Kiss

by Greg Prato

Think back to the early '70s for a moment, shall we? If you turned on AM radio, took a gander at the charts, or looked at a local concert listing, such feel-good, easy-to-digest musical acts as John Denver, the Carpenters, and America were the popular flavors. And then... there was Kiss. Specializing in high-decibel rock anthems, pyro-heavy live shows and mega-merchandising, the band refused to display their naked mugs to the press, creating an air of mystery and rampant rumors - some of which were true.

Although the best known (and many feel definitive) Kiss line-up featured Paul "Starchild" Stanley, Ace "Spaceman" Frehley, Gene "Demon" Simmons, and Peter "Cat" Criss, the band has endured countless members coming and going over the years, and even - rather unwisely - unmasked and pursued more radio friendly sounds during the '80s. And since the band based their personas on fantasy, it's sometimes hard to separate fact from fiction...
Fact or Fiction: Classic Metal
Kiss Songfacts
More Fact or Fiction

Comments: 31

  • Annabelle from Eugene, OrMy partner, Johnny thinks Kiss stands for "Keep It Simple, Stupid!". What kind of barnaclehead told him that, I wonder?
  • Kevin from CanadaLots of fun. Agree the solo album Melvins question was really obscure. Got the Stanley Cher's sister thing wrong.
  • Karen From United States from Kirkland WaThat solo album thing is really nitpicky. Very tricky. Otherwise fun quiz! And I have played KISS Mini Golf in Vegas! Also great fun! KISS music plays on a screen the whole time!!!! Only missed 2 questions!! Woo hoo!
  • Nmdoggo11/13 boys.
  • Keith Burgundy from MinneapolisGreat quiz. Should have thought harder on pinball!
  • Crippled from United States WOW awesome quiz,I really enjoyed taking This quiz! I can't believe how much I knew some of the questions I had to think back.. very good quiz.. I only got one question wrong
  • Jay from MassachusettsGreat quiz!
  • Jack Hill from Santa Cruz California Cool quiz only got a couple wrong. I have been a kiss fan ever since I first saw and heard them I've been dressing as paul stanley in the destroyer costume since I was 17 years old and also at 13 concerts last one in Oakland ca March 6th end of the road tour and only missed a couple of questions
  • Yuccabreva from MontanaKiss fans always bag on the 80's output, but out isn't bad, more derivative, maybe? Not like their 70's sound was breaking to much ground either. So stop getting Yule panties in a twist over their 80's output. Lick it Up is a good album and although the other albums after that up to Revenge were not great, they had some good songs. Plus, it was the 80's, different era of music, if you can embrace that era's sound, theirs a lot to like in 80's era kiss.
  • Rob Orick Alias "robgems68" from Oxford, MichiganMy younger brother loved the original KISS line-up since 1975, but he doesn't care too much for the post-1983 line-up since Ace Frehley and Peter Criss left the band. i started liking them around 1978, when I heard a story about how the band got a big break by having a high school in Cadillac, Michigan had a KISS homecoming party in 1975 by having the students, the teachers, and the principal dressing up in KISS make-up as their favorite member. That was pretty cool, I thought, for a New York band trying to make it in the state of Michigan. I also remembered the freaky Paul Lynde Halloween TV show on ABC TV in 1976, that turned me on as exposure to the band's theatrics. The band has since been involved with MAD-TV, Scooby Doo, and other TV shows for the next four decades.
  • Aaron Birkholz from Knoxville, TnIt’s sad that I’m 22 years old (born in 1994) and I got all but one of those right. My dad placed everything KISS in my head as a kid and I thank God. Easily one of my favorite bands of all time (pre 1980 of course).
  • Rockledge from MarsKiss is to the 70s and beyond what the Archies and the Banana Splits were to the 60s
  • Hector Ramos from Guanajuato, MéxicoExcelent Q
  • Zabo from Pgh, Pa.Man my horse never left the starting line. I did that bad. But I still love me some old KISS. Original 4 only for me.
  • Steve C from Chandler, AzAwesome quiz! Thank you.
  • Jenny Tailya from Toronto, OntarioCool quiz. The need to be in Rock and Roll HOF for all the bands they inflenced. They even took Rush on tour when they where new.
  • Djdee from IndianapolisDidn't do so hot, but learned some new things about KISS so that was cool.
  • Dusty from Originally - Ohionice quiz...some facts i didn't know
  • Reyos from Windsor, OnI misread the drummer question, missed the 'nearly' in there so I got that one wrong.
  • Wes Stover from HuxleyI got the solos question wrong too, which I'm fine with, knowing that it had NOTHING to do with KISS, it's not a Melvins quiz. Vixen, all females, also opened for KISS on the Hot in the Shade tour.
  • Jim from North Billerica, MaI just listened to The interview between Gene Simmons and Terry Gross. She is trying to play the condescending intellectual and he is having none of it.
  • Tony from CanadaI got one wrong. The solo albums question. I thought the questions would be more difficult.
  • Jelle Jansen from NetherlandsJarod is (near) right ... The MELVINS EP's are not solo albums or EP's ... as far as I do remember it well (I already sold the vinyls) it were just 3 MELVINS EP's (as a band) with KISS inspired "album covers" ...
  • Popz from ItalyFunny! But not so difficult ;)
  • Pasqualino from ItalyItaly Rock Nation!
  • Jim Redmond from GeorgetownAnymore questions? That was fun.
  • Richard F. from Watertown,nyBeing a former KISS fan I did well, but missed 3. Did not know that PETA had no problems with Gene Simmons spitting blood, that they were not the only 70s music artist to have a pinball machine and that they were not the only group to have solo albums released in one day by all of the members.
  • Mark from Queens,ny"Anyone who tells you they got into rock n' roll for reasons other than girls, fame and money is full of [*oops*]."
  • Jarod from Houston, TxThe question was "Kiss is the only band to have solo albums by all of their members released concurrently." This is fact. Even in the description, it says The Melvins issued solo EP's, not ALBUMS. Also calling Mini KISS a tribute "band" is misleading as they don't actually play their instruments.
  • Dennis Leeyour right and i miss those days when kiss was trying to breakout
  • Rex Salyers from Myrtle Beach,s.carolinatoo easy!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Songs About Movies

Songs About MoviesSong Writing

Iron Maiden, Adele, Toto, Eminem and Earth, Wind & Fire are just some of the artists with songs directly inspired by movies - and not always good ones.

Eagles Lyrics Quiz

Eagles Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

Lots of life lessons in these Eagles lyrics - can you match them to the correct song?

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Songfacts® Newsletter

A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs

Information

Follow Us

Contribution

©2026 Songfacts, LLC