KISS, Culture and legends by SCOTT C I'd be lying to you if I didn't say that this was easily one of the strangest weeks I've had since the O.J. trials were being aired on TV. Believe me when I say that all of this KISS hype that we've been bombarded with over the last few weeks has pushed a few nostalgic buttons in me, too. I kick myself now, having made no effort at all to make it to a show that could probably have made up for every shitty concert I've seen in my entire life. This, coupled with the daily reminder that the trailer for the new Star Wars movie is "completely and totally insane," has opened the floodgates for my grade 3 memories. Those of you who remember G-Force, Bigfoot & Wildboy and the Banana Splits know exactly what I'm talking about. Remember "A Great Day in Harlem," the legendary Art Kane photo that assembled numerous jazz heavyweights on the steps of a Harlem brownstone in 1958? Well, the makers of XXL magazine have successfully completed "A Great Day In Harlem II," according to California rapper X-Zibit, who I spoke with a few weeks ago. "They basically went and called up everybody in hip hop today and got them all in a picture--and I mean everybody was there! It was definitely a crazy historic situation!" Mister X to the Z could hardly contain himself as he ran down the list of names that were present, noting that the photo was taken by blaxploitation director Gordon Parks. The photo is slated for an upcoming XXL wrap-around cover, and no, Chubb Rock was not there. I asked. Just when you thought all of your faith in a live hip hop show had been abandoned for the spectacle of KISS, I include a stupid little rumour in my column that may or may not be true. For those of you who want to believe that the truth is out there, our Philadelphia favourites the Roots may be rolling into town early in the new year. Their new album Things Fall Apart could be named after a long line of rap shows that were supposed to happen in Montreal. Watch this space. And finally, the boys from Shades of Culture have embarked on an independent journey called Windmill Records. Runnin' tings on their own, these NDG roughnecks have seen it all, and stand to see a lot more if they keep droppin' records like their last single. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys opened for KISS at some point in their incredibly far-reaching musical dabblings. Shades plays the St-Laurambiance of Le Swimming on Thursday, December 10.