out on fans.
SOURCE: http://news.tbo.com/news/MGA0DLKOTND.html
TAMPA - Marc Anderson clutched a photo of his four children, all decked out in the familiar makeup of his favorite band, Kiss. He also held letters each child had written to the band's bassist, Gene Simmons.
Anderson, 29, drove 12 hours from Snow Hill, N.C., to meet Simmons at a book signing Thursday night at Tampa record store Vinyl Fever.
He left disappointed.
Anderson was one of about 60 Kiss fans waiting outside when word came that Simmons would not be appearing to sign Kiss CDs and copies of his book ``Sex Money Kiss.''
Publicist Suzanne Wickham, who said she had not spoken with Simmons, had been told by the band's tour manager that the musician had contracted bronchitis and been told by a doctor to stay in bed.
Simmons performed with Kiss on Wednesday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.
``I know he doesn't want to disappoint people,'' Wickham said. ``I'm sure he feels terrible about it.''
He wasn't the only one.
``I feel absolutely horrible,'' said David Brownell, 38, of New Port Richey. Brownell, a Kiss fan since 1977, says he's spent ``a fortune'' on Kiss memorabilia and has seen 23 Kiss concerts.
He also said he has six to eight months to live, barring a lung transplant.
``I was able to make it out here,'' Brownell said. ``He's saying he has bronchitis and can't make it - that takes a lot of gall.''
Scuttlebutt circulating through the crowd claimed that Simmons had been spotted Thursday at the International Plaza mall, shopping and signing autographs. The claim of bronchitis didn't fly with many who had seen Wednesday's concert.
``He sang like a bird last night,'' Brownell said.
``What happened from last night?'' Anderson wondered aloud. ``Just put a mask over your face like you did in the '70s.''
Vinyl Fever manager Gabe Echazabal, sporting a Kiss Army shirt for the occasion, was dealing with more than hurt feelings.
Vinyl Fever co-sponsored the signing with Inkwood Books. He called the cancellation a ``financial burden.''
``Everybody put in a bunch of extra hours to help with the preparation,'' Echazabal said as he stood in a near-empty store featuring prominent displays of Kiss merchandise and memorabilia.
``We put out a lot of extra money ... having the whole staff [working] on a day when we normally would have only three or four people scheduled,'' Echazabal said. ``It's not the type of thing we can just let roll off, as small a store as we are.''
Some fans were more forgiving.
``I'm disappointed but I don't know what it's like to be at that level [of fame] so who can say,'' said Adam Shoemaker, 22, of Treasure Island.
But for some, the slight won't heal so fast.
``I never thought that I would not like Kiss,'' Brownell said. ``This was my once in a lifetime opportunity to meet him. I think it's just callous.''
I think this was shitty of Simmons. It seems obvious to me that he may just have had a late night, and can't take it at his old age. To not reschedule is lude. The comments from the dying guy are the gold to this story. The 29 year old guy with 4 children, all dressed as KISS, made me feel weird for some reason.
Here is a response from the record store's site:
http://www.vinylfever.com/tampa/
SOURCE: http://news.tbo.com/news/MGA0DLKOTND.html
TAMPA - Marc Anderson clutched a photo of his four children, all decked out in the familiar makeup of his favorite band, Kiss. He also held letters each child had written to the band's bassist, Gene Simmons.
Anderson, 29, drove 12 hours from Snow Hill, N.C., to meet Simmons at a book signing Thursday night at Tampa record store Vinyl Fever.
He left disappointed.
Anderson was one of about 60 Kiss fans waiting outside when word came that Simmons would not be appearing to sign Kiss CDs and copies of his book ``Sex Money Kiss.''
Publicist Suzanne Wickham, who said she had not spoken with Simmons, had been told by the band's tour manager that the musician had contracted bronchitis and been told by a doctor to stay in bed.
Simmons performed with Kiss on Wednesday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.
``I know he doesn't want to disappoint people,'' Wickham said. ``I'm sure he feels terrible about it.''
He wasn't the only one.
``I feel absolutely horrible,'' said David Brownell, 38, of New Port Richey. Brownell, a Kiss fan since 1977, says he's spent ``a fortune'' on Kiss memorabilia and has seen 23 Kiss concerts.
He also said he has six to eight months to live, barring a lung transplant.
``I was able to make it out here,'' Brownell said. ``He's saying he has bronchitis and can't make it - that takes a lot of gall.''
Scuttlebutt circulating through the crowd claimed that Simmons had been spotted Thursday at the International Plaza mall, shopping and signing autographs. The claim of bronchitis didn't fly with many who had seen Wednesday's concert.
``He sang like a bird last night,'' Brownell said.
``What happened from last night?'' Anderson wondered aloud. ``Just put a mask over your face like you did in the '70s.''
Vinyl Fever manager Gabe Echazabal, sporting a Kiss Army shirt for the occasion, was dealing with more than hurt feelings.
Vinyl Fever co-sponsored the signing with Inkwood Books. He called the cancellation a ``financial burden.''
``Everybody put in a bunch of extra hours to help with the preparation,'' Echazabal said as he stood in a near-empty store featuring prominent displays of Kiss merchandise and memorabilia.
``We put out a lot of extra money ... having the whole staff [working] on a day when we normally would have only three or four people scheduled,'' Echazabal said. ``It's not the type of thing we can just let roll off, as small a store as we are.''
Some fans were more forgiving.
``I'm disappointed but I don't know what it's like to be at that level [of fame] so who can say,'' said Adam Shoemaker, 22, of Treasure Island.
But for some, the slight won't heal so fast.
``I never thought that I would not like Kiss,'' Brownell said. ``This was my once in a lifetime opportunity to meet him. I think it's just callous.''
I think this was shitty of Simmons. It seems obvious to me that he may just have had a late night, and can't take it at his old age. To not reschedule is lude. The comments from the dying guy are the gold to this story. The 29 year old guy with 4 children, all dressed as KISS, made me feel weird for some reason.
Here is a response from the record store's site:
http://www.vinylfever.com/tampa/