Kiss traces its roots to Wicked Lester, a New York City-based rock and roll band led by co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. They recorded one album, which was shelved by Epic Records, and played a handful of live shows. Simmons and Stanley, feeling that a new musical direction was needed, abandoned Wicked Lester in 1972 and began forming a new group. In late 1972, Simmons and Stanley came across an ad in the East Coast version of Rolling Stone placed by Peter Criss, a veteran drummer from the New York City scene, who was previously in bands called Lips and Chelsea. Criss auditioned for, and joined the new version of Wicked Lester. The trio focused on a much harder style of rock than Wicked Lester played. They also began experimenting with their image by wearing makeup and various outfits. In November 1972, the trio played a showcase for Epic Records A&R director Don Ellis, in an effort to secure a record deal. Although the performance went well, Ellis hated the groups image and music. On top of that, as he was leaving, he was vomited on by Criss brother. In early January 1973, the group added lead guitarist Ace Frehley. Frehley impressed the group with his first audition, although he showed up wearing two different sneakers, one red and one orange. A few weeks after Frehley joined, the Wicked Lester name was dropped and the band became Kiss. The Kiss logo Stanley came up with the name as he, Simmons, and Criss were driving around New York City. Criss mentioned that he was in a band called Lips, so Stanley said something to the effect of What about Kiss? Frehley created the now-iconic logo, making the SS look like lightning bolts, when he went to write the new band name over Wicked Lester on a poster outside the club where they were going to play.[18] The runic letters happened to look similar to the insignia of the Nazi SS, a symbol that is now illegal to display in Germany. Therefore, to avoid controversy, since 1979 most of the bands album covers and merchandise in Germany have used a modified version of the logo instead, in which the letters SS look like the letters ZZ backwards. The bands name has repeatedly been the subject of many rumors pertaining to its alleged hidden meanings. Among these rumors are claims that the name is an acronym for Knights In Satans Service, Kinder SS, or Kids In Satans Service. These claims have been denied by Simmons himself. The first Kiss performance was on January 30, 1973, for an audience of three at the Popcorn Club (renamed Coventry shortly afterward) in Queens. For the first three gigs, January 30 to February 1, they wore little to no makeup; the iconic makeup designs associated with Kiss made their debut during the March 9–10 shows at The Daisy in Amityville, NY. On March 13 of that year, the band recorded a five-song demo tape with producer Eddie Kramer. Former TV director Bill Aucoin, who had seen the group at a handful of showcase concerts in the summer of 1973, offered to become the band’s manager in mid-October. Kiss agreed, with the condition that Aucoin get them signed to a recording contract within two weeks. On November 1, 1973, Kiss became the first act signed to former teen pop singer and Buddah Records executive Neil Bogarts new label Casablanca Records. The band entered Bell Sound Studios in New York City on October 10, 1973 to begin recording their first album. On December 31 the band had their official industry premiere at the Academy of Music in New York City, opening for Blue Öyster Cult. It was at this concert that Simmons accidentally set his hair (which was coated in hairspray) ablaze for the first of many times while performing his inaugural firebreathing stunt. Kiss first tour started on February 5, 1974 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. The band’s self-titled debut album, Kiss, was released on February 18. Casablanca and Kiss promoted the album heavily throughout the spring and summer of 1974. On February 19, the band performed Nothin to Lose, Firehouse, and Black Diamond for what would become their first national television appearance, on ABCs Dick Clarks in Concert (aired March 29). On April 29, the band performed Firehouse on The Mike Douglas Show. This broadcast included Simmonss first televised interview, a conversation with Douglas in which Simmons declared himself evil incarnate, eliciting titters from an uncomfortable and largely confused studio audience. Fellow guest Totie Fields remarked that it would be humorous if, beneath all the make-up, Simmons was just a nice Jewish boy. Simmons deftly parried this remark with neither a confirmation nor denial, by saying simply, You should only know. To which she responded, I do. You cant hide the hook, a reference to the Jewish nose. Despite the publicity and constant touring, Kiss initially sold just 75,000 copies. Meanwhile, the group and Casablanca Records were losing money quickly. The band (while touring) stopped in Los Angeles in August 1974 to begin recording their second album, Hotter Than Hell, which was released on October 22, 1974. The only single, Let Me Go, Rock n Roll, failed to chart and the album stalled at No. 100. From left to right: Bill Aucoin, Peter Criss, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Joyce Biawitz and Neil Bogart With Hotter Than Hell quickly dropping off the charts, Kiss was pulled from their tour to quickly record a new album. Casablanca head Neil Bogart stepped in to produce the next album, trading in the murky, distorted sound of Hotter Than Hell for a cleaner and slightly poppier sound. Dressed to Kill, released on March 19, 1975, fared slightly better commercially than Hotter Than Hell. It also contained what later became the bands trademark song, Rock and Roll All Nite. Although Kiss albums had not proved to be big sellers, the band was quickly gaining a reputation as a top-flight live act. Kiss concerts featured things such as Simmons spitting blood (primarily raw eggs and food coloring) or breathing fire (spitting flammable liquid at a torch); Frehley soloing as his guitar burst into flames (light and smoke bombs placed inside the guitar); Crisss elevating drum riser that emitted sparks; Stanleys Townshend-style guitar smashing; and pyrotechnics throughout the show. By late 1975, Casablanca was almost bankrupt and Kiss was in danger of losing their record contract. Both parties desperately needed a commercial breakthrough if they were to survive.[27] That breakthrough came in an unlikely form – a double live album. 1975–78: Rise to prominence[edit] Kiss wanted to express the excitement felt at their concerts (which their studio albums had so far failed to do) with their first live album. Released on September 10, 1975, Alive! achieved Gold status and spawned Kiss first top 40 single, a live version of Rock and Roll All Nite. It was the first version of Rock and Roll All Nite with a guitar solo, and this recording has come to represent the definitive version of the song; supplanting the studio original (the live version is the basis of most covers, such as the cover by Poison in 1987). In recent years the band admitted that additional audience noise had been added to the album, as well as overdubs on select guitar and vocal spots, not to deceive fans, but to add more excitement and realism to the show. The success of Alive! not only brought Kiss the breakthrough they had been seeking, but arguably saved Casablanca, which was close to bankruptcy. Following this success, Kiss partnered with producer Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper. The result was Destroyer (released March 15, 1976), Kisss most musically ambitious studio album to date. Destroyer, with its rather intricate production (utilizing an orchestra, choir, and numerous tape effects), was a departure from the raw sound of the first three studio albums. Album art was designed by Ken Kelly, who had drawn Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian and who also worked with acts such as Rainbow and Manowar.While the album sold well initially and became the groups second gold album, it quickly dropped down the charts. Only when the ballad Beth (the B-Side to the single Detroit Rock City) began to gain more airplay, on FM radio did the albums sales rebound. Beth was a number seven hit for the band, and its success revived both the album (which achieved platinum status by the end of 1976) and ticket sales for Kiss. Simmons and Frehley share a microphone in 1978 In October 1976, Kiss appeared on The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, lip-synching Detroit Rock City, Beth, and King of the Night Time World. For many teenagers, this was their first exposure to Kiss dramatic appearance. The show was co-produced by Bill Aucoin. In addition to the three performances, Kiss was the subject of a brief comedic interview conducted by Paul Lynde himself. This included Lynde noting, when hearing the members first names, Oh, I love a good religious group. The group was introduced to Lynde by Margaret Hamilton dressed as the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard Of Oz. Two more highly successful studio albums were released in less than a year: Rock and Roll Over (November 11, 1976) and Love Gun (June 30, 1977). A second live album, Alive II, was released on October 14, 1977. All three albums were certified platinum upon or soon after their release. Between 1976 and 1978, Kiss earned $17.7 million from record royalties and music publishing.A 1977 Gallup poll named Kiss the most popular band in America. In Japan, Kiss performed five sold-out shows at Tokyos Budokan Hall, breaking the previous record of four held by The Beatles. In May 1977, Kiss made their first of many comic appearances in Howard the Duck issue 12 published by Marvel.[33] This served as a precursor to many more Kiss-related comics initially published by Marvel. The first of what is now many Kiss greatest hits albums, Double Platinum, was issued on April 2, 1978. This double album included many remixed versions of their hits, as well as Strutter 78, a re-recorded version of one of the groups signature songs. At Neil Bogarts request, the song was played in a style similar to the then-popular disco music. During this period, Kiss merchandise became a substantial source of income for the group. Some of the products released included a pair of comic books issued by Marvel (the first one of which contained ink mixed with actual blood donated by the group), a pinball machine, Kiss dolls, Kiss Your Face Makeup kits, Halloween masks, board games, lunchboxes, bubble gum trading cards, and many other pieces of memorabilia. Membership in the Kiss Army, the bands fan club, was in the six figures. Between 1977 and 1979, worldwide merchandise sales (in-store and on tour) reached an estimated $100 million. 1978: Four solo albums[edit] Frehley demonstrates the pyrotechnics that helped make Kiss a live sensation Kiss was at its commercial peak by 1978. Alive II was the bands fourth platinum album in just under two years, and the ensuing tour had the highest average attendance (13,550)[citation needed] in the groups history.[citation needed] In addition, Kiss gross income for 1977 was $10.2 million. The group, along with creative manager Bill Aucoin, sought to take the band to the next level of popularity. To that end, an ambitious, two-pronged strategy was devised for 1978. The first part involved the simultaneous release of four solo albums from the members of Kiss. Although Kiss has claimed that the solo albums were intended to ease rising tensions within the band, their 1976 record contract did in fact call for four solo records, with each of them counting as half an album toward the groups five-record commitment. Each album was a solo effort (none of the group appeared on anothers album), and were all released and marketed as Kiss albums (with similar cover art and poster inserts). It was the first time that all current members of a rock band had released solo albums on the same day. For the band members, it was a chance to showcase their individual musical styles and tastes outside of Kiss, and in some cases to collaborate with contemporary artists. Stanleys and Frehleys albums stuck pretty closely to the successful hard rock style that Kiss had utilized, while Criss album featured an R&B style and was loaded with ballads. Simmons was the most eclectic of the four. It featured hard rock, ballads, Beatles-influenced pop, and ended with a straight cover of When You Wish upon a Star (from the film Pinocchio). Simmons many collaborators included Aerosmiths Joe Perry, Cheap Tricks Rick Nielsen, the Doobie Brothers Jeff Skunk Baxter, disco diva Donna Summer, Janis Ian, Helen Reddy, Bob Seger, Katey Sagal and then-girlfriend Cher. The Kiss solo albums were released on September 18, 1978. The marketing blitz behind the albums was unprecedented. Casablanca announced it was shipping five million total copies of the albums (guaranteeing instant platinum status), and they spent $2.5 million marketing them. All four solo albums made it into the Top 50 of the Billboard album chart. All four solo albums sold about as many copies as Love Gun alone. Of the four, Frehleys album was the most successful (although not by a huge margin) and spawned the only radio top 20 (which peaked at #13) hit (Russ Ballards composition New York Groove, originally performed by Hello). The second part of Kiss and Aucoins plan called for the band to appear in a film that would cement their image as larger than life rocknroll superheroes. Filming commenced in the spring of 1978. Although the project was proposed to the band as a cross between A Hard Days Night and Star Wars, the final results fell far short of those expectations. The script underwent numerous rewrites, and the band (particularly Criss and Frehley) grew increasingly frustrated with the filmmaking process. Criss performing in 1977 The final product, entitled Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, debuted on NBC on October 28, 1978. Despite scathing reviews, it was one of the highest-viewed TV films of the year. It was released theatrically, after many changes, outside the U.S. in 1979 under the title Attack of the Phantoms. While later interviews with band members would have them talk about their filmmaking experience with a mix of humorous embarrassment and regret as to the finished product, they were unhappy with the final product. They felt that the film ended up portraying them more as clowns than superheroes. The artistic failure of the film led to a rift between the band and Aucoin.
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