Peter Criss |
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Sun. December 20.1998 3:00 AM EST |
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Kiss' Peter Crissby Frank Tortorici |
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Peter Criss has been reunited with Kiss for the past two years. ( ) |
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Despite being an original member of Kiss and a part of their initial reign as heavy-metal
superstars, drummer Peter Criss spent most of the last two decades away from the band
of costumed rockers. Criss returned to Kiss, however, for a
Peter George Crisscoula III was born 51 years ago today in Brooklyn, N.Y. Criss played drums in the band Chelsea, who issued an eponymous LP in 1971. After severing ties with the band, Criss placed an ad in Rolling Stone magazine advertising his services as a drummer. Responding to the ad were bassist Gene Simmons and guitarist Paul Stanley. The two had worked together in a hard-rock band named Wicked Lester and now wanted to start a new group that would wear makeup to portray comic-book like characters. After lead guitarist Ace Frehley responded to the three's Village Voice ad, the lineup for Kiss was set. Criss' makeup made him the cat, while Stanley was the lover; Simmons, the demon; and Frehley, the spaceman. Independent TV director Bill Aucoin secured a deal for Kiss with Casablanca Records after being impressed with their theatrical live act. Despite a great deal of critical ribbing, Kiss built a dedicated fanbase, the Kiss Army, with their first three albums. But the live Alive! made them superstars, and they had a hit single with "Rock And Roll All Nite." Kids were drawn to Kiss' stage act, which featured smoke bombs, elaborate lighting, fake blood spitting and Simmons breathing fire. Destroyer (1976) continued Kiss' red-hot streak, as teen-age girls began to respond to the band's now more commercial sound, as evidenced by the Criss-composed hit ballad "Beth" (RealAudio excerpt). At the height of Kiss' popularity, the band generated comic books, masks and board games based on its characters. During this period, in 1978, the four members each released solo LPs simultaneously. Criss' release was the most unusual, with its attempts at jazz and balladry. It hinted that Criss was ready to break from the band; and he did two years later. While Kiss continued to issue albums with different rosters (except for constants Simmons and Stanley) and varying degrees of commercial success, Criss went solo with 1980's Out of Control. The LP bombed, as did Criss' follow-up two years later, Let Me Rock You. Criss didn't surface again on record until 1993's Criss, which he followed a year later with Criss-Cat #1. In 1996, Criss and Frehley patched things up with their former bandmates and rejoined Kiss to begin the first tour since the late '70s with all four original members. Their international tour was one of the most profitable of the year. This, in turn, led the four to record again, resulting in this year's popular Psycho-Circus and its "3-D" tour. The reunited Kiss also will make their feature-film acting debuts in the upcoming New Line Cinema comedy "Detroit Rock City," named after one of the band's early hits. The film tells the tale of four teen-agers who try to get into a sold-out Kiss show in 1978. The bandmembers will play themselves in the movie. Though Kiss have had their share of detractors, their anthem-like music inspired much of '80s arena rock and pop-metal. Other birthdays: Bobby Colomby (Blood, Sweat and Tears), 54; Stevie Wright (Easybeats), 50; Anita Baker, 41; Billy Bragg, 41; Mike Watt (fIREHOSE, Minutemen), 41; Chris Robinson (Black Crowes), 32; and Flattus Maximus (GWAR), 31. |
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