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43211, One Black And Gold Blvd., Columbus, OH, USRock band Kiss is currently comprised of frontman and bassist Gene Simmons, singer and rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, drummer Eric Singer, and lead guitarist Tommy Thayer. The band has sold more than 100 million albums and the original four members – Simmons and Stanley, alongside Peter Criss and Ace Frehley – were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. The four members of the band portray four characters: the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman, and The Catman. The band’s music has been inspired by a number of genres, from glam metal to hard rock to heavy metal to disco to prog rock.
The band formed in 1973 in New York and immediately started experimenting with their image using makeup and wild outfits. They played their first shows and released their first demo in 1973 before signing to Casablanca Records and releasing their debut self-titled album the following year. Their star began to rise because of their electric live shows which featured Simmons lighting his hair on fire, incredible lighting displays, and pyrotechnics. They reached real stardom with their live album Alive!, released in 1975, followed by their 1976 platinum album Destroyer. The band is known for singles including Shout It Out Loud, Beth, and Detroit Rock City.