Binky Phillips recounts how his friends “Paul and Gene” from Kiss secured him an audition.

My friends, Paul and Gene, had been signed in 1973. It was now 1977 and I was still playing NYC clubs. Starchild and Demon were concerned, bless ‘em. They were both great admirers of my guitar playing (well, they were, dagnabbit). They wanted to help. Their manager, Bill Aucoin, had signed a new band called Starz, a four piece that needed a lead guitarist. Paul and Gene told Bill and his partner, Sean Delaney, that I would be a perfect fit. Aucoin’s office got in touch asking me to audition for their new band.
“Please go, Binky.” Paul emphatically requested.
What no one on that side of the equation knew was that my band, The Planets, were in the middle of getting signed by Warner Bros. Out of courtesy to Paul and Gene, I went to play with Starz.
Down in Chinatown, under the Manhattan Bridge, their rehearsal loft was really nice. Big, lots of light, a real stage set up. A real PA. The four Starz guys were all very friendly and welcoming. I got the feeling I was practically already in the band. Sean Delaney showed up within minutes of my arrival. Again, very friendly.
The guys showed me three songs, all with simple chord changes in comfortable keys. We played all three with me showing off. What the hell, right? The Starz boys were jazzed. Big smiles all around.
Now, Sean wanted us to do the same three songs with some simple choreography this time.
Easy to learn. I only remember he wanted me and Brandon, the other guitarist, to do some silly shit with us facing each other about two feet apart with our legs sort of criss-crossing each other. Brandon looked at me, clearly embarrassed, and with his eyes said, “Humor him.”
We took a break.
Sean led me into a small room just off the main rehearsal area. He sat me down.
“Okay, look, it’s official. We want you to join Starz. Are you in?”
I told Sean that, while I was very flattered and the band was really good (and they were), I wanted to stay with my Planets.
Sean, exasperated, said, “Binky, you’re never gonna make it with n-words in your band.”
He actually said the word. I was instantly disgusted. I wanted nothing to do with this guy.
I stood up and told Sean I had to leave. I walked back into the big room with the four Starzs looking at me like So? I grabbed my Les Paul, thanked them for a very fun time, wished them luck, and walked out the door.
Probably a mistake.
The Warner Bros deal fell apart after a producer, John Alcock, who’d just had a global hit with “The Boys Are Back In Town” by Thin Lizzy, had been hired. Six weeks at Ramport studio in London had been booked. Planets were victims of a last-minute boxing match among VPs of A&R. Our guy lost.
Richie Ranno got the Starz job.