Other Great Metal Influences, Part 1- KISS

I could spend months naming the great acts from the 70s who influenced metal in the 80s, although I won't, however, if I could name one act which had been one of the biggest, it would be KISS. Formed in 1973, KISS were one of the early glam rock acts along with Alice Cooper, David Bowie, and the Sweet. However, KISS sold more records than these three acts combined. While the other glam acts wore makeup, KISS took it to another level and it has stood as a standard for more than 30 years.

Paul Stanley-guitar

Gene Simmons- bass

Ace Frehley- guitar

Peter Criss- drums

Throughout the 1970s, KISS would sell millions of records and recruit millions more fans into the KISS Army. Hard rock albums like "Destroyer," "Alive I and II," "Love Gun" and "Hotter Than Hell" were all considered greats of the decade. These albums produced such great songs like "Love Gun," "Rock And Roll All Night," "Detroit Rock City," "Cold Gin" and of course "Beth" which, like "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison in the 1990s, was the song many teenage rockers like me played to their girlfriends in the hope it would get them laid. But, it wasn't just studio albums which set KISS at the top of the hill. KISS revolutionized concerts as we know it, being the first to use on stage pyrotechnics. I remember KISS concerts always selling out in record time.
As popular as the were in the 70s, KISS  were also the subject of much contraversey. Like Black Sabbath, KISS were also accused by the religious right in America of being Satan worshippers. This was made worse when some preacher claimed that the band's name was an anogram for Knights In Satan's Service. While there was never any evidence to support this supposition, it became something that would always continue to be a thorn in the side of KISS.



In an interview in 1980, Gene Simmons stated that KISS were a band where all four members covered for one another and that they were all superstars and not one member stood out from the rest. This began to change in the 1980s with the departure of Peter Criss and Ace Frehley and KISS went from a band of equals to, as quoted by a former member (I believe it was Vinnie Vincent), to Paul and Gene's band.
In 1983, KISS  came out of make up and some say that their music suffered as a result. I don't think this is the case and I will look at the KISS albums of the 80s in future postings. It is why KISS gets a lot of mention in "Rock And Roll Children." But if you were to ask the metal bands of the 80s who was their biggest influence, many would say KISS, whether it be the hard rocking sound, stage shows or make up.
Nex post: Alice Cooper
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