Jim Tucker of MR SPEED

1. Name: Jim Tucker
2. Age: Old enough to see KISS in the 70's
3. Wesite address: www.mrspeedonline.com
4. Email: [email protected]

5. Where are you from, where do you live? Small Town Ohio, born and raised

6. What Equipment/instrument preferences do you have and what do you use? Any guitar that plays good and Tube Amps. As Gene, I use a Punisher and a 1400 watt bass rig.

7. How long have you been a KISS fan? since 1973

8. Why did you choose Gene to impersonate? He's the only one I can pull off physically.....besides he was the one MR SPEED was looking for, ha ha.

9. How long have you been playing? Guitar 25+ years, Gene/bass about 3 years

10. What are some of your favorite songs to play? I like them all more or less. Love Her All I Can, Watchin You, and Let Me Know are all fun.

11. What is your worst song to play? Lick It Up if I have to pick. Not much for a bass player to do on that one.

12. Are there any other bands you have played with? Too many to list. No other KISS Tribs though.

13. What is your favorite era of KISS? First four albums, then the next four. The rest I have my faves and not so faves

14. If you could play unmasked, would you? I play it all the time. Oh, you mean ME! I have played in many bands unmasked, however I would never do an unmasked KISS Trib. KISS belongs "masked".

15. Whats the best piece of advice someone ever gave you? Do unto others, you reap what you sow

16. If you could be any other KISS character besides the demon who would you choose and why? The spaceman, because I love ACE and playing guitar.

17. What is your most embarrassing moment while playing a gig? My first gig in my Destroyer costume the scales kept falling down from my jumping around. Fixed 'em since.

18. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? I don't look that far ahead. When MR SPEED is done I'll still be playing. My wife and I will probably travel more. Maybe grandkids! sssssh!

19. Do you think that you will ever go pro and leave the tribute scene and start your own band and release any albums? Been there, done that. I am realistic enough to know that my "window" for being a rockstar has passed. I'll always play music. You play guitar because you HAVE to, not because you WANT to.

20. What does it feel like to be up on stage performing in front of your fans? They are not my fans they are KISS fans....like me. I always go to any trib show I can if we are not gigging that night. So should everyone else. I look at a trib show as the ultimate KISS party. When we kick into a "obscure" song like Room Service or "I" and I see the faces light up it is GREAT! I am having just as much fun as the "fans". I am as big a fan as any.

And one for the road:
Have you ever had any strange encounters with the fans that you would like to share with us? KISS fans are the greatest, not strange.....well maybe we are ALL strange so we seem normal to each other. I guess when people have me sign KISS memorabilia it is strange. What good a copy of DESTROYER with JIM TUCKER scrawled across it is, I don't know

Photos curtesy of Jim Tucker, and others curtesy of MR. SPEED ONLINE. Please do not take without express permission.

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