KISS KISS

Kiss (commonly styled in all caps as KISS) was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973 by Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar, vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, vocals). The band became known for its elaborate face paint, costumes, and theatrical live performances, which in the mid-1970s incorporated pyrotechnics, fire-breathing, smoking guitars, and other stage effects associated with shock rock. Over time, the group underwent numerous lineup changes, with Stanley and Simmons remaining the only constant members for most of its history. Later members included Eric Carr (drums), Eric Singer (drums), Tommy Thayer (lead guitar), and others. Each original member adopted a stage persona: Stanley as the Starchild, Simmons as the Demon, Frehley as the Spaceman (or Space Ace), and Criss as the Catman. Kiss achieved major commercial success in the second half of the 1970s and became a prominent popular culture act. The band's commercial performance declined in the early 1980s, but it experienced renewed success after abandoning its makeup and costumes in 1983, beginning with the album "Lick It Up". This unmasked period lasted until 1996, when the original lineup reunited and resumed using makeup for a highly successful reunion tour that ran in 1996–1997 and became one of the highest-grossing tours of its time. The band continued touring in various configurations until announcing a final worldwide tour in 2019. Kiss performed its final concert in New York City in December 2023. Kiss has been described as one of the most influential and best-selling rock bands in history. The group received numerous certifications, including 30 Gold albums in the United States, and multiple Platinum awards. The original lineup was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. The band also appeared on several rankings, including MTV’s list of top metal bands and VH1’s "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock". The origins of Kiss can be traced to Wicked Lester, a New York rock band led by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. After the group’s record label shelved its only recorded album, Simmons and Stanley left in 1972 to form a new band. They recruited Peter Criss after meeting him through a newspaper advertisement and seeing him perform in the New York club scene. Ace Frehley joined in early 1973, completing the classic lineup. The band experimented with makeup and costumes early in its development and adopted the name Kiss during rehearsals in New York. Frehley designed the original logo, featuring stylized lightning bolt S letters, which became one of the band’s most recognizable symbols. The band’s first performance took place in January 1973 in Queens, New York, before an audience of fewer than ten people. Early shows introduced the theatrical elements that would later define their reputation. In 1973, Kiss recorded a demo and signed with Casablanca Records, releasing their self-titled debut album in 1974. Initial commercial success was limited, and early albums such as "Hotter Than Hell" and "Dressed to Kill" underperformed on the charts, though the group developed a strong reputation for live performances. A major breakthrough came with the 1975 live album "Alive!", which achieved gold certification and produced the band’s first widely successful single version of "Rock and Roll All Nite". The success of the album helped stabilize the band’s financial situation and significantly increased its popularity. This was followed by a series of commercially successful albums including "Destroyer", "Rock and Roll Over", and "Love Gun", as well as continued touring and media appearances. The band’s popularity expanded internationally, including highly attended concerts in Japan. During the late 1970s, Kiss also expanded its commercial activities through extensive merchandising, including toys, comic books, and branded products. In 1978, all four members released solo albums simultaneously, which were marketed under the Kiss brand. That same year, the band appeared in the film "Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park", which received negative critical reception and was later regarded unfavorably by the band members. By the end of the 1970s, internal tensions and changes in musical direction contributed to lineup instability. Drummer Peter Criss left in 1979, followed by lead guitarist Ace Frehley in 1982. During this period, Kiss released albums such as "Dynasty", which included the disco-influenced single "I Was Made for Lovin' You", and "Unmasked", which reflected a more pop-oriented sound. In 1983, Kiss publicly appeared without makeup for the first time in a televised MTV appearance, marking the beginning of the unmasked era. The album "Lick It Up" helped reintroduce the band to a new generation of listeners. However, further lineup changes continued, including the departure of guitarist Vinnie Vincent and the introduction of Mark St. John and later Bruce Kulick. Drummer Eric Carr, who joined in 1980, remained until his death from cancer in 1991. In the 1980s, the band released several commercially successful albums, including "Animalize", "Asylum", and "Crazy Nights". The lineup during this period stabilized to Stanley, Simmons, Carr, and Kulick. In 1992, Kiss released "Revenge", followed by the live album "Alive III". In the mid-1990s, renewed interest in the band led to a reunion of the original lineup. A performance on MTV Unplugged in 1995 featuring both current and former members preceded the announcement of a full reunion tour in 1996. The resulting Kiss Alive/Worldwide Tour became one of the highest-grossing tours of the decade. The reunited lineup released the album "Psycho Circus" in 1998, though contributions from original members were limited in practice. After 2000, the band underwent further changes, with Frehley and Criss leaving again and being replaced by Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. Kiss continued touring internationally, including major tours such as the Farewell Tour (2000–2001), Rock the Nation Tour, and later the Alive/35 World Tour. The band also released later studio albums including "Sonic Boom" (2009) and "Monster" (2012), both of which returned to a hard rock style. Kiss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. In later years, the band collaborated with other artists and participated in various media projects, including animated and crossover productions. In 2019, Kiss began its End of the Road World Tour, which was intended as its final tour. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily interrupted the farewell tour, which resumed in 2021. The tour concluded with a final concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City in December 2023. Following the final performance, the band announced plans for a digital avatar-based stage production created in partnership with visual effects companies, with future performances planned for the late 2020s. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_(band) Studio albums Kiss (1974) Hotter than Hell (1974) Dressed to Kill (1975) Destroyer (1976) Rock and Roll Over (1976) Love Gun (1977) Ace Frehley (1978) Gene Simmons (1978) Paul Stanley (1978) Peter Criss (1978) Dynasty (1979) Unmasked (1980) Music from "The Elder" (1981) Creatures of the Night (1982) Lick It Up (1983) Animalize (1984) Asylum (1985) Crazy Nights (1987) Hot in the Shade (1989) Revenge (1992) Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997) Psycho Circus (1998) Sonic Boom (2009) Monster (2012) ----- 2. Kiss (Korean group, also stylised as K.I.S.S. or 키스) were a South Korean female pop trio. Their debut single "Because I'm a Girl" was released in 2001 and became a commercial success. The music video featured actress Goo Hyejin and actor Shin Hyunjoon, which contributed to public attention for the song upon release. "Because I'm a Girl" remained popular in karaoke culture in South Korea for several years and helped establish initial recognition for the group, followed shortly by the release of an album. The group disbanded after a short period, reportedly due to unresolved internal disagreements. The song "Because I'm a Girl" has since been covered by several artists, including the Korean duo 2NB. ----- 3. Kiss were a short-lived Taiwanese female group active in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group consisted of Cai Pei Lin (蔡裴琳), Zhang Shuo Fen (张硕芬), and Wang Tingxuan (王婷萱). They released one full-length album, "Let's Wait and See", and one CD single, "Shut Up", before disbanding.