The 70’s
KISS traces its roots to Wicked Lester, a New York-based rock and roll band led by co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Unhappy with the direction of Wicked Lester, Simmons and Stanley part ways with the other members in 1972.
Late 1972 - Simmons spots an ad in Rolling Stone placed by Peter Criss, a drummer "looking to do anything to make it". Criss auditions and begins rehearsing with Simmons and Stanley as a trio.
January 1973 - Simmons, Stanley and Criss audition lead guitarist Ace Frehley. The band becomes KISS. Stanley is credited with coming up with the name, while Frehley designs the original version of the now-famous KISS logo.
January 30, 1973 - KISS play their first show at a club in Queens, NY called Popcorn.
The 80’s
May 20, 1980 - Drummer Peter Criss leaves KISS shortly after the release of Unmasked.
June, 1980 - New York drummer Eric Carr joins KISS and is christened The Fox. Carr makes his KISS debut on stage at a one-off show at New York's Palladium Theatre.
October 25, 1982 - KISS release Creatures of the Night. Guitarist Ace Frehley decides to leave the band to pursue a solo career. Frehley is replaced by Vinnie Vincent in time for the KISS 10th Anniversary Tour. Vincent is given the character of an Egyptian ankh.
On September 18, 1983 - KISS shock the music world by appearing without their signature makeup for the first time live on an MTV prime-time TV special and debut video for the title track, Lick It Up.
April 1984 - Mark St John joins KISS and appears on the album Animalize.
October 1984 - Lead guitarist Bruce Kulick joins KISS during the Animalize tour. Throughout the 1980's, KISS continues to release best-selling albums; September 1985's Asylum, September 1987's Crazy Nights and the November 1988 compilation Smashes, Thrashes & Hits.
The 90’s
Late 1991 - KISS enters the recording studio to record the highly praised Revenge album. Sadly, drummer Eric Carr became severely ill with cancer and passes away on November 24, 1991 at the age of 41. Devastated, KISS continues with drummer Eric Singer and finishes the album.
June 17, 1995 - Former drummer Peter Criss visits the first North American KISS Convention in Los Angeles with his daughter. Peter joins the band onstage singing KISS classics Hard Luck Woman and Nothin' to Lose.
August 9, 1995 - KISS performs on MTV Unplugged. The band invites former members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley to participate in a mini-reunion onstage for several songs at the end of the Unplugged set.
January 1996 - With the amazing response to the Unplugged show, plans begin for an official KISS reunion with the four original members.
February 28, 1996 - The four original KISS members, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss make a surprise appearance at the 38th annual Grammy Awards show in Los Angeles in full KISS makeup and costume, the first time in 17 years.
June 28, 1996 - The KISS Alive Worldwide Reunion tour kicks off at Tiger Stadium, Detroit, MI, selling out 40,000 tickets in 40 minutes. The mammoth 13-month tour covers 200 shows in 26 countries, playing to over two million people, setting a record for the top-grossing tour of the year.
The 2000’s
February 10, 2000 - KISS announce the KISS Farewell tour that kicks off in Phoenix, AZ on March 11th, becoming one of the year's top concert tours.
January 2001 - On the eve of the Australia/Japanese leg of the KISS Farewell tour, Peter Criss leaves the band and is replaced by former KISS drummer Eric Singer, now donning the Catman makeup.
March 6, 2002 - KISS performs at a private concert in Trelawney, Jamaica. Prior to leaving for Jamaica, Ace Frehley declines to go and is replaced by guitarist Tommy Thayer, donning the Spaceman makeup and costume.
March 16, 2008 - KISS open ALIVE 35 world tour to 80,000 fans at the Melbourne Grand Prix. Play sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout Europe (in Summer '08) on their most successful European tour ever. Performed in Russia, Greece, Bulgaria and Latvia for first time ever
April 10, 1014 - Kiss is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
43 years after it began, the band continues to tour today