Kiss Drummer Peter Criss Recalls First Phone Call With Gene Simmons About Makeup and Costumes

Peter Criss picked up his phone in late 1972, and Gene Simmons was on the other end. The bassist didn't ask about drumming chops or previous gigs. Instead, he wanted to know about hair, dresses, high heels, and lipstick. That strange conversation would help build one of rock's most recognizable acts.

Simmons and Paul Stanley spotted an ad in Rolling Stone. Criss, a Brooklyn drummer, placed it after his previous bands, Chelsea and Lips, fell apart. 

"He asked me. 'Are you tall? Are you good-looking? 'Do you have long hair? Are you willing to wear a dress and high heels? Are you willing to wear lipstick?'" Criss said, according to Loudersound. "I couldn't believe what he was asking me, but those questions fascinated me."

Criss had just returned from his honeymoon in London. His wife sat nearby. He turned to her and explained that he had to meet this guy because something felt different about this call.

When Criss showed up at Electric Lady Studios in New York, he wore clothes from London. Simmons took one look and told him he looked like a rock star ready to cut an album. They still needed a lead guitarist, and Ace Frehley arrived wearing a motorcycle jacket and mismatched sneakers.

"He walked right by the guy, plugged in, and started playing himself," Criss said. "And we all turned around, looked at one another, and went 'Holy sh*t!'. He was in straight away."

The four musicians studied the Beatles when they created their makeup and characters. Each Beatle had attracted fans who loved just them. The new band wanted that.

"We wanted the same thing. So we took the concept they developed and made it more theatrical," Criss said. "We said, 'Let's start trying to apply make-up and see what's going on.'"

They bought cheap clown-white makeup and shoe polish, and rehearsals happened in an unheated loft. They tested looks, and Criss became the Catman. The others were The Demon, Starchild, and Spaceman.

Eric Singer later took over as drummer and kept the Catman character going. The band wrapped up their last show in 2023.