SOLO ALBUMS KEYCHAINS
1978, AUCOIN
These four key chains with a ‘lustre finish’ (AKA ‘shiny gloss’) were advertised and sold separately on the merchandise sheets found in The Solo Albums for $4.50 each. The four were also for sale in the official KISS Meets The Phantom magazine. Because they were all scaled to the same size, Gene’s additional top knot had the effect of making his overall head smaller in scale than the others. The Gene key chain appeared different in all the merchandise forms, matching the artwork on the album cover (minus the blood stain). The final released version had Gene with his tongue sticking out! A letter dated October 16, 1978 from Boutwell to Aviva addressed a few problems with the samples. Despite the original samples being fine, follow-up samples were half the thickness leading to the keychains being able to bend and break. It was requested all future items be returned to the original thickness. It was also noted that many of the keychains were bagged whilst the sealant was still wet - leading to the bag sticking to the lacquer - and needed more time to dry. The Peter prototype also had a black nose.
Photo: 'KISS: the Hottest Brand In The Land' coffee table book. Thanks to 'Knights In Satan's Service' and John 5 for the prototype photos.