Kiss

Kiss, usually stylized as KISS, is an American hard rock band formed in New York City in January 1973.^[1] Easily identified by its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits and pyrotechnics. Kiss has been awarded 24 gold albums to date.^[2] The band has sold more than 40 million albums in the United States, of which 19 million have been certified by the RIAA,^[3] and their worldwide sales exceeds 100 million albums.^[4]

The 1973-'80 lineup of Paul Stanley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals and bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar and vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, percussion and vocals) is the most successful and identifiable. With their makeup and costumes, they took on the personas of comic book-style characters: Starchild (Stanley), The Demon (Simmons), Spaceman or Space Ace (Frehley), and Catman (Criss). The band explains that the fans were the ones who ultimately chose their makeup designs. Paul Stanley became the "Starchild" because of his tendency to be referred to as the "starry-eyed lover" and "hopeless romantic." The "Demon" makeup reflected Simmons's cynicism and dark sense of humor, as well as his affection for comic books. Ace Frehley's "Spaceman" makeup was a reflection of his fondness for science fiction 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. The band's commercial fortunes had also waned considerably by that point.

In 1983, Kiss abandoned its makeup and profited from a commercial resurgence throughout the rest of the decade. Buoyed by a wave of Kiss nostalgia in the 1990s, the band announced a reunion of the original lineup (with makeup) in 1996. The resulting Kiss Alive/Worldwide/Lost Cities/Reunion Tour was the top-grossing act of 1996 and 1997. Criss and Frehley have since left Kiss again and have been replaced by Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, respectively. The band continues to perform with makeup, while Stanley and Simmons have remained the only two constant members.

Band members
Current members
* Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar (1972–present)
* Gene Simmons – vocals, bass (1972–present)
* Tommy Thayer –lead guitar, vocals (2002–present)
* Eric Singer – drums, vocals (1991–1996, 2001–2002, 2004–present)

Former members
* Peter Criss – drums, vocals (1972–1980, 1996–2001, 2002–2004)
* Ace Frehley – lead guitar, vocals (1972–1982, 1996–2002)
* Eric Carr – drums, vocals (1980–1991)
* Vinnie Vincent – lead guitar, vocals (1982–1984)
* Mark St. John – lead guitar (1984)
* Bruce Kulick – lead guitar, vocals (1984–1996); keyboards and piano (1987–1992)

Studio albums
· Kiss
· Hotter Than Hell
· Dressed to Kill
· Destroyer
· Rock and Roll Over
· Love Gun
· Gene Simmons
· Ace Frehley
· Peter Criss
· Paul Stanley
· Dynasty
· Unmasked
· Music from "The Elder"
· Creatures of the Night
· Lick It Up
· Animalize
· Asylum
· Crazy Nights
· Hot in the Shade
· Revenge
· Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions
· Psycho Circus
· Sonic Boom

Live albums
· Alive!
· Alive II
· Alive III
· Kiss Unplugged
· You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!
· Kiss Symphony: Alive IV
· Kiss Instant Live
· Alive! The Millennium Concert
· Kiss Alive 35
· Kiss Sonic Boom Over Europe