The KISS Army is the official fan club

Fan club

A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...

 for the American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 rock band KISS

KISS (band)

Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...

, as well as the unofficial name used to refer to KISS fans in general. It was started unofficially in 1975, by fans Bill Starkey and Jay Evans.

History

In January 1975, Starkey and Evans, two teenage KISS fans from Terre Haute, Indiana

Terre Haute, Indiana

Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...

, began contacting local radio station WVTS in an effort to get KISS music played. After being repeatedly turned down by program director

Program director

In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...

 Rich Dickerson

Rich Dickerson

Rich Dickerson is a talk radio host for WZZR 94.3 FM in South Florida and presenter of the show The Love Doctors. In 1975, while program director at WVTS, Rich is attributed with inadvertently inciting fans of the band Kiss to start the official Kiss fan club, the Kiss Army.By July 1975, WVTS had...

, Starkey and Evans began calling WVTS claiming to be "the KISS Army." Additionally, they sent letters to the station and signed them, "Bill Starkey–President of the KISS Army," and "Jay Evans–Field Marshall."
By July 1975, WVTS had begun to play KISS records, often referring to the KISS Army. Some of the letters included threats to blow up the station. Before long, listeners started calling the station asking how they could enlist.

Dickerson worked with Starkey and Evans to provide advance promotion for a KISS concert at the new Hulman Civic-University Center

Hulman Center

Hulman Center is a 10,200-seat multi-purpose arena in Terre Haute, Indiana, USA. Initially named the Hulman Civic-University Center, the facility opened on December 14, 1973. Funded by donations and bond issues after an initial $2.5 million challenge gift from philanthropist Tony Hulman and the...

 in Terre Haute. Before the show, KISS publicist Alan Miller contacted Starkey to discuss the KISS Army. At Miller's request, Starkey and Evans took phone calls on the air at WVTS to recruit as many members as possible for the KISS Army. As a result of these efforts, the November 21 show sold out (10,000 seats). During the concert, Starkey was brought on stage and given a plaque by KISS. On November 21, 2010 the KISS Army turned 35 to celebrate it the Mayor of Terre Haute declared it KISS Army day and co founder Bill Starky spent the day as guest DJ for 105.5 the river A Terre Haute radio station playing KISS music.

Soon after the Terre Haute concert, the KISS Army became the official fan club of the group. Order forms for the KISS Army first appeared in November 1976's Destroyer. Former head of KISS merchandising Ron Boutwell estimated that the fan club (at its peak) earned US$

United States dollar

The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

 5,000 per day, and had nearly 100,000 members. After a period of inactivity, KISS announced the re-launch of the KISS Army as the group's official fan club on August 23, 2007. On May 29, 2008, Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...

, the United States Secretary of State

Secretary of State

Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....

 enlisted in the KISS Army.

Popular culture

• The fanbase of Martin O'Donnell
  Martin O'Donnell
  Martin "Marty" O'Donnell is an American composer known for his work on video game developer Bungie's series, such as Myth, Oni, and Halo...
  
   was named, "The Marty Army" as a joke at Marty's expense by Matt Soell and Max Hoberman.

• Peter Griffin
  Peter Griffin
  Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
  
   from Family Guy
  Family Guy
  Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
  
  has been a member of the KISS Army since 1977.

• On The Daily Show
  The Daily Show
  The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
  
  , Jon Stewart
  Jon Stewart
  Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
  
   remarked in regards to US Army's readiness after being engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan that "the only armies we have left are Kiss and Salvation
  Salvation Army
  The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
  
   and they don't get along too well".

• On That Metal Show
  That Metal Show
  That Metal Show is a talk show hosted by Eddie Trunk with co-hosts Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson. It premiered on VH1 Classic on November 15, 2008. New episodes air on VH1 Classic on Saturday nights and are rebroadcast throughout the week....
  
  , Don Jamison said, "They've got an army that's very powerful. I think the KISS Army's in Iraq right now".

• In Season 1 of the popular TV series The Mighty Boosh
  The Mighty Boosh (TV series)
  The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy television show created by Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding and others . The Mighty Boosh is a comic fantasy containing humour and pop-culture references. Episodes often featured elaborate musical numbers in different genres, such as electro, heavy metal, funk, and...
  
  , Vince is often seen wearing a Kiss Army patch on his sleeve.

• Referenced multiple times in the film Detroit Rock City
  Detroit Rock City (film)
  Detroit Rock City is a 1999 film about four teenagers in a Kiss cover band who try to see their idols in Detroit in 1978. Comparable to Rock 'n' Roll High School, Dazed and Confused, The Stöned Age, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Detroit Rock City tells a coming of age story through a filter of 1970s...
  
  .

• In the online web-comic 'Erfworld', the most elite soldiers under the employ of Warlord Stanley the Tool are referred to as the 'Knights in Stanley's Service', which obviously abbreviates to KISS. The reference is further reinforced by their black, white and silver warpaint (imitating KISS's style), black leather 'armor' and are all equipped with axes. (Again, a nod to Gene Simmons, whose bass guitar is modeled to look like a literal axe.) also during the 35th anniversary Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley phoned in to the radio station and members of The KISS Army surrounded the radio station.

• On the season 3 episode of The Big Bang Theory
  The Big Bang Theory
  The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
  
  , "The Gothowitz Deviation", Penny asks Howard "Did the Kiss Army repeal don't ask don't tell?".