KISS: STORY BEHIND THE SCENE

Like the music, the Kiss stage show has gone through a lot of changes over the past four years. But, be it musical or visual, the band is—and always has been—the heaviest of heavy metal!

Before they signed their record contract, obviously they had a lot less money to throw around. Back at the Hotel Diplomat, finances dictated that the stage be just a simple platform for the musicians and their instruments. The costumes then, for the same reason, were essentially black t-shirts, leather jackets, and black Danskin tights. While their makeup was less perfectly applied back in the early days before they’d had years of experience, it looked just about the same, with one exception—Paul. Did you know that as late as November 73 Paul wasn’t a Starchild at all? Instead, he painted a black Lone Ranger-style mask across his eyes!