Social networking sites have added a new dimension to community based media. Previously most communities, such as forums or message boards, required some sort of sign-up and the acceptance of some basic rules. With the inception of fan pages on Facebook, for example, these rules fly out the window.
Although I have tried to limit these activities on Facebook, I have recently ‘become a fan’ of a couple of things and soon realized the way things worked was way different than my perceived modus operandus. The 3 major differences that become evident are:
- No spoiler alert
- There is no apparent indication of user profiles with the exception of the fact that ‘fans’ at least have one common interest
- Threads very soon become off-topic with little or no moderation
The third point leads me nicely to the subject of this piece. Having been a ‘fan’ of Kiss for some time on Facebook, and of course, the band since the Seventies, I have recently been inundated with picture postings on my updates page. To some degree this is of interest and it has led to me to view the pictures and read some of the comments.
In a recent posting there was a plug for $7 t-shirts. Fine, I thought, but soon it became a rant on how rubbish Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer are and how they are no-where near as good as the original members – Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course, but I thought I would lend my $0.02 worth of views on the subject.
I am a big fan of the original Kiss, but certain things need to be taken into account when discussing the current line up of Kiss and their activities. Kiss are, and always will be, showmen. Their albums contain lots of, shall we say, mediocre tracks and perhaps you have to question their actual talents for the instruments they play. Regardless of their abilities, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley spend most of their time show-boating and their playing, in all honesty, is quite basic.
Thus the need for some strong talent to hold the band together. Eric and Tommy do this very comfortably allowing Paul and Gene to strut their stuff to their hearts content. You also have to consider that the founder members are in their late fifties / early sixties. For whatever reasons Ace and Peter left the band, Kiss shows of today would be like being at an old peoples’ home before high tea if they were still involved. OK, so they are not the original Kiss, but they are they for a reason. The (not-so) new boys are needed to keep the shows dynamic. If they weren’t Kiss would be rock’n'rolling all day until bedtime at eight’o'clock.
I would like to point out that I have seen Kiss twice in my lifetime. Once in 1984 with Bruce Kulick and the late Eric Carr and also last year with the afore mentioned Tommy and Eric. Both shows were great and I was delighted to finally see Kiss in their make-up. Not being the original line-up did not detract from the thrill of seeing the band one bit.
I wanted the best. I got the best. The hottest band in the world …….
KISS
