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Encyclopedia of KISS: Music, Personnel, Events and Related Subjects
The self-proclaimed "Hottest Band in the World," KISS is one of the most popular groups in the history of rock, having sold more than 100 million albums during their more than 40-year reign. With more gold albums than any other American band, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. KISS influenced a generation of musicians, from Garth Brooks and Motley Crue to Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The original leather-clad, makeup-wearing line-up--Ace "Spaceman" Frehley, Gene "Demon" Simmons, Paul "Starchild" Stanley and Peter "Catman" Criss--and their classic hits "Beth" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" are forever etched in pop culture consciousness. This encyclopedia of all things KISS provides detailed information on their songs, albums, tours, television and movie appearances, merchandise, solo work and much more, including replacement members Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent, Bruce Kulick, Mark St. John, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.
The original leather-clad, makeup-wearing line-up--Ace "Spaceman" Frehley, Gene "Demon" Simmons, Paul "Starchild" Stanley and Peter "Catman" Criss--and their classic hits "Beth" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" are forever etched in pop culture consciousness. This encyclopedia of all things KISS provides detailed information on their songs, albums, tours, television and movie appearances, merchandise, solo work and much more, including replacement members Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent, Bruce Kulick, Mark St. John, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.
236 pages, Paperback
Published June 3, 2016
5 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Brett Weiss
25 books18 followersBrett Weiss has been a professionally writer for more than 20 years. He’s the author of nine books: Encyclopedia of KISS, How to Get Published: 50 Successful Query Letters; The 100 Greatest Console Video Games: 1977-1987; Retro Pop Culture A to Z: From Atari 2600 to Zombie Films; The Arcade and Other Strange Tales; Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984; Classic Home Video Games 1985-1988; Classic Home Video Games 1989-1990; and The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 1 (A-M).
In addition, Weiss has written more than 1500 published articles in such publications as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee and The Charlotte Observer, The Writer, Mystery Scene, AntiqueWeek, Antique Trader, Fangoria, Filmfax, Game Informer, Video Game Trader, Classic Gamer Magazine, the Comics Buyer's Guide, Toy Shop, Toy Cars & Models, Back Issue magazine, Alter Ego, Robot magazine, and Native Peoples, among many others. Weiss also has a national column in AntiqueWeek called The Pop Culture Collective.
When not writing, Weiss enjoys reading, hiking, cycling, playing basketball and tennis, watching movies, going to museums, collecting video games, listening to rock ’n roll, and hanging out with his family.
Weiss lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his lovely wife, two crazy dogs, and a fat cat. He loves it when his kids come home from college to visit.
In addition, Weiss has written more than 1500 published articles in such publications as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee and The Charlotte Observer, The Writer, Mystery Scene, AntiqueWeek, Antique Trader, Fangoria, Filmfax, Game Informer, Video Game Trader, Classic Gamer Magazine, the Comics Buyer's Guide, Toy Shop, Toy Cars & Models, Back Issue magazine, Alter Ego, Robot magazine, and Native Peoples, among many others. Weiss also has a national column in AntiqueWeek called The Pop Culture Collective.
When not writing, Weiss enjoys reading, hiking, cycling, playing basketball and tennis, watching movies, going to museums, collecting video games, listening to rock ’n roll, and hanging out with his family.
Weiss lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his lovely wife, two crazy dogs, and a fat cat. He loves it when his kids come home from college to visit.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 26, 2017
I spent two years between ages 12 and 14 listening to KISS virtually every day. Alive II was on a constant cycle among me and my friends - so much so that we could speak and sing every word that was uttered on that album. It wasn’t the only one, but it was definitely part of the soundtrack of our lives.
It took some time for me to receive this book and it was worth the wait. So much so that I read it in one sitting! This is not your average encyclopedia. This is a very detailed; very cross referenced volume of information that is perfect for super fans and average fans alike.
Organized alphabetically, each entry covers any aspect of KISS that you can think of: personnel, events, music, songs, individual projects, related bands, former bands, venues, producers, merchandising etc.
Not only are these areas covered, they are cross referenced. Some entries are substantial. This is true in particular about the members of the group – original and replacements. Each is covered in equal depth.
What I loved the most about this book is that it is not filtered through the Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley prism. Equal weight is given to Peter Criss and Ace Frehely as there is to Eric Carr, Tommy Thayer and others. Too many times in “official” KISStory, the story cuts out the original members who we grew up loving.
This is such a fun read. I literally could not put it down and stayed up way too late absorbed in all the details. After I finished, I dug out Alive II and flashed back to my teen years – black light posters, incense and KISS! It rocked!
It took some time for me to receive this book and it was worth the wait. So much so that I read it in one sitting! This is not your average encyclopedia. This is a very detailed; very cross referenced volume of information that is perfect for super fans and average fans alike.
Organized alphabetically, each entry covers any aspect of KISS that you can think of: personnel, events, music, songs, individual projects, related bands, former bands, venues, producers, merchandising etc.
Not only are these areas covered, they are cross referenced. Some entries are substantial. This is true in particular about the members of the group – original and replacements. Each is covered in equal depth.
What I loved the most about this book is that it is not filtered through the Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley prism. Equal weight is given to Peter Criss and Ace Frehely as there is to Eric Carr, Tommy Thayer and others. Too many times in “official” KISStory, the story cuts out the original members who we grew up loving.
This is such a fun read. I literally could not put it down and stayed up way too late absorbed in all the details. After I finished, I dug out Alive II and flashed back to my teen years – black light posters, incense and KISS! It rocked!
January 19, 2017
I love KISS and I love this book. It has information about their songs, the members of KISS, other musicians. This is a must have book if you are a KISS fan. I won this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewer for an honest review.
May 30, 2018
This is a nice book covering all things Kiss; the merchandise, the members (past and present), the roadies, techs, and others that helped the band along the way (including co-writers and session players). It is an easy read, all in alphabetical order, just like an encyclopedia. This is a nice guide to have for Kiss fans to add to their collection.
For an in depth review, go to https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/201...
For an in depth review, go to https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/201...
February 6, 2017
To the best of this reviewer’s knowledge, there is no science called “KISSology,” but if there were, this 227 page volume would be its standard reference work. And yes, there is an entry in this A-Z compendium bearing that headword – three entries, as a matter of fact – but in these cases, KISSology refers not to a field of study, but to the titles of record albums.
Essentially, this is a collection of trivia regarding the kabuki-clad rock quartet of Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, known as much for their on stage pyrotechnics as for their music. From the prosaic (band member biographies, reviews of songs/albums) to the bizarre (“Caskets” informs the reader that this logo emblazoned waterproof coffin doubles as a cooler for beer and soft drinks), if it’s related in any way, directly or otherwise, to the core group, chances are that it will be found within these pages. Unfortunately, far too often what is related to the band concerns merchandise: articles on “Action Figures,” board games, pinball machines, and so on. While there are some substantial articles about books (both by and about the founding band members), films they have appeared in, production background of various songs, etc., all too often this book reads like a catalog of trinkets. It brings to mind the observation of H. L. Mencken that “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.”
Weiss has previously written three volumes of Classic Home Video Games, all published by McFarland. His qualifications for writing this book appear to be limited to the fact that he is one of the group’s more ardent fans. Individuals that the author consulted in writing this volume are listed in an “Acknowledgements” page. While there are no cross references, there is a bibliography and index. Additionally, “A Brief History” gives an overview of the band’s collective career.
I was randomly chosen through a LibraryThing giveaway to receive this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Essentially, this is a collection of trivia regarding the kabuki-clad rock quartet of Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, known as much for their on stage pyrotechnics as for their music. From the prosaic (band member biographies, reviews of songs/albums) to the bizarre (“Caskets” informs the reader that this logo emblazoned waterproof coffin doubles as a cooler for beer and soft drinks), if it’s related in any way, directly or otherwise, to the core group, chances are that it will be found within these pages. Unfortunately, far too often what is related to the band concerns merchandise: articles on “Action Figures,” board games, pinball machines, and so on. While there are some substantial articles about books (both by and about the founding band members), films they have appeared in, production background of various songs, etc., all too often this book reads like a catalog of trinkets. It brings to mind the observation of H. L. Mencken that “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.”
Weiss has previously written three volumes of Classic Home Video Games, all published by McFarland. His qualifications for writing this book appear to be limited to the fact that he is one of the group’s more ardent fans. Individuals that the author consulted in writing this volume are listed in an “Acknowledgements” page. While there are no cross references, there is a bibliography and index. Additionally, “A Brief History” gives an overview of the band’s collective career.
I was randomly chosen through a LibraryThing giveaway to receive this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews