Kiss: Behind the Mask - Official Authorized Biogrphy

You might have mixed feelings about the format of the book. On one hand, it makes it very easy to skip to a specific album, period or band member if that's how you want to get your information. Because it's broken up that way, it doesn't flow like a traditional biography. Every member of the band, as well as managers, producers, and celebrity fans each step up to offer a comment on specific topics. It will come as no surprise that the show is run by Gene and Paul, but Ace and Peter...no matter how many petty squabbles and stories of substance abuse are laid bare...contributed mightily to the zillions of bucks sitting in Gene and Paul's bank accounts. No disrespect intended to Vinnie Vincent, Mark St. John, Bruce Kulick, the late Eric Carr or Eric Singer, BUT...the heart and rock 'n' roll soul of KISS will always be Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter. Tommy Thayer has the right to wear Ace Frehley's Space Ace makeup onstage because Gene and Paul own the rights to it, but he'll never be more than Tommy Thayer wearing Ace's makeup. Maybe Thayer helped Ace re-learn HIS OWN LICKS in preparation for the "Psycho Circus" reunion tour (don't do drugs, kids), but who cares? The band members rightfully acknowledge "Alive!" and "Destroyer" and the two albums to own, and it's nice to hear Paul Stanley fess up to the fact that the last Kulick album, the grunge-wannabe "Carnival Of Souls," was "second-rate Soundgarden, Metallica, and Alice In Chains." Gene, on the other hand, apologizes to no one, because when you're adding up the numbers on your bank statement, it's easy to get distracted if you're apologizing. Once you make it through this entire book you will find yourself having a "Spinal Tap" moment...while KISS has had its ups and downs, no one can deny the band's enduring popularity. The fact that their maturity level never rose above the maturity level of stunted adolescence (at best) while they became multi-multi-millionaires just makes Rob Reiner's "mockumentary" all that more dead-on, between-the-eyes accurate. Favorite quote? Raspberries singer Eric Carmen witnessing Gene swallowing a paper cup of Scope mouthwash mixed with Kerosene prior to fire-breathing onstage and whining to his manager "If this is what I have to do to make it in rock and roll, I quit!" KISS didn't quit, and you wanted the best, and you GOT the best...KISS.

I got this book a few weeks ago. All I have to say is the section that goes over every Kiss album and every song is priceless. You find out which songs and albums the band loves and which ones they hate. This is a dream book if your into this type of thing. The bible of info on every Kiss song. Thats all that has to be said.

Just got the book last week and haven't been able to put it down. The book is packed with tons of unknown information and candid interviews with everyone from the band to their manager, Bill Aucoin to the Who and Led Zeppelin. This book is an absolute must for any KISS fan. I love it!!!!!!

"Kiss: Behind The Mask" stands as the best book ever written about Kiss. The 431-page book has it all, amazing information, extensive interviews with the Kiss, and members of their inner circle. It's packed with many rare photos that I've never seen before, both in color and black & white. These include shots of Ace from 1968, alternate pictures of the "Alive!" album cover and the "Alive II" inner sleeve, the band without makeup from 1974 posing for Creem magazine, the infamous "Hotter Than Hell" party photo, Paul and Gene in the studio sans makeup from the late 70's and more. The comments from the band's peers is incredible too with The Who, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ozzy, and many more talking about the band. It's easy to pick my favorite part of the book. It has to be the spectacular album by album, song by song section. This could be a whole book on its own. Every Kiss album and Kiss song features quotes from the band, producers, engineers, songwriters, musical sidemen and more. Yes, that includes "the Elder"...The sections on Wicked Lester, and the "Destroyer" album are real standouts, so much new info is revealed for the very first time. Kiss has let me down a lot in the past but not with this book. "Kiss: Behind The Mask" is the ultimate book for the Kiss Army, and an indispensable resource for fans of the group. Highly recommended.