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Kiss

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Kiss was an American rock band from New York, formed in 1973 by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, who had previously played together in Wicked Lester. Drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley completed the line-up. The four took on the personas of comic-book characters: Starchild, Demon, Spaceman and Catman, each with its own face paint. Stanley came up with the name while they were driving through the city, and Frehley drew the logo with the two S's as lightning bolts.

Music and breakthrough

The first records, Kiss, Hotter Than Hell and Dressed to Kill, sold moderately. The money ran out and the record company Casablanca was close to bankruptcy. The breakthrough came in 1975 with the live album Alive!, with a version of Rock and Roll All Nite that became the first top 40 hit. Destroyer followed in 1976, produced by Bob Ezrin with orchestra and choir, and the ballad Beth, which only gained popularity after being released as a B-side. The sound is straightforward hard rock with singalong choruses and hard guitars.

Influence

The audience came mainly for the show: Simmons spat fake blood and breathed fire, Frehley's guitar smoked and Criss's drum kit rose into the air. When sales declined in the early 1980s, the band took off the make-up in 1983, and the album Lick It Up brought a new generation of fans via MTV. In 1996 the original line-up returned with make-up, and in 2014 came induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2023 Kiss gave their last concert in New York. The band showed how important image and spectacle could become in rock history.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Rock and Roll All Nite in the live version from Alive! and notice the audience, the guitar solo and the simple, loud chorus that is almost a singalong.

Discography

Studio albums

See also

Categories: Artists