THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608010197
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 30 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By John Harper
LENGTH: 78 lines
GET READY to rock 'n' roll all night.
Cold Gin, a Virginia Beach-based ``Kiss'' tribute band, brings the music and pyrotechnics of the '70s rock group to the Atlantis nightclub in Nags Head on Tuesday.
Many critics wrote Kiss off as a passing fad in the '70s, saying the band owed more to makeup manufacturer Maybelline than to Maybellene - or any other of Chuck Berry's rock 'n' roll songs. But there was no denying the band's popularity.
From 1974 until 1979, the white-faced Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss produced a half-dozen million selling albums, the best of which was 1976's ``Destroyer.'' The album disclosed Kiss as a band able to convey considerably more range and subtlety in its material than the other heavy metal groups of that era.
MTV and other music video channels helped the band through the '80s. Television viewers could see what concert goers had seen for years: loud, pure rock and roll music augmented by psychedelic lighting, bursts of flames, explosions, smoke patterns and descending platforms for the bandsmen.
Peter Criss left the band in 1981 and was replaced by Eric Carr. In 1984, the cold cream came out - and Kiss's makeup disappeared. Ace Frehley quit in 1985. His replacement, guitarist Mark St. James, contributed heavily to the band's last two best-selling albums: ``Animalize'' and ``Asylum.''
But by 1989, Kiss was off the rock 'n' roll circuit. A year later, Kevin Colon (who portrays Gene Simmons), Paul Helms (Ace Frehley), Chico Silvia (Peter Criss), and Eddie Jetta (Paul Stanley) formed Cold Gin. The tribute band, in full makeup, has played a thousand shows since then.
``It's a real theatrical show,'' says the band's manager, Al Biondi. ``We use many of the same special effects as Kiss.''
Cold Gin serves up two-dozen Kiss classics, including ``Calling Dr. Love,'' ``Beth,'' ``I Was Made For Lovin' You,'' ``Detroit Rock City,'' ``I Love It Loud'' and ``Strutter.''
And if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, how does Kiss feel about these copycats?
``They like us,'' Biondi says. ``Once they drove by in a limo to check us out at an outdoor gig we were playing. They rolled down the windows and gave us the thumbs-up sign.''
The big news this summer is the Kiss reunion. Simmons, Stanley, Criss and Frehley have kissed and made up and are back in makeup for a stadium tour. The chances of seeing Kiss on the Outer Banks? Forget about it.
But Cold Gin is coming to Atlantis Tuesday. Send in the clones.
Appearing Friday at Atlantis is the Richmond-based Agents Of Good Roots.
Touring in support of their debut album, ``Where'd You Get That Vibe?,'' the band's music has been compared to works of everyone from Morphine to Steely Dan to John Coltrane.
``Our roots are in jazz and funk,'' says guitarist/vocalist Andrew Winn, who holds a master's degree in music. ``But basically we're a rock and roll band.''
Drummer Brian Jones has performed with national recording artists John D'Earth and Glenn Wilson. The band also features bassist and vocalist Stewart Myers. Saxophonist/flutist J.C. Kuhl joined the group after hearing the other three members practice.
``The sound they were producing,'' Kuhl says, ``was different from anything I had ever heard before.''
Winn, Jones and Myers are the group's main songwriters. The three also share lead vocals.
``Usually the one that writes the song will become the lead vocalist,'' Myers says. ``I feel this contributes to our versatility.''
``Where'd You Get That Vibe?'' features 11 songs, ranging from the jazzy ``Sidewinder'' to the ballad, ``Miss Misbelieving.''
``Turtle Dove,'' with Kuhl's sputtering saxophone, recalls the Average White Band (``Pick Up The Pieces,'' ``Cut The Cake'') in its prime.
``The album is a tight package of our sound,'' Winn says. ``It focuses on the songs with a suggestion of what goes on at our live shows.''
Agents of Good Roots becomes part of a really big live show Aug. 30 when the band joins Blues Traveler, Lenny Kravitz, Rusted Root, 311, Son Volt, Taj Mahal, and Cycomotogoat at the H.O.R.D.E. Festival at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW WILSON
Catch the Agents Of Good Roots Friday at Atlantis. The band's music
has been compared to the works of Steely Dan and John Coltrane. by CNB