List of Kiss members

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Multiple image Kiss was an American hard rock band from New York City, US. Formed in January 1973, the group originally featured rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons, lead guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss, all of whom contributed to vocals.^[1] The band's lineup remained stable for seven years, before Criss left on May 18, 1980, after an injury and increasing personal tensions.^[2] He was replaced by Eric Carr, after Anton Fig filled in for 1979's Dynasty and 1980's Unmasked.^[3] Two years later Frehley also left the band.

Frehley was replaced by Vinnie Vincent, who debuted with the group in December 1982 after contributing to Creatures of the Night earlier in the year.^[4] Vincent also performed on Lick It Up, but was fired at the end of the album's promotional touring cycle in March 1984 for what Simmons called "unethical behavior".^[5] He was replaced the following month by Mark St. John, who performed on Animalize.^[6] After contracting arthritis which made it difficult to perform, he was temporarily replaced on the Animalize World Tour by Bruce Kulick; St. John's condition improved, performing two full shows and one partial show with Kiss in November 1984. However, it quickly became apparent that Kulick was a more natural fit musically than St. John. As a result, the replacement was made permanent in December and St. John was fired.^[7]

The lineup featuring Kulick was the most stable since the band's first incarnation, only ending on November 24, 1991, when Carr died of heart cancer.^[8] Due to his illness, Carr was temporarily replaced by Eric Singer for the recording of Revenge, and upon Carr's death Singer joined the band permanently.^[9] After performing with the band for several songs as part of MTV Unplugged the previous year,^[10] Frehley and Criss officially rejoined Kiss in April 1996 for a reunion tour.^[11] The group released new album Psycho Circus in 1998, but by January 2001 had splintered again, as Criss left between legs of the Kiss Farewell Tour and was replaced by Singer.^[12]

The following year, Frehley also left Kiss for a second time, with Tommy Thayer taking over his position in March 2002.^[13] In October that year, the band announced a special show with the Melbourne Symphony to feature original drummer Criss,^[14] who subsequently remained a full-time member.^[15] By February 2004, Criss was out of the band for a third time, with Singer returning to take his place again.^[16] The final line-up consisting of Stanley, Simmons, Singer and Thayer released two studio albums: 2009's Sonic Boom and 2012's Monster.^[1]

Members

Image	Name (persona)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
Template:CSS image crop	Paul Stanley (The Starchild)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	1973–2023	Template:Hlist	all Kiss releases
Template:CSS image crop	Gene Simmons (The Demon)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	1973–2023	Template:Hlist	all Kiss releases
Template:CSS image crop	Ace Frehley (The Spaceman a.k.a. Space Ace)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist
Template:CSS image crop	Peter Criss (The Catman)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist
Template:CSS image crop	Eric Carr (The Fox)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	1980–1991 (until his death)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	all Kiss releases from Music from "The Elder" (1981) to Revenge (1992)
Template:CSS image crop	Vinnie Vincent (The Wiz)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	1982–1984 (guest songwriter, 1991–1992)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist
Template:CSS image crop	Mark St. John	1984 (died 2007)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	Animalize (1984)
Template:CSS image crop	Bruce Kulick	1984–1996 (guest in 2018,^[17] 2019^[18] and 2021^[18])Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	all Kiss releases from Animalize (1984) (lead guitar on “Murder in High-Heels” and “Lonely Is the Hunter” only)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". to Psycho Circus (1998) (guitar and bass on select songs)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:CSS image crop	Eric Singer (The Catman)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	all Kiss releases from Revenge (1992) to Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997), and from Sonic Boom (2009) onwards
Template:CSS image crop	Tommy Thayer (The Spaceman)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	2002–2023 (session musician 1989, 1992, 1998)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist

Touring

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
Template:CSS image crop	Gary Corbett	1987–1990 (died 2021)	keyboards	Corbett was the band's first live keyboardist, performing on the Crazy Nights and Hot in the Shade Tours.^[19]
Template:CSS image crop	Derek Sherinian	1992	keyboards	Sherinian took over from Corbett for the 1992 Revenge Tour, before Kiss ceased using live keyboardists.^[20]

Session

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Bruce Foster	1973–1974	Template:Hlist	Kiss (1974)
	Warren Dewey	1973–1974	fire engine	Kiss (1974)
	Dick Wagner	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Flatlist
	Brooklyn Boys Chorus	1975–1976	additional vocals	Destroyer (1976)
	David and Josh Ezrin		voices
	New York Philharmonic		orchestra
	Bob Ezrin	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Flatlist
	Jimmy Maelen	1977 (died 1988)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	conga drums	Love Gun (1977)
Template:CSS image crop	Eddie Kramer	1977	keyboards
Template:CSS image crop	Ray Simpson		backing vocals
	Hilda Harris		backing vocals
Template:CSS image crop	Tasha Thomas	1977 (died 1984)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	backing vocals
Template:CSS image crop	Bob Kulick	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Flatlist
Template:CSS image crop	Anton Fig	Template:Hlist	drums	Template:Flatlist
	Vini Poncia	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Flatlist
	Tom Harper	1980	bass	Unmasked (1980)
Template:CSS image crop	Holly Knight	1980	keyboards	Unmasked (1980)
	Tony Powers	1981	keyboards	Music from "The Elder" (1981)
	Michael Kamen	1981 (died 2003)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	orchestral arrangements	Music from "The Elder" (1981)
	Allan Schwartzberg	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Flatlist
Template:CSS image crop	Robben Ford	1982	lead guitar	Creatures of the Night (1982)
Template:CSS image crop	Steve Farris		lead guitar
	Adam Mitchell		additional guitar and end lick
	Dave Wittman		backing vocals
Template:CSS image crop	Jimmy Haslip		bass
Template:CSS image crop	Mike Porcaro	1982 (died 2015)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	bass
Template:CSS image crop	Rick Derringer	1983	guitar solo	Lick It Up (1983)
Template:CSS image crop	Desmond Child	1984	backing vocals	Animalize (1984)
	Mitch Weissman	1984	Template:Hlist	Animalize (1984)
Template:CSS image crop	Jean Beauvoir	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	Template:Flatlist
Template:CSS image crop	Tom Kelly	1987	backing vocals	Crazy Nights (1987)
	Phil Ashley	Template:Hlist (died 2020)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	keyboards	Template:Flatlist
	Charlotte Crossley	1989	backing vocals	Hot in the Shade (1989)
	Valerie Pinkston
	Kim Edwards-Brown
	Pat Regan		saxes
	All Star Cadillac Brass		horns
	Kevin Valentine	Template:Hlist	drums	Template:Flatlist
	Jesse Damon	1991–1992	backing vocals	Revenge (1992)
Template:CSS image crop	Jaime St. James	1991–1992		Revenge (1992)
	The Crossroads Boys Choir	1995–1996		Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)
Template:CSS image crop	Nick Simmons
	Carole Keiser		Template:Hlist
	Shelly Berg	1998	Template:Hlist	Psycho Circus (1998)
	Brian Whelan	Template:Hlist	piano	Template:Flatlist

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:22 PlotArea = left:90 bottom:100 top:10 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1973 till:12/02/2023 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4 ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1973 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1973

Colors=

 id:lvocals value:red         legend:Lead_&_backing_vocals
 id:bvocals value:pink        legend:Backing_vocals
 id:lguitar value:teal        legend:Lead_guitar
 id:rguitar value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar
 id:bass    value:blue        legend:Bass
 id:drums   value:orange      legend:Drums
 id:perc    value:claret      legend:Percussion
 id:keys    value:purple      legend:Keyboards,_piano
 id:studio  value:black       legend:Studio_albums
 id:live    value:gray(0.6)   legend:Live_release_recordings
 id:bars    value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData=

 layer:back color:live
 at:05/16/1975
 at:06/21/1975
 at:07/20/1975
 at:07/23/1975
 at:04/02/1976
 at:08/25/1977
 at:09/13/1977
 at:11/27/1992
 at:08/09/1995
 at:02/28/2003
 at:12/31/1999
 at:05/30/2008
 at:11/05/2014
 color:studio
 at:02/18/1974 
 at:10/22/1974
 at:03/19/1975
 at:03/15/1976
 at:11/11/1976
 at:06/30/1977
 at:05/23/1979
 at:05/20/1980
 at:11/10/1981
 at:10/13/1982
 at:09/18/1983
 at:09/13/1984
 at:09/16/1985
 at:09/18/1987
 at:10/17/1989
 at:05/19/1992
 at:10/28/1997
 at:09/22/1998
 at:10/06/2009
 at:10/15/2012

BarData=

 bar:Paul   text:Paul Stanley
 bar:Gene   text:Gene Simmons
 bar:Ace    text:Ace Frehley
 bar:Vinnie text:Vinnie Vincent
 bar:Mark   text:Mark St. John
 bar:Bruce  text:Bruce Kulick
 bar:Tommy  text:Tommy Thayer
 bar:Peter  text:Peter Criss
 bar:EricC  text:Eric Carr
 bar:EricS  text:Eric Singer

PlotData=

width:13
 color:lvocals
 bar:Paul   from:start      till:end
 bar:Gene   from:start      till:end 
 bar:Peter  from:start      till:05/17/1980 width:3
 bar:Ace    from:01/01/1977 till:12/14/1982 width:3
 bar:EricC  from:01/01/1988 till:11/24/1991 width:3
 bar:Peter  from:04/16/1996 till:01/31/2001 width:3
 bar:Ace    from:04/16/1996 till:02/24/2002 width:3
 bar:Tommy  from:02/25/2002 till:end        width:3
 bar:Peter  from:10/15/2002 till:03/14/2004 width:3
 bar:EricS  from:03/15/2004 till:end        width:3 

 color:lguitar
 bar:Ace    from:start      till:12/14/1982
 bar:Vinnie from:12/15/1982 till:03/31/1984
 bar:Mark   from:04/01/1984 till:12/07/1984
 bar:Bruce  from:12/08/1984 till:04/15/1996
 bar:Ace    from:04/16/1996 till:02/24/2002
 bar:Tommy  from:02/25/2002 till:end

 color:rguitar
 bar:Paul   from:start      till:end width:3
 bar:Gene   from:01/02/1975      till:10/13/1982 width:7
 bar:Gene   from:01/01/1991 till:05/19/1992 width:7
 bar:Gene   from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/1999 width:7

 color:keys
 bar:Paul   from:01/01/1987 till:09/18/1987 width:5
 bar:Bruce  from:11/13/1987 till:10/04/1988 width:7
 bar:EricS  from:01/31/2019 till:end        width:5

 color:bass
 bar:Gene   from:start      till:end width:3
 bar:Ace    from:01/08/1974 till:09/01/1982 width:7
 bar:Paul   from:01/05/1977 till:04/01/1998 width:7
 bar:EricC  from:12/15/1982 till:10/13/1982 width:5
 bar:EricC  from:01/01/1989 till:10/17/1989 width:5

 color:drums
 bar:Peter  from:start      till:05/17/1980
 bar:EricC  from:05/18/1980 till:11/24/1991
 bar:EricS  from:12/15/1991 till:04/16/1996
 bar:Peter  from:04/16/1996 till:01/31/2001
 bar:EricS  from:02/01/2001 till:10/14/2002
 bar:Peter  from:10/15/2002 till:03/14/2004
 bar:EricS  from:03/15/2004 till:end

 color:perc
 bar:EricC  from:05/18/1980 till:11/24/1991 width:7
 bar:EricS  from:12/15/1991 till:05/19/1992 width:7
 bar:EricS  from:01/31/2001 till:10/15/2002 width:7
 bar:EricS  from:03/15/2004 till:end        width:7

width:3   
 color:bvocals
 bar:Ace    from:start      till:01/01/1977 width:3
 bar:EricC  from:05/18/1980 till:01/01/1988 width:3
 bar:Vinnie from:12/15/1982 till:03/31/1984 width:3
 bar:Mark   from:04/01/1984 till:12/07/1984 width:3
 bar:Bruce  from:12/08/1984 till:04/15/1996 width:3
 bar:EricS  from:12/15/1991 till:04/16/1996 width:3
 bar:EricS  from:01/31/2001 till:10/15/2002 width:3

</timeline>

Lineups

Period	Members	Releases
January 1973 – May 1980	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Ace Frehley – lead guitar, vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Peter Criss – drums, vocals	Kiss (1974) Hotter than Hell (1974) Dressed to Kill (1975) Alive! (1975) Destroyer (1976) Rock and Roll Over (1976) Love Gun (1977) Alive II (1977) Dynasty (1979) Unmasked (1980) You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! (1996)
May 1980 – December 1982	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Ace Frehley – lead guitar, vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Carr – drums, backing and lead vocals	Music from "The Elder" (1981) Killers (1982) – four tracks onlyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
December 1982 – March 1984	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Vinnie Vincent – lead guitar, backing vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Carr – drums, vocals	Creatures of the Night (1982) Lick It Up (1983)
April – December 1984	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Mark St. John – lead guitar, backing vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Carr – drums, vocals	Animalize (1984)
December 1984 – November 1991	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Bruce Kulick – lead guitar, backing vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Carr – drums, vocals	Asylum (1985) Animalize Live Uncensored (1985) Crazy Nights (1987) Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988) Hot in the Shade (1989) Revenge (1992) – two tracks onlyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
December 1991 – April 1996	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Bruce Kulick – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Singer – drums, backing and lead vocals	Revenge (1992) Alive III (1993) Kiss Konfidential (1993) Kiss Unplugged (1996) Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)
April 1996 – January 2001	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Ace Frehley – lead guitar, vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Peter Criss – drums, vocals	Psycho Circus (1998) Alive! The Millennium Concert (2006)
January 2001 – March 2002	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Ace Frehley – lead guitar, vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Singer – drums, vocals	none
March – October 2002	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Tommy Thayer – lead guitar, backing vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Singer – drums, vocals	none
October 2002 – March 2004	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Tommy Thayer – lead guitar, backing vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Peter Criss – drums, vocals	Kiss Symphony: Alive IV (2003)
April 2004 – December 2023	Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar Tommy Thayer – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals Gene Simmons – vocals, bass Eric Singer – drums, vocals	Instant Live (2004) Rock the Nation Live! (2005) Jigoku-Retsuden (2008) Alive 35 (2008) Sonic Boom (2009) Sonic Boom Over Europe (2010) Monster (2012) "Yume no Ukiyo ni Saite Mi na" (2015) Kiss Rocks Vegas (2016)

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Kiss official website

Template:Navbox musical artist

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List of Kiss members

Contents

Members

Touring

Session

Timeline

Lineups

References

External links

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List of Kiss members

Members

Touring

Session

Timeline

Lineups

References

External links

Navigation menu

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