if you like the ledgendary rock/metal band kiss then youve come to the right place. you can join this group to talk to other kiss fans or to watch kiss music. or you could just join anyway. if you have joined the group plz add me.
band member biographys:
Gene Simmons:
Birth Date: 8/25/1949
Birth Place: Israel
Marital Status: Single
Real Name: Chaim Witz
Years in the band: 1972-Current
Instrument: Bass
Other bands: Long Insland Sounds, Catherdral, Bullfrog Beer, Wicked Lester
Chaim Witz, named after his father, was born in Haifa, Israel, August 25th, 1949. Nine years later, he and his mother made the trek to America, leaving his father behind.
In New York, Chaim changed his name to Gene Klein and quickly learned to speak English by reading comic books and watching horror movies. At an early age, he was publishing his own fan magazines dedicated to his favorite movies and comics. This obsession made him think twice about becoming a Rabbi as he had once considered. Soon, though, he would heed a different call altogether.
Gene had trouble impressing the girls in his school, but after seeing hundreds of screaming girls cheering for The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, he knew what it was that he wanted to do with his life. With a new obsession, and a sure-fire way to impress girls, Gene began playing music in local bands. Missing Links, Rising Sun, Bull Frog Bheer, Long Island Sounds, Coffee (in honor of Cream), and others went by with little success, but his next project, Wicked Lester, teamed him up with fellow songwriter Stanley Eisen. Gene and the starry-eyed Stanley soon grew tired of Wicked Lester`s lack of style and direction. The two took a chance, turned down a recording contract, left Wicked Lester behind and holed up in a run-down loft, not knowing that they were re-writing the history of Rock and Roll.
Paul Stanley:
Birth Date: 1/20/1952
Birth Place: New York
Marital Status: Married
Real Name: Stanley Eisen
Years in the band: 1972-Current
Instrument: Guitar
Other bands: Uncle Joe, Rainbow, Wicked Lester, Paul Stanley Solo Band
Stanley Harvey Eisen was born in Bronx, New York on January 20th, 1952, to William and Eva Eisen. Their house was filled with opera and classical music as Stanley grew. Soon though, he discovered the pounding sounds of Eddie Cochran and American Bandstand. By the age of thirteen, Stanley had taken enough guitar lessons to master three chords and set out to change the world of music. By the age of fifteen, he had done some recording with his band The Post-War Baby Boom.
Art held a close second in Stanley`s heart, and he attended Manhattan School of Music and Art, and Bronx Community College as an art major. Much to his parents dismay, he gave up the paintbrush for the guitar and never looked back. Soon after leaving school, Stanley`s friend and bandmate Stephen Coronel introduced him to a bushy-haired, shaggy-bearded songwriter named Gene Klein.
The two songwriters didn`t exactly hit it off right away, but soon found themselves working together in the ill-fated Wicked Lester. Stanley and Gene left the band and soon found themselves putting together a new band and writing new songs, never realizing how drastically their lives were about to change.
Peter Criss:
Birth Date: 12/20/45
Birth Place: New York
Marital Status: Married
Fan Club: Peter Criss 1933 Hwy 35,
..363 Wall, NJ 07719
Real Name: Peter Criscoula
Years in the band: 1972-80, 96-
2000
Instruments: Drums
Other bands: Barracudas, Lips, The Brotherhood, Chelsea, The Criss Penridge Alliance, Balls of Fire, Criss
Born Peter George John Criscoula on December 20th, 1945 to Joe and Loretta Criscoula in Williamsburg Bronx, New York. Peter`s father loved jazz and introduced his son to music at an early age. As a child, Peter listened to his idol, Gene Krupa, and played an imaginary drumset made from household items. By thirteen, he was singing in a vocal group called The Stars. It was around this time that Peter`s father bought him his first real drum.
Growing up in the streets of New York was tough on Peter, and he soon found himself in a gang and also in a little trouble. During the tough times, art had become a passion of his and Peter was able to leave the street for art school. Soon, though, he found that art didn`t satisfy him and he turned back to drumming fulltime. Peter worked to buy a real set of drums and began playing any style of music in any kind of band to survive.
Many bands passed, but it was Chelsea that gave him a taste of short-lived success with a recording contract in 1969. Peter wouldn`t record again until the band Lips hit the studio in 1971, but they wouldn`t last. It was not long after Lips broke up, that Peter, desperate to make it, would place an ad in the Rolling Stone offering his drumming talent to anyone that would have him. He soon found himself chatting with Gene Klein on the phone. Not knowing what the future held for him, Peter agreed to an audition.
Ace Frehely:
Birth Date: 4/27/51
Birth Place: New York
Marital Status: Married
Real Name: Paul Frehley
Years in the band: 1973-82, 1996-current
Instruments: Guitar
Other bands: The Exterminators, Four Roses, Molimo, The Muff Divers, Frehley`s Comet, Ace Frehley
Born Paul Frehley on April 27th, 1951 in Bronx, NY. Paul grew up with his older brother and sister listening to folk music. Young Paul was more interested in mechanical things, technology, and stories of UFO`s and aliens from other worlds than folk music, but his brother`s acoustic guitar held enough fascination for him to pick it up on occasion and try strumming chords. However, it was a friend`s electric guitar and amplifier and the sounds they made that pushed Paul into asking his brother for a few lessons. For his fourteenth birthday, Paul`s father bought him a Japanese electric guitar, and Paul saved his money to buy himself an amplifier and began to get serious. Paul was learning the songs that made his heroes famous- Clapton, Townshend, Page, Hendrix and Beck were his teachers.
There was very little outside music that interested Paul, but he enjoyed hanging with his friends in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, that would lead him into some trouble. Vandalism and violence were everyday things for the guys, and Paul would soon turn to music for salvation. He was in many bands over the years-Four Roses, Exterminator, Honey and King Kong.
It was around this time that Paul received his nickname. Apparently Paul had a knack for getting his friends dates on short notice and the drummer from King Kong thanked him by giving him the name "Ace".
Ace reportedly recorded an album with a band called Millemo for RCA Records. The finished product was shelved and has never been heard. Depressed, yet still determined to make a living out of playing the guitar, Ace answered an ad he ran across in The Village Voice-"Lead Guitarist Wanted with Flash and Ability. Album Out Shortly. No Time-Wasters Please." Ace went in for his audition, slightly buzzed to fight off nerves, wearing one red shoe and one orange shoe. Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss watched in amazement as Ace interrupted their friend Bob Kulick`s audition in mid-song. Strangely, and despite his behavior, the band knew that they had found their guitarist.
Eric Carr:
Birth Date: 7/12/1950
Birth Place: New York
Real Name: Paul Carravello 1950-1991
Years in the band: 1980-91
Instrument: Drums
Other bands: Cellarman, Salt and Pepper, Creation, Mother Nature Father Time & Flasher
Born Paul Charles Caravello on July 12th, 1950 in Brooklyn, NY. Paul grew up in a two family house with his parents and two younger sisters, as well as his uncle`s family. Artistic expression became evident in Paul at an early age, and his sixth-grade teacher asked his family to support him and push his drawing talent. Paul attended the High School of Music and Art and studied cartooning and photography. It was while attending that he discovered The Beatles and his passion for art began to take a back seat to music. Paul wanted to be Ringo.
Paul tore through two cheap drumsets while learning how to play before his father managed to pick up a Ludwig set for him. He put together a band called The Cellarmen with his friends, and recorded a two-song demo before they broke up. His next band would last for nine years in different incarnations and styles. Salt and Pepper was a Top 40 cover band made up of six people, three white, three black. They soon changed their name to Creation and switched to funk music. It was this incarnation of the band that lost a few of its members to a tragic club fire in June, 1974. The remaining band members stayed together as Mother Nature/Father Time for a few more years capitalizing on the disco movement of the late `70`s. Eric left the band in 1979 and joined the rock cover band, Flasher.
Playing with his new band at night and repairing gas stoves during the day to make ends meet, Paul was considering giving up music for good when a friend convinced him to audition for KISS, who had just announced that they were replacing original drummer, Peter Criss. Paul dragged his feet about trying it, but eventually put together a press kit for himself with a photo, tape and resume. He had an interview with KISS` then manager, Bill Aucoin, that lead to an audition with the band. Paul was confident in his ability, and the band was impressed with him. Paul left the audition feeling 100% sure that he was the one they would choose, it was just a matter of waiting for the call that he knew would come. Paul was about to become known to the world as Eric Carr-- The Fox.
Vinnie Vincent:
Birth Date: 8/5/1952
Birth Place: Conneticut
Real Name: Vincent Cusano
Years in the band: 1983-84
Instrument: Guitar
Other bands: Treasure, New England Warrior, Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Vinnie Vincent was born Vincent Cusano to Terri and Alfonso Cusano in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1952. As he grew up, his mother sang country and his father played steel guitar. Young Vincent developed a passion for music at an early age, and was taking the guitar seriously by age ten. The 60`s saw Vinnie giving guitar lessons at a local music shop while he played in various bands. By the early 70`s, Vinnie`s dedication paid off when he landed a spot in the band `Treasure` with Felix Cavaliere, formerly of the Young Rascals. Though this band was short-lived, it gave him his first taste of success.
In the years that followed, Vinnie played guitar as a hired gun for artists such as Laura Nyro and Dan Hartman. It was during this time that Vinnie formed another short-lived band called `Warrior`, whose break-up left him fed up with his surroundings and spurred him to move to Los Angeles. Writing songs with fellow musician Adam Mitchell led to a meeting with Gene Simmons , and Vinnie soon found himself penning tunes with Gene. Ironically, during the time that Vinnie and Gene were writing for the latest Kiss album, the band was searching for a replacement for Ace Frehley. When he had finished work on `Creatures of the Night`, Vinnie left, but was soon invited to join Kiss without an audition.