Coming This KISS-mas, Buffalo Rock City, The Box Set which includes these albums!

From September 2020

“Buffalo Rock City”- Greatest KISS Tribute Album
Album Featuring Significant People in “KISStory” Raising Funds to Fight Homelessness

Now in all digital stores and streaming media is the best KISS tribute album ever made: “Buffalo Rock City”! The recording’s proceeds are geared to help the Compass House Foundation, a charitable organization which helps the homeless youth in Buffalo, New York.

Lifelong KISS fan and tribute band, KISS THIS! founder and guitarist, John Jeffrey, assembled the album. He felt it important to have a quality, KISS related release, which was large in part, represented the Western New York music scene.

Collaborating locally and via remote locations, “Buffalo Rock City” was carefully recorded, to ensure the final product would sound like a complete album of work. To create a solid foundation, ALL the drum and bed tracks were recorded in the SAME studio on the SAME day.

Being that “Buffalo Rock City” serves a greater purpose, it was decided the songs would, generally, elevate those in need. The choices are all NON-cock rock KISS songs. John Jeffrey says, “While KISS is famous for their tongue-in-cheek innuendo, it made sense to record songs which resonate with the struggles some people may experience, and interpersonal things most people may struggle with, day to day.”

The album presents hits and GREAT B-sides from KISS’ entire history as a recording band. This includes songs from their 1974 self-titled debut, all the way up to the last ever (so far!) KISS studio album from 2012, “Monster.” The album features remakes of songs that were first sung by all FOUR original members of KISS (Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley & Peter Criss). It includes songs originally played by all members of the group: all FIVE lead guitarists (Ace Frehley, Vinnie Vincent, Mark St. John, Bruce Kulick & Tommy Thayer) and the focal drummers from the band’s studio recordings: Peter Criss, Eric Carr, Eric Singer, and Anton Fig.

“Buffalo Rock City” features the “best of the best” musicians from Western New York. In addition to KISS THIS!, there’s DoDriver, an all original act, handpicked by KISS members and their manager Doc McGhee, to open for KISS on the Sonic Boom tour at Darien Lake on August 13, 2010. Contributions to the collaboration album were also made by National/World-wide recording artists, Robby Takac (vocals), Tommy Henriksen (vocals/bass), Tommy Denander (guitar), Deen Castronovo (vocals), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (guitar), Philip Shouse (bass/guitar), Jeremy Asbrock (guitar), Ryan Spencer Cook (vocals) & Mitch Weissman (vocals). These “celebrity guests” have toured and recorded with Asia, Ace Frehley, Alice Cooper, Doro, Accept, Gene Simmons, Guns N’ Roses, Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, The Hollywood Vampires, Goo Goo Dolls, Michael Jackson, Toto, The Dead Daisies, Paul Stanley, and Beatlemania.

Mitch Weissman’s lead vocals in his “While The City Sleeps” marks a significant note in “KISStory.” His song originally appeared on KISS’ 1984 release, “Animalize.” This is the first time a KISS co-writer re-recorded a new studio version of a KISS song that he wrote with the band!

Another legend in KISS recording lore is Jay Messina. Messina, who mastered “Buffalo Rock City,” has been working with KISS since 1976, engineering and mixing the band’s breakout album “Destroyer.” He engineered and mixed 1979’s “Dynasty” and co-mixed the next album, “Unmasked” (1980). John Jeffrey says, “Jay Messina knows what a KISS album should sound like; he did an amazing job in the mastering process of ‘Buffalo Rock City.’”

In tradition with the great KISS album covers, comic artist Kevin Conrad did the pencils and inks for the front cover of “Buffalo Rock City.” A life-long KISS fan, Kevin’s known for his work with Todd McFarlane, who hired him to ink all 31 issues of his “KISS – Psycho Circus” comic book series. The cover art depicts KISS THIS! musicians wearing their favorite era costumes for the KISS member they personify. The band follows the iconic KISS “Destroyer” poses in front of Buffalo’s City Hall.

The Compass House Foundation is the charity recipient of proceeds of “Buffalo Rock City.” Located in Buffalo, NY, its mission is to provide runaway, homeless and street youth with safe shelter and services, in an environment that supports dignity, respect and self-reliance.

“Buffalo Rock City” tracks:
“Black Diamond” (Bumblefoot & Deen Castronovo)
“Detroit Rock City” (KISS THIS!)
“Hard Luck Woman” (Robby Takac)
“New York Groove 78/80” (Tommy Henriksen & Tommy Denander)
“Dirty Livin'” (Ryan Spencer Cook & Philip Shouse)
“Hard Times” (Philip Shouse)
“I’ve Had Enough (Into the Fire)” (Various artists)
“Back on the Streets” (Various artists)
“Street Giveth and the Street Taketh Away” (Various artists)
“Jungle” (DoDriver)
“It’s My Life” (Jeremy Asbrock)
“Freak” (Various artists)
*bonus collector’s track* “While the City City Sleeps” (Mitch Weissman)

From Sept. 2022

Western New York KISS-Tribute Band, KISS This!
Releases CD, “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE”
and Music Video “Lick It Up,” Live
In Partnership with Music Is Art and Live Performance

This Saturday, September 10, 2022, Buffalo, New York’s tribute band, KISS THIS!, will be releasing a limited-edition, CD “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!” and music video “Lick It Up.”

“Buffalo Rock City ALIVE” is the follow-up to the critically-acclaimed 2020 KISS tribute album, “Buffalo Rock City.” “ALIVE!” will only be available at the Music Is Art Festival (at Buffalo Riverworks & Riverfest Park, 359 Ganson Street), Buffalo, on September 10, from 11 AM till 11 PM, priced to sell, for ONLY $5.

“Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!” features six performances from KISS THIS!’s live archive, going back to 2017, with 4 songs recorded during the 2021 (the 19th annual) Music Is Art Festival, run by Goo Goo Dolls co-founder Robby Takac. Robby and KISS THIS!’s connection dates to 2015, when the band was asked to open for the Goo Goo Dolls’ main stage performance at the 13th annual Music Is Art Festival. “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!” is Music Is Art’s first partnership for a live album, as this is this is the first official release including live performances from Music Is Art.

On Friday at midnight/12:00 AM ET, KISS THIS! is releasing a music video of their live performance of “Lick It Up” with Knight Crew frontwoman Debbie Knight. KISS THIS! features John Jeffrey as original KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley, bassist Taylor Stursa as Gene Simmons, guitarist Kevin Blakita as Paul Stanley, and drummer Julius Giambelluca as “the Fox” Eric Carr. Watch the video at https://youtu.be/8u2DXMCkbSA

Other live performers on the live album are drummer Shawn Przybylak and guitarist Gene Schmidt, who were on the original 2020 release, “Buffalo Rock City.” Guest vocalists from the “Buffalo Rock City” album reprised their parts on “ALIVE!,” including Western New York talents Jody Velletta (Dodriver), Nat Peace (Judas Priest tribute band, Call for the Priest and the Rush tribute, Analog Kids), plus Casey Moyer (716 Dance Band), and the Goo Goo Dolls/Music is Art producer Robby Takac.

Lockport native, John Peace, (a great local producer and father of “Buffalo Rock City” alumnus vocalist Nat Peace) mixed the new production to “perfection,” notes John Jeffrey. “Mr. Peace has assembled and remixed professional live releases from a range of acts including the Beach Boys and Pink Floyd, and he’s supportive of all things hard rock and heavy metal.” Having such an extensive background in working on live recordings made Peace an obvious choice to have mix the album.

Eventually the Johns—Peace and Jeffrey—co-produced “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!” with the best sounding recordings from the KISS THIS! audio archive, along with the songs preserved from the Music Is Art performance.

The album’s artwork was done by renowned KISS fan artist Nobuya Tamaki, who has many of his pieces of art used by KISS. The design pays homage to the Gene Simmons white room/blood session done in 1977 with Lynn Goldsmith to promote “KISS ALIVE II.”

Each “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE” CD comes with a randomly inserted trading card, featuring photos of the members of KISS THIS! and the Buffalo Rock City 2021 Music Is Art performers. All proceeds will be donated to Music Is Art.

“Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!” tracklisting:

1. “Psycho Circus” performed by KISS THIS!
Recorded in Tonawanda, NY at Niawanda Park 8/4/18

2. “I’ve Had Enough (Into the Fire)” performed by Buffalo Rock City Recorded in Buffalo, NY at Music Is Art 9/11/21

3. “Freak” performed by Buffalo Rock City
Recorded in Buffalo, NY at Music Is Art 9/11/21

4. “War Machine” performed by KISS THIS!
Recorded in West Seneca, NY at the Rockin’ Buffalo Saloon 1/21/17

5. “Back on the Streets” performed by Buffalo Rock City
Recorded in Buffalo, NY at Music Is Art 9/11/21

6. “Hard Luck Woman” performed by Buffalo Rock City featuring Robby Takac Recorded in Buffalo, NY at Music Is Art 9/11/21

7. “Shock Me” performed by KISS THIS!
Recorded in Hamburg, NY at Memorial Park 7/5/19

8. “Lick It Up” performed by KISS THIS! with Debbie Knight Recorded in North Tonawanda, NY at Gateway Harbor 6/23/21

9. “Beth” performed by KISS THIS! Recorded in North Tonawanda, NY at Gateway Harbor 7/26/17

10. “New York Groove” performed by KISS THIS!
Recorded in North Tonawanda, NY at Gateway Harbor 7/25/18

From October 2023

“Buffalo Rock City II” – Fun Love Songs Helping the Maria Love Fund
(Hard Rock All-Stars Joins Western New York Talents on KISS Tribute Album)

“Buffalo Rock City II” is coming October 31, 2023 to digital media and CD (via Bandcamp at LINK) and at “brick and mortar” retail record stores. “BRC II” is the sequel to the first “Buffalo Rock City,” the best KISS tribute album ever made! Proceeds from the sales of “BRC II” are earmarked to the Maria Love Fund, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, providing immediate financial assistance to those in need.

Lifelong KISS fan and KISS THIS! founder/guitarist, John Jeffrey, has, once again, assembled a who’s who of artists, largely representing the Western New York music scene. Among the artists are original “Buffalo Rock City” alumni: Shawn Przybylak (drums), Gene Schmidt (guitar), Joe Teresi (guitar), Rock Rollain (bass) and Nat Peace (vocals). “II” features WNY “newcomers” to the studio project – Larry Kremer (drums), Kylie Velletta (vocals) & Debbie Knight (who made her first “BRC” appearance on 2022’s, “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!”). The 2 headlining bands returning to “Buffalo Rock City II” album, are tribute band, KISS THIS! and DoDriver, an all-original act, handpicked by KISS and their manager Doc McGhee, to open for KISS on the Sonic Boom tour at Darien Lake on August 13, 2010.

Another WNY artist bassist Billy Sheehan spearheads the list of international rock artists contributing to the project. The album features John Corabi (vocals), Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), John Gioeli (vocals), Jean Beauvoir (vocals), Tommy Henriksen (vocals), Tommy Denander (guitar), Howie Simon (guitar), Rafael Moreira (guitar) Deen Castronovo (drums/vocals), Steve Blaze (guitar), Philip Shouse (bass), Dave Comer (vocals) & Mitch Weissman (vocals). These “celebrity guests” have toured and recorded with Ace Frehley, Alice Cooper, Warlock, Accept, David Lee Roth, Hardline, Talas, KillSET, Gene Simmons, Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, The Hollywood Vampires, Lillian Axe, Winger, Stryper, Tesla, Michael Jackson, Motley Crue, The Dead Daisies, The Ramones, The Plasmatics, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Stanley, Soul Station and Beatlemania.

Mitch Weissman, who sang on “Buffalo Rock City,” returns with his co-write with Gene Simmons, “What You See Is What You Get.” Originally demoed by Weissman and Simmons for the 1987 Ron Nevison produced KISS album, “Crazy Nights,” the Mitch and BCR’s producer John cleared 30-year old cobwebs to complete this special song.
Making an additional note in “KISStory,” Jean Beauvoir plays a significant role, recording a brand new version of “Who Wants To Be Lonely,” which he originally contributed to KISS’ 1985 release, “Asylum.”

“Buffalo Rock City II” was mixed by C.Wood (Brian McKnight, Rascal Flatts, Alicia Keys, Leann Rimes, Lenny Kravitz, Justin Timberlake, Kenny G & Slash) and David Julian. Julian is an established producer and songwriter, who has written songs for Jack Russell (Great White) and Ace Frehley.

Keeping in tradition with the great KISS album covers, Kevin Conrad, the comic artist who penciled and inked the front cover of “Buffalo Rock City,” created a masterpiece once again– the front and back art for “II.” A life-long KISS fan, Kevin’s most known for ink all 31 issues of Todd McFarlane’s “KISS – Psycho Circus” comic book series. This new BCR II cover art depicts the KISS members that the musicians in KISS THIS! portray and personify. The cover is an homage to the iconic KISS “Love Gun” album artwork, featuring Buffalo’s Albright Knox Art Gallery as the centerpiece.

As the first album, “Buffalo Rock City” focused on topical/non-cock rock KISS songs, it was decided that “Buffalo Rock City II,” while serving a greater purpose, would focus exclusively on all the fun “love” themed songs in the catalog.

The first music video for the album, “Calling Dr. Love,” filmed and directed by Joe Palumbo of Niagara River Pictures LLC) can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvkZuy_C4s.

“Buffalo Rock City II” tracks:
“I Stole Your Love ’89” (Johnny Gioeli & Howie Simon)

“Saint And Sinner” (DoDriver)

“Who Wants To Be Lonely” (Jean Beauvoir)

“Down On Your Knees” (John Corabi)

“Have Love Will Travel/Got Love For Sale'” (Dave Comer)

“Tomorrow and Tonight” (Dave Comer)

“Love For Sale” (Billy Sheehan & Jeff Scott Soto)

“Calling Doctor Love” (KISS THIS!)

“Makin’ Love” (KISS THIS!)

“Save Your Love” (Tommy Henriksen & Philip Shouse)

“Love Gun” (Deen Castronovo & Rafael Moreira)

“Shoot U Full Of Love” (Various artists)

“Exciter” (Dave Comer)

“You Love Me To Hate You” (Steve Blaze)

“I” (Dave Comer & Tommy Denander)

“Hell Or High Water” (Various artists)

“What You See Is What You Get” (Mitch Weissman)

Album # 4 Solo Obsession

The new album: “Solo Obsession”

The newest album (available exclusively as part of the Boxed Set) features previously unreleased KISS-related covers, compiling new renditions of two songs from each the 1978 “KISS” solo album releases of the four original members, plus one from each post KISS solo members’ releases.
While the first “Buffalo Rock City” album and “Buffalo Rock City II” both featured recordings of songs done by the co-writers of the tracks they helped create (Mitch Weissman singing “While the City Sleeps” and Jean Beauvoir singing “Who Wants to Be Lonely”), boxed Set producers John Jeffrey, Dave Comer & John Peace decided that In addition to working with other great Western New York musicians, they wanted to push the envelope once again, and this time, actually recruit original performers who had played on some of the original tracks, to recreate their parts for “Solo Obsession.”
Musicians on “Solo Obsession”:
· Brad Fernquist (Goo Goo Dolls lead guitarist) played all guitars on “All About You” (from Paul’s 2006 “Live To Win”)
· Mitch Weissman (Beatlemania) recreated his original harmony vocals on “Mr. Make Believe” (from Gene’s 1978 solo album),
· Frehley Comet’s vocalist Tod Howarth added his signature vocals from “Insane” (off the 1988 Frehley’s Comet album “Second Sighting”). This was recorded as a tribute to original Frehley’s Comet bassist John Regan, who passed away in April of 2023.
· Guitarist/producer Tommy Denander (who is a featured guitarist on Paul Stanley’s “Live To Win” plays on two Peter Criss songs “Hooked On Rock ’N’ Roll” from 1978 and “Let It Go” from 1982’s “Let Me Rock You.”)
· Tim “Ripper Owens, mostly known for his tenure in Judas Priest and currently in KK’s Priest sang “Carnival of Souls” from Gene’s his 2004 solo opus, “Asshole.” The origin of the song dates back to the early 1990’s.
“Solo Obsession” was mixed by John Peace (“Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!”) and David Julian (“Buffalo Rock City II”) and mastered by Anthony Cassuccio (“Buffalo Rock City II”). Melanie Watts (artist and booklet designer for “Buffalo Rock City II),” handled the artwork for “Solo Obsession.”