Summary: 2013 marks the 40th year of existence for Hottest Band in the Land. So, it makes perfect sense for us to use episode 73 (as in, 1973) as a chance to time travel to numerous destinations that played a part in the overall history of KISS. Joining on this global KISS trek is author Chris Epting. Chris is the perfect guest for this conversation as he's written a number of travel-related books on different eras of pop culture as well as his recently-released e-book, 'All I Need to Know I Learned from KISS: Life Lessons from the Hottest Band in the Land.' This book is filled with stories of how being a KISS fan shaped Chris' life and affects him even today. If you are a hardcore KISS fan, this book is definitely for you as it will certainly elicit some familiar emotions. 1. 10 E. 23rd Street - The Loft The birthplace of KISS. This location is the spot where Paul, Gene, & Peter first auditioned Ace Frehley and the band took shape. The location is now next door to a comic book store that has an inventory that includes KISS comic books. Go figure. 2. 108 116 W. 43rd St. - Hotel Diplomat The location that allowed KISS to secure management as Bill Aucoin, Sean Delaney, & Eddie Kramer all witnessed this hungry, young band that wore lots of makeup and electrified the audience in this downtrodden ballroom. A great history of the Hotel Diplomat can be found HERE. 3. 47-03 Queens Blvd. - Coventry Site of some of the earliest KISS shows before they became a touring act. Coventry changed their name from 'Popcorn' just as KISS began their run playing the location. Footage of one of their Coventry performances is on the KISSOLOGY series of DVDs. A fantastic in-depth history can be found HERE 4. 4 Pennsylvania Plaza - Madison Square Garden The site where KISS' dream was realized. During the band's earliest years, while performing at dive bars all over the country to sparse crowds, the band would psyche themselves up by imagining that that night's venue was "the Garden." This is also the site of this week's guest Chris Epting's first concert in 1977. 5. Starwood Ampitheatre - July 21, 1990 The site of Chris Czynszak's first KISS concert, Starwood is no longer in existence but it provided a venue for many KISS tours during the 90's and early 2000's. 6. 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison, WI - Veterans Memorial Coliseum The site of Aaron Camaro's first KISS concert on the Revenge tour in 1992 on December 2, 1992. 7. 106 E. 86th Street - Park Avenue United Methodist Church The front door of this church in Manhattan was the inspiration for the door used on the Music from the Elder album cover. 8. 400 Linden Street, Cadillac, MI - Cadillac High School The site of the infamous KISS invasion of Cadillac! What a lot of us would give to time travel back! 9. 124 Broadway, Amityville, NY - The Daisy The site of KISS' foray into the makeup characters we know and love today. It's rumored that their first show at the venue, which was sparsely attended, featured the band covering 'Go Now' by The Moody Blues. 10. 126 E. 14th Street, NYC - Academy of Music/The Palladium A very KISStoric site as it was the venue that hosted the band's "coming out" party to a shocked group of industry onlookers as the band upstaged headliners Iggy Pop and Blue Oyster Cult. This venue was also the site of Eric Carr's debut performance with KISS in 1980. 11. 6230 Sunset, Hollywood - Aquarius Theatre Site of tv taping for ABC's In Concert hosted by Dick Clark in 1974. KISS' earliest television appearance. 12. 1032 N. Sycamore Avenue, LA, CA - The Record Plant Site of recording for parts of Paul Stanley (1978 solo album), Killers, and Creatures of the Night. 'Nuff said. 13. 1616 Butler Avenue, LA, CA - The Village Recorder Site of recording for Hotter than Hell & parts of Paul Stanley (1978 solo album). 14. 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia, CA - Magic Mountain Now owned by Six Flags Corp, Magic Mountain was the shooting location of the infamous KISS Me
