Paul Stanley says KISS’ secret weapon has always been their larger-than-life personas.
The rock icon says the face paint-wearing group have spent five decades as “Batman with a guitar and Superman with a Marshall amplifier,” a comparison he made while looking back at the moments that turned KISS into one of rock’s most enduring acts.
Speaking to Vulture, Stanley pointed to the release of their raucous 1975 live album Alive! as the moment everything shifted.
He said: “Alive! was such a turning point for us.
“We wanted you to be in the crowd and have a sense of empowerment… to hear the noise of people next to you between songs, because technology doesn’t really allow for multisensory overload.” The album, he added, finally showcased “the power and commitment of us as a band.”
Before Alive! landed, KISS were already building a reputation as a must-see live act, though the record sales lagged behind the hype.
Stanley recalled being asked early on what it felt like to be “rich and famous,” replying: “I can tell you how it feels to be famous.”
He believes the band’s visual identity – the makeup and ageless personas – has been just as crucial to their longevity as the music itself.
Fans who see KISS today, he said, still feel like they’re watching the same superhero figures they first encountered in the ’70s.
He added: “Part of what has been our strength over the years is looking the same onstage.
“The idea of being omnipotent, of being ageless, is incredibly powerful… So in that way, we’re timeless superheroes – Batman with a guitar and Superman with a Marshall amplifier.”
Another way they are securing their legacy is with their digital avatar show.
Co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Paul recently teased that the avatars are astounding.
He told Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern: “Well, the band continues. Without touring, there’s so much in the pipeline. This avatar show that’s going to be in Vegas is gonna blow everybody’s minds. It’s not like what some people have called holograms and all this kind of experimental and kitschy stuff. This is seeing us. This is as real as I am, and I think it’s gonna just blow people away. And it extends the band that much further.
He went on: “There’s no reason for us to live within the boundaries of other rock bands.
“They live within those boundaries because that’s all they can be. And it’s great, but we are not that – we’re KISS.”
