KISSTORY

MOMENTS TO REMEMBER

1945 (?)

December 20—It’s less than a week before Christmas and Mr. Crisscoula hopes his wife will be home for the celebration. She is. Five days before the blessed day; Mrs. Crisscoula has her blessed event: giving birth in New York to a son she christens Peter.

1949 (?)

August 25—While Gene claims to have been “hatched,” Mrs. Klein

remembers differently—that on this steamy summer dog day in New York she bore her only child, a son named Gene.

1950 (?)

April 22—Spring is sprung, and even in the Bronx, things are blooming. Mrs. Frehley makes her contribution to nature’s annual renewing by bearing a son called Paul (and later dubbed Ace).

1950(?)

January 20—In a post-election year, the day would be for an inauguration but, as it is, it’s just another bitter winter’s day in Queens, New York when Mrs. Eisen brings a son into the-world whom she names Stanley (and who becomes Paul Stanley).

1970(?)

Sometime around this year, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley cross paths in a band which neither of them finds to their taste. They talk and recognize each other as kindred rock ‘n’ roll spirits. Soon they are not only friends, but a team.

1972

Winter—Nixon’s second term begins in midst of Watergate scandal. A lot of people are dissatisfied and disillusioned, not the least of whom are Gene and Paul who are sick of playing Top 40 copy-musii. They concoct a vision in which heavy metal rock ‘n’ roll is wedded to heavy metal visuals, rent a loft on Manhattan’s West 23rd Street, and start looking to put together a band that will finally fulfill their innate stardom.

Spring—Watergate gets worse,

New York Dolls begin, and Gene answers an ad in Rolling Stone ' placed by drummer who “is willing to do anything to make it.” Gene and Paul rendezvous with drummer at Electric Lady Studios. He is properly thin and dressed in fashionable Edwardian jacket. He1 listens to their tape and says later,

“I like what I heard.” His name is Peter Criss, and the next week the three begin practicing in the loft. Summer-Fall—“The three of us rehearsed five to six months,” says Peter, “seven days a week, eight hours a day.” They try to make the band tight as possible before adding

new instruments. Watergate, Dolls make news. Kiss eats junk food.

Fall—They flash on name: Kiss. Gene, Paul, and Peter decide time is right to add guitarist. Easier said than done. “You should have seen some of the winners we auditioned! We got really depressed...” reports Peter. “One night Ace walked in to auditioned and the three of us knew immediately.” Looking “spacey” as ever, Ace wears two different colored sneakers—but when he cuts into guitar he is all business.

Now there are four: Peter, Paul, Gene, and Ace. Their time is approaching.

1973

January 1—New year, Kiss is ready. Because the Dolls and Teenage Lust have Mercer Arts Center booked solid, Kiss looks to outer boroughs of New York for work. In Queens there is a small rock club named after a city in England. The Coventry hires Kiss for three nights at 30 dollars per night.

January 30—History does a double-take. Gene, Peter, Ace, and Paul—Kiss—play first-ever gig at Coventry. The reaction? “We never played anyplace where we didn’t get at least one encore,” states Gene. Kisstory begins in earnest. Winter-Spring—Kiss continues to gig on Long Island and in N.Y.C., building a following as one of tightest bands around—and one of weirdest looking. As Peter puts it: “We went with the makeup, black clothes, and the colors all down. All we needed was a record label and money.”

June—In pursuit of contract, band decides to make demo tape. Gene and Paul call in old debt at Electric Lady, getting studio time and Eddie Kramer (console whizz for the late Hendrix) as their producer. Tape is a scorcher. Five songs destined someday to blow the roofs off American arenas: “Strutter,” ” “Deuce,” “Watchin’ You,” and “Black Diamond.”

At same time, band has compiled list from trade papers and fan magazines of everyone in music biz. Soon they will begin bombarding them with Kissabilia and invitations to shows. They also cast about for proper showcase for themselves. They hit on ballroom of Diplomat Hotel, showplace for local psychedelic bands in ’67. The Kiss publicity/invitations blitz begins.

July 4—Independence Day for nation—and for Kiss, too. Band performs first self-produced show at Diplomat. A success with audience, but music biz invitees aren’t biting— yet. Another show follows later in month with similar results.

August 10—Summer dog days, nearly Gene’s birthday, Watergate is simmering, the Dolls boiling over, and Alice Cooper “retiring.” Kiss puts on third show at Diplomat, hoping. Erstwhile TV director Bill Aucoin offers to be manager if they want to be stars. “I told them if I couldn’t get them a contract within two weeks, the deal would be off,” Aucoin recalls. “With Alice Cooper retiring I saw a gap—and I thought Kiss could fill it.” Kiss accepts offer skeptically, start clocking Aucoin. August 24—Aucoin comes through with record contract from Neil Bogart’s new Casablanca Records. Kiss signs as label’s first act.

Kisstory is made again. September—Kiss, Aucoin review bands repertoire and stage show, ordering costumes and equipment. Gene takes fire-breathing lessons. More rehearsing and Kiss juggernaut is polished to high blackand-chrome sheen. Aucoin forms management company, Rock Steady, Inc.

October—Band enters Bell Sound Studios near 57th Street in Manhattan to record first album with Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise producing. By the end of smooth month they have created first LP, Kiss.

November-December—Albums mixed, pressed, and cover designed. Revamped stage show in intensive last rehearsals.

Ready? Is everybody ready?

1974

February 8—Ladies and Gentlemen, the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world...KISS! Debut album screams into record stores and band hits road with $100,000 dollars in equipment. Bogart throws extravagant “Rick’s Cafe” party in L.A.; in N.Y., band rents shuttered Fillmore East for press show/party. February-April—Tour winds through nation. Crowds react well to bizarrely costumed opening act. Record sells slowly.

May—Kiss passes through San Francisco (where Paul gets rose tattoo on arm from Lyle Tuttle) opening fgr Savoy Brown. Next stop; Alaska!!!, (In what will be the last big rock concert the snowy provinces have seen to date.) June-July—Touring, more touring—average 15 shows per month. Peter reportedly states: “If we don’t get rich from this, they’re going to have to put me in a padded cell.” Still they press on. August-September—Nixon resigns, Ford trips on shoelaces, Dolls gasp last—and Kiss? First album withering on vine because it is denied vital airplay on radio. Band enters L.A.’s Village Recorder with Kerner and Wise to lay down new LP.

October 22—Hotter Than Hell with bi-lingual (Jap.-Eng.) cover hits stores. Cover photo reveals Peter has streamlined his makeup, removing red “goatee.” November-December—Touring. Other bands begin to balk at having too outrageous opening act.

Record sells slowly in U.S., gets good reaction in Japan.

1975

January 1—Kiss plays N.Y.C.’s Academy of Music in New Year’s Eve extravaganza, opening for Iggy and the Stooges and headliners Blue Oyster Cult (as well as for German oom-pah band from Luchow’s restaurant next door, whom Cult haul onstage). Gene ignites hair during fire-breathing, Todd Rundgren and Rick Derringer commiserate with him backstage, caution against playing with .fire. Also, Gene surprises others by ordering limo for drive to gig; Peter remarks: “Sitting in the back of that limo I realized I wasn’t anybody, I , was somebody!

January 10—First official single release by Kiss, “Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

February—Single fizzles. Album moves slow, but steady in towns they perform. Concert crowds react well. Band enters studio in L.A. with Casablanca honcho Bogart producing.

March 19—Dressed to Kill released; cover photo marks first time band appears in street clothes. Tour proceeds.

April 2—Greatest song ever written released as single, but “Rock ‘n’ Roll All Nite” causes radio programmers across America to...yawn. Casablanca finances foundering, Aucoin financing tour on his American Express card.

April-May—Band begins to headline tour. Record sales improving, especially in Detroit. June—Detroit sells out Kiss concert in huge Cobo Hall, biggest date yet. Eddie Kramer tapes show. Look out.

July 10—Second single from Dressed released, “C’mon and Love Me,’’ becomes minor hit in selected towns. Eddie Kramer tapes more live shows. Look out again.

July 15—CREEM’s first full-blown feature on Kiss, “I Dreamed I Was Onstage With Kiss In My Maidenform Bra” by J. Uhelszki, hits newsstands (August 75 ish). August—Touring, Kramer taping, something happening...

September 9—Sunspots. September 10—Due to disruptions in Earth’s ionosphere caused by sunspots, greatest record album in history of planet is released. It is titled Kiss Aliuel Earth never to be the same.

October 14—Ultimate single from ultimate LP released. Live version of “Rock and Roll All Nite” proves Kiss’ key to airplay. Bona fide AM smash. Band headlines bigger and bigger halls. Kisstory takes vertical turn—straight up!

November—Alive! is ceritifed gold record, first for Kiss. Kiss fly to Terre Haute, Indiana for first official gathering of Kiss Army on Kiss Day. December—They enter studio with Bob Ezrin producing to record follow-up to smash album. Ezrin has heard about them from intrepid fan who calls long distance to Toronto from Chicago.

1976

January 1—Blue Oyster Cult plays second billed to Kiss at Long Island, N.Y.’s Nassau Coliseum one year later—sweet revenge.

January—Alive! certified platinum—and still going (even today!). Paul says: “It’s a classic rock ‘n’ roll album. If somebody in the future asks me what was rock ‘n’ roll, I know I can hand them a copy of Alive! It’s what rock ‘n’ roll is all about.” Recording continues with reports coming out of studio about strings and boys choir!!! Everybody laughs—just like they do at guy from Georgia who’s running for Prez...

February 15—CREEM’s second big feature on Kiss, “Pssst! Wanna Buy The Sistine Chapel?” by would-be World’s Leading Authority on Kiss; plus Kiss scores in CREEM Reader’s Poll as second best live group after Stones, among other categories (March 76 ish).

March 1—New LP complete. First, Casablanca releases single, “Shout It Out Loud,” slick, but not nearly as weird as rumors have said—and this time new Kiss single gets airplay immediately. “Shout” starts onto charts. But wait...

March 15—Casablanca releases album by nation’s premiere grit ‘n’ metal band; Kiss. Destroyer seems neither true grit nor true metal— includes strings and boys choir!!!

“Destroyer was an excursion for us, an experiment of sorts,” Paul reveals. “After three or four albums you want to try something different. For me, I know that as far as my writing was concerned at that point,

I didn’t want to do the same thing again. Bob [Ezrin] was good in that we wanted a catalyst, someone to spur us on. One thing we got out of Destroyer was dicipline: having someone there to crack the whip finally becomes instilled in you. You become aware that you’re capable of more than you thought, so when you go back to playing what you were originally playing, you find you play it better.”

April—Despite long-winded hedging, Destroyer becomes Kiss’ second gold LP. They’re here to stay...Or gone to stay, seeing as it’s back on the road with new costumes and set designed by Jules Fischer Associates.

April 30—“Shout It Out Loud” fizzles on charts; release “Flaming Youth”—in both cases searching for anthem follow-up to “Rock and Roll All Nite.”

June—Kiss to conquer world, jet to England for first time for series of near sold-out shows. Fans knocked out; like in America, press scratches head.

June 15— CREEM’s first cover story on Kiss, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Declaration of Rites,” a bicentennial salute by L. Bangs, goes on sale (July 76 ish).

July 21—Casablanca releases threerecord set, The Originals; includes first three albums plus Kiss memorabilia. In quick time sells over 250,000 copies, but fails to go gold.

July 28—“Flaming Youth” has missed in charts; Casablanca releases “Detroit, Rock City,” still in search of elusive new anthem. Inspired by Kiss Army, radio plays flipside to “Detroit, Rock City”; song is Peter’s soft ballad, “Beth,” for his wife Lydia. Kisstory takes new turn.

August—More road and “Beth” is on the charts. '

August 15—CREEM’s third feature: “Kiss Blitz London” by A-W “Dog” Genheimer.

September—Kiss hires out Star Theatre in Nanuet, New York, begin recording live-in-the-studio LP with Eddie Kramer in effort to get back to pre-Destroyer roots.

October—“Beth” becomes certified chart smash, receives saturation airplay from middle-of-road adult stations; their biggest hit. Kiss konquers over-30s! Destroyer becomes second platinum LP October 31—Kiss make debut appearance on national TV, Paul Lynde’s Halloween Special. November 1—Rock And Roll Over released, ships gold, first Kiss LP to do so. Sound completely silences those who say Kiss gone soft; for first time, Kiss wins over critics.

Paul explains: “We wrote Rock And Roll Over mostly on the road. After Destroyer we all had pretty strong ideas about what we wanted to do. Destroyer was maybe something we had to get out of our systems. We’re a heavy metal band, and this new stuff is really amazing. It’s just well-played heavy metal music.”

A solo spot with Peter up front, singing “Beth” over taped accompaniment, is added to road show.

December 1—In effort to follow-up “Beth” this time, Casablanca pulls Rod Stewart-clone/Peter Criss ballad “Hard Luck Woman” out of Rock qs single. It receives obligatory airplay, fails to match up.

December 15—CREEM’s fourth major feature, second cover on Kiss: “The Day The Earth Stood Kiss,” a two-part monstrosity by self-proclaimed W.L.A.O.R.G.K. (Jan. 77, the “Merry Kissmas” ish).

1977

January—Rock And Roll Over certified platinum, number two for Kiss. More roadwork.

January 15—Part 2 pf CREEM Kiss story appears (Feb. 77 ish). February 18—Not since they were fourth on bill to BOC and oom-pah band on New Year’s 75 have Kiss ventured closer to N.Y.C. than Long Island or New Jersey. Waiting to come home with their shields— not on them. So be it. On this day Kiss plays first homecoming concert to packed-rafters at Madison Square Garden. Finally, admit to selves they have arrived as superstars! Peter tells reporter from N. Y. Times night before: “I used to tell my folks I’d end up there one day, and they’d always laugh. So tomorrow night we’re playing the Garden, and when I think about that I get cold.” ’Nuff said.

March 3—“Hard Luck Woman” slips down charts; Casablanca releases “Calling Dr. Love” to moderate success, but fails to release blockbuster, “Mr. Speed.” March 18—Kiss konquers the world, part 2: band takes off for Japan with new stage set for concerts in four cities, Osaka, , Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Tokyo— including one four-night stand that tops Beatles’ attendance record.

New chrome and lucite staging termed successful.

March 30—Dressed To Kill certified gold, fourth gold or platinum Kiss LP, first of original three albums to be awarded.

April 3—Japan theirs, Kiss returns home.

May-June—After brief vacation, Kiss in studio again with E. Kramer at N.Y.’s Record Plant.

June 30—Casablanca releases Love Gun. For first time, Kiss album ships platinum—over a million LPs ordered before they’d even finished recording!

July 1—Kiss sets out on first extensive Canadian tour with new stage set. Marvel publishes first Kiss comic book.

July 15—CREEM publishes third cover story on Kiss, “Kiss Sneak Attack On Japan: Roll Over Shogun” by C. Arrington.

August—Kiss returns to States for debut of new staging in concerts here.

November-December—New live LP, Alive! II, projected.

1978

Spring (???)—Rumors of Gene,

Paul solo LPs...

...And the rest is Kisstory...