Sanctuary Music Group will issue GENE SIMMONS' new solo album, Asshole, on May 18th. Asshole was produced by Simmons. He comments, "Doing a solo record is important because I write so many different kinds of songs. I literally have hundreds of songs that are demoed up that aren't right for KISS, and some songs that weren't used on KISS records I still like, like 'Carnival Of Souls' and 'Sweet & Dirty'. In assembling the album, I went and reviewed over a hundred songs that I had lying around, and then it was by process of elimination I determined what would go on the record. But at the end of the day, above and beyond style, I had to like the songs." Simmons also comments on the variety of music featured on Asshole. "My taste is eclectic and all over the place. I love all kinds of artists, from Patsy Cline to the Beatles, Motown to Hoobastank. As for the record's stylistic diversity, I'm a child of The Beatles. They created this sort of hybrid white version of American music. They could do it all - Little Richard, country, pop, soul, psychedelia. They had no rules. That had a major effect on me and that influence comes through on the record." A number of guest artists are features on Asshole. BOB DYLAN and Simmons co-wrote the album's 'Waiting For The Morning Light'. FRANK ZAPPA and Gene share co-writing credit on 'Black Tongue' and the Zappa family, including Dweezil, Ahmet, Moon, Gail and Frank himself, sing and play guitar on the song . Other guests featured on the album include JANE'S ADDICTION guitarist Dave Navarro, former KISS members BRUCE KULICK and ERIC SINGER, new Simmons Records/Sanctuary signing BAG, as well as Gene's longtime live in Shannon Tweed and their two children, Sophie and Nicholas. Asshole features the following tracklisting: 'Asshole', 'Carnival Of Souls', 'If I Had A Gun', 'Weapons', 'Waiting For The Morning Light', 'Whatever Turns You On', 'Sweet & Dirty Love', 'Beautiful', 'Dog', 'Now That You're Gone', 'Black Tongue', 'I Dream A Thousand Dreams' and 'Firestarter'.

In response to Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley's decision to hire drummer Eric Singer for the upcoming KISS tour of Japan, former KISS drummer PETER CRISS has posted the following, dated March 2nd, at his website www.petercriss.net: "To the fans... I have been receiving thousands of fan mail as to what is going on with KISS. Today, my contract ran out. No one, again no one has called me, or my attorney about an extension for future touring. As a founding member I find this to be disrespectful to me, and to the fans that have made us one of the biggest bands in the world. You will always get the truth from me, I have no reason to lie to the people that gave me such a wonderful life. And that's the god's honest truth. God bless, Peter Criss P.S. This is the stuff that breaks my heart."

From: Hard News