April 22, 2005
KISS in New Coca Cola Commercial and on Coke Bottle
As the pre-supergroup Chequered Past sang, "How Much Is Too Much?" KISS is now on a new Coke commercial and on the French Coke bottles.
Click here to see the hilarious commercial:
www.coca-cola.fr/leffetcocacola/index.htm
For a bio and review on the band Chequered Past, see below.
Chequered Past Biography by Tom Demalon
Chequered Past was a prime example of a band being less than the sum of its parts, featuring musicians who were well-known on their own or for their previous musical associations. Lead singer Michael Des Barres, who had fronted the bands Silverhead and Detective, teamed with ex-Sex Pistol guitarist Steve Jones. Completing the lineup was the rhythm section from Blondie, bass player Nigel Harrison and drummer Clem Burke, and guitarist Tony Sales, formerly of Utopia. Signed to Emi American, Chequered Past was released in late summer of 1984 and included a guest appearance by guitarist David Lindley, as well as a cover of Waylon Jennings' "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way." Radio failed to embrace the single "How Much Is Too Much?" and the album flopped. They broke up soon after, with Des Barres joining Duran Duran spin-off the Power Station for their tour (Chequered Past had toured with Duran Duran). Burke would end up drumming for the Eurythmics, while Sales would, several years later, become a member of David Bowie's short-lived Tin Machine project.
Review by James Chrispell
Chequered Past looks like a promo man's dream band on paper. Take the rhythm section from Blondie, add guitarists Hunt Sales and ex-Sex Pistol Steve Jones, front the operation with journeyman vocalist Michael Des Barres and let them rock out to their hearts' content. A lot of what is here does rock, but things never catch fire the way they ought to. "A World Gone Wild" rocks things out nicely at the start, and the first side continues in much the same way, but by side two (or later in the CD), things start to sound a bit same-ish, as if the musicians have run out of ideas or new ways to express them. In any event, this ought to have been huge, but wasn't. It's flawed, but fun.
Posted by MK Magazine at April 22, 2005 09:55 AM