Gene Simmons' dream come true

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STORY: It's a teenage rocker's dream come true - at least a teen from the 80s: Kiss frontman Gene Simmons announced in Los Angeles on Thursday (March 01) that he is teaming up with members from Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, and Metallica, among others, to create a new, all-star band.

The group, called "Rock and Roll All-Stars" will tour a variety of places in South and Central America in late spring including Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Argentina and Chile.

"It's a chance for me to have a vacation on stage with my best friends and everybody's best friends, the fans. It's going to be a great time. And we're just trying to follow in the great tradition of rock and roll, the camaraderie, the family of all of us together, paying homage to the fans who are our bosses and this is all for our Latin American fans and we're going to have a great time," said Simmons.

The band's creation was the brainchild of Guns N' Roses drummer Matt Sorum, who said he just started calling friends and pitching them his idea for a South American, all-star tour.

In addition to Simmons and Sorum, the line-up is scheduled to include Def Leppard vocalist Joe Elliot, Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach, Collective Soul vocalist Roland, Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan and guitarist Gilby Clarke, Billy Idol's guitarist Steve Stevens, and The Cult's Billy Duffy.