Search results
Kiss (often styled as KISS) was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973 by Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar, vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, vocals).
KISS Tour Dates, Klassic Videos, Music, Merchandise and More! Home of the KISS ARMY, Find KISS tickets and concert information from the official KISS website.
Kiss was an American hard rock band from New York City, US. Formed in January 1973, the group originally featured rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons, lead guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss, all of whom contributed to vocals. [1] The band's lineup remained stable for seven years, before Criss left on May 18, 1980 ...
ImageName (persona)Years ActiveInstrumentsPaul Stanley (The Starchild)1973–2023lead and backing vocals rhythm guitar ...Gene Simmons (The Demon)1973–2023lead and backing vocals bass guitar ...Peter Criss (The Catman)1973–1980 1996–2001 2002–2004 (guest in ...drums percussion backing and lead vocalsall Kiss releases from Kiss (1974) to ...Ace Frehley (The Spaceman a.k.a. Space ...1973–1982 1996–2002 (guest in 1995 and ...lead guitar backing and lead vocals ...all Kiss releases from Kiss (1974) to ...American hard rock band Kiss has released 20 studio albums (24 counting the unified 1978 solo albums), 13 live albums, and 60 singles. Formed in New York City in 1973, the group initially consisted of bassist Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and drummer Peter Criss; this most recognizable and successful ...
Dec 2, 2023 · On Saturday, the memorable stagecraft that made Kiss one of the biggest selling hard rock bands in the world will come to an end, as its members perform what they are touting as their final...
People also ask
Who are the members of Kiss?
Is Kiss a good band?
Is Kiss the most influential rock band of all time?
When did kiss start?
- Overview
- Formation and first shows
- Breakthrough
- Lineup changes and final years
Kiss, American rock band, one of the most influential and best-selling rock groups from the 1970s through the early 2000s, known in particular for its theatrical live performances, involving pyrotechnics and other shocking visual effects and including extravagant outfits and makeup. Kiss formed in 1973. By 2023, as the band was nearing the conclusi...
In 1972 Simmons and Stanley were members of Wicked Lester, a rock-and-roll band based in Queens, New York. Although the group found some success in a crowded New York scene, Simmons and Stanley quit after its debut album was rejected by Epic Records, citing unhappiness with the band’s creative direction. The duo began recruiting a drummer and guitarist for a new outfit, envisioning a more uniform hard rock sound. Later in 1972 Simmons saw an advertisement in Rolling Stone magazine that had been placed by journeyman drummer Peter Criss. Criss auditioned and soon joined Simmons and Stanley. They began rehearsing as a trio but decided they needed a fuller sound. Stanley placed an ad in The Village Voice soliciting auditions for lead guitar. In January 1973 they added guitarist Ace Frehley to the band. Soon after, Stanley came up with the name Kiss, and Frehley drew the band’s iconic logo, which styles the name as KISS with the SS resembling two lightning bolts (the logo was subsequently banned in Germany because of its resemblance to the symbol of the Nazi Party paramilitary organization SS).
Kiss performed its first show on January 30, 1973, at the Popcorn Club (later Conventry) in Sunnyside, Queens, to a paltry turnout. The group initially attempted to adopt the glam-punk androgynous appearance of the rock group the New York Dolls but thought the imitation lacked originality and honesty. Instead, the band began to don black-and-white Kabuki-inspired clown makeup. Each member developed a different persona to accompany his face paint; Simmons became the Demon, Stanley the Starchild, Frehley the Space Ace (or the Spaceman), and Criss the Catman. That August, at a show at Hotel Diplomat in Times Square, Kiss grabbed the attention of Bill Aucoin, who would become their manager. Aucoin bought the band fog machines, a drum elevator, and spandex costumes. He also helped the band sign with the nascent Casablanca Records, which produced Kiss’s self-titled debut record in February 1974.
Kiss sold poorly, but the band’s live shows were electric. To go alongside the levitating drum platform and choreographed moves, Simmons had learned to breathe fire and started drooling fake blood—stunts that subsequently became major parts of Kiss’s act. The group released two additional albums, Hotter than Hell (1974) and Dressed to Kill (1975), neither of which sold well, continuing the group’s disappointing run of studio album sales and furthering a financial crisis for Casablanca Records. Instead of paying for another studio album, the label decided to release a live record, hoping to capture the energy of the band’s live performances. The double album, titled Alive! (1975), proved to be the band’s breakthrough, winning the group its first gold record and a top 40 hit, “Rock and Roll All Nite”; the song had first appeared on Dressed to Kill, but the live recording, which featured a guitar solo, became the most recognizable version.
Kiss exploded in popularity following Alive!, and in 1976 it released Destroyer, which became one of its best-selling studio albums. In June 1977 Kiss was named the number-one band in the United States, according to a nationwide Gallup poll. In October that same year, the group released Alive II, another live double album but this time including new studio material on its fourth side. In 1978 each member of the group simultaneously released a solo album.
After releasing the 1979 studio album Dynasty, tension among Kiss’s members peaked. Criss was particularly frustrated with his bandmates and began to sabotage live shows by drumming at the wrong tempo. He was fired by the band in 1980 and was replaced by Eric Carr, who became the Fox. In 1982, after the commercial failure of the band’s concept album, Music from “The Elder” (1981), Frehley left the band. He was soon thereafter replaced by Vinnie Vincent, the Ankh Warrior, who would in turn leave and be replaced by Mark St. John in 1984; St. John was replaced by Bruce Kulick the following year.
Are you a student? Get Britannica Premium for only 24.95 - a 67% discount!
Learn More
In 1983, sensing it was time for a change, Kiss abandoned its signature face makeup. During this “unmasked” period, the band released a series of commercially successful records, highlighted by Animalize (1984) and Crazy Nights (1987). After appearing on the popular MTV program MTV Unplugged, the band’s original lineup reunited, with makeup, for the highly successful Alive Worldwide tour in 1996.
Jun 16, 2021 · KISS: A Definitive Timeline of the Rock Band. After reaching the top through eye-catching personas and performances, the band weathered lineup changes and creative lulls to cement its place as...
