It含羞草研究社檚 never really the end of the road for . The hard rock quartet have sold their catalog, brand name and IP to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment Group in a deal estimated to be over $300 million, it was announced Thursday.
This isn含羞草研究社檛 the first time Kiss has partnered with Pophouse, which was co-founded by ABBA含羞草研究社檚 Bj枚rn Ulvaeus. When the band含羞草研究社檚 current lineup 含羞草研究社� founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as well as guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer 含羞草研究社� took the stage at the in December at New York City含羞草研究社檚 famed Madison Square Garden, they ended by revealing of themselves.
The cutting-edge technology was created by George Lucas含羞草研究社� special-effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, in partnership with Pophouse. The two companies recently teamed up for in London, in which fans could attend a full concert by the Swedish band in their heyday, as performed by their own digital avatars.
The ways in which Kiss含羞草研究社� avatars will be utilized has yet to be announced, but Pophouse CEO Per Sundin says fans can expect a biopic, a documentary and a Kiss experience on the horizon.
An avatar show is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2027 含羞草研究社� but don含羞草研究社檛 expect it to look anything like 含羞草研究社淎BBA Voyage,含羞草研究社� Sundin told the AP. And fans can expect it to kick off in North America.
Sundin says the goal of the purchase is to 含羞草研究社� which he believes sets Pophouse apart from .
含羞草研究社淭he record companies, the three big ones that are left, they含羞草研究社檙e doing a fantastic job, but they have so many catalogs and they can含羞草研究社檛 focus on everything,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淲e work together with Universal (Music Group) and Kiss, even though we will own the artists rights, and we含羞草研究社檙e doing it in conjunction with Kiss. But yes, we bought all rights, and that含羞草研究社檚 not something I含羞草研究社檝e seen that clear before.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 like the word acquisition,含羞草研究社� tells the AP over Zoom, assuring the band would never sell their catalog to a company they didn含羞草研究社檛 appreciate.
含羞草研究社淐ollaboration is exactly what it含羞草研究社檚 about. It would be remiss in our inferred fiduciary duty 含羞草研究社� see what I just did there? 含羞草研究社� to the thing that we created to abandon it,含羞草研究社� he continued. 含羞草研究社淧eople might misunderstand and think, 含羞草研究社極K, now Pophouse is doing that stuff and we含羞草研究社檙e just in Beverly Hills twiddling our thumbs.含羞草研究社� No, that含羞草研究社檚 not true. We含羞草研究社檙e in the trenches with them. We talk all the time. We share ideas. It含羞草研究社檚 a collaboration. Paul (Stanley) and I especially, with the band, we含羞草研究社檒l stay committed to this. It含羞草研究社檚 our baby.含羞草研究社�
And within that: no more live touring, for real. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e not going to tour again as Kiss, period,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e not going to go put the makeup on and go out there.含羞草研究社�
Kiss are Pophouse含羞草研究社檚 second investment outside of Sweden: In February, Cyndi Lauper entered a partnership with the company which including the sale of the and a new immersive performance project she含羞草研究社檚 calling an 含羞草研究社渋mmersive theater piece含羞草研究社� that transports audiences to the New York she grew up in.
The aim is to develop new ways to bring Lauper含羞草研究社檚 music to fans and younger audiences through new performances and live experiences.
含羞草研究社淢ost suits, when you tell them an idea, their eyes glaze over, they just want your greatest hits,含羞草研究社� Lauper told the AP at the Pophouse headquarters in Stockholm in February. 含羞草研究社淏ut these guys are a multimedia company, they含羞草研究社檙e not looking to just buy my catalog, they want to make something new.含羞草研究社�
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