Kiss is one of the most famous and popular rock bands of all time. The band members may have been around the block a few times, but they’re still going strong. However, despite the fact that the band has spent a considerable amount of time in the spotlight and under the scrutiny of the public eye, there are still some things that many people don’t know. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Kiss. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: Katey Sagal Was a Backup Singer for Gene Simmons’ Solo Album. Sagal, who is most well-known for her role as Peg Bundy in Married…with Children, was a backup singer on Simmons’ solo album he released in 1978. She also sang backup for famous artists like Etta James and Bob Dylan.
Number Fourteen: Only Two Band Members Used Their Given Names. It’s true! There have been 10 official members of Kiss throughout the years, and only two of those members used their birth names while they were part of the band. Those two members are Bruce Kulick and Tommy Thayer, who were interestingly both guitarists.
Number Thirteen: Paul Stanley Switched His Makeup A Lot. While the other members had developed a solid makeup style by 1973, Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley revamped his image a couple times. He first used a “Starchild” image, but he later tried out the “Bandit.” He didn’t use the look for very long, but there are still pictures of him sporting it out there.
Number Twelve: They’ve Performed in Public as a Trio Twice. Only twice! The first time was in 1982 when Ace was nearly out of the band, and the second time was in 2007, when Stanley couldn’t perform because of a medical condition.
Number Eleven: Stanley Wrote “God of Thunder.” Though the song is widely known as Gene Simmons’ “signature” song, it was actually written by Stanley! Stanley originally wrote the song to showcase his darker side.
Number Ten: They’ve Worked With Bryan Adams. Though Kiss is renowned for their heavier rock style, two of their songs have been co-written by Bryan Adams (the guy who sang “Summer of ’69”).
Number Nine: Eric Carr and Freddie Mercury Died on the Same Day. Kiss’ Eric Carr joined the band in 1980 but eventually was diagnosed with heart cancer. He died on the very same day that Queen’s Freddie Mercury passed. Stay tuned for part two of our list of 15 things you didn’t know about Kiss, coming soon!