TWISTED SISTER Guitarist Denies He Was Ever In Pre-KISS Band With PAUL STANLEY, GENE SIMMONS

August 13, 2006

Vassil Varbanov of the "Varbanov Supermarket" program on the Bulgarian rock station Tangra Mega Rock recently conducted an interview with TWISTED SISTER guitarist J.J. French. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Varbanov Supermarket: We heard about this amazing concert that you had something in the very beginning of July in Quebec City. What was like to be again together in front of 80 thousand people?

French: "It was unbelievable, you know. Again, this is an example of things that we just don't understand. We were very popular in Canada back in day, but had not been back there in Quebec in over 20 years and I think when SCORPIONS and TWISTED SISTER were booked to play a festival, I think the promoters figured 20 thousand people would show up, which is about right. When 80 thousand people showed up, I think everybody had a heart attack. It was amazing, and just underlines everything that we have been seeing over the last three years. The crowds are huge and the reactions are astounding and we are all loving it."

Varbanov Supermarket: You know what, the rumor on the Internet [goes] that you played together with [KISS members] Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in a band in the early '70s called RAINBOW that has nothing to do with [Ritchie Blackmore's] band RAINBOW.

French: "I read that, and that is the most ridiculous mistaken fact that is really untrue. I can say this: I was one of many guitar players who auditioned for KISS, and I spent a couple of weeks practicing with those guys. They didn't have a name yet — they were not KISS, they weren't WICKED LESTER — and I was one of many but somehow, someway, that statement I just gave you has been misinterpreted, misprinted, miswritten — everything from 'I was a member of KISS' to whatever, and I never, ever said it. I auditioned for the band in June of 1972, and in September of 1972, they picked up Ace [Frehley] out of maybe 25 or 30 people, and when they picked Ace, I called them around that time just to say, 'Hey, how are you doing? What is going on?' They told me they hired Ace, and I went down to rehearsal and watched them when they first rehearsed with Ace, and he was perfect for this band."

Read the entire interview at www.radiotangra.com.

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