One Fact You May Not Know About Each of the KISS Solo Albums

By 1978, tension was brewing within the iconic rock band KISS. They put in the work to become one of the biggest rock bands in the world by 1978, after six studio releases. KISS claimed their place in rock music with their 1975 live album Alive!, which peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. They followed up that success with the Bob Ezrin-produced Destroyer album in 1976, generating four hit singles. Following the release of their sixth studio album, Love Gun, the band was on the verge of breaking up. Internal tensions and contractual obligations led to the idea of each member recording solo albums. All of the solo albums would be released as KISS, but recorded separately, with free rein to record whatever they wanted to.

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons had been carrying the majority of vocal duties up to this point, with Ace Frehley only contributing lead vocals to the track “Shock Me.” Drummer Peter Criss had earned a No. 7 hit with his song “Beth” in 1976, and also provided vocals for tracks such as “Black Diamond” and “Hard Luck Woman.” Stanley and Simmons were confident that their solo releases would dominate, but that wasn’t entirely the case. Here is one fact about each of the KISS solo albums that you may not know.

Ace Frehley Was Doubted But Succeeded

KISS fans had only seen “The Spaceman” contribute lead vocals to one track by 1978. Though Ace Frehley wrote “Cold Gin” from the band’s debut album, Gene Simmons sang on the track. Frehley wasn’t entirely interested in providing vocals for the group, but “Shock Me” became a fan favorite from the Love Gun album. It also appeared on Alive! II in 1977 and featured an extended guitar solo from Frehley. In an interview with Ultimate Guitar, Frehley recalled, “I remember Paul and Gene made a statement to me in front of everybody that was kind of a dig. They said, ‘Oh, Ace, by the way, if you need any help on your record, don’t hesitate to call us.’ In the back of my mind, I’m saying, ‘I don’t need your help.’”

This was the fuel Frehley needed to succeed. His album contained a cover of “New York Groove,” originally recorded by the band Hello. His version of “New York Groove” peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It charted incredibly higher than any of the singles by other members. The Ace Frehley record was the most successful of the solo albums. It set Frehley up for a successful solo career after leaving KISS in 1982.

Gene Simmons Attempted to Enlist All Four Former Beatles

It’s well known that KISS was heavily inspired by The Beatles. So for Gene Simmons solo effort, he sought to enlist all four former members of The Beatles. Simmons made some phone calls and, surprisingly, received a “yes” from all members. It was set in stone until the last minute; Ringo Starr was unable to participate. Since Simmons couldn’t secure all four members’ contributions, he instead brought on a Beatles tribute act, Beatlemania. The tribute act contributed backing vocals on the track “See You Tonite.” The Gene Simmons album peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200. It placed higher on the chart than the other solo albums.

Paul Stanley’s Album Featured Bob Kulick on Lead Guitar

Bob Kulick nearly became KISS’ lead guitarist in 1973. Ultimately, the group decided on Ace Frehley over Kulick, although they were impressed with his abilities. This led to Paul Stanley recruiting Kulick for his solo effort. Bob still had a successful career regardless. Kulick worked with acts such as W.A.S.P., Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Meat Loaf, and Michael Bolton. He did contribute to KISS’s Alive II, on studio tracks included on Side 4 of the album. He also provided additional guitars on the 1980 album KISS album Unmasked, and lead guitar on four tracks on 1982’s Killers. Paul Stanley’s solo effort was the only one featuring entirely original songs and peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard 200. Bob Kulick is also the older brother of Bruce Kulick. Bruce Kulick took over lead guitar duties for KISS from 1984 to 1996.

Peter Criss’s Album Featured Legendary Guitarist Steve Lukather

Around the time that Steve Lukather was debuting his new group, Toto, he contributed to Peter Criss‘s solo album. Lukather was becoming a highly acclaimed studio guitarist at the time. He contributed to Boz Scagg’s 1977 album Down Two Then Left, and Diana Ross’s Baby It’s Me that same year. In 1978, along with Criss’s solo record, Lukather also provided guitar to Alice Cooper’s From The Inside, Barbara Streisand’s Songbird, and Olivia Newton-John’s Totally Hot. With Toto, he released their debut, self-titled album in 1978.

On Peter Criss’s solo album, Lukather provided lead guitar on the tracks “That’s The Kind Of Sugar Papa Likes” and “Hooked On Rock And Roll.” Additionally, Lukather returned and appeared on Peter Criss’s 1982 solo album Let Me Rock You. In the 1980s, Lukather found further success as a studio musician, contributing to Michael Jackson’s massive hit, “Beat It.” Peter Criss’s solo KISS album was the lowest charting of the solo albums. It peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard 200 in 1978.

Photo by Steve Morley/Redferns