Prolific rock journalist Greg Prato documents the Kiss years after removing the face paint on MTV in 1983. The author details the decision behind the much talked about move, and the honest reaction from the rock community. Once unmasked, the band had to modify their stage performance. Afterall, Gene Simmons was no longer The Demon character, should he continue shooting fire and spitting blood?
Hard rocking Kiss is an influential band that found ways to reinvent themselves over the years. Fozzy’s Chris Jericho wrote the foreword for the book, and like many Kiss fans, prefers this era of “Kisstory,” as the band remained relevant and producing memorable albums. Prato takes you behind the scenes and does a masterful job demonstrating how the band stayed on top despite a handful of lineup changes.
Prato offers analysis of each album that the band recorded and puts the LPs in their proper perspectives. The author also does a fantastic job explaining why Paul Stanley is such an underrated singer, and Simmons an often-underappreciated bassist. The book takes a close look at the hard rock genre at the time, and how the musical tastes of fans were changing.
Additionally, Prato is critical of the some of the lyrics written by Simmons, which were often misogynistic. He also looks at Gene’s acting gigs, including movies and Miami Vice, and the passing of beloved drummer Eric Carr. A must have for Kiss fans!
By: Greg Prato, Chris Jericho – foreword, Andreas Carlsson – afterword
Narrated by: Greg Prato
Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
Release date: 08-02-22
Publisher: Greg Prato Writer, Corp.