Part one of the A&E 4-hour Biography: KISStory aired last night. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley discussed the band's meteoric rise in popularity and how fame changed each of them.
That popularity brought drug and alcohol abuse to Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Simmons opened up about his problem after the band’s rise to the top.
He said, "I succumbed to fame, but not with chemicals and alcohol, but ego. Grand delusions of myself -- power, money and girls. My ambitions grew bigger, my appetite grew more. If a day went by and I didn't have companionship it was a disaster. It's easier to look at somebody who's suffering from alcohol and drugs and kind of say, 'You got a problem buddy.' Mine was more hidden, being full of myself. That's what it was." [courtesy of A&E]
Part one also focused on the childhood days of Simmons and Stanley. The two of them met and formed the band Wicked Lester. Part one also covered the formation of KISS, along with the early days of their stage shows and recording. There was also a focus on the classic ‘Alive’ and ‘Destroyer’ albums.
You’ll recall that Frehley and Criss declined to be interviewed for the special. However they are both featured through archival interviews and footage.
Part two airs tonight and will focus on the numerous lineup changes in the band, taking their makeup off and their decline in the 80’s among other things. It’ll air at 8pm (Central) this evening on A&E.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]