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Kiss (band)

January 20, 2023

Kiss (stylized as KIϟϟ) is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973 by Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass), Ace Frehley (lead guitar, vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, vocals). Known for their face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-1970s with shock rock-style live performances, which featured fire-breathing, blood-spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits, and pyrotechnics. The band has gone through several lineup changes, with Stanley and Simmons remaining the only consistent members. The original and best-known lineup consisted of Stanley, Simmons, Frehley, and Criss.

Kiss
Kiss performing in 2019.
Left to right: Eric Singer (on drums), Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer, Paul Stanley
Background information
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active1973–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websitekissonline.com

With their makeup and costumes, the band members took on the personae of comic book-style characters: the Starchild (Stanley), the Demon (Simmons), the Spaceman or Space Ace (Frehley), and the Catman (Criss). Due to creative differences, Criss departed the band in 1980 and Frehley in 1982, though both would return later.

In 1983, Kiss began performing without makeup and costumes, marking the beginning of the band's "unmasked" era that would last for over a decade. The band experienced a commercial resurgence during this era, with the 1983 platinum-certified album Lick It Up successfully introducing them to a new generation of fans, and its music videos receiving regular airplay on MTV. Eric Carr, who had replaced Criss in 1980, died in 1991 of heart cancer and was replaced by Eric Singer. In response to a wave of Kiss nostalgia in the mid-1990s, the original lineup reunited in 1996, which also saw the return of its makeup and stage costumes. The resulting reunion tour was highly successful, grossing $143.7 million, making it the band's most successful tour to date. Criss and Frehley subsequently left the band again, and have been replaced by Singer and Tommy Thayer, respectively. The band has continued with its original stage makeup, with Singer and Thayer using the original Catman and Spaceman makeup, respectively. In September 2018, Kiss announced that, after 45 years of recording and performing, it would embark on its final tour, the End of the Road World Tour, which started in January 2019 and is currently set to conclude in 2023.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Kiss is regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of all time,[7][8] as well as one of the bestselling bands of all time, claiming to have sold more than 100 million records worldwide,[9] including 21 million[10] RIAA-certified albums.[11] Kiss has also earned 30 Gold albums, the most of any band from the United States. Kiss has 14 Platinum albums, three of which earned multi-Platinum.[8] On April 10, 2014, the four original members of Kiss were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kiss was ranked by MTV as the ninth "Greatest Metal Band of All Time",[12] and placed tenth on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" list,[13] as well as being ranked as the third "Best Metal and Hard Rock Live Band of All Time" by Loudwire magazine.[14]

History

1971–1975: Early years

Kiss traces its roots to Wicked Lester, a New York City–based rock band led by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. That band recorded one album, which was shelved by Epic Records, and played a handful of live shows. Simmons and Stanley, feeling a new musical direction was needed, abandoned Wicked Lester in 1972 and began forming a new group.[15][16][17]

After breaking up Wicked Lester late in 1972, Simmons and Stanley came across an ad in the East Coast version of Rolling Stone placed by Peter Criss, a drummer from the New York City scene who had previously played in the bands Lips and Chelsea.[18] Simmons and Stanley met Criss in a nightclub where he was playing drums. After hearing Criss sing, they thought Criss should be in the new band they were forming. Criss then auditioned for, and later joined their new band. The three focused on a much harder style of rock than that played by Wicked Lester. In November 1972, the band played a showcase for Epic Records A&R director Don Ellis, in an effort to secure a record deal.[19] In early January 1973, the group added lead guitarist Ace Frehley. Frehley impressed the group with his first audition, and was asked back for a second audition. A few weeks after Frehley joined, the classic lineup was solidified as the band to be named Kiss.[20] They also began experimenting with their image, by wearing makeup and various outfits.[21]

 
The Kiss logo

Stanley came up with the name while he, Simmons, and Criss were driving around New York City. Criss mentioned that he had been in a band called Lips, so Stanley said something to the effect of "What about Kiss?"[22] Frehley created the now-iconic logo, making the "SS" look like lightning bolts, when he went to write the new band name over "Wicked Lester" on a poster outside the club where they were going to play.[23] (Some of Wicked Lester's artwork included one lightning bolt for the "S" in Lester.[24]) Later, Stanley designed the logo with a Sharpie and a ruler and accidentally drew the two S's nonparallel because he did it "by eye". The art department asked him if he wanted it to be redrafted to be perfect and he said, "It got us this far, let's leave well enough alone. Our number one rule has always been no rules."[25]

 
Modified KISS logo used in Germany, Austria, Israel, and other countries that outlaw Nazi symbols.

The letters happened to look similar to the insignia of the Nazi SS, a symbol that is outlawed in Germany by Section 86a of the German criminal code. However, Simmons and Stanley, both Jewish, have denied any intentional likeness to Nazi symbolism in the logo. Since 1979, most of the band's album covers and merchandise in Germany have used a different logo, in which the letters "SS" look like the letters "ZZ" backwards. This logo is also used in Austria, Switzerland, Lithuania, Hungary and Israel to avoid controversy.[26][27]

The band's name has repeatedly been the subject of rumors pertaining to alleged hidden meanings. Among these rumors are theories that the name is an acronym for "Knights in Satan's Service", "Kinder SS", or "Kids in Satan's Service". Simmons has denied all of these claims.[28][29]

The first Kiss performance took place on January 30, 1973, for an audience of fewer than ten people at the Popcorn Club (renamed Coventry shortly afterward) in Queens. The band was paid $50 for performing two sets that evening, following a cold-call Simmons had made to the venue, convincing them to hire the new band for a three-night stand.[30] For the first three gigs, January 30 to February 1, they wore makeup, but the iconic character designs associated with Kiss made their debuts during the March 9–10 shows at The Daisy in Amityville, New York.

Our first show ever was at Coventry. Coventry was a study in contrasts. The first time we played there was nobody there. The last time we played there, you could barely get in the door.

— Paul Stanley[31]

On March 13 of that year, the band recorded a five-song demo tape with producer Eddie Kramer. Former TV director Bill Aucoin, who had seen the group at a handful of showcase concerts in the summer of 1973, offered to become the band's manager in mid-October. Kiss agreed, with the condition that Aucoin signs the band to a record label within two weeks. On November 1, 1973, Kiss became the first act signed to former teen pop singer and Buddah Records executive Neil Bogart's new label, Casablanca Records.[32]

The band entered Bell Sound Studios in New York City on October 10, 1973, to begin recording its first album. On December 31, the band had its official industry premiere at the Academy of Music in New York City, opening for Blue Öyster Cult. It was at this concert that, for the first of many times, Simmons accidentally set his hair (which was coated in hairspray) ablaze while performing his fire-breathing routine.[33]

Kiss's first tour started on February 5, 1974, in Edmonton, Alberta, at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, as an opening act.[34] The band's self-titled debut album was released on February 18. Casablanca and Kiss promoted the album heavily throughout the spring and summer of 1974.

Being in Kiss in the very first year and touring around the United States, we felt like we were taking off. It was like somebody pushing you into the deep end of the pool whether you can swim or not. The early years of Kiss were far from glamorous. We rode in a station wagon hundreds of miles every day. We would take turns driving and sleeping in the back. We ate burgers at roadside taverns. We stopped and peed on the side of long stretches of a highway when we couldn't find a town anywhere near. We ate beans and franks because we couldn't afford better food as we were on an $85 a week salary! Becoming a rock star was better than anything and beyond anything I ever imagined. There were moments of doubt for me that we were gonna make it.

— Gene Simmons[35]

On February 19, in its first television appearance, the band performed "Nothin' to Lose", "Firehouse" and "Black Diamond" on ABC's In Concert (aired March 29).[36] On April 29, the band performed "Firehouse" on The Mike Douglas Show. This broadcast included Simmons's first televised interview, a conversation with Mike Douglas in which Simmons declared himself "evil incarnate", eliciting uncomfortable reactions from a confused studio audience. Fellow Jewish-American guest Totie Fields said it would be humorous if beneath all the makeup Simmons was "just a nice Jewish boy". Simmons responded, "You should only know", to which Fields replied, "I do. You can't hide the hook", a reference to the stereotypical "Jewish" nose.[37][38]

Despite the publicity and constant touring, Kiss initially sold just 75,000 copies. Meanwhile, the group and Casablanca Records were losing money quickly. The band (while touring) stopped in Los Angeles in August 1974 to begin recording its second album, Hotter Than Hell, which was released on October 22, 1974. The only single, "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll", failed to chart, and the album stalled at No. 100.[39]

With Hotter Than Hell quickly dropping off the charts, Kiss was pulled from its tour to quickly record a new album. Casablanca head Bogart stepped in to produce the next album, trading in the murky, distorted sound of Hotter Than Hell for a cleaner and slightly poppier sound. Dressed to Kill, released on March 19, 1975, fared slightly better commercially than Hotter Than Hell. It also contained what later became the band's signature song, "Rock and Roll All Nite".[40]

Although Kiss albums had not proved to be big sellers, the band was quickly gaining a reputation for its live performances. Kiss concerts featured such spectacles as Simmons spitting "blood" (an effect made primarily from eggs, yogurt, red food coloring, and maple syrup) and "breathing fire" (spitting flammable liquid at a torch), Frehley soloing as his guitar burst into flames (light and smoke bombs placed inside the guitar), Criss's elevating drum riser that emitted sparks, Stanley's Townshend-style guitar smashing, and pyrotechnics throughout the show.[41][42]

By mid-1975, Casablanca was almost bankrupt, and Kiss was in danger of losing its record contract. Both parties desperately needed a commercial breakthrough if they were to survive.[43] That breakthrough came in an unlikely form: a "double live" album.[44]

1975–1978: Rise to prominence

 
Stanley performing with Kiss in Winnipeg on the Alive! Tour in 1976

I saw a pattern emerging with us on the road. Every night, I'd ask somebody before the show, "How are we doing?", which meant, "What's the attendance?" One night they said, "It's sold out," and then the next night I'd hear the same thing. All of a sudden it was becoming the norm. For me the first realization that things were on an upswing was when we played the Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Before the show I went on stage, looked out through the curtain and saw this big crowd, and said to myself, "My God, this is really happening!"

— Paul Stanley[45]

Kiss wanted to express the excitement felt at its concerts (which its studio albums had so far failed to do) with its first live album. Compiled from concerts recorded between May and July in Wildwood, New Jersey, Detroit and Cleveland, and released on September 10, 1975, Alive! achieved Gold status and spawned Kiss's first top 40 single: a live version of "Rock and Roll All Nite". It was the first version of the song with a guitar solo, and this recording has become the best-known version. It is also the basis of most covers, such as the cover by Poison in 1987. In recent years the band admitted that additional audience noise had been added to the album, as well as overdubs on select guitar and vocal spots, not to deceive fans, but to add more "excitement and realism" to the record.[46]

The success of Alive! not only brought Kiss the breakthrough they had been seeking but arguably saved Casablanca, which was close to bankruptcy. Following this success, Kiss partnered with producer Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper. The result was Destroyer (released March 15, 1976), Kiss's most musically ambitious studio album to date. Destroyer, with its rather intricate production (using an orchestra, choir, and numerous tape effects), was a departure from the raw sound of the first three studio albums. Album art was designed by Ken Kelly, who had drawn Tarzan and Conan the Barbarian and also produced album covers for acts such as Rainbow and Manowar.[47][48] While the album sold well initially and became the group's second Gold album, it quickly dropped down the charts. Only when the ballad "Beth", the B-side of the single "Detroit Rock City", began to gain more airplay on FM radio did the album's sales rebound. The single was subsequently reissued with the A- and B-sides reversed. "Beth" peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first Top 10 single in the United States.

 
Simmons and Frehley share a microphone in 1978.

In October 1976, Kiss appeared on The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (aired on ABC the 29th), lip-synching "Detroit Rock City", "Beth" and "King of the Night Time World". The show, co-produced by Bill Aucoin, helped introduce Kiss to an even wider audience. In addition to the three songs, Kiss was the subject of a brief comedic "interview" conducted by Paul Lynde. This included Lynde noting, when hearing the member's first names, "Oh, I love a good religious group."

Two more highly successful studio albums were released in less than a year: Rock and Roll Over (November 11, 1976) and Love Gun (June 30, 1977). A second live album, Alive II, was released on October 14, 1977. All three albums were certified Platinum soon after their release. Between 1976 and 1978, Kiss earned $17.7 million from record royalties and music publishing.[49] A 1977 Gallup poll named Kiss the most popular band in America. In Japan, Kiss performed five sold-out shows at Tokyo's Budokan Hall, breaking the previous record of four set by the Beatles.

When we played in Japan in the late '70s, nothing could prepare you for the hysteria because when people are telling you how big you are, you're big compared to what? Until you're faced with mass hysteria it doesn't really sink in. For you not having been in a certain country makes them that much more rabid for you to go.

— Paul Stanley[50]

In May 1977, Kiss made the first of its many comics appearances, in Howard the Duck issue 12, published by Marvel Comics.[51]

The first Kiss compilation album, Double Platinum, was issued on April 2, 1978. This double album included many remixed versions of the band's hits, as well as "Strutter '78", a re-recorded version of a song from the group's first album. At Bogart's request, this version of the song featured a disco influence.[52]

During this period, Kiss merchandise became a substantial source of income for the group. Some of the products released included a pair of comic books issued by Marvel (the first contained ink mixed with actual blood donated by the group), a pinball machine, dolls, "Kiss Your Face Makeup" kits, Halloween masks, board games, lunch boxes, trading cards and many other pieces of memorabilia. Membership in the Kiss Army, the band's fan club, was in the six figures. Between 1977 and 1979, worldwide merchandise sales (in-store and on tour) reached an estimated $100 million.[53]

1978: Solo and film projects

 
 
(Left): Criss performing "Beth" in 1977; (right): Frehley demonstrates the pyrotechnics that helped make Kiss a live sensation.

Alive II was the band's fourth Platinum album in just under two years, and the ensuing tour had the highest average attendance in the group's history. In addition, Kiss's gross income for 1977 was $10.2 million. The group, along with manager Aucoin, sought to push the brand harder. To that end, an ambitious, two-pronged strategy was devised for 1978.[54]

The first part involved the simultaneous release of four solo albums from the members of Kiss. Although Kiss has claimed that the solo albums were intended to ease rising tensions within the band, its 1976 record contract did in fact call for four solo records, each of them counting as half an album toward the group's five-record commitment.[55] Each album was a solo effort (none of the group appeared on another's album), however all were released and marketed as Kiss albums (with similar cover art and poster inserts). It was the first time that all current members of a rock band had released solo albums on the same day.[56]

For the band members, it was a chance to showcase their individual musical styles and tastes outside of Kiss, and in some cases to collaborate with contemporary artists. Stanley's and Frehley's albums were most similar to Kiss's hard rock style, while Criss' album featured an R&B style with multiple ballads. Simmons' was the most diverse of the four, featuring hard rock, ballads, Beatles-influenced pop and a cover version of "When You Wish Upon a Star" from the Disney film Pinocchio. Simmons' many collaborators included Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, the Doobie Brothers' Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Donna Summer, Janis Ian, Helen Reddy, Bob Seger, Katey Sagal, and his then-girlfriend Cher.

The solo albums were released on September 18, 1978. Casablanca spent $2.5 million on the marketing campaign for the albums, and announced they were shipping five million copies, guaranteeing Platinum status.[57] Despite the large shipments, none of the albums sold particularly well and were later sold as cut-outs. Of the four, Simmons's album charted the highest in the U.S., peaking at #22, while Frehley's spawned the only resulting Top Forty hit single, a cover of "New York Groove", written by Russ Ballard and originally performed by Hello.[58] Frehley's album has gone on to be the biggest seller since the introduction of Soundscan in 1991.[59]

The second part of Kiss's and Aucoin's plan called for the band to appear in a film that would cement its image of larger-than-life rock-and-roll superheroes. Filming commenced in the spring of 1978. Although the project was proposed to the band as a cross between A Hard Day's Night and Star Wars, the final result fell far short of those expectations. The final product, Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, debuted on NBC on October 28, 1978.[60] It was released theatrically, after many changes, outside the U.S. in 1979 under the title Attack of the Phantoms. The band members were unhappy with the finished film and would speak about their filmmaking experience in later interviews with a mix of humorous embarrassment and regret. They felt that the film portrayed them more as clowns than superheroes. The artistic failure of the film led to a rift between the band and Aucoin.[61]

1979–1983: Final makeup years

Kiss' first album of new material in two years, Dynasty (1979), continued the band's Platinum streak. The disco-flavored "I Was Made for Lovin' You" became one of the band's biggest hit singles to date, peaking at No. 11. Session drummer Anton Fig performed almost all the percussion on the album while Criss recovered from an automobile accident. The only song to feature Criss's drumming was "Dirty Living'", on which he also sang lead.[62] The album is also notable due to Frehley singing three lead vocals versus Simmons two, which he put down to increased confidence following the success of his solo album.[63]

Billed as "The Return of Kiss", the Dynasty Tour was expected by Kiss and their management to build on the success of previous tours. Plans were drawn up for a Kiss-themed traveling amusement park called "Kiss World", but were abandoned because of the immense costs involved;[64] however, "The Return of Kiss" saw a marked decline in attendance.[65]

 
Simmons performing with Kiss in 1979

The crowds on this tour were much younger than previous audiences had been, with many preadolescent children in Kiss makeup with their mothers and fathers (who were sometimes wearing the makeup themselves) in tow at most concerts. Kiss themselves did little to dissuade this new fan base, donning colorful costumes that reinforced a cartoonish image for these younger fans.[66]

The fans were unaware of the dissension within the band. One very public indication of the heightened friction within the group was an infamous October 31, 1979, interview on Tom Snyder's late-night The Tomorrow Show. During the episode, a visibly irritated Simmons and Stanley attempted, unsuccessfully, to contain the inebriated Frehley, whose frequent laughter and joking overshadowed the conversation between Snyder and the rest of the band. Criss made references to his large gun collection, to the chagrin of Simmons.[67]

By the end of the Dynasty tour in December 1979, tensions between Criss and the rest of the band were at an all-time high. His drumming skills had noticeably eroded, and he even intentionally slowed down—or stopped playing altogether—during some concerts. The final show of the tour (December 16, 1979) was the last time Criss performed with the group for almost 17 years, although he remained an official member for nearly six more months.[68][69]

Anton Fig played all the drums on the next album, Unmasked, although he was not credited, while Criss appeared on the cover. Showcasing a slick, contemporary pop sound, Unmasked (released May 20, 1980) had the dubious distinction of being the first non-Platinum Kiss album since Dressed to Kill. Soon after the album's release, Criss's departure was officially announced.[70][71] Fig, considered a member of Kiss for one day following the departure of Criss, was then fired by Stanley and Simmons, who felt he was not a good fit for the band. He would ultimately join Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band, acting as the drummer for David Letterman's television programs until the host's retirement.[72]

The band auditioned dozens of replacements for Criss in June 1980. One of the many who auditioned was Tico Torres (who would later be with Bon Jovi). They finally settled on a little-known drummer-guitarist-pianist-keyboardist-singer from Brooklyn named Paul Charles Caravello (born July 12, 1950) who adopted the stage name Eric Carr. His first makeup design was modeled on a hawk, though it was rejected as Stanley felt it looked more like a chicken. Carr ultimately settled on a "Fox" persona. In his Fox makeup, he was introduced on ABC's Kids Are People Too!, and debuted with the group on July 25, 1980, at the Palladium concert hall in New York City. This was Kiss's only U.S. show in support of Unmasked. The band's 1980 tour of Australia and New Zealand, on the other hand, was one of the biggest in its history, as they played to sold-out crowds and received overwhelmingly positive press coverage.[73][74]

 
Kiss during the Music from The Elder era

For its next album, the band worked again with producer Ezrin, with whom Kiss had found success on Destroyer. Early press reports indicated that the new album would be a return to the hard rock style that had originally brought the band success. However, 1981's Music from "The Elder" was a concept album featuring medieval horns, strings, harps, and synthesizers.[75]

The album was presented as a soundtrack to a film that was never made, making it difficult to follow the storyline. To make matters worse, having received negative feedback following its record company's preview of the album, Kiss altered the record's track sequence in most countries to emphasize potential singles "The Oath" and "A World Without Heroes", which all but guaranteed the inability of listeners to understand the already-muddled storyline. Once released, fan reaction to The Elder was harsh; it failed to achieve Gold status and peaked at No. 75 on the Billboard album chart.[76]

The band made only two appearances in support of the new album, both in January 1982. One was a performance on the ABC late-night variety program Fridays, while the second was a lip-synced performance that was broadcast via satellite during Italy's Sanremo Music Festival.[77]

Absent from the satellite performance was Frehley, who had become increasingly frustrated with Kiss' new musical direction. Upset with the band's decision to record Music from "The Elder", he did not actively participate in the album's creation, providing lead vocals for only one track, "Dark Light". He did not appear at a special concert at Studio 54 in New York City, leaving Kiss to perform as a trio. He recorded his guitar parts at his home studio in Wilton, Connecticut, and mailed them to Ezrin. Another source of frustration for Frehley was that with the departure of Criss, and with Carr not being an equal partner in the band, he was often outvoted 2-to-1 on group decisions. In June 1982, Frehley's departure from the band was negotiated, although he did not officially leave until December.

Simmons stated in his autobiography Kiss and Make-Up that Van Halen founder Eddie Van Halen was eager to replace Frehley as Kiss's lead guitarist. Simmons and Eddie's brother Alex convinced Eddie to remain with Van Halen.[78] Eddie was willing to break up Van Halen due to tensions between himself and lead vocalist David Lee Roth, who ultimately left the band in 1985.[79][80] Paul Stanley, however, has since denied the rumors of Eddie Van Halen wanting to join Kiss.[81] Other notable guitarists who auditioned to replace Frehley included Punky Meadows of Angel,[82] Doug Aldrich of Whitesnake and Dio,[83] Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi,[84] and Yngwie Malmsteen.[85]

Soon afterward, Kiss made major changes to its business dealings – chief among them was severing ties with its manager of nine years, Bill Aucoin, and cutting back on its unwieldy organizational tree. Although Frehley had already decided to leave the band, he was pictured on the covers of 1982's Killers and Creatures of the Night, although he did not participate in the recording of either album.[86]

Creatures of the Night (October 13, 1982) was Kiss's heaviest album to date, and although it fared better than Music from "The Elder", it peaked at only No. 45 on the charts and was not certified Gold until 1994. In Frehley's absence, Kiss utilized a number of guitarists for the recording of the album, including Vinnie Vincent.

Frehley's last appearance with the band (until the 1996 reunion) was in the music video for the single "I Love It Loud", which was co-written by Vincent. Frehley also appeared on the cover of the original Creatures of the Night album artwork. When the album was remixed and re-released in 1985 with a non-makeup cover and a slightly different song order, to reflect the band's roster change and abandonment of its makeup and costumes, Vincent was again absent from the album cover, as then-current lead guitarist, Bruce Kulick, appeared instead.[87] The liner notes accompanying the remixed LP, however, credited both Frehley and Vincent with lead guitar performances on the Creatures of the Night album. Vincent officially replaced Frehley as lead guitarist in December 1982, as the band embarked on its 10th Anniversary Tour.[88][89]

Vincent originally wanted to use his birth name (Cusano) in the band, but this was vetoed by Simmons on the grounds that it sounded "too ethnic". Specifically, according to Simmons, "it sounded like a fruit vendor". Simmons went on to note that "fairly or unfairly, rock and roll is about the image".[90] Vincent then suggested the name "Mick Fury", but this was also disallowed. Simmons later suggested the name change to "Vinnie Vincent". Vincent started actively pushing to join Kiss as a full member. Despite the misgivings that both Simmons and Stanley harbored about his personality, Vincent was taken into the band. Stanley designed a character, "the Wiz"[91][92] also known as "the Egyptian Warrior",[93] and makeup centered around an Egyptian ankh, for Vincent.[90] According to the official authorized Kiss biography, written by David Leaf and Ken Sharp, "the Egyptian Ankh Warrior" refers to Vincent's makeup and persona, while the nickname "the Wiz" refers to his virtuosity as a guitar player.[94] According to the Simmons autobiography Kiss and Make-Up, Vincent's Kiss persona was solely "the Wiz". A persona as "the Ankh Warrior" or similar is not mentioned in the book at all.[91][92]

From 1982 to 1983, the new lineup of Kiss became Simmons (the Demon), Stanley (the Starchild), Eric Carr (the Fox) and Vincent (the Egyptian Warrior)[93] or the Wiz.[91][92]

Vincent's personality did not mesh well with either Stanley or Simmons, and he was dismissed from Kiss at the end of the Creatures tour. He was quickly reinstated before recording started for Lick It Up because Simmons and Stanley could not find a new lead guitarist on such short notice. Vincent appeared on the cover of Lick It Up and was credited as the lead guitarist. He received a writing credit for eight of the ten songs on the album.

Personality issues arose once again, and Vincent was fired following the Lick It Up tour, due in part to excessive guitar soloing at a 1984 concert in Quebec. He was replaced by Mark St. John. Vincent was later utilized by Kiss as a songwriter on the 1992 album Revenge, contributing to the songs "Unholy", "Tough Love", "Heart of Chrome" and "I Just Wanna". Vincent and the band parted ways. Persistent rumors circulated for years among Kiss fans regarding the true reason for Vincent's dismissals from Kiss, with at least one band member refusing to comment except to say that legally it was not up for discussion. Simmons stated in an interview several years later that Vincent's firing was for "unethical behavior", but he did not elaborate:

Vinnie, for the record, was fired for unethical behavior, not because of lack of talent.[95]

1983–1996: Unmasking

Sensing it was time for a change, Kiss made the decision to abandon its trademark makeup and costumes. The band officially appeared in public without makeup for the first time since its very early days on a September 18, 1983, appearance on MTV, which coincided with the release of Lick It Up.[96] The tour to promote the new album and the unmasked band members began in Lisbon, Portugal, on October 11, 1983, at Pavilhão Dramático de Cascais, the band's first concert without makeup since early 1973. Lick It Up became Kiss's first Gold record in three years, but the tour was even more sparsely attended than the previous one. Vincent did not get along with Simmons and Stanley, and he left the band at the conclusion of the tour in March 1984. Vincent's replacement was Mark St. John, a session player and guitar tutor.[97]

With St. John, Kiss released the album Animalize on September 13, 1984. Animalize followed the success of Lick It Up, and due in part to consistent MTV play for the "Heaven's on Fire" video, Animalize was the band's bestselling record in America during the decade, with over two million albums sold. With the success of the album and subsequent tour, Kiss had recaptured some of its earlier glory (though not to the level of its 1970s heyday). St. John, however, came down with reactive arthritis during tour rehearsals, and only performed at a handful of shows before being dismissed from the band in December 1984. The band hired Bruce Kulick to replace St. John. Kulick had previously filled in for St. John during the first two months of the Animalize tour. Kulick was Kiss's fourth lead guitarist in less than three years, but he stayed with the band for 12 years.[98] Kulick was one of the band's longest-serving members, with the longest continuous tenure of anyone other than Simmons and Stanley, until Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer broke his record in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

You can't help but have a good time at one of our shows when everybody is going nuts onstage. That kind of good time is infectious. You can't fake it. You can't fool the audience. The people will see right through you if you put on a fake smile or you're not putting out your best. The band are alive and well and playing better than we ever have.

— Gene Simmons[99]
 
Bruce Kulick (pictured here in 2002) was the lead guitarist for Kiss from 1984 to 1996.

One of the first concerts Kulick played as an official member of the band was at Detroit, Michigan's Cobo Hall. It was filmed for the MTV special Animalize Live.

The lineup of Stanley, Simmons, Carr and Kulick turned out to be the most stable since the original, and for the rest of the 1980s, Kiss released a series of Platinum albums: 1985's Asylum, 1987's Crazy Nights and the 1988 greatest hits compilation Smashes, Thrashes & Hits. Crazy Nights, in particular, was one of Kiss's most successful albums overseas. The single "Crazy Crazy Nights" reached No. 4 on the singles chart in the United Kingdom, the band's highest-charting single in that country.[100]

Kiss ended the decade with the October 1989 release Hot in the Shade. Although the album failed to achieve Platinum status, it spawned the hit ballad "Forever", co-written by Michael Bolton. Peaking at No. 8 in the US, it was the group's highest-charting single since "Beth" and was the band's second Top 10 single.[100]

During this time, Kiss struggled with its identity and fan base. Simmons, arguably the driving force in Kiss during the 1970s, became less involved with the group in the 1980s as he pursued outside interests, most notably a film career. Stanley took a more prominent role as a result.[101][102]

In February 1991, the band decided to once again enlist Ezrin to produce its next album. Before recording could begin in earnest, however, tragedy struck. In March 1991, it was discovered that Carr had a tumor on his heart. It was successfully removed the following month, but more tumors were soon discovered in his lungs. Carr received chemotherapy and was pronounced cancer-free in July. However, in September he suffered the first of two cerebral hemorrhages. He died on November 24, 1991, at the age of 41.[103][104]

Despite the tragic loss of a longtime member, Kiss continued, introducing veteran drummer Eric Singer (born Eric Doyle Mensinger on May 12, 1958, in Cleveland, Ohio). Singer had played with Paul Stanley previously, as part of Stanley's backing band during a 1989 solo tour.

Kiss released Revenge on May 19, 1992. It featured a leaner, harder-edged sound, as indicated by the first single, "Unholy". In a surprise move, Kiss enlisted Vincent to help with songwriting duties. The album debuted in the Top 10 and went Gold. Kiss embarked on a brief club tour of the U.S. in the spring of 1992, before beginning an American tour in September 1992. The tour was documented on the album Alive III, released on May 14, 1993. Four days later, Kiss were inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk.[105]

In 1995, the group released the book Kisstory, a 440-page, 9 pounds (4.1 kg), detailed chronicle of the group's history to that point. That same year, the band embarked on a unique and well-received Worldwide Kiss Convention Tour. The conventions were all-day events, featuring displays of vintage Kiss stage outfits, instruments and memorabilia; performances by Kiss cover bands; and dealers selling Kiss merchandise from every stage of the band's career. Kiss appeared live at the conventions, conducted question and answer sessions, signed autographs, and performed a two-hour acoustic set composed mostly of spontaneous fan requests. On the first U.S. date (June 17, 1995), Criss appeared onstage with Kiss to sing "Hard Luck Woman" and "Nothin' to Lose". It was the first time Criss had performed publicly with the band in nearly 16 years.[106][107]

1996–2001: Original lineup reunion tour and remasking

 
Kiss performing in Utrecht in 1997

On August 9, 1995, Kiss joined the long line of musicians to perform on MTV Unplugged. The band contacted Criss and Frehley and invited them to participate in the event.[108] Both joined Kiss on stage for several songs at the end of the set: "Beth", "2000 Man", "Nothin' to Lose" and "Rock and Roll All Nite".[106] The Unplugged appearance set off months of speculation that a possible reunion of the original Kiss lineup was in the works. In the weeks following the Unplugged concert, however, the band (with Kulick and Singer) returned to the studio for the first time in three years to record a follow-up to Revenge. Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions was completed in February 1996, but its release was delayed for almost two years. Bootleg copies of the album circulated widely among fans.[109] While Kiss continued to exist publicly as Simmons, Stanley, Kulick and Singer, arrangements for a reunion of the original lineup were in the works. These efforts culminated with a public event as dramatic as any the band had staged since its 1983 unmasking on MTV. With the following statements, Tupac Shakur introduced the original Kiss lineup, in full makeup and Love Gun-era stage outfits, to a rousing ovation at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards:[110]

You know how the Grammys used to be, all straight-looking folks with suits. Everybody looking tired. No surprises. We tired of that. We need something different, something new, we need to shock the people ... so let's shock the people!

On April 16, the band members held a press conference aboard the USS Intrepid in New York City, where they announced their plans for a full-fledged reunion tour, with the help of new manager Doc McGhee. The conference, MC'd by Conan O'Brien, was simulcast to 58 countries.[111] On April 20, nearly 40,000 tickets for the tour's first show sold out in 47 minutes.[112]

The first public concert featuring the newly reunited Kiss was an hour-long warm-up show on June 15 for the annual KROQ Weenie Roast in Irvine, California, during which the band nearly ignited the stage of the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater.[113] On June 28, the Kiss Alive/Worldwide Tour began at Tiger Stadium in Detroit in front of a sold-out crowd of 39,867 fans. The tour lasted for 192 shows over the course of one year and earned $43.6 million, making Kiss the top-drawing concert act of 1996.[114] The average attendance of 13,737 is the highest in the group's history.[112]

There were many many nights when I was looking around the stage and going "This is magic." This is beyond anybody's wildest fantasies. What was important about these shows is we had a much bigger task than people understood. Our biggest competition was our history. We didn't have to be as good as we used to be. We had to be as good as people thought we were. The show wasn't to be a replica of what we've done, it was to be what people imagined we had done. We had to be totally committed. and also totally sure that we could not only live up the legend but also surpass it. In terms of the stage show for the reunion tour, what we wanted to do was look at the '77 show in a sense as a pinnacle. That is what we chose to build on but not copy. There are also elements from other shows too in the sense that there's bombs and the flying rig and the breaking of the guitars. At that time, it was the ultimate Kiss show in the sense that we looked at the show, which we thought was our best and said, "Top this."

— Paul Stanley[115]
 
Kiss performing in Paris on March 21, 1999

In September 1998, the reunited group issued Psycho Circus. Although it was the first album with the original lineup since 1979's Dynasty, the contributions of Frehley and Criss were minimal. While the images of Frehley and Criss are featured prominently on the album, most of the lead guitar work was later revealed to have been performed by future band member Tommy Thayer. Former member Kulick made an appearance on the intro of the song "Within". Most drum duties were handled by session musician Kevin Valentine. Despite the controversy, the album achieved a No. 3 chart debut, the highest position for a Kiss album until Sonic Boom debuted at No. 2 in 2009.[116] The title track received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance.[117] The Psycho Circus Tour opened at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Halloween in 1998, and was simulcast on FM radio across the U.S. It proved to be another success, and was historic for being the first to ever incorporate 3D visuals into a stage show.[118][119]

On August 11, 1999, Kiss was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the "Recording Industry" category. The next month, the group worked in collaboration with World Championship Wrestling to produce a Kiss-themed wrestler known as the Demon, whose face was painted to resemble Simmons' makeup. The group performed "God of Thunder" live on WCW Monday Nitro to debut the character. The band received $500,000 for the one-night, one-song performance.[120]

Kiss launched a U.S. Farewell Tour in March 2000.[121] The group quickly added dates to the tour, which ran through April 2001.

The Reunion tour made us the number one band again. We played to about two million people in one year. Then we did the Psycho Circus tour and after that we thought, "been there, done it." We're the champs again, let's retire on top and we felt there is nothing worse than having someone go away and you don't get to say goodbye so this tour really is for the fans and to celebrate the whole history of the band.

— Paul Stanley[122]

2001–2008: Post-reunion

On the eve of the Japanese and Australian leg of the Farewell Tour on January 31, 2001, Criss suddenly left the band once again, because he and the band could not come to agreement with his contract salary. Taking his place was previous Kiss drummer Singer who, in a move that was controversial among longtime fans, assumed Criss's Cat persona as the Farewell Tour continued.[123]

With the band supposedly set to retire by early 2001, a career-encompassing collection entitled simply The Box Set, consisting of 94 tracks on five CDs, was released in November of that year, while the summer saw perhaps the most outrageous item of Kiss merchandise yet – the Kiss Kasket. In introducing the Kiss Kasket, Simmons quipped, "I love livin', but this makes the alternative look pretty damn good."[124]

On December 4, 2001, Kiss was one of the honorees at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences ("The Recording Academy") Heroes Award ceremony, at the NARAS New York Chapter. NARAS has 12 chapters throughout the United States, hence 12 ceremonies throughout the year, with the honorees each being honored by the chapter closest to their residence. By receiving this honor, which NARAS has renamed the "Recording Academy Honors", Kiss effectively received NARAS' second-highest career honor, right behind the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award.[125][126]

Kiss was relatively quiet through the rest of the year, but 2002 started with some controversy as Simmons took part in a controversial interview on National Public Radio with host Terry Gross.[127] In February 2002, Kiss (with Singer on drums and Frehley on lead guitar) performed during the closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah[128] which was Frehley's final performance as a member of Kiss.

On March 6, 2002, Kiss performed a private concert at a resort in Trelawny, Jamaica. Frehley, who was no longer under contract, did not perform with the group. He was replaced by Thayer, who donned Frehley's Spaceman makeup and costume for his first live appearance with Kiss.[129] That month, the band (with Thayer) taped an appearance on the American sitcom That '70s Show.[130] The episode, "That '70s Kiss Show", aired in August 2002. Thayer again performed with the group in April 2002, when Kiss performed "Detroit Rock City" (with pre-recorded music and live vocals) for an appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand 50th Anniversary show, which aired on May 3.[131]

In February 2003, Kiss traveled to Australia and recorded Kiss Symphony: Alive IV with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Marvel Stadium (then known as Telstra Dome) in Melbourne. Thayer once again replaced Frehley, while Criss returned to the group.

Despite claims made prior to the Farewell Tour that it would be the group's last, Kiss toured with Aerosmith in 2003. Frehley announced that his departure from the band was permanent, stating that he believed the Farewell Tour would be Kiss's last,[132] and that he did not want to open for Aerosmith.[133] He was permanently replaced by Thayer, as Kiss moved into a post-reunion phase that saw the band easing into a new lineup, permanently featuring Thayer as "Spaceman" and Singer as "the Catman". On this tour, still featuring Criss, the group introduced the "Platinum" tickets package, with the most expensive packages costing $1,000. This package included a seat in the first five rows, a meet-and-greet with Kiss after their performance and a photograph with the band.[134] The tour earned more than $64 million in 2003, which ranked seventh for the year.[135]

 
 
Current members Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer have replaced Peter Criss and Ace Frehley as "the Catman" and "the Spaceman", respectively.

Simmons and Stanley did not renew Criss's contract when it expired in March 2004. Criss, on his website, stated that "No one, again, no one has called me, or my attorney about an extension for future touring. As a founding member I find this to be disrespectful to me, and to the fans that have made us one of the biggest bands in the world."[136]

During the summer of 2004, Kiss headlined the Rock the Nation 2004 World Tour, with Poison as the opening act. The tour ended in August with a sold-out show in Mexico City. Selected dates on the tour were filmed for the Rock the Nation Live! concert DVD, released on December 13, 2005.[137] Stanley, who had been experiencing increasing difficulty with his hip, had his mobility limited during the tour. He has already had two hip surgeries performed, with more likely in the future.[138]

After the conclusion of the Rock the Nation Tour, Kiss performed only sporadically for a number of years. The group played two shows in 2005, and another six in 2006. Four of the 2006 shows were July concerts in Japan, including two dates (July 22 and 23) as a headlining act at the 2006 Udo Music Festival. Kiss performed four July 2007 concerts, three of which were dubbed the Hit 'N Run Tour. Prior to the final show on July 27, Stanley was hospitalized with an extremely rapid heartbeat. In his absence, Kiss performed in concert as a trio for the first time since 1982. This was the first Kiss concert that Stanley had missed during his then 34-year tenure with the group.[139]

Kiss (along with Queen, Def Leppard and Judas Priest) were honored at the inaugural "VH1 Rock Honors" event, held May 25, 2006, in Las Vegas. In June 2006, Simmons and Stanley attended the opening of the Kiss Coffeehouse in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. On October 15, 2006, Simmons, Stanley and Criss were inaugural inductees into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, along with performers such as Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Louis Armstrong, the Ramones and Tony Bennett.[140]

Stanley released his second solo album, Live to Win, on October 24, 2006, and undertook a brief solo tour in support. On October 31 the same year, the group released Kissology Volume One: 1974–1977, the first of 10 possible DVD sets featuring complete concert footage, interviews and never-before-seen clips.[141] By January 2007, the set had been certified 5× Platinum in the United States.[142] A second volume was released on August 14, 2007. It was certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA on October 24.[143] What seemed to be the final entry, Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000, was released on December 18, 2007, and has been certified 8× Platinum by the R.I.A.A.[144]

In April 2007, former guitarist St. John died from an apparent cerebral hemorrhage at age 51.[145] After being forced to leave Kiss in 1984, St. John formed the short-lived glam metal group White Tiger.

Though Kiss had been eligible for enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1999, they were not nominated until 2009 and were not inducted until 2014. While this snub displeased some fans, Stanley and Simmons maintained that it was meaningless to them. Nevertheless, a group of about 200 Kiss fans held a protest rally in front of the Hall of Fame in Cleveland on August 5, 2006. It was the first known organized demonstration seeking the induction of a band into the Hall.[146]

In 2007, a new comic book series featuring the band was released by the Kiss Comics Group in association with Platinum Studios, titled Kiss 4K: Legends Never Die.

The band picked up their pace in 2008, embarking on their first proper tour of Europe in nearly a decade. On January 30, 2008, Stanley confirmed that Kiss would launch the Kiss Alive/35 World Tour, playing arena and stadium shows in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. On March 16, 2008, Kiss closed the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit as well as performing in Brisbane and Sydney as part of this tour. Kiss played at the Rock2Wgtn two-day festival held in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 22 and 23, 2008; the festival also featured Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Poison, Alice Cooper, Lordi, Sonic Altar and Symphony of Screams, with special effects provided by WETA Workshop (of The Lord of the Rings and King Kong fame).[147]

Throughout the summer of 2008, Kiss headlined festivals as well as their own shows and played to a record audience of about 400,000 people.[148] As part of this tour, Kiss headlined the Download Festival at England's Donington Park on June 13. Three days later, they headlined the Arrow Rock Festival in Nijmegen, Netherlands. On June 28, Kiss headlined the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium. It was the last show of the European leg of the Kiss Alive/35 Tour. On August 4, Kiss played at Rockin' the Rally at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as part of the tour. South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds proclaimed August 4, 2008, to be "Kiss Rock and Roll Day" in South Dakota. In September 2008, both Simmons and Stanley confirmed rumors that the Kiss Alive/35 Tour would continue with extensive tours of North America in the beginning of 2009, as well as South America. The latter tour included shows on April 5 in Argentina, April 7 and 8 in Brazil, April 14 in Peru (the first Kiss show ever in Peru), and other concerts in Venezuela (the first Kiss show ever in Venezuela) and Chile. That summer, Kiss came back to North America to continue the Alive/35 World Tour, starting on July 18 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[149][150][151]

2008–2012: Sonic Boom and Monster

More than 10 years after their last studio album, and following years of denials about ever wanting to do a new album, Stanley and Simmons changed their minds. In November 2008, Stanley stated to rock photographer Ross Halfin that a new Kiss album was in the works. Stanley himself would be the producer, and the album would have a "real 70s Kiss sound" to it. Later that month, Simmons and Stanley both publicly confirmed the information about a new Kiss album:

We have 4 tunes recorded. If you're a fan of our stuff from about 1977, you'll feel right at home. All of us have taken up the songwriting call to arms in the same spirit we once did – without a care in the world and without outside writers. Nothing to prove to anyone. Just doing what comes naturally. Ignoring fashions, trends and with a personal vow from all of us: no rapping. There are plenty of people out there doing this and they don't need four palefaced guys pretending they're from the hood. Besides, I'm not sure how to correctly pronounce 'wassup.' See you all there ... Or maybe later![148]

The band appeared on American Idol in May 2009, performing "Detroit Rock City" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" with Adam Lambert.[152]

 
Kiss performing at the 2010 Sauna Open Air Metal Festival in Tampere, Finland

In October 2009, a new studio album, titled Sonic Boom, was released.[153] It included a CD of new material, re-recorded versions of famous Kiss hits (previously released as Jigoku-Retsuden, a Japanese exclusive album in 2008) and a live DVD recorded in Buenos Aires, Argentina.[154] "Modern Day Delilah" was released as the lead single from Sonic Boom on August 19, 2009. The song was Kiss's first single release in 11 years, since 1998's "You Wanted the Best". The song gained positive feedback from both critics and fans, and was compared to the band's 1970s work.[155][156] In support of the new album, Kiss appeared live on Late Show with David Letterman on October 6, 2009, and on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on October 7, 2009. Sonic Boom debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

On September 25, 2009, the Kiss Alive/35 North American Tour kicked off at Cobo Hall in Detroit; both nights were filmed for future DVD release. These were the band's final performances there, as the venue was later closed as part of the renovation of the Cobo Center. Kiss headlined the 2009 Voodoo Experience held at City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Halloween night.[157] During their performance at the MTS Centre on November 9, 2009, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, one of the lighting trusses caught on fire from a pyro cue. The truss had to be lowered in order to have the fire put out. During the five or so minutes it took to extinguish the fire, the band broke into the song "Firehouse". No one was hurt and the show continued.[158]

Kiss started the European leg of the Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour in May 2010. Tragedy struck Kiss for a third time when former manager Aucoin died of cancer on June 28, 2010, at the age of 66. Stanley and Simmons said he was like the fifth member of Kiss. The tour included their first UK arena shows in 11 years and their first visit to Slovakia. Kiss later played at two dates in US cities Cheyenne, Wyoming and the North Dakota State Fair in Minot, North Dakota, in July 2010. They also played at the Indiana State Fair in August and the Minnesota State Fair in September. They also made a brief appearance at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York, on August 17, 2010. On July 23, Kiss started The Hottest Show on Earth Tour in the United States.

On April 13, 2011, Kiss began recording a new album due for release later in the year.[159] Simmons stated, the album "is gonna be the next step to Sonic Boom. Very similar – straight rock songs, no ballads, no keyboards, no nothing, just rock."[159] The band also used old analog equipment instead of more popular digital recording gear. Simmons said: "Technology is a seductive bitch, she will seduce you. You press this button, you don't have to do anything. But analog is the love of your life. You can push real hard and it always gives back. For the new album, the actual recording process was 24-track tape and an old Trident board. And as many tubes as possible. You need tubes, electricity and thick wood to make that thick sound."[160][161]

 
Kiss performing in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on August 29, 2012

Kiss spent the summer of 2011 playing venues in the US and Canada, visiting cities they had not played in some time; it was dubbed the "Lost Cities Tour". Their next album Monster was released in October 2012. KISS by Monster Mini Golf was opened in March 2012 in Las Vegas. The facility is an 18-hole indoor miniature golf course, featuring arcade games, a gift shop, and numerous pieces of band memorabilia on display. The complete current version of the band attended the grand opening.[162]

Kiss appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 20, 2012. A press conference was held on the same day to announce a summer North American tour called The Tour, co-headlined by Mötley Crüe. The Tour started on July 20 and ended on October 1.[163] The single "Hell or Hallelujah" was released internationally on July 2, 2012, and on July 3 in North America. Monster was released on October 9, 2012, in North America.

Kiss kicked off the Monster World Tour on November 7, 2012, in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the River Plate Stadium and continued the six-date South American leg with dates in Santiago, Asunción, Porto Alegre, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro until November 18. The Australian leg began on February 28, 2013, in Perth at the Perth Arena and ran through March 16 in Mackay at Virgin Australian Stadium. They were joined by Mötley Crüe, Thin Lizzy and Diva Demolition. The band extensively toured Europe and Canada with a few US dates in June through August, and then Japan in October.[164]

2013–2015: 40th anniversary, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and international collaboration

On October 16, 2013, Kiss was again announced as a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,[165] and was subsequently announced as an inductee on December 17.[166]

In 2013, Kiss purchased a share of an Arena Football League expansion franchise set to begin play at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, in 2014. Simmons, Stanley and manager McGhee jointly owned the team, called the Los Angeles Kiss. Both Simmons and Stanley are known fans of the AFL.[167] The LA Kiss offered National Football League free agent quarterback Tim Tebow a contract to join their team and play in the AFL, but he did not join.[168] The team folded in 2016.[169]

In 2014, Kiss toured as co-headliners with Def Leppard. After Simmons toured with Joe Elliott in South America, the two talked about their bands working together. From June 23 to August 31, 2014, the bands toured 42 cities, with a dollar per ticket donated to such military charities as Wounded Warrior Project.[170]

For the first time in the band's 41-year history, Kiss was featured on the cover of the April 10, 2014 (Issue 1206) edition of Rolling Stone magazine. On April 10, 2014, Kiss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Though the rockers did not perform, the original four members showed up at the 29th annual induction ceremony in Brooklyn to accept the honor.[166][171] In November 2014 the band played a historic nine-show run at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.[172]

External video
  Yume no Ukiyo ni Saite Mi na
Kiss's first collaboration single with another artist.

On January 28, 2015, Kiss released a collaboration single with the Japanese female idol group Momoiro Clover Z, titled "Yume no Ukiyo ni Saite Mi na". It was the first time Kiss had issued a collaboration record with another artist.[173] In Japan, it was released physically in two versions: "Momoiro Clover Z Edition" (on CD and Blu-ray) and "Kiss Edition" (CD only).[174][175] An alternate mix of the single's title song was also included as an opening track on the Japanese-only SHM-CD album Best of Kiss 40, released in Japan on the same day.[176][177]

Before the collaboration, the members of Kiss had watched concert videos of Momoiro Clover Z. Stanley later commented during an interview:

Spectacular show! Great choreography! Music like we never heard before. We said, "this is something we can do!" Somebody said, "Kiss, why are you doing it?" "Because we can!" It's two worlds getting together, doing something unbelievable. Music power rocks the world.[178]

On September 15, 2015, the RIAA announced that the band had earned more Gold records than any other American band in the association's 63-year history, with a total of 30 Gold album awards (including the band's four 1978 solo albums). Cary Sherman, the RIAA CEO and chairman, commented:

What an extraordinary achievement for an enduring band. Forty years later and the band is still rocking. Congratulations to KISS on their Gold album milestone and continued success.[179]

2016–present: Continued activities and final tour

 
Kiss performing at the O2 Arena in London on May 31, 2017

In 2016, Kiss conducted a summer tour, titled the Freedom to Rock Tour, of less frequented cities and smaller venues. The tour ran throughout the summer, with opening acts Caleb Johnson and the Dead Daisies.[180] On December 13, 2016, Kiss performed during the season 11 finale of The Voice, accompanied by the season winner Sundance Head.[181]

There had been conflicting stories regarding whether Kiss would record another album. Simmons had said "yes" in interviews, saying that he had songs written and lined up for a new album. Stanley and Thayer disputed this, however, and said that they did not vow to make one and that the band could move forward without new music.[182][183] However, on March 25, 2021, Stanley stated that he hasn't ruled out the possibility of Kiss producing new music,[184] with both Simmons and Stanley stating in later interviews that the band doesn't need to record another album.[185][186]

The band continued to perform shows in North America and Europe on the Kissworld Tour throughout 2017 and 2018.[187]

On September 19, 2018, following a performance on America's Got Talent, Kiss announced that it would be ending its career with the End of the Road World Tour in 2019.[188] Stanley commented:

This is gonna be our last tour. It will be the most explosive, biggest show we've ever done. People who love us, come see us. If you've never seen us, this is the time. This will be the show.[1]

In October 2018, the band reunited with Ace Frehley and Bruce Kulick on the Kiss Kruise. It performed "2,000 Man", "New York Groove", "Nothin' to Lose", and "Rock and Roll All Nite". This was the first time Frehley and the band had performed together since 2002 for the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics, and Kulick's first time performing with the band live since his departure in 1996.[189]

The band's final tour kicked off on January 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; it currently features 186 additional dates that run through October 3, 2020, in Fort Worth, United States.[190] In February 2019, Simmons said the farewell tour would likely gross between $150 million and $200 million, "not counting ancillaries, licensing, merchandise and stuff like that".[191] During the first leg of the End of the Road World Tour, Kiss was accused by fans of lip syncing and using backing tracks.[192] Three years prior, Simmons had been critical of bands using backing tracks on live shows. Former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach defended Kiss, saying that the band did not lip-sync at the show he attended.[193] Stanley did not confirm nor deny that he lip syncs on stage, saying he is taking care of his voice.[194] Accusations were revived by fans following the band's Belgium performance when there was a slip-up with the fireworks and drum cues on the opening song.[195]

 
Kiss performing at Hellfest in Clisson on June 22, 2019

On November 14, 2019, the band announced that its Australia and New Zealand shows on its final tour had been canceled due to Stanley's health issues, and stated: "Doctor's orders ultimately have taken precedence and finally we now find ourselves with no choice but to surrender".[196] In December 2019, X Japan's Yoshiki joined the band in Tokyo and Osaka on their Japan leg to perform "Beth" on piano and "Rock and Roll All Nite" on drums.[197][198] They would later collaborate on a televised New Year's Eve performance in Japan, performing "Rock and Roll All Nite" under the combined name "YoshiKiss".[199][200]

Kiss appeared again as special guests on America's Got Talent on February 17, 2020, with a televised performance of "Rock and Roll All Nite".[201] The band would later dedicate "Do You Love Me" to Kobe Bryant and the 2020 Calabasas helicopter crash victims during the Los Angeles show at the Staples Center on March 4, 2020.[202]

With the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, the band had temporarily ceased its final tour, with Simmons commenting that the tour would continue once scientists had confirmed that it is safe to resume.[203] The 2020 edition of Kiss Kruise had been postponed to October 2021, as a result of the pandemic.[204]

Kiss had announced on November 20, 2020, that they would perform an exclusive New Year's Eve 2020 livestream show.[205] The Kiss New Year's Eve 2020 Goodbye livestream concert was produced by City Drive Studios[206] and directed by Daniel Catullo.[207] The pay-per-view concert was part of the Landmarks Live Series and was filmed with over fifty 4K cameras with 360-degree views on a 250-foot stage at The Royal Beach at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. The performance broke two Guinness World Records: one for the highest flame projection in a music concert and another for the most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert.[208]

On December 2, 2020, Simmons confirmed that the band would continue their final tour in the summer of 2021; in which there are another 150 shows left, as well as rescheduling the Australian leg of the final tour.[209][210] In a June 2021 interview, Stanley remained optimistic that the band would complete their final tour when playing concerts was safe and discussed the inevitable retirement of Kiss.[211] He also did not rule out the possibility of former members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss making appearances during the final tour, stating that he is "open to the idea".[212] Simmons later invited Frehley to perform encores with the band for their final tour,[213] but Frehley turned down the invitation.[214]

 
Kiss performing in Paris on June 7, 2022

It was announced on December 15, 2020, that a biopic of the band was in the works, with hopes to release it on time with the band's final concert. The band's manager Doc McGhee spoke about the process: "Hopefully in the next week we'll have a company behind it, and we'll start finishing the script, and hopefully by the time we end we'll have a movie finished for July of next year."[215] Deadline reported that Netflix has nearly finalized a deal to produce the Kiss biopic titled Shout it Out Loud.[216] The film will be made with close cooperation from both Simmons and Stanley, and will focus on the formative years of the band.[217][218]

Following the announcement of the biopic, a two-part documentary on the band titled Biography: Kisstory was also announced and aired on A&E on both June 27 and 28, 2021, with an exclusive live performance following after its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, 2021.[219][220]

In an interview on October 6, 2021, Stanley confirmed that the final concert for Kiss will likely happen within the next year and a half, stating: "I believe strongly by the beginning of 2023 we will be finished, it seems only natural for the final show to be in New York. That is where the band started, and that was really the background for the band getting together and writing these songs and played loft parties and played clubs starting with an audience of probably 10 people. It seems we should go full circle."[6] The band performed on board for the 2022 edition of the Kiss Kruise in October to November 2022, which was their final time performing on the cruise.[221] In addition to adding another 100 cities on tour into 2023,[222] Simmons stated that he will continue working with the American rock-inspired restaurant Rock & Brews, and performing with his solo band when the final tour has concluded. He later stated that the band will be retiring out of self-respect and love for the fans and that he will be very emotional during the band's final performance which is set to take place around 2024.[223][224][225]

Artistry

Musical style

Kiss has typically been classified under the genres of hard rock,[226] heavy metal,[227] shock rock,[228] glam metal,[229] and glam rock.[230] Most of its 1970s albums, particularly the first six released between 1974 and 1977 as well as 1982's Creatures of the Night and 1984's Animalize, featured a hard rock or traditional heavy metal style. 1979's Dynasty and 1980's Unmasked featured a more disco/pop rock sound, and 1981's Music from "The Elder" found the band dabbling in progressive rock. In 1983, starting with Lick It Up and the removal of its trademark makeup, the band began incorporating glam metal into its sound and visual image.[231][232] Later, in the early 1990s, its sound grew heavier and abandoned the glam metal sound.[233] In the mid-1990s, the band returned to its original sound.[230]

Its music is described as "a commercially potent mix of anthemic, fist-pounding hard rock, driven by sleek hooks and ballads powered by loud guitars, cloying melodies, and sweeping strings. It was a sound that laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop-metal that dominated rock in the late 1980s."[230] The first review of Kiss by Rolling Stone, in 1973, described the band as "an American Black Sabbath".[234] The same magazine's review of Hotter than Hell stated that "with twin guitars hammering out catchy mondo-distorto riffs and bass and drums amiably bringing up the rear, Kiss spews forth a deceptively controlled type of thunderous hysteria."[235] At the same time, Bennington Banner from Rock Music magazine said, "With its members' bizarre, Kabuki-like makeup, studded black leather costumes and arsenal of on-stage firepower – both musical and literal – Kiss represents the most extreme form of hard rock in 1974."[236]

Makeup designs

The band is famous for its iconic makeup designs, each of which represents a different character or persona. The current lineup consists of the original four designs: the "Starchild", the "Demon", the "Spaceman" and the "Catman". The band formerly included a practice of giving any new members a new persona, such as "the Fox" for Carr and "the Ankh Warrior" for Vincent; this practice was ended after Singer and Thayer took up Frehley's "Spaceman" and Criss's "Catman" personas. When asked on the matter, Simmons stated "Why wouldn't we use the classic makeup? We own it". Criss relinquished his rights to his makeup when he left the band in 2004, which he later regretted, saying "I'm pissed at myself that my makeup slipped through my hands"; while Frehley claims he licensed his design to the band and would get it back, a notion which Stanley has called "a fantasy".[237]

During 1973–74, Stanley occasionally used an alternative makeup design called the "Bandit" for select photo-shoots and live shows after Neil Bogart, head of Casablanca Records, suggested to him that he use a design that was symmetrical like those of the rest of the band. During this time, he was also still using the Starchild makeup—sometimes even using both designs at the same photo-shoots. In 1974, he stopped using the Bandit design permanently. On the cover of the band's debut album, Criss used a drastically different variation of his Catman makeup (dubbed the "Pantomime Cat") after he allowed the makeup artist at the shoot to use their own ideas instead of following the usual design. Carr was originally going to be the "Hawk", a design which Simmons recalled in his autobiography looked like Big Bird from Sesame Street. One photo of Carr wearing this proposed design exists today, and also one of a mannequin Stanley set up wearing the proposed makeup and outfit. Unlike the Bandit and Pantomime Cat, this alternative design was never used in any official capacity. The Hawk design was also considered for Vincent and Singer.[238]

St. John and Kulick were members of Kiss only during the non-makeup period. Kulick stated that had he ever worn makeup in the band, he would have liked to have been the "Dog": "I figure that since there's already a cat in the band, I should probably be the dog. I'd have a big circle around one eye and I'd look like Petey from the Little Rascals. I've actually seen one or two fan renditions of what that might look like, so yeah, I'd be the dog." The four original makeup designs have been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, with ownership and licensing rights held by Simmons and Stanley.

Influences

 
British glam rock band Slade (pictured in 1973) was among the band's influences.

Kiss was strongly influenced by Alice Cooper and New York Dolls,[239] while Gene Simmons has stated that the band's "musical heart and soul lies in England".[240] The Beatles and the Yardbirds' trio of rock guitarists Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck were among the British acts he praised, with Simmons stating, "I've ripped off so many English riffs, if the British influence wasn't there, we wouldn't be here. 'Rock and Roll All Nite' is a direct bastard child of Slade's 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now'".[240] In his book, Kiss and Make-Up, Simmons wrote of the glam rock group Slade, "... we liked the way they connected with the crowd and the way they wrote anthems ... we wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity".[241]

The world of concert touring was changed by Kiss's practice of erecting uniquely designed stage sets. Tours got larger, carrying more personnel and equipment, including sets, costumes, sound and lighting gear, and pyrotechnics, all requiring more trucking and the total cost increasing by millions of dollars. Kiss also innovated with a significant expansion of concert merchandising, selling non-musical Kiss-branded goods to concertgoers. The sales of merchandise helped pay for the concert expenses and bring a profit to the band as well as give them more of a presence without relying solely on radio. Other bands copied Kiss by selling their own branded goods at concerts, a practice which became more of a necessity in the 1980s with increasing costs of touring.[239][242] In addition to concert merchandising, Kiss has extended its influence to include a full Kiss-themed mini-golf course at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.[243][244]

Band members

Further information: List of Kiss members

Current

  • Paul Stanley – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar (1973–present)
  • Gene Simmons – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar (1973–present)
  • Eric Singer – drums, backing and lead vocals (1991–1996, 2001−2002, 2004–present)
  • Tommy Thayer – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals (2002–present)

Former

  • Ace Frehley – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals (1973–1982, 1996–2002)
  • Peter Criss – drums, backing and lead vocals (1973–1980, 1996–2001, 2002–2004)
  • Eric Carr – drums, backing and lead vocals (1980–1991; his death)
  • Vinnie Vincent – lead guitar, backing vocals (1982–1984)
  • Mark St. John – lead guitar, backing vocals (1984; died 2007)
  • Bruce Kulick – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals (1984–1996)

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Kiss

Discography

Main articles: Kiss discography and songs
Studio albums

Tours

See also

References

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General bibliography

  • Criss, Lydia (2006). Sealed with a Kiss. Lydia Criss Publishing. ISBN 0-9786558-0-X.
  • Galbraith, Richard (2009). Richard Galbraith Photography Presents KISS. Richard Galbraith. ISBN 0-5780307-7-2.
  • Gebert, Gordon G. G. and McAdams, Bob (1997). Kiss & Tell. Pitbull Publishing LLC. ISBN 0-9658794-0-2.
  • Gebert, Gordon G. G. (1999). Kiss & Tell More!. Pitbull Publishing LLC. ISBN 0-9658794-1-0.
  • Gooch, Curt; Suhs, Jeff (2002). Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History. New York: Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-8322-5.
  • Leaf, David; Sharp, Ken (2003). Kiss: Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography. New York: Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-53073-5.
  • Lendt, C.K. (1997). Kiss and Sell: The Making of a Supergroup. New York: Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7551-6.
  • Moore, Wendy (2004). Into the Void ... With Ace Frehley. Pitbull Publishing LLC. ISBN 0-9658794-4-5.
  • Prato, Greg (2011). The Eric Carr Story. Createspace. ISBN 0-5780742-4-9.
  • Prato, Greg (2019). Take It Off! Kiss Truly Unmasked. Jawbone Press. ISBN 978-1911036579.
  • Sherman, Dale (1997). Black Diamond: The Unauthorized Biography of Kiss. Collectors Guide Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-896522-35-1.
  • Simmons, Gene (2001). Kiss and Make-Up. New York: Crown. ISBN 0-609-60855-X.
  • Simmons, Gene, Paul Stanley, and Waring Abbott (2002). Kiss: The Early Years. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-609-81028-6.
  • Tomarkin, Peggy (1980). Kiss: The Real Story, Authorized. Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-440-04834-6.
  • Lefcowitz, Eric; Preiss, Byron (1997). The Rhino History of Rock 'n Roll the 70s. Pocket Books. ISBN 9780671011758.
  • Kerekes, David; Slater, David (1995). Critical Vision: Random Essays & Tracts Concerning Sex, Religion, Death. Critical Vision. ISBN 9780952328803.
  • Sharp, Ken (2014). Nothin' to Lose: The Making of Kiss (1972-1975). HarperCollins. ISBN 9780062131744.
  • Weiss, Brett (2016). Encyclopedia of Kiss: Music, Personnel, Events and Related Subjects. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 9781476625409.
  • Brod, Doug (2020). They Just Seem A Little Weird: How Kiss, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, and Starz Remade Rock and Roll (First ed.). New York, New York: Hachette Books. ISBN 978-0-306-84519-2.

Further reading

  • Hoffmann, Jim (2020). My Search for 'Shock Me': Ace Frehley's Signature Song (A Scholarly Analysis). Susquehanna Road Publishing. ISBN 9798664267723.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kiss (musical group).
  • Official website
  • Kiss at Curlie
  • FBI Records: The Vault - Kiss at fbi.gov
  • Kiss on Spotify

January 20, 2023
kiss, band, kiss, stylized, kiϟϟ, american, rock, band, formed, york, city, 1973, paul, stanley, vocals, rhythm, guitar, gene, simmons, vocals, bass, frehley, lead, guitar, vocals, peter, criss, drums, vocals, known, their, face, paint, stage, outfits, group, . Kiss stylized as KIϟϟ is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973 by Paul Stanley vocals rhythm guitar Gene Simmons vocals bass Ace Frehley lead guitar vocals and Peter Criss drums vocals Known for their face paint and stage outfits the group rose to prominence in the mid 1970s with shock rock style live performances which featured fire breathing blood spitting smoking guitars shooting rockets levitating drum kits and pyrotechnics The band has gone through several lineup changes with Stanley and Simmons remaining the only consistent members The original and best known lineup consisted of Stanley Simmons Frehley and Criss KissKiss performing in 2019 Left to right Eric Singer on drums Gene Simmons Tommy Thayer Paul StanleyBackground informationOriginNew York City U S GenresHard rock heavy metal shock rock glam metalYears active1973 presentLabelsCasablanca Mercury Roadrunner Kiss UniversalMembersPaul Stanley Gene Simmons Eric Singer Tommy ThayerPast membersAce Frehley Peter Criss Eric Carr Vinnie Vincent Mark St John Bruce KulickWebsitekissonline wbr comWith their makeup and costumes the band members took on the personae of comic book style characters the Starchild Stanley the Demon Simmons the Spaceman or Space Ace Frehley and the Catman Criss Due to creative differences Criss departed the band in 1980 and Frehley in 1982 though both would return later In 1983 Kiss began performing without makeup and costumes marking the beginning of the band s unmasked era that would last for over a decade The band experienced a commercial resurgence during this era with the 1983 platinum certified album Lick It Up successfully introducing them to a new generation of fans and its music videos receiving regular airplay on MTV Eric Carr who had replaced Criss in 1980 died in 1991 of heart cancer and was replaced by Eric Singer In response to a wave of Kiss nostalgia in the mid 1990s the original lineup reunited in 1996 which also saw the return of its makeup and stage costumes The resulting reunion tour was highly successful grossing 143 7 million making it the band s most successful tour to date Criss and Frehley subsequently left the band again and have been replaced by Singer and Tommy Thayer respectively The band has continued with its original stage makeup with Singer and Thayer using the original Catman and Spaceman makeup respectively In September 2018 Kiss announced that after 45 years of recording and performing it would embark on its final tour the End of the Road World Tour which started in January 2019 and is currently set to conclude in 2023 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kiss is regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of all time 7 8 as well as one of the bestselling bands of all time claiming to have sold more than 100 million records worldwide 9 including 21 million 10 RIAA certified albums 11 Kiss has also earned 30 Gold albums the most of any band from the United States Kiss has 14 Platinum albums three of which earned multi Platinum 8 On April 10 2014 the four original members of Kiss were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Kiss was ranked by MTV as the ninth Greatest Metal Band of All Time 12 and placed tenth on VH1 s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock list 13 as well as being ranked as the third Best Metal and Hard Rock Live Band of All Time by Loudwire magazine 14 Contents 1 History 1 1 1971 1975 Early years 1 2 1975 1978 Rise to prominence 1 3 1978 Solo and film projects 1 4 1979 1983 Final makeup years 1 5 1983 1996 Unmasking 1 6 1996 2001 Original lineup reunion tour and remasking 1 7 2001 2008 Post reunion 1 8 2008 2012 Sonic Boom and Monster 1 9 2013 2015 40th anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and international collaboration 1 10 2016 present Continued activities and final tour 2 Artistry 2 1 Musical style 2 2 Makeup designs 3 Influences 4 Band members 5 Awards and nominations 6 Discography 7 Tours 8 See also 9 References 9 1 Citations 9 2 General bibliography 10 Further reading 11 External linksHistory Edit1971 1975 Early years Edit Kiss traces its roots to Wicked Lester a New York City based rock band led by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley That band recorded one album which was shelved by Epic Records and played a handful of live shows Simmons and Stanley feeling a new musical direction was needed abandoned Wicked Lester in 1972 and began forming a new group 15 16 17 After breaking up Wicked Lester late in 1972 Simmons and Stanley came across an ad in the East Coast version of Rolling Stone placed by Peter Criss a drummer from the New York City scene who had previously played in the bands Lips and Chelsea 18 Simmons and Stanley met Criss in a nightclub where he was playing drums After hearing Criss sing they thought Criss should be in the new band they were forming Criss then auditioned for and later joined their new band The three focused on a much harder style of rock than that played by Wicked Lester In November 1972 the band played a showcase for Epic Records A amp R director Don Ellis in an effort to secure a record deal 19 In early January 1973 the group added lead guitarist Ace Frehley Frehley impressed the group with his first audition and was asked back for a second audition A few weeks after Frehley joined the classic lineup was solidified as the band to be named Kiss 20 They also began experimenting with their image by wearing makeup and various outfits 21 The Kiss logo Stanley came up with the name while he Simmons and Criss were driving around New York City Criss mentioned that he had been in a band called Lips so Stanley said something to the effect of What about Kiss 22 Frehley created the now iconic logo making the SS look like lightning bolts when he went to write the new band name over Wicked Lester on a poster outside the club where they were going to play 23 Some of Wicked Lester s artwork included one lightning bolt for the S in Lester 24 Later Stanley designed the logo with a Sharpie and a ruler and accidentally drew the two S s nonparallel because he did it by eye The art department asked him if he wanted it to be redrafted to be perfect and he said It got us this far let s leave well enough alone Our number one rule has always been no rules 25 Modified KISS logo used in Germany Austria Israel and other countries that outlaw Nazi symbols The letters happened to look similar to the insignia of the Nazi SS a symbol that is outlawed in Germany by Section 86a of the German criminal code However Simmons and Stanley both Jewish have denied any intentional likeness to Nazi symbolism in the logo Since 1979 most of the band s album covers and merchandise in Germany have used a different logo in which the letters SS look like the letters ZZ backwards This logo is also used in Austria Switzerland Lithuania Hungary and Israel to avoid controversy 26 27 The band s name has repeatedly been the subject of rumors pertaining to alleged hidden meanings Among these rumors are theories that the name is an acronym for Knights in Satan s Service Kinder SS or Kids in Satan s Service Simmons has denied all of these claims 28 29 The first Kiss performance took place on January 30 1973 for an audience of fewer than ten people at the Popcorn Club renamed Coventry shortly afterward in Queens The band was paid 50 for performing two sets that evening following a cold call Simmons had made to the venue convincing them to hire the new band for a three night stand 30 For the first three gigs January 30 to February 1 they wore makeup but the iconic character designs associated with Kiss made their debuts during the March 9 10 shows at The Daisy in Amityville New York Our first show ever was at Coventry Coventry was a study in contrasts The first time we played there was nobody there The last time we played there you could barely get in the door Paul Stanley 31 On March 13 of that year the band recorded a five song demo tape with producer Eddie Kramer Former TV director Bill Aucoin who had seen the group at a handful of showcase concerts in the summer of 1973 offered to become the band s manager in mid October Kiss agreed with the condition that Aucoin signs the band to a record label within two weeks On November 1 1973 Kiss became the first act signed to former teen pop singer and Buddah Records executive Neil Bogart s new label Casablanca Records 32 The band entered Bell Sound Studios in New York City on October 10 1973 to begin recording its first album On December 31 the band had its official industry premiere at the Academy of Music in New York City opening for Blue Oyster Cult It was at this concert that for the first of many times Simmons accidentally set his hair which was coated in hairspray ablaze while performing his fire breathing routine 33 Kiss s first tour started on February 5 1974 in Edmonton Alberta at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium as an opening act 34 The band s self titled debut album was released on February 18 Casablanca and Kiss promoted the album heavily throughout the spring and summer of 1974 Being in Kiss in the very first year and touring around the United States we felt like we were taking off It was like somebody pushing you into the deep end of the pool whether you can swim or not The early years of Kiss were far from glamorous We rode in a station wagon hundreds of miles every day We would take turns driving and sleeping in the back We ate burgers at roadside taverns We stopped and peed on the side of long stretches of a highway when we couldn t find a town anywhere near We ate beans and franks because we couldn t afford better food as we were on an 85 a week salary Becoming a rock star was better than anything and beyond anything I ever imagined There were moments of doubt for me that we were gonna make it Gene Simmons 35 On February 19 in its first television appearance the band performed Nothin to Lose Firehouse and Black Diamond on ABC s In Concert aired March 29 36 On April 29 the band performed Firehouse on The Mike Douglas Show This broadcast included Simmons s first televised interview a conversation with Mike Douglas in which Simmons declared himself evil incarnate eliciting uncomfortable reactions from a confused studio audience Fellow Jewish American guest Totie Fields said it would be humorous if beneath all the makeup Simmons was just a nice Jewish boy Simmons responded You should only know to which Fields replied I do You can t hide the hook a reference to the stereotypical Jewish nose 37 38 Despite the publicity and constant touring Kiss initially sold just 75 000 copies Meanwhile the group and Casablanca Records were losing money quickly The band while touring stopped in Los Angeles in August 1974 to begin recording its second album Hotter Than Hell which was released on October 22 1974 The only single Let Me Go Rock n Roll failed to chart and the album stalled at No 100 39 With Hotter Than Hell quickly dropping off the charts Kiss was pulled from its tour to quickly record a new album Casablanca head Bogart stepped in to produce the next album trading in the murky distorted sound of Hotter Than Hell for a cleaner and slightly poppier sound Dressed to Kill released on March 19 1975 fared slightly better commercially than Hotter Than Hell It also contained what later became the band s signature song Rock and Roll All Nite 40 Although Kiss albums had not proved to be big sellers the band was quickly gaining a reputation for its live performances Kiss concerts featured such spectacles as Simmons spitting blood an effect made primarily from eggs yogurt red food coloring and maple syrup and breathing fire spitting flammable liquid at a torch Frehley soloing as his guitar burst into flames light and smoke bombs placed inside the guitar Criss s elevating drum riser that emitted sparks Stanley s Townshend style guitar smashing and pyrotechnics throughout the show 41 42 By mid 1975 Casablanca was almost bankrupt and Kiss was in danger of losing its record contract Both parties desperately needed a commercial breakthrough if they were to survive 43 That breakthrough came in an unlikely form a double live album 44 1975 1978 Rise to prominence Edit Stanley performing with Kiss in Winnipeg on the Alive Tour in 1976 I saw a pattern emerging with us on the road Every night I d ask somebody before the show How are we doing which meant What s the attendance One night they said It s sold out and then the next night I d hear the same thing All of a sudden it was becoming the norm For me the first realization that things were on an upswing was when we played the Hara Arena in Dayton Ohio Before the show I went on stage looked out through the curtain and saw this big crowd and said to myself My God this is really happening Paul Stanley 45 Kiss wanted to express the excitement felt at its concerts which its studio albums had so far failed to do with its first live album Compiled from concerts recorded between May and July in Wildwood New Jersey Detroit and Cleveland and released on September 10 1975 Alive achieved Gold status and spawned Kiss s first top 40 single a live version of Rock and Roll All Nite It was the first version of the song with a guitar solo and this recording has become the best known version It is also the basis of most covers such as the cover by Poison in 1987 In recent years the band admitted that additional audience noise had been added to the album as well as overdubs on select guitar and vocal spots not to deceive fans but to add more excitement and realism to the record 46 The success of Alive not only brought Kiss the breakthrough they had been seeking but arguably saved Casablanca which was close to bankruptcy Following this success Kiss partnered with producer Bob Ezrin who had previously worked with Alice Cooper The result was Destroyer released March 15 1976 Kiss s most musically ambitious studio album to date Destroyer with its rather intricate production using an orchestra choir and numerous tape effects was a departure from the raw sound of the first three studio albums Album art was designed by Ken Kelly who had drawn Tarzan and Conan the Barbarian and also produced album covers for acts such as Rainbow and Manowar 47 48 While the album sold well initially and became the group s second Gold album it quickly dropped down the charts Only when the ballad Beth the B side of the single Detroit Rock City began to gain more airplay on FM radio did the album s sales rebound The single was subsequently reissued with the A and B sides reversed Beth peaked at No 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming the band s first Top 10 single in the United States Simmons and Frehley share a microphone in 1978 In October 1976 Kiss appeared on The Paul Lynde Halloween Special aired on ABC the 29th lip synching Detroit Rock City Beth and King of the Night Time World The show co produced by Bill Aucoin helped introduce Kiss to an even wider audience In addition to the three songs Kiss was the subject of a brief comedic interview conducted by Paul Lynde This included Lynde noting when hearing the member s first names Oh I love a good religious group Two more highly successful studio albums were released in less than a year Rock and Roll Over November 11 1976 and Love Gun June 30 1977 A second live album Alive II was released on October 14 1977 All three albums were certified Platinum soon after their release Between 1976 and 1978 Kiss earned 17 7 million from record royalties and music publishing 49 A 1977 Gallup poll named Kiss the most popular band in America In Japan Kiss performed five sold out shows at Tokyo s Budokan Hall breaking the previous record of four set by the Beatles When we played in Japan in the late 70s nothing could prepare you for the hysteria because when people are telling you how big you are you re big compared to what Until you re faced with mass hysteria it doesn t really sink in For you not having been in a certain country makes them that much more rabid for you to go Paul Stanley 50 In May 1977 Kiss made the first of its many comics appearances in Howard the Duck issue 12 published by Marvel Comics 51 The first Kiss compilation album Double Platinum was issued on April 2 1978 This double album included many remixed versions of the band s hits as well as Strutter 78 a re recorded version of a song from the group s first album At Bogart s request this version of the song featured a disco influence 52 During this period Kiss merchandise became a substantial source of income for the group Some of the products released included a pair of comic books issued by Marvel the first contained ink mixed with actual blood donated by the group a pinball machine dolls Kiss Your Face Makeup kits Halloween masks board games lunch boxes trading cards and many other pieces of memorabilia Membership in the Kiss Army the band s fan club was in the six figures Between 1977 and 1979 worldwide merchandise sales in store and on tour reached an estimated 100 million 53 1978 Solo and film projects Edit Left Criss performing Beth in 1977 right Frehley demonstrates the pyrotechnics that helped make Kiss a live sensation Alive II was the band s fourth Platinum album in just under two years and the ensuing tour had the highest average attendance in the group s history In addition Kiss s gross income for 1977 was 10 2 million The group along with manager Aucoin sought to push the brand harder To that end an ambitious two pronged strategy was devised for 1978 54 The first part involved the simultaneous release of four solo albums from the members of Kiss Although Kiss has claimed that the solo albums were intended to ease rising tensions within the band its 1976 record contract did in fact call for four solo records each of them counting as half an album toward the group s five record commitment 55 Each album was a solo effort none of the group appeared on another s album however all were released and marketed as Kiss albums with similar cover art and poster inserts It was the first time that all current members of a rock band had released solo albums on the same day 56 For the band members it was a chance to showcase their individual musical styles and tastes outside of Kiss and in some cases to collaborate with contemporary artists Stanley s and Frehley s albums were most similar to Kiss s hard rock style while Criss album featured an R amp B style with multiple ballads Simmons was the most diverse of the four featuring hard rock ballads Beatles influenced pop and a cover version of When You Wish Upon a Star from the Disney film Pinocchio Simmons many collaborators included Aerosmith s Joe Perry Cheap Trick s Rick Nielsen the Doobie Brothers Jeff Skunk Baxter Donna Summer Janis Ian Helen Reddy Bob Seger Katey Sagal and his then girlfriend Cher The solo albums were released on September 18 1978 Casablanca spent 2 5 million on the marketing campaign for the albums and announced they were shipping five million copies guaranteeing Platinum status 57 Despite the large shipments none of the albums sold particularly well and were later sold as cut outs Of the four Simmons s album charted the highest in the U S peaking at 22 while Frehley s spawned the only resulting Top Forty hit single a cover of New York Groove written by Russ Ballard and originally performed by Hello 58 Frehley s album has gone on to be the biggest seller since the introduction of Soundscan in 1991 59 The second part of Kiss s and Aucoin s plan called for the band to appear in a film that would cement its image of larger than life rock and roll superheroes Filming commenced in the spring of 1978 Although the project was proposed to the band as a cross between A Hard Day s Night and Star Wars the final result fell far short of those expectations The final product Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park debuted on NBC on October 28 1978 60 It was released theatrically after many changes outside the U S in 1979 under the title Attack of the Phantoms The band members were unhappy with the finished film and would speak about their filmmaking experience in later interviews with a mix of humorous embarrassment and regret They felt that the film portrayed them more as clowns than superheroes The artistic failure of the film led to a rift between the band and Aucoin 61 1979 1983 Final makeup years Edit Kiss first album of new material in two years Dynasty 1979 continued the band s Platinum streak The disco flavored I Was Made for Lovin You became one of the band s biggest hit singles to date peaking at No 11 Session drummer Anton Fig performed almost all the percussion on the album while Criss recovered from an automobile accident The only song to feature Criss s drumming was Dirty Living on which he also sang lead 62 The album is also notable due to Frehley singing three lead vocals versus Simmons two which he put down to increased confidence following the success of his solo album 63 Billed as The Return of Kiss the Dynasty Tour was expected by Kiss and their management to build on the success of previous tours Plans were drawn up for a Kiss themed traveling amusement park called Kiss World but were abandoned because of the immense costs involved 64 however The Return of Kiss saw a marked decline in attendance 65 Simmons performing with Kiss in 1979 The crowds on this tour were much younger than previous audiences had been with many preadolescent children in Kiss makeup with their mothers and fathers who were sometimes wearing the makeup themselves in tow at most concerts Kiss themselves did little to dissuade this new fan base donning colorful costumes that reinforced a cartoonish image for these younger fans 66 The fans were unaware of the dissension within the band One very public indication of the heightened friction within the group was an infamous October 31 1979 interview on Tom Snyder s late night The Tomorrow Show During the episode a visibly irritated Simmons and Stanley attempted unsuccessfully to contain the inebriated Frehley whose frequent laughter and joking overshadowed the conversation between Snyder and the rest of the band Criss made references to his large gun collection to the chagrin of Simmons 67 By the end of the Dynasty tour in December 1979 tensions between Criss and the rest of the band were at an all time high His drumming skills had noticeably eroded and he even intentionally slowed down or stopped playing altogether during some concerts The final show of the tour December 16 1979 was the last time Criss performed with the group for almost 17 years although he remained an official member for nearly six more months 68 69 Anton Fig played all the drums on the next album Unmasked although he was not credited while Criss appeared on the cover Showcasing a slick contemporary pop sound Unmasked released May 20 1980 had the dubious distinction of being the first non Platinum Kiss album since Dressed to Kill Soon after the album s release Criss s departure was officially announced 70 71 Fig considered a member of Kiss for one day following the departure of Criss was then fired by Stanley and Simmons who felt he was not a good fit for the band He would ultimately join Paul Shaffer and the World s Most Dangerous Band acting as the drummer for David Letterman s television programs until the host s retirement 72 The band auditioned dozens of replacements for Criss in June 1980 One of the many who auditioned was Tico Torres who would later be with Bon Jovi They finally settled on a little known drummer guitarist pianist keyboardist singer from Brooklyn named Paul Charles Caravello born July 12 1950 who adopted the stage name Eric Carr His first makeup design was modeled on a hawk though it was rejected as Stanley felt it looked more like a chicken Carr ultimately settled on a Fox persona In his Fox makeup he was introduced on ABC s Kids Are People Too and debuted with the group on July 25 1980 at the Palladium concert hall in New York City This was Kiss s only U S show in support of Unmasked The band s 1980 tour of Australia and New Zealand on the other hand was one of the biggest in its history as they played to sold out crowds and received overwhelmingly positive press coverage 73 74 Kiss during the Music from The Elder era For its next album the band worked again with producer Ezrin with whom Kiss had found success on Destroyer Early press reports indicated that the new album would be a return to the hard rock style that had originally brought the band success However 1981 s Music from The Elder was a concept album featuring medieval horns strings harps and synthesizers 75 The album was presented as a soundtrack to a film that was never made making it difficult to follow the storyline To make matters worse having received negative feedback following its record company s preview of the album Kiss altered the record s track sequence in most countries to emphasize potential singles The Oath and A World Without Heroes which all but guaranteed the inability of listeners to understand the already muddled storyline Once released fan reaction to The Elder was harsh it failed to achieve Gold status and peaked at No 75 on the Billboard album chart 76 The band made only two appearances in support of the new album both in January 1982 One was a performance on the ABC late night variety program Fridays while the second was a lip synced performance that was broadcast via satellite during Italy s Sanremo Music Festival 77 Absent from the satellite performance was Frehley who had become increasingly frustrated with Kiss new musical direction Upset with the band s decision to record Music from The Elder he did not actively participate in the album s creation providing lead vocals for only one track Dark Light He did not appear at a special concert at Studio 54 in New York City leaving Kiss to perform as a trio He recorded his guitar parts at his home studio in Wilton Connecticut and mailed them to Ezrin Another source of frustration for Frehley was that with the departure of Criss and with Carr not being an equal partner in the band he was often outvoted 2 to 1 on group decisions In June 1982 Frehley s departure from the band was negotiated although he did not officially leave until December Simmons stated in his autobiography Kiss and Make Up that Van Halen founder Eddie Van Halen was eager to replace Frehley as Kiss s lead guitarist Simmons and Eddie s brother Alex convinced Eddie to remain with Van Halen 78 Eddie was willing to break up Van Halen due to tensions between himself and lead vocalist David Lee Roth who ultimately left the band in 1985 79 80 Paul Stanley however has since denied the rumors of Eddie Van Halen wanting to join Kiss 81 Other notable guitarists who auditioned to replace Frehley included Punky Meadows of Angel 82 Doug Aldrich of Whitesnake and Dio 83 Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi 84 and Yngwie Malmsteen 85 Soon afterward Kiss made major changes to its business dealings chief among them was severing ties with its manager of nine years Bill Aucoin and cutting back on its unwieldy organizational tree Although Frehley had already decided to leave the band he was pictured on the covers of 1982 s Killers and Creatures of the Night although he did not participate in the recording of either album 86 Creatures of the Night October 13 1982 was Kiss s heaviest album to date and although it fared better than Music from The Elder it peaked at only No 45 on the charts and was not certified Gold until 1994 In Frehley s absence Kiss utilized a number of guitarists for the recording of the album including Vinnie Vincent Frehley s last appearance with the band until the 1996 reunion was in the music video for the single I Love It Loud which was co written by Vincent Frehley also appeared on the cover of the original Creatures of the Night album artwork When the album was remixed and re released in 1985 with a non makeup cover and a slightly different song order to reflect the band s roster change and abandonment of its makeup and costumes Vincent was again absent from the album cover as then current lead guitarist Bruce Kulick appeared instead 87 The liner notes accompanying the remixed LP however credited both Frehley and Vincent with lead guitar performances on the Creatures of the Night album Vincent officially replaced Frehley as lead guitarist in December 1982 as the band embarked on its 10th Anniversary Tour 88 89 Vincent originally wanted to use his birth name Cusano in the band but this was vetoed by Simmons on the grounds that it sounded too ethnic Specifically according to Simmons it sounded like a fruit vendor Simmons went on to note that fairly or unfairly rock and roll is about the image 90 Vincent then suggested the name Mick Fury but this was also disallowed Simmons later suggested the name change to Vinnie Vincent Vincent started actively pushing to join Kiss as a full member Despite the misgivings that both Simmons and Stanley harbored about his personality Vincent was taken into the band Stanley designed a character the Wiz 91 92 also known as the Egyptian Warrior 93 and makeup centered around an Egyptian ankh for Vincent 90 According to the official authorized Kiss biography written by David Leaf and Ken Sharp the Egyptian Ankh Warrior refers to Vincent s makeup and persona while the nickname the Wiz refers to his virtuosity as a guitar player 94 According to the Simmons autobiography Kiss and Make Up Vincent s Kiss persona was solely the Wiz A persona as the Ankh Warrior or similar is not mentioned in the book at all 91 92 From 1982 to 1983 the new lineup of Kiss became Simmons the Demon Stanley the Starchild Eric Carr the Fox and Vincent the Egyptian Warrior 93 or the Wiz 91 92 Vincent s personality did not mesh well with either Stanley or Simmons and he was dismissed from Kiss at the end of the Creatures tour He was quickly reinstated before recording started for Lick It Up because Simmons and Stanley could not find a new lead guitarist on such short notice Vincent appeared on the cover of Lick It Up and was credited as the lead guitarist He received a writing credit for eight of the ten songs on the album Personality issues arose once again and Vincent was fired following the Lick It Up tour due in part to excessive guitar soloing at a 1984 concert in Quebec He was replaced by Mark St John Vincent was later utilized by Kiss as a songwriter on the 1992 album Revenge contributing to the songs Unholy Tough Love Heart of Chrome and I Just Wanna Vincent and the band parted ways Persistent rumors circulated for years among Kiss fans regarding the true reason for Vincent s dismissals from Kiss with at least one band member refusing to comment except to say that legally it was not up for discussion Simmons stated in an interview several years later that Vincent s firing was for unethical behavior but he did not elaborate Vinnie for the record was fired for unethical behavior not because of lack of talent 95 1983 1996 Unmasking Edit Sensing it was time for a change Kiss made the decision to abandon its trademark makeup and costumes The band officially appeared in public without makeup for the first time since its very early days on a September 18 1983 appearance on MTV which coincided with the release of Lick It Up 96 The tour to promote the new album and the unmasked band members began in Lisbon Portugal on October 11 1983 at Pavilhao Dramatico de Cascais the band s first concert without makeup since early 1973 Lick It Up became Kiss s first Gold record in three years but the tour was even more sparsely attended than the previous one Vincent did not get along with Simmons and Stanley and he left the band at the conclusion of the tour in March 1984 Vincent s replacement was Mark St John a session player and guitar tutor 97 With St John Kiss released the album Animalize on September 13 1984 Animalize followed the success of Lick It Up and due in part to consistent MTV play for the Heaven s on Fire video Animalize was the band s bestselling record in America during the decade with over two million albums sold With the success of the album and subsequent tour Kiss had recaptured some of its earlier glory though not to the level of its 1970s heyday St John however came down with reactive arthritis during tour rehearsals and only performed at a handful of shows before being dismissed from the band in December 1984 The band hired Bruce Kulick to replace St John Kulick had previously filled in for St John during the first two months of the Animalize tour Kulick was Kiss s fourth lead guitarist in less than three years but he stayed with the band for 12 years 98 Kulick was one of the band s longest serving members with the longest continuous tenure of anyone other than Simmons and Stanley until Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer broke his record in 2014 and 2016 respectively You can t help but have a good time at one of our shows when everybody is going nuts onstage That kind of good time is infectious You can t fake it You can t fool the audience The people will see right through you if you put on a fake smile or you re not putting out your best The band are alive and well and playing better than we ever have Gene Simmons 99 Bruce Kulick pictured here in 2002 was the lead guitarist for Kiss from 1984 to 1996 One of the first concerts Kulick played as an official member of the band was at Detroit Michigan s Cobo Hall It was filmed for the MTV special Animalize Live The lineup of Stanley Simmons Carr and Kulick turned out to be the most stable since the original and for the rest of the 1980s Kiss released a series of Platinum albums 1985 s Asylum 1987 s Crazy Nights and the 1988 greatest hits compilation Smashes Thrashes amp Hits Crazy Nights in particular was one of Kiss s most successful albums overseas The single Crazy Crazy Nights reached No 4 on the singles chart in the United Kingdom the band s highest charting single in that country 100 Kiss ended the decade with the October 1989 release Hot in the Shade Although the album failed to achieve Platinum status it spawned the hit ballad Forever co written by Michael Bolton Peaking at No 8 in the US it was the group s highest charting single since Beth and was the band s second Top 10 single 100 During this time Kiss struggled with its identity and fan base Simmons arguably the driving force in Kiss during the 1970s became less involved with the group in the 1980s as he pursued outside interests most notably a film career Stanley took a more prominent role as a result 101 102 In February 1991 the band decided to once again enlist Ezrin to produce its next album Before recording could begin in earnest however tragedy struck In March 1991 it was discovered that Carr had a tumor on his heart It was successfully removed the following month but more tumors were soon discovered in his lungs Carr received chemotherapy and was pronounced cancer free in July However in September he suffered the first of two cerebral hemorrhages He died on November 24 1991 at the age of 41 103 104 Despite the tragic loss of a longtime member Kiss continued introducing veteran drummer Eric Singer born Eric Doyle Mensinger on May 12 1958 in Cleveland Ohio Singer had played with Paul Stanley previously as part of Stanley s backing band during a 1989 solo tour Kiss released Revenge on May 19 1992 It featured a leaner harder edged sound as indicated by the first single Unholy In a surprise move Kiss enlisted Vincent to help with songwriting duties The album debuted in the Top 10 and went Gold Kiss embarked on a brief club tour of the U S in the spring of 1992 before beginning an American tour in September 1992 The tour was documented on the album Alive III released on May 14 1993 Four days later Kiss were inducted into Hollywood s RockWalk 105 In 1995 the group released the book Kisstory a 440 page 9 pounds 4 1 kg detailed chronicle of the group s history to that point That same year the band embarked on a unique and well received Worldwide Kiss Convention Tour The conventions were all day events featuring displays of vintage Kiss stage outfits instruments and memorabilia performances by Kiss cover bands and dealers selling Kiss merchandise from every stage of the band s career Kiss appeared live at the conventions conducted question and answer sessions signed autographs and performed a two hour acoustic set composed mostly of spontaneous fan requests On the first U S date June 17 1995 Criss appeared onstage with Kiss to sing Hard Luck Woman and Nothin to Lose It was the first time Criss had performed publicly with the band in nearly 16 years 106 107 1996 2001 Original lineup reunion tour and remasking Edit Kiss performing in Utrecht in 1997 On August 9 1995 Kiss joined the long line of musicians to perform on MTV Unplugged The band contacted Criss and Frehley and invited them to participate in the event 108 Both joined Kiss on stage for several songs at the end of the set Beth 2000 Man Nothin to Lose and Rock and Roll All Nite 106 The Unplugged appearance set off months of speculation that a possible reunion of the original Kiss lineup was in the works In the weeks following the Unplugged concert however the band with Kulick and Singer returned to the studio for the first time in three years to record a follow up to Revenge Carnival of Souls The Final Sessions was completed in February 1996 but its release was delayed for almost two years Bootleg copies of the album circulated widely among fans 109 While Kiss continued to exist publicly as Simmons Stanley Kulick and Singer arrangements for a reunion of the original lineup were in the works These efforts culminated with a public event as dramatic as any the band had staged since its 1983 unmasking on MTV With the following statements Tupac Shakur introduced the original Kiss lineup in full makeup and Love Gun era stage outfits to a rousing ovation at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards 110 You know how the Grammys used to be all straight looking folks with suits Everybody looking tired No surprises We tired of that We need something different something new we need to shock the people so let s shock the people On April 16 the band members held a press conference aboard the USS Intrepid in New York City where they announced their plans for a full fledged reunion tour with the help of new manager Doc McGhee The conference MC d by Conan O Brien was simulcast to 58 countries 111 On April 20 nearly 40 000 tickets for the tour s first show sold out in 47 minutes 112 The first public concert featuring the newly reunited Kiss was an hour long warm up show on June 15 for the annual KROQ Weenie Roast in Irvine California during which the band nearly ignited the stage of the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater 113 On June 28 the Kiss Alive Worldwide Tour began at Tiger Stadium in Detroit in front of a sold out crowd of 39 867 fans The tour lasted for 192 shows over the course of one year and earned 43 6 million making Kiss the top drawing concert act of 1996 114 The average attendance of 13 737 is the highest in the group s history 112 There were many many nights when I was looking around the stage and going This is magic This is beyond anybody s wildest fantasies What was important about these shows is we had a much bigger task than people understood Our biggest competition was our history We didn t have to be as good as we used to be We had to be as good as people thought we were The show wasn t to be a replica of what we ve done it was to be what people imagined we had done We had to be totally committed and also totally sure that we could not only live up the legend but also surpass it In terms of the stage show for the reunion tour what we wanted to do was look at the 77 show in a sense as a pinnacle That is what we chose to build on but not copy There are also elements from other shows too in the sense that there s bombs and the flying rig and the breaking of the guitars At that time it was the ultimate Kiss show in the sense that we looked at the show which we thought was our best and said Top this Paul Stanley 115 Kiss performing in Paris on March 21 1999 In September 1998 the reunited group issued Psycho Circus Although it was the first album with the original lineup since 1979 s Dynasty the contributions of Frehley and Criss were minimal While the images of Frehley and Criss are featured prominently on the album most of the lead guitar work was later revealed to have been performed by future band member Tommy Thayer Former member Kulick made an appearance on the intro of the song Within Most drum duties were handled by session musician Kevin Valentine Despite the controversy the album achieved a No 3 chart debut the highest position for a Kiss album until Sonic Boom debuted at No 2 in 2009 116 The title track received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance 117 The Psycho Circus Tour opened at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Halloween in 1998 and was simulcast on FM radio across the U S It proved to be another success and was historic for being the first to ever incorporate 3D visuals into a stage show 118 119 On August 11 1999 Kiss was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Recording Industry category The next month the group worked in collaboration with World Championship Wrestling to produce a Kiss themed wrestler known as the Demon whose face was painted to resemble Simmons makeup The group performed God of Thunder live on WCW Monday Nitro to debut the character The band received 500 000 for the one night one song performance 120 Kiss launched a U S Farewell Tour in March 2000 121 The group quickly added dates to the tour which ran through April 2001 The Reunion tour made us the number one band again We played to about two million people in one year Then we did the Psycho Circus tour and after that we thought been there done it We re the champs again let s retire on top and we felt there is nothing worse than having someone go away and you don t get to say goodbye so this tour really is for the fans and to celebrate the whole history of the band Paul Stanley 122 2001 2008 Post reunion Edit On the eve of the Japanese and Australian leg of the Farewell Tour on January 31 2001 Criss suddenly left the band once again because he and the band could not come to agreement with his contract salary Taking his place was previous Kiss drummer Singer who in a move that was controversial among longtime fans assumed Criss s Cat persona as the Farewell Tour continued 123 With the band supposedly set to retire by early 2001 a career encompassing collection entitled simply The Box Set consisting of 94 tracks on five CDs was released in November of that year while the summer saw perhaps the most outrageous item of Kiss merchandise yet the Kiss Kasket In introducing the Kiss Kasket Simmons quipped I love livin but this makes the alternative look pretty damn good 124 On December 4 2001 Kiss was one of the honorees at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Recording Academy Heroes Award ceremony at the NARAS New York Chapter NARAS has 12 chapters throughout the United States hence 12 ceremonies throughout the year with the honorees each being honored by the chapter closest to their residence By receiving this honor which NARAS has renamed the Recording Academy Honors Kiss effectively received NARAS second highest career honor right behind the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award 125 126 Kiss was relatively quiet through the rest of the year but 2002 started with some controversy as Simmons took part in a controversial interview on National Public Radio with host Terry Gross 127 In February 2002 Kiss with Singer on drums and Frehley on lead guitar performed during the closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Utah 128 which was Frehley s final performance as a member of Kiss On March 6 2002 Kiss performed a private concert at a resort in Trelawny Jamaica Frehley who was no longer under contract did not perform with the group He was replaced by Thayer who donned Frehley s Spaceman makeup and costume for his first live appearance with Kiss 129 That month the band with Thayer taped an appearance on the American sitcom That 70s Show 130 The episode That 70s Kiss Show aired in August 2002 Thayer again performed with the group in April 2002 when Kiss performed Detroit Rock City with pre recorded music and live vocals for an appearance on Dick Clark s American Bandstand 50th Anniversary show which aired on May 3 131 In February 2003 Kiss traveled to Australia and recorded Kiss Symphony Alive IV with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Marvel Stadium then known as Telstra Dome in Melbourne Thayer once again replaced Frehley while Criss returned to the group Despite claims made prior to the Farewell Tour that it would be the group s last Kiss toured with Aerosmith in 2003 Frehley announced that his departure from the band was permanent stating that he believed the Farewell Tour would be Kiss s last 132 and that he did not want to open for Aerosmith 133 He was permanently replaced by Thayer as Kiss moved into a post reunion phase that saw the band easing into a new lineup permanently featuring Thayer as Spaceman and Singer as the Catman On this tour still featuring Criss the group introduced the Platinum tickets package with the most expensive packages costing 1 000 This package included a seat in the first five rows a meet and greet with Kiss after their performance and a photograph with the band 134 The tour earned more than 64 million in 2003 which ranked seventh for the year 135 Current members Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer have replaced Peter Criss and Ace Frehley as the Catman and the Spaceman respectively Simmons and Stanley did not renew Criss s contract when it expired in March 2004 Criss on his website stated that No one again no one has called me or my attorney about an extension for future touring As a founding member I find this to be disrespectful to me and to the fans that have made us one of the biggest bands in the world 136 During the summer of 2004 Kiss headlined the Rock the Nation 2004 World Tour with Poison as the opening act The tour ended in August with a sold out show in Mexico City Selected dates on the tour were filmed for the Rock the Nation Live concert DVD released on December 13 2005 137 Stanley who had been experiencing increasing difficulty with his hip had his mobility limited during the tour He has already had two hip surgeries performed with more likely in the future 138 After the conclusion of the Rock the Nation Tour Kiss performed only sporadically for a number of years The group played two shows in 2005 and another six in 2006 Four of the 2006 shows were July concerts in Japan including two dates July 22 and 23 as a headlining act at the 2006 Udo Music Festival Kiss performed four July 2007 concerts three of which were dubbed the Hit N Run Tour Prior to the final show on July 27 Stanley was hospitalized with an extremely rapid heartbeat In his absence Kiss performed in concert as a trio for the first time since 1982 This was the first Kiss concert that Stanley had missed during his then 34 year tenure with the group 139 Kiss along with Queen Def Leppard and Judas Priest were honored at the inaugural VH1 Rock Honors event held May 25 2006 in Las Vegas In June 2006 Simmons and Stanley attended the opening of the Kiss Coffeehouse in Myrtle Beach South Carolina On October 15 2006 Simmons Stanley and Criss were inaugural inductees into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame along with performers such as Neil Diamond Billy Joel Louis Armstrong the Ramones and Tony Bennett 140 Stanley released his second solo album Live to Win on October 24 2006 and undertook a brief solo tour in support On October 31 the same year the group released Kissology Volume One 1974 1977 the first of 10 possible DVD sets featuring complete concert footage interviews and never before seen clips 141 By January 2007 the set had been certified 5 Platinum in the United States 142 A second volume was released on August 14 2007 It was certified 6 Platinum by the RIAA on October 24 143 What seemed to be the final entry Kissology Volume Three 1992 2000 was released on December 18 2007 and has been certified 8 Platinum by the R I A A 144 In April 2007 former guitarist St John died from an apparent cerebral hemorrhage at age 51 145 After being forced to leave Kiss in 1984 St John formed the short lived glam metal group White Tiger Though Kiss had been eligible for enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1999 they were not nominated until 2009 and were not inducted until 2014 While this snub displeased some fans Stanley and Simmons maintained that it was meaningless to them Nevertheless a group of about 200 Kiss fans held a protest rally in front of the Hall of Fame in Cleveland on August 5 2006 It was the first known organized demonstration seeking the induction of a band into the Hall 146 Alive 35 World Tour map In 2007 a new comic book series featuring the band was released by the Kiss Comics Group in association with Platinum Studios titled Kiss 4K Legends Never Die The band picked up their pace in 2008 embarking on their first proper tour of Europe in nearly a decade On January 30 2008 Stanley confirmed that Kiss would launch the Kiss Alive 35 World Tour playing arena and stadium shows in Europe Australia and New Zealand On March 16 2008 Kiss closed the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit as well as performing in Brisbane and Sydney as part of this tour Kiss played at the Rock2Wgtn two day festival held in Wellington New Zealand on March 22 and 23 2008 the festival also featured Ozzy Osbourne Whitesnake Poison Alice Cooper Lordi Sonic Altar and Symphony of Screams with special effects provided by WETA Workshop of The Lord of the Rings and King Kong fame 147 Throughout the summer of 2008 Kiss headlined festivals as well as their own shows and played to a record audience of about 400 000 people 148 As part of this tour Kiss headlined the Download Festival at England s Donington Park on June 13 Three days later they headlined the Arrow Rock Festival in Nijmegen Netherlands On June 28 Kiss headlined the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel Belgium It was the last show of the European leg of the Kiss Alive 35 Tour On August 4 Kiss played at Rockin the Rally at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as part of the tour South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds proclaimed August 4 2008 to be Kiss Rock and Roll Day in South Dakota In September 2008 both Simmons and Stanley confirmed rumors that the Kiss Alive 35 Tour would continue with extensive tours of North America in the beginning of 2009 as well as South America The latter tour included shows on April 5 in Argentina April 7 and 8 in Brazil April 14 in Peru the first Kiss show ever in Peru and other concerts in Venezuela the first Kiss show ever in Venezuela and Chile That summer Kiss came back to North America to continue the Alive 35 World Tour starting on July 18 in Halifax Nova Scotia 149 150 151 2008 2012 Sonic Boom and Monster Edit More than 10 years after their last studio album and following years of denials about ever wanting to do a new album Stanley and Simmons changed their minds In November 2008 Stanley stated to rock photographer Ross Halfin that a new Kiss album was in the works Stanley himself would be the producer and the album would have a real 70s Kiss sound to it Later that month Simmons and Stanley both publicly confirmed the information about a new Kiss album We have 4 tunes recorded If you re a fan of our stuff from about 1977 you ll feel right at home All of us have taken up the songwriting call to arms in the same spirit we once did without a care in the world and without outside writers Nothing to prove to anyone Just doing what comes naturally Ignoring fashions trends and with a personal vow from all of us no rapping There are plenty of people out there doing this and they don t need four palefaced guys pretending they re from the hood Besides I m not sure how to correctly pronounce wassup See you all there Or maybe later 148 The band appeared on American Idol in May 2009 performing Detroit Rock City and Rock and Roll All Nite with Adam Lambert 152 Kiss performing at the 2010 Sauna Open Air Metal Festival in Tampere Finland In October 2009 a new studio album titled Sonic Boom was released 153 It included a CD of new material re recorded versions of famous Kiss hits previously released as Jigoku Retsuden a Japanese exclusive album in 2008 and a live DVD recorded in Buenos Aires Argentina 154 Modern Day Delilah was released as the lead single from Sonic Boom on August 19 2009 The song was Kiss s first single release in 11 years since 1998 s You Wanted the Best The song gained positive feedback from both critics and fans and was compared to the band s 1970s work 155 156 In support of the new album Kiss appeared live on Late Show with David Letterman on October 6 2009 and on Jimmy Kimmel Live on October 7 2009 Sonic Boom debuted at No 2 on the Billboard 200 On September 25 2009 the Kiss Alive 35 North American Tour kicked off at Cobo Hall in Detroit both nights were filmed for future DVD release These were the band s final performances there as the venue was later closed as part of the renovation of the Cobo Center Kiss headlined the 2009 Voodoo Experience held at City Park in New Orleans Louisiana on Halloween night 157 During their performance at the MTS Centre on November 9 2009 in Winnipeg Manitoba one of the lighting trusses caught on fire from a pyro cue The truss had to be lowered in order to have the fire put out During the five or so minutes it took to extinguish the fire the band broke into the song Firehouse No one was hurt and the show continued 158 Kiss started the European leg of the Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour in May 2010 Tragedy struck Kiss for a third time when former manager Aucoin died of cancer on June 28 2010 at the age of 66 Stanley and Simmons said he was like the fifth member of Kiss The tour included their first UK arena shows in 11 years and their first visit to Slovakia Kiss later played at two dates in US cities Cheyenne Wyoming and the North Dakota State Fair in Minot North Dakota in July 2010 They also played at the Indiana State Fair in August and the Minnesota State Fair in September They also made a brief appearance at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs New York on August 17 2010 On July 23 Kiss started The Hottest Show on Earth Tour in the United States On April 13 2011 Kiss began recording a new album due for release later in the year 159 Simmons stated the album is gonna be the next step to Sonic Boom Very similar straight rock songs no ballads no keyboards no nothing just rock 159 The band also used old analog equipment instead of more popular digital recording gear Simmons said Technology is a seductive bitch she will seduce you You press this button you don t have to do anything But analog is the love of your life You can push real hard and it always gives back For the new album the actual recording process was 24 track tape and an old Trident board And as many tubes as possible You need tubes electricity and thick wood to make that thick sound 160 161 Kiss performing in Saint Paul Minnesota on August 29 2012 Kiss spent the summer of 2011 playing venues in the US and Canada visiting cities they had not played in some time it was dubbed the Lost Cities Tour Their next album Monster was released in October 2012 KISS by Monster Mini Golf was opened in March 2012 in Las Vegas The facility is an 18 hole indoor miniature golf course featuring arcade games a gift shop and numerous pieces of band memorabilia on display The complete current version of the band attended the grand opening 162 Kiss appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on March 20 2012 A press conference was held on the same day to announce a summer North American tour called The Tour co headlined by Motley Crue The Tour started on July 20 and ended on October 1 163 The single Hell or Hallelujah was released internationally on July 2 2012 and on July 3 in North America Monster was released on October 9 2012 in North America Kiss kicked off the Monster World Tour on November 7 2012 in Buenos Aires Argentina at the River Plate Stadium and continued the six date South American leg with dates in Santiago Asuncion Porto Alegre Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro until November 18 The Australian leg began on February 28 2013 in Perth at the Perth Arena and ran through March 16 in Mackay at Virgin Australian Stadium They were joined by Motley Crue Thin Lizzy and Diva Demolition The band extensively toured Europe and Canada with a few US dates in June through August and then Japan in October 164 2013 2015 40th anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and international collaboration Edit On October 16 2013 Kiss was again announced as a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 165 and was subsequently announced as an inductee on December 17 166 In 2013 Kiss purchased a share of an Arena Football League expansion franchise set to begin play at the Honda Center in Anaheim California in 2014 Simmons Stanley and manager McGhee jointly owned the team called the Los Angeles Kiss Both Simmons and Stanley are known fans of the AFL 167 The LA Kiss offered National Football League free agent quarterback Tim Tebow a contract to join their team and play in the AFL but he did not join 168 The team folded in 2016 169 In 2014 Kiss toured as co headliners with Def Leppard After Simmons toured with Joe Elliott in South America the two talked about their bands working together From June 23 to August 31 2014 the bands toured 42 cities with a dollar per ticket donated to such military charities as Wounded Warrior Project 170 For the first time in the band s 41 year history Kiss was featured on the cover of the April 10 2014 Issue 1206 edition of Rolling Stone magazine On April 10 2014 Kiss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Though the rockers did not perform the original four members showed up at the 29th annual induction ceremony in Brooklyn to accept the honor 166 171 In November 2014 the band played a historic nine show run at the Hard Rock Hotel amp Casino Las Vegas 172 External video Yume no Ukiyo ni Saite Mi naKiss s first collaboration single with another artist On January 28 2015 Kiss released a collaboration single with the Japanese female idol group Momoiro Clover Z titled Yume no Ukiyo ni Saite Mi na It was the first time Kiss had issued a collaboration record with another artist 173 In Japan it was released physically in two versions Momoiro Clover Z Edition on CD and Blu ray and Kiss Edition CD only 174 175 An alternate mix of the single s title song was also included as an opening track on the Japanese only SHM CD album Best of Kiss 40 released in Japan on the same day 176 177 Before the collaboration the members of Kiss had watched concert videos of Momoiro Clover Z Stanley later commented during an interview Spectacular show Great choreography Music like we never heard before We said this is something we can do Somebody said Kiss why are you doing it Because we can It s two worlds getting together doing something unbelievable Music power rocks the world 178 On September 15 2015 the RIAA announced that the band had earned more Gold records than any other American band in the association s 63 year history with a total of 30 Gold album awards including the band s four 1978 solo albums Cary Sherman the RIAA CEO and chairman commented What an extraordinary achievement for an enduring band Forty years later and the band is still rocking Congratulations to KISS on their Gold album milestone and continued success 179 2016 present Continued activities and final tour Edit Kiss performing at the O2 Arena in London on May 31 2017 In 2016 Kiss conducted a summer tour titled the Freedom to Rock Tour of less frequented cities and smaller venues The tour ran throughout the summer with opening acts Caleb Johnson and the Dead Daisies 180 On December 13 2016 Kiss performed during the season 11 finale of The Voice accompanied by the season winner Sundance Head 181 There had been conflicting stories regarding whether Kiss would record another album Simmons had said yes in interviews saying that he had songs written and lined up for a new album Stanley and Thayer disputed this however and said that they did not vow to make one and that the band could move forward without new music 182 183 However on March 25 2021 Stanley stated that he hasn t ruled out the possibility of Kiss producing new music 184 with both Simmons and Stanley stating in later interviews that the band doesn t need to record another album 185 186 The band continued to perform shows in North America and Europe on the Kissworld Tour throughout 2017 and 2018 187 On September 19 2018 following a performance on America s Got Talent Kiss announced that it would be ending its career with the End of the Road World Tour in 2019 188 Stanley commented This is gonna be our last tour It will be the most explosive biggest show we ve ever done People who love us come see us If you ve never seen us this is the time This will be the show 1 In October 2018 the band reunited with Ace Frehley and Bruce Kulick on the Kiss Kruise It performed 2 000 Man New York Groove Nothin to Lose and Rock and Roll All Nite This was the first time Frehley and the band had performed together since 2002 for the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics and Kulick s first time performing with the band live since his departure in 1996 189 The band s final tour kicked off on January 31 in Vancouver British Columbia Canada it currently features 186 additional dates that run through October 3 2020 in Fort Worth United States 190 In February 2019 Simmons said the farewell tour would likely gross between 150 million and 200 million not counting ancillaries licensing merchandise and stuff like that 191 During the first leg of the End of the Road World Tour Kiss was accused by fans of lip syncing and using backing tracks 192 Three years prior Simmons had been critical of bands using backing tracks on live shows Former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach defended Kiss saying that the band did not lip sync at the show he attended 193 Stanley did not confirm nor deny that he lip syncs on stage saying he is taking care of his voice 194 Accusations were revived by fans following the band s Belgium performance when there was a slip up with the fireworks and drum cues on the opening song 195 Kiss performing at Hellfest in Clisson on June 22 2019 On November 14 2019 the band announced that its Australia and New Zealand shows on its final tour had been canceled due to Stanley s health issues and stated Doctor s orders ultimately have taken precedence and finally we now find ourselves with no choice but to surrender 196 In December 2019 X Japan s Yoshiki joined the band in Tokyo and Osaka on their Japan leg to perform Beth on piano and Rock and Roll All Nite on drums 197 198 They would later collaborate on a televised New Year s Eve performance in Japan performing Rock and Roll All Nite under the combined name YoshiKiss 199 200 Kiss appeared again as special guests on America s Got Talent on February 17 2020 with a televised performance of Rock and Roll All Nite 201 The band would later dedicate Do You Love Me to Kobe Bryant and the 2020 Calabasas helicopter crash victims during the Los Angeles show at the Staples Center on March 4 2020 202 With the events of the COVID 19 pandemic the band had temporarily ceased its final tour with Simmons commenting that the tour would continue once scientists had confirmed that it is safe to resume 203 The 2020 edition of Kiss Kruise had been postponed to October 2021 as a result of the pandemic 204 Kiss had announced on November 20 2020 that they would perform an exclusive New Year s Eve 2020 livestream show 205 The Kiss New Year s Eve 2020 Goodbye livestream concert was produced by City Drive Studios 206 and directed by Daniel Catullo 207 The pay per view concert was part of the Landmarks Live Series and was filmed with over fifty 4K cameras with 360 degree views on a 250 foot stage at The Royal Beach at Atlantis The Palm Dubai The performance broke two Guinness World Records one for the highest flame projection in a music concert and another for the most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert 208 On December 2 2020 Simmons confirmed that the band would continue their final tour in the summer of 2021 in which there are another 150 shows left as well as rescheduling the Australian leg of the final tour 209 210 In a June 2021 interview Stanley remained optimistic that the band would complete their final tour when playing concerts was safe and discussed the inevitable retirement of Kiss 211 He also did not rule out the possibility of former members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss making appearances during the final tour stating that he is open to the idea 212 Simmons later invited Frehley to perform encores with the band for their final tour 213 but Frehley turned down the invitation 214 Kiss performing in Paris on June 7 2022 It was announced on December 15 2020 that a biopic of the band was in the works with hopes to release it on time with the band s final concert The band s manager Doc McGhee spoke about the process Hopefully in the next week we ll have a company behind it and we ll start finishing the script and hopefully by the time we end we ll have a movie finished for July of next year 215 Deadline reported that Netflix has nearly finalized a deal to produce the Kiss biopic titled Shout it Out Loud 216 The film will be made with close cooperation from both Simmons and Stanley and will focus on the formative years of the band 217 218 Following the announcement of the biopic a two part documentary on the band titled Biography Kisstory was also announced and aired on A amp E on both June 27 and 28 2021 with an exclusive live performance following after its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11 2021 219 220 In an interview on October 6 2021 Stanley confirmed that the final concert for Kiss will likely happen within the next year and a half stating I believe strongly by the beginning of 2023 we will be finished it seems only natural for the final show to be in New York That is where the band started and that was really the background for the band getting together and writing these songs and played loft parties and played clubs starting with an audience of probably 10 people It seems we should go full circle 6 The band performed on board for the 2022 edition of the Kiss Kruise in October to November 2022 which was their final time performing on the cruise 221 In addition to adding another 100 cities on tour into 2023 222 Simmons stated that he will continue working with the American rock inspired restaurant Rock amp Brews and performing with his solo band when the final tour has concluded He later stated that the band will be retiring out of self respect and love for the fans and that he will be very emotional during the band s final performance which is set to take place around 2024 223 224 225 Artistry EditMusical style Edit Kiss has typically been classified under the genres of hard rock 226 heavy metal 227 shock rock 228 glam metal 229 and glam rock 230 Most of its 1970s albums particularly the first six released between 1974 and 1977 as well as 1982 s Creatures of the Night and 1984 s Animalize featured a hard rock or traditional heavy metal style 1979 s Dynasty and 1980 s Unmasked featured a more disco pop rock sound and 1981 s Music from The Elder found the band dabbling in progressive rock In 1983 starting with Lick It Up and the removal of its trademark makeup the band began incorporating glam metal into its sound and visual image 231 232 Later in the early 1990s its sound grew heavier and abandoned the glam metal sound 233 In the mid 1990s the band returned to its original sound 230 Its music is described as a commercially potent mix of anthemic fist pounding hard rock driven by sleek hooks and ballads powered by loud guitars cloying melodies and sweeping strings It was a sound that laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop metal that dominated rock in the late 1980s 230 The first review of Kiss by Rolling Stone in 1973 described the band as an American Black Sabbath 234 The same magazine s review of Hotter than Hell stated that with twin guitars hammering out catchy mondo distorto riffs and bass and drums amiably bringing up the rear Kiss spews forth a deceptively controlled type of thunderous hysteria 235 At the same time Bennington Banner from Rock Music magazine said With its members bizarre Kabuki like makeup studded black leather costumes and arsenal of on stage firepower both musical and literal Kiss represents the most extreme form of hard rock in 1974 236 Makeup designs Edit The band is famous for its iconic makeup designs each of which represents a different character or persona The current lineup consists of the original four designs the Starchild the Demon the Spaceman and the Catman The band formerly included a practice of giving any new members a new persona such as the Fox for Carr and the Ankh Warrior for Vincent this practice was ended after Singer and Thayer took up Frehley s Spaceman and Criss s Catman personas When asked on the matter Simmons stated Why wouldn t we use the classic makeup We own it Criss relinquished his rights to his makeup when he left the band in 2004 which he later regretted saying I m pissed at myself that my makeup slipped through my hands while Frehley claims he licensed his design to the band and would get it back a notion which Stanley has called a fantasy 237 During 1973 74 Stanley occasionally used an alternative makeup design called the Bandit for select photo shoots and live shows after Neil Bogart head of Casablanca Records suggested to him that he use a design that was symmetrical like those of the rest of the band During this time he was also still using the Starchild makeup sometimes even using both designs at the same photo shoots In 1974 he stopped using the Bandit design permanently On the cover of the band s debut album Criss used a drastically different variation of his Catman makeup dubbed the Pantomime Cat after he allowed the makeup artist at the shoot to use their own ideas instead of following the usual design Carr was originally going to be the Hawk a design which Simmons recalled in his autobiography looked like Big Bird from Sesame Street One photo of Carr wearing this proposed design exists today and also one of a mannequin Stanley set up wearing the proposed makeup and outfit Unlike the Bandit and Pantomime Cat this alternative design was never used in any official capacity The Hawk design was also considered for Vincent and Singer 238 St John and Kulick were members of Kiss only during the non makeup period Kulick stated that had he ever worn makeup in the band he would have liked to have been the Dog I figure that since there s already a cat in the band I should probably be the dog I d have a big circle around one eye and I d look like Petey from the Little Rascals I ve actually seen one or two fan renditions of what that might look like so yeah I d be the dog The four original makeup designs have been registered with the U S Patent and Trademark Office with ownership and licensing rights held by Simmons and Stanley The StarchildPaul Stanley 1973 1983 1989 1996 present The DemonGene Simmons 1973 1983 1989 1996 present The SpacemanAce Frehley Space Ace 1973 1982 1996 2002 Tommy Thayer 2002 present The CatmanPeter Criss 1973 1980 1996 2000 2002 2003 Eric Singer 2001 2002 2004 present The FoxEric Carr 1980 1983 The Ankh WarriorVinnie Vincent 1982 1983 Influences Edit British glam rock band Slade pictured in 1973 was among the band s influences Kiss was strongly influenced by Alice Cooper and New York Dolls 239 while Gene Simmons has stated that the band s musical heart and soul lies in England 240 The Beatles and the Yardbirds trio of rock guitarists Jimmy Page Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck were among the British acts he praised with Simmons stating I ve ripped off so many English riffs if the British influence wasn t there we wouldn t be here Rock and Roll All Nite is a direct bastard child of Slade s Mama Weer All Crazee Now 240 In his book Kiss and Make Up Simmons wrote of the glam rock group Slade we liked the way they connected with the crowd and the way they wrote anthems we wanted that same energy that same irresistible simplicity 241 The world of concert touring was changed by Kiss s practice of erecting uniquely designed stage sets Tours got larger carrying more personnel and equipment including sets costumes sound and lighting gear and pyrotechnics all requiring more trucking and the total cost increasing by millions of dollars Kiss also innovated with a significant expansion of concert merchandising selling non musical Kiss branded goods to concertgoers The sales of merchandise helped pay for the concert expenses and bring a profit to the band as well as give them more of a presence without relying solely on radio Other bands copied Kiss by selling their own branded goods at concerts a practice which became more of a necessity in the 1980s with increasing costs of touring 239 242 In addition to concert merchandising Kiss has extended its influence to include a full Kiss themed mini golf course at the Rio All Suite Hotel amp Casino in Las Vegas Nevada 243 244 Band members EditFurther information List of Kiss members Current Paul Stanley lead and backing vocals rhythm guitar 1973 present Gene Simmons lead and backing vocals bass guitar 1973 present Eric Singer drums backing and lead vocals 1991 1996 2001 2002 2004 present Tommy Thayer lead guitar backing and lead vocals 2002 present Former Ace Frehley lead guitar backing and lead vocals 1973 1982 1996 2002 Peter Criss drums backing and lead vocals 1973 1980 1996 2001 2002 2004 Eric Carr drums backing and lead vocals 1980 1991 his death Vinnie Vincent lead guitar backing vocals 1982 1984 Mark St John lead guitar backing vocals 1984 died 2007 Bruce Kulick lead guitar backing and lead vocals 1984 1996 Awards and nominations EditMain article List of awards and nominations received by KissDiscography EditMain articles Kiss discography and songs Studio albumsKiss 1974 Hotter than Hell 1974 Dressed to Kill 1975 Destroyer 1976 Rock and Roll Over 1976 Love Gun 1977 Paul Stanley 1978 Gene Simmons 1978 Ace Frehley 1978 Peter Criss 1978 Dynasty 1979 Unmasked 1980 Music from The Elder 1981 Creatures of the Night 1982 Lick It Up 1983 Animalize 1984 Asylum 1985 Crazy Nights 1987 Hot in the Shade 1989 Revenge 1992 Carnival of Souls The Final Sessions 1997 Psycho Circus 1998 Sonic Boom 2009 Monster 2012 Tours EditClub Tour 1973 Kiss Tour 1974 Hotter than Hell Tour 1974 1975 Dressed to Kill Tour 1975 Alive Tour 1975 1976 Destroyer Tour 1976 Rock amp Roll Over Tour 1976 1977 Love Gun Tour 1977 Alive II Tour 1977 1978 Dynasty Tour 1979 Unmasked Tour 1980 Creatures of the Night Tour 10th Anniversary Tour 1982 1983 Lick It Up World Tour 1983 1984 Animalize World Tour 1984 1985 Asylum Tour 1985 1986 Crazy Nights World Tour 1987 1988 Hot in the Shade Tour 1990 Revenge Tour 1992 Kiss My Ass Tour 1994 1995 Alive Worldwide Tour 1996 1997 Psycho Circus World Tour 1998 1999 The Farewell Tour 2000 2001 World Domination Tour 2003 Rock the Nation World Tour 2004 Rising Sun Tour 2006 Hit n Run Tour 2007 Alive 35 World Tour 2008 2010 Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour 2010 The Hottest Show on Earth Tour 2010 2011 The Tour 2012 Monster World Tour 2012 2013 Kiss 40th Anniversary World Tour 2014 2015 Freedom to Rock Tour 2016 KISSWORLD Tour 2017 2018 End of the Road World Tour 2019 present See also EditAlbum era Kiss videography List of songs recorded by Kiss List of artists who reached number one on the U S Mainstream Rock chart List of bestselling music artistsReferences EditCitations Edit a b It s Official KISS To Launch Farewell Tour End Of The Road Blabbermouth net September 19 2018 Retrieved September 20 2018 GENE SIMMONS Says KISS s End Of The Road Tour Could Last More Than Three Years Blabbermouth November 12 2018 Retrieved July 12 2019 KISS To Launch Three Year Tour In January 2019 Says GENE SIMMONS Blabbermouth June 4 2018 Retrieved August 14 2019 Kielty Martin Kiss Reveal 75 New 2020 End of the Road Tour Dates Ultimate Classic Rock Retrieved November 6 2019 PAUL STANLEY On Why End Of The Road Is KISS s Final Tour It s Just Not Possible To Continue Doing This The Way We Do It Blabbermouth net January 5 2020 Retrieved January 5 2020 a b Graff Gary October 6 2021 Paul Stanley Reveals New Plans for the End of Kiss Farewell Tour 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Respect Love for Their Fans Loudwire Retrieved May 29 2022 Sharp Ken September 21 2022 Gene Simmons on mortality regret his childhood the end of the road for Kiss and more Goldmine Magazine Record Collector amp Music Memorabilia Retrieved October 13 2022 Kiss Bio Rolling Stone Archived from the original on November 24 2017 Retrieved September 22 2017 Lefcowitz amp Preiss 1997 Tolinski Brad June 6 2011 Shock Rock The Attack of Alice Cooper Kiss Slipknot and the 10 000 Foot Radioactive Teenager guitarworld Retrieved June 6 2011 Grobmeier Danielle November 12 2015 Still Cowboys From Hell The Dallas Morning News Retrieved May 26 2021 a b c Erlewine Stephen Thomas Kiss gt Biography AllMusic Retrieved July 28 2010 Steveson Jane Canoe Jam Music Pop Encyclopedia KISS but no tell JAM Archived from the original on February 22 2012 Retrieved April 13 2010 Crocker 1993 pg 8 In the middle of the seventies glam metal rockers like Queen Sweet T Rex Slade and later KISS would keep the world safe for flamboyant clothes and makeup androgyny bizarre theatrics and powerful riffing Franck John allmusic Revenge Review AllMusic Retrieved May 8 2013 Article Kiss New Years 1973 Review KissFAQ Wiki Kissfaq com Archived from the original on January 3 2013 Retrieved July 28 2010 Article Kiss Hotter Than Hell RS Review KissFAQ Wiki Kissfaq com January 23 2009 Archived from the original on January 3 2013 Retrieved July 28 2010 Article Kiss Hotter Than Hell 2 KissFAQ Wiki Kissfaq com January 23 2009 Archived from the original on January 3 2013 Retrieved July 28 2010 Grow Kory April 6 2016 Gene Simmons Talks Kiss Makeup Controversy Rolling Stone Undiscovered Kisstory Alternative Makeup Designs at Metaltalk net a b Konow David 2009 Bang Your Head The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal Crown Archetype p 48 ISBN 9780307565600 a b Kiss Founder Gene Simmons Says Band s Heart and Soul Lies in England Ultimate Classic Rock September 22 2017 Simmons Gene 2002 Kiss and Make up Three Rivers Press p 85 ISBN 0 609 81002 2 Van Buskirk Eliot February 23 2010 Music Won t Feed The Band But Merch Might Wired Retrieved May 28 2015 Blabbermouth February 1 2016 Kiss By Monster Mini Golf Moving To Rio All Suite Hotel And Casino In Las Vegas BLABBERMOUTH NET Retrieved July 18 2020 The wackiest and wildest mini golf courses in Las Vegas KTNV June 19 2019 Retrieved July 18 2020 General bibliography Edit Criss Lydia 2006 Sealed with a Kiss Lydia Criss Publishing ISBN 0 9786558 0 X Galbraith Richard 2009 Richard Galbraith Photography Presents KISS Richard Galbraith ISBN 0 5780307 7 2 Gebert Gordon G G and McAdams Bob 1997 Kiss amp Tell Pitbull Publishing LLC ISBN 0 9658794 0 2 Gebert Gordon G G 1999 Kiss amp Tell More Pitbull Publishing LLC ISBN 0 9658794 1 0 Gooch Curt Suhs Jeff 2002 Kiss Alive Forever The Complete Touring History New York Billboard Books ISBN 0 8230 8322 5 Leaf David Sharp Ken 2003 Kiss Behind the Mask The Official Authorized Biography New York Warner Books ISBN 0 446 53073 5 Lendt C K 1997 Kiss and Sell The Making of a Supergroup New York Billboard Books ISBN 0 8230 7551 6 Moore Wendy 2004 Into the Void With Ace Frehley Pitbull Publishing LLC ISBN 0 9658794 4 5 Prato Greg 2011 The Eric Carr Story Createspace ISBN 0 5780742 4 9 Prato Greg 2019 Take It Off Kiss Truly Unmasked Jawbone Press ISBN 978 1911036579 Sherman Dale 1997 Black Diamond The Unauthorized Biography of Kiss Collectors Guide Publishing Inc ISBN 1 896522 35 1 Simmons Gene 2001 Kiss and Make Up New York Crown ISBN 0 609 60855 X Simmons Gene Paul Stanley and Waring Abbott 2002 Kiss The Early Years Three Rivers Press ISBN 0 609 81028 6 Tomarkin Peggy 1980 Kiss The Real Story Authorized Delacorte Press ISBN 0 440 04834 6 Lefcowitz Eric Preiss Byron 1997 The Rhino History of Rock n Roll the 70s Pocket Books ISBN 9780671011758 Kerekes David Slater David 1995 Critical Vision Random Essays amp Tracts Concerning Sex Religion Death Critical Vision ISBN 9780952328803 Sharp Ken 2014 Nothin to Lose The Making of Kiss 1972 1975 HarperCollins ISBN 9780062131744 Weiss Brett 2016 Encyclopedia of Kiss Music Personnel Events and Related Subjects Jefferson North Carolina McFarland amp Company Inc ISBN 9781476625409 Brod Doug 2020 They Just Seem A Little Weird How Kiss Cheap Trick Aerosmith and Starz Remade Rock and Roll First ed New York New York Hachette Books ISBN 978 0 306 84519 2 Further reading EditHoffmann Jim 2020 My Search for Shock Me Ace Frehley s Signature Song A Scholarly Analysis Susquehanna Road Publishing ISBN 9798664267723 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kiss musical group Official website Kiss at Curlie FBI Records The Vault Kiss at fbi gov Kiss on Spotify Portals 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s musicKiss band at Wikipedia s sister projects Media from Commons Data from Wikidata Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kiss band amp oldid 1132958080, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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