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Title: 10,000 Dolts! An essay about recent activities in the online KISS world from an Italian KISS Fan

Alright, buckle up, folks. Let's talk about the KISS FAQ message board and where it took a wrong turn. As an Italian KISS fan, I've spent my fair share of time navigating the digital halls of online KISS fan zones, and let me tell you, it's been quite a ride.

At first glance, the message board seems like the ultimate hangout spot for KISS enthusiasts like myself. You've got discussions about everything from the band's epic discography to their most memorable live performances. It's like a virtual KISS convention, and who wouldn't want to be a part of that?

But here's the kicker: beneath all the fanfare and camaraderie lies a murky underbelly of toxicity and elitism. Yeah, you heard me right. Toxicity, like the kind you'd find seeping out of a neglected swamp. It's the kind of stuff that turns what should be a celebration of all things KISS into a battleground of insults and ego trips.

And don't even get me started on the elitism. You've got some members strutting around like they're the gatekeepers of KISS fandom, looking down their noses at anyone who dares to disagree with them or, God forbid, admit they haven't listened to every rare obscure foreign mix. As an Italian fan who believes in inclusivity, this kind of snobbery just doesn't sit right with me.

But here's where it gets really interesting. You see, there's this curious double standard when it comes to discussing KISS albums versus solo projects, like Ace Frehley's latest masterpiece, "10,000 Volts." This appears to be fair game to mock yet the same people (MR SLOW) get their noses bent out of shape if anyone dare call out KISS for their own shortcomings.

Some people (MR SLOW) seem to think that criticizing anything related to KISS is sacrilegious. It's like the band's albums are these sacred relics that must be protected at all costs, even if it means stifling honest conversation and constructive criticism.

Some people (MR SLOW) have a big KISS stick up their butts despite pretending to be the laid back life of the party.

As a fan who's all about keeping it real, this double standard just doesn't fly with me. I believe that every aspect of KISS's legacy, whether it's their albums or their solo projects, deserves to be scrutinised and discussed openly and respectfully. That's how we keep the fan community vibrant and engaged, not by shutting down dissenting voices or sweeping uncomfortable truths under the rug.

So, where do we go from here? Well, for starters, how about we ditch the toxicity and elitism and focus on what really matters: our shared love for one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Let's embrace diversity of opinion and welcome newcomers with open arms (and open legs, to quote the Starbearer) regardless of whether they've been fans since day one or just discovered KISS yesterday.

As an Italian KISS fan, I'm optimistic that by acknowledging our faults and working together to build a more inclusive and welcoming community, we can reclaim the spirit of camaraderie and celebration that drew us to the KISS FAQ message board in the first place. Who's with me?



My KISS Odyssey : A Tale of Italian Fandom
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10,000 Dolts! An essay about recent activities in the online KISS world from an Italian KISS Fan
https://forums.metalsludge.tv/forums/vi ... 1&t=385093

Only opened this thread to say, "Nope, not reading this mess."

This was your most boring chapter yet.

We dont know Mr Slow or any of your other dork friends. Just beg to be reinstated over there, so you can be with your people.

Mr slow is the dmbrocker of kissfaq

The real problem with the FAQ is the pompous ass who runs it. It's basically a vehicle to sell his books and actual KISS “discussion” is strongly frowned upon. Anyone who disagrees with him is quickly banned and anyone who doesn’t is a bore (like him). He also doesn’t allow ANY talk about a couple of his good buddies over there who by many accounts are not really good guys. Not naming names, but it’s pretty obvious who those posters are.

A peek into the lives and minds of middle aged incels.

They’re all Mr.Slows.

Wiseacre wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:59 pm He also doesn’t allow ANY talk about a couple of his good buddies over there who by many accounts are not really good guys. Not naming names, but it’s pretty obvious who those posters are.

So name names.

Mr. Slow vs. ACE STOOL!

Roland- What is your opinion of Grand Classic aka Ghey Man?

Sorry I don’t know who that is I was only on KISS FAQ for a short time I don’t know every person.

Roland Rockover wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 7:19 pm Sorry I don’t know who that is I was only on KISS FAQ for a short time I don’t know every person.

Have you ever used the word "unalived" in a sentence?

MR SLOW = risingretard

Wiseacre wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:59 pm The real problem with the FAQ is the pompous ass who runs it. It's basically a vehicle to sell his books and actual KISS “discussion” is strongly frowned upon. Anyone who disagrees with him is quickly banned and anyone who doesn’t is a bore (like him). He also doesn’t allow ANY talk about a couple of his good buddies over there who by many accounts are not really good guys. Not naming names, but it’s pretty obvious who those posters are.

I concur. All true.

how many people write books about being a KISS fan? They seem like they would be compelling reads!

I've read Gene's, Peter's, and Ace's books (never got around to Paul's for some reason), and Behind the Mask, and I feel like I know way more about Kiss than an adult human being ought to.

Those fan books seem like a lot of minutiae, like "The drum riser looked like this, the costumes looked like that, Gene stood over here, Ace stood over there, there were this many people at the concert, Starz opened, a fan named Greg from Kenosha had a great time." Real Asperger-y shit.

Chip Z'Hoy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:28 am I've read Gene's, Peter's, and Ace's books (never got around to Paul's for some reason), and Behind the Mask, and I feel like I know way more about Kiss than an adult human being ought to.

Those fan books seem like a lot of minutiae, like "The drum riser looked like this, the costumes looked like that, Gene stood over here, Ace stood over there, there were this many people at the concert, Starz opened, a fan named Greg from Kenosha had a great time." Real Asperger-y shit.

Pauls book is great, second only to Peters! You should give it a read some time. But yeah, I agree about those fan books, I never even considered one. Who cares?

Roland Rockover wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 7:19 pm Sorry I don’t know who that is I was only on KISS FAQ for a short time I don’t know every person.

You're a Mi$$ obsessive, writing your own book about them, and yet you claim to have only taken part in the internet's main Mi$$-obsessive circle-jerk "for a short time"? Bullshit. Or more trolling.

Chip Z'Hoy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:28 am I've read Gene's, Peter's, and Ace's books (never got around to Paul's for some reason), and Behind the Mask, and I feel like I know way more about Kiss than an adult human being ought to.

Those fan books seem like a lot of minutiae, like "The drum riser looked like this, the costumes looked like that, Gene stood over here, Ace stood over there, there were this many people at the concert, Starz opened, a fan named Greg from Kenosha had a great time." Real Asperger-y shit.

Peter's book is by far the best read, imo.

No matter what your opinion of Paul is, I guarantee reading his book (aka "Mein Ear") will not change that for the better. He comes across as a bitchy diva who blames everything that didn't turn out perfectly in his life/career on someone else and does the opposite for every bit of success. The whole "chubby kid who struggles to overcome his ear deformity to eventually fuck your girlfriend" gets old really quick. As a life-long KISS fan I always saw Paul as basically a decent guy who was pretty level-headed and not a big blowhard like Gene, but his book really shows him to be sort of a shallow person with a truckload of insecurity who tries hard to over-compensate for that by basically putting everyone else down. He's a dichotomy; a self-hating narcissist. In fact, I never even finished reading it because the farther I got into it, the less and less I liked him as a person. The fact that he waited until last to write his version of Kisstory tells you all you need to know. I'm sure when he finished it, he sat back and put up his feet smugly thinking he'd had the last word, when all he really did was make himself look dickish even to fans like me who never had any real problem with his personality no matter what stupid shit the band did. It's pretty easy to shit on someone else with a biography, but knowing this is Paul himself telling the story is kinda baffling.

I doubt there has ever been a band with less self-awareness as KISS, but I guess that's what it takes to be able do what they did and look the way they looked for 50 years when most people think you are a total joke.

For someone who spent a third of a book talking about how he got teased for his appearance and how awful it was he’s quick to call Vinnie “shifty looking” and Mark a “goofy oversized guy”. And talk about Eric Carr’s “fat little legs” in the LIU video.

Yeah, like I said, Pauls book is a great read

Wiseacre wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 1:08 am (aka "Mein Ear")

The vast majority of people posting on KISSFAQ regularly nowadays are somewhere on the spectrum. The band has been a complete fraud for over two decades, but these clowns haven't gotten the memo.

And the dweeb who runs it tries so desperately to seem cool and unaffected, but he seems to spend every waking moment of his life thinking about KISS. At some point, get a fucking life.

You would think at some point these guys would have discovered girls and focused on something else in life.

This is the opposite of Anal Cunt lyrics

Wiseacre wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:59 pm The real problem with the FAQ is the pompous ass who runs it. It's basically a vehicle to sell his books and actual KISS “discussion” is strongly frowned upon. Anyone who disagrees with him is quickly banned and anyone who doesn’t is a bore (like him). He also doesn’t allow ANY talk about a couple of his good buddies over there who by many accounts are not really good guys. Not naming names, but it’s pretty obvious who those posters are.

I concur. All true.