Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe MOWEAQUA, Ill., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- An Illinois man who has been dressing as Kiss front man Gene Simmons for 2 1/2 years was named winner -- and only competitor -- of a State Fair Costume contest. Terry Traster, 32, of Moweaqua was the only competitor and by-default winner of Saturday's Kiss Costume Competition, which came before a performance by tribute band Original Kiss Army, The State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill., reported Tuesday. Advertisement "I saw Kiss for the first time in 1996 on the reunion tour, and that's when I was hooked, with all the theatrics, Gene spitting fire, doing the blood, the explosions." Traster said. "I love the music too." Traster said he advanced to the costume stage of Kiss fandom about 2 1/2 years ago. "A lot of it was purely out of boredom," said Traster, who added it takes him about an hour and a half to put on his makeup.
