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Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss
Founding KISS drummer Peter “Catman” Criss delivers a riveting and candid account of his incredible life in music, from the streets of Brooklyn to the social clubs of New York City to the ultimate heights of rock ‘n roll success and excess.
LEGENDARY founding KISS drummer Peter “Catman” Criss has lived an incredible life in music, from the streets of Brooklyn to the social clubs of New York City to the ultimate heights of rock ’n’ roll success and excess.
KISS formed in 1973 and broke new ground with their elaborate makeup, live theatrics, and powerful sound. The band emerged as one of the most iconic hard rock acts in music history. Peter Criss, the Catman, was the heartbeat of the group. From an elevated perch on his pyrotechnic drum riser, he had a unique vantage point on the greatest rock show of all time, with the KISS Army looking back at him night after night.
Peter Criscuola had come a long way from the homemade drum set he pounded on nonstop as a kid growing up in Brooklyn in the fifties. He endured lean years, street violence, and the rollercoaster music scene of the sixties, but he always knew he’d make it. Makeup to Breakup is Peter Criss’s eye-opening journey from the pledge to his ma that he’d one day play Madison Square Garden to doing just that. He conquered the rock world—composing and singing his band’s all-time biggest hit, “Beth” (1976)—but he also faced the perils of stardom and his own mortality, including drug abuse, treatment in 1982, near-suicides, two broken marriages, and a hard-won battle with breast cancer.
Criss opens up with a level of honesty and emotion previously unseen in any musician’s memoir. Makeup to Breakup is the definitive and heartfelt account of one of rock’s most iconic figures, and the importance of faith and family. Rock ’n’ roll has been chronicled many times, but never quite like this.
LEGENDARY founding KISS drummer Peter “Catman” Criss has lived an incredible life in music, from the streets of Brooklyn to the social clubs of New York City to the ultimate heights of rock ’n’ roll success and excess.
KISS formed in 1973 and broke new ground with their elaborate makeup, live theatrics, and powerful sound. The band emerged as one of the most iconic hard rock acts in music history. Peter Criss, the Catman, was the heartbeat of the group. From an elevated perch on his pyrotechnic drum riser, he had a unique vantage point on the greatest rock show of all time, with the KISS Army looking back at him night after night.
Peter Criscuola had come a long way from the homemade drum set he pounded on nonstop as a kid growing up in Brooklyn in the fifties. He endured lean years, street violence, and the rollercoaster music scene of the sixties, but he always knew he’d make it. Makeup to Breakup is Peter Criss’s eye-opening journey from the pledge to his ma that he’d one day play Madison Square Garden to doing just that. He conquered the rock world—composing and singing his band’s all-time biggest hit, “Beth” (1976)—but he also faced the perils of stardom and his own mortality, including drug abuse, treatment in 1982, near-suicides, two broken marriages, and a hard-won battle with breast cancer.
Criss opens up with a level of honesty and emotion previously unseen in any musician’s memoir. Makeup to Breakup is the definitive and heartfelt account of one of rock’s most iconic figures, and the importance of faith and family. Rock ’n’ roll has been chronicled many times, but never quite like this.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 23, 2012
67 people are currently reading
1184 people want to read
About the author
Peter Criss
10 books9 followersGeorge Peter John Criscuola, better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss. Criss established the "Catman" character for his Kiss persona.
In 2012 he was inducted into Modern Drummer's Drum Hall Of Fame.
In 2012 he was inducted into Modern Drummer's Drum Hall Of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
January 8, 2013
Peter Criss sure cries a lot. Seriously. At the drop of a hat, this guy is bawling. I'd say he cries about once every three pages.
I've read 3 KISS autobiographies and this is by far the worst. There are some interesting descriptions concerning Peter's departure from the group and his subsequent re-hiring(s) but it's mostly an inventory of the times he treated people like shit or people treated him like shit. With the former, he makes it right by saying, "Oh, I talked to God, cried a bit and I'm sorry. I won't be such a dick anymore." Concerning the latter, it's "Poor me. Why wasn't anyone there to help me? I'm just a street tough from New York who was taken advantage of by these big city-slicker lawyers. I talked to God, though (and cried a lot), and he says I should work on forgiving them. But maybe not Ace."
Pete comes off as a loser with an inflated sense of entitlement. After reading this, it's hard to blame Gene Simmons for anything they did to him. Pete's a selfish bastard who would still be fucking people over if he didn't get his ass kicked off of the gravy train in 1980. The fact that he's found God and has offered some half-assed repentance makes him even more pathetic.
One positive...the descriptions of Paul Stanley as an insecure diva are priceless. I always suspected as much.
I've read 3 KISS autobiographies and this is by far the worst. There are some interesting descriptions concerning Peter's departure from the group and his subsequent re-hiring(s) but it's mostly an inventory of the times he treated people like shit or people treated him like shit. With the former, he makes it right by saying, "Oh, I talked to God, cried a bit and I'm sorry. I won't be such a dick anymore." Concerning the latter, it's "Poor me. Why wasn't anyone there to help me? I'm just a street tough from New York who was taken advantage of by these big city-slicker lawyers. I talked to God, though (and cried a lot), and he says I should work on forgiving them. But maybe not Ace."
Pete comes off as a loser with an inflated sense of entitlement. After reading this, it's hard to blame Gene Simmons for anything they did to him. Pete's a selfish bastard who would still be fucking people over if he didn't get his ass kicked off of the gravy train in 1980. The fact that he's found God and has offered some half-assed repentance makes him even more pathetic.
One positive...the descriptions of Paul Stanley as an insecure diva are priceless. I always suspected as much.
October 27, 2012
I can assure you of one thing after reading this: KISS is dead to me.
When Gene first did his autobiography, that's when the magic of what KISS WAS started to dwindle. I kept up with the music but was never back to the level of being infatuated with them again. For a long time, I have listened to both sides of the debate of Gene/Paul vs. Ace/Peter, and I have come to the following conclusion (even without an autobiography from Paul): These are four of the most despicable, disrespectful, venomous, humiliating people on earth. I'm sorry, where does it say "thou shall have 10 groupies and a pound of cocaine every night while on tour" when you are a married man?
Specifically to Peter, he is the ultimate victim. I will always hold the solo of "100,000 years" in high esteem, but the guy who did it is very much his own worst enemy. Don't get me wrong-I'm not sticking up for any of the other guys, either; they all destroyed the very thing that created them in the beginning. Yes, at times, I felt bad for Peter if I were to hold his accounts of Gene's financial molestation 100% true, but in this case you have to remember one thing: there are four versions of the truth, and the one ultimate truth that no one will ever know because it got snorted in Peru somewhere. What really gets me though is how fast Peter is to verbally assault someone in writing (I mean, come on- Joey Kramer of Aerosmith? REALLY?)
Peter talks about how important God is in his life, and all I can ask is "Does Peter understand that a true God would not condone his actions or his words?"
All I can hope for is that the next rock autobiography I read (Duran Duran's John Taylor) at least leaves the group in a respectable fashion and he has enough respect for his fans, his bandmates, and himself to be a real "man." God knows Peter couldn't.
When Gene first did his autobiography, that's when the magic of what KISS WAS started to dwindle. I kept up with the music but was never back to the level of being infatuated with them again. For a long time, I have listened to both sides of the debate of Gene/Paul vs. Ace/Peter, and I have come to the following conclusion (even without an autobiography from Paul): These are four of the most despicable, disrespectful, venomous, humiliating people on earth. I'm sorry, where does it say "thou shall have 10 groupies and a pound of cocaine every night while on tour" when you are a married man?
Specifically to Peter, he is the ultimate victim. I will always hold the solo of "100,000 years" in high esteem, but the guy who did it is very much his own worst enemy. Don't get me wrong-I'm not sticking up for any of the other guys, either; they all destroyed the very thing that created them in the beginning. Yes, at times, I felt bad for Peter if I were to hold his accounts of Gene's financial molestation 100% true, but in this case you have to remember one thing: there are four versions of the truth, and the one ultimate truth that no one will ever know because it got snorted in Peru somewhere. What really gets me though is how fast Peter is to verbally assault someone in writing (I mean, come on- Joey Kramer of Aerosmith? REALLY?)
Peter talks about how important God is in his life, and all I can ask is "Does Peter understand that a true God would not condone his actions or his words?"
All I can hope for is that the next rock autobiography I read (Duran Duran's John Taylor) at least leaves the group in a respectable fashion and he has enough respect for his fans, his bandmates, and himself to be a real "man." God knows Peter couldn't.
December 4, 2012
This is a book by one of my all-time favourite heroes, Peter Criss of KISS.
The book is all about how one of my all-time favourite heroes, Peter Criss of KISS, hates being one of my all-time favourite heroes, Peter Criss of KISS.
The book is all about how one of my all-time favourite heroes, Peter Criss of KISS, hates being one of my all-time favourite heroes, Peter Criss of KISS.
November 24, 2012
Grabbed this one because after wading through *The Devil in The White City*, I needed something easy and breezy.
Peter Criss is the whiniest sack of sorry I've ever seen. Waaah! I'm nobody! Waaah! I'm too famous! Waaah! Gene Simmons is a bully! Waaah! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! Waaah! I'm broke! Why is my solo career not happening? Waaah! I'm in rehab, recovering from my 5g/day coke habit! Waaah! I didn't make any money off the 1st reunion tour! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! Waaah! I didn't make any money off the Kiss Psycho Circus tour! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! Waaah! I didn't make any money off whatever the last tour was called! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! [whatever you do, Pete, don't even consider GETTING ANOTHER LAWYER] Waaah! Hiccup. Waaaah!
Of course, *Makeup to Breakup* was in no way lacking the catty (heh, see what I did there?) gossip about Paul, Gene, and Ace, or the gritty rock n' roll stories I was looking for when I plucked it off the shelf. Spinal Tap moments? Oh yeah. Plenty of those too.
Three stars. I was going to only give it two point five, but, as someone who stayed up late to tape "Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park" on VHS so she could pause it during the commercials, I felt I was being a bit harsh.
Peter Criss is the whiniest sack of sorry I've ever seen. Waaah! I'm nobody! Waaah! I'm too famous! Waaah! Gene Simmons is a bully! Waaah! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! Waaah! I'm broke! Why is my solo career not happening? Waaah! I'm in rehab, recovering from my 5g/day coke habit! Waaah! I didn't make any money off the 1st reunion tour! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! Waaah! I didn't make any money off the Kiss Psycho Circus tour! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! Waaah! I didn't make any money off whatever the last tour was called! I quit Kiss! ForEVER! [whatever you do, Pete, don't even consider GETTING ANOTHER LAWYER] Waaah! Hiccup. Waaaah!
Of course, *Makeup to Breakup* was in no way lacking the catty (heh, see what I did there?) gossip about Paul, Gene, and Ace, or the gritty rock n' roll stories I was looking for when I plucked it off the shelf. Spinal Tap moments? Oh yeah. Plenty of those too.
Three stars. I was going to only give it two point five, but, as someone who stayed up late to tape "Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park" on VHS so she could pause it during the commercials, I felt I was being a bit harsh.
January 1, 2018
I just want to state proudly that my very first concert was KISS at Madison Square Garden in NYC when I was 16 years old. It was still the original group and they were touring the "Dynasty" album.
This kindle book was on sale for $2.99, so I decided to treat myself to it. It is now $12.38, and I am sure that is in reaction to Paul Stanley's new autobiography having been recently released.
Peter wasn't my favorite KISS member (Paul was), but I knew this book would be very interesting based on what I knew already about him. I had already read Gene Simmons' book "KISS and Makeup" that was published earlier in the decade. So, I knew that Peter had a volatile personality and caused disharmony in the band. He also didn't make the most out of the second chance he was given for a reunion tour with KISS in their original makeup. However, I wanted to hear him tell the story in his own words. It just confirmed everything bad that was said about him in the other books. However, Peter holds nothing back here and provides probably the most details and dish out of all four KISS members' autobiographies.
This was a very honest and well-written book. I felt like Peter was talking to me, telling his own story. That's how I like an autobiography to read. Peter unabashedly shares every sordid story about himself and others, and is blatantly honest about his own excesses with sex, drugs and alcohol. He tells about his childhood in NY, growing up in an Italian family in an apartment complex, attending Catholic grammar school, triumphing over cancer, his marriages and his beloved daughter.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I was left feeling like I did when I read Dave Mustaine's autobiography; sad for him. He blames everyone else in the band, when he really caused his own problems. Still, he maintains a positive and forgiving attitude, and relies heavily on his Catholic faith (which he mentions often throughout the book). All in all, an excellent read.
This kindle book was on sale for $2.99, so I decided to treat myself to it. It is now $12.38, and I am sure that is in reaction to Paul Stanley's new autobiography having been recently released.
Peter wasn't my favorite KISS member (Paul was), but I knew this book would be very interesting based on what I knew already about him. I had already read Gene Simmons' book "KISS and Makeup" that was published earlier in the decade. So, I knew that Peter had a volatile personality and caused disharmony in the band. He also didn't make the most out of the second chance he was given for a reunion tour with KISS in their original makeup. However, I wanted to hear him tell the story in his own words. It just confirmed everything bad that was said about him in the other books. However, Peter holds nothing back here and provides probably the most details and dish out of all four KISS members' autobiographies.
This was a very honest and well-written book. I felt like Peter was talking to me, telling his own story. That's how I like an autobiography to read. Peter unabashedly shares every sordid story about himself and others, and is blatantly honest about his own excesses with sex, drugs and alcohol. He tells about his childhood in NY, growing up in an Italian family in an apartment complex, attending Catholic grammar school, triumphing over cancer, his marriages and his beloved daughter.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I was left feeling like I did when I read Dave Mustaine's autobiography; sad for him. He blames everyone else in the band, when he really caused his own problems. Still, he maintains a positive and forgiving attitude, and relies heavily on his Catholic faith (which he mentions often throughout the book). All in all, an excellent read.
November 1, 2012
While this book is better than Frehley's "No Regrets", it is still pretty lame. The only thing I sort of liked is that Peter seems to have cleaned up in the end with a greater appreciation for the simple things whether in love or materialism. So, it seems that as a guy, he has concluded life with a happy ending, which is nice to hear.
But as far as the KISS heyday goes, much of the book is a spool about his superficial and reckless money, drug and sex decisions. Throughout the book he moans about how he and Ace incrementally became subordinate to Gene and Paul but I can't imagine an alternative given Ace and Peter's ceaseless immaturity. For example, he describes Gene and Paul as anal, on-time, workaholics whereas he and Ace played from the heart (couldn't read music, or keep a beat), partied all the time (blowing shifts), and spent money like impulsive fools. Had it not been for the latter, Peter would not have found himself hamstrung begging for bottom-dollar subordination to Gene and Paul come the reunion tour. From what Peter describes he is damn lucky Gene and Paul took him in at all given he couldn't even play his own music.
As a KISS fan, I think the one thing we all know that maybe Peter doesn't is that he generally sucks on the drums when compared with to Eric Carr and Eric Singer. I love early KISS but Pete just ain't that talented although he seems like he has a good heart and totally means well, and unlike Ace, eventually overcame his early 20s mindset and moved on.
The quality of the writing is higher in this book versus Frehley's "No Regrets" and is more about one man's journey through life as opposed to the prism of one particular band.
But as far as the KISS heyday goes, much of the book is a spool about his superficial and reckless money, drug and sex decisions. Throughout the book he moans about how he and Ace incrementally became subordinate to Gene and Paul but I can't imagine an alternative given Ace and Peter's ceaseless immaturity. For example, he describes Gene and Paul as anal, on-time, workaholics whereas he and Ace played from the heart (couldn't read music, or keep a beat), partied all the time (blowing shifts), and spent money like impulsive fools. Had it not been for the latter, Peter would not have found himself hamstrung begging for bottom-dollar subordination to Gene and Paul come the reunion tour. From what Peter describes he is damn lucky Gene and Paul took him in at all given he couldn't even play his own music.
As a KISS fan, I think the one thing we all know that maybe Peter doesn't is that he generally sucks on the drums when compared with to Eric Carr and Eric Singer. I love early KISS but Pete just ain't that talented although he seems like he has a good heart and totally means well, and unlike Ace, eventually overcame his early 20s mindset and moved on.
The quality of the writing is higher in this book versus Frehley's "No Regrets" and is more about one man's journey through life as opposed to the prism of one particular band.
October 31, 2012
This is a book written by Peter Criss. It documents his whole life, from a little lad banging on his moms pots to a grown man playing venues to millions. Makeup to Breakup is a no-holds-barred version of Peter Criss's experiences within and without a band. He tells it like it is, all of it. From growing up in Brooklyn to being a founding member of Kiss, and even his experiences around his hit song, "Beth". A shocking tell all story from one of the greatest drummers of our time.
I have been a fan of Kiss's for as far back as I can remember. While I admit, it was Gene Simmons and his demon character that appealed to me most, I still enjoyed all of the original four members of the band. Paul with his bold, big voice, Ace with his coolness about him, and the Catman who's song Beth is the most beautiful rock ballad ever! When I heard about a year ago that Peter Criss was writing a book I contacted Simon & Schuster about a copy. So you could say I was slightly excited. I always wondered what happened, why did he come and go so much, and why is two other guys in the band now??? Well, everything I ever wondered and more is in this book. Seriously. A couple of times I was floored by what I was reading 'cause I just had no idea. What a journey they all have taken. Being part of something that will definitely go on forever, and with sharing gritty details of what seedy stardom is really all about, makes you crave even more. Crazy to think, but it's true.
I think this is the kind of tell-all book that Kiss fans are either gonna love or hate. There will be no in-between with this, it's just too honest, and you'll either appreciate it or think he's bashing the band. Your call either way, but I don't believe that was his intention, just sayin'.
I have been a fan of Kiss's for as far back as I can remember. While I admit, it was Gene Simmons and his demon character that appealed to me most, I still enjoyed all of the original four members of the band. Paul with his bold, big voice, Ace with his coolness about him, and the Catman who's song Beth is the most beautiful rock ballad ever! When I heard about a year ago that Peter Criss was writing a book I contacted Simon & Schuster about a copy. So you could say I was slightly excited. I always wondered what happened, why did he come and go so much, and why is two other guys in the band now??? Well, everything I ever wondered and more is in this book. Seriously. A couple of times I was floored by what I was reading 'cause I just had no idea. What a journey they all have taken. Being part of something that will definitely go on forever, and with sharing gritty details of what seedy stardom is really all about, makes you crave even more. Crazy to think, but it's true.
I think this is the kind of tell-all book that Kiss fans are either gonna love or hate. There will be no in-between with this, it's just too honest, and you'll either appreciate it or think he's bashing the band. Your call either way, but I don't believe that was his intention, just sayin'.
November 9, 2012
WOW.
I have been a KISS fan since 1978, when I was 10. I read Gene's book when it came out, and Ace's as well. Peter has been promising a book for almost 10 years. Well, here it is, and it does not disappoint.
Gene's book pulled no punches. He painted Ace and Peter in a certain light, and sometimes a not so nice one.
All in all, Peter's version is a lot like Gene's. True, Peter puts HIS spin on certain events. Bit for the most part, if it's in Gene's book, it's in Peter's as well-with Peter's view of the events.
Peter does seem to go into more detail on a few things..the groupies for one thing. While Gene didn't down play the sex, Peter opened my eyes, boy did he ever! It's hard to beleive some of it-but I do!
Peter talks about his struggle with drug abuse as well. I did learn some things I didn't know before.
Where he really got my attention is when the group gets back together in 1996. For Peter (and Ace) it was not the happy reunion we all thought. He goes into great detail about it, and again, I beleive it.
Does he come down too hard on Gene and Paul? Maybe he does, at times. Does he short change KISS and what they did in the years without he and Ace(and make-up) For sure he does!
Does he take a little too much credit for some things? Again, Maybe.
I enjoyed the book very much. While I will now look at all of them in a differet light, I will always enjoy their music!!!!!
I have been a KISS fan since 1978, when I was 10. I read Gene's book when it came out, and Ace's as well. Peter has been promising a book for almost 10 years. Well, here it is, and it does not disappoint.
Gene's book pulled no punches. He painted Ace and Peter in a certain light, and sometimes a not so nice one.
All in all, Peter's version is a lot like Gene's. True, Peter puts HIS spin on certain events. Bit for the most part, if it's in Gene's book, it's in Peter's as well-with Peter's view of the events.
Peter does seem to go into more detail on a few things..the groupies for one thing. While Gene didn't down play the sex, Peter opened my eyes, boy did he ever! It's hard to beleive some of it-but I do!
Peter talks about his struggle with drug abuse as well. I did learn some things I didn't know before.
Where he really got my attention is when the group gets back together in 1996. For Peter (and Ace) it was not the happy reunion we all thought. He goes into great detail about it, and again, I beleive it.
Does he come down too hard on Gene and Paul? Maybe he does, at times. Does he short change KISS and what they did in the years without he and Ace(and make-up) For sure he does!
Does he take a little too much credit for some things? Again, Maybe.
I enjoyed the book very much. While I will now look at all of them in a differet light, I will always enjoy their music!!!!!
December 15, 2025
Peter Criss, the legendary drummer of KISS, has written a no-holds-barred memoir on his life and his career in the music industry. He pulls no punches when it comes to his opinions on his bandmates. He’s brutally honest about their flaws, quirks, and personalities. If you follow KISS or have read any books by the band members, you know their reputations by now: Gene is the egomaniac who loves sex and money. Ace (RIP) is the space cadet without a care in the world. Paul is the sensitive and serious one. Peter Criss is the hothead who is not afraid to complain or fly off the handle.
He certainly isn’t shy when it comes to ripping apart his bandmates. However, I don’t recall too many times in the book where he takes any accountability for his own actions. He’s very quick to blame ex-wives, lawyers, or his fellow bandmates for screwing him over. I could understand if he was screwed over here or there, but after a while, I don’t quite understand how nothing was ever his fault and he was always the victim. I loved the drama, the juicy gossip, and Peter’s unfiltered opinions on the band. He certainly isn’t afraid to verbally eviscerate anyone who has wronged him.
The book is highly entertaining, but I did find it to be prone to exaggeration and he plays the victim way too much in the book. Once he started getting into his relationship with God, the book lost me. Paul Stanley’s book is still the best book by any member of KISS. Peter’s book is the most aggressive and outlandish, however.
He certainly isn’t shy when it comes to ripping apart his bandmates. However, I don’t recall too many times in the book where he takes any accountability for his own actions. He’s very quick to blame ex-wives, lawyers, or his fellow bandmates for screwing him over. I could understand if he was screwed over here or there, but after a while, I don’t quite understand how nothing was ever his fault and he was always the victim. I loved the drama, the juicy gossip, and Peter’s unfiltered opinions on the band. He certainly isn’t afraid to verbally eviscerate anyone who has wronged him.
The book is highly entertaining, but I did find it to be prone to exaggeration and he plays the victim way too much in the book. Once he started getting into his relationship with God, the book lost me. Paul Stanley’s book is still the best book by any member of KISS. Peter’s book is the most aggressive and outlandish, however.
November 23, 2012
I didn't become aware of KISS through the radio as I did with other bands, but through other kids during after-school care. Their older siblings had the records and merchandise, all of which trickled down to younger listeners. My earliest memory of seeing the band in the pre-MTV era was a television airing of KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, much talked about the next day among the elementary school set. Perhaps it's fitting, considering the direction of the band's early marketing efforts - it's no wonder that the band's original drummer expresses frustration in his memoir that he preferred to work as a musician in a band like the Stones rather than a commodity in a group like The Monkees. I don't profess to be a member of the KISS Army (I don't own a single album or compilation), so at best I'm a casual listener and often captive observer, considering how expansively the KISS brand is still advertised.
I picked up Peter Criss's book, Makeup to Breakup, after my closest friend told me he was reading Ace Frehley's book (look for a guest review on that one soon). He went into Ace's book already knowing much of the story, being perhaps a more avid fan, and from the notes we've compared it may be safe to say Criss's book delves a bit deeper into the "KISStory."
The story opens with a jolt more intimidating than any full makeup live show, where Peter briefly contemplates suicide after riding out a rough California earthquake. While an unwavering faith in God and devotion to family ultimately pull him back, this event seems to symbolize the shaky ground on which Criss has walked through much of his life, from early beginnings running with gangs to false starts with fledgling bands until his first meeting with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
Criss and co-author Larry Sloman paint a rather vivid picture of the drummer's youth and pre-KISS days. As with other musician memoirs I've read in recent years (Sammy Hagar's for one), the requisite juvenile delinquency sets the stage for an interesting life. George Peter Criscuola stood out in school and in the neighborhood, and not necessarily in a good way. A stint in a gang helped toughen him for life on the road as a drummer, yet he left his tenure with KISS a victim in many ways.
Criss notes here that Simmons has painted him as the complainer in the group, and if Criss's word is to be accepted over the other band members he has good reason. Criss's desire to play in a band apparently conflicted with Simmons's desire to play up a brand - profits from the KISS-logo condoms, coffins, underwear, etc. aren't likely to hit Criss's bank account, and the resentment is strongly felt in this book. It's interesting to note, too, that Frehley had designed the iconic logo that Simmons markets with fervor.
But this is a review of Makeup to Breakup, not a critique of the band's marketing strategy. I find that as I read books like Criss's I become torn emotionally. The guy had millions at one point, and one might find it challenging to feel for him when he hits a low point personally and professionally, especially when you read of all the coke snorted, the women banged and tossed away, etc. In some chapters Criss appears unapologetic for certain actions, and when you come to the point where you want to close the book and leave him to reap what he sowed you read about how the KISS machine drew him back in so they could make more money off the Catman, and you feel insulted right along with him.
What may win you to Criss's corner, KISS fan or not, is his unwavering appreciation for his fans. Criss may never see a dime from sales of lunchboxes and t-shirts, but at the end of the day he knows the KISS Army formed for a love of the music, and his contributions are no less important than the other members'. Remember, Criss co-wrote the band's highest charting single, and that's one thing Gene, Paul, and Ace can never take away.
I imagine hardcore KISS fans will debate over whether Criss is entitled to his financial share of the legacy or if Simmons and Stanley acted with benevolence in giving Criss a "second chance" after years of drug abuse on the job. Either way, fans now have a third point of view of the KISStory to consider, and it's worth reading.
I picked up Peter Criss's book, Makeup to Breakup, after my closest friend told me he was reading Ace Frehley's book (look for a guest review on that one soon). He went into Ace's book already knowing much of the story, being perhaps a more avid fan, and from the notes we've compared it may be safe to say Criss's book delves a bit deeper into the "KISStory."
The story opens with a jolt more intimidating than any full makeup live show, where Peter briefly contemplates suicide after riding out a rough California earthquake. While an unwavering faith in God and devotion to family ultimately pull him back, this event seems to symbolize the shaky ground on which Criss has walked through much of his life, from early beginnings running with gangs to false starts with fledgling bands until his first meeting with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
Criss and co-author Larry Sloman paint a rather vivid picture of the drummer's youth and pre-KISS days. As with other musician memoirs I've read in recent years (Sammy Hagar's for one), the requisite juvenile delinquency sets the stage for an interesting life. George Peter Criscuola stood out in school and in the neighborhood, and not necessarily in a good way. A stint in a gang helped toughen him for life on the road as a drummer, yet he left his tenure with KISS a victim in many ways.
Criss notes here that Simmons has painted him as the complainer in the group, and if Criss's word is to be accepted over the other band members he has good reason. Criss's desire to play in a band apparently conflicted with Simmons's desire to play up a brand - profits from the KISS-logo condoms, coffins, underwear, etc. aren't likely to hit Criss's bank account, and the resentment is strongly felt in this book. It's interesting to note, too, that Frehley had designed the iconic logo that Simmons markets with fervor.
But this is a review of Makeup to Breakup, not a critique of the band's marketing strategy. I find that as I read books like Criss's I become torn emotionally. The guy had millions at one point, and one might find it challenging to feel for him when he hits a low point personally and professionally, especially when you read of all the coke snorted, the women banged and tossed away, etc. In some chapters Criss appears unapologetic for certain actions, and when you come to the point where you want to close the book and leave him to reap what he sowed you read about how the KISS machine drew him back in so they could make more money off the Catman, and you feel insulted right along with him.
What may win you to Criss's corner, KISS fan or not, is his unwavering appreciation for his fans. Criss may never see a dime from sales of lunchboxes and t-shirts, but at the end of the day he knows the KISS Army formed for a love of the music, and his contributions are no less important than the other members'. Remember, Criss co-wrote the band's highest charting single, and that's one thing Gene, Paul, and Ace can never take away.
I imagine hardcore KISS fans will debate over whether Criss is entitled to his financial share of the legacy or if Simmons and Stanley acted with benevolence in giving Criss a "second chance" after years of drug abuse on the job. Either way, fans now have a third point of view of the KISStory to consider, and it's worth reading.
December 20, 2016
Peter Criss has a good story to tell. He tenaciously clawed (pun intended!) his way out of a "Warriors"-esque Williamsburg, Brooklyn (notable neighborhood buddy: Jerry Nolan of the New York Dolls!) to become a founding member of one of the most successful rock bands in western history. Along the way, he battled addictions (his nine-week stint in a Connecticut rehab is assiduously detailed here), women, breast cancer (true!) and bandmates, most notably Gene and Paul. In fact, vociferous Gene-and-Paul complaints come to punctuate this narrative, and--granted--with good reason. As Pete tells it, both bandmates undercut Pete constantly, emotionally, financially and even when it came to the legacy of the band. Quirky, sodden and lovable Ace is here, too, of course, but Pete doesn't spare him either. It really is Pete against all, and yet, like most titles in the "rock 'n' recovery" genre, there is the redemption its readers demand.
August 6, 2015
Great sex, drugs and rock and roll stories which I loved. I appreciated him sharing his breast cancer experience and advocacy. I can tell he took a lot of time putting this book together and did a lot of soul-searching. I sympathized that he really seemed to be screwed over by the band at every turn. There seemed to be no lack of ego on him, you'd think he was the best drummer in all of musicdom everyone is lucky to have played with him, slept with him, met him. Practically outting Paul and ragging on fat chicks didn't earn him points with me and I was kinda turned off by his bitter tone, but he is a slice of rock legend and it's a decent book.
January 9, 2025
This was a great memoir, not just because of the subject matter, but because of how it brought an entirely new glimpse into Kisstory. For the better part of the last few decades, the story of KISS has largely been told and controlled by founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. However, thanks to the power of the pen, recently original drummer Peter Criss and original guitarist Ace Frehley have been able to pen their perspectives, as well.
Peter's account focused on himself as a person - a internally sensitive, confrontational Catholic boy from New York with a rough exterior who never had a ton of confidence. That sensitivity allowed for tons of creativity to flow, and a need to express frustration. Drums were the perfect instrument for Criscuola.
This is a wild rock and roll fairy tale with the highest highs and the lowest lows. Criss was an instrumental part of KISS's success, and was never given the credit he was due by his own bandmates. Plenty of his own personal issues - drugs, alcohol, dependency, unfaithfulness, and naivety - all led to some of those lows and played a part in his legacy being minimized, but at the end of the day, this is a true redemption story.
By the time Criss conquered his demons and righted his wrongs, he was still taken advantage of by the band he helped put on top of the world, and in simple terms, it just sucks to know that Gene and Paul are such assholes. Not soley because of this book, but this account paired with Ace's and other oral histories of the band. It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll, but Gene and Paul had no problem in stepping on anyone and everyone's throat on the way up.
Highly recommend this book to any KISS fan, but especially any Gene and Paul defenders. Would encourage the latter to read Criss and Frehley's accounts back to back and see if the perception of Gene and Paul persists.
Peter's account focused on himself as a person - a internally sensitive, confrontational Catholic boy from New York with a rough exterior who never had a ton of confidence. That sensitivity allowed for tons of creativity to flow, and a need to express frustration. Drums were the perfect instrument for Criscuola.
This is a wild rock and roll fairy tale with the highest highs and the lowest lows. Criss was an instrumental part of KISS's success, and was never given the credit he was due by his own bandmates. Plenty of his own personal issues - drugs, alcohol, dependency, unfaithfulness, and naivety - all led to some of those lows and played a part in his legacy being minimized, but at the end of the day, this is a true redemption story.
By the time Criss conquered his demons and righted his wrongs, he was still taken advantage of by the band he helped put on top of the world, and in simple terms, it just sucks to know that Gene and Paul are such assholes. Not soley because of this book, but this account paired with Ace's and other oral histories of the band. It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll, but Gene and Paul had no problem in stepping on anyone and everyone's throat on the way up.
Highly recommend this book to any KISS fan, but especially any Gene and Paul defenders. Would encourage the latter to read Criss and Frehley's accounts back to back and see if the perception of Gene and Paul persists.
May 8, 2023
Peter tells all. Nothing is held back. I probably will never read Gene’s books as he is quite the narcissist and can’t tell the truth. I have heard some parts of Paul’s book and he just trashes everyone too much but I had a feeling Peter would have the true story. He doesn’t hold back being honest about his own weakness and mistakes. It was such an interesting story I read it all in one setting. It was even more fun for me because Ai saw Kiss live in 1974, 1975, 1976 I saw them when RUSH opened for them. I also saw them in 2000 on the reunion tour when Ted Nugent opened for them! They always put on a great show.
May 17, 2013
From his humble Italian/Catholic upbringing on the streets of Brooklyn to his meteoric ascent into rock's stratosphere and beyond, Peter Criss describes his outrageous life experiences — warts and all — in graphic detail. He pulls no punches as he seemingly drops a dime on everyone he's encountered over the years — including himself and the three other original Kiss members. By his own admission, we learn that Criss deals with some serious anger issues. Founding lead guitarist Ace Frehley is portrayed as a Nazi-obsessed chronic masturbater. Co-founder and bassist Gene Simmons reportedly is such a sex-addicted maniac that during particularly severe flare-ups, herpes sores can cover most of his body. And Criss further claims that frontman Paul Stanley has wrestled with lifelong sexual orientation issues.
Despite his willingness to come clean regarding personal demons (i.e. infidelity, wife beating, drugs and alcohol), Criss' scale of judgment is often unbalanced. He openly questions Paul Stanley's sexual preference early in the story, revealing the frontman's unique talent for creating detailed drawings of penises. Yet his own, more disturbing behavior, as well as that of Ace Frehley gets a pass: "Ace and I became famous for taking out our dicks at the drop of a hat. Then we'd grab each other's dicks. It wasn't sexual, just stupid adolescent tomfoolery." What? Not sexual? Hang on there, fella. Where I come from that ain't called, "tomfoolery," that's called gay. I'm not judging, I'm just saying.
Criss recounts a particular Kiss road story from the mid '70s in which he and Frehley got a young female after-show guest bombed beyond the point of consciousness. They covered the girl with bologna and sandwich condiments, then proceeded to put her seemingly lifeless naked body into the hotel elevator and hit the button for the lobby. It was disturbing tales such as this that frequently made me feel like a dope for having gleefully guzzled so much Kiss Kool-Aid for so many years.
I found Criss' conversational, no-nonsense style to be quite engaging. However, I was a bit disappointed that such a successful and talented (sixty-six-year-old) man still resorts to juvenile name-calling. I believe that referring to people as "fags" and "whores" and prefacing every reference to Simmons and Stanley with, "those pricks" or "those fuck faces," only compromises Criss' credibility. And his countless references to women as "pussy" was insulting and just plain creepy. That type of language was crass even back in the '70s.
I can only imagine that jamming a near fifty-year career into 370 pages was no easy feat. Hence, Criss' story is fast-paced and he often quickly glosses over prime eras. And although Criss did successfully touch on most aspects of his life, many holes remained in his story. Jeanette Frehley receives "special thanks" in the Acknowledgments, but she is only briefly referenced one time in the rest of the book. I'd be interested in gaining further insight into their friendship. Clearly Criss enjoyed close personal relationships with Kiss manager Bill Aucoin, Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart and songwriter/producer Sean Delaney — key players in the Kiss story who all died way too young. However, Criss makes no mention of their passing. And if Paul McCartney had rescued me during any kind of accident, I certainly would have devoted more than a casual, one paragraph description of the experience. But I commend Criss for taking the time to give credit where it's due — shining light on the creative Kiss contributions of Aucoin and Delaney.
It seems that perhaps the greatest source of darkness in Criss' life was, and may continue to be, not sex, drugs or rock and roll, but the emotional damage caused by religion. Guilt, condemnation and punishment, was beat into him practically from birth by priests, nuns and even well-intending family members.
Fortunately, Jesus Christ served as THE ultimate, perfect and final sacrifice. He paid for ALL sins — past, present and future when the religious people of his day crucified him.
The ONLY way to the Father is through the Son (JOHN 3:16 / 1 JOHN 5:12) Rosaries do nothing. And I certainly mean no disrespect, but praying to Mary is as effective as praying to an Ace Frehley action figure. That's all a product of man-made religion. What I'm talking about is relationship — a unique and personal connection with God the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ. Salvation is the greatest gift ever offered to man. It's available to us ALL — and it's absolutely FREE!
And contrary to Criss' assertions, God does NOT place cancer or any sickness on people for any reason. To think otherwise is to buy into more religion — another lie sent straight from the pit of Hell. I'd be delighted to offer encouragement, inspiration and guidance based on the Word of God to anyone in need. I'm easily accessible: AuthorChristopherLong@yahoo.com
In sum, Peter Criss exceeded my expectations. "Makeup to Breakup" is a highly entertaining read throughout. And although many aspects of Criss' story are certainly disturbing, "Makeup to Breakup" stands out as the second-best of the Kiss bios — right behind CK Lendt's "Kiss and Sell."
-Christopher Long
(October 2012)
Despite his willingness to come clean regarding personal demons (i.e. infidelity, wife beating, drugs and alcohol), Criss' scale of judgment is often unbalanced. He openly questions Paul Stanley's sexual preference early in the story, revealing the frontman's unique talent for creating detailed drawings of penises. Yet his own, more disturbing behavior, as well as that of Ace Frehley gets a pass: "Ace and I became famous for taking out our dicks at the drop of a hat. Then we'd grab each other's dicks. It wasn't sexual, just stupid adolescent tomfoolery." What? Not sexual? Hang on there, fella. Where I come from that ain't called, "tomfoolery," that's called gay. I'm not judging, I'm just saying.
Criss recounts a particular Kiss road story from the mid '70s in which he and Frehley got a young female after-show guest bombed beyond the point of consciousness. They covered the girl with bologna and sandwich condiments, then proceeded to put her seemingly lifeless naked body into the hotel elevator and hit the button for the lobby. It was disturbing tales such as this that frequently made me feel like a dope for having gleefully guzzled so much Kiss Kool-Aid for so many years.
I found Criss' conversational, no-nonsense style to be quite engaging. However, I was a bit disappointed that such a successful and talented (sixty-six-year-old) man still resorts to juvenile name-calling. I believe that referring to people as "fags" and "whores" and prefacing every reference to Simmons and Stanley with, "those pricks" or "those fuck faces," only compromises Criss' credibility. And his countless references to women as "pussy" was insulting and just plain creepy. That type of language was crass even back in the '70s.
I can only imagine that jamming a near fifty-year career into 370 pages was no easy feat. Hence, Criss' story is fast-paced and he often quickly glosses over prime eras. And although Criss did successfully touch on most aspects of his life, many holes remained in his story. Jeanette Frehley receives "special thanks" in the Acknowledgments, but she is only briefly referenced one time in the rest of the book. I'd be interested in gaining further insight into their friendship. Clearly Criss enjoyed close personal relationships with Kiss manager Bill Aucoin, Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart and songwriter/producer Sean Delaney — key players in the Kiss story who all died way too young. However, Criss makes no mention of their passing. And if Paul McCartney had rescued me during any kind of accident, I certainly would have devoted more than a casual, one paragraph description of the experience. But I commend Criss for taking the time to give credit where it's due — shining light on the creative Kiss contributions of Aucoin and Delaney.
It seems that perhaps the greatest source of darkness in Criss' life was, and may continue to be, not sex, drugs or rock and roll, but the emotional damage caused by religion. Guilt, condemnation and punishment, was beat into him practically from birth by priests, nuns and even well-intending family members.
Fortunately, Jesus Christ served as THE ultimate, perfect and final sacrifice. He paid for ALL sins — past, present and future when the religious people of his day crucified him.
The ONLY way to the Father is through the Son (JOHN 3:16 / 1 JOHN 5:12) Rosaries do nothing. And I certainly mean no disrespect, but praying to Mary is as effective as praying to an Ace Frehley action figure. That's all a product of man-made religion. What I'm talking about is relationship — a unique and personal connection with God the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ. Salvation is the greatest gift ever offered to man. It's available to us ALL — and it's absolutely FREE!
And contrary to Criss' assertions, God does NOT place cancer or any sickness on people for any reason. To think otherwise is to buy into more religion — another lie sent straight from the pit of Hell. I'd be delighted to offer encouragement, inspiration and guidance based on the Word of God to anyone in need. I'm easily accessible: AuthorChristopherLong@yahoo.com
In sum, Peter Criss exceeded my expectations. "Makeup to Breakup" is a highly entertaining read throughout. And although many aspects of Criss' story are certainly disturbing, "Makeup to Breakup" stands out as the second-best of the Kiss bios — right behind CK Lendt's "Kiss and Sell."
-Christopher Long
(October 2012)
May 19, 2014
I must be somewhat jaded, lol, but I'm just not shocked by all the sex, drugs and rock n' roll bands got (or still get) into. It doesn't surprise me because that's what happens in the entertainment world. It's a grand illusion (to quote one of my favourite bands Styx) where moderation, restraint and common sense no longer exist. 24/7 someone's telling you how awesome you are, even as you slowly destroy yourself. I've even read Motley Crue's notorious The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band and the only response I had was "I'm surprised those fuckers still have functioning brain cells."
I'm a casual KISS fan, certainly not a member of the KISS Army. I've seen them several times and while they're no Dream Theater, I've never left a show feeling that I didn't get my money's worth. It's also an interesting cultural study. KISS shows are probably the only rock shows where entire families-including kids and grandparents-show up, some in full-on KISS makeup. Call me crazy, but it is rather hilarious to watch seven-year old kids sing "Love Gun" or "Lick It Up".
That being said, I found Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss by The Catman himself, Peter Criss, compulsively readable. He writes in an engaging and open style, like talking to a friend who just happens to be a grizzled rock veteran. There's a glimpse into his early life, the forces that shaped a young Peter Gregory Criscoula from Brooklyn. A kid with stars in his eyes who just wanted to play drums and play Madison Square Garden. And there's plenty of sex and drugs. If I sneezed every time Criss mentions how much blow he and those around him went through, I'd be filthy rich. How the guys ever found time to actually play is rather amazing. There's plenty of rock and roll egos and excess to go around. As I'd heard and expected, Criss really blasts Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, though he seems to vent his rage more at Gene, who gets painted as a sex-addicted, money-hungry control freak. There are some bones tossed out about Paul Stanley's sexuality (because we're still in the dark ages when it comes to being gay or bi in rock/metal. Rob Halford notwithstanding. Criss never states it for the record, but through innuendo as if looking at/buying rugs makes a guy gay). Criss still loves his other bandmate and partner in drugs Ace Frehley. They both found themselves at the not-so-tender mercies of Gene, Paul and a bevy of smooth-talking legal types. It may shock some readers that Criss didn't learn how to write a check or pay bills until he was 47 years old, but that's just another symptom of being so isolated in the rock n' roll bubble. I found Criss' honesty about his breast cancer very refreshing and I'm glad to see him speaking out about it.
I take all good rock n' roll memoirs like great stories. There are no amazing revelations, just crazy lives lived on the edge. There are no good guys in Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss, just the ongoing saga of four incredibly talented yet dysfunctional men thrown into the crucible of rock n' roll. I do agree with Criss about the laughable dreck that was KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. Seriously Mike, Crow and Tom Servo would have had a field day riffing on that thing. I watch it once in a blue moon and find myself doubling up in hysterics.
I'm a casual KISS fan, certainly not a member of the KISS Army. I've seen them several times and while they're no Dream Theater, I've never left a show feeling that I didn't get my money's worth. It's also an interesting cultural study. KISS shows are probably the only rock shows where entire families-including kids and grandparents-show up, some in full-on KISS makeup. Call me crazy, but it is rather hilarious to watch seven-year old kids sing "Love Gun" or "Lick It Up".
That being said, I found Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss by The Catman himself, Peter Criss, compulsively readable. He writes in an engaging and open style, like talking to a friend who just happens to be a grizzled rock veteran. There's a glimpse into his early life, the forces that shaped a young Peter Gregory Criscoula from Brooklyn. A kid with stars in his eyes who just wanted to play drums and play Madison Square Garden. And there's plenty of sex and drugs. If I sneezed every time Criss mentions how much blow he and those around him went through, I'd be filthy rich. How the guys ever found time to actually play is rather amazing. There's plenty of rock and roll egos and excess to go around. As I'd heard and expected, Criss really blasts Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, though he seems to vent his rage more at Gene, who gets painted as a sex-addicted, money-hungry control freak. There are some bones tossed out about Paul Stanley's sexuality (because we're still in the dark ages when it comes to being gay or bi in rock/metal. Rob Halford notwithstanding. Criss never states it for the record, but through innuendo as if looking at/buying rugs makes a guy gay). Criss still loves his other bandmate and partner in drugs Ace Frehley. They both found themselves at the not-so-tender mercies of Gene, Paul and a bevy of smooth-talking legal types. It may shock some readers that Criss didn't learn how to write a check or pay bills until he was 47 years old, but that's just another symptom of being so isolated in the rock n' roll bubble. I found Criss' honesty about his breast cancer very refreshing and I'm glad to see him speaking out about it.
I take all good rock n' roll memoirs like great stories. There are no amazing revelations, just crazy lives lived on the edge. There are no good guys in Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss, just the ongoing saga of four incredibly talented yet dysfunctional men thrown into the crucible of rock n' roll. I do agree with Criss about the laughable dreck that was KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. Seriously Mike, Crow and Tom Servo would have had a field day riffing on that thing. I watch it once in a blue moon and find myself doubling up in hysterics.
February 6, 2013
SPOILER ALERT: Peter Criss does not like Paul Stanley nor is he rather fond of Gene Simmons. Now that this is established, you are going to hear Peter mention this. A lot. Now that's not to say I blame him. If I was screwed over half as bad as he claims Gene and Paul screwed him over, I'd be upset too. But pointing out the evils of Simmanley (my new term for Peter's version of evil Paul and Gene) over and over again, it becomes kind of numb.
By now we're all familiar with the story of KISS (and if not, SHAME ON YOU!) but here's the cliff-notes: Four boys from NYC start a band that graduates from playing bars and clubs to selling out Madison Square Garden. Along the way they rock, snort, drink, guzzle, fornicate, squabble, crash, burn, shock and ultimately go their separate ways, only to reunite and breakup.
"But Stephen," you are saying, "KISS is still alive and well! They're over in Europe on a world tour right now! How can you say they broke up?"
Well, Random Person Reading This, you are quasi-correct. On tour right now is Gene, Paul, Not-Peter and Not-Ace who are calling themselves KISS. It's not quite KISS, but it's good enough.
But Peter Criss (born Peter George John Criscuola, December 20th, 1945)entered this world and quickly grew up in Williamsburg, falling in with the wrong crowd. Joining a gang, getting into fights, he was on a one way path of destruction. Sound familiar? Yeah, it's just Every Episode of Behind the Music Ever.
As much as I love KISS, as much as I value Peter's skill as a drummer and a singer (I dare you not to get a rush of FEELS when you listen to 'Beth') this book really didn't do much for me. It starts off great when he talks about growing up in old-school, pre-irony Williamsburg. That part was interesting, especially all of the bands he played in before he joined what was to become KISS.
Once he joins KISS, it falls into a trap of repetitiveness.
"I was high off [INSERT DRUG HERE] and drunk off [INSERT BOOZE HERE] when we played [INSERT TOWN HERE] in 19xx. But I played my heart out, but Gene and Paul were really mean to me, you guys."
Once he breaks up with KISS, the book takes a turn back to the interesting, as he candidly recalls his failed marriages, recovering from his drug addiction, his ill-fated attempts to reunite with KISS, his acting stint on 'Oz', his suicide attempt and his recovery from breast cancer. That part is interesting.
If you're a die-hard fan of KISS like I am (KISS ARMY 4 LYFE) then this is nothing new. Ace is a bit....awkward, Gene is a controlling smarter-than-thou, Paul is the effeminate lead and Peter is Peter. And no, Peter Griffin, Peter Criss DOES want to be Peter Criss.
If you're not a fan of KISS, or at least not really familiar with the group, it's worth a read to learn about Peter and the rest of the gang.
FINAL SCORE: Three out of Five 'Beths'
By now we're all familiar with the story of KISS (and if not, SHAME ON YOU!) but here's the cliff-notes: Four boys from NYC start a band that graduates from playing bars and clubs to selling out Madison Square Garden. Along the way they rock, snort, drink, guzzle, fornicate, squabble, crash, burn, shock and ultimately go their separate ways, only to reunite and breakup.
"But Stephen," you are saying, "KISS is still alive and well! They're over in Europe on a world tour right now! How can you say they broke up?"
Well, Random Person Reading This, you are quasi-correct. On tour right now is Gene, Paul, Not-Peter and Not-Ace who are calling themselves KISS. It's not quite KISS, but it's good enough.
But Peter Criss (born Peter George John Criscuola, December 20th, 1945)entered this world and quickly grew up in Williamsburg, falling in with the wrong crowd. Joining a gang, getting into fights, he was on a one way path of destruction. Sound familiar? Yeah, it's just Every Episode of Behind the Music Ever.
As much as I love KISS, as much as I value Peter's skill as a drummer and a singer (I dare you not to get a rush of FEELS when you listen to 'Beth') this book really didn't do much for me. It starts off great when he talks about growing up in old-school, pre-irony Williamsburg. That part was interesting, especially all of the bands he played in before he joined what was to become KISS.
Once he joins KISS, it falls into a trap of repetitiveness.
"I was high off [INSERT DRUG HERE] and drunk off [INSERT BOOZE HERE] when we played [INSERT TOWN HERE] in 19xx. But I played my heart out, but Gene and Paul were really mean to me, you guys."
Once he breaks up with KISS, the book takes a turn back to the interesting, as he candidly recalls his failed marriages, recovering from his drug addiction, his ill-fated attempts to reunite with KISS, his acting stint on 'Oz', his suicide attempt and his recovery from breast cancer. That part is interesting.
If you're a die-hard fan of KISS like I am (KISS ARMY 4 LYFE) then this is nothing new. Ace is a bit....awkward, Gene is a controlling smarter-than-thou, Paul is the effeminate lead and Peter is Peter. And no, Peter Griffin, Peter Criss DOES want to be Peter Criss.
If you're not a fan of KISS, or at least not really familiar with the group, it's worth a read to learn about Peter and the rest of the gang.
FINAL SCORE: Three out of Five 'Beths'
December 26, 2012
first off as the rating above showed I did enjoy this book...I am making this clear now as there is also much to gripe and moan about in regard to this book and the subjects mind set....but as Peter himself seems to enjoy a good moan that kind of seems fitting.
First off Peter comes across as having a massive ego and an overinflated view of his own self importance..in fact the only rock biography I have read which compares in regard ego is Donovans...even Gene comes across better than Pete in regard to this as far as their books go.
what we have then is the truth from Peter's side..every failure or sidestep in Peter's life is someone else's fault whether it be his ejection from KISS,his failed solo career or doomed relationships..this is a book that burns bridges no-one from KISS comes out of this unscathed and you get the feeling Peter is now confident enough with his space in things to never go back anyhow..I suspect there is much truth amongst the egotistical rants too..if Peter was truly the poor drummer Gene and Paul have stated why welcome him back so many times...especially in regard a project of such magnitude as the KISS symphony which he was involved in.
ultimately in regard to the KISS books this is about the best yet..far more weighty than Ace and Genes and self reflective enough to at least point some of the blame back on the author..
First off Peter comes across as having a massive ego and an overinflated view of his own self importance..in fact the only rock biography I have read which compares in regard ego is Donovans...even Gene comes across better than Pete in regard to this as far as their books go.
what we have then is the truth from Peter's side..every failure or sidestep in Peter's life is someone else's fault whether it be his ejection from KISS,his failed solo career or doomed relationships..this is a book that burns bridges no-one from KISS comes out of this unscathed and you get the feeling Peter is now confident enough with his space in things to never go back anyhow..I suspect there is much truth amongst the egotistical rants too..if Peter was truly the poor drummer Gene and Paul have stated why welcome him back so many times...especially in regard a project of such magnitude as the KISS symphony which he was involved in.
ultimately in regard to the KISS books this is about the best yet..far more weighty than Ace and Genes and self reflective enough to at least point some of the blame back on the author..
June 21, 2025
3.33⭐️/5
They say, “Never meet your childhood heroes…”
What a bunch of jerks!
They say, “Never meet your childhood heroes…”
What a bunch of jerks!
December 4, 2012
Okay, I am a pretty huge Kiss fan. They were the first band I got into as a young kid of 11 years-old. I discovered the band in 1977 right around the time Kiss Alive II was released, and I heard it at a friend's house. I promptly went out and purchased their latest studio album Love Gun, and became an instant fan. Prior to that, it was music like the Grease soundtrack, and the Bee Gees, and other poppy disco stuff of the time. So, Kiss was my first taste of hard rock, and I consumed all they had.
They were my first concert experience, seeing the Dynasty tour in 1979 and many times after that. The only thing I really knew about the band was what I saw. Not an avid reader, nor a real follower of the latest tabloid/magazine world, I did not spend much time following the behind the scenes publicized dirt. They were super heroes to me - amazing musicians who put on a great show.
Now, 35 years later, I am still a big fan. I have all of their albums, I have a bunch of merchandise too. I follow them religiously to a degree. Obviously I like hundreds of other bands now, but still Kiss ranks up their as a key player in my eye. I have followed the solo stuff, I have followed the former members (Ace & Peter), but still, only paid a small amount of attention to the publicized dirt.
I bought Gene's biography, but never read it. I did read his other book, Sex, Money, Kiss, which I laughed off as just a bunch of his egotistical self-centered money-hungry crap that it was. I read Ace's biography a few months back, and it really focused a lot more on his own personal struggle. The early formative years of Kiss were brought to life as seen through his eyes, but overall, the book seemed more centered around his own personal dark struggles, with not quite as much bad-mouthing as we find in this book by Peter.
After finishing Peter's book, I have to say, my opinion on the band is drastically twisted. I am torn between two opinions. First, on one side, Peter was self-destructing and a real arrogant jerk who seemed to care less about others or even himself. With the amount of drugs and trash that he got into, just like I felt with Ace's book, it is surprising these two are still alive. Peter made so many bad decisions, he acted so ignorantly, impulsively, and abusively that it makes me despise him for the most part, and I often feel like he got what he deserved. Before, during and after Kiss, he just always seemed like a jerk.
On the other hand though, after hearing the horrible stuff that Gene and Paul put him through, I can almost feel sorry for him, and that stuff makes me lose all respect for and despise them. But still, I see two sides fighting head-to-head, with Peter being a jerk, and Paul/Gene also being major jerks continually. It is hard to tell if this was cause and effect or not. As a musician myself, I can relate to some of the behind the scenes aspects of it. If I were like Gene, a sober, serious musicians looking at the business aspect of all that gets done (which I do tend to be), would I react the same way if a member of my band was a drugged out jerk-wad always getting in trouble and soiling the band's name and image? Probably so.
Were Gene and Paul reacting to the horrible lifestyles of Peter and Ace, and that pressure caused more tension backlash from Peter and Ace? That seems to be the story we hear from one side. But Peter's story at times makes you feel Gene and Paul were abusive from the start, regardless of the drugs, etc. My real question is, with the amount of drugs and alcohol that Peter and Ace claim to have been constantly consuming all those years, how could they really remember very much about all of these details as they claim to in their books? Maybe their perspective is greatly clouded by their activity, and so they think things were worse than they were. It is tough to really say, since it becomes just his word against his word against his word. Now Paul is working on his biography, so we can soon add a fourth version. Paul and Gene were sober, so could their telling be more accurate? Or are they just twisting it to make their selves look good. Were they taking advantage of the always drugged up guys all along?
Peter seemed fairly clean and sober during the reunion tour, so for sure it seems they really screwed him and Ace during that time period, making Gene and Paul out as simply appalling people, which seems to be not just coming from Peter's words only. The trail of disgruntled former Kiss members can attest to there being some kind of real issue with the Gene/Paul team. I will chime in on the current replacement members wearing the Cat and Spaceman makeup - it is despicable and reprehensible. I have seen the band live twice with the new guys (I know, somewhat hypocritical to do that), and the band as a unit is amazing, and the new music they make is great. But there would have been no sense of fun lost at ALL if Tommy and Eric had their own characters, just like Eric Carr and Vinnie had. I believe it would have been a much more professional and honorable thing for them to have done, rather than allowing new people to wear the characters of the original members. After reading this book, I see this action as purposely being a personal attack against Peter and Ace - again, showing Gene and Paul to be truly horrible people.
I have followed all of the seasons of Gene's Family Jewels show, and have gotten to somewhat know the man more than I have from just years of listening to his music. I found him to be quite human and loveable, and at times felt sorry for him on the show. Occasionally you get a peak at the hard-edged business man on the show, but these books show more of that side than the show ever does. The show gives us some of the silliness and family side of things, but at times I feel it might be scripted and set to be more entertainment than true reality. Peter's book takes away all of that love-ability that I built up from his show, and flushes it down the toilet. Gene comes out as a truly scumbag, bottom-feeding, womanizing, self-gratifying despicable character.
In the end, Peter is/was a self-destructive, horrible person who made a lot of bad mistakes, abused himself and others frequently, and did a lot of wrong to a lot of people for a lot of years. It sounds like now he is on the road to settling down from that lifestyle, and the last section of the book discussing his relationship with God is a promising step forward, but the damage done in his wake is a long way from being rectified, and he still comes out looking like a bad guy through this all. So, he has opened the door to really reveal the filth that was his own life, and in the process whines incessantly about how he was treated.
The fantasy is gone - the band Kiss will now forever be tainted in my mind. No longer are they just this cool, mysterious band of larger-than-life excitement on stage, but they are now a bunch of low-life self-pleasing jerks who only look out for their own best interests regardless of who they have to plow over to get what they want. Maybe this is nothing new for a rock band, but it really destroys the view of my first-loved rock band. Will I still listen to them? Yes, absolutely - the fantasy lives on in the music, tainted as my mind may be now.
They were my first concert experience, seeing the Dynasty tour in 1979 and many times after that. The only thing I really knew about the band was what I saw. Not an avid reader, nor a real follower of the latest tabloid/magazine world, I did not spend much time following the behind the scenes publicized dirt. They were super heroes to me - amazing musicians who put on a great show.
Now, 35 years later, I am still a big fan. I have all of their albums, I have a bunch of merchandise too. I follow them religiously to a degree. Obviously I like hundreds of other bands now, but still Kiss ranks up their as a key player in my eye. I have followed the solo stuff, I have followed the former members (Ace & Peter), but still, only paid a small amount of attention to the publicized dirt.
I bought Gene's biography, but never read it. I did read his other book, Sex, Money, Kiss, which I laughed off as just a bunch of his egotistical self-centered money-hungry crap that it was. I read Ace's biography a few months back, and it really focused a lot more on his own personal struggle. The early formative years of Kiss were brought to life as seen through his eyes, but overall, the book seemed more centered around his own personal dark struggles, with not quite as much bad-mouthing as we find in this book by Peter.
After finishing Peter's book, I have to say, my opinion on the band is drastically twisted. I am torn between two opinions. First, on one side, Peter was self-destructing and a real arrogant jerk who seemed to care less about others or even himself. With the amount of drugs and trash that he got into, just like I felt with Ace's book, it is surprising these two are still alive. Peter made so many bad decisions, he acted so ignorantly, impulsively, and abusively that it makes me despise him for the most part, and I often feel like he got what he deserved. Before, during and after Kiss, he just always seemed like a jerk.
On the other hand though, after hearing the horrible stuff that Gene and Paul put him through, I can almost feel sorry for him, and that stuff makes me lose all respect for and despise them. But still, I see two sides fighting head-to-head, with Peter being a jerk, and Paul/Gene also being major jerks continually. It is hard to tell if this was cause and effect or not. As a musician myself, I can relate to some of the behind the scenes aspects of it. If I were like Gene, a sober, serious musicians looking at the business aspect of all that gets done (which I do tend to be), would I react the same way if a member of my band was a drugged out jerk-wad always getting in trouble and soiling the band's name and image? Probably so.
Were Gene and Paul reacting to the horrible lifestyles of Peter and Ace, and that pressure caused more tension backlash from Peter and Ace? That seems to be the story we hear from one side. But Peter's story at times makes you feel Gene and Paul were abusive from the start, regardless of the drugs, etc. My real question is, with the amount of drugs and alcohol that Peter and Ace claim to have been constantly consuming all those years, how could they really remember very much about all of these details as they claim to in their books? Maybe their perspective is greatly clouded by their activity, and so they think things were worse than they were. It is tough to really say, since it becomes just his word against his word against his word. Now Paul is working on his biography, so we can soon add a fourth version. Paul and Gene were sober, so could their telling be more accurate? Or are they just twisting it to make their selves look good. Were they taking advantage of the always drugged up guys all along?
Peter seemed fairly clean and sober during the reunion tour, so for sure it seems they really screwed him and Ace during that time period, making Gene and Paul out as simply appalling people, which seems to be not just coming from Peter's words only. The trail of disgruntled former Kiss members can attest to there being some kind of real issue with the Gene/Paul team. I will chime in on the current replacement members wearing the Cat and Spaceman makeup - it is despicable and reprehensible. I have seen the band live twice with the new guys (I know, somewhat hypocritical to do that), and the band as a unit is amazing, and the new music they make is great. But there would have been no sense of fun lost at ALL if Tommy and Eric had their own characters, just like Eric Carr and Vinnie had. I believe it would have been a much more professional and honorable thing for them to have done, rather than allowing new people to wear the characters of the original members. After reading this book, I see this action as purposely being a personal attack against Peter and Ace - again, showing Gene and Paul to be truly horrible people.
I have followed all of the seasons of Gene's Family Jewels show, and have gotten to somewhat know the man more than I have from just years of listening to his music. I found him to be quite human and loveable, and at times felt sorry for him on the show. Occasionally you get a peak at the hard-edged business man on the show, but these books show more of that side than the show ever does. The show gives us some of the silliness and family side of things, but at times I feel it might be scripted and set to be more entertainment than true reality. Peter's book takes away all of that love-ability that I built up from his show, and flushes it down the toilet. Gene comes out as a truly scumbag, bottom-feeding, womanizing, self-gratifying despicable character.
In the end, Peter is/was a self-destructive, horrible person who made a lot of bad mistakes, abused himself and others frequently, and did a lot of wrong to a lot of people for a lot of years. It sounds like now he is on the road to settling down from that lifestyle, and the last section of the book discussing his relationship with God is a promising step forward, but the damage done in his wake is a long way from being rectified, and he still comes out looking like a bad guy through this all. So, he has opened the door to really reveal the filth that was his own life, and in the process whines incessantly about how he was treated.
The fantasy is gone - the band Kiss will now forever be tainted in my mind. No longer are they just this cool, mysterious band of larger-than-life excitement on stage, but they are now a bunch of low-life self-pleasing jerks who only look out for their own best interests regardless of who they have to plow over to get what they want. Maybe this is nothing new for a rock band, but it really destroys the view of my first-loved rock band. Will I still listen to them? Yes, absolutely - the fantasy lives on in the music, tainted as my mind may be now.
July 13, 2017
Okay. The worst of the four bios of Kiss. Too much whining and bitching.
September 13, 2013
I saw this book in the library and grabbed it, because back in the day I loved Peter Criss. I remember being highly disappointed when he "came out" after he quit KISS and we saw his real face for the first time - he was so old! Now, I laugh about that, being as old now as he was then. This book begin as a fun trip down memory lane and the usual antics that big bands go through. His rise to joining KISS, the thrill of becoming stars, the stupid things money and fame will do to you and what you end up doing because of it. But then I begin to lose utter respect for the guy. He has moments of sexism, racism, narcissim, and just sheer stupidity, which gave me pause. Now granted, as he states, he is street smart and worked hard and is incredibly talented but if I had to hear one more time about how unfair the band was to him, or how terrible his life was, or another story about the stupid stunts he pulled with women, I thought I was going to throw up. How could he complain about no one being honest with him when he lied continuously about his life - how many women did he sleep with behind his wives' back? By the end of the book, I could barely pick it back up to read the last 60 pages. My husband told me it was the longest he had ever seen me read a book - never a good sign. This was because I could not stand the topic any longer. What I am doing here is whining and Criss does that for a total of 365 pages. I started laughing out loud because there were so many times he would say something of the notion: "And I was done with the band. For good. And then I got a call." I can't tell you how many times this scenario came up: "I am awesome. Gene and Paul are not. Ace was cool but an addict and fucked me over. Then he wasn't cool. I hate the band. I can't wait to go on tour with the band." Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Which means, Criss was exuding insanity all over the place. And he was basically a money whore, just like he accused Paul and Gene of being. They just happened to make more. What really got to me was his brush with breast cancer at the same time his wife got cancer. It seemed to be all about Criss, which honestly his was quite small in comparison. I just got tired of the narcissism and the bitching and the complaining. I wish I would have left this book on the shelf and kept my fantasy about Criss being above it all. He was not the guy who took the high road and this book certainly shows it.
November 27, 2012
The original drummer for KISS holds nothing back here. From sordid sex stories (his vivid descriptions will stay with me for a long time, I fear) to the combative dynamics at play within KISS, Criss reveals more than Gene Simmons or Ace Frehley did in their books. If Paul Stanley ever writes his own book, it better be damn juicy to top MAKEUP TO BREAKUP.
Yes, Criss is a selfish, overindulgent whiner with anger issues. Yes, he overstates his role in KISS, despite the success of "Beth." Yes, his allegiance to God conflicts with the lifestyle he's led — I don't know if I believe that he used to say a prayer every night after all those KISS orgies — and yes, he will likely either be revered or reviled by members of the KISS Army who read this book. But, with co-author Larry Sloman, Peter Criss proves to be a perceptive writer with an honest and engaging voice.
What other Goodreads reviews have failed to mention is Criss' soul-crushing portrayal of life on the comeback trail. He sets aside his huge ego -- which is even bigger than I realized -- to share stories about life in his Nineties-era band Criss, which played small clubs and garnered audiences largely because of the drummer's history. Peter Criss' fall from glory was complete, and he admits as much by recreating life for Criss (the band) on the road -- killing itself every night, living out of a tour bus with a "million miles" on it and probably earning not much more than food money. Then the 1996 KISS reunion tour happened...
Oh, and let's hear it for the year's best book cover!
Yes, Criss is a selfish, overindulgent whiner with anger issues. Yes, he overstates his role in KISS, despite the success of "Beth." Yes, his allegiance to God conflicts with the lifestyle he's led — I don't know if I believe that he used to say a prayer every night after all those KISS orgies — and yes, he will likely either be revered or reviled by members of the KISS Army who read this book. But, with co-author Larry Sloman, Peter Criss proves to be a perceptive writer with an honest and engaging voice.
What other Goodreads reviews have failed to mention is Criss' soul-crushing portrayal of life on the comeback trail. He sets aside his huge ego -- which is even bigger than I realized -- to share stories about life in his Nineties-era band Criss, which played small clubs and garnered audiences largely because of the drummer's history. Peter Criss' fall from glory was complete, and he admits as much by recreating life for Criss (the band) on the road -- killing itself every night, living out of a tour bus with a "million miles" on it and probably earning not much more than food money. Then the 1996 KISS reunion tour happened...
Oh, and let's hear it for the year's best book cover!
December 30, 2012
I've had a love/hate relationship with KISS since I was 12 years old, but I've always rooted for the underdog, so was curious to read the drummer's memoir (as drummers are notoriously left out of the spotlight). When the book started with four pages of acknowledgements, with Criss thanking everyone from the people who have photographed him, the associations he belongs to, and Tom Arnold and Roseanne Barr, I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it through. But there is something about rock autobiographies that hook you and won't let go, even if you think the musician is whiny and spoiled and has done disgusting, despicable things in their life. Such was the case with this book. Criss spends most of it complaining that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley made more money than him - a legitimate complaint, since he was a founding member of KISS, but when a guy's complaining about making "only" $10,000 a show, you don't really feel bad for him. Things got a little more interesting once he realized how big of a dick he had been for the vast majority of his life, tried to overcome that and forgive those who had wronged him, and was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, there was no real resolution to the book, as in I didn't feel like he actually learned anything or changed at all. Glad I got this book from the library, instead of giving him any of my hard-earned money.
October 30, 2012
Unlike some other sex, drugs & rock and roll memoirs I've read, this one smacks of honesty, introspection and up-close stories of the times and the music. A must-read for any KISS fan; Peter has some stories to tell, and guaranteed some you've never heard before. Entertaining throughout.
If you were ever a fan of the band, this will show you the dark side behind the fortune and fame, whether you like it or not - and Peter doesn't spare himeself. He doesn't really come off a whole lot better than the rest of the band, who all lived a life of strange excess - but you definitely have more understanding for him by the end, including his battle with breast cancer. Not always a pretty story, as he doesn't hide any of the squeamish details, but interesting all around.
Gene and Paul are the asshole/control freaks we always suspected they were (M-O-N-E-Y), and the suspicion of Paul swinging both ways still lingers. Peter thinks so.
The book is much better than Ace's book, which was slight on details, probably because Ace was so smashed through the majority of being in the band and doesn't have memories of it all. Peter's memoir is a much better read than I expected. Highly recommended for any KISS fan.
If you were ever a fan of the band, this will show you the dark side behind the fortune and fame, whether you like it or not - and Peter doesn't spare himeself. He doesn't really come off a whole lot better than the rest of the band, who all lived a life of strange excess - but you definitely have more understanding for him by the end, including his battle with breast cancer. Not always a pretty story, as he doesn't hide any of the squeamish details, but interesting all around.
Gene and Paul are the asshole/control freaks we always suspected they were (M-O-N-E-Y), and the suspicion of Paul swinging both ways still lingers. Peter thinks so.
The book is much better than Ace's book, which was slight on details, probably because Ace was so smashed through the majority of being in the band and doesn't have memories of it all. Peter's memoir is a much better read than I expected. Highly recommended for any KISS fan.
January 7, 2013
I've read all of the 'KISS' books to date and, up until Ace's book, they all seemed to pull their punches. Peter's book is by far the best book on the subject. I was greatly influenced by KISS in the '70s to pick up an old guitar wedged in a basement closet and teach myself to play. I wanted to believe that they were larger than life...different than any other band...untouchable by the entrapments of the industry. $immons made sure he kept that image as part of the hype. I knew better.
Makeup to Breakup is a 'balls-to-the-walls' no holds barred look at the band from the inside by a founding member of the band. It's a great read and I appreciate Peter's honesty. He makes no secret of his drug and alcohol use...his womanizing, reckless behavior and regrets for having hurt those closest to him. It's refreshing to read a book about a band that takes you through it, rather than around it while blowing smoke up your backside. After reading this account of the "Greatest Band in the World!" I've almost come to hate Gene and Paul for putting their hands in my pockets and robbing me blind for a brand they've been selling under false pretense for over four decades.
This is a definite read for every KISS fan.
Makeup to Breakup is a 'balls-to-the-walls' no holds barred look at the band from the inside by a founding member of the band. It's a great read and I appreciate Peter's honesty. He makes no secret of his drug and alcohol use...his womanizing, reckless behavior and regrets for having hurt those closest to him. It's refreshing to read a book about a band that takes you through it, rather than around it while blowing smoke up your backside. After reading this account of the "Greatest Band in the World!" I've almost come to hate Gene and Paul for putting their hands in my pockets and robbing me blind for a brand they've been selling under false pretense for over four decades.
This is a definite read for every KISS fan.
November 18, 2025
Now, I’ve read some of the other reviews and I totally get where they’re coming from, Peter did sound like a bit of a cry baby. Did he get screwed over? YES. BUT, it’s also one of those things where he did it to himself too 😅 Like come on Peter, did you not learn from the first, second, or third time? And why aren’t you reading your contracts, why are you hiring poopy lawyers and why would you assume someone else’s management team would be looking after your best interests too?
The book had moments of being a bit tmi but his early life was quite interesting. I laughed when he said all these outrageous things so he wouldn’t get drafted into the war and instead he got denied for flat feet.
It’s cool to hear his perspective on the early days of kiss, meeting the members for the first time, the stories and the drama that went down with them. If you are a kiss fan, you might be familiar with it so in a way, Peter filled in the blanks or confirmed certain things. But also raised other questions about other things
Solid read, would recommend Paul Stanley’s autobiography first, Ace’s book second then this one. I hear Ace’s book is funny and very on brand to his personality/kiss persona 🤣 a spaceman, part-time plumber on mars lmao (if you understood the plumber reference, you rock)
The book had moments of being a bit tmi but his early life was quite interesting. I laughed when he said all these outrageous things so he wouldn’t get drafted into the war and instead he got denied for flat feet.
It’s cool to hear his perspective on the early days of kiss, meeting the members for the first time, the stories and the drama that went down with them. If you are a kiss fan, you might be familiar with it so in a way, Peter filled in the blanks or confirmed certain things. But also raised other questions about other things
Solid read, would recommend Paul Stanley’s autobiography first, Ace’s book second then this one. I hear Ace’s book is funny and very on brand to his personality/kiss persona 🤣 a spaceman, part-time plumber on mars lmao (if you understood the plumber reference, you rock)
January 14, 2013
This is officially the nastiest book i've ever read - and that's not a good thing. I was really looking forward to some serious thoughts on drumming from the most well known tubthumper in the World, but it was not to be. Peter seldom mentions the craft of drumming and hardware choices - unless it somehow reflects on his ego (pride) and money. What size drums does he prefer? What materials? Skins? Recording techniques? He'd rather talk about groupies/cocaine/and owed money.
Quote from page 365:
"I've got alot to be grateful for, and I thank my loving God who keeps this old cat's heart beating."
For some silly reason Peter assumes this is the God of the Bible. Why? Peter please read the Bible and see how disgusted God is with you - you and him have almost nothing in common. Do you even know who Jesus is? And what his message was? What part of your life has EVER glorified God? I'm guessing maybe it's Satan that has kept your heart beating...you've done a wonderful job for him. I bet he can't wait to thank you personally.
But thanks for sharing your story. You played some great music over the years. Now go get your soul in order. :D
Quote from page 365:
"I've got alot to be grateful for, and I thank my loving God who keeps this old cat's heart beating."
For some silly reason Peter assumes this is the God of the Bible. Why? Peter please read the Bible and see how disgusted God is with you - you and him have almost nothing in common. Do you even know who Jesus is? And what his message was? What part of your life has EVER glorified God? I'm guessing maybe it's Satan that has kept your heart beating...you've done a wonderful job for him. I bet he can't wait to thank you personally.
But thanks for sharing your story. You played some great music over the years. Now go get your soul in order. :D
January 29, 2013
if you're only a casual KISS fan, or someone who only vaguely identifies with the hits, you'll never understand what's so awesome about this book.
But if you're a lifer like me, someone who's been all in since you were six, someone who loved and followed the band through thick and thin, someone who's read countless interviews, watched all the videos, seen them in concert countless times - in short, someone who really knows rhe dysfunctional relationships in the band - then you will LOVE this book. Only you will understand that it's quite likely the only honest (however one-sided and self serving) viewport into the true nature of the band that we're ever gonna get.
Peter is simply too earnest and fucked up and kinda, well, limited, to give us anything more or less than what he experienced, first hand, in the raw.
It's a page turner all right, full of contradictions and grandstanding and total denial. It's beautiful.
The guy noone ever wanted to be for Halloween; the trading card yu could never unload, a genuine underdog who still qualifies as a genuine American Superhero. If you understand what I'm sayin, rhis book is for YOU.
But if you're a lifer like me, someone who's been all in since you were six, someone who loved and followed the band through thick and thin, someone who's read countless interviews, watched all the videos, seen them in concert countless times - in short, someone who really knows rhe dysfunctional relationships in the band - then you will LOVE this book. Only you will understand that it's quite likely the only honest (however one-sided and self serving) viewport into the true nature of the band that we're ever gonna get.
Peter is simply too earnest and fucked up and kinda, well, limited, to give us anything more or less than what he experienced, first hand, in the raw.
It's a page turner all right, full of contradictions and grandstanding and total denial. It's beautiful.
The guy noone ever wanted to be for Halloween; the trading card yu could never unload, a genuine underdog who still qualifies as a genuine American Superhero. If you understand what I'm sayin, rhis book is for YOU.
May 23, 2014
Alright. So I recognize that 1 star is way harsh. However, I just can't make my finger press down on that additional star. The book was somewhat interesting and well written enough I suppose, but oh my god. peter criss is the most annoying whiner whose point of view I've ever had the misfortune to read from. And I thought Bob daisley was irritating! Peter criss makes him look like a saint. I admit, I've never been a kiss fan. I heard about this book from that metal show and it seemed like it might have some entertaining dirt on gene Simmons and Paul whats-his-name. and sure, there was some dirt on them making them out to be total douche bags but jeez, I think I might be a bit of a douche too if I had to be on the road with such a passive aggressive whiner who gets his way by threatening to quit every other day. Also, there was a healthy amount of the exact same thing daisley did: keep believing their lies and doing what they ask, keep getting shit on, keep coming back for more and then being SO hurt when they lied once again. um. duh! I obviously need to take a break from rock star memoirs because this one irritated me a lot.
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