The band’s self-titled debut album, KISS, was released on February 18. KISS’s first major tour started on Februin Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. It was at this concert that Simmons accidentally set his hair (which was coated in hairspray) ablaze while performing his inaugural fire-breathing stunt. On December 31 the band had their official industry premier at the Academy of Music in New York City, opening for Blue Öyster Cult. The band entered Bell Sound Studios in New York City on Octoto begin recording their first album. On November 1, 1973, KISS became the first act signed to former teen pop singer and Buddha Records executive Neil Bogart’s new label, Emerald City Records (which was shortly afterward renamed Casablanca Records).

KISS agreed, with the condition that Aucoin get them signed to a recording contract within two weeks. After a handful of showcase concerts in the summer of 1973, former TV director Bill Aucoin offered to become the band’s manager in mid-October. In June of that year, the band recorded a five-song demo tape with producer Eddie Kramer. The first KISS performance was on January 30, 1973, for an audience of three at the Popcorn Club (renamed Coventry shortly afterward) in Queens. Therefore, in Germany, all of the band’s album covers and merchandise used a modified version of the logo, in which the “SS” looks like a backwards “ZZ.” Stanley is credited with coming up with the name and the logo, while Frehley came up with the idea of making the “SS” look like lightning bolts, because he said that it “looked cool.” The letters happened to look similar to the insignia of the Nazi SS, or Waffen-SS, a symbol that is now illegal to display in Germany. That month, the Wicked Lester name was dropped and the band became KISS. In January 1973 the group added lead guitarist Paul “Ace” Frehley (born Apin the Bronx, New York City) after being extremely impressed with his audition. In late 1972, Simmons spotted an ad in Rolling Stone placed by Peter Criss, a drummer “willing to do anything.” Criss (born Peter Criscuola on Decemin Brooklyn, New York City) auditioned for and joined Wicked Lester, now a trio. Simmons (born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel on August 25, 1949) and Stanley (born Stanley Harvey Eisen in Queens, New York City on January 20, 1952) fired the other members of Wicked Lester in 1972 after Epic Records rejected an album recorded by the group. KISS traces its roots to Wicked Lester, a New York-based rock and roll band led by co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. The band continues to perform, while Stanley and Simmons have remained the only two constant members. The resulting “KISS Alive Worldwide” tour was the top-grossing act of 1996.Ĭriss and Frehley have since left KISS, and have been replaced by Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, respectively. Buoyed by a wave of KISS nostalgia in the mid-1990s, the band announced a reunion of the original lineup (with makeup) in 1996. They began to fall out of favor once again by the early 1990s, however. In 1983, KISS abandoned their makeup and enjoyed a commercial resurgence throughout the mid-to-late 1980s.

The band’s commercial fortunes had also waned considerably by that point.

Due to substance abuse problems and creative differences, both Peter Criss and Ace Frehley were out of the group by 1982. The original lineup of Gene Simmons (bass and vocals), Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar and vocals), Ace Frehley (lead guitar and vocals) and Peter Criss (drums and vocals) became the most successful and identifiable in the band’s history, and released a series of gold and platinum albums throughout the 1970s. They continue to play to a massive fan-base known as the ‘Kiss Army’. Inspired by energetic shock rock artists such as Alice Cooper and cult works of American horror and science fiction, they had their biggest commercial success in the 70s, influencing many later arena rock and heavy metal artists. Their latest album is 2012’s ‘Monster’.Įasily identified by their trademark face paint (registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office) and stage costumes, KISS quickly rose to prominence on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire-breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars and pyrotechnics. KISS has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and has been awarded 45 gold albums to date, and has certified sales of 19 million records in the U.S. The group has performed and recorded continuously since their formation. There are three groups of artists with this name:Ģ) Kiss, Korean pop trio → 키스 or K.I.S.S.ġ) KISS is an American hard rock band that formed in New York City, USA in 1973.

Kiss debut album