Starchild - Rhythm Guitar
KISS was the first band I fell in love with since I started listening to music. I was about 8 years old and a friend had Alive! and Destroyer. I completely freaked when I heard the music and saw the masked members. When I heard the drumsolo on Alive! I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to play the drums just like Peter Criss.
Very young, I walked into a music store determined to buy some drums. Realising that a drumkit was nothing my wallet could afford I came out of the store with a cheap guitar. My goal now was to learn Ace’s music as fast as I could. Years went by and I played in a lot of local bands but none of my friend musicians shared my love of KISS music.
At the age of 20 I quit playing. Lack of free time and studying made me put my guitar in storage in the attic. 8 Years later I got in touch with Roland and Franky, both truly diehard KISS fans. One thing led to another and KISStory was born.
In the band I’m the man of the visuals and the show aspects. I always say that people also listen with their eyes. You’ve got to keep the crowd amused and keep the show interesting. You can try and play as perfect as possible, but when there’s no show there’s something missing and KISS is a show-rockband at its best!
The first time I saw KISS was in 1996. I checked them out in Donington during the Reunion tour. The most memorable shows I saw were the first show of the Psycho Circus Tour in Dodger Stadium and the L.A. Halloween Night show... Incredible!!!! The Farewell Tour in New Orleans was mindbogling. Backstage in Vorst Nationaal in Brussels was also guite a trip!
To me KISS is more than music. To me it’s a lifestyle saying: "Have fun with what you're doing and enjoy! Believe in yourself and know what you want. Work hard and you can realize any dream! Don't be influenced by what others say and think...
This is your life, enjoy!"
Name: Dirk Van Hecke
Year of birth: 1970
How many bands did you play in before KISStory? Way too many. They were mainly bands I played in during my school days. Some of the names I can remember; Arsenic, Thyroid, Silent Scream, Pendragon, Hidden Rage. Not that is amounted to much. There were also bands I helped out as ‘roadie’ like Evil Sinner, Dalphine, Scrappy, Moby Dick (the last three were mainly the same band with different members).
How many times have you seen KISS live? 19 Times. During the Reunion tour in Donington, Brussels and Ghent as in Holland. I went to Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, Holland , Germany, France, Belgium and the UK for the Psycho Circus tour. I also saw them perform in Birmingham, Atlanta and New Orleans during the Farewell tour.
What is your favorite KISS song? Black diamond
What is your favorite KISS album? Difficult… Alive!, Revenge, Music… from the Elder, especially the old KISS. It depends from time to time. Actually I like them all except Asylum.
What other bands are your favorites? AC/DC, Motley Crue, Van Halen, The Donnas, WASP, mainly seventies hardrock.
What hobbies do you have? Well… I can't/shouldn't answer this (everything I do is has to do with KISStory)…
Are you a collector? Cool stuff like the KISS bears, KISS dolls, cds and dvds of other KISS tribute bands. Since we started KISStory all my money has been pumped into the band and my collection has pretty much grounded to a halt.
What is your coolest KISS/non KISS item you have? A canvas about 7 metres square long printed with a picture of the band. I've had it signed in Brussels during the Psycho Circus tour. It can even be seen in the KISStory book 2. Or maybe my Ibanez PS10 guitar signed by Paul. And I particularly like the KISS bears I bought in L.A., or maybe the KISS logo we perform with…
What is your funniest rock and roll story? Spaceman once lost a shoe on the way to our 'Dessel swingt' gig. We found it in the middle of a junction. Or maybe the Scorpions concert we went to during the Eye II Eye tour. We knocked on the backdoor of the hall just for fun. We had to pass there to get back to our car. To our amazement the door opened and we were let in. We asked "Aren't you security?" and the man said; "No, they just asked me to open and close the door". And, yep, there we were backstage next to the Scorpions themselves. We got autographs and guitarpicks! The thing that I remember the most is the first show of the Psycho Circus Tour in Dodger Stadium in L.A. Nobody knew what was going to happen. We'd heard rumours about a 3D show, a complete circus etc… It was Halloween night and everybody was dressed up. We met Spiderman, Catwoman, The Blues Brothers, the Ghostbusters… really special. I got goosebumps when they played "Nothin' to lose". It had been a long time that KISS played this song and when you saw all the arms in the air it was really spectacular. Every time we play the song with KISStory some of those memories come back, lovely…
What is your dream? Getting recognition for KISStory. Organising a tour in Belgium and abroad. Keeping busy with music and organising a KISS convention with one of the original KISS members.
What do you want to do in the future? After making the KISS-logo, pyro, flightcases, guitars, confetti-machines I would like to put together the stairs they used in 1977. I would also love to build a hydraulic drumriser.