NATURAL SOUND (NO REPORTER NARRATION)
EDITORS NOTE - HEAVY USE OF FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY / GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN SHOT 6 / RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT
STORY: U.S. rockers Kiss launched their coffee table book, which they jokingly said could be a coffee table due to its overly large size and weight, appropriately entitled "Monster" in London on Tuesday (July 3).
The book weighs 40 pounds (18 kgs), stands at three feet (one metre) tall and costs 4299 USD (2742 GBP).
The photographic book looks back at the band's 40 years on the road and named after their upcoming 20th studio album, produced by lead singer and rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley.
There will be special editions for various countries they've toured and only 1000 of the books will be released, with the possibility of more being launched, depending on the books' success.
Bass guitarist and vocalist Gene Simmons defended the hefty price tag at a news conference.
"Let's put it bluntly. It's not a cheap book because it's hand bound, hand put together. It's the Rolls Royce of books," he said.
A copy of the book will be auctioned to raise money for charity Help for Heroes, with the band's perform at a gig at The Forum in the British capital on Wednesday (July 4). All proceeds of the concert will go to the charity.
Formed in New York city in the early Seventies by Stanley and Simmons, the band found fame with such anthems as "Rock n' Roll All Nite" and "Detroit Rock City".
Nearly 40 years on, the flamboyant, make-up wearing rockers have defied rock and roll odds. Their success is due mainly to their relentless touring and thriving merchandise sales, which range from condoms, pinball machines, to a golf club in Las Vegas.
There's even the Kiss Kruise, where 2000 fans get to ride on board a vessel from Miami to the Bahamas, with the U.S. rockers performing every night for four nights.
The "Monster" album will be released in October, with the band set to kick off a U.S. tour with fellow rockers Motley Crue on July 20.
