Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss. Well known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid–late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits, and pyrotechnics. The band has gone through several lineup changes, with Stanley and Simmons being the only members to feature in every lineup. The original and best-known lineup consists of Stanley, Simmons, Frehley, and Criss.
Vincent John Cusano, better known by his stage name Vinnie Vincent, is an American guitarist and songwriter. He is a former member of the rock band Kiss from 1982 until mid-1984 during the band's transition out of their 1973–1983 makeup period. Vincent was the last member to wear a unique makeup/costume configuration, as the character of the Ankh Warrior, until he and the band were first shown without the makeup during an interview on MTV in September 1983. He also was the leader of his own band, Vinnie Vincent Invasion.
Revenge is the sixteenth studio album by American rock band Kiss, released on May 19, 1992. It is the band's first album to feature current drummer Eric Singer, following the death of former drummer Eric Carr in November 1991 and is the group's last album to feature musical contributions from the latter. Marking a stylistic departure from the pop-influenced glam metal sound which characterized much of the band's 1980s output, the album reached the Top 20 in several countries, though it failed to reestablish the group back in the mainstream and its sales were equal-to or less than its predecessors, ultimately only being certified gold by the RIAA on July 20, 1992.
Killers is the second compilation album by American hard rock group Kiss. It was released only outside the US, but quickly became available as an import. Of the album's twelve songs, four were new compositions recorded specifically for it: "I'm a Legend Tonight," "Down on Your Knees," "Nowhere to Run" and "Partners in Crime." These new songs were recorded at the behest of Phonogram, in response to the commercial failure of 1981's Music from "The Elder".
Creatures of the Night is the 10th studio album by American rock band Kiss, released in 1982. It was the band's last for Casablanca Records, the only label for which Kiss had recorded up to that point. The album was dedicated to the memory of Casablanca founder and early Kiss supporter Neil Bogart, who had died of cancer during the recording sessions. It is also the band's last album recorded with Ace Frehley credited as an official member and their first album with Vinnie Vincent as the initially uncredited lead guitarist. It was also Kiss' last album to feature the band with their trademark makeup until the 1998 release, Psycho Circus.
Lick It Up is the 11th studio album by American rock band Kiss. Before its 1983 release, the band members appeared on MTV without their trademark make-up. It was the first public appearance without make-up by the band, and their first for Mercury Records, where they had been signed following their departure from Casablanca Records.
Animalize is the twelfth studio album by American rock band Kiss. It was released on September 13, 1984, by Mercury Records. The album marked the only appearance by lead guitarist Mark St. John, who replaced Vinnie Vincent in April 1984.
Smashes, Thrashes & Hits is a compilation album by the American hard rock band Kiss. It was the fourth hits album overall but the second hits album released by the band in the United States. Of the 15 songs on the album, two were new compositions, and three were released after the band's unmasking in 1983. The remaining 10 were all released during the band's years in make-up.
"All Hell's Breakin' Loose" is a song by American rock band Kiss, that appeared on their 1983 album Lick It Up. It was the second and final single released from the album and did not chart in the US.
"God Gave Rock and Roll to You" is a 1973 song by the British band Argent and most notably covered by Kiss in 1991, with modified lyrics.
"I Love It Loud" is a song by American rock band Kiss. It was released on their 1982 album Creatures of the Night. It has proven to be a staple of the band's live show, being performed on almost every tour the band has done aside from the Reunion and Psycho Circus tours.
Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved is a 1994 tribute album, featuring a variety of artists covering songs by the American rock band Kiss. Released to coincide with Kiss' 20th anniversary, the album was certified gold by the RIAA, and spent 13 weeks on the charts. Cover Design and Art Direction by Mitchell Kanner.
Let Me Rock You is the third solo studio album released by American musician and former Kiss drummer Peter Criss. Due to poor sales for his previous album, Out of Control, Let Me Rock You was not released in the United States until 1998, when it was reissued on CD. The album was produced by Vini Poncia, who previously produced Criss's 1978 solo album. Let Me Rock You features the song "Feels Like Heaven", written by Criss's former bandmate, Gene Simmons. Vinnie Cusano also co-wrote a song for the album; at the same year the album was released, Cusano became known as Vinnie Vincent when he replaced Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley. The album cover features Peter Criss for the first time without his Kiss makeup, as he did not appear on the cover of his solo album Out of Control. One year later, Kiss also decided to take off their makeup for their Lick It Up album.
"Lick It Up" is a song by American rock band Kiss. It is the title track to the group's 1983 album of the same name. The song was released as the album's first single, and was a Top 40 hit in the UK, Switzerland, and Canada, although it failed to chart as highly in the U.S.
WOW is the debut solo studio album by American singer Wendy O. Williams, released in 1984 by Passport Records. It is her first album appearance, to be credited to her after the success with The Plasmatics, which had gone on a hiatus during that time. After the release of the album, Coup d'État (1982) with The Plasmatics, the band opened for KISS on tour. By the end of the tour, The Plasmatics' recording contract with Capitol Records wasn't renewed and Gene Simmons approached Williams and Rod Swenson about producing an album. As to avoid legal issues with Capitol, they decided not to use The Plasmatics' name on the record in any way. Simmons also felt it would give more freedom to add additional musicians to the album. WOW is a hard rock album influenced by heavy metal, which marked a musical departure from Williams' previous material with The Plasmatics. Williams was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the album in 1985.
The Creatures of the Night Tour/10th Anniversary Tour was a concert tour by the hard rock group Kiss in support of their album of the same title. It was the second tour with drummer Eric Carr, his first in the United States, and the first tour with guitarist Vinnie Vincent, who replaced Ace Frehley.
"Unholy" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, written by Gene Simmons and Vinnie Vincent. Featured on their 1992 album Revenge, the song is one of the three Vincent co-writes to appear on the album despite the fact that he had been fired from the band 8 years earlier. The release of "Unholy" signaled the return to a heavier sound for Kiss. The song was played live during the Revenge Tour and was included on the 1993 live album Alive III, but did not return to the live Kiss set list until 2004's Rock the Nation Tour.
"Creatures of the Night" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss, released as the first single from their 1982 album of the same name. It was only released in the UK, where it reached #34. The song was written by Paul Stanley and Adam Mitchell in Mitchell's kitchen. It is not clear who plays what on the track but it is assumed that bass was not played by Gene Simmons, but Mike Porcaro who would later play with American rock band Toto. Lead guitar was not played by Ace Frehley as he was not musically involved with the album and it was not played by Vinnie Vincent either; it was played by Steve Farris, who would go on to be the lead guitarist of the 1980s pop rock group Mr. Mister. Adam Mitchell also played in the final version of the song, replacing Stanley on rhythm guitar in the middle and end of the song.
"Rise to It" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, released on the band's fifteenth studio album, Hot in the Shade in 1989. It is the opening track on the album and was released as the third and final single on April 1, 1990. However, it only charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock Tracks. The band only performed the song during the Hot in the Shade Tour. It is the final single by the band on which Eric Carr plays drums. He was diagnosed with terminal heart cancer following the supporting tour.
