HIGH IN HIGH SCHOOL.

When I hear people talking shit about KISS these days it’s the lamest thing ever. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions and personal tastes, but don’t be a snarky dingus about four leather-clad monsters that took over the world in 1975 to play rock ‘n roll. GTFO.

I have nothing but love for classic-era KISS which has a lot to do with KISS being my first concert, courtesy of my dad a.k.a. Pops TNUC. It was also the first time I saw a pair of boobs. It might sound cliche, but that experience changed my life.

While recently revisiting old high school movie classics like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Stoned Age, Tuff Turf, Rock ‘N Roll High School, Dazed and Confused and Detroit Rock City, I remembered the old story of how KISS invaded a high school in the small town of Cadillac, Michigan in October of 1975…

“In 1973 the Cadillac High School Vikings football team finished undefeated with a perfect 9-0 record. Spirits were soaring as the 1974 season began, but the Vikings lost the first two games of the season. We coaches knew that the team was talented, but we also knew that the pressure of living up to the accomplishments of the previous year were causing the team to play below their abilities. We were looking for something to lighten the atmosphere and playing Rock and Roll in the locker room before practices and games was suggested. As the resident Rock and Roll expert, head coach Dave Brines gave me the task of picking the music. I chose a new and outrageous band — KISS. They were wild, bold, and loud. Plus, their name invoked an old football credo — Keep It Simple Stupid. It was a match that was meant to be. The 1974 team won its final seven games with KISS as an inspiration. The band heard about what we were doing and instantly adopted the Vikings as their team. Then in October of 1975 the unbelievable happened, KISS came to Cadillac High School and played a homecoming concert in the high school gym. It’s an event that has become a cornerstone of KISStory and a legendary event in Rock and Roll!”
– Jim Neff, Cadillac High School Vikings Assistant Coach

Unless you were a student at Cadillac HS, one can only imagine the feeling of this teenage fantasy come to life. I used to sit in my high school auditorium during assemblies and and literally dream about my favorite band busting through the room with loud guitars, blood and fog.

KISS not only strutted through the town and school hallways to take photos with students, they put the icing on the cake by rocking a concert in the school gymnasium! The following day the band surprised everyone by landing a helicopter on the football field during the homecoming festivities.

I need a time machine made out of a Delorean right about now.