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Kiss and Sell: The Making of a Supergroup
Follows the rise and fall and rise of the rock band, describing how music and commerce combined to make them successful
- GenresMusicNonfictionBiography
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 23, 2008
Great look inside the circus that was Kiss. The Writer is a bit self-important in this and spends a lot of time talking about different restaurants, what people were wearing, etc...which makes the book a bit of a long read.
When CK Lendt actually gets to the "meat," though...look out! It is some great "behind the scenes" details that even the most knowledable Kiss fan will be surprised with.
A MUST read if you even remotely enjoyed Kiss during the late 70's - early 80's
When CK Lendt actually gets to the "meat," though...look out! It is some great "behind the scenes" details that even the most knowledable Kiss fan will be surprised with.
A MUST read if you even remotely enjoyed Kiss during the late 70's - early 80's
August 26, 2019
This was one of those rock books I simply couldn’t put down. I read the bulk of it in two days. Obviously, move along if you’re not a KISS fan (or at least a general fan of rock and metal behind the scenes). It’s a highly readable and extremely well written account of keeping the Leviathan that was the KISS show on the road during my their glory years, descending to their nadir of the mid- to late 80s. The author was a business/management insider who was there along the entire ride during those years and sober enough to give you an “outside looking in” peek. There’s lots of insight into the band members themselves to keep you interested (no massive surprises: Gene fucked anything, Ace was clearly the most likeable). However, the fresh angle is an insight into the crazy world of the business of a mad supergroup.
There were some boring bits - I really didn’t need an entire long chapter on Diana Ross’s career; this book was billed as a KISS expose, not a tale of other artists on the books. But what I loved most was the incredibly dry, witty, acerbic (but never nasty) prose that painted such perfect pictures, often with a gallows humour about it.
There were some boring bits - I really didn’t need an entire long chapter on Diana Ross’s career; this book was billed as a KISS expose, not a tale of other artists on the books. But what I loved most was the incredibly dry, witty, acerbic (but never nasty) prose that painted such perfect pictures, often with a gallows humour about it.
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June 25, 2008Ace is back and he told you so.
March 20, 2017
The best Kiss stories are unauthorized, unchecked, unsanitized by Stanley/Simmons inc. This one is unbelievably revealing. The egos, the Super Kiss mentality, the excess, the drama....all from a business perspective which I personally relate to. Best chapters include the crazy attempts at touring in Mexico in the 80s, the Brazil fiasco, Gene and Cher's Egyptian-themed apartment, and of course...the making of "The Elder". Fantastic.
September 17, 2022
A fascinating window into the rock business of the 1970s and 1980s through the world of Kiss. The business stories are eye opening, the members of Kiss are pretty much who you think they are. Recommended reading for anyone interested in this era of rock history or the entertainment business in general . Rich people usually aren't rich because they're smart, they're rich because they're lucky.
September 5, 2021
What a job Chris Lendt had. As a recent MBA graduate, he was hired by Howard Marks, then Kiss’ advertising firm, to go on tour with the band, and handle all their financial and business issues while the band was traveling around the world. First class flights, limos, 5 star hotels, nothing was too good for Kiss. A chronicle of not only Kiss, but the insane music business of the 1970’s and 80’s, Kiss and Sell May be the best book on how the music business really works.
There are so many ancillary challenges and personnel required to keep an act like Kiss on the road, it boggles the mind. On top of that all, 4 mercurial personalities needed to be mollified, babysat, coddled, cajoled, and catered to that it truly was a Herculean task. Always entertaining, Lendt is an excellent writer who has the nuts and bolts of the music business down pat. A must read if you like Kiss, or have an interest in the business of music.
There are so many ancillary challenges and personnel required to keep an act like Kiss on the road, it boggles the mind. On top of that all, 4 mercurial personalities needed to be mollified, babysat, coddled, cajoled, and catered to that it truly was a Herculean task. Always entertaining, Lendt is an excellent writer who has the nuts and bolts of the music business down pat. A must read if you like Kiss, or have an interest in the business of music.
April 15, 2018
Read this around when it first came out and I was working in a bookstore. I read it on Sundays while sitting at the store's information desk. It was a very interesting account of the financial side of Kiss rise to the top, subsequent fall and their revival. It also looks at Casablanca Records and how it rose and fell with the band. Lendt worked on the business side of Casablanca Records, and he doesn't pull any punches on how much money the band's members blew through, leaving them close to bankruptcy. It kind of puts the lie to all of Gene Simmons talk about his great financial acumen.
It was also interesting to see how Simmons and Paul Stanley kind of hijacked KISS conventions run by fans in order to turn them into profit streams for the band. Casablanca Records may have fallen by the wayside, but KISS ended up doing all right. Recommended.
It was also interesting to see how Simmons and Paul Stanley kind of hijacked KISS conventions run by fans in order to turn them into profit streams for the band. Casablanca Records may have fallen by the wayside, but KISS ended up doing all right. Recommended.
October 7, 2017
This book had a lot of focus on the business side of things. There was much info about artists other than Kiss who were associated with the firm the author worked for. A lot of behind the scenes detail that is not found in Kiss authorized biographies. Understandable because the stories did not always put Kiss members in the best light. I found the book to be lengthy with many characters making short appearances, but worth the read for nostalgic purposes.
July 13, 2017
Tremendo libro. No sólo habla del parrandeo tras bambalinas de un mega grupo de heavy metal (lo que a estas alturas tiene poco de novedad) sino que también describe el management propio del negocio del rock y cómo ha evolucionado desde algo bastante artesanal en los 70's hasta hoy. Muy recomendable para fans del rock e interesados en el show business.
December 17, 2019
"Kiss and Sell: The Making of a Supergroup" gives the reader a sneak peak behind the scenes of the Kiss brand. The novel is well-written and a must for any Kiss fan. The author worked for Kiss in the 70's and 80's.
February 17, 2019
This is the most entertaining Kiss book!
December 21, 2020
Very revealing book. Lots of new information.
February 21, 2017
A great, gossipy insider's view of the KISS organization as it fell apart after 1976, a product of the band's insane excesses and insatiable desire to appear larger-than-life. Lendt is a pretty terrible writer, but he's blunt in his assessment of the band's appeal and its considerable weaknesses. He started in 1976 -- at KISS' absolute peak -- and was there for the rapid descent into near-oblivion at the onset of the 80s. He was on the business side of things, so he doesn't spend much time thinking about the band's music (thankfully) -- he sticks to their inability to run an efficient, professional touring company. His attitude toward women is somewhat troubling -- he seems to share the bands' view of them as a disposable sextoys.
January 31, 2012
Interesting book. It might not be the average KISS fan's type of material, but it is a huge overall lesson in how overspending, in addition to overselling, can impact a good thing. It also goes into in great length about what it takes to put together a KISS tour in third world countries. It's also a lesson in how tax shelter law changes can affect the finances of a business.
Written by a person who was hired on as a liason inbetween management and the band shortly after "Rock and Roll Over" was released, and worked for the group throughout most of the non-makeup era, I would say the big thing that struck me was how everyone involved with group (management, etc etc) were living large off of KISS's dollars, rather than thinking of the future. For example, towards the end of the book, he talks about a meeting with his boss at first class restaurant while discussing how to tell the band that their financing was on their last legs; It also goes into detail the money (and we're talking LOADS of it) that got funneled into homes/studios/offices/new acts that went nowhere, or were quickly sold off.
It also goes into how promoters approached the band, and how easily they outstretched themselves trying to land KISS in areas that just could not support them in a way that made it economically feasible. Promoters almost always took on the role of used car salesmen in the book, promising anything, then finding themselves holding an empty bag at the end of the day.
It does go into the band into a fair degree, and talks about the things that eventually drove the original lineup apart, but not as much as Gene's or Ace's book does. But what it does go into, is how the breakup affected Polygram's deal with the band (Peter was actually a financially partner in the band for many years after he left it, years after Ace, who was bought out shortly after he left).
Overall a good read for those interested in the band, but a great read for those who enjoy reading the business side, written by a person who later went on to teach the music business in college.
Written by a person who was hired on as a liason inbetween management and the band shortly after "Rock and Roll Over" was released, and worked for the group throughout most of the non-makeup era, I would say the big thing that struck me was how everyone involved with group (management, etc etc) were living large off of KISS's dollars, rather than thinking of the future. For example, towards the end of the book, he talks about a meeting with his boss at first class restaurant while discussing how to tell the band that their financing was on their last legs; It also goes into detail the money (and we're talking LOADS of it) that got funneled into homes/studios/offices/new acts that went nowhere, or were quickly sold off.
It also goes into how promoters approached the band, and how easily they outstretched themselves trying to land KISS in areas that just could not support them in a way that made it economically feasible. Promoters almost always took on the role of used car salesmen in the book, promising anything, then finding themselves holding an empty bag at the end of the day.
It does go into the band into a fair degree, and talks about the things that eventually drove the original lineup apart, but not as much as Gene's or Ace's book does. But what it does go into, is how the breakup affected Polygram's deal with the band (Peter was actually a financially partner in the band for many years after he left it, years after Ace, who was bought out shortly after he left).
Overall a good read for those interested in the band, but a great read for those who enjoy reading the business side, written by a person who later went on to teach the music business in college.
September 21, 2012
Writing was less than stellar, but the information shared by the author was interesting and entertaining. Mr. Lendt's job with the band was definitely a tough one and continually filled with excitement (and uncertainty) on a daily basis. The book confirmed that Gene Simmons is a self-aggrandizing, Monsieur Loyal. Learned that a modestly talented band found a way to spend, and waste, a lot of money. In the end, you actually end up feeling bad for the musicians because you find out that their irresponsible spending habits force them to keep up the charade for infinity or until they just can't stand up anymore. While I enjoyed the book, I hope the author continues to make a living doing something other than write another book. I say, it's definitely worth a read.
June 30, 2024
I’ve read this twice. Once when it was initially published and then again recently. It’s more the story of the business of KISS. If you’re looking for a lot of info on how they formed, developed their material and show, how they got along… this really isn’t great for that. I feel like the author goes out of his way to cast the members in a negative light or make them look foolish. Very few stories that show their good attributes. It’s worth a read for sure despite its flaws. Helps provide a more rounded picture than just the individual bios or official group bios. Not the best book about the band but if you are a fan - read it.
April 27, 2015
Probably the best KISS book out there. It really explains a lot of why the end of the Dynasty era tanked their careers for many years to come. Even during their 80's Hair Band period they felt like they had lost it (which they had.)
July 19, 2021
Book about the band Kiss by a former employee. He includes a picture of himself in the book with Gene Simmons and the look Gene is giving him is indicative of why his tenure was short. It is not a complimentary account.
April 15, 2008
This book gives good insight on how a band the size of Kiss can really screw up a good thing.
February 13, 2011
Look for this as the next Silly Show-Biz Book Club entry.
May 17, 2013
The ultimate insider Kiss story!
December 1, 2016
This was a good book with some interesting inside stories behind the band. Good read for a KISS fan.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews