Rob Benjamin Music
Share my adventures in the music business and life, as well as celebrity encounters and occasional oddities. Through my time as music fan, collector, fanzine publisher and songwriter, I have met superstars such as James Brown, Reba McEntire, Gene Simmons, Bruce Springsteen, Bill Withers and Diane Warren, who all had a huge impact. This channel is a celebration of those impactful experiences and the influence they've had on my life. Join me on this journey as we explore all aspects of the music world.
Rob Benjamin Music
Happy Birthday to the late, great Mark St. John who was born on February 7th - (a birthday also shared with a friend of mine that also loves @KISS ironically). Mark’s presence is still missed by fans and we wish he could have stayed with us longer.
He surely could have made a modest living in the KISS convention world if he had lived. His contributions to KISS were minimal, yet very meaningful. “Animalize” remains a great hard rock record.
#kiss #markstjohn #kissarmy
5 days ago | [YT] | 270
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Rob Benjamin Music
Hey, just a heads up, comments are temporarily disabled because there's been some abuse. They'll be back up soon, though. Feel free to have your say and share your thoughts, but if you're downright disrespectful to the artists I love and support, then I'll promptly block your ability to comment on my channel.
If an artist decides to re-issue something and it's not your cup of tea, you always have the option of not buying it. I feel like nowadays, there are some really closed-minded, mean-spirited folks who don't bother to do their research before they start mouthing off.
It's just frustrating (and pathetic) to see grown adults leaving nasty comments at 2-3 AM, craving attention so much that they resort to being mean. I also find it funny given the person leaving the comments appears to be in his 40's (with grey skunk beard) and is talking about 'old' bands, people are peculiar indeed. #kettleblack #genesimmons #kissarmy #loconoches
Stay tuned.
6 days ago | [YT] | 92
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Rob Benjamin Music
Exciting @KISS and @kulicknet Record Store Day Vinyl Releases are coming! A re-issue of the infamous KISS promo album from the classic 70's era that many collectors already own, and a Bruce Kulick 'Transformer' re-issue with a special new 'Crazy Nights' like cover - very cool to see KISS represented on RSD. #kiss #brucekulick #kisstory #kissarmy
6 days ago | [YT] | 66
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Rob Benjamin Music
Happy Birthday to the legendary @BobbyBrownOfficial who turns 57 today - he is an icon from his solo work and from his time in @neweditionlive - the greatest RnB group of the mid-80's through today. I love you Bobby Brown - since 'Candy Girl' your grooves have always delivered. #newedition #bobbybrown #kingofstage #ne4life
1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 11
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Rob Benjamin Music
A beautiful and touching Grammy tribute to @officialacefrehley -- my hero and icon of @KISS - just as the guitar solo of 'War Pigs' kicked in during the Ozzy tribute they showed Ace and of course it was incredibly difficult, now that it has been a bit it is sinking in that he is really gone and very hard to process. Ace will never be forgotten and he will always have a place in rock history. #acefrehley #ozzy #grammys #kiss #kisstory
1 week ago | [YT] | 240
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Rob Benjamin Music
Did you hear the joke about @KISS icon Gene Simmons covering a Michael Jackson song? LOL -- it remains unreleased, it is titled "Chaim Not Alone" and is a follow up to 'When You Wish Upon A Star", targeted for his long awaited new solo album "A Powerful + Attractive Man" featuring Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. #fiction #kiss #kisstory #genesimmons #joking #notreal #calmdown
1 week ago | [YT] | 145
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Rob Benjamin Music
A @KISS Flashback - I owned the cassette single of "Every Time I Look At You" along with the cassette of "Revenge" when they were both released. The song should have been a monster hit, but PolyGram pulled support for the record after 'Domino'.
In hindsight the song 'I Just Wanna' should not have been a single, or at least not the second single. It was too campy of a follow up to 'Unholy' and it did not connect as well with radio, it would have possibly worked as a fourth single. That said KISS and other bands of similar style lost their cool around this time and the album only went Gold. Although I love the record, I feel it is often romanticized and glorified, yes it had great moments and was a much more cohesive effort than 'Hot In The Shade', but I put it in the lower top 10 of their studio albums, not in the top 5. Bruce's playing however was brilliant throughout and created a very even sounding record that rocked.
I think Paul Stanley's ballads are some of the greatest records ever made - he is a brilliant and enlightened songwriter that creates flawless songs when he sings from the heart -- and this is no exception. This song really is a classic KISS song that remains solid. I hope Pophouse and Universal will issue a KISS best of ballads and include this masterpiece. #kiss #paulstanley #revenge #brucekulick #genesimmons #ericsinger
1 week ago | [YT] | 163
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Rob Benjamin Music
Bruce Kulick is a great musician and also happens to be a great human who I love and appreciate very much. Support @kulicknet and his amazing wife Lisa (who is just an awesome gal) over at his website - he has some cool merch related to his era and he deserves the support, let's go @KISS fans! #espguitars #brucekulick #kisstory #kissarmy
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 256
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Rob Benjamin Music
I am super excited that @LewisCapaldi drummer Freddy Sheed is playing drums on a song I co-wrote that is being released in April. He has also worked with Finneas, Leona Lewis, The Pointer Sisters, Take That and The 1975 (a great band).
I am blessed that a song I played a part in has such a talented and renowned musician on it. The song is also being produced by Grammy winner Guy Massey (James Taylor, Badfinger), so it is U.K. gold.
Side note: I am a massive fan of Lewis Capaldi, few performers have hit me on an emotional level the way he has. He is a force of nature, simply a brilliant musician and a very, very FUNNY man. He isn't just good, he is GREAT.
It seems my career as a songwriter is not quite finished, despite the fact that I walked away from it years ago after getting ripped off by my first publisher, who refused to ever send me any statements on my first big cut. Even with an attorney, you can get taken advantage of if the powers that be know the game better than you.
"Life By The Gram" will be available on all streaming platforms April 3rd, and you can support me by streaming it once or twice. I appreciate the support.
Photo: Aysia Marotta/GQ Magazine
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 12
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Rob Benjamin Music
A special thank you to GiGi Criss for all she does for Peter and the fans, she has protected Peter and been a solid presence in this life for decades - if he is happy and she is happy, we are happy! She is a very strong person with a strong mind and can take command whenever needed, a true angel for Peter. May God continue to give you two many more years together. #kiss #petercriss #gigicriss #kisstory
2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 250
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