The legendary rock
band KISS, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, has been in
the news a lot lately. Founding members 
and Paul Stanley, still
wearing kabuki makeup and crazy costumes, keep the brand alive by continuing to
tour (with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer) and involve
themselves in such enterprises as the Rock & Brews restaurant chain and the
LA KISS Indoor League Football team.
Original KISS guitarist 
has a new solo album filled with cover tunes, Origins Vol. 1. The band’s first drummer, 
, has pretty
much retired from pounding the skins professionally, but he’s still in the
public eye, as evidenced by his recent appearance at Texas Frightmare Weekend,
where he signed autographs and posed for pictures with a large crowd of happy
fans.
Criss’s ex-wife,
Lydia, who was married to the Catman from 1970 to 1979, has been visible as
well, promoting her spectacular book, 
. The autobiographical tome is filled with candid stories of
Lydia’s exciting, if sometimes tumultuous life with Peter and is loaded with
rare photos, including early pics of the band sans makeup.
I recently caught up
with Lydia , who discussed her book and her years with and KISS.
BRETT WEISS: Growing
up, what kind of music and what bands did you like?
LYDIA CRISS: Initially
I liked Motown. Then when 
arrived I changed to the British bands,
like the Beatles, the Stones, the Who, and 
.
WEISS: If someone had
told your teenage self that one day you would be married to a famous rock star,
what would you have said?
CRISS: No Way!!
WEISS: Please
describe the first time you met , and your first date. What
attracted you to him initially?
CRISS: I met Peter at
a club in Brooklyn when he was playing with the Barracudas. My friend was dating the bass player, and she
thought I would like Peter, the drummer. Our first date was the following day. We
went to the beach with a bunch of his friends. What attracted me to Peter was
his personality.
WEISS: When and how
did Peter propose?
CRISS: Peter never
proposed. We went out to dinner and then went to see Romeo and Juliet, and he then said he wanted to get married. It was
just understood that after three-and-half years of dating that we would get
married. I never did receive an engagement ring.
WEISS: Did you help Peter come up with his Catman
character and look? Did you ever offer Peter any advice about his music or
costumes?
CRISS: No, Peter came
up with the Catman character and look by himself. There was always discussion
about his music, but me not being a musician, I didn’t give him any advice.
Regarding his costumes, I did help make some of them in the early days, but after
they signed with Casablanca, there were professional people working with them
on their costumes. Peter would come home with sketches, and we would discuss
the sketches.
WEISS: You were there
at the Coventry on January 30, 1973, when KISS played their first show. Please
describe that experience.
CRISS: It was
exciting that they were finally getting out of the rehearsal loft and playing
to the public. It was also scary. The first night, there were only three people
in the audience. It was Jan Walsh (Gene’s girlfriend), Jan’s friend, and me.
[AUTHOR’S NOTE: Other reports have described the crowd as being “less than 10
people.”]
WEISS: You supported
Peter financially before KISS became successful. Did either of you resent this?
Was he truly appreciative?
CRISS: Yes, I
supported Peter for the first six years of our marriage, and the three-and-a-half
before we got married. I didn’t resent it. I think it paid off. As far as Peter
being truly appreciative, you will have to ask Peter that question. I really
don’t know the answer.
WEISS: What was it
like watching the band morph from guys in T-shirts and jeans, playing in a loft
and in bars, to famous rock stars adored by millions?
CRISS: It was great
seeing this happen, but it was a slow process. First they got the show and
costumes together, thanks to Sean Delaney. Then they had to get the public to
love them. That’s what took a while. They were playing small venues for the
first two years, and then in the third year it all started to explode.
WEISS: What was the
best thing about being married to Peter?
CRISS: He was very
funny, and I like guys that make me laugh.
WEISS: What was the
worst thing?
CRISS: His dependency
on drugs.
WEISS: In your mind,
what caused the divorce? Who instigated the divorce, you or Peter?
CRISS: Infidelity on
his part. Peter wanted the divorce.
WEISS: What is your
opinion of ?
CRISS: I liked all of
the guys. It was always fun being around
them. Lots of laughs. As far as Gene, he
was a very understanding and pleasant.
He was the person to talk finances with.
WEISS: What about
Paul Stanley?
CRISS: I thought Paul
and Peter were the closest back then. They roomed together in the beginning,
and we went on vacations with Paul. He was good to talk to about clothes and
food.
WEISS: ?
CRISS: Ace was just a
happy-go-lucky guy, always telling jokes.
WEISS: What is your
favorite KISS song and why?
CRISS: My favorite KISS
song is, of course, “Beth.” I do have
other favorites, but that is number one. I also like “Hard Luck Woman,” “Strutter,”
“Do You Love Me?”, and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” My favorite albums are Destroyer and Love
Gun.
WEISS: Please
describe your life as ex-wife of . Do you still talk to Peter or any
of the other band members?
CRISS: I only talk to
Peter if we happen to be at the same place together. I do talk to Ace, but now
that he moved to the West Coast, I only see him when he plays on the East
Coast.
WEISS: Your book, Sealed
With A KISS, is truly amazing—lots of great stories and information, and
the photos are incredible. How long did the book take you to write? Please
describe the writing and publishing process.
CRISS: Writing
WEISS: Did , who
is fiercely protective of the KISS brand, have a problem with you publishing
the book? Did you get any feedback from KISS members about the book?
CRISS: As far as I
know, KISS did not have a problem with the book. I did check with three lawyers
before I printed it. I believe I was protected by our First Amendment right. The
only feedback I got from KISS is that Tommy Thayer bought the book and told me
that I did a really good job. Tommy was one of the major writers for KISStory, so I felt that was a great
compliment.
WEISS: Anything else
you care to share about your book or about your life in general?
CRISS: Well, if you
don’t have my book, you have to get it. It is one of the best KISS books. It is
the most accurate and the most honest. It’s a hardcover coffee table book, 12”
x 10” glossy, full color, 384 pages. It has over 1,500 photos and approximately
120,000 words. It weighs almost five pounds. If you purchase an autographed
copy from www.lydiacriss.com, you will get a free CD by my boyfriend,
Richie Fontana, who played drums on Paul Stanley’s 1978 solo album. The CD is
called Steady On the Steel.
WEISS: Thanks for
your time, Lydia!
