They're in search of the spotlight, after the cash. Among the cockroaches, Kiss is king. And the band is happy with its crown. "I like to think of us as cockroaches," says Kiss bassist Gene Simmons. "It doesn't matter if you like us or not. We will outlive you all."

Two years ago, Kiss celebrated its 25th year in rock by reforming with its original members - Simmons, singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss - reapplying its long-abandoned makeup and staging one of the most extravagant and successful tours in rock. This weekend and next, Kiss hits three area stadiums (including Nassau Coliseum) with its follow-up tour: the Kiss Psycho Circus, a concert that touts itself as being the first live rock show to be presented in 3-D.

Audience members at the Psycho Circus will be encouraged to don 3-D glasses and watch the band's fire-breathing, blood-spewing antics on what Simmons called "gi-normous" monitors flanking the stage. It's all part of the hype that Kiss has become famous for. No gimmick or gewgaw is too trashy for these masters of mega-rock. In its second incarnation, the band has lent its name to a 900 number, a Web site, a Kiss car, comic books, a forthcoming Kiss movie and even Kiss toilet paper.

Simmons - the one in the dragon makeup - is the first to admit that this isn't about art, it's about spectacle.

"I believe artists should be less artists and more entertainers, and be servers of the people," says Simmons over the telephone, chomping noisily on a breakfast of eggs and toast. "And that's my job, to make you forget about the traffic jam and whatever ails you. To that end, we spend millions of dollars, putting our money where our mouth is. This is the first live 3-D tour in history. My tongue will reach you right under your chin wherever you are."

Simmons is the band's most recognizable member. He's the one who spits fire and blood. He's the one with the tongue long rumored to have been lengthened with part of a cow's tongue. He's the egomaniac who asks reporters to send all stories to his personal P.O. box because he loves to see his name in print.

In short, Simmons loves being a star. The anti-fame posings of grunge icons such as Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder annoyed him deeply. They probably also created the vacuum in which aging glitter rockers like Kiss could still survive.

"We've always believed in dressing up," Simmons says. "I'm sick of looking at bands on stage being dressed up like Domino's pizza delivery boys. I would rather be in Kiss than any band on Earth. Because, think about it, if you were in a serious band you couldn't have any fun."

At this point, Kiss' cartoon image has been around so long that it's no longer shocking. Everyone can see it's just an act. That means Kiss now gets to play with Dick Clark on New Year's Eve while Marilyn Manson - who stole all he could from Kiss, David Bowie and Alice Cooper - still suffers the slings and arrows of the religious right, the same Bible-thumpers who used to protest against Kiss.

Simmons says Manson gets picked on because he's "the new monster" while Kiss has reached untouchable star status. "Fame brings its own cachet," Simmons says. "Which is close to cash."

KISS: Saturday at Continental Airlines Arena, Meadowlands Sports Complex, East Rutherford, N.J.; Sunday at Madison Square Garden; Friday, Nov. 27 at Nassau Coliseum. Tickets for all shows are $30, $45 and $85, available through TicketMaster or www.kissasylum.com.

Copyright 1998, Newsday Inc.

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