Monday’s announcement of Brooks & Dunn quitting or whatever brought to mind KISS. At the beginning of the decade, KISS announced they’d quit touring, but they are still at it. Can’t trust guys in tights who wear makeup.
A more clever marketing strategy would be live up to what they said. You remember how in 1984 David Bowie said he’d never sing another song of his recorded before that year. Think he’s still doing Ziggy and Diamond Dogs in his set.
So here’s where KISS went wrong. They could have taken a page from Chuck Berry and used backup bands wherever they toured.
I would have recommended the most unique tour ever – Gene and Paul present a tribute to KISS. A 23-city world tour. It would be like Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band tours. Ringo would gather musicians who haven’t had a career in 20 years and tour with them. Gene and Paul come on, do about five of their songs and then the pickup band gets to do some of theirs.
In Los Angeles the pickup musicians would be Dweezil Zappa, Eddie Van Halen, Eddie Vedder, Carlos Santana and Joe Satriani. These are the best guitar players alive – and the beauty is, none of them sing so Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley can dominate the concert with their own material.
In New York, B.B. King, G. E. Smith, Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass, Steve Cropper, Dick Wagner; Al Kooper and Paul Shaffer on keyboards.
In the UK this is the greatest of them all. Every living member of the ‘60s Yardbirds – Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Elvis Costello, U2’s The Edge. I’m lost at this point. There would be too much talent to use. Paul McCartney on bass, Rick Wakeman AND Keith Emerson on keyboards, along with Phil Collins – oops, he sings.
Let’s hear your city and the backup musicians – make them from the city you choose or in close proximity. Shakira and Juanes in Bogata?
No comments:
Post a Comment