Kiss The Hype Essays - Kiss, Wicked Lester, Peter Criss,

Kiss The Hype What is hype? Hype is defined as promotional publicity of an extravagant or contrived kind. It is used to lure the consumer to a certain product or an event of some kind. The competition for the consumer's attention is intense and even desperate at times. Throughout the 1970's, there was a vast machinery of hype surrounding the music industry. Some of what came out of it was original and imaginative, but some was deceptive and outrageous. Whatever it was, it was all aimed at the consumer. The rock group Kiss has been performing for over twenty-six years. In that time, they have sold over ninety million albums, amassed legions of fans, and sold out stadiums around the world. There is a reason for the extraordinary success of Kiss. It has something to do with their music, but it has more to do with the way they are hyped and packaged. So lets unwrap that package. In 1972, Gene Simmons was a sixth grade school teacher in New York City. With guitarist Paul Stanley, he formed a band called Wicked Lester that played in small clubs and bars around New York. That band quickly failed. "Wicked Lester just wasn't the deadly rock n' roll assault squad they had always wanted" (Kitts 12). But Simmons and Stanley felt they could and would become stars. They invested in some large equipment and decided to start a major rock band. From the hordes of drummers, they chose Peter Criss, who had been advertising himself in New York newspapers. They auditioned over thirty guitarists and cho se Ace Frehley, who had been delivering liquor for a living. The band was formed and now came the time to sell it. The key step was to persuade Bill Aucoin, director of the television show Flipside, to take over the management of the band. Kiss emphasized style over substance and went heavy on trappings. Makeup came first. It set them apart from everyone else and gave them an aura of mystery. Each member developed his own alter ego. It was the first of many Kiss gimmicks that worked. The costumes came next, complete with black leather, aluminum studs, and seven-inch platform heels. They never allowed themselves to be photographed out of character. "The hype was self-perpetuating. The more Kiss's identities were shielded, the more interest there was in trying to photograph them" (Lendt 40). By 1978, Kiss was the highest grossing live act in the world. Their concerts became main attractions for millions of people. Kiss's formula for success was simple: hit the audience so hard, with a barrage of gimmicks, stunts, and theatrics, that they will not be able to forget you. Everything was intended to project power. The double s's at the end of the Kiss logo were designed to look like lightening bolts. The stage was equipped with drum risers, platforms, and a towering electric sign with a gigantic lit up Kiss logo. A high point, or "hype" point, in the show came when Gene Simmons, the demon, would breathe fire. Another "hype" point would come when Simmons vomited blood. For Kiss, their concerts were the best commercials for their albums. Kiss had to make their way in the 1970's without the help of radio. There were virtually no stations in the country that would play their music. Instead, they promoted themselves in other ways. They permitted no promotional possibility to slip away. Kiss sold t-shirts, hats, belt buckles, puzzles, dolls, jackets, pictures, posters, comic books, and virtually any and everything they could put their logo on. "In some ways it epitomized just how big and different we were that a lot of other bands" (Stanley, Kiss Extreme Close-up). They used all of this promotion to sell records. In the music business, this sort of thing is called, not without reason, exploitation. Kiss is one of the best examples of hype in the music industry. Without their image, along with the package, they might not have ever made it out of the clubs and bars. Few imitators have attempted to copy or adapt the Kiss formula's obvious appeal, and certainly none have surpassed Kiss's success at capitalizing on that formula. In time, Kiss may one day be permanently

My Life Essay Sample - Writing A Life Example

My Life Essay Sample - Writing A Life ExampleOne of the greatest ways to impress college admissions officers at an upcoming college is by writing a personal statement. With so many different styles and techniques for writing a statement, students may be overwhelmed by the process. The goal of this article is to guide you through a process that you can follow to craft your own.Most students need to prepare their statement in advance because it helps to make it more persuasive to the review panel. A statement should not be too long and it should be short enough to allow the review panel to read it without getting bored. If it is too long, you will not be able to give a concise reason for your involvement in the student body. It also does not have to be too short, but if it is to long, it may lose it's power and impact on the review panel.While preparing a personal statement, you need to make sure that you follow the guidelines listed in the guidelines section of this sample. This will help you to understand the structure of the essay, the methods for writing each paragraph, and the types of questions to ask yourself. You should also think about the tone that you want to use. Knowing these things will help you to ensure that your personal statement will be well received by your college.As part of your preparation, you may want to consider writing a life example. This will help you to write something that is different from your average essay. A life example can be either something that you personally have experienced or a life scenario that you know to be true.The first paragraph of your personal statement should be about what motivated you to apply to the college. You should answer the following questions: why you want to attend this school, what attracts you to the college, and what you plan to gain from attending the college. There should be a theme to your personal statement. For example, if you are looking for opportunities to travel, then you will want to inc lude something like, 'I am looking for an experience-filled college experience that will allow me to experience new cultures, new countries, and new adventures.'If you are looking for opportunities to travel, then you should use the life example that has a theme. The key to writing a life example is to look at yourself in the best possible light. Include in your example things that you really enjoyed doing and want to do again. Also mention all of the positive aspects that you would gain from the college.Once you have written your life example, you will want to spend time writing each paragraph. Most students are taught to use an outline. However, this is not the only way to write paragraphs. Here is a template that will help you to outline each paragraph and then to begin writing each paragraph. You can then follow this with the next paragraph as your life example begins.Another way to write a life example is to use a letterhead. By using a letterhead, you can add pictures of you i n the front of the letter. This makes it easy to include the pictures in your essay.