Featured in Beatmag March 2006 (beatmag.net)
OBSESSIONS
Alexander Zihlmann, a self-employed businessman from Basle, Switzerland, is obsessed with the rock group KISS.
Alexander with his collection of over 5000 KISS records. INSET: Alexander with Ace Frehley of KISS
“It was back in school at the age of eleven in 1980,” recalls Alexander Zihlmann, finding his way carefully round English, his third language, “Some of my school mates were drawing strange figures with strange faces. I asked what that is and they told me, ‘Oh, that’s KISS, you don’t know KISS? You have to buy a record.’ The next day one of the guys brought in an LP which I bought from him – it was ‘Dynasty’. Although I wasn’t familiar with music generally at that time I was infected by KISS fever from the beginning. I liked the music, I was fascinated by these four faces and found it also very interesting that all four musicians did vocals. Although my favourite album is ‘Dressed To Kill’ it’s still very special for me when I hear songs from ‘Dynasty’. I look at that cover and feel the magic of 26 years ago.”
Zihlmann, 37, has lived in Basle in Switzerland all his life but from his mid-European base he’s developed a hefty reputation amongst the global KISS collecting community. The US rock group is as famous for their garish cartoon image as their run of hits in the ’70s and ’80s and, over the years, have licensed all manner of trinkets and memorabilia, even a Marvel comic, which can make KISS-collecting a real challenge.
Alexander spent the ’80s pulling together all the KISS music – vinyl, CDs, cassettes, in all editions and formats from everywhere; Turkey to Guatemala, Korea to Australia, picture discs, bootlegs, everything. He amassed a collection of over 5000 releases, possibly the biggest archive of material of any group anywhere. Then from about 1990 he started to also collect the extensive merchandising.
“Back in the ’80s everybody in my family said it would last for only one or two years,” he laughs, “and it’s 26 years now. In the cellar of the house where I grew up we had a ‘hobby-room’ where I hung up all my posters; four walls and the ceiling but no white spaces in the end…”
Now married for a decade and with three children of his own aged eight, six and one KISS still plays a huge role in Alexander’s life.
“My wife is not into KISS,” he explains, “but she accepts my collecting. I have a good reputation in the collector’s world so when going to conventions or expos, people and special guests know me, which makes it more interesting for them. As for kids who see my collection, they’re mostly my children’s age so, at the moment, it makes more of an impression on their parents.”
And what a collection it is, with a centrepiece that’s Alexander’s favourite item. “It’s a bass drum with the KISS-logo on it,” he says with pride, “which was used by KISS from around 1975 to 1977 bang in the middle of the stage. There are a lot of live-pictures of it especially from their first tour of Japan.”
Which raises the question of whether KISS-collecting is an expensive pursuit. “Yes, for me it is,” admits Alexander, “EBay changed collecting a lot because wherever a seller lives and whether he has contacts with KISS collectors or not, he can now sell his items. Before that, these items weren’t available for collectors and so the prices were mostly higher. On the other hand a few really rare items go higher than ever because more collectors have access to bid on the same item at the same time. I paid $5000 for the bass drum I was talking about, which is the most expensive thing I’ve bought, plus around $500 for shipping and taxes. If I hadn’t bought it, it would now be in a Hard Rock Cafe. I was recently offered $12,000 for it, although it’s not for sale, so it wasn’t a bad investment.”
In the end, though, despite all the memorabilia, it comes back to the music. The song ‘C’Mon And Love Me’ from the 1975 album ‘Dressed To Kill’ is Alexander’s favourite and he has seen KISS play live a good number of times.
“The first time was in November 1983 in my hometown,” he remembers, “Back then I was fascinated to see my heroes live although these days I’m more an admirer than a head-banger.”
And although he’s never met up with perennial KISS mainstays Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, he’s had contact with most other members of the band.
“I meet Peter Criss [1973-80 & 1996-2000 & 2003], Ace Frehley [1973-82 & 1996-2001] and Eric Singer [1991-96 & 2003-present] after they left KISS and before the reunited. I also met Vinnie Vincent [1982-84], but mostly I’m in contact with Bruce Kulick [1984-96]. He knows me well and we discuss all sorts of things. I’ve met him a few dozen times, sometimes with my family.”
Ten or twenty years ago Alexander may have dressed up as KISS a couple of times for fancy dress parties but has no delusions about the group’s place in his life. “I don’t do what they do, I don’t act like them,” he says, “I don’t have their tattoos, I don’t dress in private like they do, I don’t try to live like they do. I have my own life. Every day I have KISS business with my collection – emails, letters, internet – and when I’m in holiday I shop for KISS items but I don’t consider them my purpose in life.”
Having said that he has yet to obtain his ideal and ultimate KISS artifact – a picture of him with the whole of KISS.
“Through all the years,” he reflects, “I never met the whole of KISS, just individual members.”
He pauses before adding, “I’ve got to know a lot of nice people around the world, though, because of my collecting. There really is a KISS family… at least sometimes.”
From: www.beatmag.net/march06/collector.htm