KISS: Behind the Mask - The Official Authorized Biography
by David Leaf, Ken Sharp
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Book Summary Information
Author: David Leaf, Ken SharpEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-06-02
ISBN: 0446695246
Number of pages: 448
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Book Reviews of KISS: Behind the Mask - The Official Authorized Biography
Book Review: A Disjointed and Fun Introduction to a Rock & Roll Phenomenon
Summary: 5 Stars
Despite being a KISS fan since my high school years, this was my first book on the subject. The last time I saw KISS anywhere was Anaheim (I think - it's been almost 30 years) and then they were, without a doubt, kings of the rock world. It would have been impossible to believe that a scant two years later the group would be breaking up, struggling to find it's identity, seeking to reinvent itself in a world that would see the rise of punk rock, grunge and 80's hair bands.
The interesting thing about this book is the way it jumps around. The first third of the book was a bio written by David Leaf around 1979, then shelved and only recently rediscovered. The second third is during their break-up phase in the 80's and the last third is an album-by-album discography. So in jumping from third-to-third, you get something of the shock the fans felt. In the first third, you have the members essentially saying that they're the hottest band in the world and will never break up. Then you turn the page and they're discussing why they broke up the very next year. The book is honest, discussing the reasons Peter was fired and Ace's struggles with alcohol, but it's still an outsider's book, written from the perspective of fans who only want to see their heroes as supermen - not human being struggling with success, relationships and even (gasp!) mid-life crisis.
To get all of that human drama, you have to read the definitive accounting of the rise of KISS, Gene Simmon's bio, Kiss and Make-up.
The one thing I take away from any KISS book is Gene Simmon's iron will to succeed. I'm convinced that he could've pick any three guys at random and they would've been an incredible success. Sure, Paul and him have stayed true to the band and been close friends for decades, but without Gene, Paul could easily have been another wanna-be on the glam rock circuit.
KISS is still a a juggernaut money machine and I'm glad to see the group starting to tour again, albeit in a limited fashion and to smaller venues than in their glory days. But, like the Beatles, they'll never completely go away and their legacy is their music, which will always be the anthems of my youth and generation.
Summary of KISS: Behind the Mask - The Official Authorized Biography
Now everything is finally revealed about one of rock music's most outrageous and enduring phenomena. In this definitive, official authorized biography, authors David Leaf and Ken Sharp were given full, unprecedented access to Kiss and their inner circle. Hear the true, uncensored stories from Gene Simmons, the fire-breathing Demon; Paul Stanley, the acrobatic Starchild; Ace Frehley, the axe-slinging Spaceman; and Peter Criss, the levitating Catman drummer. Chronicling the group's amazing story, this one-of-a-kind book also offers interviews with some of the biggest stars in rock music, including Pete Townshend, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Ozzy Osbourne, and many others. The only book that truly captures the inimitable and exuberant spirit of the fiery foursome who gave America its second national anthem, "Rock and Roll All Nite," Kiss: Behind the Mask is a must-have for the band's legion of Kiss Army acolytes. * Dozens of never-before-seen photos * The band's story, told in their own words * Exclusive album-by-album, song-by-song commentary * In unique interviews, today's rock superstars tell why they love Kiss.Music Books
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