Tag Archives: Kiss Army

EXCLUSIVE FEATURE

SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL

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There are few things in rock ‘n’ roll more iconic than a crowd of sweaty, black-clad heavy metal fans, fists in the air, two fingers raised like pitchforks to the sky. The “devil’s horns” isn’t just a hand gesture—it’s a battle cry for those who choose to keep the flames of metal alive forever. A secret handshake. A tribal chant forged in distortion and molten metal. But who actually invented this worldwide symbol of all things hard, loud, and gloriously unholy?

With the legendary Black Sabbath set to take its final bow on July 5 in their hometown of Birmingham, England, there’s no better time to dive into the origins of one of heavy metal’s most enduring symbols: the iconic devil’s horns. Who truly brought this gesture into the heart of the genre? Let’s break it down.

Dio’s Bond with Fans Inspires Legendary Salute

Ronnie James Dio flashing the horns during a Black Sabbath concert.

The story begins—where else?—with Black Sabbath. And not, as many believe, with Ronnie James Dio. Long before Dio’s mighty pipes lured audiences to the Dark Side, it was Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler who first threw the horns. The year was 1968. The setting: a photo shoot for Sabbath’s earliest incarnation. The image? Butler curling his fingers into the now-infamous salute—middle and ring finger down, pinky and index finger up, thumb across the palm. Proof? You bet your leather pants there is. Geezer’s got the photo to back it up. No TikTok filters. No staged Instagram lighting. Just pure, proto-metal attitude caught on film.

Ozzy Osbourne giving a two fisted peace sign during Black Sabbath’s early days..

So, why does Dio get the credit? Well, credit where it’s due—Dio did for the devil’s horns what Jimi Hendrix did for the Stratocaster. He took an idea and turned it into a movement. When Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne as Sabbath’s frontman in 1979, he knew he had big (and bat blood-stained) shoes to fill. Ozzy had his peace sign—a groovy remnant of flower power days. But Dio? He wanted something different. Something darker. Something that screamed “I command the night!”

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LIVE SHOWS

KISS ALIVE AT HOLLYWOOD BOWL

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KISS Bids Farewell to L.A. with Legendary Sold-Out Show at Hollywood Bowl.

On November 3, the illustrious Hollywood Bowl bore witness to yet another historic musical milestone, playing host to legendary rock band KISS‘ first Bowl show as well as its final Los Angeles performance.

The Hollywood Bowl gig marked the 26th occasion of KISS gracing Greater L.A. stages, which is something the band acknowledged during the electrifying two-hour set that delivered a barrage of timeless hits that inspired the sold-out crowd to rock and roll all night!

From their humble beginnings at the Santa Monica Civic as a supporting act to now headlining the iconic Hollywood Bowl for the first and final time, KISS’ journey has been nothing short of remarkable. And they certainly delivered in Hollywood.

A giant black curtain with KISS’ logo in silver fell as the band kicked off the evening with the iconic “Detroit Rock City” setting the stage for an electric performance that would only intensify.

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LIVE SHOWS, ROCKIN’ EVENTS

ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE

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Legendary guitarist Ace Frehley’s debut headlining show at Whisky A Go-Go brings out the KISS Army’s rock soldiers to the Sunset Strip.

Legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley headline The Whisky A Go-Go for the first time ever on February 27 and he did not leave without tearing the roof off of the joint. The 71-year-old rock icon looked great and was in High spirits as he continually tossed guitar picks to the fans and shared stories about his life in music.

“The Spaceman” may have been unmasked but he definitely brought back the same raw energy and ferocious hard-rockin’ energy that helped make KISS one of the biggest bands in the world. Frehley started the show at around 9:45 p.m. and immediately had the crowd fist-pumping when he opened the show with “Rip it Out,” the killer opening track to his 1978 KISS-related solo album. The second the opening chords of “Rip It Out” started to echo throughout the room, the suddenly ubiquitous devil’s horns salutes let you know the crowd of diehard rock soldiers from the KISS Army were pleased.

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ROCKIN’ EVENTS

ROCKET MAN

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Ace Frehley is bringing his KISS and solo hits to the Whisky, Feb. 27.

Get set to rock and roll all night when iconic former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley gets back in the West Hollywood groove with a headlining gig at the Whisky A Go-Go on February 27.

As we said back in 2017 when he headlined the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, the founding KISS member is really in his element when he’s commanding the stage as a frontman. He puts on an exciting two-hour set of non-stop rockers that include his own classic KISS, Frehley’s Comet, and solo hits.

During his set, Frehley covers many KISS classics, like “Rocket Ride,” “Cold Gin” and “Shock Me” as well as solo hits like “Rock Soldiers” and his cover of “New York Groove” from his 1978 KISS solo album.

Frehley’s equally famous smokin’ Gibson guitar will also make a guest appearance along with a few guest artists to be announced soon.

The Whisky A Go-Go is located 8901 Sunset Boulevard at Clark Street. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $65.