Well, I finally did it. I saw the original Kiss — makeup, theatrics and all. It took me 27 years, but I did it.
And since the band is (supposedly) calling it quits for good next year, I wasn't going to miss it.
Yes, I'm embarrassed to say that I had never seen Kiss live with its original foursome or with the elaborate costumes and painted faces.
I did see the 1978 TV movie "Kiss Meets the Phantom," and that was only because I was in the electronics department at Kmart that night.
I grew up with Kiss. I was 5 when the band's first album came out. My older cousin, Jim, introduced me to the band, but my mother blocked me from seeing Kiss live or even buying an album.
She was not thrilled with the costumes, messages and music. And who could blame her? Hearing a 6-year-old singing "Cold Gin" was probably a bit too much.
(Then again, my kids are forbidden to sing Britney Spears' ". . .Baby One More Time." I guess every parent has his or her own hang-ups).
Anyway, when I went to Jim's house throughout the '70s, he'd always have a Kiss album playing. I learned how to play tennis-racket guitar and sing to "Detroit Rock City," "Love Gun," "Calling Dr. Love" and "Christine Sixteen."
I remember trying to flick my tongue like Gene Simmons and stomping hard on my toys like the band did on the cover of the "Destroyer" album.
Jim's younger brother, Kim, loved Kiss, too. He was a few years younger than I was, but, boy, he knew all the words to "I Want You," "Shout It Out Loud" and "God of Thunder."
It was fun to see this little tyke, about 4 years old, walking through the ZCMI Center singing and acting out "I Want You."
Here's another confession you might not believe — the first Kiss album I possessed was the 1992 release "Revenge" when drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Bruce Kulick were filling in for drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley, respectively. The only reason I got that album was because I have this job.
In fact, when the band came to Salt Lake City on that tour — with only two of the original band members — it was my first Kiss concert ever.
But that's not all my fault, nor is my mother to blame. When I started going to concerts, Kiss wasn't wearing its makeup. And when Kiss embarked on its reunion tour in 1996, I had some other obligations, so my colleague, Jeff Vice — who would have done about anything to see the show, anyway — filled in.
However, on Monday, I made up for lost time.
When I saw bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist/singer Paul Stanley, Criss and Frehley strutting their stuff, I was transported back to 1975. That's when the first "Kiss Alive" album was unleashed on the public.
The blood, the fireworks, the chase-lights, the smoking guitars, the flameblowing and, of course, the music took me back to when I would open Jim's "Kiss Alive" double-album (as in vinyl) cover.
Back then, the closest I got to getting a Kiss album was an ironed-on decal of the "Destroyer" album cover on an orange T-shirt.
But even then, when I wore that shirt, I was on top of the world.
And Monday night, I was up there again.