Ace Frehley, “10,000 Volts.” When KISS was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 2014, Gene Simmons said the guitar playing of Ace Frehley was “often imitated but never duplicated.” 10,000 Volts Ace Frehley MNRK, Feb. 23 6/10 Get the album on Amazon Music. It was…

Hall & Oates (Daryl Hall and John Oates) perform at the OMNI Coliseum in Atlanta on Dec. 14, 1980. Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images. In case you missed it due to travel or Thanksgiving preparations, Hall got a restraining order against Oates. Per the AP, John Oates wanted to…

Insert Foot has some thoughts on statements by Dee Snider and Paul Stanley. It’s sort of weird that two guys who made their careers out of wearing makeup and heels might be on the outs of the LGBTQ community. Gender affirming care is a complex topic that can have…

KISS performs at Aftershock Fest in Sacramento on Oct. 7, 2022. Photos courtesy Steve Thrasher, Lexie Alley and Nathan Zucker. SACRAMENTO — Discovery Park sizzled both literally and figuratively Friday on the second day of the rock and roll circus that is Aftershock Fest. The heat ruled the day,…

Neil Diamond. Wednesday is Tishrei 10, 5783, which was Yom Kippur. I’m not Jewish. I’m not anything, really, as I tend to not really be a joiner and most groups would rather not associate themselves with me. Thus, I’m not going to make myself look foolish and probably offend…

RIFF photographers’ best work in 2021 included these shots of (clockwise from top left) Lil Baby, Lindsey Stirling, J Balvin, Murs, Black Veil Brides, Tinashe, Bleachers, MisterWives, J. Cole, Korn, Megan Thee Stallion and KISS. Concerts returned, first tentatively and then in full force. We asked our photographers to…

KISS performs at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif., on Sept. 10, 2021. Sean Liming/STAFF. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — A year and a half after wagging their tongues through Oakland mere days before lockdowns, KISS brought their End of the Road Tour back through the the Bay; this time…

Insert Foot vs. Iron Maiden haters. If you didn’t notice, it’s time to get hysterical again over Rock and Roll Hall of Fame selections. I don’t get a say in the critic’s vote, which I accepted a long time ago. One doesn’t give Metallica’s St. Anger a positive review…

The Foo Fighters should rename themselves The Old Standbys. No band produces as consistently at a decently high level. Dave Grohl and company can’t be accused of not doing their part to keep rock and roll alive. For a quarter century, they’ve waved the flag of uncomplicated guitar rock,…

RIFF photographers’ best work in 2020 included these shots of Poppy, Seventeen, The Struts, Colony House, Little Image, KISS, Injury Reserve, Suzi Analogue, Elbow, Tones & I, Thundercat, Thrice, Tove Lo, George Clinton and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot. In this abbreviated year of concerts, we asked our photographers to provide…