When I worked for Aucoin Management, one of my regular responsibilities was to file or pick up financials in the company’s warehouse in a non-descript building on the West side of Manhattan. The warehouse was also used for storage for the equipment of all of Aucoin’s bands. Among the boxes of documents and cases of guitars were back lit logos that hung above the drummer of any one of a number of bands that Bill Aucoin had managed over the years (including my very fave – Starz). The way it worked was I’d show up, sign in and get handed a box of keys that opened the various locks to each of Aucoin’s rented rooms. When I was done, I handed back the box and signed out.
Although Aucoin no longer worked with KISS, the band still used the very same warehouse to store there instruments and costumes from over the years. As it happens, the keys to the KISS room were still in the Aucoin box. I avoided going in there for months but one day, curiosity got the better of me. I pulled the one key I had never touched before out of the box. I slipped it into the lock and turned it over. The locked snapped open and I opened the door.
This was a dream come true. Do you remember the seventies? back then we all had giant posters on our walls of our favourite bands. Spread out in front of me were all of the bits of stage gear and guitars that were featured in the KISS posters adorning my walls. There were boots and capes and boas and guitars and a mirror. A mirror! In a warehouse! This was a sign.
I first moved to my left to slip on those famous Demon boots from the cover of Destroyer. I zipped them up and found myself floating a good six inches off the floor. Next, I grabbed Ace’s cape used on the Dynasty tour and flung that over my back. Do you remember those pictures inside of KISS Alive of Paul Stanley with feather armbands? Well I slipped one on each arm and then reached for a shattered mirrored Gibson marauder guitar which I slung over my neck. I lurched over to the mirror and caught my first glimpse. No matter how hard you might be laughing right now, I was laughing twice as hard. I don’t know if it looked ridiculous or if I was just giddy but I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I began to play “Rock N Roll All Nite” and then moved into “Black Diamond” and “Strutter.”
I wore the get up for 15 minutes and then thought I should get it off before security walked in and kicked me out of the building for good. After I locked the door, I got the paper work I had originally come there for. I kept the story a secret for about 5 years which seemed like a lifetime. Now everyone knows.
This is a true story.
