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Early Days
Early 1970s - KISS traces its roots to Wicked Lester, a New York-based rock and roll band led by co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Unhappy with the direction of Wicked Lester, Simmons and Stanley part ways with the other members in 1972 after Epic Records rejected an album recorded by the group. -
Band Formed
Kiss is an American Grammy Award nominated hard rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. -
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Kiss, The Band
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First Preformance
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 - February 1, they wore no or little makeup, it was not until the March 9–10 shows at The Daisy in Amityville, NY that they would wear the makeup that would become their famous designs. -
Calling Dr. Love
Calling Dr. Love" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, originally released on their 1976 album Rock and Roll Over. The song was written by Kiss bassist/backing vocalist Gene Simmons. It was the second single released from the album, and the group's fourth US Top 20 single, reaching #16 in Billboard. -
Destroyer
The result was Destroyer (released March 15, 1976), Kiss's most musically ambitious studio album to date. -
Hotter Than Hell
Hotter Than Hell is the second album from the rock group Kiss. It was certified Gold on June 23, 1977, having sold 500,000 copies -
Double Platinum
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 group's signature songs. -
Band Troubles
Ace Frehley's "Spaceman" makeup was a reflection of him wanting to go for a ride in a space ship and supposedly being from another planet. Peter Criss's "Catman" makeup was in accordance with the belief that Criss had nine lives because of his rough childhood in Brooklyn. Because of creative differences, both Criss and Frehley were out of the group by 1982. -
No Makeup?
Sensing it was time for a change, Kiss made the decision to abandon their trademark makeup and costumes. They officially appeared in public without makeup for the first time on a September 18, 1983 appearance on MTV, which coincided with the release of the band's glam metal new album, Lick It Up. -
Big Albums
Lead guitarist Bruce Kulick joins KISS during the Animalize tour. Throughout the 1980's, KISS continues to release best-selling albums; September 1985's Asylum, September 1987's Crazy Nights and the November 1988 compilation Smashes, Thrashes & Hits. -
Top Ten
October 17, 1989 - KISS release the critically acclaimed Hot in the Shade, which features the top-ten hit ballad Forever. -
Kiss Pays Its Toll
Late 1991 - KISS enters the recording studio, again with producer Bob Ezrin to record the highly praised Revenge album. Sadly, drummer Eric Carr became severely ill with cancer and passes away on November 24, 1991 at the age of 41. Devastated, KISS continues with drummer Eric Singer and finishes the album. -
Kiss Convention
February 3, 1995 - KISS stages the first Official Worldwide KISS Convention in Perth, Australia. The unique and revolutionary KISS Convention tour of 1995 features a traveling KISS Museum displaying vintage KISS stage outfits, instruments, and memorabilia. Performances by KISS tribute bands, KISS collectors/dealers buying, selling and trading KISS merchandise, precludes an evening appearance by KISS themselves, appearing live and in person, conducting a question and answer session, autograph sig -
Making Kisstory
March, 1995 - KISS publishes and releases its own 9-pound, 440 page coffee table book, KISSTORY. -
Rock and Roll all Nite
"C'mon and Love Me", and "Rock and Roll All Nite" were released as singles. Both failed to rise high on the charts until "Rock and Roll All Nite" was released in its live format as a single later that year off their double live album Alive! and reached number 12 on the singles charts.[2]
The album was re-released in 1997. -
Super Bowl
January 31, 1999 - KISS performs at Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, FL. -
New Year's Eve
December 31, 1999 - KISS perform a special New Year's Eve show in Vancouver, Canada's BC Place Stadium and ring in the new millennium. -
Farewell
February 10, 2000 - KISS announce the KISS Farewell tour that kicks off in Phoenix, AZ on March 11th, becoming one of the year's top concert tours. -
More #1
January, 2002 - KISS become America's #1 Gold Record Champions. -
Olympics
February 24, 2002 - KISS performs at the XIX Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony in Salt Lake City to a worldwide audience of over three billion TV viewers. -
Criss is Permanantly GONE
Simmons and Stanley did not renew Criss's contract when it expired in March 2004. Criss, on his website, stated that "No one, again no one has called me, or my attorney about an extension for future touring. As a founding member I find this to be disrespectful to me, and to the fans that have made us one of the biggest bands in the world."[95] Criss stated in a radio interview in 2004 with Eddie Trunk that Simmons and Stanley were going to start a new Kiss, and thought he was getting too old to -
Idol
May, 2009 - KISS perform on American Idol season finale to over 30 million TV viewers -
35th
July 10, 2009 - KISS open ALIVE 35 Canadian tour by setting attendance record at Sarnia Bayfest. -
Black Dimond
"Black Diamond"
Begins with Paul Stanley singing the first verse accompanied by an acoustic guitar. After Paul yells out "Hit It!", the full band kicks in and Peter Criss takes over the lead vocals, repeating the first verse. After that they have the chorus (Ooh, Black Diamond). The song then slows down for Ace Frehley to do his guitar solo, after which the song gradually slows down and fades out -
Rock and Roll over
Rock and Roll Over was the first Kiss album to ship Gold and would eventually rise to Double Platinum status. It was certified Platinum on January 5, 1977, when it sold 1,000,000 copies[1] and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard pop albums chart. -
The Nation Live
December 13, 2005 - KISS releases the two-disc DVD KISS Rock The Nation Live! to rave reviews -
Sonic Boom
Kiss started the European leg of the"Sonic Boom Over Europe: From the Beginning to the Boom" in May 2010. The tour includes their first UK arena show in eleven years and their first visit to Slovakia. Kiss will also do 2 dates in US cities Cheyenne, Wyoming and Minot, North Dakota in July 2010. They will also play at the Indiana state fair in August and Minnesota State Fair in September. On July 23 Kiss will start "The Hottest Show on Earth Tour" in the United States.
