In the run up to releasing the new Kiss album Monster, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons oversaw the release of a massive retrospective book covering the band’s lengthy history — a process that led to some conversations about former members.
The duo was originally paired, of course, with drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley — finding their widest fame during a period from 1973-80. By 1982, however, Spaceman (Frehley) and Catman (Criss) were out, replaced by drummer Eric Carr (Fox) and guitarist Vinnie Vincent (the Wiz).
Mark St. John also briefly served as guitarist, before Bruce Kulick took over for a 12-year stint, the longest of any member save for Simmons and Stanley — but also a period in which Kiss did not wear its iconic makeup.
Eric Singer, Kiss’ current drummer, took over after Carr was felled by cancer in 1991 and continued until the original lineup reunited between 1996-2001. Singer then returned yet again when Criss departed yet again. Frehley’s last performance with Kiss was in 2002; he was replaced by current guitarist Tommy Thayer, who had done sessions work on 1998′s reunion project Psycho Circus. Later in 2002, Kiss appeared with the current grouping of Thayer, Simmons, Singer and Stanley — this time, wearing the original foursome’s makeup.
Both Simmons and Stanley, in a new talk with NoiseCreep, credit Thayer and Singer with giving the band a needed second wind.
They “not only revitalized the band, but revitalized us — Gene and me,” Stanley tells NoiseCreep’s Chris Epting. “There’s a vitality and a joy that Gene has and that I have that had been sorely lacking for longer than I can remember. And longer than the public will ever know.”
The franchise, they say, was threatening to become moribund — thus the need for outside help on Psycho Circus:Sessions musician Kevin Valentine handled most of Criss’ parts, too.
“We’ve always tried to paint a picture that, in some ways, emulated what we grew up loving, which was the Beatles, the idea of four guys who loved each other, who lived together, who ran down the street together — that was mythology,” Stanley says. “And perhaps in the same way, we created a mythology that came back to bite us in the ass because it wasn’t all true. And unfortunately, some of the people who were part of the story actually believed it.”
Stanley and Co. are set to release the new album Monster in October. It is Kiss’ initial project since Sonic Boomthree years ago, and will again be produced by Simmons.