With Halloween just around the corner, the mind goes to the world of scary faces, makeup, costumes and scary sounds. Those thoughts, for me, take me to the world of rock and roll and one of the genre's original monster groups.
As a lover of all genres of music-but particularly hard rock and heavy metal-over the past four decades or so, I have listened to many bands and solo artists.
Undoubtedly, the band that I have come to love and admire the most is one that started out in New York City in the early 1970s as part of the local glam rock scene-four guys who brought a unique angle to the music world with their makeup, outrageous stage performances, and sometimes raunchy lyrics.
Yes, I am talking about KISS, who are forever known for their personas on stage, as well as the characters played by the members of the iconic rock band. Although the band has had several lineup changes over the years, the best-known lineup is the one comprised of legendary KISS bassist Gene Simmons dressed up like a fire-breathing demon, lead singer Paul Stanley as the Starman, guitarist Ace Frehley playing a spaceman and drummer Peter Criss as a cat.
Although I never had the opportunity to see KISS live, I did get to watch a couple of tribute bands. I have also listened to every album that the group has released since 1974. Just like with any other band, there are some albums that I enjoy listening to more than others, with Destroyer, Revenge and Creatures of the Night being amongst my top picks, while Unmasked, The Elder and Dynasty are probably my least favourites.
In addition to being a fan of music, I also like studying about the fascinating history behind many of these bands. KISS came along at a time of greatness, when celebrated acts such as Queen, AC/DC, April Wine, Aerosmith, and so many others were taking the world by storm.
All good things must come to an end, and last year, just before Christmas, the ‘Hottest Band in the World’ as they have been known for decades, played its final shows.
It’s sad that so many legendary entertainers are retiring, but bands like KISS and their legacy will continue to live on – not only with their music, but with the memories and feeling their music has left with us. Hopefully this Halloween, for some of us older rock-and-rollers – and a younger generation of new fans too – we might be lucky enough to see the leather jackets, metal-studded shoulder pads and devilish face paint of a few trick-or-treaters who will remind us all to not only "party everyday," but to "rock and roll all night" as well.
