Paul Stanley's Comments

Paul (or Stan??),

You've certainly been the all star of our class! I was close with Steve Blitz for years after college, and although you and I were never in touch after grade school, Steve was always really high on you and your work. He died of cancer back in the early nineties. You may recall that we sang songs in a group we formed in fourth grade in Mrs. Rosenberg's class - I always felt that made me somewhat responsible for your success with Kiss!

My mom was really proud of you. She worried about you a great deal in grade school - that was her nature. She died all too young a long time ago. My older brother Howie tells me he sold you an amp one time. He gave up music and became a pretty renown entomologist - studies things like lyme tics, west nile virus and the like in Rhode Island. Makes for great holiday conversations...

Like my older brother I've also been an academic my career, now as a Dean at the University of Kansas. Somehow I ended up doing what I always dreamed of doing (once I realized I wasn't Wille Mays). I travel a lot and get engaged in a lot of political stuff in Washington and the states. Like you I have three kids - one is a lobbyist in DC, then I have two young ones from my second marriage (nine and twelve). My wife is a southern bell, daughter of a Presbyterian Minister, and (despite all that??) a great woman - also an academic, but a former model, teacher, all sorts of unrelated things.

It has been really great following your career and being able to tell people I actually knew you way back when. It is really amazing seeing where old acquaintances end up - you as a rock star! Lord knows I never would have guessed I would live in Lawrence, KS - but I love it. But there is something about the midwest ethic I really admire. Lived in Colorado for about ten years, Columbia, SC before that, New Orleans prior to that, and Chicago for grad school. I know that your travels would make my head spin, but it is nice to see you've settled down in a great relationship.

Thanks for posting on this site. Technology has made all our lives incredibly interconnected well beyond anything we could have dreamed of back in Flushing...

Rick Ginsberg