The KISS Story....

THE KISS Story......

First time I saw Kiss was at a private fundraising party in Englewood Cliffs, NJ
at the Public Library for $1000 a plate. I don't remember for what charity or what year it was. Real KISS fans can figure out the year here in a bit.

I was filling in for a friend's band who's drummer had hepatitis outbreaks a couple times a year, if you know what I mean. A junky can tell you what that's about. The band was an original/blues biker band.

I remember playing the Angels Halloween party at the Electric Circus on St. Marks Place in the Village with these guys. The band was called Jackdaw, I believe. The party was like a Fellini movie, with open sex, drugs and of course Rock n Roll ! And Choppers driving up and down the steps in the club like they were moto cross bikes.

Anyway, back to the KISS gig. We went on first. Them second. And top of the bill was John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful. Whoever put this show together was on acid ! And the crowd was in suit and tie/formal wear.

The bands all shared one big room for a dressing/party room. We all came out and watched each other's sets. I overplayed, as usual when we were on. Picture Keith Moon playing drums for The Band ! When we finished and passed the stage over to KISS they said I was great and what the F. was I doing playing in that band. I told them quickly as we moved around the amps and drums with each other. They were their own roadies, and we all were set up on the floor in the corners of the library.

They had makeup on. Barely. Looked like shoe polish. Also they wore matching sneaks, black dungarees and black cut off tee-shirts with KISS stenciled on. They had Fender amps stacked like Marshals, also Marshal stenciled on with KISS name too.
All I remember was that they were LOUD. No big deal. No blood or big tongue action yet that I saw. Big hair though.

Skip ahead only a few weeks latter. I'm walking across the parking lot at the then called Spectrum in Philly, going to see The Who. I see these guys walking
too, and they are all decked out in new English clothes. For you youngsters, English clothes were like David Bowie stuff - Silks, satins, platform shoes, etc.
We get close to each other and they say "aren't you that drummer from a few weeks ago ?" At first I didn't recognize them, no makeup. Then they say they're KISS. I asked them where they got the new duds ? They said they just got signed and got an advance and went shopping, did I like their clothes ? Well, since I was wearing the same style stuff, I said of course I did ! We had a laugh, went in to the show with everybody staring, wondering who we were, and the rest as they say is History !