Kiss Psycho Circus

Under one cover the first six issues of this horror-laden series brings all the strange and captivating stories of this circus of the damned.

Born into a regular Bronx family, and inspired by the likes of Hendrix, Led Zepellin, and the Kinks, Ace Frehley first picked up his brother's guitar at the age of 12. He had already performed in a number of bands when, in January 1973, he auditioned for an ad that read: "Guitarist wanted with flash and balls." Within a week he was invited to join - the band was KISS. Frehley explains how the band developed their style in the early days, making their own clothes, wearing make-up and platform shoes. Ace himself even designed the band's double lightning bolt logo. Before long his persona "the Spaceman" was born and the familiar KISS look established - almost overnight they left behind 1,500 seater theatres in the Midwest and were playing sold-out stadiums around the world. Life in KISS was a whirlwind of accidents, overdoses and excess. Ace partied with the likes of John Belushi and Nic Nolte and enjoyed the seemingly endless supply of fringe benefits that came from being in one of the most successful bands in the history of rock 'n' roll. But soon problems with substance abuse would lead to his leaving the band in 1982, before returning for a second tenure in 1996. Ace in the Hole is the story of KISS but much more than that - it's the story of a kid from the Bronx who found purpose and salvation through music and rose to the top. It's the story of a guy who lived life to the fullest and almost forfeited his life as a result. And ultimately it's a survival story - Ace is alive and kicking, still making music and influencing a new generation of guitarists.

In '77, blood from each member of the rock band KISS was drawn by a registered nurse and poured into vats of red ink used for printing the band's first comic book. It was created by Marvel legend Stan Lee and was the beginning of a hugely successful KISS comic book franchise. All are now out of print. Now, for the first time, the KISS Kompendium combines the most breathtaking KISS comic books into a lush oversized collector's compilation. Brought to life by graphic illustrations as riveting and hardcore as the band's real-life fire-breathing line-up, the Demon (Gene Simmons), Starchild (Paul Stanley), and the other band members' superhero alter egos defeat evil in over 1200 pages of stunning KISS comics! This is a book authorized by KISS. KISS founding members Gene Simmons, a rock legend and star of A&E's Family Jewels, and Paul Stanley have contributed the forewords to this. The book also includes exclusive never-before-seen backstage photos from KISS' newest tour along with commentary by the band-members. This is a must-have for every KISS fan eagerly awaiting the band's new album, their first in over 10 years, and a perfect holiday gift for comic-book lovers to pour over time and time again.

A veteran music journalist explores how four legendary rock bands—KISS, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, and Starz—laid the foundation for two diametrically opposed subgenres: hair metal in the '80s and grunge in the '90s. It was the age when heavy-footed, humorless dinosaurs roamed the hard-rock landscape. But that all changed when into these dazed and confused mid-'70s strut-ted four flamboyant bands that reveled in revved-up anthems and flaunted a novel theatricality. In They Just Seem a Little Weird, veteran entertainment journalist Doug Brod offers an eye- and ear-opening look at a crucial moment in music history, when rock became fun again and a gig became a show. This is the story of friends and frenemies who rose, fell, and soared once more, often sharing stages, studios, producers, engineers, managers, agents, roadies, and fans-and who are still collaborating more than forty years on. In the tradition of David Browne's Fire and Rain and Sheila Weller's Girls Like Us, They Just Seem a Little Weird seamlessly interweaves the narratives of KISS, Cheap Trick, and Aerosmith with that of Starz, a criminally neglected band whose fate may have been sealed by a shocking act of violence. This is also the story of how these distinctly American groups-three of them now enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-laid the foundation for two seemingly opposed rock genres: the hair metal of Poison, Skid Row, and Mötley Crüe and the grunge of Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and the Melvins. Deeply researched, and featuring more than 130 new interviews, this book is nothing less than a secret history of classic rock.

Larry "Ratso" Sloman, co-author of Scar Tissue, the mega-selling memoir of Red Hot Chilli Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis, joins forces with founding KISS drummer Peter "Catman" Criss to deliver an unvarnished and eye-opening personal tale of sex, drugs and rock'n' roll. Legendary founding KISS drummer Peter 'Catman' Criss has lived an incredible life in music, from the streets of Brooklyn to the social clubs of New York City to the ultimate heights of rock 'n' roll success and excess.KISS formed in 1973 and broke new ground with their elaborate makeup, live theatrics, and powerful sound. the band emerged as one of the most iconic hard rock acts in music history. Peter Criss, the Catman, was the heartbeat of the group. From an elevated perch on his pyrotechnic drum riser, he had a unique vantage point on the greatest rock show of all time, with the KISS Army looking back at him night after night.Peter Criscuola had come a long way from the homemade drum set he pounded on nonstop as a kid growing up in Brooklyn in the fifties. He endured lean years, street violence, and the rollercoaster music scene of the sixties, but he always knew he'd make it. Makeup to Breakup is Peter Criss's eye-opening journey from the pledge to his ma that he'd one day play Madison Square Garden to doing just that. He conquered the rock world - composing and singing his band's all-time biggest hit, 'Beth' (1976) - but he also faced the perils of stardom and his own mortality, including drug abuse, treatment in 1982, near-suicides, two broken marriages, and a hard-won battle with breast cancer.Criss opens up with a level of honesty and emotion previously unseen in any musician's memoir. Makeup to Breakup is the definitive and heartfelt account of one of rock's most iconic figures, and the importance of faith and family. Rock 'n' roll has been chronicled many times, but never quite like this.

Sounds LIke Teen Spirit is the first book ever on songs that appear to have "borrrowed" their melodies from earlier songs. Readers will experience many "aha!" moments when they discover the sources of their favorite songs.

After three decades of undying adoration, KISS fans will get their first fully authorized and total access look at the band who loves to "rock 'n' roll all nite and party every day!" Twenty years ago, KISS officially revealed the faces behind the stage makeup, and fans all over the world got their first look at the band. Now, in KISS: BEHIND THE MASK, the band's legion of fans and music enthusiasts alike will get to know the men behind the stage personas. After 30 years as a band, KISS are more than just a rock 'n' roll institution-they are legends. For decades, they have consistently remained among the most successful acts in the history of popular music. KISS' legendary stagemanship and extreme theatrics are well known by two generations of rock fans, and they are already pulling in the next one. Now, through their own words and exclusive material contributed by some of the biggest rock stars in the industry, KISS: BEHIND THE MASK will tell the band's full story.

NEW YORK TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER In Face the Music, Paul Stanley—the co-founder and famous “Starchild” frontman of KISS—reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize. Stanley mixes compelling personal revelations and gripping, gritty war stories that will surprise even the most steadfast member of the KISS Army. He takes us back to his childhood in the 1950s and ’60s, a traumatic time made more painful thanks to a physical deformity. Born with a condition called microtia, he grew up partially deaf, with only one ear. But this instilled in him an inner drive to succeed in the most unlikely of pursuits: music. With never-before-seen photos and images throughout, Stanley’s memoir is a fully realized and unflinching portrait of a rock star, a chronicle of the stories behind the famous anthems, the many brawls and betrayals, and all the drama and pyrotechnics on and off the stage. Raw and confessional, Stanley offers candid insights into his personal relationships, and the turbulent dynamics with his bandmates over the past four decades. And no one comes out unscathed—including Stanley himself. “People say I was brave to write such a revealing book, but I wrote it because I needed to personally reflect on my own life. I know everyone will see themselves somewhere in this book, and where my story might take them is why I’m sharing it.” —Paul Stanley