KISS co-founder Paul Stanley recently reflected on the band’s creative decisions following the departure of original members. He shared his thoughts during an appearance on The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan.
Stanley addressed the band’s controversial choice to introduce new characters after Peter Criss and Ace Frehley’s initial departure from the group.
“That was a big mistake,” Stanley said. “The whole idea, y’know, of ‘snail boy,’ we spent this time creating these characters.”
The KISS frontman elaborated on the band’s investment in their original personas. He explained the decision to abandon them.
“Yes, each one of us came up with them, but we did it as a band,” he continued. “And then we spent years nurturing and building it, and now we’re going to throw it away? That’s crazy. Hey, New Coke didn’t do so well either.”
Stanley’s reflection highlights the significance of KISS’s original character-driven concept. It also shows the challenges the band faced during major lineup changes.
Wikipedia documented that the original KISS lineup formed in early 1973. It featured Paul Stanley as the Starchild, Gene Simmons as the Demon, Ace Frehley as the Spaceman, and Peter Criss as the Catman. These comic book-style personas became an integral part of the band’s identity and stage presence. They set the band apart from other rock acts of the era.
The departure of original members created significant challenges for the band’s visual concept. Wikipedia’s List of Kiss Members noted that Peter Criss left the band in 1980. Ace Frehley followed in 1982. The band replaced them with new members who did not adopt the original characters. This marked a significant shift in KISS’s creative approach.
Britannica reported that KISS’s makeup and theatrical personas were central to their lasting impact on rock music and fan connection. The band’s character-driven concept helped establish their reputation as one of the most visually distinctive acts in rock history.
The period Stanley references represents one of KISS’s most controversial eras. During this time, the band experimented with new visual concepts that ultimately failed to capture the magic of their original character-based identity. This experience clearly left a lasting impression on Stanley. He now views the decision to abandon their carefully crafted personas as one of the band’s biggest missteps.
