

Lydia Criss is the former wife of Peter Criss, KISS’ original drummer, and she’s the author of the fabulous book Sealed With A KISS. Her book, which has received universal praise from fans, is a deluxe hardcover collection of more than 1,500 rare and unpublished photos, as well as fascinating stories and memories from Lydia about KISS’ early days and her life with Peter. It’s a beautifully crafted book that KISS fans should absolutely pick up, as it’s one of the most intimate and personal accounts by someone who was close to the band during its formative years. Lydia was kind enough to speak with me about her book, as well as her marriage to Peter, her career as a photographer, and more. I hope you enjoy our discussion.
On July 23, 2003 I met my favorite rock band, KISS, for the first time. As you can see from the smile on may face in the above photo, I was radiating excitement because I was so happy. Not only was this a free meet and greet with the “Hottest Band in the World,” my cousin, Chris, and I had the opportunity to purchase an autographed copy of the band’s new album, which had just come out, KISS Symphony: Alive IV.
Continue readingWithin the past year, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to interview Gene Simmons twice! Since we last spoke, he announced The Vault, which is a 150-song box set, chronicling 50 years of unreleased demos and outtakes, housed in a 38-pound safe. Starting in January, Gene is hand-delivering these vaults for $2,000 each to fans across the world. If you spend $25,000 you can be an executive producer of The Vault and spend an hour with Gene in a recording studio. Or, for $50,000 Gene will come to your house for a two-hour party and you can invite up to 25 friends to take part in the festivities. I’m not buying The Vault because it’s way out of my price range and wheeling home one of these behemoths is a surefire way to upset my wife. However, if you’re interested in learning more about The Vault, you can do so at GeneSimmonsVault.com.
In addition to recently interviewing Barry Manilow and John Oates, I interviewed the God of Thunder: Gene Simmons. I’ve been a KISS fan since September 4, 1996, when I saw the band perform under the Brooklyn Bridge on MTV’s Video Music Awards. So, having the opportunity to speak with Gene Simmons was a surreal one, especially when I answered the phone and he said, “Hi, this is Gene Simmons.” I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did conducting it.