Q:   i was offering Kiss Slides from their Filmore East Gig in jan, 8, 1974 (Paul`s bandit make-up) at ebay, i thought these were originals. A guy called Dan Starr contacted me and told me that you took photographs at this gig on a 35mm film and that my slides were fakes. Meanwhile i cancelled this auction because it`s not my intention to rip someone off. Maybe i was hooked into buying these slides as originals. Just want to know if the information is correct that you attended this gig and took the photos. Thanks in advance for your response. - Walter / Austria

RIK:   Hi Walter,

Yes, those Filmore East photos are all mine. Many years ago, while I was still living back in New Jersey, I was kind enough (in this case, too trusting and foolish enough), to temporarily 'Loan" my negatives to someone I thought was a friend. He never returned the negatives, and since the 1980's has been running around trying to sell the photos off as though they were his. I have been trying to track him down. His name is Brian Rademacher. This information was further proved by another good friend of mine Randy Paul (aka Randy Roxx), who started the very first KISS fan magazine, called "KISSER", and in his publication's centerfold, was a spread of my photos of the KISS Filmore East show, with the printed date on it.

Brian also has my negatives of myself posing with Peter Criss out of his make-up. In the photo Peter looks somewhat inebriated (which he was), and I am wearing a black t-shirt with the script "Rock and Roll" in silver glitter printed on it. Brian has been illegally and wrongfully passing this off as a photo of Peter Criss and Rick Derringer, when, in fact it is actually Peter & myself, taken at Peter's late mother's home which was around the corner from where we were neighbors in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, N.Y. The photos were taken back in 1974, and I am the "SOLE" owner.

I never thought that I would be so ripped off by someone who was a friend and also a fan of mine. (Brian used to admire all of the bands I played in).

I was fortunate to befriend Dan Starr, upon my arrival in Los Angeles in 1982, as he was one of the witness's who actually saw me as an original member of W.A.S.P., during our rehearsals. Later, I was further fortunate to have Dan as both my bass tech & Stage Manager for my band SIN. Dan knew the real story of the KISS photos, and had seen small proof-sheet size copies of my photos in one of my KISS scrapbooks, long before the photos ever surfaced on a company called eBay. I am grateful to Dan for helping me to try and track down my KISS Filmore East photos and any other pirated copies thereof.
I would also appreciate whatever further information you can supply, as to where 'you' received the KISS photos from, so we may further backtrack to find all parties involved in this matter.

Rather that have them destroyed, I would appreciate the return of all of the KISS material taken at the Filmore East to my possession, including the photo(s) of Peter & myself.