Do your personalities correlate to their KISS counterparts? Is Natalie greedy, Trixx a drunk, Alex really old, and Cindy closeted?
Natalie - who doesn't love money?
Trixx - Emulates Ace's drunk factor to play the leads properly
Alex - Not the oldest, but the wisest
Cindy - Much like Paul, we're unsure @ times

What other bands have you been involved with?
Alex does L.A.Rockher-a tribute to Woman that Rock!
Cindy does Neuratika-an industrial metal pop band.

Trixx used to work with Fifi Larue and with Creature. Is it safe to say that he's spent more time putting on makeup than practicing scales?
Wow, that's a loaded question. In the early development of KISSES I was brought aboard as an advisor, of sorts.This included song selection, club bookings, equipment issues and yes...some make-up tips. It was also me who came up with the idea of going with the members real names combined with their KISS counter part. At first, they were going to go with names like "Gina Simmons" and "Paula Stanley". I felt it was better for them to make the project their own and let their personalities, and talents shine through. My work with Bill Aucoin and CREATURE was invaluable, here. The band has come a long way in two short years, and I hope my input was helpful to them.

As with all new bands, line ups take a while to solidify. As luck would have it, a lot of good paying gigs started rolling in and they needed someone who had the gear and could learn the set in two weeks. I was "drafted", I guess you could say. As far as me being the only dude in a "Female Tribute To KISS", I will say it is strange at times, but I'm having a lot fun doing it. They are actively searching for a female "Ace" and I will be a little bummed out when I'm booted from the band for having testicles. lol. I've only been playing with the band for a few months, now and in that short time we've all ready played The House Of Blues/Sunset, The Cat House, Angel's Road House, etc... As well as shows in Phoenix, Yuma, Upland and Canyon Country. We were supposed to play in Japan, last month, but we had scheduling conflicts with all our previously booked shows. If I'm still in, come February, we have a huge Valentine's Day show in Chicago that the local Radio Station out there is putting on.

Back to the question... When you word the question like that, it seems like Trixx Ian Vitolo (I hate it when people talk 3rd person about themself, by the way) is all about the white face/make-up thing. So here's the answer. The first time I did the KISS make-up. I was in 8th grade. I wrote and directed a skit for the talent show at my school. I called it "Hey teacher... KISS my ass". (Of course the higher ups changed it to "Teacher, KISS my butt"). It was a "dance number" to the KISS song Flaming Youth. Imagine some sort of demented cross between "West Side Story" and "Tommy". Eight "students" in KISS style make-up tie the teacher up and destroy the class room. If someone had a cam-corder, back then, it would make a great Youtube video, today. The next time I would don the white-face was several years later in CREATURE. And having said that, I started CREATURE in the summer of '86, left the band in December of '89 and we only wore the white face when Billy joined in May of '87. So that's only two and a half years. And then there's my time in Fifi Larue's band, which was 2 years. And the first few months, there, I was not doing white face. So in total, the "white face" thing for me is the exception, not the rule. I started playing the The Sunset Strip when I was 16, so we're looking at many years of stage experience. Most of it, NOT in white face. This includes my stint as Angelyne's Bassist (Yes, the Billboard One), my projects, ("BLACKSTAR", "FIRE FIRE", "BLACK WIDOW" etc.) and most recently Lead Guitarist in The Bay City Rollers! (S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y. NIGHT). Also, I currently play Bass for my friend's band "CRACKER AND COASTER", which is described as "The Blues Brother's meets Spinal Tap". Again... No white face.

As far as the "scales" part of your question... I was one of Randy Rhoads' students for 2 1/2 years, until he left to join Ozzy. Then I took several lessons from George Lynch (Awesome player... Not so awesome teacher) as well as others. I also studied music theory all through out Junior High and High School. When I was REAL young I played the Accordion (That was my Dad's idea, I think) and I also played the Trumpet before I picked up the Guitar. I had a Keyboard, back in the '80's, and was practicing that a lot... until it broke. I have recently bought another one, but every time I play it, I sound like John Tesh, when I would prefer to sound like Jon Lord, but what are you gonna do?

So, to answer the question even more specificaly, I know more scales and more theory than I will ever use playing Rock... Metal or what ever it is I'm doing. AND, I'm very proficient as a make-up artist.

Gene Simmons has a reputation for being very indiscriminate about sexual partners. Is Natalie the same way, and how can we get a hold of her?
I was never one of his partners.

What's the biggest crowd you've ever played in front of as KISSES?
House of Blues/Sunset was a great crowd Yuma,Arizona Halloween Bash was sold out.

Where/when will you be playing again?
Check us out at www.myspace.com/femalekisstribute for all show dates.

What's your favorite KISS song to play?
Love Gun, Cold Gin, God of Thunder
Love Gun, Detroit Rock City, I want you, Ladies in waiting, Deuce, She's so European and Heavens on Fire
Creatures of the Night, Flaming Youth
Is that You, Black Diamond, Strutter

Do you prefer to play standard KISS live staples, or to delve deeper into the catalog?
We play the standards cause people know them, but die hard fans appreciate songs like "Is that You", "Room Service" and "Do You Love Me".

Cindy and Natalie appear to be into some pretty extreme metal. Does playing KISS songs seem a little boring compared to that?
I'm an open book. I like all kinds of music. KISS is a band I grew up with thanks to my dad (who's also a musician with his own band).
I like all kinds of music. When you're wearing platform shoes & spitting blood, how can this really be boring?

On your myspace page, there are pics of the band gasp) without makeup! There are also links to members' personal pages containing makeup-less pics. Doesn't that ruin the mystique?
It's not the 70's & we can't control the media. With the interent it's impossible to maintain the mystique. Besides, the fans are always screaming for us to take it off, and they don't mean the make-up!

Would you ever consider replacing Trixx with Vinnie Vincent? He's rumored to be a woman now and could probably use the work...
If the operations complete, he's in! I mean she's in!!

Will Natalie ever try to claim credit for discovering Sheruption - the female tribute to Van Halen?
Yes, if it means I get a cut! hahah. In fact our friend Leigh "Goddess of Thunder" from the female KISS tribute "Black Diamond Girls" is in that band...so she can claim credit I suppose!

Isn't Cindy a little young to be a KISS fan? Has she ever seen the band live?
No, I was born after they took the make-up off, but I grew up with them. A big screen t.v. & both KISSOLOGIES let's me live the KISS experience.

What's been your most KISS-like moment thus far?
We were walking down Hollywood Blvd in full KISS make-up and costume and people were paying us money to take pics with them.

Do you have any overpriced merchandise we can buy?
Like a KISSES kasket? Is $45.00 too much to ask for a bumper sticker? Natalie's bloody towel from doing "God of Thunder" always ends up on Ebay!

Any famous last words for potential fans that might be reading?
You wanted the Breasts, you got the Breasts. The hottest band in the land...KISSES!!

Come see us play...You'll love it!

Doesn't that make you want to go check 'em out? Thanks to KISSES for taking the time to talk to us. Visit them on myspace: www.myspace.com/femalekisstribute or just leave them a comment below.