Kiss band without makeup

However, the group eventually found their own take on the trend. They ended up using makeup too —but in a different way. Covering their faces with black-and-white paint, the band masked their own facades and taking on stage kiss band without makeup vocalist and bassist Simmons was the Demon, guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley became Star Child, kiss band without makeup, guitarist Ace Frehley turned into Spaceman and drummer Peter Criss took on Catman. And it worked.

Kiss performed their first show without their trademark face paint on Oct. The change helped revitalize the band's sagging commercial fortunes, but it also marked the beginning of an extended "troubling time" for Gene Simmons. This inaugural live unmasked appearance — in the unlikely and remote setting of Lisbon, Portugal — came just three weeks after Kiss, long famous for hiding their identities in public and onstage behind elaborate costumes and makeup, first revealed their real faces on national television during a special MTV appearance. By this point, only two of the group's original members were around for the unveiling, with founding drummer Peter Criss departed in and guitarist Ace Frehley following him out the door in The "hottest band in the land" had also fallen from the height of its massive '70s popularity. This was partially because of the lineup changes, and also because they spent the early '80s dabbling in disco-influenced rock or making a much-derided concept album.

Kiss band without makeup

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Covering their faces with black-and-white paint, the band masked their own facades and taking on stage identities: vocalist and bassist Simmons was the Demon, guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley became Star Child, kiss band without makeup, guitarist Ace Frehley turned into Spaceman and drummer Peter Criss took on Catman. To figure out what that meant for them, they had to really dig into their own personalities.

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The once-unthinkable took place on Sept. Granted, the news wasn't as earth-shaking as it would have been if the group had come clean a few years earlier. After all, in the mid-to-late '70s, they were the hottest band in the land. Internal tensions and a series of questionable disco and pop -influenced albums subsequently crippled their commercial standing. Original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley had also departed the group, and even the back-to-basics creative triumph of 's Creatures of the Night failed to reignite their career. In his book Kiss and Make-Up , Gene Simmons reveals how the band's other remaining founding member, Paul Stanley , convinced him it was time for a big change while they were recording Lick It Up , their 11th studio album:. I didn't know if it was going to work, but I heard what Paul was saying — there was nowhere else for us to go. We did a photo session just to see what it would look like. We looked straight into the camera lens.

Kiss band without makeup

On September 18, , the unfathomable happened. On that fateful day, they revealed themselves during a press conference on MTV. I hope it seems that way. I feel fine about it. When the band released Lick It Up in , it was time to come clean , so to speak, and reveal their faces. There was nowhere else for us to go. We did a photo session just to see what it would look like. We looked straight into the camera lens. We were defiant. I made one small concession to the fans: I stuck out my tongue, to try to keep something that connected us with the past.

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Vincent, who had taken over for Frehley only a year earlier, would soon be replaced even more briefly by Mark St. The same energy and drive and commitment to doing everything short of killing ourselves to give people the best show in the world. Becky G. I hope it seems that way — I feel fine about it! The following year, Frehley left again and was replaced by Tommy Thayer, taking on the Spaceman look. Guns Tour Kickoff: Exclusive. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. By this point, only two of the group's original members were around for the unveiling, with founding drummer Peter Criss departed in and guitarist Ace Frehley following him out the door in We own it. As the new millennium began, KISS started their long goodbye, with the Farewell tour starting in

However, the group eventually found their own take on the trend.

To keep their longevity, they felt the new image had to emerge. As he details in his book Kiss and Make-Up , Simmons "didn't know how I was supposed to act, because the non-makeup version of the band was an entirely new idea. The stunt paid off. I think it's time for them to notice a little bit more. Nobody else was involved. In , Kiss once again donned the makeup — and welcomed back Frehley and Criss — for a hugely successful world tour. Categories: Anniversaries , First Shows. In , Criss left and was replaced by Eric Carr who took on a new character called The Fox, and two years later, Frehley went solo and Vinnie Vincent stepped in as an Egyptian ankh. Matthew Wilkening Published: October 11, Covering their faces with black-and-white paint, the band masked their own facades and taking on stage identities: vocalist and bassist Simmons was the Demon, guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley became Star Child, guitarist Ace Frehley turned into Spaceman and drummer Peter Criss took on Catman. Simmons and Stanley made the controversial decision to hire new members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, who also played on the last two "unmasked" Kiss albums to wear the cat and spaceman face paint. Famous Musicians. During their early days in New York, the band experimented with their style. Guns Tour Kickoff: Exclusive.