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 All news should be considered an unconfirmed report unless verified, and all information published at KISS Asylum is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves. All information is confirmed where possible, and all publication is governed by common sense.
From: Saratosa Herald-Tribune With a few exceptions, rock drummers are among the least recognized musicians in public. Although they have the most important job -- keeping the beat -- the fact that they are usually not songwriters or singers means they are less likely to have a rabid fan base beyond other drummers. A notable exception is PETER CRISS. As a founding member of KISS in the 1970s, he not only sang, he wrote -- in fact, he wrote the band's biggest hit, the ballad "Beth." And one was just as likely to see his trademark cat makeup emulated on the faces of young fans as they were to see that of bassist GENE SIMMONS, rhythm guitarist PAUL STANLEY or lead guitarist ACE FREHLEY. Criss left "the hottest band in the world" at the height of its popularity in 1979, and Frehley followed in 1982. When they rejoined in 1996, the result was the one of the highest-grossing tours of the decade. Since then, it's been an on-again, off-again romance for Criss and KISS, and each departure has resulted in Simmons' ridiculing the drummer's musical abilities. Now, Criss is responding. On Tuesday, he released "One for All," his first solo album in 13 years. In a recent phone interview, he talked extensively about the new album, his days with KISS, and why Simmons is never invited to his house for dinner. Q: "One For All" is your first solo album since "Cat #1" in 1994. What made you decide to make a new album after all this time? A: I started thinking about it doing the (1996-97) reunion tour. As the tour went on, things got weirder, and all these major things happened in the span up to the (2000-01) "Farewell" tour. I lost my dearest friend along the way ... so many things came to me in an epiphany, of how really important the fans are to my life. And I'm grateful to what I have and to the Lord. So I kinda had a lot of stuff to lament. I'm a music man -- you sing out your blues, you sing out your troubles, you sing out your good stuff, and hopefully, someone listens ... I must do these things, if not for me, for the fans that love what I do. Over the winter, I finished a rock album -- I've gotta do the lyrics this summer. I finished my swing album, which is my dear passion. So I've been a busy guy, and it's been cool, because I'm somewhat free. I don't have an A&R guy (record company scout) over my shoulder sayin', "Oh, I don't think I hear a hit, I don't like this." And I don't have the other three in the room. Let me tell ya, when the four's in the room, it's a scary room. Q Why did you decide to concentrate mostly on ballads for this record? For free access to the entire article, you must be a member of HeraldTribune.com. You can join by clicking here and then clicking the link for "More Florida West" on the left side of the page. Peter discusses Psycho Circus, the Aerosmith tour, and more. |
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