KISSTORY

updated October 10 2011

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley founded Kiss in 1972. They had a band before that was named Wicked Lester. From the start drummer Peter Criss made the trio complete. After a few months Ace Frehley joined Kiss.

After a difficult start, like most new bands, their breakthrough album was Alive! in 1975. Their first 3 albums (Kiss, Hotter than hell and Dressed to kill) made it to the charts but didn't became big hits. Their manager (Bill Aucoin) and recordcompany (Cassablanca/Neil Bogart) kept the faith however and invested a lot of money in the band.

Alive! proved them right and became a multi-million seller. Till the end of 1979 they had their most successful period, albums like Destroyer, Love gun and Alive II did very well. They even had a couple of hit singles with a.o. Beth, Rock 'n roll all night and later New York Groove and I was made for loving you (the last one became a worldwide smash hit). Kiss also grow further as live act. They sold lots of tickets. They had very succesful tours in the US but also in Australia, Japan, Europe and South America. Kiss even became so big that they were offered to make a tv-film, Phantom of the Park. The movie itself was not so great, but it proved the status of the band. Also they got their own comic book. For promotion blood of the band members was mixed with the red ink used. In the same year KISS had officialy been chosen the most popular band in America, according to the Gallup Poll (leaving the Eagles, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin in the dust).

By the time all 4 members came out with a solo-album (all released on the same day) in 1978, the group had their difficulties which eventually led to the departure of (first in 1980) Peter Criss and in 1982 Ace Frehley. But before this happened, Kiss did something else nobody thought was possible, they made a kind of disco-album: Dynasty. The first single of this album (I was made for loving you) did very good in Europe and other parts of the world. But the die-hard fans were not pleased with this direction of the band.

In 1983 KISS took off their trademark make-up and became a sort of ordinary rockband. Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent took the places of Peter and Ace. Later Vinnie Vincent also was replaced, at first by Mark St. John, later by Bruce Kulick. KISS still had success, but not in the same proportions as in the seventies, though a couple of albums again became platinum.

In 1991 was the tragic end of Eric Carr, who was/is very popular by the fans, who died of cancer. KISS decided to go on, Eric Singer became the new drummer. Paul, Gene, Bruce and Eric released the album Revenge in 1992. Revenge became a great and heavy album, worthy of the name KISS. After this album Alive III was released in 1993, this was a first sign of Paul and Gene respecting their past.

In 1995 something happened that perhaps nobody thought would happen. As KISS was doing their MTV-unplugged session, Ace and Peter did the encores with them. Not much later it was announced KISS would do a 'reunion-tour' with the original four in full make-up. The reunion-tour was a huge success all over the world, breaking many records in short-time selling out shows. KISS was very hot again, their Tour was the top-grossing act in 1996 and 1997.

In 1998 ‘Classic-KISS’ made a new studio-album: Psycho-Circus. Not everybody was completely happy with all the tracks on this album, but all accepted it as hopefully the beginning of more great things to come. In 1999 there was another Kiss (-related) movie: Detroit Rock City. A comedy that is about a couple of teenagers who have problems getting to a Kiss show.

The Psycho-Circus tour was not as big a the Reunion tour. It lasted for about 4 months. In February 2000 the sad news came that Kiss is calling quits. In 2000 Kiss started their Farewell Tour in North America. Again it proved that they are still very populair, the tour became no. 4 on the list of ticket sales ($ 62.7 mio). This 'farewell' Tour lasted till 2001. On the Japanese and Australian part of the Farewell Tour Peter Criss was replaced by Eric Singer.In 2001 Kiss released a Box set, a box with 5 cd’s with all their hits but also with obscure songs and demo’s even 3 of the songs that were recorded for Wicked Lester.

In 2002 Kiss decided to continue with the band (so it was not a definite Farewell) and had a couple of one-off concerts, like the word-wide broadcasted Winter-Olympics show in 2002.

 Early 2003, after Ace Freley left the band and with Tommy Thayer now on lead guitar and Peter Criss back on the drums, Kiss performed in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. This show was recorded and became Alive IV. The second half of 2004 Kiss did a U.S. Tour again, this time co-headlining with Aerosmith. In 2004 Eric Singer again rejoined the band, replacing Peter Criss for a Australian/Japanese Tour. Between 2005 and 2007 Kiss a a couple of smaller tours and both Gene and Paul released solo-albums and Paul did a solo tour. In 2008 Kiss returned for a very succesful Alive 35 World Rour and in 2009 Kiss, for the first time in 11 years, released a new studio album: Sonic Boom and had a Tour again in both Europe as in North America in 2010. For 2011/2012 a new studio album and Kisstory 4 dvdbox are planned.

Band Formations :

Rhythm guitar	Bass	Lead guitar	Drums
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Ace Frehley	Peter Criss	1973-1980
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Ace Frehley	Eric Carr	1980-1982
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Vinnie Vincent	Eric Carr	1982-1984
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Mark St. John	Eric Carr	1984
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Bruce Kulick	Eric Carr	1984-1991
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Bruce Kulick	Eric Singer	1992-1996
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Ace Frehley	Peter Criss	1996-2000
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Ace Frehley	Eric Singer	2001-2002
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Tommy Thayer	Peter Criss	2003
Paul Stanley	Gene Simmons	Tommy Thayer	Eric Singer	2004- ?