{"id":2600,"date":"2010-03-07T14:42:09","date_gmt":"2010-03-07T19:42:09","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2010-03-09T07:14:07","modified_gmt":"2010-03-09T07:14:07","slug":"which-member-of-kiss-most-benefitted-from-the-makeup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/which-member-of-kiss-most-benefitted-from-the-makeup\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Member of KISS Most Benefited From the Makeup?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Is that all there is?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I never liked KISS<\/strong> – in fact I couldn’t stand them – but like all rock-loving kids in the ’70s, the first time photos leaked of the band members without their mighty makeup, I snatched up a copy of whatever magazine and took a peek:
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Mmm…<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Most often I recall seeing photos of Gene Simmons<\/strong> sans makeup. He didn’t strike me as that good looking for a Rock Star. I mean, at 14 years old I understood that not all bigtime rockers were good looking (see<\/em> BTO<\/a>), but KISS was in that upper echelon of Rock Stars<\/em>. They were supposed to be hot<\/em>, no? My first views of Simmons unmasked taught me that makeup could be more than an add-on to a rocker’s Look, a lesson that still applies to this day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Paul Stanley<\/strong>, who was the band’s undisputed sex symbol in his painted persona fared much better without the makeup. Paul’s out of the running for the title of KISS Member Who Most Benefited From the Makeup<\/em>. Beside, he and The Back Office are tight<\/em><\/a>!<\/p>\n

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Disqualified!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

We’re also not going to consider any of the replacement KISS members who joined Gene and Paul for the band’s first album cover shoot and tour sans makeup. They’re disqualified. The original band was only successful enough to carry one dog-ugly guy sans makeup. Simmons is clearly the favorite in this race, but let’s examine drummer Peter Criss<\/strong> and guitarist Ace Frehley<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Criss, on left.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

One detail that’s always stood out from the liner notes of my younger brother’s cassette tapes of each of the four KISS solo albums is that Peter Criss<\/strong> was a nice Italian boy who professed loving Frank Sinatra<\/strong> more than any of his heavy rock contemporaries. As the photos above and below attest, Criss minus his greasepaint can pass for a nice Italian boy who could land a nice girl of his own but wouldn’t cause hearts to flutter like he did when painted as his cat character and singing “Beth.” The following photo, with some guy named Sean Delaney<\/strong>, suggests that Bruno Kirby<\/a><\/strong> might be best qualified to portray the drummer in a movie. By the way, this Delaney guy is worth investigating. I learned he was known as the “Fifth Member of KISS,” and he would produce some other funny heavy rock bands to follow (click here<\/a> for a concise wealth of information on a key figure in a scene I never wanted to learn anything about).<\/p>\n

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Criss, right, wth the “Fifth Member of KISS.”<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

With three original members of KISS accounted for, I’d say that Simmons is still in the lead for this dubious title.<\/p>\n

That leaves Frehley.<\/p>\n

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In his New York Groove.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

It was hard to get a read on Frehley’s Look early on, whether he was in makeup or not.<\/p>\n

Later, however, he grew more comfortable being photographed au naturale<\/em>.
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A wiser, gentler Ace.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Good to see you, Ace!<\/p>\n

Now, with all evidence in, we can declare our WINNER<\/strong>!
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Young Ace, before makeup.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Makeup crew of KISS, Ace Frehley thanks you!<\/em><\/p>\n