You know, Peter Criss was...and always will be, a part of Kiss. His drum solo on Alive is rock history. From 1974-1980...he was the drummer with the biggest band in the world. He co-wrote Beth. Therefore ...Peter Criss is a ROCK STAR !!!!
@@hugopirela5694 It makes total since because the producer said that Peter's drums were solid and didn't need to be redone for the album. Try using the internet sometime and you will find things out instead of looking dumb and accusing people of lying.
Peter Criss said that Gene and Paul were playing the Wicked Lester songs to him and he was going "Okay, sure" but as soon as they presented him "Strutter" he went. "Oh boy, with songs like that, we are bound to be going places!" Same deal when Ace did his audition, they came up with the song "Deuce" and Ace said that he "Loved it from the first note."
Peter on KISS Alive is why I learned drums. He wasn't just keeping time, he was 25% of the music being made. In fact, when you listen to that album, it's basically a 90 min drum solo with band accompaniment. He's the star.
Ace has had some success on his own. Peter not so much. Without Gene and Paul neither one would have the name recognition they enjoy now. They all have talent and I hope they all are able to continue to do what they enjoy. Wether we get to hear it or not.
I love kiss and Paul Stanley is one of my favorite members..but shit!!! It baffles me to hear Paul Stanley say Peter Criss couldn't play and he acts like Peter Criss was stupid( could barely read and didn't understand structures of songs) yet you decided to have him as your drummer?
@@KingDevilCharger Did you ever take the time to read the book? Paul actually compared KISS to The Beatles because they had the perfect lineup in the beginning. KISS was a very dysfunctional band and it's proven in all the autobiographies written by each member. Ace and Paul were actually on good terms for most of the 1970s, but when Ace became a drug addict and quit the band Paul lost contact with him until the 1990s for the reunion tour. Ace, Paul, and Gene all state in their books that Peter was an idiot. The book this audio is taken from is called Face the Music and it's a memoir of events that happened within KISS and in Paul's personal life.
No Peter..no Beth. At that time in their careers Beth was the huge hit that kept the train going. Without it they're one hit wonders. Eric Carr came in at the right time.
@@shawproductions4048 meh....look Eric Carr was a nice guy but I feel like people overrate his drumming a bit. He was good but I still prefer Peter. Peter, when he was at his best was cool as hell and had a great swing to his playing. Like Paul says here it was brash and full of piss and vinegar.
One important thing is how vital the song Beth was to Kiss career. Destroyer is a great album but the truth is before Beth was released and became a big hit the album had stalled on the charts and was going nowhere. Without Beth Kiss could very well have been a one hit wonder with the success of Alive. In a real sense the success of Beth kept the Kiss train rolling.
There may be a grain of truth in what Paul said, but I think Peter understood song structure better than Gene or Paul back in the earliest days. He may not have been able to articulate it, but I think he understood it.
Agreed Ben. It's hard to believe that as picky and disciplined as Paul & Gene were/are, that they'd be just fine with a band member not pulling his own weight or not be familiar with song structure or drumming! Peter's band Chelsea recorded an album for MCA records in 1970 for God's sake. Paul has serious issues and needs to stop fabricating nonsense just to try to make himself look good.
Yeah, sure, you know Peter better than somebody who actually spent years performing with him. What other nuggets of "insider information" have you got to share with us?
My knowledge of Kiss is pretty slight, certainly when you compare it to actual fan worship. In fact, I only know of this book thanks to a series of RU-vid clips. From the chunks I've listened to, the one thing that stands out is that Paul can't seem to say Peter's name without going on to dump shit on him.
Read Face the Music and you'll actually see Paul praise Peter quite a lot. I've noticed that a lot of these audio clips are edited out of context to make Paul sound like a narcissist, but he's just being honest.
Imagine you are a nobody, an unknown clueless musician, who works with a guy you don't even like (Simmons). You find a singing drummer with real experience (a real jazz drummer) who is willing to do anything to succed, including putting on a costume and makeup. You quickly get massive succes, and 50 years later, you are still bitter and angry. Can you imagine being like this? I can't.
Imagine being a decent drummer working in bunch of local bar bands who hooks up with two ambitious guys who with a collective vision build one of the biggest bands in the world. And then you proceed to piss away your talent and success on drugs and alcohol. THEN get the incredible opportunity to make more money than you’ve ever made in your life to go on world tour. Receive incredible praise from your fans and peers only to repeat the same mistakes that lead to you being fired yet again!!Imagine being like this? I can’t!
@@kennytesta9312 Yeah I know. Criss is basically insane. Ace isn't better. He did the same journey as Criss. The only original member who isn't whinig and shooting himself in the foot, is Simmons.
@@jonnyblade46 I agree he gives a little more credit where credit is due than Paul at least from what I’ve heard I could be wrong. I can understand that Ace was just done with the whole thing and I think he’s a talent. Even Paul will admit that 😂
Yes, Peter is not a technically skill-minded drummer. If he was, he probably would've chosen to be an OWL, OCTOPUS, or some kinda WOODPECKER character. Peter chose to be the CATMAN because it resonated with his own life experiences and drumming personality. During KISS' prime, Peter played with natural feel, agility, raw emotion and feral energy. His live solos had a distinct animalistic tribal feel and his signature RAT-A-TAT-TAT style is what gave KISS shows that wild 70's edge. In fact even today, whenever I hear a rat-a-tat street drummer just killin' it on some old plastic buckets, I instantly think of THE CATMAN. He had the best voice out of them all too. Back in the early days when 70's mainstream radio was everywhere, I first heard KISS' music via the song BETH. I was immediately blown away by Peter's cool, raspy, alley-cat voice. However a short time later I discovered that Paul was actually the dominant lead singer. Then , after first hearing Paul's much higher pitched over-exaggerated shrill style of vocal, I can clearly remember feeling somewhat disappointed that Peter wasn't their lead guy. Regardless, I still fell head over heels in love with the entire band, but then like many fans my age, soon lost interest after Peter left, and the masks came off.
Man that is so right and if it wasn’t for the loud music Paul sounded like shit and he still does! I was 13 years old when I got into Kiss,My favorite band but when they split up that was it for me! I will always like Kiss Alive 1 and 2.
Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't they use Peter's live drum tracks Alive and AliveII (the 2 main records that really made them)? Also, Peter was a singing drummer as well. I rest my case.
Paul has spoken about his own insecurities. It seems those insecurities prevent him from speaking nice about anyone else. What a miserable soul Paul is. I feel sorry for him. I'm sure Peter was articulate and could read.
Paul and Gene needed to find a drummer who would be willing to wear lipstick, but who could also play well. Peter was everything they needed in a drummer, and his vocal performance on Beth earned the band it's entrance into the top ten. The massive amount of money generated by a hit single began rolling in when Beth broke; Kiss was elevated within the industry and the mainstream by achieving a hit single everyone could sing along to. Peter bought a mansion and a small collection of imported sports cars. They were able to renegotiate their contract into a far more lucrative operation. Now, with money to burn, the next album, costume and tour production in 1977 cost close to half a million dollars to produce, an unheard of sum for a rock show in those days. Aucoin unleashed the merchandising onslaught and generated a fortune. I doubt either of them knew how lucky they were to meet each other that day!
Me and a Guitar player found a drummer and he played our songs differently every time we played. He knew the song but improvised totally different drums to the songs every time. Never playing it the same way twice. We never got out of the garage with that drummer so no idea how it would have worked in the long run.
Gary Unsworth...His drumming on DTK and HTH is pure magic. Peter and Eric Carr both fit KISS for their time period. I'm a huge Eric Carr fan and Peter fan also. For Paul to put down Peter's Drumming abilities is silly. Listen to that swing on the hats when he played 100,000 years live, opposed to Singer doing straight quarters.
1 reason he was great to begin with, until he started his BULLSHIT and they fired him and then when he came back for the reunion he almost forgot how to play then the 3rd time because the co-headlining band wanted a 3rd original member and they didn't want Ace back
KISS have had many phases. Paul was obviously the leader in the 80s and that's the KISS I grew up with. But, watch the Winterland show in black and white from early 1975. Peter, yes, Peter was the leader at that point. Watch how composed, confident, and professional Peter is in that show vs. Gene and Paul.
What happened to the video of him meeting his wife, Erin Sutton, for the first time? Or the one about what it was like having Fox in KISS (“It was like having a little brother.”)?
@Mikestevens2053 We read Thomas Mann at school. How he describes people, this is brutal! And he received the Nobel Prize. But Paul is brutal to himself, too. E.g. "My songs on UNMASKED are not worthwhile mentioning". I think, it has much to do with his emotionally cold mother.But I love him and his songs!
Their farewell tour comes through my city soon. Last chance ever to see them. I’m still undecided. They are indeed a group of lovable goofballs. I do wish Peter and Ace could be part of this show
I can’t understand why everyone in the comments says that Paul is playing the victim. He does not sound like he’s saying he’s perfect. Give him a break y’all
Say something nice about the guy...for Pete's sake. Paul sounds like an awful guy himself...so critical of others, but in doing so he is flawed himself.
Paul and Gene will forever dog on Ace and Peter. It's how they stroke their massive egos and pat themselves on the back. Paul fabricates things so he can assassinate Ace and Peter's character and exalt himself. If Peter really was as bad as Paul claims he was, why did they give him a chance, thus becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. Paul and Gene will always be full of themselves and full of shit.
Peter couldn't play,lol. The only live tracks used on kiss alive. No mistakes in concert but he couldn't play. Kinda makes Paul sound like he's full of shit.
I think you are right. As far as I know the whole album was overdubbed except from the drum parts and they sound pretty solid. Peter wasn´t Buddy Rich (you don´t need to be him to play Kiss music in the first place..) but he does a clean job. It was the rest of the band who had to re-record their parts in the studio using Peter´s solid tempo to do so. As far as I know, Peter had played in a few bands before joining Kiss unlike Gene and Paul . Who was the beginner here??
i actually believe almost everything Paul said in his book. he might come across as narcissistic sometimes but he is also the most reasonable and stable. yeah Peter and Ace are cool but they really were drug addicts who couldn't function properly. Have read all 4 biographies and Paul seems least out of touch with reality
Who gives a shit? It’s about the songs and the mystic. I started with Destroyer, then got Alive II, went on to get Alive 1 and all other albums as well. I listened to the albums relentlessly and those songs, their sound, the album art and live shows were the best. They’re need to sell books means shit….I just care about the rock and the memories….
As a drummer myself, everything Paul said about PC is true. He is like Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts. Not great drummer, but good at basic play that fit for their bands. Eric Carr, on the other hand, and Eric Singer, are true rock and roll drummers. PC would not have worked for anything from the Elder forward.
Fair credit to Paul for the carefully managed diplomacy in this narration. Criss was a shit drummer who got by with a lot of hand holding and a bit of luck. One can't compare and contrast his work with that of Carr and Singer (and Fig, come to that) and not honestly say otherwise.
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He admits his own band mate sucked and was only concerned about persona AND admitted they would even dress in drag to make a buck if it helped which I've said in another video they would play hop scotch on stage dressed like dolly pardon if it made them money which it seems I was right. BTW, John Bonham would never lower himself to kiss and kiss could never keep up with him.
tim lamb My thoughts exactly. I remember reading about the first time Zepellin got together. They said the room exploded. Evidently it didn't explode for Kiss. Very little talent but good stage presence. They got what they deserved.
Warchief01 Well I can't account for taste, but have your ears checked buddy. No one has ever played like Bonham did, never had the same sound and feel.
Yeah Paul can say what he want s butt Peter was founding member...I find it ironic that the originals destroyed a great thing...but their all human I guess
I love early Kiss, and Peter was the right drummer at the right time, but he is absolutely the weakest dryer among bands what can be called legends. He's the drummer people like to say Lars Ulrich is.
And Mr STANLEY, just can't sing or perform anymore - at least, not as poorly, as he would 5 years ago. His vocals are actually a shame........... Wonder If that "can't deliver rule/throw Peter away" of him, is going to apply to himself? Don't think so. Sad.......
So they hired a drummer who had stage presence but really couldn't play. What does that tell you? They sucked too. End of story. Paul can make all the excuses he wants and throw everybody under the bus but the truth is obvious. They were all subpar musicians. A good drummer would have laughed at them. That's why they hired Peter.
If you say they suck, they must suck even though In the last 41 years, KISS has earned 30 Gold albums (26 KISS albums + 4 Solo Albums that were all released simultaneously-a feat never before achieved by any band.) KISS has 14 Platinum albums, with three albums being multi-Platinum.
Seriously though, hiring Peter Criss was the worst decision Paul and Gene made. They could have been so much better with almost any - ANY - other drummer.
roquefortfiles he is one of the best backbeat drummers ever, a top notch jazz player and an integral part of one of the best Rock n' Roll ever. Are you a KISS fan or someone that only likes flashy metal players?
He's a bore. I don't care what the facts are. John Siomos Framptons Drummer now that's a good drummer. Charlie Watts plays the same key signature for every song. One of the reasons I am not a big "LIVE" Stones fan. On record Charlie is better.
roquefortfiles whatever works for you but there's a reason that the Stones have countless great songs and Charlie playing to the song and not over them is one of them. How many indeliable songs does Frampton have? I thought so...
This band could have been a real rock n roll band if it was Peter, Ace and they got 2 competent guys to take Gene's and Paul's places. Gene can't play bass for his life, Paul has no sense of time and has no right hand his rhythm completely sucks...but since he and Gene were from the same tribe they found a cheap way to make money and get rid of Peter and Ace.
I love how he talks about drummers being behind it ahead... There is not one single KISS song that is in anyway near the caliber of that sort of stuff. Nothing about KISS has any amount of technicality whatsoever. I think "A Tooter Tah" has more character than anything Kiss has put out. Kiss Sucks.
Wizzle I remember Rachel Bolin of Skid Row talking about seeing Kiss and wanting to learn to play whatever Gene was playing. That's hilarious considering that Bolin could stand on his head and play bass better than Simmons or whatever the hell his real name is.
In the last 41 years, KISS has earned 30 Gold albums (26 KISS albums + 4 Solo Albums that were all released simultaneously-a feat never before achieved by any band.) KISS has 14 Platinum albums, with three albums being multi-Platinum.
You should be embarrassed for making such a ludicrous comment. Not a lot of bands on the planet have numbers like KISS my friend, so in their case it means quite a bit. You're comparing 14 Platinum and 30 Gold albums to a couple of fad groups with a handful of hits? I've had farts with longer careers. KISS can still fill stadiums at 40 years running and that is an uncommon feat. Even MC Hammer hasn't listened to MC Hammer in the last 25 years. Bottom line, it's fine if you don't like KISS, but to pretend they haven't developed an enduring influence in rock music for the better part of their four decades means you've been asleep. The truth comes out of their history and they repeat their mantra in every documentary: they've never pretended to be the best musicians or have the deepest lyrics - they simply decided to be the band they never saw. And above all else, the respect they've earned comes from the indisputable fact that whether they're in a 50K-seat arena or a dive bar with six drunks, they always put on a show like it's the last gig they'll ever have. They're not even my favorite band but I saw them four times and they simply bring down the house. I don't think a human being exists that's ever been to a KISS concert in the last 40 years who came away feeling like the show didn't kick ass.
