Still one of the coolest Michigan stories ever - KISS in Cadillac

by Guest Fri 9 Oct 2015 - 8:06

...and I'm not even a fan of the band.

Cadillac's connection with Kiss endures after 40 years

CADILLAC, Mich. — On a sunny October afternoon 40 years ago, this northern Michigan vacation destination became center of the universe for fans of the rock 'n' roll band Kiss.

The New York band, known for its lavish costumes, face paint and pyrotechnics, rolled into town to meet the Cadillac High School football team, which credited its winning season a year earlier to the band's pounding sounds.

The Oct. 9-10, 1975 visit left an indelible mark on the town of 9,200 nestled beside Lake Cadillac. And it's widely acknowledged as one of history's most famous rock 'n' roll publicity events, even though publicity came primarily after Kiss left Cadillac.

It also left an indelible mark on the band, which last year was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

by **DWags** Fri 9 Oct 2015 - 9:41

LooseGoose wrote:...and I'm not even a fan of the band.

Cadillac's connection with Kiss endures after 40 years

CADILLAC, Mich. — On a sunny October afternoon 40 years ago, this northern Michigan vacation destination became center of the universe for fans of the rock 'n' roll band Kiss.

The New York band, known for its lavish costumes, face paint and pyrotechnics, rolled into town to meet the Cadillac High School football team, which credited its winning season a year earlier to the band's pounding sounds.

The Oct. 9-10, 1975 visit left an indelible mark on the town of 9,200 nestled beside Lake Cadillac. And it's widely acknowledged as one of history's most famous rock 'n' roll publicity events, even though publicity came primarily after Kiss left Cadillac.

It also left an indelible mark on the band, which last year was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Was a high schooler in Manistee at the time. Harry Hagland or Hagstrom was a bitch first class football player from Cadillac. Lineman who had agreed to go to MSU the following year. I remember the papers had a picture of him with Kiss as a defacto body guard. In one he's piking up Gene Simmons. It was big news up here in our neck of the woods.

Good stuff.

BTW, If I recall Hagstrom or Hagland or whatever, either quit the MSU football team after a year or was hurt. Can't remember, I'm having a hard time remember his name.