Peter Criss
Encyclopedia
George Peter John Criscuola (born December 20, 1945), better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer
for the rock
band Kiss
. Criss established the "Catman" character for his Kiss persona.
section of Brooklyn, New York. He was a childhood friend of Jerry Nolan
, who would later find success as the drummer for the New York Dolls
.
He was an avid art student and a jazz aficionado. While playing with bandleader Joey Greco, Criss ended up studying under his idol, Gene Krupa
, at the Metropole Club in New York. This blossomed into an active musical career as he went on to play jazz and rock with a number of bands in New York and New Jersey
throughout the 1960s.
, who had a two-album deal with Decca Records
; the group released a self-titled album in 1970. They never recorded a second album, and in August 1971 became Lips (a trio consisting of Criss and his Chelsea bandmates Michael Benvenga and Stan Penridge). By the spring of 1973, Lips was just the duo of Criss and Penridge.
edition of Rolling Stone
, which read:
Contrary to the story that has been recited by fans and the band for years, there was never an ad placed that said "Drummer willing to do anything to make it." The advertisement was answered by Paul Stanley
and Gene Simmons
, who were looking for new members for their band. Ace Frehley
was added to the lineup in December 1972, and the band was named Kiss later that month.
However, as Gene Simmons describes first meeting Criss in his book 'Kiss And Make-Up' "One afternoon I run across an ad in Rolling Stone that said "Drummer available - Will do anything." I called the guy on the telephone, and even though he was in the middle of a party, he took my call. I introduced myself and said we were starting a band and that the band was looking for a drummer, and was he willing to do anything to make it? He says that he was, right away." Simmons later in the chapter describes going to a small Italian Club in Brooklyn to meet the drummer "The drummer started to sing, and this Wilson Pickett-style voice came out of him. Paul and I said "That's it, that's our drummer." His name was Peter Criscuola."
Kiss released their self-titled debut in February 1974. Throughout his Kiss career, Criss was lead vocalist on several notable songs including "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman
", and their breakthrough hit "Beth
". Many of Criss' contributions to Kiss were written with the help of Stan Penridge, who was a bandmate of Criss' in Chelsea and Lips.
Criss was featured on the album sleeve for the 1979 comedy record Lenny and the Squigtones
, collection of novelty songs by Michael McKean
and David L. Lander
, performing as their Laverne & Shirley
personas of Lenny
and Squiggy
. Criss was billed as drummer "Ming the Merciless," and appeared without his Kiss makeup, although he did not play drums on the album.
Criss is given co-writer credit for the ballad
"Beth
", a Top 10 #7 hit for Kiss in 1976. The song remains the highest-charting song for Kiss in the USA and it earned them a People's Choice Award for "Young People's Favorite New Song" in 1977, tied with "Disco Duck
". The song was written before Criss had joined Kiss, while he was still a member of Chelsea. Criss came up with the melody for the song while on a train to New York City from New Jersey where the band practiced. He and Chelsea guitarist Stan Penridge wrote the song together. "
A bootleg exists of the song from 1971, but the song's title was "Beck", after fellow band member Mike Brand's wife, Becky, who would call often during practices to ask Mike when he was coming home. Years later, while in Kiss, both Bob Ezrin and Gene Simmons are credited for changing the song's title to "Beth". The song was said to be a tribute to Criss' wife Lydia Di Leonardo; according to interviews with Criss, he changed some of the lyrics to reflect Lydia's lamenting that she missed him while on tour, but the song actually originated years earlier.
Along with "Beth", other songs he sang as a member of Kiss were "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman
", "Dirty Livin'", "Nothin' to Lose", "Mainline", "Strange Ways", "Getaway", "Baby Driver", "Hooligan", "Kissin' Time" and "I Finally Found My Way
", with only the first being a live staple for every tour during his time with Kiss; "Dirty Livin'", "Baby Driver", "Hooligan" and "Beth" are the only ones he co-wrote (Paul Stanley wrote "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman", "Mainline" and "I Finally Found My Way"; Ace Frehley
wrote "Strange Ways" and "Getaway", and Gene Simmons wrote "Nothin' to Lose").
and Alive II
were the last Kiss albums on which he played throughout.
In 1978, Criss was injured in a serious car crash.
On the 1979 release Dynasty, he only played on his own composition, "Dirty Livin'," and did not play at all on 1980's Unmasked. Anton Fig
, who also played on Ace Frehley's solo album (and is now David Letterman
's house drummer), was hired to play on both records.
Gene Simmons has made it clear that Criss was fired; Paul Stanley too has discussed Criss' departure in several interviews, including the commentary on Kissology 2
. Criss, however, has maintained that he quit the band. The video for "Shandi" was shot in one day, and Peter was out of the band at that time; said Stanley, "After we finished shooting, Peter packed up his things, and went home."
Criss officially left Kiss on May 18, 1980. As a result, Kiss postponed the European tour until the end of August, thus giving the band enough time to find a replacement drummer, who they found in Brooklyn-born Eric Carr
.
. Released later in the year, the album was a commercial failure, despite remaining a favorite with Criss fans. The follow-up album, 1982's Let Me Rock You
, which contained one song written by Gene Simmons, was a similar failure. The album cover featured Criss without his Kiss makeup, but was not released in the U.S. at the time.
For the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s, Criss was involved with a number of bands, each usually lasting less than a year. One of them was The Keep, which featured ex-Kiss guitarist Mark St. John
. Criss also played with Balls of Fire from the spring of 1986 to December 1986, with Jane Booke on lead vocals, Bob Raylove on bass and JP (John Pakalenka) on guitar, who currently plays for Buckner Funken Jazz in Denver, Colorado. Balls of Fire only played 7 shows before Criss left the band to enjoy his daughter Jenilee growing up. While Kiss was promoting their upcoming release Crazy Nights
, Criss appeared on the syndicated radio program Metal Shop and discussed his time in Kiss from a more positive perspective than before; he also promoted the book he was writing at the time, an autobiography to-be-titled A Face without a Kiss. He also mentioned his dream of one day opening up his own recording studio and starting his own record label, to be called Catman Records. Criss briefly reunited with former Kiss bandmate Ace Frehley on Frehley's 1989 album Trouble Walkin'
(singing and playing percussion on one track). In the early '90s, Criss assembled a band named "Criss," which would feature future Queensrÿche guitarist Mike Stone. This band released the Criss EP
in December 1993 and the Cat #1 album in August 1994. The group also supported Frehley's band on the 1995 "Bad Boys Tour."
that was recorded for MTV Unplugged
. In April 1996, Kiss held a press conference to announce a reunion tour with all four original members. The 1996–97 Alive/Worldwide Tour was an enormous success, and the reunited Kiss released a studio album, 1998's Psycho Circus
. However, controversy arose when it was discovered that Criss only played drums on one track ("Into the Void," Ace Frehley's one lead vocal track). Many sources claim that Kevin Valentine performed on the rest of the drum tracks for the album. Criss did have one lead vocal, a track called "I Finally Found My Way," written by guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin, and a co-vocal taking turns in the verses with the rest of the band for the song "You Wanted the Best".
, Criss destroyed his drum kit on stage. Though fans thought it was part of the act, it was in reality an act of frustration on Criss' part. It was his last show on the tour, as he left over a contract dispute and was replaced by Eric Singer
in 2001. He rejoined the band in late 2002 and appeared on the Kiss Symphony: Alive IV
DVD and CD before departure from Kiss again in March 2004. The band had opted not to renew his contract following the Rocksimus Maximus Tour
(which had them co-headlining with Aerosmith
). He was once again replaced by Singer, who assumed Criss' "Catman" persona and who continues to perform with the band today.
Peter Criss on Kiss performing with replacements for Ace Frehley and himself:
. He released a solo album, titled One for All
July 24, 2007, on Silvercat Records.
Criss is a gun enthusiast, and has stated that he has a large collection of firearms with which he target shoots, but does not hunt with, as he told host Tom Snyder
during the October 31, 1979 interview of Kiss on The Tomorrow Show. This segment of the infamous interview features Criss referencing his large gun collection and Simmons becoming annoyed with Criss because of it.
According to an interview with 40º74º Magazine, Peter Criss is working on a follow-up album to One for All
, and currently has 15 songs recorded for the release. Additionally, Criss is working on his autobiography.
As of November 2008, Criss has been married three times: Lydia Di Leonardo (from 1970 to 1979), former playboy playmate and coppertone model Debra Jensen
(from 1979 to 1994) and Gigi Criss (from May 1998 to present). Criss is the father of one daughter named Jenilee, born in 1981.
Criss was successfully treated for breast cancer
in 2008.
In the early 1990s, an urban legend
circulated that Criss was a homeless alcoholic. Star Magazine
published an article that appeared to lend credence to the notion. Jeffrey Scott Holland
paid tribute to Criss's alleged plight by painting his portrait in an alley with a bottle in his hand, and Roseanne Barr
and Tom Arnold
began a campaign to try to rescue Criss. Barr and Arnold had discovered a homeless man living under a bridge who had claimed to be Criss, but it was later revealed to be a hoax. The hoaxer, Christopher Dickinson, appeared with the real Criss on The Phil Donahue
Show in 1991. On the same show, there was a woman who claimed to also have had an affair with Criss back in 1982, which was denied by Criss, then-wife Debra and, via telephone, ex-wife Lydia. For years afterward, the rumor still persisted that Criss was broke and sleeping on the streets. Criss later sued the Star and they settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
, Criss has appeared on two television programs in minor roles and is set to appear in an upcoming film
. In 1998 he appeared as "Nice Cop" on the "...Thirteen Years Later"
episode of Millennium
and in 2002 Criss appeared in two episodes of the HBO prison drama Oz
as inmate Martin Montgomery. He also plays the role of Mike in the motion picture about the JFK assassination
, Frame of Mind
.
drums and Remo drum heads
Bass drum:
Rack Toms:
Floor Toms:
Snare:
Cymbals:
|*|credited in the album liner notes, but does not appear
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
for the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. Criss established the "Catman" character for his Kiss persona.
Early years
Of Italian-American descent, Criss is the oldest of the five children of Joseph and Loretta Criscuola; he grew up in the WilliamsburgCanarsie, Brooklyn
Canarsie is a neighborhood in the southeastern portion of the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City, United States. The area is part of Brooklyn Community Board 18....
section of Brooklyn, New York. He was a childhood friend of Jerry Nolan
Jerry Nolan
Jerry Nolan was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with The New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.-Career:...
, who would later find success as the drummer for the New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
.
He was an avid art student and a jazz aficionado. While playing with bandleader Joey Greco, Criss ended up studying under his idol, Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa was an American jazz and big band drummer and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.-Biography:...
, at the Metropole Club in New York. This blossomed into an active musical career as he went on to play jazz and rock with a number of bands in New York and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
throughout the 1960s.
Chelsea
Criss was involved with a number of bands throughout the mid-to-late 1960s. It was during this time that Criss joined ChelseaChelsea (American band)
Chelsea was an early 70's band from New York City. Known most notably for their drummer Peter Criss of Kiss fame. They released one album, the self titled album Chelsea in 1970 and then collapsed during the recording of their unreleased second album....
, who had a two-album deal with Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
; the group released a self-titled album in 1970. They never recorded a second album, and in August 1971 became Lips (a trio consisting of Criss and his Chelsea bandmates Michael Benvenga and Stan Penridge). By the spring of 1973, Lips was just the duo of Criss and Penridge.
Kiss
After the demise of his band Lips, Criss placed an advertisement in the East CoastEastern United States
The Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
edition of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, which read:
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
and Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
, who were looking for new members for their band. Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
was added to the lineup in December 1972, and the band was named Kiss later that month.
However, as Gene Simmons describes first meeting Criss in his book 'Kiss And Make-Up' "One afternoon I run across an ad in Rolling Stone that said "Drummer available - Will do anything." I called the guy on the telephone, and even though he was in the middle of a party, he took my call. I introduced myself and said we were starting a band and that the band was looking for a drummer, and was he willing to do anything to make it? He says that he was, right away." Simmons later in the chapter describes going to a small Italian Club in Brooklyn to meet the drummer "The drummer started to sing, and this Wilson Pickett-style voice came out of him. Paul and I said "That's it, that's our drummer." His name was Peter Criscuola."
Kiss released their self-titled debut in February 1974. Throughout his Kiss career, Criss was lead vocalist on several notable songs including "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman
Hard Luck Woman
"Hard Luck Woman" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss and the lead single from their 1976 album, Rock and Roll Over. The song was originally written by Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley as a possible track for Rod Stewart, but when Stewart showed no interest in singing it, Kiss decided to keep...
", and their breakthrough hit "Beth
Beth (song)
"Beth" is a song by Kiss, originally released on their 1976 album, Destroyer. To date, it is their highest-charting single, reaching #7 on Billboard's American charts. It is one of only two Gold selling singles for the band , and their first of two Top Ten singles...
". Many of Criss' contributions to Kiss were written with the help of Stan Penridge, who was a bandmate of Criss' in Chelsea and Lips.
Criss was featured on the album sleeve for the 1979 comedy record Lenny and the Squigtones
Lenny and the Squigtones
Lenny and the Squigtones is a fictional musical group headed by Michael McKean and David Lander, the two actors who played the characters Lenny and Squiggy on the television series Laverne & Shirley. Recorded live at the Roxy in Hollywood, they perform parodies of 50's rock ballads...
, collection of novelty songs by Michael McKean
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
and David L. Lander
David Lander
David L. Lander is an American actor, comedian, composer, musician, and baseball scout. David is also the Goodwill Ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.- Biography :...
, performing as their Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from January 26, 1976, to May 10, 1983...
personas of Lenny
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
and Squiggy
David Lander
David L. Lander is an American actor, comedian, composer, musician, and baseball scout. David is also the Goodwill Ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.- Biography :...
. Criss was billed as drummer "Ming the Merciless," and appeared without his Kiss makeup, although he did not play drums on the album.
Criss is given co-writer credit for the ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
"Beth
Beth (song)
"Beth" is a song by Kiss, originally released on their 1976 album, Destroyer. To date, it is their highest-charting single, reaching #7 on Billboard's American charts. It is one of only two Gold selling singles for the band , and their first of two Top Ten singles...
", a Top 10 #7 hit for Kiss in 1976. The song remains the highest-charting song for Kiss in the USA and it earned them a People's Choice Award for "Young People's Favorite New Song" in 1977, tied with "Disco Duck
Disco Duck
"Disco Duck" is a satirical disco novelty song performed by Memphis disc jockey Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots. It became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in October 1976 . It also made the top 20 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, peaking at number 15...
". The song was written before Criss had joined Kiss, while he was still a member of Chelsea. Criss came up with the melody for the song while on a train to New York City from New Jersey where the band practiced. He and Chelsea guitarist Stan Penridge wrote the song together. "
A bootleg exists of the song from 1971, but the song's title was "Beck", after fellow band member Mike Brand's wife, Becky, who would call often during practices to ask Mike when he was coming home. Years later, while in Kiss, both Bob Ezrin and Gene Simmons are credited for changing the song's title to "Beth". The song was said to be a tribute to Criss' wife Lydia Di Leonardo; according to interviews with Criss, he changed some of the lyrics to reflect Lydia's lamenting that she missed him while on tour, but the song actually originated years earlier.
Along with "Beth", other songs he sang as a member of Kiss were "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman
Hard Luck Woman
"Hard Luck Woman" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss and the lead single from their 1976 album, Rock and Roll Over. The song was originally written by Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley as a possible track for Rod Stewart, but when Stewart showed no interest in singing it, Kiss decided to keep...
", "Dirty Livin'", "Nothin' to Lose", "Mainline", "Strange Ways", "Getaway", "Baby Driver", "Hooligan", "Kissin' Time" and "I Finally Found My Way
I Finally Found My Way
"I Finally Found My Way" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss released on their 1998 album Psycho Circus.A ballad credited to guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley and producer Bob Ezrin, the song was written specifically for drummer Peter Criss to sing for the album...
", with only the first being a live staple for every tour during his time with Kiss; "Dirty Livin'", "Baby Driver", "Hooligan" and "Beth" are the only ones he co-wrote (Paul Stanley wrote "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman", "Mainline" and "I Finally Found My Way"; Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
wrote "Strange Ways" and "Getaway", and Gene Simmons wrote "Nothin' to Lose").
Departure from Kiss
Criss struggled with drug abuse through many of the years he was in the band. Although he was always credited as drummer, 1977's Love GunLove Gun
Love Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss. It was certified platinum on June 30, 1977, just two weeks after the album's release....
and Alive II
Alive II
Alive II is a 1977 live album from Kiss. It is the group's eighth album and second live album.-The songs:The origins of Alive II go back to early 1977 when the band's manager, Bill Aucoin, had the idea to have Eddie Kramer record a live album during the evening show at Budokan Hall in Tokyo on...
were the last Kiss albums on which he played throughout.
In 1978, Criss was injured in a serious car crash.
On the 1979 release Dynasty, he only played on his own composition, "Dirty Livin'," and did not play at all on 1980's Unmasked. Anton Fig
Anton Fig
Anton Fig , known as "The Thunder from Down Under" is a session drummer, noted for his work in David Letterman's house band, the CBS Orchestra. Letterman often refers to Fig as "Anton Zip"or "Buddy Rich Jr."...
, who also played on Ace Frehley's solo album (and is now David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
's house drummer), was hired to play on both records.
Gene Simmons has made it clear that Criss was fired; Paul Stanley too has discussed Criss' departure in several interviews, including the commentary on Kissology 2
Kissology Volume Two: 1978-1991
Kissology Volume Two: 1978–1991 is a DVD/Home Video that was released by Kiss on August 14, 2007. It contains three discs, plus three separate bonus discs sold only within initial first pressings. Some initial packages included a replica ticket to Magic Mountain for Kiss meets the Phantom of the...
. Criss, however, has maintained that he quit the band. The video for "Shandi" was shot in one day, and Peter was out of the band at that time; said Stanley, "After we finished shooting, Peter packed up his things, and went home."
Criss officially left Kiss on May 18, 1980. As a result, Kiss postponed the European tour until the end of August, thus giving the band enough time to find a replacement drummer, who they found in Brooklyn-born Eric Carr
Eric Carr
Paul Charles Caravello , also known as Eric Carr, was an American musician, best known as drummer for the rock band Kiss. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after Peter Criss left in 1980...
.
Solo career
Although Criss officially left Kiss in May 1980, his involvement with the band had ceased by December 1979. In March 1980, he began recording his second solo album, Out of ControlOut of Control (Peter Criss album)
Out of Control is the second solo album released by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss. Recording for the album began in March 1980, when Criss was still officially a member of Kiss...
. Released later in the year, the album was a commercial failure, despite remaining a favorite with Criss fans. The follow-up album, 1982's Let Me Rock You
Let Me Rock You
Let Me Rock You is the third album released by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss. Due to poor sales for his previous album, Out of Control, Let Me Rock You was not released in the United States until 1997, when it was reissued on CD. The album was produced by Vini Poncia, who previously produced...
, which contained one song written by Gene Simmons, was a similar failure. The album cover featured Criss without his Kiss makeup, but was not released in the U.S. at the time.
For the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s, Criss was involved with a number of bands, each usually lasting less than a year. One of them was The Keep, which featured ex-Kiss guitarist Mark St. John
Mark St. John
Mark Leslie Norton , better known as Mark St. John, was a guitarist known for his brief work with the rock band Kiss.-Prior to Kiss:...
. Criss also played with Balls of Fire from the spring of 1986 to December 1986, with Jane Booke on lead vocals, Bob Raylove on bass and JP (John Pakalenka) on guitar, who currently plays for Buckner Funken Jazz in Denver, Colorado. Balls of Fire only played 7 shows before Criss left the band to enjoy his daughter Jenilee growing up. While Kiss was promoting their upcoming release Crazy Nights
Crazy Nights
Crazy Nights is the 14th studio album by American band Kiss. The album was recorded in June 1987 and officially released on September 18, 1987 by Mercury and Vertigo in Europe. The album featured keyboards which was another departure in their music style changing from their Lick It...
, Criss appeared on the syndicated radio program Metal Shop and discussed his time in Kiss from a more positive perspective than before; he also promoted the book he was writing at the time, an autobiography to-be-titled A Face without a Kiss. He also mentioned his dream of one day opening up his own recording studio and starting his own record label, to be called Catman Records. Criss briefly reunited with former Kiss bandmate Ace Frehley on Frehley's 1989 album Trouble Walkin'
Trouble Walkin'
Trouble Walkin is the third full-length solo album released by Ace Frehley. No longer under the band name Frehley's Comet the album features guest performances by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss, as well as Skid Row members Sebastian Bach, Rachel Bolan and Dave Sabo.The album peaked at #102 on the...
(singing and playing percussion on one track). In the early '90s, Criss assembled a band named "Criss," which would feature future Queensrÿche guitarist Mike Stone. This band released the Criss EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in December 1993 and the Cat #1 album in August 1994. The group also supported Frehley's band on the 1995 "Bad Boys Tour."
Return to Kiss
In 1995, Criss appeared at the official Kiss Konvention in Los Angeles that led to the Kiss live performanceKISS Unplugged
Kiss Unplugged is a Kiss album featuring the group performance in MTV Unplugged.On August 9, 1995, hard rock band Kiss performed on MTV Unplugged in what fans consider the beginning of the eventual Kiss Reunion Tour. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons contacted former members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley...
that was recorded for MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
. In April 1996, Kiss held a press conference to announce a reunion tour with all four original members. The 1996–97 Alive/Worldwide Tour was an enormous success, and the reunited Kiss released a studio album, 1998's Psycho Circus
Psycho Circus
Psycho Circus is the 18th studio album by American band Kiss. The album features the original four members back together, and in full make-up....
. However, controversy arose when it was discovered that Criss only played drums on one track ("Into the Void," Ace Frehley's one lead vocal track). Many sources claim that Kevin Valentine performed on the rest of the drum tracks for the album. Criss did have one lead vocal, a track called "I Finally Found My Way," written by guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin, and a co-vocal taking turns in the verses with the rest of the band for the song "You Wanted the Best".
Second and third departure
Tensions arose once again between Criss and Kiss. On October 7, 2000, at the end of the band's show in North Charleston, SCNorth Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina with incorporated areas in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. On June 12, 1972 the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the 9th largest city in South Carolina. According to the 2010 Census, North...
, Criss destroyed his drum kit on stage. Though fans thought it was part of the act, it was in reality an act of frustration on Criss' part. It was his last show on the tour, as he left over a contract dispute and was replaced by Eric Singer
Eric Singer
Eric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
in 2001. He rejoined the band in late 2002 and appeared on the Kiss Symphony: Alive IV
KISS Symphony: Alive IV
Kiss Symphony: Alive IV is a 2003 live album from Kiss performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra . The arrangements were made by David Campbell, who also conducted the MSO. It is the group's fourth album in the Alive series and first release under Kiss Records and Sanctuary Records...
DVD and CD before departure from Kiss again in March 2004. The band had opted not to renew his contract following the Rocksimus Maximus Tour
Rocksimus Maximus Tour
The Rocksimus Maximus Tour/World Domination Tour was a North American concert tour co-headlined by Aerosmith and Kiss. The tour was referred to as the "World Domination Tour" by Kiss and was called the Rocksimus Maximus Tour by Aerosmith. It is sometimes referred to informally as the "AeroKiss...
(which had them co-headlining with Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
). He was once again replaced by Singer, who assumed Criss' "Catman" persona and who continues to perform with the band today.
Peter Criss on Kiss performing with replacements for Ace Frehley and himself:
Personal life
Since 2004, Criss has kept his public appearances to a minimum. Criss now resides in Wall Township, New JerseyWall Township, New Jersey
Wall Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 26,164.Wall Township was formally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1851...
. He released a solo album, titled One for All
One for All (Peter Criss album)
One for All is the fifth studio album by former Kiss drummer and vocalist Peter Criss. It was released by Megaforce Records on July 23, 2007. The album reached number 36 on the Billboard Top Independent Album list...
July 24, 2007, on Silvercat Records.
Criss is a gun enthusiast, and has stated that he has a large collection of firearms with which he target shoots, but does not hunt with, as he told host Tom Snyder
Tom Snyder
Thomas James "Tom" Snyder was an American television personality, news anchor and radio personality best known for his late night talk shows The Tomorrow Show, on the NBC television network in the 1970s and 1980s, and The Late Late Show, on the CBS Television Network in the 1990s...
during the October 31, 1979 interview of Kiss on The Tomorrow Show. This segment of the infamous interview features Criss referencing his large gun collection and Simmons becoming annoyed with Criss because of it.
According to an interview with 40º74º Magazine, Peter Criss is working on a follow-up album to One for All
One for All (Peter Criss album)
One for All is the fifth studio album by former Kiss drummer and vocalist Peter Criss. It was released by Megaforce Records on July 23, 2007. The album reached number 36 on the Billboard Top Independent Album list...
, and currently has 15 songs recorded for the release. Additionally, Criss is working on his autobiography.
As of November 2008, Criss has been married three times: Lydia Di Leonardo (from 1970 to 1979), former playboy playmate and coppertone model Debra Jensen
Debra Jensen
Debra Jensen is an American model. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its January 1978 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Phillip Dixon....
(from 1979 to 1994) and Gigi Criss (from May 1998 to present). Criss is the father of one daughter named Jenilee, born in 1981.
Criss was successfully treated for breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in 2008.
In the early 1990s, an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
circulated that Criss was a homeless alcoholic. Star Magazine
Star (magazine)
Star is an American celebrity tabloid magazine.-History:Star was founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1974 as competition to the tabloid National Enquirer with its headquarters in New York City. In the late 1980s it moved its offices to Tarrytown, NY and in 1990 Murdoch sold the magazine to The Enquirers...
published an article that appeared to lend credence to the notion. Jeffrey Scott Holland
Jeffrey Scott Holland
Jeffrey Scott Holland, , is an artist and musician living both in New York City and in Louisville, Kentucky. He is an active member of the Stuckist and Remodernist art movements, holding a traveling exhibit of Stuckist art in the United States in 2001, and co-curating the Deatrick Gallery, the...
paid tribute to Criss's alleged plight by painting his portrait in an alley with a bottle in his hand, and Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Cherrie Barr is an American actress, comedian, writer, television producer and director. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy at clubs before gaining fame for her role in the sitcom Roseanne. The show was a hit and lasted nine seasons, from 1988 to 1997...
and Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
began a campaign to try to rescue Criss. Barr and Arnold had discovered a homeless man living under a bridge who had claimed to be Criss, but it was later revealed to be a hoax. The hoaxer, Christopher Dickinson, appeared with the real Criss on The Phil Donahue
Phil Donahue
Phillip John "Phil" Donahue is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S...
Show in 1991. On the same show, there was a woman who claimed to also have had an affair with Criss back in 1982, which was denied by Criss, then-wife Debra and, via telephone, ex-wife Lydia. For years afterward, the rumor still persisted that Criss was broke and sleeping on the streets. Criss later sued the Star and they settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Acting
In addition to playing himself in 1978's Kiss Meets the Phantom of the ParkKISS Meets the Phantom of the Park
Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park is a 1978 television film, starring American hard rock band Kiss...
, Criss has appeared on two television programs in minor roles and is set to appear in an upcoming film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. In 1998 he appeared as "Nice Cop" on the "...Thirteen Years Later"
Millennium (season 3)
The third season of the American supernatural thriller series, Millennium aired between 1998-1999, the Fox network decided not to renew the series after the third season because of a declining viewership level.-Recurring:*Terry O'Quinn as Peter Watts...
episode of Millennium
Millennium (TV series)
Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
and in 2002 Criss appeared in two episodes of the HBO prison drama Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
as inmate Martin Montgomery. He also plays the role of Mike in the motion picture about the JFK assassination
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
, Frame of Mind
Frame of Mind (film)
Frame of Mind is an American movie about the John F. Kennedy assassination. The film stars Carl T. Evans – who also directed the film – along with Chris Noth, Eric Michael Espiritu, and Tony Lo Bianco. Peter Criss, former drummer for the rock band Kiss, also appears in the movie....
.
Drum kit
Criss has played Zildjian cymbals, Pro-Mark sticks, Drum WorkshopDrum Workshop
Drum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...
drums and Remo drum heads
Bass drum:
- 18" X 22"
Rack Toms:
- 5" X 8"
- 6" X 8"
- 7" X 8"
- 8" X 8"
- 13 X 15"
- 8" X 10"
- 9" X 12"
- 10" X 13"
Floor Toms:
- 11" X 14"
- 15" X 16"
- 16" X 18"
Snare:
- 6" X 14" edge snare
- 4" X 12" edge snare
Cymbals:
- 20" medium ride
- 19" medium crash
- 12" fast splash
- 18" medium crash
- 15" new beat hi-hats
- 16" medium crash
- 18" medium thin crash
- 19" medium thin crash
- 17" medium crash
- 16" medium thin crash
Kiss
- Kiss (1974)
- Hotter Than HellHotter Than HellHotter Than Hell is the second studio album from hard rock band Kiss. It was released on October 22, 1974 and was certified Gold on June 23, 1977, having shipped 500,000 copies. The album was re-released in 1997 in a remastered version...
(1974) - Dressed to KillDressed to Kill (album)Dressed to Kill is the third studio album from American hard rock band Kiss. It is unique for having been produced by Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart, as the financial situation of the label at the time did not allow the hiring of a professional producer."C'mon and Love Me" and "Rock and...
(1975) - Alive! (1975)
- Destroyer (1976)
- Rock and Roll OverRock and Roll Over-Personnel:*Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar , vocals*Gene Simmons - bass guitar, vocals, rhythm guitar on "Ladies Room"*Ace Frehley - lead guitar, backing vocals*Peter Criss - drums, percussion, vocals-Charts:-Certifications:...
(1976) - Love GunLove GunLove Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss. It was certified platinum on June 30, 1977, just two weeks after the album's release....
(1977) - Alive IIAlive IIAlive II is a 1977 live album from Kiss. It is the group's eighth album and second live album.-The songs:The origins of Alive II go back to early 1977 when the band's manager, Bill Aucoin, had the idea to have Eddie Kramer record a live album during the evening show at Budokan Hall in Tokyo on...
(1977) - Double PlatinumDouble Platinum (album)Double Platinum is the first greatest hits album by the American hard rock band Kiss.Many of the songs on Double Platinum were remixed and significantly differ from their original versions...
(1978) - Dynasty (1979)
- Unmasked (1980) |*|
- Kiss UnpluggedKISS UnpluggedKiss Unplugged is a Kiss album featuring the group performance in MTV Unplugged.On August 9, 1995, hard rock band Kiss performed on MTV Unplugged in what fans consider the beginning of the eventual Kiss Reunion Tour. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons contacted former members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley...
(1996) - Psycho CircusPsycho CircusPsycho Circus is the 18th studio album by American band Kiss. The album features the original four members back together, and in full make-up....
(1998) - Kiss Symphony: Alive IVKISS Symphony: Alive IVKiss Symphony: Alive IV is a 2003 live album from Kiss performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra . The arrangements were made by David Campbell, who also conducted the MSO. It is the group's fourth album in the Alive series and first release under Kiss Records and Sanctuary Records...
(2003)
|*|credited in the album liner notes, but does not appear
Solo
- Peter CrissPeter Criss (album)Peter Criss is a 1978 solo album from the drummer and vocalist of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the band members on September 18, 1978. The other albums were released by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley...
(September 18, 1978) - Out of ControlOut of Control (Peter Criss album)Out of Control is the second solo album released by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss. Recording for the album began in March 1980, when Criss was still officially a member of Kiss...
(September 1980) - Let Me Rock YouLet Me Rock YouLet Me Rock You is the third album released by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss. Due to poor sales for his previous album, Out of Control, Let Me Rock You was not released in the United States until 1997, when it was reissued on CD. The album was produced by Vini Poncia, who previously produced...
(May 1982) - Criss (December 1993)
- Cat #1Cat 1 (album)Cat #1 is the fourth album released by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss, and first under the band name Criss.-Track listing:#"Bad Attitude" – 4:33#"Walk the Line" – 3:47...
(August 16, 1994) - One for AllOne for All (Peter Criss album)One for All is the fifth studio album by former Kiss drummer and vocalist Peter Criss. It was released by Megaforce Records on July 23, 2007. The album reached number 36 on the Billboard Top Independent Album list...
(July 24, 2007)