💋 "The Wild Ride, Bill Aucoin's Unforgettable Stories of Managing KISS During their Golden Years"

[@bruce5168]

Bill helped make KISS one of the biggest bands in the world in the 70's. It's a fact

[@solo3po]

it is sad gene and paul don't give Bill the TRUE credit he deserves and respect........if it wasn't for Bill and HIS credit card........kiss wouldn't be anywhere

[@jamescrouch3217]

Finally finished this. To sum up the old KISS days with Bill Aucoin, all good things must come to an end. Job well done Bill. RIP.

[@mattrock12]

@DrPsychedelic honest question. Did Paul state that they were minors (not of legal age), or only that they were young? Huge difference

[@michaeldy3157]

@DrPsychedelic young men, legal age, i heard not boys.

[@gregyim8416]

All KISS fans should watch this. Great to hear the Kisstory from a more neutral perspective without any of the band member drama. But the kicker is all the incredible vintage photos!

[@jimhoffmann]

A fan of the Space Man? Soldier in the KISS Army? Check out historian Jim Hoffmann’s latest book, “My Search for ‘Shock Me’: Ace Frehley’s Signature Song (A Scholarly Analysis)”...www.amazon.com/My-Search-Shock-Signature-Scholarly/dp/B08CWG46ZW

[@metalmopars]

I already new a lot of this since i was a kiss fan since 1977.

[@yeldarbarrow3172]

Yeah I screenshot dafuque outta this 😆🤘😁

[@StefanvanderLaan]

You mean a drug adict, that needed a couple of (a) coins? Junkie!

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

Aucoin was hardly neutral. He was a drug-addicted con-man. You can never take one person's word for it in any of these stories about famous people; they almost always make everyone else look like an asshole but almost nothing was ever their fault. You should never, ever trust a music biz manager at all, really. They're mostly vampires (figuratively speaking). There may be some that aren't complete pricks, but I bet they're mighty rare.

[@MD-wk3gj]

I wish Bill had written a book on his time with KISS. This is a nice treat to hear in his own words.

[@larrycoker8093]

Man, I'm sitting here listening to Bill and looking at the pics and I'm just thinking, it must have been one hell of a ride from '73 to '78! What a life it must have been!

[@nice2008c]

I always smile when Bill Aucoin says "Rock N Roller". Such a compliment to whomever he is referring.

[@BryantCarter]

Being such a big KISS this was a pleasant surprise. I'm half way through and loving it. Right when you think you've heard it all there's still more! Loving these stories from Bill.

[@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS]

I'm Glad Your enjoying it Bryant, I too love all these behind the scenes recordings of a bygone era, the stories are so fascinating when your a huge fan of Rock.

[@BryantCarter]

I'll definitely be continuing to tune in!

[@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS]

Thank you

[@JerryCherryBand]

Bill was a great guy. I was in a band that worked with him in the late 90's. Best time of my life hanging with him. What a great story this was.

[@angryagain3801]

I was not aware he still had his hands in the Music Industry after the 80s. I kinda thought after Billy Idol that was the end. What band was this?

[@P121463S]

Bill was the reason Kiss made it - him and Sean Delaney

[@davidwade5807]

@@angryagain3801 . He was manager for Gwar type band called Lordi from 2006 to around 2010. Met Bill and his partner Roman a few times dining out in South Florida. Very kind person. Respect

[@arryrocks9167]

Being a KISS fan for many a decade, this is a revelation. Thank you for releasing this.

[@chrisdunnettmusic]

WOW! 1st concert was Sept. 14, 1979 and KISS is the reason I started playing Guitar and have made a career of it. this was an AWESOME interview with surprisingly many stories and photos I had not heard/seen even though I thought I had heard/seen it all. Thank you SO MUCH for posting this!

[@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS]

Awesome glad you enjoyed it..

[@chrisdunnettmusic]

@@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS YES! VERY MUCH! Shared with many of my KISS peeps on FB :)

[@rongohring4337]

Mine was October 4th 1979. I was like 12. I got the feeling g at the concert that they were not getting along too great. It was exciting but you could feel the turmoil in the band.

[@aprilskutt974]

What bands have you been in?

[@aprilskutt974]

I heard KISS for the first time when I was 10 years old. That was 1978. I was on the schoolyard and some kid had a boombox and was playing an 8 Track tape of KISS Rock N Roll Over. I still love their music.

[@GeoZero]

Peter Criss is awesome. Super nice, met him a few times when I worked at Guitar Center in SoCal. He was living in Manhattan Beach for a while from what I recall, and would come over and hang out at the Lawndale Guitar Center. He's also quite a drummer, and would sometimes jam with others at the store and even played jazz tunes.

[@pauldunlea6745]

Without Bill Kiss may not have existed

[@abelincoln5698]

He kept them afloat with his own credit card from the time they formed til they made the Alive album and began to make some money. Safe to say that without this guy they'd have probably had to break up in the mid 70s before they got to be a profitable act. He apparently really believed in what they were doing from the start

[@toneyisaiah408]

Exactly.

[@jmdavison62]

Without Bill Aucoin and Sean Delaney, Kiss would probably have remained a niche group.

[@JokersWild70]

Love how Ace completely took over the "Tom Snyder Show." Gene comes off as an old grouch, and even Tom starts ignoring Gene and concentrating on talking with Ace. Very obvious that both Paul and especially Gene were totally pissed off. Ace is fucking hilarious on it.

[@leebaldwin6015]

No,actually I'm a plumber!!!!🤣😆

[@TheMentalblockrock]

Hilarious, yes, but VERY unprofessional to turn up to a TV interview sloshed off his trolley! TV then was a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY to plug your albums and Tour (and merch in the case of Kiss).

[@MickC2167]

@@TheMentalblockrock Is this you, Paul Stanley? Ace was given alcohol by his manager, and it was also available at the station. It would have been completely boring without Ace, just Professor Klein trying to prove he's the smartest person in the room, Paul preening and pouting for the cameras, and Peter sounding depressed.

[@DonnyHooterHoot]

@@TheMentalblockrock Professionals are highly overrated in these fauxdemic days!

[@svenkaahedgerg3425]

Very refreshing to be allowed to just hear stories and not a tweaked promo. Great video.

[@JohnWhitakerHRHardball]

Ace on Tom Snyder is a national treasure

[@Eddie62070]

Tell me about it :D

[@jcw91371]

Damn straight.

[@markn3936]

One of the reasons Ace is so many people's favorite. Real guy.

[@raywideman7157]

Yea, that was pretty great. 👍 Not sure why Gene got so butt hurt about it, it repped the band well, Ace was very entertaining, and in truth, You never got to hear Ace and Peter much, so it was Cool to hear from the “other half” of Kiss. The fans loved it, and after all, that’s what it’s about at the end of the day

[@ADayInTheLifeofMrsPerkins]

Every time I get the Blues from MS all I have to do is listen to Ace's laughter and banter on that interview and my blues go away...

[@photobearcmh]

Who needs an interviewer? This are the best KISS stories I've heard from the guy who saw it all.

[@dr.pendyke4887]

The show he is talking about at 33:00 was the very first concert I ever attended. I was 8 and went with my older brothers, cousins, and an uncle we had second row, dead center seats. I still have the confetti and ticket stub, my uncle took a bunch of pictures, which I also have. The Omni, Atlanta, GA Summer of 1979.

[@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS]

Wow great story and memories.. 🤘

[@troymoody3258]

Man what a great life good stories also

[@davidhadley370]

Yep, I was there... It really felt like a weird show. I remember New England were the opening act, and that they did "tossing and Turning." I think the ticket cost $10.00...

[@garytrew2766]

That's cool man,my first KISS show was at the Omni as well, December 30, 1977. I used to go to the Omni to see concerts , I kinda miss the place.

[@MrRekarbenots]

that tour (dynasty) was the first concert i ever saw. my best friend and i, his mom and my mom and my grandma took us, no less. the whole thing was instigated by my grandma. "this boy needs more than "little red caboose', kathy". i was nine. three guys sitting right in front of us smoked joint after joint through the whole show. i didn't know what was up but sensed it's ritualistic importance. i remember them using a key ring as a roach clip. they offered my mom and her friend who politely said, 'no'. but they got high from the fumes, i feel certain. they were blazed! i was high from the band. they were hot. not bad on the 'animalize' tour seven years later, either, but not the same without ace and peter, though. good times, brother. good times...

[@Mrhasbarafree]

I was at the Melbourne gig on Nov 15th 1980. It was a wild time to be a teenager in Australia. Exciting. The whole nation was focused on Kiss.

[@philhudson...5017]

A great concert especially with the rubbish fight before the concert, they actually threatened to cancel the show, 🙈🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 The V.F.L Park would have been torn apart.... Great times.....😊👍🇦🇨🎼🎵🎶🎙

[@moudywaters]

Someone keeps walking in front of the photos. 😄 I really liked this audio. You get an honest history about what actually happened and not a bunch of fluff from certain band members who answer in such a way that it's what they think you want to hear or what they'd prefer you to hear.

[@scottfulps2065]

In 1981 the band was suffering and at a crossroads; Bill was also having a serious time with drugs, which Paul and Gene confronted him about and that is another large reason they parted ways. RIP Bill Aucoin, great Manager and the force behind KISS.

[@alfredgriffin1779]

In those days, almost EVERYONE (who could afford it) connected to the music biz (including lawyers, executives, even ex-Beatles and yes, managers) was doing blow. Cocaine was a cachet drug before it became accessible to the masses in crack/rock form. To single out Aucouin is a tad disingenuous. He was no more “deviant” nor debauched than anyone else. To my mind, his judgment never waiverd. After all, Gene and Paul were ALL IN on The Elder, 🤣😂😅

[@joseaavellanet4322]

What a great story, Bill was the one ,who really put Kiss on top of the world. Also, he did his best to keep the band members together, I think Gene & Paul did not give Peter or an opportunity, to get his act together.

[@CalebePriester]

Enjoy the good moments because those moments never last long.

[@clausm2203]

Great interview with bill aucoin i love listening to those kiss stories

[@Klaus80804]

Interesting to hear Bills version of all what had happened.

[@briankoncyk3379]

Love hearing Bill tell this stuff. Really cool hearing some fun and great to hear the Ace stories.

[@DON666]

Great! I especially like all the photos illustrating the story.

[@titoramone4465]

This is awesome! Very interesting and informative. Plus, it's cool to hear the KISS story from Bill's point of view

[@axelpteeg]

Great insightful account of a great rock'n'roll era .The early Kiss years forever part of rock'n'roll. super enjoyable . Thanks Bill

[@ozzydoop1473]

Great documentary right here : thanks for this fine historical effort

[@Lengsel7]

48:40 Eric to Gene's tongue; "You don't pay me nearly enough to be near that thing (who even knows where it's been)!"

[@jimkalfakis9893]

This was a fantastic video, I wish there was more

[@felixmartinez5792]

I had the honor of knowing Bill and being a friend and being hired to be Sound Engineer for one of his South Florida bands ! Late 90's and early 2k's . Gob bless. A real sweet man and awesome stories ❤

[@finkboy66]

What a treat! As a life-long Kiss fan it was great to hear all the stories!

[@crazykong1967]

One of the greatest managers in the history of Rock N Roll. As a lifelong fan of the ban I was sadden to hear of his passing. R.I.P Bill.

[@jondunmore4268]

Wow -- all these classic rare vintage photos that even *this* KISS fanatic has never seen before!

[@jefferfoxmustang5945]

This is great. I like his impressions of Ace.

[@charlesrobinson7469]

Very cool shot of them at Aucoin's office(last picture). I want to see a KISS documentary revealing more behind the scenes footage, like private home movies or backstage parties & rehearsals from the 70s. I'm sure it exists, but will have to be edited for content. I believe that's what we all want to see.

[@yeldarbarrow3172]

I remember seeing a couple hotel room shots with a buncha topless sleazyweezies laying all around at the guys feet in CREAM or some other rag back in their heyday. Ace chill a.f. in the back holding a glass o' champagne looking over the debauchery. Probably halfway staged photos but still pretty damn funny.

[@alfredgriffin1779]

I remember something like that back in the 70s rock mags. Gene & Peter we’re ALL IN with the backstage skeeers. There was a photo of a barely legal sket cradling Gene’s codpiece with the caption: “Gene’s cup runeth over!” Poor Lydia Criss opening a copy of Creem or Circus and seeing her husband, Peter’s mouth full of some chick’s tit.

[@mannysainz9198]

There's definitely footage. From what I've heard, Lydia has lots of stuff. Video of all of them in Japan, England, Australia etc... My guess is so do Ace and Peter. Ace always had mew gadgets video recorders and cameras. I betcha Paul and Gene won't allow it due to that they are probably self conscious and were uncomfortable and embarrassed without being behind their stage personas that they refuse to release it. I doubt very much if Ace and Peter would mind. Not just for rhe money because they they're comfortable in their own skin. Gene and Paul didn't know how to be themselves after the makeup came off. Still don't. LOL! We fans can only hope this footage will see the light of day while some of us are still alive......

[@SuperJohnnymo]

I grew up in the 60s and 70s I was never a big Kiss fan , but this story is awesome 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@ronniehdable]

What a class act this man is. Unlike Paul and gene. Thank you.

[@littlebritain64]

Thanks from my heart for this!! Subscribed!

[@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@thehouseofautumnspells258]

Bill Aucoin made KISS a success story

[@yvettevitacaponigro]

@DrPsychedelic Give it up already dude!

[@yvettevitacaponigro]

@DrPsychedelic I think you made your point several comments ago.🙄

[@jayoshay3709]

Always had great respect for this guy!!!Hes great!!!

[@jimilove7773]

Thanks! KISS Are one of the best!

[@mikem6384]

Band Manager- one of the great jobs of the world. Aucoin tells it well

[@trevorthompson7604]

Brilliant rest in peace Bill

[@gagemoss1075]

The Dynasty tour also coincided with the deaths of 11 people in Cincinnati at a concert by the Who. That tour was the last general admission concert I went to in for a good number of years. As the glass doors were shattering at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix people were yelling "remember Cincinnati......"

[@joekatvoice-overllc1479]

Saw the Dynasty show at the Cinci Riverfront Coliseum in September 1979, general admission, which was standard at the time. First and only time I tried working myself up to the stage. Made it for a few minutes - great view - but the weight of the people pushing behind me was incredible. Didn't stay there long, and moved back to safety for the rest of the show. Fast-forward to December and the news of the Who concert, and I had some understanding of what those folks went through.

[@jamescrouch3217]

Great stuff!

[@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@adamsandefur1442]

I love how when it was Gene's turn for Bill to talk about him the story that gets told is when Ace nailed the Tom Snyder interview and how gene was butt hurt about it. Funny he gets overshadowed again. Haha

[@billjannusch]

Very cool. I love KISS forever.

[@luisvillarreal5262]

@ 5:45, Ace rockin' out with an Ovation Breadwinner.

[@cameronholladay3605]

26:53 but Gene was a teacher at one point, so that was probably his only experience talking in mass public

[@user-ye9ph5iq5z]

Amazing video and great stories.

[@jefferywilliams944]

Bill was KISS.....the man who kept them together.........Praise Bill!

[@edking9336]

Very interesting.

[@JIMJAMSC]

My only Kiss story is when I was 16-18? late 70s in HS and my friend who was a Kiss fanatic always could get us into areas and had intel about bands in town via his father. He got pictures of either all the band or I know Paul and Gene w/o makeup at the hotel they were at. Surprised at how no effort was made to hide their faces. Well he contacted some of the rock magazines thinking he was going to get rich and NONE not only were not interested but most never wrote him back. Seems they had a agreement to have access to the band but if they published any pics they would be blacklisted.

[@Robert06087]

Such different times !

[@VcrRocker]

this would have made a great book - interesting Aucoin never did one - i thought Sean Delaney squandered an opportunity with Hellbox - these 2 guys probably had a ton of stories we'll never hear - i like the dynasty tour/atlanta/too big of a production/effects/paul flying stories - good stuff...

[@christinemorris8578]

Wow...what a guy. They were so lucky to have him.

[@cellblocknine5385]

I was one of Elton John's roadies during the tour they were talking about. He didn't want KISS at his party because Ace and Peter completely made a fool out of everyone and Ace kept trying to kiss and touch and rub up all over Elton as a joke. Finally Elton had enough and yelled at someone on KISS's crew to "get this fucking joker away from me". This offend Ace and he then proceeded to call Elton every homophobic slur in the book as he was being separated from Elton. We all know Ace was joking and didn't really want to make any sexual advances towards Elton but his "joke" went on too far and too long and just crossed the line. I could go into more details about what Ace did to Mr. John (and Peter too at first) but I'm too tired. Another time.

[@BACKSTAGEPASS.ROCK-NEWS]

Thank you for your response, would love to hear more stories.

[@dominikaksiazek7177]

Brilliant story! :D

[@luitaurus]

Aren't you tired anymore? Keep going with the stories, please.

[@PassengersMusic777]

I’ve seen so many rock interviews. Tom Snyder where Ace stole the show is the best I’ve seen. Close place is David Lee Roth

[@eriksixx1226]

Paul made some interesting comments about Bill.

[@saltyapostle44]

If you find vintage KISS merchandise - the licensing company is called Aucoin. I always wondered why that was.

[@waltersobchak7275]

Cards

[@AleisterNacht-Satanism]

Great story!

[@seandaly731]

Great times back then great bands and great music

[@usaslakt]

Not because it matters so much but the resturant with the pool that Bill is talking about in 21:30 min. was in Gothenburg, not Stockholm...

[@williamfabiano543]

I know Peter wasn't holding his own, but what drugs and how much had he taken to deteriorate his drumming and position in Kiss? He's went through some money and tuff times. He's a warrior.

[@TheDmonet]

He was heavily into cocaine.

[@DarrenGlen]

awsome narration...i do wish the stories werent so neutered tho. I mean stories about buckets of water in hotel rooms etc come on lets hear the stories of the drugs and chicks and orgies that we know went on backstage

[@yeldarbarrow3172]

Well.... since Bill was gay kinda don't think he was all that into reminiscing about the times he walked in on some groupie's legs in the air Gene's ass pumpin' bare.... 😆

[@jamesheiden696]

Back in the Day When Customer Service Was Helpful

[@philliphelms6505]

Remember when I was 13 and my friend Allen turns me on to KISS, I was blown away! We would go to my house and get suite out of the fire place and mix it with crisco grease and make a black past and paint our faces and put KISS albums on and my buddy played the drums for real and I would grab the old straw broom and play bass and a bottle of ketchup and you now how that went?set off smoke bombs and Jammed out to KISS ALIVE 1 !

[@johnm2617]

That's true kiss fans ! Me and my buddy would just play the brooms in his room * with the stero blast n ! It was our kiss show* 47 years ago * great times !

[@gerberbernstein7360]

Soon as they put out I was Made... they were finished for that tour. Any other song off that album would've helped the tour immensely. The tour was very expensive regardless.

[@alfredgriffin1779]

The problem with that tour was that it was FULL of parents and little kids. Dynasty was the last show that I attended until Reunion’96z

[@angryagain3801]

Did Bill write a book before he died and this is him reading from it? I'm about 7 minutes into this and so far I'm really enjoying it.

[@abelincoln5698]

he certainly didn't write a book afterwards

[@jeffjones3040]

Coke must DEFINITELY be different for different people! Because there is NO WAY that I could handle such monumental situations as Bill did, especially on coke, like he supposedly was!!!! I would panic and RUN!!!!!!!

[@AllenFreemanMediaGuru]

I bought the first album as soon as it came out. It had the song Kissing Time on it. Not long later my friend bought a copy and Kissing Time was not on the album. I may of had some early demo LP release?

[@fernandocorona424]

Great Story

[@gnbgffgcd3902]

Take a shot ever time he says “Look it”

[@gyphon2365]

So Bill...The Advertising Executive that went with you to the Diplomat Hotel to see Kiss for the first time...his name was Sean Delaney..did you forget about him?

[@bluedream9668]

Sean Delaney created the stage show, did their hair and co-wrote some of their coolest tunes,

[@BluesHawk.11]

Sean D. was Bill's boyfriend but the advertising exec was probably Howard Marks

[@THECLARENCES]

Long live the memory of Bill Aucoin. xoxo The Clarences

[@shable1436]

Akk akk akakkakk ---Ace

[@maristhegreat353]

I wished Bill had lived long enough to write a book and completely open up. I want to hear what it was like to be a gay man at that point in rock and roll. I want to hear about his relationship with Sean. I want to hear about his drug addiction and all those stories.

[@frostedhead]

I feel up thight on a thaturday night...

[@albertdavila6808]

I love the elder

[@michaelmyers3890]

KISS is the best

[@cloudtx]

Great find! What's the source for this narration?

[@mattrock12]

“I dropped my watch in the pool”. I’m dyyyyyying 💩😂😂😂🙌🏻

[@Eddie62070]

Quite the Boston accent....like in my family :)

[@alexhicks5889]

Releasing 4 solo albums at once hadn't been done before, but the first band to release solo albums was Yes.

[@shable1436]

Gene was the quiet one 😂

[@sloanchampion85]

Beth got KISS on the radio....you couldn't get a radio station to play them....the girls actually got KISS on the radio by requesting BETH over and over and that's the only song you heard on a regular basis from them until," I was made for loving you,"

[@AWCMCultMovies]

Not quite true... "Hard Luck Woman" was all over the radio when I was a 10-year-old kid in 1976. It was my gateway into discovering Kiss.

[@alfredgriffin1779]

How old are you? Beth was on DESTROYER. Hard luck woman was released subsequently, lol. As far a commercial top 40 radio was concerned, Criss’ voice WAS the airplay voice.

[@treyhorne315]

Classic.

[@joesbeard]

The solo albums should have been a limited release. Neil was doing too much blow.

[@danamark8211]

Could'nt be the cat ..the cat was peter Criss........ Kiss..hold my beer

[@raypreseau2047]

Wow, so thats what kiss is like without all the bad blood a finger-pointing.

[@davidjames4583]

Has Aucoin listen to Stanley's and Simmons' versions of these events ?? No ass KISS ing there. 🤣

[@jakelecroy5553]

Really enjoyed this video! I have only one complaint... it stops at Music From The Elder but doesn't go in to Bill's departure and the reasons why. I'm guessing his narration ended there and he chose not to include or elaborate. Regardless... Well Done! :)

[@angryagain3801]

Ace said in his book there was nothing left for him to do with the band and since The Elder was such a disaster as far as sales go, they determined they needed to change course and that included getting rid of Bill.

[@5309backbeat]

Isn't that Flow and Eddy in that last photo??

[@ersatz723]

Howie, Where's the Bag?!

[@spazio325]

🎸 🎸 ❤ 💋

[@carltonanderson863]

❤my M wife saw all of the shows they were on back then. Couldn't get enough. They were awes

[@OCEANSINSPACE]

This is awesome! I don't even like KISS but its fun to hear how their story was evolving. Sorry for Bill and aids that's sad he seemed cooler than the KISS members (speaking wise)

[@alfredgriffin1779]

Aucoin did NOT die from AIDS. Don’t assume that, merely because he was gay, smh.